BENJAMIN COLMAN TO COTTON MATHER.

M.H.S.

REV. SIR, I return you all your late kind Communications, with many thanks for the pleasure and profit I have had from 'em. Mr. Watts is a great Master in Poetry, and a burning Light and Ornament of the Age; nor like the sun of less Use his Heat, from which nothing is hid. Yet how finely does he lay aside his Ornamental dress in his Reformation Sermon and only shows his fire. I'm highly pleas'd in his undertaking the Psalms, and the length that he's already got. His Touches upon the Canticles are I think the Glory of these which I return. Great are my Expectations from his next. You will forgive me that I emulate, and have dar'd to attempt to imitate, his Muse in the Inclosed; its flame, brevity and Metre. Be candid, and think not that I name 'em with the least of His. Yet have I succeeded better, I confess, than I expected. But you shal correct me. What Watt's has taught us of Charity will secure me from your Censure. I'm glad to find your heart so enlarg'd on that subject, and essay. Yet will you not be perfect in it, without as much a Care not to provoke Wrath, as power afterward to despise, or triumph over, it. I am, Sir, in perfect Charity, (asking your prayers, and waiting for your further Communications,) Your obliged and Affec. Servt.

BOSTON. Dec. 25, 1711.

TO SAMUEL PENHALLOW.

BENJ. COLMAN.

M.H.S.

BOSTON, II d. II m. [January.] 1711-12.

MY HONOURED FRIEND, - You give me Leave, to be continually employing your kind Hand, for the noble Purposes of Services to the Kingdome of God. I præsume still on your Kindness and Goodness, which I have alwayes found to be such, that when that which another Person would count a Trouble, is imposed on you, you count it but a Pleasure. My Fishermen,1 I suppose, are by this time in your hand; and will shortly pass from thence to such as are most concerned in them. I now pray your Acceptance of another small Thing; that what, I think, entertained your Ear when you were here, may now entertain your Eye.

My Book of, PASTORAL DESIRES,2 which is to sett before my Neighbours, the Excellent Things we desire for them, now waits for 1 The Fisher-man's Calling. 2 Printed by B. Green, 1712.

some Help to be given unto it. I was thinking, about a Line or two of yours unto Mr. Archer,1 to this Effect; "That C.M. having delivered in the public, as he knowes, a Discourse of excellent Things, and having signified, as he also knowes, his Intention to publish the Discourse, and lodge it in all the Families of the Neighbourhood, for the Assistence of their Piety; it would be a noble thing in him, and a Demonstration of his own Piety, to enable the said C. M. to prosecute his good Intention, by a generous Tender of three or four pounds unto him, to help him in the Charge of the Impression. And it would be an excellent offering both unto Heaven, and unto the Church, whereto he has the Happiness to be now related.'

But I know not, whether I am not guilty of a great Impertinency in this Proposal. I pray you to consider it with the Candor that alwayes accompanies you; and by no means do any thing, but what you shall upon Deliberation judge, will best square with the nicest Rules of Discretion.

At this time I add no more; but commend you to the Constant keeping and Conduct of the glorious Lord; and subscribe, Syr, Your very obliged Friend and Servt

Co. MATHER.

TO SAMUEL PENHALLOW.

M.H.S.

HONOURED SIR, Course, to make me you lay upon me.

BOSTON, 28 d. 11 m. [January.] 1711-12.

Tis a very cold Time, tis true; But you take a even-sweat under the Heap of Obligations that

Your Friendship I have alwayes found, cordial, generous, useful, and very obliging. But it bids fair to grow into what the Writers call, heroic Friendship. I shall be in perpetual Assiduities, to do my part in it; I am not altogether insensible of what belongs to Reciprocations in these Cases; and shall assiduously endeavour it in this. Old Austin writing, De Amicitia, has a Saying; Quid sit vera Amicitia, non eum novit, qui vult aliam esse mercedem, quam ipsam. Yours I have alwayes esteemed so.

But, behold, you have thrown in upon me, aliam quam ipsam. For which I render you my Thanks; with my Prayers to Heaven, that as we have been united in serving glorious One here below, we may at last, be so in praising Him above.

I have not yett had Opportunity to see our Friend Master Archer,

1 Thomas Archer was admitted into the Second Church, January 6, 1711-12.

on whom you have done the Part of such a cunning Archer. But, I make no doubt, I shall suddenly feel the Operation of your Letter to him.

I wish all Blessings unto you, and unto One of the best of Consorts, and unto your Hopeful Offspring and am, Sir, Your obliged Servt.

Co. MATHER.

My Letter to Mr Reinoles, has in it, the Effect of your kind care at Newberry.

TO SAMUEL PENHALLOW.1

M.H.S.

[April 17, 1712.]

The Negotiation of PEACE, is going on; and all Things conspire to give us a strong Expectation, that it will speedily be accomplished. The Conferences at Utrecht are carried on, with a greater Spirit of Accommodation on both Sides, than has appeared in some former Conferences on such occasions. The French King makes an Explanation of his offers for a general Peace; wherein he acknowledges the Q[ueen] of Great Britain, and the Succession according to the present Settlement. He demolishes Dunkirk, for an Equivalent that will not be much disputed about. He gives up St. Christophere, Hudsons Bay, and Acady, to Great Britain; and Newfoundland, only reserving the Fort at Placentia. He consents to a Treaty of Commerce on the most agreeable Terms. He allowes the Dutch, the Barrier they desire in the Netherlands. He brings the Spanish Indies, into the Condition wherein it was before the Death of King Charles II. He obliges his Grandson to renounce the Kingdoms of Naples and Sardinia, and the Dutchy of Milan. He consents to have things in Portugal and Germany, as they were before the War, and Contents the Duke of Savoy. And finally, comes into all the just Measures, the Allies can propose to hinder the Crowns of France and Spain, from ever being united on the same Head. On the whole, the public Writers are pleased to express themselves in these Terms, That here is much more promised unto the English than was even demanded in those famous and numerous Articles, fallaciously term'd praeliminaries, which were signed by the Duke of Marlborough, and the Lord Townshend, at this Place in the Year 1709. And, indeed, as we have nothing left now to fight for; so we have as little to fight with. The Difficulty which the Exchequer finds to pay what it owes, causes a general Discontent. Our Debts amount unto more than fifty Millions. A 1 A good example of a "newsletter" of the day.

1

great Part of the Revenues of the Crown are Mortgaged. We have brought upon our grand Children such encumbrances as their posterity will hardly see themselves discharged of. We may add, the Queen and the present Ministry, seem resolved upon a Peace, if it can be in any tolerable Manner accomplished.

The Duke of Marlborough is thrown down, with all the Indignity imaginable. He is not only stript of all his Offices and Employments, and has his three Daughters dismiss'd the Bed-Chamber, but also he is charged by the House of Commons, (a Majority of an 100, in a very full House,) with illegal and unwarrantable Practices; and with wronging the Nation of Vast Summs of Money; above threescore thousand Pounds, in the one Article of Bread, and Bread-Wagons; near two hundred thousand pounds, taken as a Deduction of two and half per cent, from our Allowances to the foreign Troops. His Secretary, Mr. Walpool1 was expell'd the House, and sent to the Tower. And it is apprehended, His Grace will not be long after him.

The Act against occasional Conformity runs to such an Heighth, that if a Man be present at any one Meeting of the Dissenters for the Exercise of Religion, he is ipso facto, deprived of all Places and Offices of any Trust or Profit whatsoever.

Not only the Dissenters, but all that part of the Nation, who have been distinguished by the title of, the Moderate Party, are treated on all Occasions, as an, undone Faction (the Term expressly given to them,) and insulted with all manner of Provocations. The Conduct of the Whiggish Lords (in whose House, the Bill was passed first, and went, Nemine Contradicente,) in this Matter was very wonderful. The Earl of Nottingham hired their Concurrence to the Bill, by a Bargain to bring over unto them, so many Lords of the High Church, as would break all the Measures now taking, and save the Nation. So they sacrificed the best Friends they had; and, if my Lord fail in his Part of the Bargain, lett them gett their Act repealed again how they can.

The Ferments in the Nation are boiled up to such an astonishing and prodigious Heighth, as fills all People with Consternation. Every one seems apprehensive of the most mischievous and tremendous Consequences. The Bishop of Salisbury,2 lately preaching at the Temple, on, Can these dry bones Live? assured his Auditory, that no Good Times could be Look'd for; nothing but a Miracle could pro

1 Robert Walpole.

2 Gilbert Burnet (1643-1715), whose History of his own Time is one of the standard sources of history.

duce them; all good Men must hasten what they can, to gett furnished with the Spirit of Martyrdome. Another famous Doctor, preached on; He shall cause Craft to prosper in his hand, and by Peace he shall destroy many.

The King of Prussia, is doing what he can, to promote Conferences among the Protestant Princes, that they may unite in Points, to demand upon the Peace in favour of the Protestant Religion and Interest.

There are great Probabilities of a new Rupture, between the Czar and the Ottoman Empire. The King of Sweden, delayes his homeward Motions from Bender, till the War, or Peace, be effectually declared. He has managed himself in a wondrous Manner, and had a mighty Influence on the Affairs of the World; and his Return home will have Consequences wherein all Europe will be greatly concerned.

The Whiggish Lords and those that came into their Measures, had made so strong a Party in their House, that they were proceeding to Impeach the Earl of Oxford. But the Q [ueen] by a Creation of twelve new Lords delivered him.

The Canadien-fleet upon their Arrival, fill'd the Court and Nation with Clamours against New England. The Countrey was charg'd with Treachery, and Stubborness, and accused as having designedly ruined the Expedition. Mr. Dummer did the Countrey the Justice and Honour of publishing an elegant and sufficient Vindication even before the Arrival of Col. Nicholson, who carried with him a great Addition of Materials whereupon the clamour was very much abated; and Col. Nicholson, thank'd for his Activity and Fidelity. My Lord Privy-seal, our Plenipotentiary at Utrecht,1 gave particular Thanks to Mr Dummer, for that Vindication,2 and assured him, he would at the Congress prosecute the Claim, which he had therein so well made out unto Canada.

From Glasgow, they write (Feb. 12) "The Parliament is going on with such a Toleration for the Episcopal men in Scotland, (who are generally Jacobites,) and in such Terms, as to carry a manifest Breach of the Union, according to the Sentiments of our best Lawyers and others. We are like to have a speedy Peace with France. The Commons have voted a great many Resolves, about the Mismanagements of the late Ministry, and about the Deficiences of the Allies abroad as to Men, and Ships, and Money. Hence People say, the former Alliance is near an End, and a new one with France is at hand. 1 John Robinson, Bishop of Bristol (1650-1723).

2 A Letter to a Friend in the Country, on the late Expedition to Canada, 1712.