CONTENTS. Capt. John Underhill's History of the Pequot War, Sir Ferdinando Gorges's Description of New-England, An Account of the Captivity of Hugh Gibson among the Delaware Rev. Samuel Niles's History of the Indian and French Wars, Gen. Mattoon's Letter to President Quincy, Bill of Mortality for the City of Boston for the year 1836, delphia, Acknowledgment of Donations, . AMERICA; OR, A NEW AND EXPERI MENTALL DISCOVERIE OF NEW ENGLAND; CONTAINING, A TRVE RELATION OF THEIR Also a discovery of these places, that as yet have very few or no Inhabitants, which would yeeld special accommodation to such as will Plant there, Viz. Queenapoick. Martins Vineyard. Naransett Bay. Elizabeth Islands. Puscataway. Casko, with about a hun dred Islands neere to By Captaine IOHN UNDERHILL, a Commander LONDON, Printed by J. D. for Peter Cole, and are to be sold at the signe [Capt. John Underhill, the author of this History of the Pequot War, was one of the first planters of Massachusetts, one of the three first deputies from Boston to the General Court, and one of the earliest officers of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company. Further particulars of his chequered life and eccentric character may be found in Eliot's Biographical Dictionary, and more abundantly in Gov. Winthrop's History of New England. The following Tract being exceedingly rare, only one copy being known to exist on this side of the Atlantic, belonging to the Library of Harvard University, it was thought desirable to perpetuate it by multiplying copies of it in our Historical Collections. Mason's History of the same war is contained in the 8th volume of our second series, and Lion Gardiner's in the 3d volume of the third series. Publishing Committee.] experimental discovery of New England. SHALL not spend time (for my other occasions will not permit) to write largely of every particular, but shall, as briefly as I may, perform these two things; first, give a true narration of the warlike proceedings that hath been in New England these two years last past; secondly, I shall discover to the reader divers places in New England, that would afford special accommodations to such persons as will plant upon them. I had not time to do either of these as they deserved; but wanting time to do it as the nature of the thing required, I shall, according to my ability, begin with a relation of our warlike proceedings, and will interweave the special places fit for new plantations, with their description, as I shall find occasion, in the following discourse. But I shall, according to my promise, begin with a true relation of the New England wars against the Block Islanders, and that insolent and barbarous nation, called the Pequeats, whom, by the sword of the Lord, and a few feeble instruments, soldiers not accustomed to war, were drove out of their country, and slain by the sword, to the number of fifteen hundred souls, in the space of two months and less; so as their country is fully subdued and fallen into the hands of the English. And to the end that God's name might have the glory, and his people see his power, and magnify his honor for his great goodness, I have endeavored, according to my weak ability, to set forth the full relation of the war, from the first rise to the end of the victory. The cause of our war against the Block Islanders, was for taking away the life of one Master John Oldham, who made it his common course to trade amongst the Indians. |