A narrative of the captivity and restoration. A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson : Mary Rowlandson : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive 2022-10-23
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A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson is a personal account written by Mary Rowlandson in 1682 of her experience as a captive of the Native Americans during King Philip's War. The narrative, which was published in 1682 and became a best-seller in colonial America, tells the story of Rowlandson's capture by the Native Americans and her subsequent journey to regain her freedom.
In February 1675, Rowlandson and her family were living in the Massachusetts Bay Colony when their town of Lancaster was attacked by a group of Native Americans. Rowlandson and her three children were taken captive, while her husband and other family members managed to escape. The Native Americans, who were part of the Wampanoag tribe, took Rowlandson and her children on a journey through the wilderness, traveling from place to place and frequently facing hunger, cold, and other hardships.
Throughout the narrative, Rowlandson reflects on her experiences as a captive and her attempts to come to terms with her new situation. She writes about the kindness and generosity of some of the Native Americans, as well as the harsh treatment she received at the hands of others. She also reflects on her faith and her reliance on God for strength and guidance during her captivity.
After several months of captivity, Rowlandson was finally able to negotiate her release with the help of her husband and other members of the community. She returned home to Lancaster, where she was welcomed with great joy by her family and the community.
Rowlandson's narrative is an important historical document that provides a unique perspective on the experience of captivity and the relationship between the Native Americans and the colonists in colonial America. It also serves as a testament to the resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of great adversity.
A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson : Mary Rowlandson : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Onux, this old Squaw at whose wigwam I was, and with whom my master had been these three weeks: Another was Wettimore, with whom I had lived and served all this while. My strength seemed to come again, and to recruit my feeble knees, and aching heart; yet it pleased them to go but one mile that night, and there we stayed two days. God seemed to leave his people to themselves, and ordered all things for his own holy ends. They were not loyal to their wives; often slept with many women. In that poor and beggarly condition, I was received in, I was kindly entertained in several houses.
A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson (1682)
Now is my spirit revived again; though means be never so inconsiderable, yet if the Lord bestow his blessing upon them, they shall refresh both soul and body. Here was a Squaw who gave me a spoonful of meal, I put it in my pocket to keep it safe, yet notwithstanding somebody stole it, but put five Indian corns in the room of it; which corns were the greatest provision I had in my travel for one day. We were hurried up and down in our thoughts, sometimes we should hear a report that they were gone this way and sometimes that; and that they were come in, in this place or that, we kept inquiring and listening to hear concerning them, but no certain news as yet. I could tell the Lord as Hezekiah, Ver. They gave me my pack and along we went cheerfully; but quickly my will proved more than my strength; having little or no refreshment, my strength failed, and my spirits were almost quite gone. I manifested some great trouble, and asked them what was the matter? Then also I took my Bible to read, but I found no comfort here neither, yet I can say, in all my sorrows and afflictions, God did not leave me to have any impatient work towards himself, as if his ways were unrighteous; but I knew that he laid upon me less than I deserved.
A Narrative Of The Captivity And Restoration Mary...
I was at this time knitting a pair of white cotton stockings for my mistress, and I had not yet wrought upon the Sabbath day. 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 in Job 1, 15. They began their din about a mile before they came to us. This triggers a 3 year war between King Philip, a Wampanoag chief, referred to as Metacom by the Native Americans and the colonists. I went to a wigwam, and they bid me come in, and gave me a skin to lie upon, and a mess of venison and ground-nuts, which was a choice dish among them.
A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary...
I understood that Wettimore thought, that if she should let me go and serve with the old Squaw, she should be in danger to lose not only my Service but the redemption-pay also. When I came to him, I found him not well; and withal he had a boil on his side, which much troubled him. When I was there, there came an Indian to look after me; who when he had found me, kickt me all-along. What through faintness and soreness of body, it was a grievous day of travel to me. We came that day to a great swamp, by the side of which we took up our lodging that night.
Narrative of the Captivity and Restauration of Mrs....
Our family being now gathered together, the South church in Boston hired an house for us. A certain number of us got over the river that night, but it was the night after the Sabbath before all the company was got over. When I lived in prosperity, having the comforts of this world about me, my relations by me, and my heart cheerful, and taking little care for any thing; and yet seeing many whom I preferred before myself under many trials and afflictions, in sickness, weakness, poverty, losses, crosses, and cares of the world, I should be sometimes jealous lest I should have my portion in this life. ON Monday as I said they set their wigwams on fire, and went away. O that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways, I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
Then my son came to see me, and I asked his master to let him stay a while with me, that I might comb his head, and look over him, for he was almost overcome with lice. And here I cannot but remember how many times sitting in their wigwams, and musing on things past, I should suddenly leap up and run out, as if I had been at home, forgetting where I was, and what my condition was, but when I was without, and saw nothing but wilderness and woods, and a company of barbarous Heathen, my mind quickly returned to me, which made me think of that spoken concerning Samson, who said I will go out and shake myself as at other times, but he wist not that the Lord was departed from him. At first they were all against it, except my husband would come for me; but afterward they assented to it, and seemed to rejoice in it: Some asking me to send them some bread, others some tobacco, others shaking me by the hand, offering me a hood and scarf to ride in: not one moving hand or tongue against it. 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. I was glad of it, and asked him if he thought the Indians would let me read? I remember how on the night before and after the Sabbath, when my family was about me, and relations and neighbours with us, we could pray and sing, and refresh our bodies with the good creatures of God, and then have a comfortable bed to lie down on; but instead of all this, I had only a little swill for the body, and then like a swine, must lie down on the ground.
And my poor girl, I knew not where she was, nor whether she was sick or well, alive or dead. When I came ashore, they gathered all about me, I sitting alone in the midst: I observed they asked one another questions, and laughed, and rejoiced over their gains and victories. Now may I say as David, Psalm 109. We bemoaned one another a while, as the Lord helped us, and then I returned again. He being a little cheered with that, I asked him about the welfare of my husband, he told me he saw him such a time in the Bay, and he was well, but very melancholy. I could not sit still in this condition, but kept walking from one place to another.
Then they catched up their guns and away they ran, as if an enemy had been at hand, and the guns went off apace. Now had I time to examine all my ways. For I must say with him, Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight. She said yes, I might; but I was not a little refreshed with that news, that I had my liberty again. THE morning being come, they prepared to go on their way, one of the Indians got upon a horse, and they sat me up behind him, with my poor sick babe in my lap. 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.
