The history of King Philip's War

[ 26]
Morning, with orders to take thofe men that were chofen
to go down, or fome of them at leafl with him. The time
being expired that was appointed for the EngliJJi Army to
come, there was great looking for them. Mr. Church on
the Monday Morning (partly to divert himfelf after his
fategue, and partly to liften for the Army) Rid out with
his Wife and fome of his friends to Port/mouth under a
pretence of Cherrying; but came home without any News
from the Army: But by Midnight, or fooner, he was
roufed with an Exprefs from Maj. Bradford, who was
arrived with the Army at PocaJJet. To whom he forth-
with repaired, 191 and informed him of the whole of his pro-
ceedings, with the Sogkonate Indians. With the Majors
Philip, and that he was at Saconet,
and promifed to try to furprife him as
foon as they fhould return. The Council
propofed that Peter fhould remain
as a hoftage, to which he confented.
It was finally decided that they fhould
go back, and that fuch as Maj. Brad-
ford defired for the army fhould join
that, and the others give up their arms
that any "murdering" Indians of their
number fhould be delivered up, and
that they fhould not harbor the enemies
of the Colony; on which conditions it
was promifed that " they fhall haue a
place affigned them for theire p'fent
refidence in peace," with further promife
for the future, " in cafe the warr doe
feafe." \_Plym. Col. Rec. v : 201-3.]
19J If Church were ftill an inmate of
Capt. Almy's houfe in Portfmouth,
there feems a little ftrangenefs in his
;
8S
fpeaking thus of riding out to Portfmouth.
He may have removed his
family, before this, to Major Peleg
Sanford's, in Newport (now in Middletown),
where, it will be feen, they were
at the time of Philip's capture. Or, as
the firft fettlement of the northern part
of the ifland was around a cove between
Briftol ferry and the Stone bridge (the
fettlement being firft called Pocaffet;
changed to Portfmouth, 1639-40), the
name of Portfmouth may, at the date of
which Church is here fpeaking, have
been more efpecially appropriated to the
original fettlement in the extreme north-
ern portion of the prefent town, fo that
he naturally fpoke of riding over from
Capt. Almy's toward the Stone bridge,
as riding out to Portfmouth. [Arnold's
Hijl. R.-I. i: 71, 125, 136, 143.]
191 Tuefday, 27 June, 1676.