The entertaining history of King Philip's War, which began in the month of June, 1675. As also of expeditions more lately made against the common enemy, and Indian rebels, in the eastern parts of New-England: with some account of the Divine Providence towards Col. Benjamin Church: / By Thomas Church, Esq. his son.

THE LIFE OF Colonel CHURCH.

COLONEL BENJAMIN CHURCH was born in 1639, at Duxbury, near Plymouth, of re|putable parents, who lived and died there. His father's name was JOSEPH, who, with two of his brethren, came early into New-England, as refugees from the religious oppression of the parent state. Mr. Joseph Church, among other children, had three sons, Joseph, Caleb, and Benjamin. Caleb settled at Watertown; the other two atSeconet, or Little-Compton. Benjamin, the Hero of this history, was of a good stature, his body well proportioned, and built for hardiness and activity. Al|though he was very corpulent and heavy in the latter part of his life; yet when he was a young man, he was not so, being then active, sprightly and vigorous. He car|ried dignity in his countenance—thought and acted with a rational and manly judgment—which, joined with a naturally generous, obliging and hospitable disposition, procured him both authority and esteem. He married

Mrs. Alice Southworth, by whom he had a daughter, Mrs. Rothhotham, and five sons, viz.

Thomas Church, the author, or publisher of this history, and father of the Honourable Thomas Church, Esq now living in Little-Compton.

Constant Church, a Captain under his father in the east|ern expedition, and in the militia; and of a military and enterprizing spirit.

Benjamin Church, who died a batchelor.

Edward Church, whose only son, now living, is deacon Benjamin Church of Boston, who furnishes these memoirs of the family.

Charks Church, who had a numerous issue.

Colonel Church was a man of integrity, justice, and uprightness, of piety and serious religion: He was a member of the church of Bristol at its foundation, in the Rev. Mr. Lee's day. He was constant and devout in family worship, wherein he read and often expounded the scriptures to his houshold. He was exemplary in ob|serving the sabbath, and in attending the worship and or|dinances of God in the sanctuary. He lived regularly, and left an example worthy of the imitation of his poste|rity. He was a friend to the civil and religious li|berties of his country, and greatly rejoiced in the revolution. He was Colonel of the militia in the county of Bristol. The several offices of civil and military trust, with which he was invested from time to time, through, a long life, he discharged with fidelity and usefulness.

The war of 1675 was the most important Indian War that New-England ever saw. Philip or Metacomet (a son of good old MASSASOIT, & his 2d successor) had wro't up the Indians of all the tribes through New-England, into a dangerous combination to extirpate the English. It was one of the last works of the Commissioners of the United Colonies (a council which subsisted, the great security of New-England, from 1643 to 1678) to break up this con|federacy.

An army of 1000 English was on foot at once, under the command of Governor Winslow. Whoever desires further information concerning this war, may con|sult Mr. Hubbard's history of it. The part Col. Church acted in it is exhibited in this plain narrative, given by his son two years before his father's death.

Colonel Church perfectly understood the manner of the Indians in fighting, and was thoroughly acquainted with their haunts, swamps, and places of refuge on the territory between Narraganset and Cape-Cod: There he was particularly successful: On that field he gathered his laurels. The surprisal and seizure of ANNAWON was an act of true boldness and heroism. Had the eastern In|dians been surrounded with English settlements, there is reason to think that he would have been more successful among them. But on a long &c extended frontier, open to immense desarts, little more has ever been done by troops of undoubted courage, than to arouse and drive off the Indians into a wide, howling wilderness; where it was as much in vain to seek them, as for Casar to sock the Gauls in the Hircinian forests.

The present edition of this history is given without any alterations in the body of it; it being thought best that it should go down to posterlty, (like the Periplus of Hanno) with its own internal marks of originality. However, in the margin the editor hath given the Eng|lish names of the places described by Indian names in the narrative; and also some few notes and illustrations.

After Philip's war Colonel Church settled and lived first at Bristol, then at Fall-River, lastly at Seconet,—in each of which places he acquired and left a large estate. Having served his generation faithfully, by the will of God, he fell asleep, and was gathered to his fathers. He died and was buried at Little-Compton. The morning be|fore his death he went about two miles on horseback, to visit his only sister Mrs. Irish, to sympathize with her on

the death of her only child. After a friendly and pious visit, in a moving and affecting manner he took his leave of her, and said,

It was a last farewell; telling her he was persuaded he should never see her more; but hoped to meet her in heaven.

Returning homeward, he had not rode above half a mile before his horse stumbled, and threw him over his head: And the Colonel being exceeding fat and heavy, fell with such force that a blood vessel was broken, and the blood gushed out of his mouth like a torrent. His wife was soon brought to him; he tried but was unable to speak to her, and died in about twelve hours. He was carried to the grave with great funeral pomp, and was buried under arms, and with military honours. On his tomb-stone is this inscrip|tion:

Here lieth interred the Body
Of the Honourable
Col BENJAMIN CHURCH, Esq
Who departed this Life
January the 17th, 1717-18,
In the 78th Year of his Age.

Newport, April 8, 1772.