Governor Thomas Dudley
Letter to the Countess of Lincoln: March, 1631
Upon the river of Mystic is seated Saggamore John, and upon the river of
Saugus Sagamore James his brother, both so named by the English. The elder
brother John is an handsome young ...[one line missing] conversant with
us affecting English apparel and houses and speaking well of our God. His
brother James is of a far worse disposition, yet repaireth often to us.
Both these brother command not above 30 or 40 men for aught I can learned.
Near to Salem dwelleth two or three families, subject to the Saggamore
of Agawam whose name he told me, but I have forgotten it. This Sagamore
hath but few subjects, and them and himself tributary to Sagamore James,
having been before the last year (in James his minority) tributary to Chicka
Talbott. Upon the river Merrimack is seated Sagamore Passaconaway having
under his command 400 or 500 men, being esteemed by his countrymen a false
fellow, and by us a witch.
First printed in 1696 in: Massachusetts; or, The First Planters
of New England. The End and Manner of their Coming thither, and Abode there,
Boston 1696. Reprinted in: Dow, George Francis (1921). Two Centuries of
Travel in Essex County Massachusetts: A Collection of Narratives and Observations
Made by Travelers 1605-1799. The Perkins Press, Topsfield.
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