Note 33 — COCKENOE-DE-LONG ISLAND.

Hazard's State Papers, vol. ii. p. 359. As this record has never been quoted in full in our Long Island histories, and Hazard's work is quite rare, it would be well to print it at this time, viz.: "Upon a complaint made by Ninnegrates messenger to the Generall Court of the Massachusetts in May last against the Montackett Sachem for murthering Mr Drake and some other Englishmen upon ours near the Long Island shore and seiseing theire goods many years since and for Trecherously assaulting Ninnegrett upon block Island and killing many of his men after a peace concluded betwixt them certifyed to Newhaven by the Massachusetts Commissioners by a Complaints made by Awsuntawney the Indian Sagamore near Milford and two other western Indians against the said Montackett Sachem for hiering a witch to kill Uncas with the said Milford Sachem and his son giveing eight fathom of wampam in hand promising a hundred or a hundred and twenty more when the said murthers were committed; Notice whereof being given to the said Montackett Sachem and hee Required to attend the Commissioners att this meeting att Plymouth The said Sachem with five of his men came over from longe Island towards the latter part of August in Captaine Younges Barque whoe was to carry the Newhave Commissioners to Plymouth but the Wind being contrary they first putt in att Milford. The Sachem then desiring to Improve the season sent to speake with Ausuntawey or any of the western Indians to see whoe or what Could bee charged upon him but none came but such as professed they had nothing against him; The Commissioners being mett att Plymouth; The said Sachem presented himselfe to answare but neither Ninnegrett nor Uncas nor the Milford Sachem appeared, only Newcom a cuning and bould Narragansett Indian sent by Ninnegrett as his Messinger or deputy charged the long Island Sachem first with the murther of Mr Drake and other Englishmen affeirming that one Wampeag had before severall Indians confessed that hee hiering under the Montackett Sachem did it being thereunto hiered by the said Sachem which said Sachem absolutly deneyinge and Capt Young professing that both English and Indians in those partes thought him Innocent: Necom was asked why himselfe from Ninnegrett haveing layed such charges upon the long Island Sachem before the Massachusetts Court hee had not brought his Proffe; hee answared that Wampeage was absent but some other Indians were present whoe Could speak to the case; wherupon an Indian afeirmed that hee had heard the said Wampeage confesse that being hiered as above hee had murthered the said Englishmen; though after the said murther with himselfe that now spake the Muntackett Sachem and some other Indians being att Newhaven hee deneyed itt to Mr Goodyer and one hundred fathome of Wampam being tendered and delivered to Mr Eaton the matter ended; Mr Eaton professed as in the presence of God hee Remembered not that hee had seen Wampeage nor that hee had Received soe much as one fathom of wampam, Nor did hee believe that any at all was tendered him; wherupon the Commissioners caled to the Indian for Proffe Mr Eaton being present and deneying it the Indian answered there were two other Indians present that could speak to it; they were called forth but both of them professed that through themselves and from other Indians where then att Newhaven yett the former afermined Indian was not there and that there was noe wawpam att all either Received or tendered soe that the long Island Sachem for what yett appeered stood free from this foule Charge; 2 Cond, The said Newcome charged the Montackett Sachem with breach of Covenant in asaulting Ninnegrett and killing divers of his men att Block Island after a conclusion of peace, the Treaty whereof was begun by a Squaw sent by Ninnigrett to the said Sachem to tender him peace and the Prisoners which the said Ninnigrett had taken from the long Island sachem upon condition the said sachem did wholly submitt the said message, but afeirmed hee Refused to accept the Conditions which hee said hee could not without advising with the English whereupon the Squaw Returned and came backe from Ninnigrett with an offer of the prisoners for Ransom of wampam which hee saith hee sent and had his prisoners Relieved, Newcome affeirmed the agreement between the said Sachems was made att Pesacus his house by two long Island Indians deligates to the Montackett Sachem in presence of Pesacus and his brother and others, two Englishmen being present one whereof was Robert Westcott; Pesacus his brother testifyed the agreement as aforesaid. The Muntackett acknowlidged hee sent the said Delligatts but never heard of any such agreement and deneyed hee gave any such commission to his men, Newcome afeirming Robert Wescott would Testify the agreement aforsaid and desiring a writing from the commissioners to Lycence the said Wescott to come and give in his Testimony which was granted and Newcome departed pretending to fetch Wescott but Returned Not: The Commissioners finding much Difficulty to bring theire thoughts to a certaine Determination on Satisfying grounds yett concidering how Proudly Ninnigrett and how peaceably the Montackett Sachem hath carryed it towards the English ordered that a message the contents whereof heerafter followeth bee by Tho Stanton delivered to Ninnigrett and that for the cecuritie of the English plantations on long Island and for an Incurragement to the Montackett Sachem the two first particulars of the order to hinder Ninnigretts attempts on long Island; made last year att New Haven bee continued; Notwithstanding the said English are Required to Improve those orders with all moderation and not by any Rashness or unadvisednes to begin a broil unless they bee Nessesitated thereunto; The Montackett Sachem being questioned by the Commissioners concerning the Painment of his Tribute Professed that hee had Payd it att hartford for ten yeares but acknowlidged there was four yeares behind which the Commissioners thought meet to respett in respect of his present Troubles; Plymouth Sept 17th 1656."