27th Sunday afternoone the Sachims of Oneyde and Onnondage arrived at Albany, in the evening they supped with his Excell. giving great expressions of ye joy and satisfaccôn they had in meeting his Excell. 28th His Excell sent Capt James Weems to view the garrison at Schenectady and bring report to His Excell what necessary repairs are wanting which was performed accordingly. This day the Sachims of the other three Nations arrived and desired time to rest themselves till tomorrow. 29th His Excell. called the Sachims together and spake. At a Meeting of the Sachims of the Five Nations at Albany the 29th of September 1696 Present His Excell Coll Benjamin Fletcher &c Coll. Nicholas Bayard William Pinhorne Esq of the Council Majr Peter Schuyler Matthew Clarkson Esq Secretary. The Mayr Recorder & Aldermen of Albany &c His Excell said : Brethren, It is an inexpressible satisfaction to me that I see you here. I do heartily condole the losse our brethren the Onondages and Oneydes have susteined by the late eruption of the French army from Canida. Upon the first certaine intelligence I had, I came up in person with [what] I could hastily gather for your assistance. And I am now here and present you the Onondages and Oneydes these two belts of Wampum as a confirmacôn of my sincerity and these kettles to repair your losse in that kinde. Brethren Two months agoe I received at New Yorke the first intelligence that the French had made an insult upon your country. I forthwith came up as I said before to yo' reliefe and assistance. I had an account before I did reach Albany from some of your people that the French army were retreated and marched back towards Canida. I then sent expresses desiring you all to meet me at this place. Some time after I received yo answer that you would meet me about this time in Albany; and I am now come up a second time this summer in order to renew the Covenant Chain and to consult with the brethren what is most propper and may be most conducing to the common good and safety of the whole House. I do acquaint you from my most illustrious Master the King of Great Brittaine, France and Ireland, that he will always extend his gracious protecôn to you and as a seal of it His Majesty has commanded me to deliver you these presents to keep bright the Covenant Chain from all rust and to strengthen it in behalfe of all his Majesty's Subjects, not only of this Province, but those also of New-England, Connecticutt, the Jerseys, Pensilvania, Maryland and Virginia. A list of the Presents sent from the Kings Most Excellent Majesty and given to the Indians (viz') 21 blew coats 24 laced hatts 24 p' shoes with buckles. 24 shirts 22 dozen hose 30 gunn barrills and locks 30 brasse kettles 1 barrell powder 400 weight of lead 1000 flints 1 grose of tobacco pipes, wood and tinn 2 grose of knives 6 pound of vermillion Prime cost in England of the above goods £200 sterling. A list of presents added by the government of New Yorke. 1 piece of duffils 2 cask of Swan shott 7 barrills powder 14 large kettles 100 hatchetts 54 lbs tobacco in roll 2 grose pipes 28 gallons rumm 7 pieces of white hamills for shirts of the Enemyes motion pd by Mr. Dellius, Mr. . £169 5 4 130 19 7 100 00 0 260 00 0 In all £660 4 11 At a Meeting of the Sachems of the Five Nations at His Excell. Coll. Benjamin Fletcher, &c. Coll. Nicholas Bayard William Pinhorne Esq Major Peter Schuyler Matth: Clarkson, Esq. Secy. The May Aldermen of Albany &c. Sanonguirese a Sachim of the Mohaques was Speaker Brother Cayenquiragoe We returne you thanks for what you have said the day before yesterday in condoling of our losse, and for the kettles which you gave us to boyle our victuals in the room of those that are lost by the enemy as also for the two Belts of Wampum given us as a token of your sincerity, by which our hearts are mightily rejoiced and lifted up in this our poor condition. Brother Cayenquiragoe We are exceedingly rejoiced that the great King over the Seas has sent to us in this our low condition, by which our hearts are lifted up, we were ready to sink in a miserable perishing Condition and this makes us revive again. He laid down six Beaver Skins. Brother Cayenquiragoe We come to desire you to acquaint the Great King that the enemy has brought us to a very low Condition and have distroyed five of our Castles; one is now left, and if that be destroyed we know not what to do; we know not what shall become of us next; pray let the Great King know this. Brother Cayenquiragoe We desire that since the Great King of England &c has Cannoes of Seaventy gunns a piece and many forces, you may acquaint him that it is a great pity we should be so plagued with soe small an enemy as the French and Indians of Canida. We áre not able of ourselves to destroy them. We are become a small people and much lessened by the warr. If the people of Virginia, Maryland, Pensilvania, the Jerseys, Connecticutt and New-England who have all put their hand to the Covenant Chain will joyne with the inhabitants of this place we are ready to go and root out the French and all our enemyes out of Canida. He then laid down a bundle of six Bever skins, and on the outside thereof a draft of the river of Canida with the chiefe places thereof marked to show the smallnesse of the enemy and how seated upon Canida river; which they desire may be sent over and shown to the Great Quebecq King. Brother Cayenquiragoe. We again thank you for the Message you have brought us from the Great King. And we pray you to send again to him for us with all vigour and speed, and to lay before the King what we have here said, faile not in writing, faile not to let the King know it. We give these five Beavers to the man that writes, to pay for paper, penn and ink. Brother Cayenquiragoe We desire you to acquaint the Great King as before, that we are a small people and he has a great people and many cannoes with great gunns, we desire you to write to him to know whether he will send them to distroy Canida or not against the next time the trees grow green; and if he will not send forces to distroy Canada then to send us word thereof that we may make peace for ourselves, for ever, or for some time. He laid And we earnestly pray you will desire the Great King to send us an answer by the next time the trees grow green. down a bundle of six bevers. Present At a meeting of the Sachims of the Five Nations at His Excell. Coll. Benjamin Fletcher, &c. Matth: Clarkson Esq. Secy. The Mayr Recorder & Aldermen of Albany &c Dackashata a Sachem of the Sinnekes was Speaker Brother Cayenquiragoe We come to condole the losse you daily receive having daily alarms of sculking partyes of the enemy doing mischiefe. Then laid down a Belt of Wampum. Brother Cayenquiragoe I am come with the whole House to consider what tends to the comôn good of the whole House Brother Cayenquiragoe We come here to quicken the fire, and renew the Covenant chain. Brother Cayenquiragoe We come to renew the Covenant chain with all the brethren of New England, Connecticutt, New Yorke, the Jerseys, Pensilvania, Maryland and Virginia that they may partake of the warmth of the fire. Brother Cayenquiragoe We recommend to all that are in the Covenant Chain to be vigorous and keep it up. Brother Cayenquiragoe. When all is said I drincke to all yor healths & then I deliver you the cupp. Brother Cayenquiragoe. There has been a cloud and we come to remove it, as the Sun in the morning removes the darknesse of the night. Brother Cayenquiragoe. The tree of safety and welfare planted here we confirme it. Brother Cayenquiragoe. As the tree is planted here and confirmed, so we make fast all the roots and branches of it, all the brethren of the Five Nations and the brethren of Virginia, Maryland, Pensilvania, the Jerseys, New Yorke, Connecticutt & New England. Brother Cayenquiragoe. We wish we may rest in quietnesse under that tree. We fill it with new leaves, and wish all that are in the Covenant chain may have the benefite to sitt down quiett under its shaddow. Brother Cayenquiragoe I do hereby renew the covenant chain with all that have put |