MASSASOIT, sachem of the Wampanoag or Pokanoket Indians. His territory, at one time extended over nearly all the southern part of Massachusetts from cape Cod to Narragansett bay, and his tribe numbered 30,000, but at the time of the la-nding of the Pilgrims they had been reduced by disease to about 300. In 1621, Mar. 22, he visited Plymouth three months after it was founded, with 60 armed and painted warriors, for the purpose of making a friendly league with the white men. Governor Carver was so much pleased with the frank and fnendly bearing of Massasoit, that on behalf of thc colony he concluded a treaty of peace and mutual protection with the Wampanoags. This was sacredly kept for 50 years. Massasoit always remained friendly to the colonists. He resided in Pokanoket, or what is now the town of Bristol, R. I. where commissioners from the adjacent settlements often visited him. When Roger Williams was banished from Massachusetts,• he was entertained on his way to Providence by Massasoit for several weeks. Although the English committed repeated usurpations upon his lands, and liberties, he was their friend as long as he lived, imbued his people with the love of peace, and gave notice to the Pilgrims when they were in danger from other tribes. He
had several sons, grandsons, and brothers. Before his death, which is supposed to have been in 1662, he had been inthiced to cede away at different thnes, nearly all his lands to the English. His two eldest sons, Wamsutta and Pometicom, or Metacomet, had English names, of which the following account is given: " After Massasoit was dead his two sons, called Wamsutta and Metacomet came to the court at Plymouth, pretend ing high respect for the English, and therefore desired that English names might be given them; whereupon the court there named Wamsutta, the elder brother, Alexander, and Metacomet, the younger brother, Philip." Massasoit was succeeded by his eldest son Alexander, who dying a few months after, Philip became by.the order of succession head chief of the Wampanoags. These two sons, after their fathet's death, were, regarded with much jealousy by the English, and were suspect-ed of plotting against them; and Philip afterwards was distinguished by his wars with the English.