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Chapter 5: The Kidnapping of Squanto

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Chapter 5:
The Kidnapping of Squanto
August 14, 1621
Nemasket
Middleborough, Massachusetts

Aspinet: “The Narragansetts have abducted your Indian ally Chief of the Wampanoags, Massasoit.”

Myles Standish: “That means we're at war with the Narragansett. You couldn't have told me any worse news than that.”

Hobbamock, a stout Indian interpreter, comes rushes in the door, tired, and out of breath.



Hobbamock: “Guess what? They got Squanto!”

Standish: “Well, that's worse. Now wait a second... What? Why?”

Hobbamock: “I just ran over 20 miles, at least. Squanto and I were just in Nemasket, going to talk to Corbitant, when they jumped us. The last I saw of Squanto, Corbitant had a knife to his throat, and was threatening to kill him. He said if he killed Squanto, then the English would lose their tongue!”

Myles Standish: “Well, we still got a tongue since you ran away... Well then. We don't have a choice. Now we ride. Come on men, let's get loaded up, we're moving out!”

Hobbamock: “They've got Massasoit, and Corbitant was trying to get Massasoit's people to come join him in his tribe.”

A petty soldier: “Where are we going?”

Standish: “Nemasket. We're going to get Chief Corbitant, sagamore of the Mattapoinset and Pocasset. Dead or Alive.”

Myles Standish finds 10 volunteers to go with him, to get Corbitant. He warned that they may have to shoot some people. Myles and Hobbamock were going to go into the wigwam, and the other 8 were ordered to stand guard outside, and to shoot anything or anybody that looked suspicious.

Hobbamock was to lead them to Corbitant's wigwam around midnight. Once Standish had positioned them around the dwelling, he and Hobbamock would charge inside and take Corbitant.

The men were instructed to shoot any Indians who attempted to escape.

In the dark, Hobbamock directed them to the big wigwam of Corbitant's at Nemasket that had a considerable number of men, women, and children inside, sleeping on the low platforms built along the interior walls. The central fire had dwindled to a few embers left. The rain on the wigwam's reed mats masked the sounds of the Pilgrims taking their positions.

Standish burst in, shouting Corbitant's name. It was very dark inside and with Hobbamock acting as his interpreter, the Pilgrim Captain demanded to know where Corbitant was. The people inside were too terrified to speak.

Some leaped off their sleeping platforms and tried to force their way through the walls of the wigwam. Soon the guards outside were shooting off their muskets as the people inside screamed and wept. 3 of the runners were shot, and they fell to the ground.

Several women clung to Hobbamock, calling him friend. What had been intended as a bold strike against the enemy was threatening to become a chaotic mess.

One woman spoke: “Corbitant had been at Nemasket, but nobody knows where he's at now.”

Hobbamock pulled himself up through the wigwam's smoke hole and balancing himself on the roof, called out for Squanto, and Squanto came out, alive and unscathed.


Squanto reports Corbitant's whereabouts: “You all just missed him. Corbitant escaped into the woods toward his own country at Mattapoinset." 

Standish: “I have a message to the residents of Nemasket that even though Corbitant has escaped us, there will no safe place for him anymore. The English are looking for him.”

Hobbamock (to Squanto, in Algonquin): “I can't believe they kidnapped Massasoit. That's their own chief!”

Squanto (also in Algonquin): “Yeah. Sachem Corbitant is the sagamore of the Mattapoinset and Pocasset Tribes... That's Wampanoag all right... that's Massasoit's men. I don't think Massasoit was kidnapped. I think this was ordered by him.

Hobbamock: Or they were just testing us.

Squanto: “And they gambled and lost.”

Hobbamock: “Wow. Who knew? You shouldn't have quarreled with Massasoit.”

Squanto: “Sachem Massasoit and I did have our disagreement, but I thought we buried that hatchet awhile back.”

Hobbamock: “It was Chief Massasoit, all along... Wow. Hey Squanto, it looks like that plague is coming after you.”

xxx

A Treaty of Peace
September 13, 1621

Narrator: “The show of force earned the English some newfound respect. Several sachems sent their “congratulations” to Gov Bradford. Epenow, the Martha's Vineyard sachem who had attacked Thomas Dermer, made overtures of friendship. Even Corbitant let it be known that he now wanted to make peace. By this time, Massasoit was back in Sowams, and with the Pilgrims haven proven themselves to be loyal supporters, a much firmer peace existed throughout the region. On September 13, 9 Sachems, including Corbitant, Epenow, Massasoit's brother Quadequina, and Canacum, the sachem who had sent John Billington Jr. to the Nausets—journeyed to Plimouth to sign a new treaty. About this time, Bradford determined that an expedition should be sent north to the land of Massachusetts. On September 13, 1621, nine sachems, including Corbitant, came to Plymouth to sign a treaty of loyalty to King James.”

[in background, show 9 sachems signing a document in Plimouth, with some Pilgrims around]

xXx

The Pilgrim's First Christmas
December 25, 1621

The “rowdier” bunch of the Fortune would rather play sports (unique sports) on December 25 instead of doing their Puritan work, as they were supposed to do.

Bradford recorded that on the morning of the 25th, he had called everyone out to work, but some men from the newly arrived ship "Fortune" told him it was against their conscience to work on Christmas.

Bradley: I will spare you until you are better informed. But when he returned at noon, he found them playing games in the street. His response, as noted in his writings, was: "If they made the keeping of it a matter of devotion, let them keep it in their houses, but there should be no gaming or reveling in the streets."

Bradford observes some of the Pilgrims playing sports with each other.

William Bradford: “You must be from the ship Fortune.”

Pilgrim 1: “Yes sir. How did you know?”

Bradford: “Well, you probably don't know this, since the Adventurers who sent you here didn't inform you, but we have a law against Christmas here in New England, and when you come to live on my land, under my protection, you'll abide by our laws.”

Pilgrim 1: “Look sir, I'm just like you. I want to live and survive just like you, and I believe in the value of hard work, but you see, we both believe in Jesus Christ being our Lord and Savior, and just because you do not believe that today is his birthday, my conscience. And my conscience won't allow me to make a mockery of Jesus's birthday! It's Christmas man.”

Bradford: “Ah... bah humbug! Jesus wasn't born on this day. Plus, it's illegal. Today is no more special than any other day and what we Puritans know how to do best, we work! We work hard! I'll forgive you that you aren't more enlightened, but I can't force you to go against your conscience, so just go inside, so as the others don't see that I've given you your day off.”

Pilgrim 1: “Thanks for being so understanding, my liege.”

Bradford: “Ah... the end days are nigh. Revelations is upon us. Here I am Lord! I am ready for your second coming! I am ready for your rapture to come save me from this dreadful life!”

Squanto Dies
November 30, 1622

Bradford: “Well that was a great feast the Massachusetts had for us.”

Squanto: “I never ate so much. The food and drink was so much. So much fun.”

Bradford: “Our trade went smoothly. They were very warm and hospitable. It almost seems too good to be true. It was almost like they were preparing for us a Last Supper.”

Then Squanto started coughing, and blood gushed out of his nose.

Bradford: “Those sons of Devils poisoned you!”

Squanto: “Please Governor, pray for me, so that I may get to go to the Englishmen's God in heaven.”

Squanto started twitching, and then he was dead.


Bradford: “NO! Not my Squanto! Not my Squanto! Squanto was your special instrument oh Lord, that you sent to us, for us English to survive... why would you take away such a valuable man away from us oh Lord... from me! Oh Lord! Oh Squanto! You will pay for this Chickatawbut! You will pay for this!” (shakes fist angrily in the sky)





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