N00725:154
Decennium luctuosum. An history of remarkable occurrences, in the long war, which New-England hath…
Decennium luctuosum. An history of remarkable occurrences, in the long war, which New-England hath had with the Indian savages, from the year, 1688. To the year 1698. / Faithfully composed and improved. ; [One line of quotation in Latin]
printed by B. Green for Samuel Phillips, 1699
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
ARTICLE. XX. Bloody Fishing at Oyster-River. And Sad work at Groton.
A Years Breathing Time, was a great Favour of Heaven to a Country, quite out of Breath, with Numberless Calamities: But the Favour was not so Thankfully Enjoyed, as it should have been And now, The Clouds Return after the Rain. The Spectre that with Burning Tongs drove Xerxes to his War upon the Graecians, had not lost his Influence upon our Indians. The Perfidy of the Indians appeared first, in their not Restoring the English Captives, according to their Covenant; but the perfidious Wretches Excused this, with many Protestations. That which added unto our Jealousies about them, was, their Insolent carriage towards a Sloop, commanded by Captain Wing; and the Information of a Fellow called Hector, That the Indians intended most certainly to break the Peace, and had promised ⟨p. 121⟩the French Priests, taking the Sacrament thereupon, to destroy the first English Town they could Surprise. Rumours of Indians Lurking about some of the Frontier-Plantations, now began to put the poor people into Consternation; but upon an Imagination, that they were only certain Beaver Hunters the Consternation of the people went off into Security. 'Tis affirmed by English Captives, which were then at Canada, that the Desolation of Oyster-River was commonly talked in the Streets of Quebec, Two months before it was Effected; for the Spies had found no Town so Secure as That. And now, what was Talked at Quebec in the month of May, must be Done at Oyster-River in the month of July; for on Wednesday, July 18. 1694. the Treacherous Enemy, with a great Army fell upon that place, about break of Day, and Killed and Captiv'd, Ninety Four, (or, an Hundred) persons; about a Score of whom, were men belonging to the Trained Band, of the Town. Several persons Remarkably Escaped this Bloody Deluge, but none, with more Bravery, than one Thomas Bickford, who had an House, a Little Pallisado'd, by the River Side; but no man in it besides himself. He dexterously put his Wife, and Mother, and Children aboard a Canoe, and Sending them down the River, he Alone, betook himself to the Defence of his House, against many Indians, that made an Assault upon him.