8 Wee are Engaged in a bloody warr with y^ french about 3 years agoe and were Incouraged to proceed and no sooner were well Entred and gott prisoners but a Cessation Came and Corlaer meaning Col: dongan hindred us to proceed and demanded y® prisoners from us we were obedient and did deliver them and layed doune y^ hatehet which if we might have gone foreward then the french would not have been in y* Capacity to doe so much mischeeffe as they doe but now \v(' must dye Such obstructions will Ruine us ; if we might have had our wills we would have prevented there planting Sowing and Reaping and brougl^t them low and mean Neverthelesse lett us be stedfast and not take such measures again lett us goe one briskly withy® warr doe give a Bever Skinn

9 Wee Recommend y® brethren to keep good watch and if any Enemies come take care y' messengers be more speedily sent to us then lately was done we would not advise y® brethren quite to desert Shinnechtady but to make a fort there The enemy woul4 be too glorious to See it quite desolate and y"" Toune is not well fortifyed y^ Stockadoes are so short y^ Indians can jump over them like a dogg doe give a bever skinn

10 This mischeeffe is done at Shinnechtady and it Cannot bee helped but asoon as any Enemy Comes let nothing hinder y"" speedy sending to us y® news by Posts and fyreing great gunnes y' all may be alarmd and our advise is y* y'" gett all y^ River Indians who are under yr subjection to come and Live neer unto y^ to be ready on all occasions and send word to n: England of all and