Account of the return of three white prisoners, May 20, 1760 - 1
is as follows, wit
Brother, give attention to what I am going to say. Brother - last fall when pass’d by here, I heard what you & your Brethren the English had agreed on, I rejoiced over it to hear you, after you came back that was the reason I deliver’d you the horses that were brought there from the Inhabitants.
Brother, listen to what I say, I heard last night what you told me our Brethren the English have so much a heart & what they desire we all let you know it shall be granted, concerning their own flesh & blood - we know that God hath seen us - we still have kept your flesh & blood here - we know that God knows us we have not been honest, we have been false & deceitful in keeping your flesh & blood so long, tho’ we thought to love God, but, Brother we now all assure you, all that belongs to this town or Society, we have three Captives here which we will deliver to you for we desire to do justice & to love God, But, Brother, we cannot command others that are newly come here to deliver them also, Brother I would now freely do what our Brethren the English desire for me to do. I wish it was in my power to assist that they might get them all back that are scattered in the woods everywhere.
Gave a string of Wampum &c.
Delivered to ^ Frederick Post & Teddyuscung three captives
a Boy nam’d Jacob rom Tulpehocken
a woman nam’d Mary born at Bedford in New England
a girl nam’d Mary a low dutch girl, her parent live at [?]
her father’s name is Peter
The children cry’d, as if they would die, when they were presented to us. These people bought them from others, who took them captive. Brother - I am greatly pleas’d to hear of that good Peace, that it is well establish’d, I heartily join in a desire to live in peace; Hearken Brothr. I pray you would have some pitty on us & lett us have no strong liquor at all there, all we that live at have call’d Mahachlousing, and if any of our young men should come down, ask them where they come fr[om].
[Transcribed by Christina Taylor]
