Hee Had Also The Confidence To Strike One Of My Men, But I
Connived At It.
But one day discoursing of the privilledges of new England,
he had the confidence to speak slightly of the
Best of Kings, wherupon I
called him pittyfull Dogg for talking after that manner, & told him that
for my part, having had the honour to have ben in his majesty's servis, I
would pray for his majesty as long as I lived. Hee answered mee with harsh
words that hee would return back to his fort, & when hee was there, that
would not dare talk to him as I did. I could not have a fairer opportunity
to begin what I dessigned. Upon which I told the young foole that I brought
him from his fort & would carry him thither againe when I pleas'd, not when
hee liked. Hee spake severall other impertinencys, that made me tell him
that I would lay him up safe enough if hee behaved not himself wiser. Hee
asked me if hee was a prisoner. I told him I would consider of it, & that I
would secure my Trade, seeing hee threatened to hinder it. After which I
retired & gave him leave to bee inform'd by the Englishman how that his
father & the company's shipp were lost, & the bad condition Mr. Bridgar was
in. I left a french man with them that understood English, but they knew it
not. When I went out, young Gwillim bid the Englishman make his escape &
goe tell his master that hee would give him 6 Barrills of Powder & other
provisions if hee would attempt to deliver him out of my hands. The
Englishman made no reply, neither did hee tell me of what had ben proposed
unto him. I understood it by my frenchman, that heard the whole matter, & I
found it was high time to act for my owne safety.
That evning I made no shew of any thing, but going to bed I asked our men
if the fier Locks that wee placed at night round our fort to defend us from
thos that would attack us were in order. At this word of fire Locks young
Gwillim, who knew not the meaning of it, was suddenly startled & would have
run away, thinking wee intended to kill him. I caused him to bee stay'd, &
freed him of his feare. But next morning I made him an unwelcom compliment;
I told him that I was going to take his shipp & fort. Hee answered very
angrily that if I had 100 men I could not effect it, & that his men would
kill 40 before they could come neere the pallissade. I was nothing
discouradged at his bravado, knowing very well that I should compasse my
dessigne. I made account that 2 of my men would have stay'd in the fort for
hostages, but having what libberty they would, one of them returned to our
habitation without my order. I was angry at it, but I made no shew of it,
having laid my dessigne so as to make more use of skill & pollicy than of
open force; seeing therefore the haughty answer young Gwillem made me, that
I could not take his fort with 100 men, I asked of him how many men hee had
in it.
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