III.

I propofe to you, firft, That you call out of CHA P. << our Countries of Virginia and Maryland, all your young Men or Soldiers that are now there.

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Secondly, That you do not hinder or moleft our "friendly Indians from hunting in our Mountains, it "having been their Country, and none of yours; "they never go into your Country to disturb any of you.

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Thirdly, Though the Damages you have done "our Country be very great, and would require a great deal of Satisfaction, which you are bound "to give; yet we affure you, that only by the "Perfuafions of your Governor, who is at a vaft "deal of Trouble and Charge for your Welfare, "which you ever ought to acknowledge, I have pafs'd it by and forgiven you; upon this Conditi"on, that your People, nor any living among you, for the future, ever commit any Incurfions upon "our Chriftians or Indians living among us, or in "Maryland.

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*

"For the better Confirmation of the fame, and "that the Peace now concluded may be lafting, I "propose to have two Hatchets buried, as a fi"nal Determination of all Wars and Jarrings be"tween us; one on behalf of us and our Indians, "and the other for all your Nations united together, "that ever did us any Injury, or pretended to war against our Indian Friends, or thofe of Mary"land.

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"And that nothing may be wanting for Confir"mation thereof (if you defire it) we are willing "to fend fome of our Indian Sachems, with an A"gent, next Summer, about this Time, that they "may ratify the Covenant with you here, in this " prefixed House, where you may fee and speak together as Friends.

• All Indians make Ufe of a Hatchet or Axe, as an Emblem to express War.

"That

CHAP.

III.

"That the Covenant now made between us, in "this prefixed House, in the Presence of your Go"vernor, may be firmly kept and performed on "your Parts, as it always has been on ours; and that "you do not break any one Link of the Covenantchain for the future, by your People's coming

near our Plantations; when you march to the "Southward, keep to the Feet of the Mountains, " and do not come nigh the Heads of our Rivers, "there being no Bever-hunting there; for we fhall "not for the future, though you lay down your "Arms as Friends, ever truft you more, you have "fo often deceived us."

The next Day the Mohawks answer'd first by their Speaker, faying:

"We muft, in the firft Place, fay fomething to "the other three Nations, by Way of Reproof, for "their not keeping the former Chain, as they

ought; and therefore we defire you, great Sa"chem of Virginia, and you Corlaer, and all here "prefent to give Ear, for we will conceal nothing "of the Evil they have done." [Then turning to the other Nations.] "You have heard Yesterday "all that has been faid; as for our Parts, we are "free of the Blame laid on us; we have always "been obedient to Corlaer, and have fteadily kept "our Chain with Virginia, Maryland, and Boston; "but ye are ftupid and brutish, and have no Un

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derftanding, we must stamp Understanding into

you. Let the new Chain made Yesterday be care"fully preserved for the future. This we earneft"ly recommend to you, for we are ready to cry "for Shame of you; let us be no more ashamed on

your Account, but be obedient, and take this "Belt, to keep what we fay in your Memory.

"Hear now, now is the Time to hearken; the "Covenant-chain had very near. flipt, by your not "keeping

2

keeping it firmly. Hold it faft now, when all for- CH A P: "mer Evils are buried in the Pit.

"You Oneydoes, I fpeak to you as Children; be "no longer childish, or void of Understanding.

"You Onondagas, our Brethren, you are like "deaf People, that cannot hear, your Senfes are "covered with Dirt and Filth.

"You Cayugas, do not return into your former "Ways. There are three Things we muft all ob"serve.

"First, The Covenant with Corlear. Secondly, "the Covenant with Virginia and Maryland. "Thirdly, with Bofton. We muft ftamp Under"ftanding into you, that you may be obedient " and take this Belt for a Remembrancer."

Then Cadianne, the fame Mohawk Speaker, turning to my Lord, faid:

"We are very thankful to you, great Sachem of "Virginia, that you are perfuaded by Corlear, our "Governor, to forgive all former Faults. We are "very glad to hear you, and fee your Heart foft"ened. Take these three Bevers as a Token.

"We thank the great Sachem of Virginia for fay"ing, that the Axe fhall be thrown into the Pit. "Take these two Bevers, as a Token of our Joy "and Thankfulness.

"We are glad that Affarigoa* will bury in the "Pit what is paft. Let the Earth be trod hard "over it; or rather, let a ftrong Stream run under "the Pit, to wash the Evil away out of our Sight "and Remembrance, and that it may never be digged up again.

"Allarigoa, you are a Man of Knowledge and "Understanding, thus to keep the Covenant-chain bright as Silver; and now again to renew it, and

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The Name the Five Nations always give the Governor of Virginia.

E

"make

III.

CHA P." make it ftronger. (Then pointing to the three III. "other Nations, faid.) But they are Chain-break66 ers. I lay down this as a Token, that we Mo"hawks have preferved the Chain intire on our "Parts. Gives two Bevers and a Racoon.

"The Covenant must be kept; for the Fire of "Love of Virginia and Maryland burns in this Place, ' as well as ours, and this Houfe of Peace must be "kept clean. Gives two Bevers.

"We now plant a Tree *, whofe Top will reach "the Sun, and its Branches fpread far abroad, fo "that it fhall be seen afar off; and we fhall fhelter "ourselves under it, and live in Peace without Moleftation. Here he gave two Bevers.

"You propofed Yefterday, that if we were de"firous to fee the Indians of Virginia, you are willing to fend fome of their Sachems next Summer, "about this Time, to this Place. This Propofal

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pleafes me very much, the fooner they come the "better, that we may fpeak with them in this "Houfe, which is appointed for our speaking with

our Friends; and give two Belts to confirm it.

"You have now heard what Exhortation we have "made to the other three Nations; we have taken "the Hatchet out of their Hands; we now there"fore pray, that both your Hatchets may likewife "be buried in a deep Pit. Giving two Bevers.

Affarigoa, fome of us Mohawks are out against our Enemies, that lie afar off, they will do you "no Harm, nor plunder, as the others do. Be "kind to them, if they fhall happen to come to any of your Plantations; give them fome To"bacco and fome Victuals; for they will neither "rob nor fteal, as the Oney does, Onnondagas, and Cayugas have done.

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The Five Nations always exprefs Peace by the Metaphor

of a Tree.

"The

"The Oneydoes particularly thank you, great Sa- CHAP. "chem of Virginia, for confenting to lay down the III. "Axe. The Hatchet is taken out of all their "Hands. Gives a Belt.

"We again thank Affarigoa, that he has made a

new Chain. Let it be kept bright and clean, and "held faft on all Sides; let not any one pull his "Arm from it. We include all the four Nations, "in giving this Belt.

"We again pray Affarigoa, to take the Oncydoes "into his Favour, and keep the Chain ftrong "with them; for they are our Children. Gives a < Belt.

"The Oney does give twenty Bevers, as a Satisfaċ"tion for what they promifed the Lord Baltimore, "and defire that they may be difcharged of that "Debt."

The two Governors told them, that they would ufe their Endeavours with the Lord Baltimore, to perfuade him to forgive what remained.

Then the Indians defired that the Hole might be dug, to bury the Axes, viz. one in Behalf of Virginia and their Indians, another in Behalf of Maryland and theirs, and three for the Onnondagas, Oneydoes, and Cayugas. The Mohawks faid, there was no Need of burying any on their Account, for the firft Chain had never been broke by them.

Then the three Nations fpoke by an Onnondaga, called Thanohjanihta, who faid:

"We thank the great Sachem of Virginia, that he "has fo readily forgiven and forgot the Injuries "that have been done; and we, for our Parts, glad

ly catch at, and lay hold of the new Chain. "Then each of them delivered an Axe to be buri"ed, and gave a Belt.

"I fpeak in the Name of all three Nations, and "include them in this Chain, which we defire may "may be kept clean and bright like Silver. Gives a "Belt.

E 2

"We