before they had
done with them. "Well, but Seignior Atkins," said the Spaniard, "what
have we done to you that you will kill us? And what would you get by
killing us? And what must we do to prevent your killing us? Must we kill
you, or will you kill us? Why will you put us to the necessity of this,
Seignior Atkins?" says the Spaniard very calmly and smiling.

Seignior Atkins was in such a rage at the Spaniard's making a jest of
it, that had he not been held by three men, and withal had no weapons
with him, it was thought he would have attempted to have killed the
Spaniard in the middle of all the company.

This harebrained carriage obliged them to consider seriously what was to
be done. The two Englishmen and the Spaniard who saved the poor savage,
were of the opinion that they should hang one of the three for an
example to the rest; and that particularly it should be he that had
twice attempted to commit murder with his hatchet; and indeed there was
some reason to believe he had done it, for the poor savage was in such a
miserable condition with the wound he had received, that it was thought
he could not live.

But the governor Spaniard still said, no, it was an Englishman that had
saved all their lives, and he would never consent to put an Englishman
to death though he had murdered half of them; nay, he said if he had
been killed himself by an Englishman, and had time left to speak, it
should be that they should pardon him.

This was so positively insisted on by the governor Spaniard, that there
was no gainsaying it; and as merciful counsels are most apt to prevail,
where they are so earnestly pressed, so they all came into it; but then
it was to be considered what should be done to keep them from the
mischief they designed; for all agreed, governor and all, that means
were to be used for preserving the society from danger. After a long
debate it was agreed, first, that they should be disarmed, and not
permitted to have either gun, or powder, or shot, or sword, or any
weapon, and should be turned out of the society, and left to live where
they would, and how they could by themselves; but that none of the rest,
either Spaniards or English, should converse with them, speak with them,
or have any thing to do with them; that they should be forbid to come
within a certain distance of the place where the rest dwelt; and that if
they offered to commit any disorder, so as to spoil, burn, kill, or
destroy any of the corn,