Bacon's Rebellion

for there owne security.¹ They found that there store was
too short to indure a long Seige with out makeing emty belles,
and that emty belies makes weake hearts, which all ways makes an unfit Serving Man to wate upon the God of war. There-
fore they were resalve, before that there spirits were downe,
to doe what they could to keepe there stores up; as opper-
tunity should befriend them. And all though they were by
the Law of Arms (as the case now stood) prohibited the hunt-
ing of wilde Deare, they resalved to see what good might be
don by hunting tame Horsses. Which trade became their
sport soe long, that those who came on Horsback to the seige,
began to feare the should be compeld to trot hom a foot, and
glad if they scap’d so too: for these belegured blades made so
many salleys, and the beseigers kep such neglegent gards,
that there was very few days past without som remarkeable
mischeife. But what can hould out all ways? even stone
walls yeilds to the not to be gaine-saide summons of time.
And all though it is saide that the Indians doth the least minde
their Bellies (as being content with a litle) of any people in
the world, yet now there bellies began to minde them, and there
stomacks too, which began to be more inclineable to peace,
then war; which was the cause (no more Horss flesh being to
be had) that they sent out 6 of their Werawances (cheife men)
to commence a treaty. What the Artickles were, that they
brought along with them, to treate of, I do not know; but
certainly they were so unacceptable to the English, that they
caused the Commissioners braines to be knock’d out, for dic-
tateing so badly to there tongues; which yet, ’tis posible, ex-

     ¹ The narrative opens with the siege of the Indian fort on the upper waters
of the Potomac, Maryland side. See pp. 18, 19.

47