Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs.(玛丽罗兰森被俘与被释)

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Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

Narrative of the

Captivity and Restoration

of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

The sovereignty and goodness of GOD, together with the faithfulness

of his promises displayed, being a narrative of the captivity and restoration

of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, commended by her, to all that desires to know

the Lord's doings to, and dealings with her. Especially to her dear children

and relations. The second Addition [sic] Corrected and amended. Written

by her own hand for her private use, and now made public at the earnest

desire of some friends, and for the benefit of the afflicted. Deut. 32.39. See

now that I, even I am he, and there is no god with me, I kill and I make

alive, I wound and I heal, neither is there any can deliver out of my hand.

On the tenth of February 1675, came the Indians with great numbers

upon Lancaster: their first coming was about sunrising; hearing the noise

of some guns, we looked out; several houses were burning, and the smoke

ascending to heaven. There were five persons taken in one house; the

father, and the mother and a sucking child, they knocked on the head; the

other two they took and carried away alive. There were two others, who

being out of their garrison upon some occasion were set upon; one was

knocked on the head, the other escaped; another there was who running

along was shot and wounded, and fell down; he begged of them his life,

promising them money (as they told me) but they would not hearken to

him but knocked him in head, and stripped him naked, and split open his

bowels. Another, seeing many of the Indians about his barn, ventured and

went out, but was quickly shot down. There were three others belonging to

the same garrison who were killed; the Indians getting up upon the roof of

the barn, had advantage to shoot down upon them over their fortification.

Thus these murderous wretches went on, burning, and destroying before

them.

At length they came and beset our own house, and quickly it was the

dolefulest day that ever mine eyes saw. The house stood upon the edge of

a hill; some of the Indians got behind the hill, others into the barn, and

others behind anything that could shelter them; from all which places they

shot against the house, so that the bullets seemed to fly like hail; and

quickly they wounded one man among us, then another, and then a third.

About two hours (according to my observation, in that amazing time) they

Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

had been about the house before they prevailed to fire it (which they did

with flax and hemp, which they brought out of the barn, and there being

no defense about the house, only two flankers at two opposite corners and

one of them not finished); they fired it once and one ventured out and

quenched it, but they quickly fired it again, and that took. Now is the

dreadful hour come, that I have often heard of (in time of war, as it was

the case of others), but now mine eyes see it. Some in our house were

fighting for their lives, others wallowing in their blood, the house on fire

over our heads, and the bloody heathen ready to knock us on the head, if

we stirred out. Now might we hear mothers and children crying out for

themselves, and one another, "Lord, what shall we do?" Then I took my

children (and one of my sisters', hers) to go forth and leave the house: but

as soon as we came to the door and appeared, the Indians shot so thick that

the bullets rattled against the house, as if one had taken an handful of

stones and threw them, so that we were fain to give back. We had six stout

dogs belonging to our garrison, but none of them would stir, though

another time, if any Indian had come to the door, they were ready to fly

upon him and tear him down. The Lord hereby would make us the more

acknowledge His hand, and to see that our help is always in Him. But out

we must go, the fire increasing, and coming along behind us, roaring, and

the Indians gaping before us with their guns, spears, and hatchets to

devour us. No sooner were we out of the house, but my brother-in-law

(being before wounded, in defending the house, in or near the throat) fell

down dead, whereat the Indians scornfully shouted, and hallowed, and

were presently upon him, stripping off his clothes, the bullets flying thick,

one went through my side, and the same (as would seem) through the

bowels and hand of my dear child in my arms. One of my elder sisters'

children, named William, had then his leg broken, which the Indians

perceiving, they knocked him on [his] head. Thus were we butchered by

those merciless heathen, standing amazed, with the blood running down to

our heels. My eldest sister being yet in the house, and seeing those woeful

sights, the infidels hauling mothers one way, and children another, and

some wallowing in their blood: and her elder son telling her that her son

William was dead, and myself was wounded, she said, "And Lord, let me

Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

die with them," which was no sooner said, but she was struck with a bullet,

and fell down dead over the threshold. I hope she is reaping the fruit of her

good labors, being faithful to the service of God in her place. In her

younger years she lay under much trouble upon spiritual accounts, till it

pleased God to make that precious scripture take hold of her heart, "And

he said unto me, my Grace is sufficient for thee" (2 Corinthians 12.9).

More than twenty years after, I have heard her tell how sweet and

comfortable that place was to her. But to return: the Indians laid hold of us,

pulling me one way, and the children another, and said, "Come go along

with us"; I told them they would kill me: they answered, if I were willing

to go along with them, they would not hurt me.

Oh the doleful sight that now was to behold at this house! "Come,

behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he has made in the earth."

Of thirty-seven persons who were in this one house, none escaped either

present death, or a bitter captivity, save only one, who might say as he,

"And I only am escaped alone to tell the News" (Job 1.15). There were

twelve killed, some shot, some stabbed with their spears, some knocked

down with their hatchets. When we are in prosperity, Oh the little that we

think of such dreadful sights, and to see our dear friends, and relations lie

bleeding out their heart-blood upon the ground. There was one who was

chopped into the head with a hatchet, and stripped naked, and yet was

crawling up and down. It is a solemn sight to see so many Christians lying

in their blood, some here, and some there, like a company of sheep torn by

wolves, all of them stripped naked by a company of hell-hounds, roaring,

singing, ranting, and insulting, as if they would have torn our very hearts

out; yet the Lord by His almighty power preserved a number of us from

death, for there were twenty-four of us taken alive and carried captive.

I had often before this said that if the Indians should come, I should

choose rather to be killed by them than taken alive, but when it came to

the trial my mind changed; their glittering weapons so daunted my spirit,

that I chose rather to go along with those (as I may say) ravenous beasts,

than that moment to end my days; and that I may the better declare what

happened to me during that grievous captivity, I shall particularly speak of

the several removes we had up and down the wilderness.

Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

The First Remove

Now away we must go with those barbarous creatures, with our bodies

wounded and bleeding, and our hearts no less than our bodies. About a

mile we went that night, up upon a hill within sight of the town, where

they intended to lodge. There was hard by a vacant house (deserted by the

English before, for fear of the Indians). I asked them whether I might not

lodge in the house that night, to which they answered, "What, will you

love English men still?" This was the dolefulest night that ever my eyes

saw. Oh the roaring, and singing and dancing, and yelling of those black

creatures in the night, which made the place a lively resemblance of hell.

And as miserable was the waste that was there made of horses, cattle,

sheep, swine, calves, lambs, roasting pigs, and fowl (which they had

plundered in the town), some roasting, some lying and burning, and some

boiling to feed our merciless enemies; who were joyful enough, though we

were disconsolate. To add to the dolefulness of the former day, and the

dismalness of the present night, my thoughts ran upon my losses and sad

bereaved condition. All was gone, my husband gone (at least separated

from me, he being in the Bay; and to add to my grief, the Indians told me

they would kill him as he came homeward), my children gone, my

relations and friends gone, our house and home and all our comforts--

within door and without--all was gone (except my life), and I knew not but

the next moment that might go too. There remained nothing to me but one

poor wounded babe, and it seemed at present worse than death that it was

in such a pitiful condition, bespeaking compassion, and I had no

refreshing for it, nor suitable things to revive it. Little do many think what

is the savageness and brutishness of this barbarous enemy, Ay, even those

that seem to profess more than others among them, when the English have

fallen into their hands.

Those seven that were killed at Lancaster the summer before upon a

Sabbath day, and the one that was afterward killed upon a weekday, were

slain and mangled in a barbarous manner, by one-eyed John, and

Marlborough's Praying Indians, which Capt. Mosely brought to Boston, as

the Indians told me.

Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

The Second Remove

But now, the next morning, I must turn my back upon the town, and

travel with them into the vast and desolate wilderness, I knew not whither.

It is not my tongue, or pen, can express the sorrows of my heart, and

bitterness of my spirit that I had at this departure: but God was with me in

a wonderful manner, carrying me along, and bearing up my spirit, that it

did not quite fail. One of the Indians carried my poor wounded babe upon

a horse; it went moaning all along, "I shall die, I shall die." I went on foot

after it, with sorrow that cannot be expressed. At length I took it off the

horse, and carried it in my arms till my strength failed, and I fell down

with it. Then they set me upon a horse with my wounded child in my lap,

and there being no furniture upon the horse's back, as we were going down

a steep hill we both fell over the horse's head, at which they, like inhumane

creatures, laughed, and rejoiced to see it, though I thought we should there

have ended our days, as overcome with so many difficulties. But the Lord

renewed my strength still, and carried me along, that I might see more of

His power; yea, so much that I could never have thought of, had I not

experienced it.

After this it quickly began to snow, and when night came on, they

stopped, and now down I must sit in the snow, by a little fire, and a few

boughs behind me, with my sick child in my lap; and calling much for

water, being now (through the wound) fallen into a violent fever. My own

wound also growing so stiff that I could scarce sit down or rise up; yet so

it must be, that I must sit all this cold winter night upon the cold snowy

ground, with my sick child in my arms, looking that every hour would be

the last of its life; and having no Christian friend near me, either to

comfort or help me. Oh, I may see the wonderful power of God, that my

Spirit did not utterly sink under my affliction: still the Lord upheld me

with His gracious and merciful spirit, and we were both alive to see the

light of the next morning.

Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

The Third Remove

The morning being come, they prepared to go on their way. One of the

Indians got up upon a horse, and they set me up behind him, with my poor

sick babe in my lap. A very wearisome and tedious day I had of it; what

with my own wound, and my child's being so exceeding sick, and in a

lamentable condition with her wound. It may be easily judged what a poor

feeble condition we were in, there being not the least crumb of refreshing

that came within either of our mouths from Wednesday night to Saturday

night, except only a little cold water. This day in the afternoon, about an

hour by sun, we came to the place where they intended, viz. an Indian

town, called Wenimesset, northward of Quabaug. When we were come,

Oh the number of pagans (now merciless enemies) that there came about

me, that I may say as David, "I had fainted, unless I had believed, etc"

(Psalm 27.13). The next day was the Sabbath. I then remembered how

careless I had been of God's holy time; how many Sabbaths I had lost and

misspent, and how evilly I had walked in God's sight; which lay so close

unto my spirit, that it was easy for me to see how righteous it was with

God to cut off the thread of my life and cast me out of His presence

forever. Yet the Lord still showed mercy to me, and upheld me; and as He

wounded me with one hand, so he healed me with the other. This day there

came to me one Robert Pepper (a man belonging to Roxbury) who was

taken in Captain Beers's fight, and had been now a considerable time with

the Indians; and up with them almost as far as Albany, to see King Philip,

as he told me, and was now very lately come into these parts. Hearing, I

say, that I was in this Indian town, he obtained leave to come and see me.

He told me he himself was wounded in the leg at Captain Beer's fight; and

was not able some time to go, but as they carried him, and as he took

oaken leaves and laid to his wound, and through the blessing of God he

was able to travel again. Then I took oaken leaves and laid to my side, and

with the blessing of God it cured me also; yet before the cure was wrought,

I may say, as it is in Psalm 38.5-6 "My wounds stink and are corrupt, I am

troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long." I sat

much alone with a poor wounded child in my lap, which moaned night and

Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

day, having nothing to revive the body, or cheer the spirits of her, but

instead of that, sometimes one Indian would come and tell me one hour

that "your master will knock your child in the head," and then a second,

and then a third, "your master will quickly knock your child in the head."

This was the comfort I had from them, miserable comforters are ye all,

as he said. Thus nine days I sat upon my knees, with my babe in my lap,

till my flesh was raw again; my child being even ready to depart this

sorrowful world, they bade me carry it out to another wigwam (I suppose

because they would not be troubled with such spectacles) whither I went

with a very heavy heart, and down I sat with the picture of death in my lap.

About two hours in the night, my sweet babe like a lamb departed this life

on Feb. 18, 1675. It being about six years, and five months old. It was nine

days from the first wounding, in this miserable condition, without any

refreshing of one nature or other, except a little cold water. I cannot but

take notice how at another time I could not bear to be in the room where

any dead person was, but now the case is changed; I must and could lie

down by my dead babe, side by side all the night after. I have thought

since of the wonderful goodness of God to me in preserving me in the use

of my reason and senses in that distressed time, that I did not use wicked

and violent means to end my own miserable life. In the morning, when

they understood that my child was dead they sent for me home to my

master's wigwam (by my master in this writing, must be understood

Quinnapin, who was a Sagamore, and married King Philip's wife's sister;

not that he first took me, but I was sold to him by another Narragansett

Indian, who took me when first I came out of the garrison). I went to take

up my dead child in my arms to carry it with me, but they bid me let it

alone; there was no resisting, but go I must and leave it. When I had been

at my master's wigwam, I took the first opportunity I could get to go look

after my dead child. When I came I asked them what they had done with it;

then they told me it was upon the hill. Then they went and showed me

where it was, where I saw the ground was newly digged, and there they

told me they had buried it. There I left that child in the wilderness, and

must commit it, and myself also in this wilderness condition, to Him who

is above all. God having taken away this dear child, I went to see my

Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

daughter Mary, who was at this same Indian town, at a wigwam not very

far off, though we had little liberty or opportunity to see one another. She

was about ten years old, and taken from the door at first by a Praying Ind.

and afterward sold for a gun. When I came in sight, she would fall

aweeping; at which they were provoked, and would not let me come near

her, but bade me be gone; which was a heart-cutting word to me. I had one

child dead, another in the wilderness, I knew not where, the third they

would not let me come near to: "Me (as he said) have ye bereaved of my

Children, Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin also,

all these things are against me." I could not sit still in this condition, but

kept walking from one place to another. And as I was going along, my

heart was even overwhelmed with the thoughts of my condition, and that I

should have children, and a nation which I knew not, ruled over them.

Whereupon I earnestly entreated the Lord, that He would consider my low

estate, and show me a token for good, and if it were His blessed will, some

sign and hope of some relief. And indeed quickly the Lord answered, in

some measure, my poor prayers; for as I was going up and down mourning

and lamenting my condition, my son came to me, and asked me how I did.

I had not seen him before, since the destruction of the town, and I knew

not where he was, till I was informed by himself, that he was amongst a

smaller parcel of Indians, whose place was about six miles off. With tears

in his eyes, he asked me whether his sister Sarah was dead; and told me he

had seen his sister Mary; and prayed me, that I would not be troubled in

reference to himself. The occasion of his coming to see me at this time,

was this: there was, as I said, about six miles from us, a small plantation of

Indians, where it seems he had been during his captivity; and at this time,

there were some forces of the Ind. gathered out of our company, and some

also from them (among whom was my son's master) to go to assault and

burn Medfield. In this time of the absence of his master, his dame brought

him to see me. I took this to be some gracious answer to my earnest and

unfeigned desire. The next day, viz. to this, the Indians returned from

Medfield, all the company, for those that belonged to the other small

company, came through the town that now we were at. But before they

came to us, Oh! the outrageous roaring and hooping that there was. They

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NarrativeoftheCaptivityandRestorationofMrs.MaryRowlandson1NarrativeoftheCaptivityandRestorationofMrs.MaryRowlandsonNarrativeoftheCaptivityandRestorationofMrs.MaryRowlandson2ThesovereigntyandgoodnessofGOD,togetherwiththefaithfulnessofhispromisesdisplayed,beinganarrativeofthecaptivityandrestorationofM...

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