506 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



houses only, being able to hold out against the 

 enemy. 



Having carried the place, slain forty seven 

 of the inhabitants, captured the rest, and plun- 

 dered die village, the enemy set it on fire"; and 

 an hour after sun rise on the same day, retreat- 

 ed in great haste, A small party of the Eng- 

 lish pursued them, and a skirmish ensued the 

 same day, in which a few ^vere lost on both 

 sides. The enemy however compleatly suc- 

 ceeded in their enterprize, and returned to Can- 

 ada on the same route, carrying with them one 

 hundred and twelve of the inhabitants of Deer- 

 field as prisoners of wsly. They were twenty 

 five days on their march from Dcerfield to 

 Chambly ; and like their masters, the savages, 

 depended on hunting for their support. On 

 their arrival in Canada they found much hu- 

 manity and kindness from the French, and from 

 M. Vaudrieul their governor ; but complained 

 much of the intolerance, bigotry, and duplicity 

 of the priests.* 



* WITH a profound re«pect tothememory ofhisworthygrandsirc.thc 

 writer of these sheets c;:nnot omit this opportunity of mentioning with 

 pleasure his descent, as being the grand son of the Rev. John Williams^ 

 at that timcllie minister of Deerheld. This worthy man 'vvas born at 

 Roxbury, in Massachusetts, in the year 1664. He \vas educated at 

 Harvard College, an<^ took his degree in 168.^, and was the iirst settled 

 minister at Deerfield. At that time, v hen the people were fontiing a 

 cew plantation it was customary to engage some respectable preacher cf 

 the gospel, tobc^iii the settlement with them. Having the best educa- 

 tion which the country could give, and being men of sober morals, the 

 clei;gy had of eonsequence great influence in the civil, as well as in the. 

 religious concerns of the country : And the people generally found in 

 their minister, not a useless dupe to metaphysical chimeras,but an able» 

 a moral, and judicious friend; capable of directing their devotions, and 

 assisting them in the difficulties and hardships, inseparable from their situa- 

 tion, when first commencinj their settlement. 



Such a one was the mioisrer of Deerfield. Learned, moral, judicious, 

 and of exemplary piety and gravity, he was greatly amiable, and active. 

 In 1-697, t^he village was attacked by a party of the enemy ; the minister 

 put tumaclf at the fctad of bis people; and with much prudence and 



