cast chamber was assigned for their residence, from which a door opened into a closet, back of the chimney, and a secret trap door communicated with an under closet, from which was a private passage to the cellar, into which it was easy to descend, in case of a search.

Here, unknown to the people of Hadley, excepting to a few confidents, and the family of Mr. Russel, the judges remained fifteen or sixteen years, secluded from the world, constantly exposed to discovery, from some unfaithful person, or from some unfortunate circumstance, in which case, an ignominious death was inevitable. And when it is known that Hadley became the head quarters of the army, employed for the defence of the towns on Connecticut river, in the war with Philip, in 1675 and 1678, while the judges were in the place-soldiers billetted on the inhabitants, and vigilant officers quartered in the village, the non-discovery of the exiles is truly astonishing; and evinces that the faithful minister possessed resources of art far beyond most men. It is not known for certainty, that any more than one gentleman of the village, besides Mr. Russel's family, was in the dangerous secret of the judges concealment; this was Peter Tilton, Esq. whose mansion house stood on the same side of the street with Mr. Russel's, about half the distance towards the south end of the village; and here the judges are said to have occasionally resided. A Mr. Smith, who resided on the same side of the village towards its northern extremity, is also said to have been in the secret; and to have occasionally admitted the exiles to his house.

Mr. Tilton was a magistrate and a man of note, in this part of the country-much employed in public business, and often member of the general court from Hadley. As he was frequently at Boston, attending his official duties, donations to the judges, were made through his hands with safety. Richard Saltonstal, who was in the secret, on his departure for England in 1672, sent them fifty pounds. They received donations also from others, and their wives remitted them money from England, through their secret friends, for whom Tilton was the trusty agent.

During his residence at Hadley, Goffe held a corres

pondence with his wife in England, under the the feigned name of Walter Goldsmith; but his letters were written so enigmatically, that none but an intimate acquaintance could fully comprehend them. By one of the letters, dated April 2d, 1679, it appears that Whalley had deceased sometime previously, at Mr. Russel's. Various accounts are given concerning the interment of his body; but it is now ascertained that it was buried in a sort of tomb, formed of mason work, and covered with flags of hewn stone, just without the cellar wall of Russel's house; where his bones have been recently found, by a Mr. Gaylord, who built a house on the spot, where Russel's was standing, as late as 1794.

Not long after the decease of Whalley, Goffe left Hadley, and travelled to the southward, and no certain information of him has been obtained, Vague rumours however say that he went to Manhattan, or New York, where he tarried sometime in disguise, and supported himself by conveying vegetables to market-where or when he died is unknown. The story of his residence at Petequamscot, in Rhode Island, and of his death and burial at West Greenwich, is put at rest by Dr. Stiles, in his "History of the Judges." Some further notice of Goffe will be given in the details of Philip's war.

Not long after the two judges came to Hadley, colonel John Dixwell, another of the judges joined them at Mr. Russels, where he resided some time; but departing from that place, and wandering about the country, he at length settled down at New Haven, under the assumed name of Davids, where he married, and had several children. His real name and character were not made known to the public until his death, which happened in 1689; nor was it known in England that he had fled to America. He was buried at New Haven, and his grave stone marked with his initials, J. D. Esq. "deceased March 18, in the 82d year of his age-1688-9," is often visited as a curiosity. President Stiles has attempted to shew that the three judges were buried at New Haven, and conjectures that he has found their grave stones.*

The story of the judges was first given to the world in

* Hutchinson's Massachusetts, Vol. i. Stile's History of the Judges. Dwight's Travels, vol. 1. Letter 35.

1764, by governor Hutchinson, who obtained it from manuscripts found among the papers of the Mather family of Boston; by whom they are supposed to have been procured from the descendants of Mr Russel. Its developement during the lives of the actors in the scene, would have exposed them to imminent danger, and perhaps have cost them their lives. Among the papers procured by Hutchinson, was a journal kept by Goffe, from the time he left England, to the year 1667; this and other papers relating to the judges, are supposed to have been destroyed at the time the governor's house was rifled by the mob in Boston in 1765.

Of the motives and conduct of the enemies of king Charles, 1st, different opinions are entertained by different men, some justifying while others condemn the whole proceedings. Those who hold to the doctrine that "kings can do no wrong," will embrace the latter. President Stiles, at the close of his History of the judges, attempts a vindication of their conduct, and considers them as friends of true liberty. In summing up his observations, he says "The intrepid judges of Charles, 1st, will herėafter go down to posterity with increasing renown, among the Jepthas, the Baracks, the Gideons, and the Washingtons, and others raised up by providence for great and momentous occasions: whose memories, with thoseof all the other successful and unsuccessful, but intrepid and patriotic defenders of real liberty, will be selected in history, and contemplated with equal, impartial and merited justice; and whose names and achievments, and sufferings will be transmitted with honor, renown and glory, through all the ages of liberty and man."

CHAPTER VI.

WHILE the settlements on the lower part of Connecticut river, had been retarded by the various wars with the powerful Indians, in the southeast quarter of New England, those in Massachusetts, met with no serious embarassments. In the course of about fifty years from the Arst landing of the pilgrims, they had extended more

than one hundred miles to the west, and about the same distance up Connecticnt river. Connecticnt river. But the period was now approaching, when all the frontier plantations were to feel the vengeance of Indian resentment; and to meet with an effectual bar to further progress into the interior.

Metacom, by the English named Philip, the sachem of the Wampanoags, a courageous warrior, residing at Mount Hope, now Bristol, in Rhode Island, a son of the famous Massassoit, who had so long been the faithful friend of the English, endowed with a foresight, not common to the natives, had for sometime beheld the rapid progress of the English settlements, which he perceived must eventuate in the total loss of his territory, and in the extinction of the natives. This warrior therefore, determined to make a grand effort against the impending ruin; and for several years made secret exertions to unite the numerous tribes, with a view of extirpating the English from New England.

To cover his designs, he held out pretences of friendship, and in 1662, he visited the English at Plymouth, and solicited a continuance of amity; promising for himself and successors, to continue subjects of the king of England. In 1671, pretending that some damage had been done to his planting grounds, he threatened immediate war; but on a formal inquiry into the complaint, by the English at Plymouth, he acknowledged that his provocations were groundless, and subscribed an instrument of submission.

By these illusive means, he allayed the suspicions of the English, and in the mean time secretly ripened his plans, for a simultaneous attack by all his allies. At length Philip's plans were divulged to the English, by Sausaman, a friendly Indian, who, for this act, was soon after murdered by some of Philip's Indians. Three of the perpetrators, one a counsellor of the chief, were seized-tried before a court at Plymouth-condemned and executed. At the trial, an Indian testified that he saw the murder of Sausaman, who was fishing through the ice of a pond, knocked down by three Indians belonging to the Wompanoags, and plunged under the ice. The body being taken out of the pond, exhibited the wound upon the head. Philip was charged with aiding in the

murder; and as he made no efforts to exculpate himself, it was believed by the English, that he was guilty. His deceptive measures were no longer held out, and he resolved on immediate war.

Before we enter upon the details of the bloody struggle which ensued, it is important to notice the strength of the English in New England, and the condition of the Indian tribes in the vicinity of the settlements.

From the first planting of Massachusetts, up to the year 1637, according to Dr. Holmes, the number of ships, employed in transporting emigrants to New England, was estimated at two hundred and ninety eight, and the number of men, women and children brought over, was twenty one thousand two hundred; other accounts make the number much less. In 1640, in consequence of a change of affairs in England, emigration to New England, nearly subsided, and for several succeeding years, the number in the colonies rather decreased, by the return of many of the settlers to their native country.

In 1673, the whole number of inhabitants, in New England, was estimated at one hundred and twenty thousand, of whom about sixteen thousand were able to bear arms; Boston at this time contained fifteen hundred families. The militia of Connecticut, amounted to two thousand and seventy; one quarter of which were mounted dragoons. In Massachusetts, in 1675, were twelve troops of cavalry, each consisting of sixty men, exclusive of officers; all mounted and armed with swords, carbines and pistols-shielded by a kind of cuirass, and dressed in buff coats. In time of peace, the officers had an allowance from government, for expences on training days; in actual service, the monthly pay of a captain was £6; that of the foot, £4; and the privates, one shilling per day. Bold, hardy and enterprising, though little versed in regular warfare, the troops were well qualified for military service in the woods; and with the advantages derived from their fire arms, they did not decline a contest with superior numerical forces. Cannon were of little service, excepting in the defence of the few temporary fortifications, erected at the most exposed places. And indeed they were seldom used in the field; for it was difficult, if not impossible, to transport them with the requi