Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/134

98 Neck in Barrington) and Aquetneck now Rhode Island. (Mr. John Clarke's Narrative). And inasmuch as they were determined to go out of every other jurisdiction, Mr. Williams and Mr. Clarke attended with two other persons, went to Plymouth to inquire how the case stood ; they were lovingly received and answered that Sowames was the garden of their Patent. But they were advised to settle at Aquetneck, and promised to be looked on as free and to be treated and assisted as loving neighbors."

Prof. Romeo Elton, in the edition of Callender's Rhode Island, 1838, says, "Perhaps Sowams is properly the nameof the river, where the two Swansea Rivers meet and run together for near a mile, when they empty themselves into Narragansett Bay, or a small island where these two rivers meet at the bottom of the meadow so called." No claimhad been made up to this time that Sowams was located on the east side of the Warren River. Had there been, Prof. Elton would have mentioned it.

Next to the title deed from the Indians, establishing Barrington as the Sowams of Massassoit, the most important testimony is this of the nearest white neighbor of the great chief, his most estimable friend, Roger Williams. In 1636 Mr. Williams had made the friendship of Massassoit and was his guest at Sowams for several days on his way from Plymouth to Seekonk. Learning that these lands wereprobably in Massachusetts Bay Colony, Mr. Williams crossed the Seekonk River and settled in Providence. In 1637, his friend, John Clarke, having been requested to leave Boston by ecclesiastical authority, came to Providence to consult as to his future with his old friend, Williams, banished from Salem. Clarke talked about a good place for settlement,and Williams recommended two places, "The one on the main called Sowames (the neck since called Phebe's Neck in Barrington) and Aquetneck, now Rhode Island." Going to Plymouth for permission to settle at Sowams, they were told that "Sowams was the garden of their Patent," and Clarke was advised to settle at Aquidneck, which he did.