full that I could not speak to them; but recovering myself, I
asked them how my husband did, and all my friends and
acquaintance? They said, "They are all very well but
melancholy." They brought me two biscuits, and a pound of
tobacco. The tobacco I quickly gave away. When it was all
gone, one asked me to give him a pipe of tobacco. I told him it
was all gone. Then began he to rant and threaten. I told him
when my husband came I would give him some. Hang him rogue
(says he) I will knock out his brains, if he comes here. And
then again, in the same breath they would say that if there
should come an hundred without guns, they would do them no hurt.
So unstable and like madmen they were. So that fearing the
worst, I durst not send to my husband, though there were some
thoughts of his coming to redeem and fetch me, not knowing what
might follow. For there was little more trust to them than to
the master they served. When the letter was come, the Sagamores
met to consult about the captives, and called me to them to
inquire how much my husband would give to redeem me. When I
came I sat down among them, as I was wont to do, as their manner
is. Then they bade me stand up, and said they were the General
Court. They bid me speak what I thought he would give. Now
knowing that all we had was destroyed by the Indians, I was in
a great strait. I thought if I should speak of but a little it
would be slighted, and hinder the matter; if of a great sum, I
knew not where it would be procured. Yet at a venture I said
"Twenty pounds," yet desired them to take less. But they would
not hear of that, but sent that message to Boston, that for
twenty pounds I should be redeemed. It was a Praying Indian
that wrote their letter for them. There was another Praying
Indian, who told me, that he had a brother, that would not eat