.MTAxNg.NjcyODE
29 of Massachusets, being sent into the Nipmuck country to destroy the enemies corn fields that they had deserted, & to hinder their release thereby in winter, these soldiers being cautioned by their instructions not to spoil any thing belonging to the poor chian Indians; that lived among us & had deserted their plantations of Hassanamset, Manchauge, and Chobonakonkon; three villages lay next the English in Nipmuck country, But this prohibition notwithstanding at their return which was about the 4th of October, and I was certainly informed that all they did in this enterprise was to destroy; much of the corne burn the wigwams & mattes & other things that they found in those 3 villages that belonged to our praying Indians; but the other places of pakachooge Quabaage and others where there was abundance of corn they left untouched, which after in the winter afforded relief to the enemy. But the praying Indians had theirs destroyed & were the sufferiers in this affayre.
About the middle of October 1675 the general court then sitting at Boston there were rigourous, endeavors set a foot in the Deputies house. occasioned by petition and complaints presented to them from & of the people for removing the praying indians from their plantations, but when to dispose them was not so duly considered, therupon a bill was offered to the house of magistrates about this matter , but after some debate upon the bill not knowing well how or where to dispose the Indians that bill was cast aside, But this demure upon the bill rather heightened an earnest pressing of it, whereupon a committee of both houses were chosen to consider of the matter. The committee met. They were presented with a paper containing seven Roads showing the difficulty & inconvenience in that affair. and how it deserved a very serious and deliberate consideration. The first taken, from our covenant with our King, in our charter, to be our best endeavors to communicate the Christian Religion to the Indians in pusuance whereof, there were some ministers encouraged to gaind their language and labor amongst them to that end. had now for about 30 years spare preached the Gospel to them. 2ly The bible & divers other pious books were translated into their language which diverse? of them could well read & understand. 3dly A scool school or college built of Brick at Cambridge at the charge of the Honble corporation in London. 4 Churches & church officers are setled among them. 5 diverse are baptized both men woman and children. 6ly in Judgement of charity severall of them are Beelievers; A second head teaken from a covnt made while those indians & their predecessers about 30 years since recorded, the General Court record of the massachusetts , whom the indians subjection and the English protection is mutually agreed.