A murder of an Englishman had taken place, and the Government at Plymouth required all natives to surrender the fire-arms they had obtained from the English.
Even Philip consented to deliver them up until the English should see no further cause for detaining them.

Upon this, in June 1671, Eliot wrote a remarkable letter to Mr.Prince, the Governor of Plymouth, requiring him not to detain the arms, especially of Philip.

"My reasons are," he says, "first, lest we render ourselves more afraid of them and their guns than indeed we are or have cause to be.

Alas! it is not the gun, but the man; nor, indeed, is it the man, but our sin that we have cause to be afraid of.

Secondly, your so doing will open an effectual door to the entertainment of the Gospel." Probably Mr.Eliot was right, and the keeping the arms only irritated the high-spirited chief, who said to the messenger of the Governor of Massachusetts, "Your governor is but a subject.