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9th Feby., & then about 10 oclock in the night came to Maj. Gookin's house at Cambridge, conducted thither by one Joseph Miller that lived near the falls of Chas. River: he bro't tidings that before he came from the enemy at Menemesse a party of the Inds. about 400 were marched forth to attack & burn Lancaster, & on the morrow which was Feb. 10, they would attempt it. This time exactly suited with James his information, before hinted, which was not then credited, as it should have been, & consequently not so good means used to prevent it, or at least to have lain in ambushments for the enemy: as soon as Maj. Gookin understood this tidings by Job, he rose out of his bed & advising with Mr. Danforth one of the Council that lived near him, they despatched away post in the night to Marlbo. Concord & Lancastr., ordering forces to surrod. Lancastr. with all speed The posts were at Marl. by break of day & Cap. Wadsworth, (1) with about (1) 40 solds. marchd. away as speedy as he cld. possibly, to Lancastr. ( wh. was 10 miles dist.) but before he got there the enemy had set fire on the bridge, but Cap. Wadsworth got over & beat off the enemy, recovered a garrison house that stood near another bridge belonging to Cyprian Stevens (2) & so thro' gods favor, prevented the Enemy from cutting off the garrison: god strangely preserving that handful with Cap. Wadsworth, for the eng. were numerous, about 400, & lay in ambushment for him on the common road, but his guides

(1) Capt. Samuel Wadsworth of Milton, who in April following, fell in Sudbury fight, with about 50 of his men. Annals of America, I, 380. See also a detailed account of the circumstances attending, forward at p 109, 110. (2) See Barry'd Framingham, 396.