The history of King Philip's War

[38]
the ftump look'd about, and Capt. Churches Indian feeing
his face perceived his miftake, for he knew him to be
Philip ; clap'd up his Gun and fired, but it was too late,
for Philip immediately threw himfelf off the ftump, leap'd
down a bank on the fide of the River, and made his
efcape. Capt Church as foon as poflible got over the
River, and fcattered in queft of Philip, and his company;
but the Enemy fcattered and fled every way; but he
pick'd up a confiderable many of their Women and Chil-
dren, among which was Philip'' s Wife, and Son of about
Nine Years Old. 273
273 Philip's wife's name, Mr. Drake
fays, was Wootoneka?iufke ; and he adds
that (he was a fitter of one of the three
wives of Quinnapin. Judge Davis gives
an interesting account of the difcuflion
that took place in the Colony in regard
to the difpofition to be made of Philip's
fon. The Court feem — as they often
did, on queftions concerning which they
had doubt, and the more efpecially
when thofe queftions were of a moral
nature — to have confulted the principal
Reverend Elders. Samuel Arnold
(paftor of the church in Marfhfield) and
John Cotton (Plymouth) write, 7 Sept.,
1676, thus : " Upon ferious confidera-
tion, we humbly conceive that the children
of notorious traitors, rebells and
murtherers, efpecially of fuch as have
bin principal leaders and aclors in fuch
horrid villanies, and that againft a
whole nation, yea the whole Ifrael of
God, may be involved in the guilt of
their parents, and may, falva repub-
lican be adjudged to death, as to us
Difcovering a confiderable new Track
127
feems evident by the fcripture inftances
of Saul, Ac/ian, Human, the children
of whom were cut off by the fword of
Juftice for the tranfgreffions of their
parents, although, concerning fome of
thofe children, it be manifeft that they
were not capable of being coaifters
therein." Increafe Mather, of Bolton,
wrote to Mr. Cotton, 30 Oc5t., 1676
" It is neceffary that fome effectual
courfe fhould be taken about him
[Philip's fon]. He makes me think of
Hadad, who was a little child when his
father (the chief fachem of the Edomites)
was killed byjoab; and, had not
others fled away with him, I am apt to
think, that David would have taken a
courfe, that Hadad fhould never have
proved a fcourge to the next generation."
Rev. James Keith, of Bridgewa-
ter, alio wrote to Mr. Cotton, 30 Oct.,
1676, but as follows : " I long to hear
what becomes of Philip's wife and fon.
I know there is fome difficulty in that
PJ'alm, cxxxvii : 8, 9, though I think it
: