erett, the agent of Massachusetts at the British court, had written that "his Majesty's Committee . April 12. took notice from inquiry, that it was only from one Colony, namely Massachusetts," that any Address had been received. "The Governor convened the Gen 196.) Dunster however ended his life at Scituate, Feb. 27, 1659. "He died in such harmony of affection with the good men who had been the authors of his removal from Cambridge, that he, by his will, ordered his body to be carried unto Cambridge for its burial, and bequeathed legacies to those very persons." (Mather, Magnalia, Book III. p. 100.) His grave, in the old "God's Acre" near the halls of Harvard College, was opened July 1, 1846, when the President and Fellows renewed the tablet over it. The remains were found lying, six feet below the surface, in a brick vault which was covered with irregularly-shaped flag-stones of slate about three inches thick. The coarse cotton or linen shroud which enveloped them had apparently been saturated with some substance, probably resinous, which prevented it from closely fitting the body. Between it and the remains of the coffin was found a large quantity of common tansy, in seed, a portion of which had evidently been pulled up by the roots. The skeleton appeared to be that of a person of middle size; but it was not measured, as the extremities of the bones of the arms and thighs had perished, as well as portions of the cancellated structure of these and of some other bones. The configuration of the skull, which was in good preservation, was such as to the phrenologists indicates qualities, both moral and intellectual, of a superior order. The hair, which appeared to have retained its proper place, was long behind, covering thickly the whole head, and coming down upon the forehead. This, as well as the beard, which upon the upper lip and chin was about half an inch long, was of a light brown color. The eyebrows were thick, and nearly met each other. A work, by which Dunster long held a place in the frequent remembrance of men, was an improved edition of the "Bay Psalm-Book," (see above, p. 41,) prepared by him with the assistance of Mr. Richard Lyon, who came from England to reside at Cambridge as private tutor to the son of Sir Henry Mildmay. (See Preface to Prince's edition of the book, in 1758.) When it had been in use half a century, Cotton Mather (who himself tried his hand at sacred verse) had "never yet seen a translation nearer to the Hebrew original," though he wished that the poetry were mended. (Magnalia, III. 100.) — In the library of the American Antiquarian Society, bound with a Bible printed in 12mo, at Cambridge in England, in 1648, is a copy of Dunster's improved version of the Psalms, in new nonpareil type, and bearing the imprint "Cambridge, printed for Hezekiah Usher of Boston," without a date. And Mr. George Livermore has a copy of Dunster's Psalm-Book, also printed at Cambridge for Usher, and without a date, in the same type, but of a different edition, and bound with a Bible of the year 1682. No other book is known to have been printed in this country in nonpareil type earlier than the last quarter of the eighteenth century. (Thomas, History of Printing, &c., L. 258.) 1 Hutch. Coll., 338. ment of the King by New Aug. 1. eral Court, and informed them of the occasion of calling them together at this time; and, among Acknowledg the rest, the main thing insisted on was to consider what application to make to the King in Haven. the case they now stood, being like to be rendered worse to the King than the other Colonies." "The Court, taking the matter into serious consideration," sent to Massachusetts a vindication of themselves from the imputation of "any mind to slight or disown his Majesty's authority," and desired that they might be considered as "owning and complying with" the Address presented before by Massachusetts, "as if it had been done and said by their very selves," and that they might be allowed "to join in the proportionate share of charge for a common agent to solicit New England's affairs in England." As to more formal and definitive action, they preferred not to be precipitate, and accordingly adjourned for three weeks.1 When they came together again, the Governor recommended that they should proclaim the King, and "further said, he looked that they had done more already, and that this was only a formality." "Being debated and considered, it was voted and concluded as an act of the General Court that it should be done. And, for the time of doing it, it was concluded to be done the next morning at nine of the clock; and the military company was desired to come to the solemnizing of it. And the form of the proclamation is as followeth : Aug. 21. "Although we have not received any form of proclamation by order from his Majesty or Council of State, for the proclaiming his Majesty in this Colony, yet the Court, taking encouragement from what hath been in the rest of the United Colonies, hath thought fit to declare publicly and proclaim that we do acknowledge his royal Highness, Charles the Second, King of Eng 1N. H. Rec., II. 418-422. land, Scotland, France, and Ireland, to be our Sovereign Lord and King, and that we do acknowledge ourselves, the inhabitants of this Colony, to be his Majesty's loyal and faithful subjects. God save the King."1 1660. Oct. 4. Acknowledg King by 1661. March 14. Connecticut had been less tardy. The first General Court of the Colony, assembled after the arrival of tidings of the Restoration, does not appear to have taken any action in respect to it. But, in the following spring, the Court came to a vote "to ment of the make a speedy Address to his Sacred Majesty, to acknowledge their loyalty and allegiance to his Highness, thereby declaring and professing themselves, all the inhabitants of this Colony, to be his Highness's loyal and faithful subjects;" and to "humbly petition his Majesty for grace and favor, and for the continuance and confirmation of such privileges and liberties as were necessary for the comfortable and peaceable settlement of the Colony." And the sum of five hundred pounds was appropriated "to be improved in pursuance of the Address." At the next session, a draft of an Address, prepared by Winthrop, was referred for revisal to a committee consisting of five Magistrates and four ministers; and Winthrop was appointed to present it, and "to agitate and transact the affairs of the Colony in reference thereto, or respecting the patent." Subsequently he received authority "to to England. draw up and present any further petition in behalf of the Colony to his Majesty, as might be found necessary," and to use his own discretion "respecting any letters that might be found necessary to be directed to any other nobles or gentlemen who might May 16. Mission of June 7. 1N. H. Rec., II. 423. 2 Conn. Rec., I. 353-358. Ibid., 361, 362. the immediate re-election of a Governor (Vol. I. 536) was repealed, that Winthrop might be continued in that 4 In May, 1660, the rule forbidding station. (Conn. Rec., 346, 347.) be stirred up to be helpful in promoting the Address, petition, or patent." He was instructed to engage the favor and assistance of the former patentees of Connecticut and their representatives; and "to use all means to procure a copy of the patent" granted by the Earl of Warwick to Lord Say and Sele and his associates, no copy having been known to exist in Connecticut since the time when questions arose concerning it during the dispute with Massachusetts. If a copy could be found, Winthrop was to solicit a confirmation of its grants from the King. At all events, he was to endeavor to obtain a royal charter with "liberties and privileges not inferior or short to what is granted to the Massachusetts," and covering a territory extending "eastward to Plymouth line, northward to the limits of the Massachusetts Colony, and westward to the Bay of Delloway [Delaware], if it might be." A list of names of patentees was recommended for insertion in the charter; and some matters of minor arrangement received attention.3 In the Address to the King,- beginning and ending with expressions of affectionate loyalty, which, like those previously employed by Massachusetts, seem too emphatic to be sincere, the Court excused their slowness on the ground of their separation, "by a lone tract of a dismal wilderness, from the other English Americans of the parts of the ordinary recourse of shipping." They "humbly craved pardon" for having proclaimed the King before the reception of "a form and express order for the same," a step which had been deferred till the approach of winter, in "the expectation of the royal command therein." Reciting the circumstances of the origin and progress of the Colony, they declared that they had chosen "rather to sit solitary, 1 Conn. Rec., I. 367 - 369. 2 See above, p. 245. 3 For these instructions, see Conn. Rec., I. 579. The list of patentees which was first prepared contained some names of clergymen; but these were afterwards struck out. and wait only upon the Divine Providence for protection, than to apply themselves to any of those many changes of powers, their hearts as well as their stations still remaining free from illegal engagements and entire to his Majesty's interests." And, "animated and encouraged by the beams of his sovereignty," they "implored that he would be pleased to accept this Colony, his own Colony, a little branch of his mighty empire." The Petition, which is in a less subservient strain, relates to a charter, and to an immunity from customs, the latter in consideration of the heavy expenses incurred "in prosecution of this wilderness work."2 The letters to Lord Say and Sele, one of the two or three original patentees who still survived, and to Lord Manchester, entreated those noblemen to afford to Winthrop their advice and help in the prosecution of his business. According to both letters, Fenwick had threatened, at the time of the bargain with him, that, if the planters on the Connecticut did not come to his terms, he would "either impose customs on the river, or make sale thereof to the Dutch, their noxious neighbors." To the Puritan Earl of Manchester they could venture to suggest a topic not suitable for influence with the King; that "the Honorable Committee of Lords and Commons did own this a distinct Colony." 3 In two or three months after his appointment to be agent in England, Winthrop set sail from New Amster 1 Conn. Rec., I. 582. Cullick, of Hartford, inherited all his * The Petition is in Trumbull, I. American property, except five hun 511. * Ibid., 513; Conn. Rec., I. 584. The way had just been prepared for the arrangement which was now sought, by an adjustment of the long-standing account with George Fenwick. Fourteen years had passed since the sale made by him to the Colony, and no discharge had been given on his part. Fenwick died in 1657; and by his will, his sister, who had married Captain dred pounds given "to the public use of that country of New England.” (Conn. Rec., I. 575.) Some questions arose; and a negotiation with Cullick for a settlement, begun in 1658 (Ibid., 318) and continued through two years (Ibid., 325-329; comp. 573), ended in a compromise for a mutual "discharge and acquittance," on the payment by him of five hundred pounds to the Colony. |