Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

SPRhVG FIELD, 1636-1SS6. 29
of C'oiiiiectieut, at that time, was not a well-detined luxly. It was
during the transitiou from a provisional to a t-onstitutional existence.
The court consisted of magistrates, assistants or connnissioners, and
town committees or deputies. Commissioners were at once assigned
to hear the case, and the founder of Springfield, with several wit-
nesses and Rev. George Moxou ;is liis counsel, put in a full defence.
Mr. Pynchon was completely taken aback at the s[)irit and extent of
the charges. It was an indictment of his very manhood. He was
represented as one who liad actualh' traded on the extremities and
privations of the lower towns. Tliese charges were, in brief, (1) that
he had deliberately raised the price of corn as between him and
Connecticut, and was holding tlie Indians to tlieir l)argains, all to his
private gain ; that (2) he refused to lend a canoe to a AVoronoco
Indian, who was under contract Avith Captain Mason to take corn
down the river; that (3) he kept the Agawnm, '\\'oronoco, and
Nonotuck Indians under abject fear of him, that lie might be con-
sidered the great English sachem of the Connecticut valley ; and,
finally, that (4) he induced certain ^Mohawk runners to sell him some
beaver skins, which were sent by ^Mohawk chiefs to the Connecticut
authorities as presents and assurances of good- will.
As to the great and overshadowing charge of dishonorable and un-
becoming speculation, it will be well to note more i)articularly the
condition of Agawam in the spring of KioH. The five hundred
bushels that Mr. Pynchon had contracted for with the Indians was
not above Agawam's demands, and therefore there was no chance
to speculate. In an argument, written out after the trial, Mr.
Pynchon said that very little v>-ould be left after he, Mr. Moxon,
Smith, and others on the street had been supjilied. And, moreover,
the distress at Agawam was as great as it was down the river. Wit-
ness this testimony of William Pynchon :
—
In regard to the great straits the wliole popuhition was in. hoth of persons &
cattle, for 2 or 3 months together: The wants of the Thunation were sneh. tliat