Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/133

Rh the necke of land wh the Indians are possessed of and doe inhabite, which doth not belong unto the township of Rehoboth, Mr. Brown is allowed to make use of the same for himself, without molestation from the inhabitants at Sowames, and then to require no further ppriety therein."

This record is in the handwriting of Nathaniel Morton, Secretary of Plymouth Colony, who in 1668 tells us that the residence of Massassoit was at Sowams, at the confluence of two rivers in Rehoboth or Swansea. The liberty given to Mr. Browne to use marsh lands lying within the fence upon the necke, can by no interpretation be made to apply to any other section of Sowams than New Meadow Neck, where an Indian village then stood, as it is distinctly stated, " which the Indians are possessed of and do inhabite, which doth not belong unto the township of Rehoboth." The record also declares that Mr. Brown could use these lands only and until a plantation is made at Sowams of which these lands are a part.

Rev. John Callender in his Historical Discourse adds his testimony as to Sowams. An ecclesiastical synod at Boston tried John Clarke and his associates for heresy. Mr. Callender says, "Whereupon, many of the other side determined to remove, for peace sake, and to enjoy the freedom of their consciences. And Mr. John Clarke who made the proposal, was requested with some others, to seek out a place, and thereupon by reason of the suffocating heat of the summer before, he went North, to be somewhat cooler, but the winter following proving as cold, they were forced in the spring to make towards the South. So having sought the Lord for directions they agreed, that while their vessel was passing about a large and dangerous Cape, (Cape Cod), they would cross over by land, having Long Island and Delaware Bay in their eye for the place of their residence. At Providence, Mr. R. Williams lovingly entertained them, and being consulted about their design, readily presented two places before them in the Narragansett Bay, the one on the main land called So-wames (the Neck since called Phebe's