HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION. 



colonists ; and five years passed quietly away, when a 

 vague charge was made against him of being willing to 

 plot with the French or Dutch against the English. This 

 he denounced as a calumny of Ninigret of Niantic, and 

 the matter subsided. After nearly four years more, 

 another rumor of his treachery gained so much ground as 

 to demand investigation, and awaken solicitude at both 

 Plymouth and Boston. An investigation revealed proofs 

 of bad faith on his part ; and a bad spirit was clearly 

 manifested by him, when questioned concerning them. 

 But this matter was finally issued in his renewed engage- 

 ments of fealty. Three years passed again, when the 

 Governor of Plymouth was informed by Sassamon — a 

 "praying" Indian, who had been schoolmaster at Natick, 

 and who, being able to write as well as read, had some- 

 times served Philip with his pen, — that there were sus- 

 picious circumstances in Philip's camp, which gave color 

 to the rumor that he was endeavoring to excite other 

 sachems to war. This information was given under a 

 demanded pledge of secrecy, as Sassamon said that 

 Philip's Indians would kill him if they suspefted him as 

 its source. It somehow leaked out to Philip's ear, that 

 the Governor of Plymouth had heard something to his 

 disadvantage, and would send for him to come to the next 

 Court to explain it. He therefore resolved to anticipate 

 the matter by going without summons. He went to Ply- 



