25
COLLECTIONS
OF THE
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Electronic Version Prepared by
Dr. Ted Hildebrandt 6/5/2002
Gordon College, 255 Grapevine Rd.
Wenham, MA. 01984
Committee of Publication
GEORGE E. ELLIS.
WILLIAM H. WHITMORE.
HENRY WARREN TORREY.
JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL.
COLLECTIONS
OF THE
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
VOL. VII. FIFTH SERIES.
BOSTON:
PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY.
M.DCCC.LXXXII.
UNIVERSITY PRESS:
JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE.
SECOND EDITION.
PREFATORY NOTE
This volume, the third of the series of the SEWALL PAPERS,
completes the publication from the manuscript diary of Judge
Sewall, in the Cabinet of the Society.
The most important of his other papers in our possession
is a very large volume, much of it closely written, contain-
ing his correspondence, with miscellaneous matter. It is
intended that the contents of this volume, also, shall be
transcribed; but it has not as yet been decided whether the
whole of its contents, which would fill at least two volumes
of our series, shall be published, or only such a selection of
its more important papers as might be gathered into one
volume.
DIARY OF SAMUEL SEWALL.
[Judge Sewall having gone from home to hold court, the following ex-
tracts, enclosed between asterisks, are from entries in the small volume
which he carried with him, labelled "Magunkaquog," See Vol. II., p.
425.]
* May 10. 1714. To Sarah, the Wife of John Ballard, Ship Car-
penter, in Boston, for crying Jacob Comfort last Satterday. To the
said Ballard for keeping of him from Friday last, 3s Five in all.
£0. 5. O.
May 10. Went Towards Kittery in a Calash. Lodged at Mr.
Gerrish's at Wenham.
May 11. Visited Sister Northend. Mrs. Phillips, Mr. Payson.
Din'd at Cousirr Woodbridge's, at Newbury, went on to Hampton,
to Capt Wingat's. The Rev. Seaborn Cotton, Pastor of the Church
at Hampton, nigh 30 years, died April 10. 1686. Aetat. LIIII.
Doctr Benjamin Dole, aged about 27 years, departed, May 8. 1707.
Robert Smith, aged 95, died Augt. 30. 1706.
May 12. In a piece of a Gazett, mentioned, A large Dromedary
seven foot high, and 12 foot long, taken from the Turks at the Siege
of Vienna, to be sold.
Midweek, May 12. Went to Brewster, the Anchor in the Plain:
got thither about 11: staid there for Mr. Justice Thomas and Lynde.
We din'd together there. Took Joseph Brewster for our guide, and
went to Town. Essay'd to be quarter'd at Mr. Knight's, but he not
being at home, his Wife refused us. I accepted Mr. Penhallow's
Invitation by his Maid. Not being able to get Hay, sent our Horses
to Pasture on Kittery side. Waited on His Excellency at Col. Par-
ker's, who seemed to receive us with passionat Respect. Went to
our Lodgings, I to Mr. Penhallow's, Col. Thomas to Capt. Went-
worth's, Mr. Lynde to Capt. Plaisteed.
Portsmouth in New Hampshire. Mr. Nathanl Rogers, May 13,
1714. Publick Fast.*
VOL. III.
1
2 DIARY OF SAMUEL SEWALL. [1714.
*[Judge Sewall h.as notes of the sermons on both parts of the day from
the same text, Matt. vi. 11., the subject being continued.]
Hic jacet sepultus Thomas Daniel1 Armig. qui hanc fragilem pro
imutabili, vitam commutavit, 13 Novs. Ano Salutis Nostrae 1683,
Anoq. Aetatis suae, 49.
Superior Court Held at the house of Mr. Curtis at Spruce Click
in Kittery in the County of York, by Adjournment, Friday, May 14.
1714. per Three Justices; viz, Sewall, Thomas, Lynde. Grand Jury
18, Mr. Joseph Hill, Foreman. Jury of Trials, Mr. Richard Cutt,
Foreman. Raine against Woodman, Apeal, Demur on Title of Land.
Hubbard against Hambleton. Demur. on Title of Land.
I paid at Curtis's £1.8.
Portsmouth, May 15. 1714. Gave Major William Vaughan,
Twenty-Eight pounds in full of all Demands and took his Receipt,
28. 0. 0.
Mr. Tapin, May 16. 1714. a. m.
[Notes of the sermons on both parts of the day are entered. We copy
only the improvement of the afternoon discourse.]
Christians of the greatest excellency are compar'd to Vessels
of Gold. Are pure, precious, will endure the Fire. Are fill'd with
all the Graces of God's Spirit. Christians that do not excell are
compar'd to Silver; persons of Lesser piety, though truly piety.
Use. Labour to be Vessels of Gold, or at least of Silyer.
Superior Court at Ipswich, May 18. 1714. Held by Three Jus-
tices, Sewall, Thomas, Lynde. Grand Jury 23. Mr. Saml. Hart, Fore-
man. Jury Trials, Capt Dan'l Rindge, Foreman.
Noyes against Adams, Guardian to Thurlow, 2d Jury Trials, Mr.
William Moodey, Foreman.
Davison against Silver. Trespass and Ejectment. John Harts-
horn's Deed to his Son, John Hartshorn, Acknowledg'd, June 30.
1703. Recorded, Nov. 21. 1704. Davison's Writt served and the
house Attached, Sept. 9. 1704. Execution served Decr. 12. 1704, by
Nicholas Davison, Son of the Apellant and his Deputy, and the said
Nicholas Davison chose the Aprisers.
Mr. George Corwin, May 19. 1714, day of his Ordination.
[As the notes of the sermon which follow indicate the standard set for
the ministry at that time, they are here transcribed.]
2 Cor. 2. 16. And who is sufficient for these Things? How weighty,
how difficult a work.*
1 Doubtless the Thomas Daniel, of Portsmouth, who married Bridget
Cutt. His widow married Thomas Graffort, Dec. 11, 1684. See Brewster's
Rambles about Portsmouth, N. H. -- EDS.
1714.] DIARY OF SAMUEL SEWALL. 3
*Doctrine. The Employment of the Ministry is a work so difficult
that no man of himself is sufficient therefor.
Proposition 1. The Employment of the Ministry is a Work.
They that charge Ministers with idleness, do it out of gross igno-
ranee. Is constituted a Ruler over God's House. What weightier
Work than Government? Husbandry a laborious Work 1 Cor 3
6. 7. 8. 9. I have planted. We are Laborers together with God
Tim. A Good Work, for which there is no Respit.
Prop. 2. Employment of the Ministry is a most difficult Work.
Superior Aid and Assistance Souls of Men the Object.
The Salvation of them. Imortal Spirits, they are the Guardians of
them. Exposed to Lethargy. That may receive forgiveness of Sins
and an Inheritance among them that are Sanctified. What more
difficult than this? Nothing being of equal value to Men's Souls,
Care must be Answerable.
From Metaphors whereby their employment is signified. Hus-
bandry. Builders; Shepherds. Watchmen, Ezek. 3. Must deny
himself, not sleep, that others may rest the more securely. Stew-
ards, 1 Cor. 4. 1. Of the Mysteries of God: requires prudence,
faithfulness. Luke, 12. 42. Ambassadors for Christ, 2 Cor. 5. 20
very difficult to be rightly discharg'd; to know rightly to manage
between God and his Rebellious Subjects.
From the degree of Knowledge requisite for those that undertake
this Work. That build not Straw and Stubble. Resist Gainsayers.
Convince them. From that vast variety of Work that lyes upon
their Hand. Publick Duties. Praying with and for the Congrega-
tion. Suiting each occasion, Dispensing the Word most profitable
for the Auditory. Speaking without Fear or Affection. Seek out
acceptable Words, and yet not Men-pleasing. Administring Ordi-
nances. Not cast pearls before Swine, nor keeping any away to
whom they are due. Privat, Visit, pray for them, comfort them in
critical hours, that, if possible, they may be saved. That conform
himself as much as possible to all Humors. 1 Cor. 9. 19. That I might
gain the more; become all things to all. Lambs to be led gently, Isa.
23: weak to be fed with Milk. Rich. Poor. To accomodat our-
selves to all these is no easy thing.
In regard of the peculiarly strict an Exemplary Conversation re-
quir'd of a Minister. All his Actions ly open to view. 1 Tim. 4. 12.
Let no man despise thy youth: but be thou an example. 1 Pet. 5. 1.
Ensamples to the Flock. Practising before them what you exhort
them to. Nothing more disserviceable to Religion than the loose
conversation of men in Sacred Orders. Many watch for their Halt-
ings. Must have a good Report of them that are without. Ought*
4 DIARY OF SAMUEL SEWALL. [1714.
*to be able to refer their people to their own Practise. Walk so as
you have us for an Example. Who sufficient.
Prop. 3. No man is himself sufficient for this great Work. But
our Sufficiency is of God. No wonder that some of the most able
have been difficultly drawn to this work, that the Excellency of
the power may be of God, not of us.
Use. Infer. 1. The extream mistake of those who look upon the
Work of the Ministry as a light and easy Work.
Infer. 2. Extream Rashness and Weakness of those who hurry
precipitately into the Work of the Ministry.
Infer. 3. Should quicken Ministers under a deeper sense of their
insufficiency, to repair to God for Help.
Am call'd this day to preach in a peculiar mailer to myself. Tis
God's Business they go about.
Infer. 4. Should beget in the people a hearty pity and concern
for their Ministers, and excite their fervent Prayers for them. En-
courage them. Strengthen their hands. Make their work as easy
to them as they can. Attend to their Ministry. Profit by it. When
do thus, may hope for God's Blessing on their Ministry.*
May, 26 [1714]. Election-day. Three chosen in the
room of Peter Sergeant esqr, deceased,1 Major Wm Brown,
1 This reference to Peter Sergeant will serve as a pretext to correct an
error in a note in Vol. II. p. 174. Mr. H. F. Waters informs us that Ser-
geant had four wives, as appears by the following item in his will: "I give
and bequeath to my much Respected and Kind Brother and Sister-in-Law,
Eliakim Hutchinson, esqr. and Sarah his wife, and to their children, viz.
Messrs. William Hutchinson and wife and Thomas Palmer and wife and
Spencer Phipps and wife, £10 each, amounting in the whole to £80 to buy
them mourning." "I give and bequeath to the aforesaid Mrs. Sarah Hutch-
inson and the two children of Mrs. Abigail Bourne of London decd, sisters to
Elizabeth my second wife" . . . £200.
This wife was therefore Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Shrimpton, and
this confirms our note (Vol. II. p. 203) in regard to Spencer Phips's wife.
Mr. Waters adds that Sergeant's first wife was clearly a daughter of Capt.
George Corwin (see New England Hist. Gen. Register, Vol. XXVIII. p. 200),
as is shown by a letter of Corwin in the American Antiquarian Society
Library, dated May, 1683. Mr. Waters suggests that she was named Eliza-
beth, and is probably mentioned by Sewall (Vol. II. Preface, p. 13*), as fol-
lows: 1681, Dec. 23, "two of the chief Gentlewomen in Town dyed, -- viz.
Mrs. Mary Davis and Mrs Eliza. Sargent."
His third wife was Lady Mary Phips, and his fourth, Mrs. Mehitable
Cooper. -- EDS.
1714.] DIARY OF SAMUEL SEWALL. 5
who has not been here in town this year, or two, Mr.
Daniel Epes.
May, 27. Govr [Dudley] approves of all but Col. By-
field whom, being absent, he leaves to further Considera-
tion p, m. 25 Sworn.
June, 3. It seems Nathanl Byfield esqr. is compleatly
Negativ'd,1 which I knew not till was now call'd to a New
Election: Voters 91. Dr. John Clark has 51. Votes. At
first declines serving; Afterwards accepts and is sworn
about the 9th June. On the Eleventh of June, makes the
Council a Noble Treat at his house. Lieut Govr [Tailer],
Genl Nicholson, Col. Byfield, Col. Brown there. Dr. C.
Mather crav'd a Blessing. Great Thunder and Lighten-
ing while we were there. Mr. Secretary [Addington]
and I came away first with borrowed Cloaks. Note. Govr
and Mr. Comissary [Belcher] went to Weston this day to
Mr. Williams's, I supose on account of his daughter's Mar-
riage to Mr. Wm Dumer.2 So they not at Dr. Clark's.
1 Hutchinson says (Hist., II. 211) that Byfield was judge of the Admi-
ralty, 1703-15. "He complained of being injuriously reproved by Mr.
Dudley, in council, for some allege errors in judicial proceedings, and was
after that always in the opposition." The power of the Governor to veto
the election of members of his Council was often exercised or reasons
purely personal and arbitrary. -- EDS.
2 William Dummer married, April 26, 1714, Catherine, the twelfth child
of Governor Joseph Dudley, and sister of Rebecca Dudley, who was then the
unhappy wife of Samuel Sewall, Jr. He was the son of Jeremiah Dummer,
the second cousin of our journalist. Dummer's promotion was rapid
after this time; he was Lieutenant-Governor under Shute, 1716-23, acting
Governor for nearly five years, 1723-1728, and again at Burnet's death,
He died at Boston, Oct. 10, 1761, aged eighty-two. Hutchinson (Hist., II.
368) speaks highly of him: "His general aim was to do public service."
By his will he founded Dummer Academy, in Newbury, a perpetual monu-
ment to his fame.
From the reference to Weston, we presume that Dummer's marriage was
celebrated there. The minister there was Rev. William Williams, H. C.
1705, son of Rev. William Williams, of Hatfield. The latter married Eliza-
beth, daughter of Rev. Seaborn Cotton, by his wife, Dorothy Bradstreet,
niece of Governor Joseph Dudley. Owing to the large families in this line,
it seems that the bride was own cousin to the grandmother of the officiating
clergyman; and yet she was only twenty-four years old. -- EDS.
6 DIARY OF SAMUEL SEWALL. [1714.
My Son and daughter went not to Weston. This Court
the Deputies send in a Bill to complain of a Duty laid on
Boards brought from Kittery and Berwick, by the Gov-
ernment of New-Hampshire: Govr intimated as if the Act
was only for Boards cut in New Hampshire. I mov'd
that the Copy of the Act might be sent for. Mr. Secre-
tary writ a Letter, which the Govr Sign'd; But after
several posts, no copy came. At last the Deputies had
Affidavits from several, of their being compel'd to pay the
Duty, and desired a Comittee might be named to find out
a Remedy; which they propos'd by laying a Duty on