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The answere.

Honoured Sir

Yours of the 28^th May, 1648, st: no: I received by your secret[ ary ] in the former parte [ whereof yow expresse a due sense ] of the miscarriage of some of your traders, who neglecting the publique saftie & [ peace, for priuate gayne & respects, not ] only dispose & arme the Indians for warre in generall, but incense them against [ the English in particular. Your secret. ] to this purpose hath shewed me the testimonies, Mr. Willet, Mr. Throckemorton & Mr. H[ eart hath given against Gouert ] Lockoman, yow may please to remember both what the Comissioners for the united English [ Collonies wrot from Boston, ] August 17, 1647, concerning this dangerous trade, (of selling gunnes, powder, shot, etc., to the Indians,) driuen by some of] yours att Aurania fort, at Long Island, within the river of Conneticut, att Narrowgansett, and oth[ er places within the English ] jurisdictions; but how to discover and suppresse it, (the particular traders then unknow[ ne to the comissioners,) they left to your ] wisdom and judgemt, & what information I gave November 16, 1647, Concerning that unch[ ristian and neighbourlie course of ] incensing the Indians att Long Isl: and else where against [ christian neighbours. ] Itis true we had but Indian testimonie, nor may it be expected that they which are exerc[ ised in such crooked & ] undermining workes should blowe a trumpet & Call in witnesses of more Credit; soone [ after I heard from Saybrook ] that David Prouost (somtimes agent at your howse neere Hartford,) tould the Indians [ aboute ] Conneticut [ rivers ] mouth, that the Dutch would shortlie fight with the Indians, & that they had ingaged all the] Indians in th[ ese ] partes (the Moheags excepted,) unto them, Janu: the 3d, 1647, a Complaint was brought from th]e English att Sowthampton, that Gouert Lockoman had bynne latelie trading with the Indians of those partes, who reported that after he had sould them some Coates, he declared, that if they would buye more, with everie Coate hee would give a pownd of powder, which procured him a quicke markett, and soe furnished the Indians, with powder that they could sell to the English; and the same Indians further testified, that Govert wisht them to Cutt of the English, and the Dutch (to such a worke) would furnish them with peices, powder, and shott enough; which soe provoked the Engl: att Sowthampton, that had they had order they would have staide Govert and his vessell; since which I understand that Dauid Prouoost in that parte of Long Isl: hath indeauored to take (as it were) the ground from vnder the feet of the English, purchasing lands which the Indians haue long since passed ouer, & unto which the Engls. for many yeares have had a knowne & unquestioned right, & had given a price for the same, till the Indians (Convinced by the English of theyre unrighteousnes) retourned his pay.

These [conceme the Engl. collonies more generallie and are as soe many sparkes fitt to kindle a fire of contention, but I should allsoe haue added your late proclamation, which is a reall inuitation to discontented persons

& delinquents to become fugitiues, with severall other greiuances which more directlie conceme Newhauen, to those mentioned Nov. 16, 1647. but that by your letters to Mr. Goodyeare, December the 13^th, to the Governor of the Massachusetes, February the 8^th, it appeareth yow tooke offence att my open dealing, tending only to prepare for a meeting wherein all questions & iniuries might be duly considered, satisfied and removed, & a iust wholesom peace setled & confirmed betwixt the Engl: and Dutch in these partes. To conclude, I soe fully close with the contents of this your last letter that I haue allready written to the Gouemors of the Massachusets to further the meeting, and to the Gouernor of Conneticut to enquire if further light might be had from Sowthampton, (which is in that jurisdiction,) concerning Gouert Locoman crooked & perverse waye. In the meane tymne, our ownejust rights duly preserved in retouming of fugitiues, and in all other offices of neibourly correspondencie, I shall walke with yow passib. aequis, I rest,]

[ Your loving friend, ]

[ Newhaven in New Engl:, ]
[May the 31^th, 1648. st. vet.]

References

A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.