Testimony of Goodwife Osborn

July 20, 1669

The relation of Goodwife Osborne which she had from her son, which son of hers was about twelve years old: first, the same squaw said she would tell the lad something to tell his mother and if he would keep it secret which was about the Indians.  But if they did not keep it secret it was as much as her life was worth and theirs also.  Which thing about the Indians was that the Narragansetts and the Pequots and the Mohegans and the Mohawks were plotting to kill all the English, which was plotted at the last dance at Robin Cassasinamon’s, which plot was to be fully concluded when Ninigret’s great dance was to be and then presently executed when green Indian corn was ripe enough to make their bread of.  And the squaw said she told it his mother because she was a friend to her and pitied her.

Which relation was given in by the woman when her son was present and said that what his mother related was the truth and the squaw told it him in Indian and he told it his mother in English.  And the lad further addeth that that the squaw told him that all the sachems had plotted this thing, but his mother remembreth not that he told it her. Goodwife Osborne further sayeth the same day she acquainted her husband with it and would fine have had him sent her son to Mr. Stanton to tell him of it but he made slight of it and told her she was a talking woman and there was nothing in it and so that was the reason why she told not of it before; and this thing was told her sometime in last May.  Also, the woman and her son sayeth that Chan, the Indian, was in the house all the while the squaw told of these things.  The youth did perfectly relate over these things in Indian before Marshall Gilbert and Mr. Stanton and some other interpreters being demanded so to do.

Also, we have examined Goodwife Osborne and find she doeth still affirm that her son told her since weeding time that Mosomp said to him they would have Cossaduck again or it should cost them their blood who was Mr. Stanton’s informer.  But the boy of about twelve years old doeth not stand to that phrase, but sayeth the boy he came to Mosomp in his field a weeding and asked him whether he would plant again on the land.  He said No.  They now hated the place.  But when it was theirs, they loved it as theirs lives.  But they would have the land again and if there was a war, the Indians would run down out of the woods and would first knock them of the head with their tumheags and that because they hated them for living on Cossaduck land.  The Indian being examined denies it.

The same boy sayeth he came to a wigwam where was Naupasshuat and his wife and Mashenawuggas and Nawaghos, the last named called him machet1 and told him he would put fire in their house and knock them on head if they came to run out, which he told his mother and she complaining hereof to Coone and he asking Nawaghos before the woman and the boy and he owned it and laughed.

Also, Coone, being examined by us, owns that he was complained to and that he showed with Nawaghos before them and that he owned he threatened the boy to fire the house but it was because that their cows had eat his corn, but the boy denies that he mentioned any such wrong he had received.

Mr. Thomas Stanton, Jr. and his wife are witnesses of that particular Mr. Stanton weight of powder and lead:

Ephraim Minor and James Yorke are the witnesses about Ninigret’s posts running to and fro.

Harman Garrett owns his invitation unto Ninigret’s dance according to Mr. Stanton’s information being examined about it according to the circumstances of the same to the full.

Cataloguing:  17, 20

Miscellaneous:   Sayethe2

• 1. Wood glosses the Algonquin word machet as "it is naught." William Wood, New England Prospect (1634). More likely the word has a more sinister meaning. After watching English burn women and children at the Mystic fort fight, Uncas described the events as machet, which Mason translated as "something very evil". John Mason, A Brief History of the Pequot War: especially of the memorable taking of their fort at Mistick in Connecticut in 1637 (Boston, 1763).
• 2. This appears to be written as practice.