We have to distinguish between the recorded facts and what the facts would appear to be to the people of that time. No record shows, and no recorded event suggests, that the Dutch did actually arm and instigate the Iroquois in this particular situation. But let us see how it looked to contemporaries. In 1673 there was an Indian population around the bays that had become embittered against the English. There was Dutch Governor Colve at Manhattan, under strong provocation, proclaiming defense measures at Delaware Bay. Governor Colve was closely allied by treaty to the Iroquois Indians and presumably could supply them with weapons. The use of Indians for covert warfare had long been accepted as one of the facts of colonial life, and Maryland was still in a state of war with the Iroquois. It seems reasonable to suppose that Lord Baltimore's people began to be nervous about the Iroquois. A pair of dates are on the record: in January, 1674, Governor Colve proclaimed his state of emergency; and on the first day of June, 1674, the Maryland Assembly voted unanimously that it was "necessarie that a Peace be Concluded" with the Iroquois.⁷²

Having made that decision, the Assembly had to face up to its implications. Rather, the Lower House of the Assembly had to be manipulated by the Upper House to accept the implications. Maryland's executive branch of government consisted of a Governor and Council. In the legislative process, the executive Council's members sat as an Upper House to dominate the elective Lower House. Thus the Upper House was always privy to executive plans and decisions which were disclosed to the Lower House at discretion and with something less than total candor. Thus, when the Lower House had safely voted to seek peace with the Iroquois, the Upper House released some previously undisclosed information. Its process of disclosure was to initiate sequel legislation to empower the Governor and Council to make and finance war even outside the provincial boundaries "forasmuch as that Peace [with the Iroquois] may bring a Warre with the Sasquahannoughs."⁷³

This was a jolt. Two weeks dragged on while the Lower House withheld its consent. Final agreement, when it came, included reference to "credible Informations of the many murthers and Outrages committed upon the persons and Estates of divers of the good People of this Province in Baltemore County by the Susquehanna Indians and other their Confederate Indians by them countenanced and protected contrary to the Articles of Peace." No bill of particulars accompanied the accusation. Curiously the charge was advanced not so much to justify punishing the Susquehannock's as to justify making peace with the Iroquois. It was worded neatly for Baltimore's maximum advantage in defense or offense, for its mention of the Susquehannock's' "Confederate Indians" meant the Lenape, and an expedition against the Lenape would be a march on Delaware Bay. Having made its findings so conveniently, the Assembly voted a supply for the expenses of either peace or war .⁷⁴