Bacon's Rebellion

1675]                    THOMAS MATHEW'S NARRATIVE                17

     Of this horrid Action Coll: Mason ¹ who commanded the
Militia Regiment of Foot and Capt. Brent² the Troop of Horse
in that County, (both dwelling Six or Eight Miles Downwards)
having speedy notice raised 30 or more men, and pursu'd those
Indians 20 Miles up and 4 Miles over that River into Mary-
land, where landing at Dawn of Day, they found two small
Paths. Each Leader with his Party took a Separate Path and
in less than a furling, either found a Cabin, which they Silently
Surrounded. Capt. Brent went to the Doegs Cabin (as it
proved to be) Who speaking the Indian Tongue Called to
have a Matchacomicha Weeship i. e., a Councill, called presently
Such being the usuall manner with Indians. The King came
Trembling forth, and wou'd have fled, when Capt. Brent,
Catching hold of his twisted Lock (which was all the Hair he
wore) told him he was come for the Murderer of Robt. Hen,
the King pleaded Ignorance and Slipt loos, whom Brent shot
Dead with his Pistoll. The' Indians Shot Two or Three Guns
out at the Door and fled, The English Shot as many as they
cou'd, so that they Kill'd Ten, as Capt. Brent told me, and
brought away the Kings Son of about 8 Year old, Concerning
whom is an Observable Passage, at the End of this Expedition;
the Noise of this Shooting awaken'd th' Indians in the Cabin
which Coll: Mason had Encompassed, who likewise Rush'd
out and fled, of whom his Company (supposing from what
Noise of Shooting Brent's party to be Engaged) shott (as the
Coll: Inform'd me) Fourteen before an Indian Came, who
with both hands Shook him (friendly) by on Arm Saying
Susquehanougs Neoughs i.e. Susquehannaugh friends, and fled,
Whereupon he ran amongst his Men, Crying out, "For the
Lords sake Shoot no more, these are our friends the Susque-
hanoughs."

     This unhappy Scene ended, Collo. Mason took the King of

     ¹Colonel George Mason, a native of Staffordshire, England, came to vir-
ginia in 1631, and settled in Stafford County. He filled many public offices,
dying in 1686. At this time he was fort-six years old.

     ²Colonel George Brent, of Woodstock or Aquia, was one of the Maryland
family of Brents and came to Virginia in 1650. He had lands in Stafford County
near those of William Fitzhugh, whose partner he was in the practice of law.
His house was on Aquia Creek, where the Potomac bends northward, as one
ascends, toward the present Mount Vernon. He was a Roman Catholic.