The soveraignty & goodness of God, together, with the faithfulness of his promises displayed; being a narrative of the captivity and restauration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson. Commended by her, to all that desires to know the Lords doing to, and dealings with her. Especially to her dear children and relations, / written by her own hand for her private use, and now made publick at the earnest desire of some friends, and for the benefit of the afflicted.

The third remove.

The morning being come, they prepared to go

their way: One of the Indians got up upon a horse, and they set me up behind him, with my poor sick Babe in my lap. A very wearisome and tedious day I had of it; what with my own wound, and my Childs being so exceeding sick, and in a lamen∣table condition with her wound. It may be easi∣ly judged what a poor feeble condition we were in, there being not the least crumb of refreshing that came within either of our mouths, from Wednesday night to Saturday night, except only a little cold water. This day in the afternoon, about an hour by Sun, we came to the place where they intend∣ded, viz. an Indian Town, called Wenimesset, Nor∣ward of Quabaug. When we were come, Oh the number of Pagans (now merciless enemies) that there came about me, that I may say as David, Psal. 27.13, I had fainted, unless I had believed, &c. The next day was the Sabbath: I then remembred how careless I had been of Gods holy time: how many Sabbaths I had lost and mispent, and how evily I had walked in Gods sight; which lay so closs unto my spirit, that it was easie for me to see how righteous it was with God to cut off the threed of my life, and cast me out of his presence for e∣ver. Yet the Lord still shewed mercy to me, and upheld me; and as he wounded me with one hand, so he healed me with the other. This day there came to me one Robbert Pepper (a man belonging to Roxbury) who was taken in Captain Beers his Fight, and had been now a considerable time with the Indians; and up with them almost as far as

Albany to see king Philip, as he told me, and was now very lately come into these parts. Hearing, I say, that I was in this Indian Town, he obtained leave to come and see me. He told me, he him∣self was wounded in the leg at Captain Beers his Fight; and was not able some time to go, but as they carried him, and as he took Oaken leaves and laid to his wound, and through the blessing of God he was able to travel again. Then I took Oaken leaves and laid to my side, and with the blessing of God it cured me also; yet before the cure was wrought, I may say, as it is in Psal. 38.5, 6. My wounds stink and are corrupt, I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long. I sat much alone with a poor wounded Child in my lap, which moaned night and day, having no∣thing to revive the body, or cheer the spirits of her, but in stead of that, sometimes one Indian would come and tell me one hour, that your Master will knock your Child in the head, and then a second, and then a third, your Master will quickly knock your Child in the head.

This was the comfort I had from them, miserable comforters are ye all, as he said. Thus nine dayes I sat upon my knees, with my Babe in my lap, till my flesh was raw again; my Child being even rea∣dy to depart this sorrowfull world, they bade me carry it out to another Wigwam (I suppose be∣cause they would not be troubled with such specta∣cles) Whither I went with a very heavy heart, and down I sat with the picture of death in my lap.

About two houtes in the night, my sweet Babe, like a Lambe departed this life, on Feb. 18. 1675. It being about six yeares, and five months old. It was nine dayes from the first wounding, in this miserable condition, without any refreshing of one nature or other, except a little cold water. I cannot but take notice, how at another time I could not bear to be in the room where any dead person was, but now the case is changed; I must and couldly down by my dead Babe, side by side all the night after. I have thought since of the wonderfull goodness of God to me, in preserving me in the use of my reason and senses, in that di∣stressed time, that I did not use wicked and violent means to end my own miserable life. In the mor∣ning, when they understood that my child was dead they sent for me home to my Masters Wigwam: (by my Master in this writing, must be under∣stood Quanopin, who was a Saggamore, and mar∣ried King Phillips wives Sister; not that be first took me, but I was sold to him by another Nar∣rhaganset Indian, who took me when first I came out of the Garison I went to take up my dead child in my arms to carry it with me, but they bid me let it alone: there was no resisting, but goe I must and leave it. When I had been at my mast∣ers wigwam, I took the first opportunity I could get, to go look after my dead child: when I came I askt them what they had done with it? then they told me it was upon the hill: then they went and

shewed me where it was, where I saw the ground was newly digged, and there they told me they had buried it: There I left that Child in the Wilder∣ness, and must commit it, and my self also in this Wilderness-condition, to him who is above all. God having taken away this dear Child, I went to see my daughter Mary, who was at this same Indian Town, at a Wigwam not very far off, though we had little liberty or opportunity to see one another: she was about ten years old, & taken from the door at first by a Praying Ind & afterward sold for a gun. When I came in sight, she would fall a weeping; at which they were provoked, and would not let me come near her, but bade me be gone; which was a heart-cutting word to me. I had one Child dead, another in the Wilderness, I knew not where, the third they would not let me come near to: Me (as he said) have ye bereaved of my Children, Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin also, all these things are against me. I could not for still in this condition, but kept, walking from one place to another. And as I was going along, my heart was ••••••n overwhelm'd with the thoughts of my condition, and that I should have Children, and a Nation which I knew not ruled over them. Whereupon learnestly entreated the Lord, that he would consider my low estate, and shew me a token for good, and if it were his blessed will, some sign and hope of some relief. And indeed quickly the Lord answered, in some measure, my poor prayers:

For as I was going up and down mourning and la∣menting my condition, my Son came to me, and asked me how I did; I had not seen him before, since the destruction of the Town, and I knew not where he was, till I was informed by himself, that he was amongst a smaller percel of Indians, whose place was about six miles off; with tears in his eyes, he asked me whether his Sister Sarah was dead; and told me he had seen his Sister Mary; and prayed me, that I would not be troubled in re∣serence to himself. The occasion of his coming to see me at this time, was this: There was, as I said, about six miles from us, a smal Plantation of Indi∣ans, where it seems he had been during his Captivi∣ty: and at this time, there were some Forces of the Ind. gathered out of our company, and some also from them (among whom was my Sons master) to go to as∣sault and burn Medfield: In this time of the absence of his master, his dame brought him to see me. I took this to be some gracious answer to my earnest and unfeigned desire. The next day, viz. to this, the In∣dians returned from Medfield, all the company, for those that belonged to the other smal company, came thorough the Town that now we were at But before they came to us, Oh! the outragious roaring and hooping that there was: They began their din about a mile before they came to us. By their noise and hooping they signified how many they had destroyed (which was at that time twen∣ty three) Those that were with us at home, were

gathered together as soon as they heard the hoop∣ing, and every time that the other went over their number, these at home gave a shout, that the very Earth rung again: And thus they coutinned till those that had been upon the expedition were come up to the Sagamores Wigwam; and then, Oh, the hideous insulting and triumphing that there was o∣ver some English mens scalps that they had taken (as their manner it) and brought with them. I can∣not but take notice of the wonderfull mercy of God to me in those afflictions, in sending me a Bible One of the Indians that came from Medfield fight, had brought some plunder, came to me, and asked me, if I would have a Bible, he had got one in his Basket, I was glad of it, and asked him, whether be thought the Indians would let me read? he an∣swered, yes; so I took the Bible, and in that me∣lancholy time, it came into my mind to read first the 28. Chap. of Deut. which I did, and when I had read it, my dark heart wrought on this manner, That there was no mercy for me, that the blessings were gone, and the Curses Came in their room, and that I bad lost my opportunity. But the Lord helped me still to go one reading till I came to Chap. 30 the seven first verses, where I sound, There was mer∣cy promised again, if we would return to him by repor∣tance; and though we were scartered from one end of the Earth to the other, yet the Lord would gather 〈◊〉〈◊〉 together, and turn all those curses upon our Enemies, I do not desire to live to forget this Scripture, and what comfort it was to me.

Now the Ind. began to talk of removing from this place, some one way, and some another. There were now besides my self nine, English Captives in this place (all of them Children, except one Woman) I got an opportunity to go and take my leave of them; they being to go one way, and I another, I asked them whether they were earnest with God for deliverance, they told me, they did as they were able, and it was some comfort to me, that the Lord stirred up Children to look to him. The Woman viz. Goodwife Jostin told me, she should never see me again, and that she could find in her heart to run away; I wisht her not to tun away by any means, for we were near thirty miles from any En∣glish Town, and she very big with Child, and had but one week to reckon; and another Child in her Arms, two years old, and bad Rivers there were to go over, & we were feeble, with our poor & course entertainment. I had my Bible with me, I pulled it out, and asked her whether she would read; we opened the Bible and lighted on Psal. 27. in which Psalm we especially took notice of that, ver. alt, Wait no the Lord, Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine Heart, wait I say on the Lord.