TO SIR WILLIAM ASHURST.

A.A.S.

[1715.]1

SIR, By the next Opportunity, I hope to entertain your Honour with something that may be more pertinent than what this Packett can pretend to.

Tis but just now, that I have had the Satisfaction of receiving your Letters, which were dated as long ago as the tenth of August, the Ship on board whereof they were, having been blown off the Coast, in the beginning of the Winter. You will easily beleeve, that we partake and rejoice with you, in the Blessings, which the first of August introduced. In my Letters, I have still taken care to treat you, with some Indian Curiosity. But [ ] that I have at th[is instant] for you, is the hand [that] brings you a small parcel of our squash-seed, from our worthy Friend Mr. Sewal. It comes by a tame Indian; for so the Europeans are pleased sometimes to denominate the Children that are born in these Regions.

More plainly, tis my own Son; a Youth not sixteen years of Age; but one who having pass'd thro' the learned and polite Education of our Schools, chose a Life of Action; and having been so long with an acute Merchant as to acquaint himself with Business, the Death of his Master, opened a new Scene and Hope to him, of arriving more speedily to significant Business by the Sea, than in any other way. Accordingly, he is aboard, in the Quality of a Passenger, but with a Design to accomplish himself in the practick Part of shortly comanding a good Ship, whereof he has already gott much of the Theory. I have been perhaps too willing to indulge and follow the Genius of a Child, in the Choice of a Business for him; as knowing that if that be not very much considered, a Child will never prove considerable.

and betrusted John Clark, Esqr. Thomas Hutchinson, Esqr., Mr. Adam Winthrop, Mr. Edward Hutchinson, Mr. John Ruck, Mr. John Frizzel, and Mr. Samuel Greenwood, to act as a Committee on the behalf of the Church, for the Year ensuing, in such Methods and Affaires as were assigned unto such a Committee, for the five former Years.

"A Copy of a Vote then passed by the Brethren, after the Withdraw of the Pastors. (Drawn up by Col. Winthrop.)

"At a Meeting of the Brethren of the North-Church in Boston, duely notified, Voted, Nemine contradicente, that the House of Mr. Thomas Hutchinson in Ship Street, now vacant, be hired, for the Accommodation of the Reverend Dr. Cotton Mather, at the Charge of the Church, until some further Provision be made for him." Cotton Mather's MS. Records of the Second Church, 11.

1 Young Mather was in London in May or June.

Tis an Alleviation to my Dissatisfaction in this Choice, that it may give the Lad an Opportunity of waiting on your Honour; and bringing to your Lady, the enclosed little Treatises; With my repeted Wishes of all Prosperity to your Person and Family. Wherewith I am, Your Honours, Most affectionate Servt.

TO DR. WILLIAMS AND OTHERS.

REVEREND SIRS,

A.A.S.

BOSTON. N. E. 14 d. 2 m. [April.] 1715.

The Ministers of the Gospel, in two Provinces of N. E. had the happy Tidings of the Arrival of our lawful and rightful King George to the British Throne, whereof we are not the least joyful, tho' some of the most remote Subjects, no sooner brought unto them, than the Disposition of addressing His Majesty with our most hearty Congratulations was operating in them.

The long and strong Bands that a new English Winter, laid upon them, are no sooner taken off, than they have mett by their Delegates from their several Associations in the Countrey, at our Capital Town; where they have unanimously agreed upon an Address unto His Majesty, on the behalf of themselves and of their Churches.

What they first of all desired was, that there should go two Persons of their own order from hence, personally to wait upon the King with their Address; and there were two accordingly chosen for that purpose. Not without hopes, that also by their Means a better Correspondence with the Churches of the Dissenters in England, and with the Church of Scotland, might be obtained for the Churches of New England, which are in reality their most united Brethren, and have the Difference between Congregational and Presbyterian, very little known, and not at all mentioned or considered among them.

Unexpected Encumbrances have stopped the Voyage of our intended Messengers. But the Ministers at their Convention made a provision, that if any such thing should happen, we should on their behalf apply our selves unto you, with our humble Request, that you, (or as many of you as may see cause to attend it) would accept the Trouble, of presenting our Address unto His Majesty, and say what you shall think proper on that occasion.

But we have generally thought it a decent Circumstance, that the polite Gentleman, and our very good Friend who is the Agent for N. E. should accompany you in this Action; for which Purpose, he is also written to.

What has procured you this Trouble, is, not only, that we are

well-apprised of your gracious and generous Disposition to serve all the Churches of God on all opportunities, but also that your Names are very particularly known and precious, throughout these American Churches, and your Books are justly and highly valued, yea, some of them also reprinted, and have done great Service to the Kingdome of God in these distant Parts of the World. One of you is likewise a Son of New England, and no Stranger to the Circumstances of his native Countrey.

To our Address, we have annexed a Memorial; which is to be entirely left unto your Discretion; either to present it unto His Majesty, or (taking off the Inscription,) to publish it unto the World, or to suppress it altogether; what you shall judge most for the Interest of those on whose Account we thought the Pen of a Justin Martyr or a Tertullian thus employ'd, might be not unserviceable.

So entire is the Confidence we repose in your Wisdome, and your Goodness and your hearty Affection to a numerous People of God, and a little Nation sprung from your old Puritans, in these American Colonies.

The Trouble we have already imposed on you, is enough, without adding to it by Extending our Letters unto too large Dimensions.

We therefore conclude them, with our Supplications to our glorious Lord, that He would continue and multiply your Opportunities to glorify Him, according to all your holy Desires; and that He would particularly give you, and the People for whom you are now to be concerned, a favourable Acceptance with the Throne, which is to be addressed on their behalf.

And subscribe, Honoured Sirs, Most affectionately yours, In the Name of the Ministers of our Two provinces.

To the Reverend, Dr. Daniel Williams,

Dr. Edmund Calamy,

Mr. Thomas Reinolds of London

Mr. Samuel Mather of Witney.

HONOURED SYRS, -The happy Accession of a King so much wish'd and pray'd for, as Him whom we now with unspeakable Satisfaction, see sitting on the Throne of the British Empire, opens to us

1 George I, who became king August 1, 1714.

a fair prospect of considerable Services to be done for the Churches in these American Colonies.

Our Brethren in the Kirk of Scotland, have sent five of their most eminent Ministers, to wait upon His Majesty, with proper Congratulations, and the Dissenting ministers about London have also personally addressed the Throne, on this great Occasion. And it is thought by men of Sense among ourselves, that we shall be exceedingly and scarce excusably wanting to our selves and unto the best Interests, if we do nothing after their Exemple.

Tis to be feared, there will be those who will take all Opportunities to misrepresent us; and as we have already felt some ill Effects of the Misrepresentations which have hereto fore been made of us unto our Superiours, thus we cannot but rationally look for more, if we do nothing to rectify them.

If His Majesty might have in his royal View, the true State of our Countrey in regard of the Religion and the Disposition which prevails among His loyal Subjects here, and His great Ministers of State, be duely apprised of our Condition, and at the same time such a good Correspondence established between us, and our united Brethren, in the Church of Scotland, and the Dissenters in England that they may look on what is done unto us, as done unto themselves; it would no doubt be followed with a long Train of desireable Consequences; too many to be at once enumerated.

For this Cause, the Ministers of this Town, have had serious Thoughts of desiring that an Address may be presented unto the King, on the behalf of the Ministry and of Churches in the countrey; to Congratulate His Accession to the Throne; and the Succession of the Crown in the illustrious House of Hanover; And humbly to pray His royal Protection, in our peaceable and undisturbed Possession of our sacred Liberties; and in prosecution of the main End of these Plantations; to have Churches Established on those Terms of Communion which our great Lord-Redeemer has instituted, and wherein all good Men ought to be united. We have made the Proposal unto the Honourable Council, at a very full Board, and the Return we have had from thence is, that it is very Acceptable to them and that they desire, it may be proceeded in.

But we cannot proceed in this Matter, till we have obtained the Judgment of our Brethren throughout the Countrey upon it, and their Consent unto it.

We do therefore humbly entreat, that the Brethren in your Association, or, Vicinity, would as soon as tis possible, procure an Inter

view, and Communicate from thence unto us, (either by Letters or Messengers) your Apprehensions about the important Matter that is now proposed; in the several Points of the Desing and the best Method of prosecuting it; particularly whether by any Hands that may be sent from hence, of our own Order, which is by some thought worthy of consideration.1 We say, as soon as tis possible, because tis an Affair which requires Expedition, and there should be no Time lost about it.

It is more particularly desired, that on the second Wednesday in April next, we may enjoy an Interview with such Delegates from you as may think fitt to afford their presence at the House of Dr. Mather the Elder on this Occasion.

We commend your whole Ministry, and more particularly this Grand Affayr, unto the Conduct and Blessing of the glorious Lord. And subscribe, Syrs, Your affectionate Brethren & Servant.2

TO MRS. LYDIA GEORGE? 3

A.A.S.

MADAM: A person of your good Skill at making Inferences, having a little Considered what you know, of Him who now addresses you, will easily Infer some things, that will be very much to his Advantage.

If he be one who looks upon Love to his Neighbor, as a very essential Article of his Religion; and who so loves every man, that the Offer of an Opportunity for the doing of Good unto any one, is the sweetest pleasure that can be given him, and his Life is entirely spent in the doing of Good unto all sorts of people, in all the wayes imaginable; yea, if upon any peoples Abusing and Injuring of them, he presently prayes for them, and sets himself to do good offices for them, it will be very reasonably inferred from hence, that the Gentlewoman who comes one day into the nearest Relation unto him, will be lov'd by him, as much as can be wished by her.

Especially, if he be one of a singular Fondness in his Temper; fond to a Fault, and never more obliged, than when the objects will give him Leave to lett them know how fond he is of them.

1 Mather wished to be the messenger.

* Written on back of this sheet:

"Letters to, Mr. Sparhawk, Mr. Roland Cotton, Mr. Little, Mr. Danforth, Mr. Baxter, Mr. Whiting, Mr. Noyes, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Stoddard."

The following four papers seem to relate to Mather's wooing of his third wife, Lydia Lee, widow of John George, who died November, 1714. Mather married her July 5, 1715, and Sewall visited him "and his new wife at the house that was Mr. Kellond's" on July 14.