HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION. 



English blood being shed on or about the 24th June, 

 I675-* 



It has been usual to picture Philip as a great king, a 

 sagacious warrior, and a far-sighted patriot; and to repre- 

 sent him as having been for years engaged in planning 

 and perfecting a comprehensive conspiracy among all the 

 Indian tribes on the New-England territory — and even 

 upon that of New York — for the purpose of sweeping 

 away, by one concerted blow, the hated white usurper, 

 and of recovering to their own savage uses the whole of 

 their ancient hunting-grounds. It has been usual to apolo- 

 gize for the ill success of the actual strife, by asserting 

 that it was so hurried up by the death of Sassamon, that 

 the first blow was struck before due preparations to follow 

 it up could be completed. 



Dr. Palfrey has shown, one would think to the general 

 conviction, that there is a very small foundation of truth 

 indeed on which to build this majestic, one might almost 

 say magnificent, superstructure. He has shown that the 

 English had used Philip habitually well ; that he had no 

 real grounds of complaint against them ; that his frequent 

 sales of land to them implies no unwillingness that they 

 should have his hunting-grounds if they would pay for 

 them, as they did ; that he gave no indications of great- 

 ness, whether in council or conflict ] that there is no proof 



* See Part I. p. iS. 



D XXV 



