Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson
religious charity, I would not forget to make mention of. Then Mr.
Thomas Shepard of Charlestown received us into his house, where we
continued eleven weeks; and a father and mother they were to us. And
many more tender-hearted friends we met with in that place. We were now
in the midst of love, yet not without much and frequent heaviness of
heart for our poor children, and other relations, who were still in
affliction. The week following, after my coming in, the governor and
council sent forth to the Indians again; and that not without success;
for they brought in my sister, and goodwife Kettle. Their not knowing
where our children were was a sore trial to us still, and yet we were
not without secret hopes that we should see them again. That which was
dead lay heavier upon my spirit, than those which were alive and amongst
the heathen: thinking how it suffered with its wounds, and I was no
way able to relieve it; and how it was buried by the heathen in the
wilderness from among all Christians. We were hurried up and down in our
thoughts, sometime 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. About this time the council had ordered a day of public
thanksgiving. Though I thought I had still cause of mourning, and being
unsettled in our minds, we thought we would ride toward the eastward,
to see if we could hear anything concerning our children. And as we were
riding along (God is the wise disposer of all things) between Ipswich
and Rowley we met with Mr. William Hubbard, who told us that our son
Joseph was come in to Major Waldron's, and another with him, which was
my sister's son. I asked him how he knew it? He said the major himself
told him so. So along we went till we came to Newbury; and their
minister being absent, they desired my husband to preach the
thanksgiving for them; but he was not willing to stay there that night,
but would go over to Salisbury, to hear further, and come again in the
morning, which he did, and preached there that day. At night, when
he had done, one came and told him that his daughter was come in at
Providence. Here was mercy on both hands. Now hath God fulfilled that
precious Scripture which was such a comfort to me in my distressed
condition. When my heart was ready to sink into the earth (my children
being gone, I could not tell whither) and my knees trembling under me,
and I was walking through the valley of the shadow of death; then the
Lord brought, and now has fulfilled that reviving word unto me: "Thus
saith the Lord, Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from
tears, for thy Work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord, and they shall
come again from the Land of the Enemy." Now we were between them, the
one on the east, and the other on the west. Our son being nearest, we
went to him first, to Portsmouth, where we met with him, and with the
Major also, who told us he had done what he could, but could not redeem
him under seven pounds, which the good people thereabouts were pleased
to pay. The Lord reward the major, and all the rest, though unknown
to me, for their labor of Love. My sister's son was redeemed for four
pounds, which the council gave order for the payment of. Having now
received one of our children, we hastened toward the other. Going back
through Newbury my husband preached there on the Sabbath day; for which
they rewarded him many fold.
On Monday we came to Charlestown, where we heard that the governor of
Rhode Island had sent over for our daughter, to take care of her,
being now within his jurisdiction; which should not pass without our
acknowledgments. But she being nearer Rehoboth than Rhode Island, Mr.
Newman went over, and took care of her and brought her to his own house.
And the goodness of God was admirable to us in our low estate, in that
He raised up passionate friends on every side to us, when we had nothing
to recompense any for their love. The Indians were now gone that way,
that it was apprehended dangerous to go to her. But the carts which
carried provision to the English army, being guarded, brought her with
them to Dorchester, where we received her safe. Blessed be the Lord for
it, for great is His power, and He can do whatsoever seemeth Him good.
Her coming in was after this manner: she was traveling one day with the
Indians, with her basket at her back; the company of Indians were got
before her, and gone out of sight, all except one squaw; she followed
the squaw till night, and then both of them lay down, having nothing
over them but the heavens and under them but the earth. Thus she
traveled three days together, not knowing whither she was going; having
nothing to eat or drink but water, and green hirtle-berries. At last
they came into Providence, where she was kindly entertained by several
of that town. The Indians often said that I should never have her under
twenty pounds. But now the Lord hath brought her in upon free-cost, and
given her to me the second time. The Lord make us a blessing indeed,
each to others. Now have I seen that Scripture also fulfilled, "If any
of thine be driven out to the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will
the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee. And
the Lord thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on
them which hate thee, which persecuted thee" (Deuteronomy 30.4-7). Thus
hath the Lord brought me and mine out of that horrible pit, and hath set
us in the midst of tender-hearted and compassionate Christians. It is
the desire of my soul that we may walk worthy of the mercies received,
and which we are receiving.
Our family being now gathered together (those of us that were living),
the South Church in Boston hired an house for us. Then we removed from
Mr. Shepard's, those cordial friends, and went to Boston, where we
continued about three-quarters of a year. Still the Lord went along with
us, and provided graciously for us. I thought it somewhat strange to set
up house-keeping with bare walls; but as Solomon says, "Money answers
all things" and that we had through the benevolence of Christian
friends, some in this town, and some in that, and others; and some
from England; that in a little time we might look, and see the house
furnished with love. The Lord hath been exceeding good to us in our
low estate, in that when we had neither house nor home, nor other
necessaries, the Lord so moved the hearts of these and those towards us,
that we wanted neither food, nor raiment for ourselves or ours: "There
is a Friend which sticketh closer than a Brother" (Proverbs 18.24). And
how many such friends have we found, and now living amongst? And truly
such a friend have we found him to be unto us, in whose house we lived,
viz. Mr. James Whitcomb, a friend unto us near hand, and afar off.
I can remember the time when I used to sleep quietly without workings
in my thoughts, whole nights together, but now it is other ways with me.
When all are fast about me, and no eye open, but His who ever waketh, my
thoughts are upon things past, upon the awful dispensation of the
Lord towards us, upon His wonderful power and might, in carrying of us
through so many difficulties, in returning us in safety, and suffering
none to hurt us. I remember in the night season, how the other day I was
in the midst of thousands of enemies, and nothing but death before me.
It is then hard work to persuade myself, that ever I should be satisfied
with bread again. But now we are fed with the finest of the wheat, and,
as I may say, with honey out of the rock. Instead of the husk, we have
the fatted calf. The thoughts of these things in the particulars of
them, and of the love and goodness of God towards us, make it true
of me, what David said of himself, "I watered my Couch with my tears"
(Psalm 6.6). Oh! the wonderful power of God that mine eyes have seen,
affording matter enough for my thoughts to run in, that when others are
sleeping mine eyes are weeping.
I have seen the extreme vanity of this world: One hour I have been in
health, and wealthy, wanting nothing. But the next hour in sickness and
wounds, and death, having nothing but sorrow and affliction.
Before I knew what affliction meant, I was ready sometimes to wish for
it. When I lived in prosperity, having the comforts of the world about
me, my relations by me, my heart cheerful, and taking little care for
anything, 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 least I
should have my portion in this life, and that Scripture would come to my
mind, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every Son
whom he receiveth" (Hebrews 12.6). But now I see the Lord had His
time to scourge and chasten me. The portion of some is to have their
afflictions by drops, now one drop and then another; but the dregs of
the cup, the wine of astonishment, like a sweeping rain that leaveth no
food, did the Lord prepare to be my portion. Affliction I wanted, and
affliction I had, full measure (I thought), pressed down and running
over. Yet I see, when God calls a person to anything, and through never
so many difficulties, yet He is fully able to carry them through and
make them see, and say they have been gainers thereby. And I hope I can
say in some measure, as David did, "It is good for me that I have been
afflicted." The Lord hath showed me the vanity of these outward things.
That they are the vanity of vanities, and vexation of spirit, that they
are but a shadow, a blast, a bubble, and things of no continuance. That
we must rely on God Himself, and our whole dependance must be upon Him.
If trouble from smaller matters begin to arise in me, I have something
at hand to check myself with, and say, why am I troubled? It was but
the other day that if I had had the world, I would have given it for
my freedom, or to have been a servant to a Christian. I have learned to
look beyond present and smaller troubles, and to be quieted under them.
As Moses said, "Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord" (Exodus
14.13).
Finis.