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HISTO R Y
OF
KING'S CHAPEL
HISTORY OF KING'S CHAPEL,
IN BOSTON;
THE FIRST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
IN NEW ENGLAND;
COMPRISING NOTICES OF THE INTRODUCTION OF EPISCO-
PACY INTO THE NORTHERN COLONIES.
BY F. W. P. GREENWOOD,
JUNIOR MINISTER OF KING'S CHAPEL.
BOSTON:
CARTER, HENDEE & CO.
AND
ALLEN & TICKNOR.
1833.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1833,
By Carter, Hendee & Co.
in the Clerk's office of the District Court of Massachusetts,
PRINTED BT I. R. Bl'TT».
TO
MY FRIENDS AND PARISHIONERS,
THE SOCIETY WORSHIPPING AT KING'S CHAPEL,
AND
TO MY VENERABLE COLLEAGUE,
THE REVEREND JAMES FREEMAN, D. D.,
THIS
HISTORY OF OUR CHURCH,
IS RESPECTFULLY AND AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.
F. W. P. G.
PREFATORY NOTICE.
The substance of the following pages was preached
before my Society in a series of eight discourses, in
the spring of 1S32. In printing these discourses, I
have given them the title of Periods, because the
name of Sermons seems too formal for such a subject,
and disturbs the appearance of historical continuity. I
have, however, retained the style of direct address to
an audience, in the belief that by so doing I should
rather help than hurt or hinder the narrative.
I have ventured to publish this History of King's
Chapel, because I trusted that it would be interesting
to the members of my congregation ; because I hoped
that it might be interesting to readers in general, as a
contribution, though small, to the ecclesiastical history
of New-England; and because I was almost sure of
the favor of antiquaries, to whom facts are never un-
important or dull.
Vlll
PREFACE.
Except in the introduction, I have confined myself
almost exclusively to the path which was marked out
for me by the records of the church. I might have
made the narrative more complete by a more diligent
search into other authorities ; but this would have in-
volved much labor and correspondence, for which I
had not the requisite time. Besides which, the ful-
ness of the records leaves little to be desired, with
respect to the immediate history of the chapel.
In the Appendix I have introduced such a selection
from the mass of manuscript documents, as I judged
would be most worthy of publication. More would
have been printed, had it not been for the fear of
swelling the book to a size which might have seemed
unnecessary. The largest share of space has been
given to those papers which relate to the change of
doctrine which took place in the church at the time of
the settlement of Dr Freeman ; because this is an
event which has been exceedingly misrepresented.
Owing to the residence of my highly respected col-
league, the senior minister of King's Chapel, at the
distance of some miles from the city, I have been al-
most entirely deprived of his assistance in my work, —
a circumstance which I cannot but greatly regret.
PREFACE. IX
From several gentlemen, well acquainted with the
early history of our state, I have derived valuable
information ; and with regard to the antiquities of the
Chapel in particular, I am so much indebted to the
kindness of my friend, Col. Joseph May, that I feel
desirous in this public manner to return him my
thanks.
Boston, Jan. 1, 1833.
CONTENTS.
HISTORY.
Introduction. Love of God's House. First Epis-
copal Controversies in New-England, . • 1
Period First. Formation of the First Episcopal Soci-
ety. Robert Ratcliffe, the First Rector, . . 15
Period Second. From the Formation of the First Epis-
copal Society to the Building of the First Chapel, . 33
Period Third. From the arrival of Mr Myles, the Se-
cond Rector, to the dismission of Mr Bridge, his First
Assistant, . 50
Period Fourth. Arrival of Mr Harris. Chapel enlarg-
ed. First Organ. Attempt to make American Bishops, 69
Period Fifth. Death of Mr Myles. Arrival of Mr
Price. Increase of Episcopal Churches, .
Period Sixth. Resignation of Mr Price. Settlement
ofDrCaner. Building of the Stone Chapel, . 101
Period Seventh. From the Erection of the Stone
Chapel to the Present Time, . • .128
Xii CONTENTS.
APPENDIX.
I. Curious Extracts from the Old Records, . 151
II. King's Chapel Library, . . 161
III. Address of the Church to the Bishop of London,
in favor of Governor Dudley, . . 164
IV. Some Papers concerning American Bishops, 167
V. Address of the Churches at Boston, Newbury
and Marblehead to George I. on his Accession
1714, 170
VI. Address to George II. on his Accession, 1727, 172
VII. Bishop Gibson's License to Mr Price, . 173
VIIL Inventory of Church Furniture, 1733, . . 175
IX. Letters relating to Mr Davenport's Settlement
at Trinity Church, ... 176
X. Address to Bishop Sherlock, . . 178
XL Letter to Bishop Provost, and his Answer, . 180
XII. Protest against Mr Freeman's Ordination, and
the Answer of the Wardens thereto, . 183
XIII. Ordination of the Rev. James Freeman, . 192
XIV. Dr Belknap's Remarks on Mr Freeman's Ordi-
nation, ..... 195
XV. Clerical Excommunication of Mr Freeman, 197
XVI. Some Notices of the Rev. Samuel Cary, . 198
XVII. Inscriptions on the three Monuments in King's
Chapel, . . . .204
XVIII. List of Ministers of King's Chapel, . 209
XIX. List of the Wardens of King's Chapel, . 209
INTRODUCTION
LOVE OF GOD'S HOUSE. — FIRST EPISCOPALIAN CONTRO-
VERSIES IN NEW ENGLAND.
LORD, I HAVE LOVED THE HABITATION OF THY HOUSE,
AND THE PLACE WHERE THINE HONOR DWELLETH.—
Ps. xxvi. 8.
The place in which we are accustomed to
meet together for the worship of God, and, as the
sabbaths and the seasons roll on, to unite in praise
and prayer with kindred and friends ; the place
in which our Saviour is commemorated, our child-
ren are baptized, our sorrows find their consola-
tion, and our cares their rest, is a holy place, and
one which we well may love. The Jews were
devotedly attached to their temple ; they were
deeply impressed with the idea of its holiness ;
they were proud of its rich and solemn beauty.
It was associated in their minds with their glory
as a nation, with their existence as a favored and
separate people. This attachment grew to be
excessive ; it lost the spirituality of its character ;
the temple was admired more for its external
form than for its sacred uses ; and the regard
1
INTRODUCTION
which was paid to it became in a high degree
superstitious, formal and exclusive. While we
would avoid these perversions of the love which
they entertained for their sanctuary, we cannot
help sympathizing with the sentiment itself. Nor
is it desirable that we should struggle against a
feeling so natural, and, if well regulated, so useful.
Let us say what we will against attachment to
particular places, it is one which nature and the
operations of our own minds will always oblige us
to form. Let us assert as we may that one place
is no holier than another, yet will holy associa-
tions continue to make holy places, so long as
religious feeling exists, and the worship of God
endures. If we fully receive the great Christian
principle, that God must be worshipped in spirit
and in truth, we are completely guarded against
an undue attachment or reverence for the house
in which he is worshipped ; and then the affec-
tionate reverence which we may freely cherish for
the house, will even aid the warmth and sincerity
of the devotions which we offer therein to Him
who is a spirit.
Such are my own feelings, such my convictions.
I am not so afraid of superstition as to keep up a
perpetual war with my heart. I love the place
where God's honor dwelleth — the holy place
where his name and praise are publicly acknow-
INTRODUCTION. 3
ledged, and the majesty of his presence is unitedly
felt. I love, more especially, this house in which
we are now assembled. My associations with it
are many, and early, and sacred. I love it for
the beauty of its construction, for the memories
with which it is filled, for its connexion with
times that are gone, countenances that have been
changed, and friends who have passed away.
It is this love which has prompted me to inves-
tigate the history of our church. Some who
hear me, have associations with it very similar to
my own. Some have known it much longer
than I have, and are more variously connected
with it. Its history includes so many well known
names, important events, and changes of opinion,
that the relation of it will, I trust, be uninter-
esting to none.
The materials of this narrative will be chiefly
derived from the original manuscript records of
the church ; but I have also, as time and oppor-
tunity permitted, consulted printed histories and
documents.
The first serious and organized efforts to erect
an Episcopal Church in Boston were made in the
year 1686. It is not to be supposed, however,
that there had not been, before this time, and
even from the first settlement of the Massachusetts
4 INTRODUCTION.
colony, some who disliked the religious discipline
and forms of their rigid dissenting neighbors, and
were in heart members of the church of England.
William Vassal, who came over with Gov. Win-
throp, in 1630, and was one of his assistants in
that year, was perhaps of this way of thinking.*
As the colony increased, and the intercourse with
the mother country was enlarged, many must
have resorted here, either temporarily, or for per-
manent settlement, who were members of the
English establishment, and retained their attach-
ment to its communion.
In 1646 a " Remonstrance and Petition" was
sent into the General Court by Robert Child and
six others, in which, after stating some grievances
of a civil nature, they complained " that they
were debarred from christian privileges, viz. the
Lord's Supper for themselves, and baptism for
their children, unless they were members of some
* The Rev. Mr Deane,in his history of Scituate, says that
President Chauncy suspected Mr Vassal of being an Episco-
palian, but that there is no evidence to prove him to have
been so. The truth is, no doubt, that he was a gentleman
of high and honorable feelings, who looked with contempt
on many of the narrow notions of the day, and entertained
just ideas on the great subjects of religious toleration and
liberty. Being such a one, it is but of little consequence
whether he was an Episcopalian or not. He was certainly
not a riind Puritan.
INTRODUCTION. 5
of the particular churches in the country, though
otherwise sober, righteous and godly, and eminent
for knowledge, not scandalous in life and conver-
sation, and members of churches in England.
And they prayed that civil liberty and freedom
might be forthwith granted to all truly English,
and that all members of the church of England
or Scotland, not scandalous, might be admitted to
die privileges of the churches of New England ;
or, if these civil and religious liberties were re-
fused, that they might be freed from the heavy
taxes imposed upon them, and from the impresses
made of them or their children or servants into
the war." In case their wishes were denied, the
petitioners threatened to appeal to the honorable
houses of parliament, who, they hoped, would
take their sad condition into consideration, procure
able ministers for them, " this place not being so
well provided as to spare any," or else transport
them to some other place, where they might live
like Christians, and not be accounted burthens,
but serviceable both to church and state. On
the other hand, they hope, should their requests
be granted, to see the now contemned ordinances
of God highly prized, the gospel much darkened,
break forth as the sun at noon day, christian
charity and brotherly love, almost frozen, wax
warm, jealousy of arbitrary government (the bane
6 INTRODUCTION.
of all commonwealths) quite banished, and many
other blessings and advantages as the consequen-
ces of the reformation which they proposed.
This bold and irritating remonstrance* pro-
duced a great excitement and disturbance at the
time, and was answered f in the same year by the
court, four months after it was presented, who
condescended to enter into a long argument with
the petitioners, and treated them with still less
ceremony than they had themselves received.
They examine, in a contemptuous manner, the
characters and pretensions of the seven petition-
ers.;]; " And these are the champions," say they,
" who must represent the body of non-freemen.
If this be their head, sure they have an unsavoury
head, not to be seasoned with much salt." They
reply, according to their own notions of church
order and membership, to the application for
church privileges, and then refresh the memory
of the petitioners with a reference to the recent
case of another company of remonstrants, mean-
ing Roger Williams and his friends, who not ob-
taining their desire, had removed to Rhode Island,
where they presently fell at variance among them-
* Printed in Hutch. Col. Pa. p. 188.
t Also in Hutch. Col. Pa. p. 196.
\ Robert Child, Thomas Burton, John Smith, Thomas
Fowle, David Yale, Samuel Maverick, John Dand.
INTRODUCTION. 7
selves, and instead of establishing church and civil
state, had overthrown both. " Such peace,
unity, prosperity, &c," say the General Court in
conclusion, " is that which we may expect, if we
will cast off the rules of God's word, the civil
prudence of all nations, and our own observation
of the fruit of other men's follies, and hearken to
the counsell of these new statesmen. From
which the Lord deliver us, and all the seed of
Israel to the coming of Christ Jesus. Amen."
The end of this matter was, that the petitioners
were fined for contemptuous and seditious expres-
sions, on their refusing to acknowledge their of-
fence, and their papers, among which was a peti-
tion addressed to the commissioners for plantations
in England, were seized.
Such was the first Episcopalian controversy, as
it may be called, on these shores, and such is a
specimen of our forefathers' yet imperfect notions
of religious liberty.
In 1662, soon after the downfall of the Com-
monwealth and the accession of Charles II. who
was proclaimed in London, May 29, 1660, a
letter from that monarch to the colony was re-
ceived, which on the whole was cheering to the
people and their governors, as it was kinder to
them, and more respectful to their charter and
liberties, than they had reason to expect. Some
8 INTRODUCTION.
things in it, however, were less relished, as they
touched the sore point of their ecclesiastical pecu-
liarities and prejudices. The king required that
their laws should.be reviewed, that the oath of
allegiance should be duly administered, that the
administration of justice should be in his name,
" that freedom and liberty should be duly admitted
and allowed to all such as desired to use the book
of Common Prayer, and perform the devotions in
the manner established in England, and that they
might not undergo any prejudice or disadvantage
thereby, they using their liberty peaceably with-
out disturbance to others ; that all persons of
good and honest lives and conversations should be
admitted to the sacrament of the Lord's Supper,
according to the said book of Common Prayer,
and their children to baptism ; that in the choice
of governor and assistants the only consideration
to be had should be of the wisdom, virtue and
integrity of the persons to be chosen, and not of
any faction with reference to opinions and outward
profession ; that all freeholders of competent
estates, not vicious in conversation, and orthodox
in religion, though of different persuasions con-
cerning church government, should have their
votes in the election of all officers, both civil and
military."*
* Mass. Hist. Col. 2d S. vol. viii. p. 52.
INTRODUCTION. V
The Boston agents, by whom this letter was
brought over, were Simon Bradstreet, one of the
magistrates, and John Norton, one of the minis-
ters of the First Church. As soon as their con-
stituents had given expression to the first emotions
of joy at having been no more severely dealt
with, they began to murmur at the obnoxious
parts of the letter, and charge them as faults
on the poor agents. Although these gentlemen
were so hailed on their return, that the court or-
dered a public thanksgiving partly on account of
it, as well as for the " continuance of the mercies
of peace, liberties, and the gospel," they were
afterward so neglected and even reviled, that the
sudden death of Mr Norton by apoplexy the
next year was attributed to the distressed and
melancholy state of his mind which this treatment
occasioned. " The agents," observes Gov.
Hutchinson with truth and sagacity, " met with
the fate of most agents ever since. The favors
they had obtained were supposed to be no more
than might well have been expected, and their
merits were soon forgot; the evils which they
had it not in their power to prevent were attribu-
ted to their neglect or unnecessary concessions."*
The authorities of the colony here, being very
-Hutch. Hist. 1. 222.
10 INTRODUCTION.
slow in complying with those requisitions of the
king's letter which did not suit them, he sent four
commissioners,* with powers to hear and determine
all matters of complaint, and to settle the peace
and security of the country, who arrived in July,
1664. One of these commissioners was Samuel
Maverick, Esq. a son of the Samuel Maverick who
joined in the " remonstrance and petition " of 1646
mentioned above. Like his father he was an
Episcopalian, and like him probably entertained
not the most kindly feelings toward his fellow
colonists .f Among the instructions of these
commissioners, was one directing them to inquire
how far the requisitions of the king's letter of
1662 had been complied with. The third requi-
sition is thus re-stated ; " that such as desire to
use the book of common prayer, be permitted so
to do without incurring any penalty, reproach or
disadvantage, it being very scandalous that any
persons should be debarred the exercise of their
religion according to the laws and customs of Eng-
land, by those who were indulged with the liberty
of being of what profession or religion they pleas-
* The commissioners were Col. Richard Nichols, George
Cartwright, Sir Robert Carr, and Samuel Maverick. The
two former arrived at Boston, the two latter at Piscataqua,
about the same time.
1 Both the Mavericks are mentioned in Eliot's Biog. Diet.
INTRODUCTION. 11
ed." It sounds strange to hear Charles II. read-
ing a lesson on religious freedom to the pilgrims ;
but it was a good lesson, though delivered in an
arrogant style, and by a profligate tyrant.
It was with some difficulty that the general
court were brought to answer at all to an authority
not recognised in their charter, but at length they
did so to each instruction, more or less explicitly.
With regard to the king's letter they say, that
they had endeavored formerly to satisfy his ex-
pectations, and now farther say that touching the
oath of allegiance, they had ordered it to be
taken, in that form prescribed by the cohny Jau\
by all freemen and other householders ; and that
touching civil liberties, they observed the qualifi-
cations mentioned in his majesty's letter ; " and
as to ecclesiastical privileges they had commended
to the ministry and people here the word of the
Lord for their rule."* This last answer was
plainly evasive, or rather it was an absolute refusal
to be dictated to in religious matters. Our fathers
could dictate very well, but they could not so well
endure dictation.
In reply, the commissioners say, " The end of
the first planters coming hither was, as the court
expressed in their address, 1660, the enjoyment of
* Hutch. Hist. 1. 243.
12 INTRODUCTION.
the liberty of your own consciences ; we therefore
admire that you should deny the liberty of con-
science to any, especially where the king requires
it ; and that upon a vain conceit of your own,
that it will disturb your enjoyments, which the
king often hath said it shall not. Though you
commend to the ministers and people the word of
the Lord for their rule, yet you did it with a pro-
viso, that they have the approbation of the court ;
and we have great reason both to think and say,
that the king and his council and the church of
England understand and follow the rules in God's
word as much as this corporation." Finally they
advise them, for fear of consequences, to " an inge-
nious and free consent to what the king desired."*
But " an ingenious and free consent," it was
not the purpose of the Massachusetts corporation
to give. The commissioners were foiled and re-
turned to their master. Charles had so many
affairs to attend to at home, that the colony re-
mained untroubled for some years, or not seriously
troubled;! but in 1683 he sent Edward Randolph J
* Mass. Hist. Col. 2d S. vol. viii. p. 76.
t The subject of the common prayer, &c, continued, how-
ever, to be pressed from time to time. See Hutch. Col. Pa.
p. 520.
t Randolph first came to Boston in 1676. " After a tedious
passage of 10 weeks, arrived at Boston on 10th June." —
His letter to the king. Hutch. Col. Pa. p. 503. In 1673
INTRODUCTION. 13
with a quo warranto against their charter, which
the following year was taken away. In 1685,
Feb. 6, Charles died. His successor, James II.
was proclaimed in Boston, in April of the same
year. On the 15th of May, 1636, the Rose fri-
gate arrived from England with a commission to
Mr Joseph Dudley as president of Massachusetts
and the colonies north of it, and to other gentle-
men to constitute his council ; and in the same
frigate came Mr Robert RatclifFe, the first Epis-
Randolph came over again, having been to England in the
interim. He was in England again in 1679, and returned the
latter part of the same year. He went home again the next
winter, and returned in 1681, bringing with him his com-
mission from the crown constituting him collector and sur-
veyor and searcher of the customs in New England. Hutch.
Hist. 1. 330. We find Randolph in England again, Feb.
1681. lb. 335. He arrived with the quo warranto, in Oct.
16S3 ; having come, however, to Boston, and gone back to
England between these two years. lb. 336.
Since writing the above, I have seen a MS. of four pages,
lately presented to the Mass. Hist. Soc. being Randolph's
own account of his voyages to and from England. The re-
cital is brief, consisting of little else beside dates ; but a fact
or two like the following, which he records, mark the kind
of people he had to deal with.
" 17 December, 1681. I arrived againe att Boston in
New England, with his Majesty's Commission, appointing
me Collector, &ca. But that commission is opposed, being
looked upon as an encroachment on their Charter. A Law
revived by the assembly to trye me for my life, for acting
by his Majesty's Commission before it was allowed of by
them.
14 INTRODUCTION.
copal minister of Boston, and indeed of New
England.
I find that I have completed the limits of a
discourse, without coming even to the building of
the wooden church which the Episcopalians first
erected on this spot. The early history of our
church is, however, the history of the introduction
of episcopacy among those who fled from it and
hated it. As such it possesses a peculiar interest
and value. There is another light in which it is
more interesting still, which is its connexion with
the great history of religious liberty. The
thoughtful observer will mark the strange pro-
cesses by which the human mind is often forced
to the most simple and excellent conclusions.
He will see arbitrary power from the mother
country, contending against arbitrary power here,
and the result of these conflicting and angry au-
thorities to be toleration, liberty and peace.
PERIOD FIRST.
FORMATION OF THE FIRST EPISCOPAL SOCIETY.
ROBERT RATCLIFFE, THE FIRST RECTOR.
BUT THE FOUNDATION OF THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD WAS
not YET laid. — Ezra iii. 6.
The " Rose frigate " must have seemed to the
greater part of the Bostonians, or Bostoneers, as
Randolph called them, freighted heavily with
wo, bearing as it did the Rev. Robert Ratcliffe,
of the church of England, with his surplice, and
his book of Common Prayer ; to say nothing of the
commission which appointed a president over
them, by the king's sole authority. It was as
new to them, and as disagreeable, to have in
their midst a settled clergyman of that church, as
it wras to see at their head a ruler not of their
own choosing. " There had been very few in-
stances of even occasional assemblies for religious
worship according to the rites and ceremonies of
the church of England for more than fifty years.
16 PERIOD FIRST.
When the commissioners from King Charles were
at Boston in 1665, they had a chaplain with them,
but there was no house for public worship. Most
of the inhabitants who were upon the stage in
16S6, had never seen a church of England assem-
bly."* The time was now come for the strange
sight to be exhibited, and for the members of the
episcopal communion to rally under the counte-
nance and influence of the royal government. It
should be stated, too, that the general court had
declared in 1677, that no persons should be hin-
dered from performing divine service according
to the church of England.^ The way therefore
appeared to lay smooth and open for the Episco-
palians to introduce their forms of worship and
government.
As Randolph had the chief hand in overturning
the old charter of the colony, so was he most
active and efficient in establishing an Episcopalian
church here, and procuring the services of a cler-
gyman from England. For the former purpose
he had acted as a constant spy upon the colonists,
and had been backwards and forwards between
the two countries ten or eleven times in as many
years. He was indeed, as Hutchinson says,
" incessant." For the latter purpose, the build-
ing up of episcopacy, he was diligently employed
in moving the ecclesiastical dignitaries at home,
* Hutch. Hist. 1.353 t Ibid.
PERIOD FIRST. 17
as will appear by his letters preserved in Hutch-
inson's Collection of Papers. In a letter to the
Bishop of London, dated, Boston, July 14th,
1682,* he urges both of these objects. " Nothing
will so effectually settle this government on a
firm dependence upon the crown," he says, " as
bringing a quo ivarranto against then charter,
which will wholly disenable many, now great
sticklers and promoters of the faction among us,
from acting further in a public station." With
regard to the church he says, " We have advice
by Capt. Barrett, now arrived from London, that
your lordship hath remembered us, and sent over
a minister with Mr Cranfield ; the very report
hath given great satisfaction to many hundreds
whose children are not baptized, and to as many
who never, since they came out of England, re-
ceived the sacrament." And again ; " If we are
misinformed concerning your lordship's sending
over a minister, be pleased to commiserate our
condition and send us over a sober discreet gen-
tleman. Your lordship hath now good security,
as long as their agents f are in England, for his
civil treatment by the contrary party ; he will be
received by all honest men with hearty christian
respects and kindness, and if his majesty's laws
* Hutch. Col. Pa. p. 538. t Dodley and Richards.
2
18 PERIOD FIRST.
(as none but fanatics question) be of force with
us, we could raise a sufficient maintenance for
divers ministers out of the estates of those whose
treasons have forfeited them to his majesty."
In a previous letter to the bishop, elated May
29th of the same year, Randolph had given sim-
ilar assurances of the safety of any clergyman
who might be sent over. " Your lordship hath a
great pledge for such ministers as your lordship
shall think convenient to send over, for their civil
treatment, and I think no person fitter than Major
Dudley,* their agent, to accompany them, who
will be very careful to have them settled as or-
dered in England." He had also spoken of the
feasible means of maintaining such clergymen.
* Dudley's character is well hit off by Randolph in this
tsdme letter. " Major Dudley is a great opposer of the fac-
tion heere, against which I have now articled to his majesty,
who, if he finds things resolutely maniged, will cringe and
bow to anything. He hath bis fortune to make in the world,
and if his majesty, upon alteration of the government, make
him captain of the castle of Boston and the forts in the collo-
ney, his majesty will gain a popular man, and obleidge the
better party." Of Richards, the other agent, he writes, ': As
for Capt. Richards, he is one of the faction, a man of mean
extraction, coming over a poore servant, as most of the faction
were at their first planting heere, but by extraordinary feats
and coussinadge have gott them great estates in land, espe-
cially Danford, so that if his majesty doe fine them suffi-
ciently, and well if they escape soe, they can goe to worke
for more." Randolph likens the two agents to the two
consuls of Rome, Cxsar and Bibulus.
PERIOD FIRST. 19
u In my attendance on your lordship, I often
expressed that some able ministers might be
appointed to perform the offices of the church
with us. The main obstacle was how they should
be maintained. I did formerly, and do now pro-
pose, that a part of that money sent over hither,
and pretended to be expended among the Indians,
may be ordered to go towards that charge."
And again he says, " My Lord, your goodness
and readiness to serve his majesty in the settle-
ment of this great plantation, invites me, upon all
occasions, to interpose your lordship's more
weighty affairs, but since we are here immediately
under your lordship's care, I with more freedom
press for able and sober ministers, and we will
contribute largely to their maintenance ; but one
thing will mainly help, when no marriages here-
after shall be allowed lawful but such as are made
by the ministers of the church of England."
The length and number of the above extracts
will be pardoned, on account of the strong light
which they throw on the movements of the party
who were now arraying themselves so boldly
against the old puritanical influence of the colony ;
and particularly on the views and character of
Edward Randolph, who may be called the head
of that party. We see what lofty ideas of the
royal prerogative he entertained, in his proposing
20 PERIOD FIRST.
to destroy the ancient civil rights of the colony
by taking away their charter, and setting over
them a governor appointed by the crown. And
we see- that his notions of the English Church
were no less lofty, in his suggestions that not one
clergyman only of the church, but several might
be maintained, by the high-handed methods of
diverting the funds of the " Society for propagating
the Gospel among the Indians " to their support,
and of applying confiscated estates and all mar-
riage fees to the same use. But in the whole of
this arbitrary course I can easily conceive that he
was actuated by a sense of duty towards his sove-
reign, who was also the sovereign of these colo-
nies, and who, Randolph might well imagine, was
not treated here with the deference and obedience
which were his due. He considered that the
Bostonians were stiff-necked, refractory and re-
bellious, and that he ought to curb and turn their
spirit. They, on the other hand, looked upon
him as the myrmidon of a tyrant and a hateful
spy, and said that " he went up and down seek-
ing to devour them."* He despised their prim
and exclusive Congregationalism, and they abom-
inated his stately and formal episcopacy. He
was arbitrary after his fashion, and they were so
* Hutch. Hist. 1. 319.
PERIOD FIRST.
21
after theirs. If he had not been excited by their
inveterate opposition to what he deemed alone
true and venerable, he probably would not have
troubled them as much as he did. If they had
not been too weak at that time to resist the
royal power, they would not have borne his arro-
gant interference for a day.
We have seen that Randolph carried his two
great ends, the destruction of the original Massa-
chusetts charter, and the importation and intro-
duction of an Episcopal clergyman.
On the 15th of May, 1686, as I have before
stated, arrived the Rose frigate, commanded by
Captain George. On the 25th, Dudley entered
on the duties of his temporary presidency.* On
the 26th, Mr Ratcliffe waited on the council,
and Mr Mason and Randolph proposed that he
should have one of the three congregational meet-
ing-houses to preach in. This was denied, but
he was granted the use of the library room in the
east end of the town house, which then stood
where the Old State House, or, as its present
name is, the City Hall, now stands.
But the formation of the First Episcopal Soci-
ety is to be dated from the 15th of June, same
year, on which day the records of the church
♦See Hutch. Hist. 1.343. and extracts from Se wall's
MS. Diary, in Wisner's History of the Old South, note 27.
22 PERIOD FIRST.
commence. The first page of this valuable man-
uscript * I shall now quote entire, as it comes in
order in the narrative, and gives an account of
the original steps taken by the society, as briefly
as they could well be stated, besides informing us
who the founders of the church were.
" Boston in JV. England. June 15th, 1686.
" At a meeteing, wherein were present the Gent,
following — vizt. Mr Ratcliffe, our minister.
Edward Randolph, Esq. one of his majestie's
councell. Captaine Lydgett. Mr Luscomb.
Mr White. Mr Maccartie. Mr Ravenscroft.
Doctor Clerke. Mr Turfery. Mr Bankes.
Doctor Bullivant.
" Agreed. That every Sabbath day after
evening sermon, shall be made a publique collec-
tion by the churchwardens for the time being for
* It is a folio volume, bound in parchment, and bears the
following as its title page ; " Boston in New England, Anno
Domini, 1686. An entry booke, of all such meetings, agree-
ments, and other matters, proper to be recognized, had, and
done from time, to time ; by the members of the church of
England, as by law established, under the gracious influen-
ces of the most illustrious Prince our Sovereign Lord, James
the 2d. By the Grace of God, of England, Scotland, France,
and Ireland king, defendourof the faith &c. — Anno Dom-
ini, 1686, and in the 2d yeare of his said Majestie's Reign, at
Boston within his said Majestie's territory, and Dominion of
New England in America."
PERIOD FIRST
the servise of the church,, and to be continued
untill some publique and settled provision be made
for the same.*
"Agreed. That Doctor Benjamin Bullivant,
and Mr Richard Bankes, are elected churchwar-
dens, and to continue untill Easter next.
" Agreed. That Edward Randolph, Esq. Capt.
Lydgett, Mr Luscomb and Dr Bullivant, with
our minister, should wayte on the President and
Councell to treate about our church affaires.
•■ Agreed. That an humble addresse be made
to hisMajestie, and to be signed by the gentlemen
as above-named, to implore his Majestie's favour
to our church, and it is consented that all other
true sons of the church of England, may join with
us in the same.
" Agreed. That in the same method, a letter
be sent to the Right Reverend father in God,
the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and one
other to the Reverend father in God, the Lord
Bishop of London, to implore those prelates favour
towards our church.
* The first recorded collection is on June 20, 16S6,ainount-
ing to £3 lis. Qd. and the account is regularly kept from this
time forwards. On the 22d of October, same year, the bal-
ance of the collections made up to that time, remaining from
necessary expenses, is ordered to be paid to Mr Ratcliffe.
The whole amount of collections was £48 8s. 4cZ. Expenses
£19 14s. 6d. Paid Mr Ratcliffe £28 13s. lOd. Mr Ratcliffe's
receipts for this sum in two several payments are given.
24 PERIOD FIRST.
" Agreed. That Mr Smith the Joyner do make
12 formes, for the servise of the church, for each
of which he shall be paid As. Sd.
" Agreed. With the said Mr Smith the Joy-
ner, that this church will pay and allow unto him
20s. quarterlie, and every quarter, for and in con-
sideration of his cleaneing, placeing, and remove-
ing the Pulpit, formes, table &cc, and dooing
ail other things which shall be convenient and
necessary in our place of publique Assembling."
The accommodations provided for and referred
to in the two last votes, were intended to furnish
the library room in the town house in a decent
manner for the performance of divine service.
This was truly an humble beginning for those
who made such high pretensions as did these
zealous royalists and churchmen. As they as-
sembled in the east end of the town house, and
looked round on their twelve forms and their
movable pulpit, they must have felt the contrast
between such a tabernacle and the solemn old
cathedrals at home ; and have felt too that they
were among a people, who, though of the same
blood with themselves, were strangers to their
mode of faith and worship, despising what they
esteemed most sacred, and setting at nought the
power which they deemed unquestionable. It is
hardly to be supposed that these feelings were
PERIOD FIRST. 25
calculated to conciliate them toward the congre-
gationalists, or that the condition in which they
found themselves was favorable at the time to
their growth in christian humility or charity ; for
truths taught by experience are learned slowly.
That they even had the town house for their
worship, is, however, a proof that the colonists
were to a very considerable degree overawed and
restrained, by the attitude which the mother coun-
try assumed towards them.
The second recorded meeting of the church-
men took place on the 4th of July, still the same
year.* At this meeting it was agreed to pay Mr
Ratcliffe fifty pounds per annum salary, beside
what the council might think fit to settle on him ;
and that if Mr Buckley, the chaplain of the Rose,
should please to assist Mr Ratcliffe, lie should
" receive for his paynes 205. a weeke." It was
also agreed that " a sober and fitt person be
sought after for a clarke," and that there should
be a Sacrament on the second Sabbath of the
month. But the most important vote was the fol-
lowing ; " Agreed. That the councell be addressed
unto, to give us libertie and authority by a briefe,
to passe through the whole territory of his majes-
* Beside those persons who attended the first meeting,
there were present at this, Mr Proctour, Mr Steph. "Wissen-
dunke, Mr Thomas Brindley, and Mr Mallett.
26 PERIOD FIRST.
tie in New England, and therein to collect and
receive all such voluntary donations as all
persons whatsoever shall be disposed to give
us, for and towards the building of a church in
Boston, to be erected for the servise of God,
and for the use of the church of England as per
law established." The liberty and authority
applied for according to this vote, were probably
granted, as a list is given in the records of a num-
ber of persons who furnished donations, which I
shall more particularly notice presently. We
find by the succeeding and last vote at this second
meeting, that worship was still performed in the
town house, not only on the Sabbath, but on
Wednesdays and Fridays. "Agreed. That the
prayers of the church be said every Wednesday
and Friday in the yeare, (for the present, in the
Library chamber in the town-house in Boston,)
and in the Summer Season to beginne at 7 of the
clock in the morning, and in the winter season, at
9 of the clock in the forenoon."
Of Mr Ratcliffe, and his service in the town
house, there is a brief notice in the journal of
John Dunton, a bookseller of London, a singular
character, who came to Boston in the year 1686,
in order to secure a debt for books, as also to dis-
pose of a cargo of the same article, and who
arrived here in March, after a passage of more
PERIOD FIRST. 27
than four months.* He says, " About this time
arrived the Rose frigot from England with a new
charter, procured by one Randal, which gave
major Dudley the title of president, and the ma-
gistrates were now changed into counsellors.
Parson Ratcliffe came over with the charter, and
on Lord's days read the Common Prayer in his
surplice, and preached in the Townhouse. Mr
Ratcliffe was an eminent preacher, and his ser-
mons were useful and well dressed ; I was once
or twice to hear him, and it was noised about that
Dr Annesly's son-in-law [himself] was turned
apostate. But I could easily forgive 'em, in re-
gard the common prayer and the surplice were
religious novelties in New England."
This account of Mr Ratcliffe as a preacher,
short as it is, is the only one which I have yet
been able to discover. Randolph, in a letter to
the Archbishop of Canterbury, of the date 1686,f
mentions the services in the town house, and
speaks of having transferred the place of assem-
bling to the " exchange." This letter is a great
curiosity, as indeed are all which are preserved of
* See Mass. Hist. Col. 2d S. vol. 2d, p. 97. It is worthy of
notice that when Dunton arrived, some time in March, the
harbor was frozen over.
t No other date is given to this letter. Hutch. Col. Pa.
p. 549.
28 PERIOD FIRST.
his. They not only let us far into the spirit of
the times, and the men of the times, but show
the perfect calmness and conscientiousness of his
own tyranny in a way, which, however exasper-
ating that tyranny was to our fathers, is to us, at
this distance of time, only amusing. He begins
his letter thus ; " May it please your Grace, — I
have forborne writing to your grace till I had
been some time upon the place, to see how the
poor people here would demean themselves under
the new government." After noticing the refrac-
tory disposition of these poor people, he thus
goes on to speak of his ecclesiastical efforts. " I
take leave humbly to remind, that when your
grace was present at a committee of the Lords,
and was therein pleased to move, that one of their
meeting-houses in Boston should be ordered to
be set apart for the exercise of the religion
according to the church of England, it was then
answered by some of those noble Lords who dis-
coursed in their favour, provided they might have
1 iberty of conscience in matters of religion, they
would voluntarily submit to have one of their
three meeting housen * to be disposed of by the
president and council for that use. Since my
arrival with Mr Ratcliffe,f a sober man, recom-
* Housen, so spelt.
* There must have been a royal company in the Rose.
PERIOD FIRST. 29
mended by my lord of London to be our minister :
who besides his lordship's fair testimonials, brought
with him a letter from the right honorable the
Lords of the committee for trade and foreign plan-
tations to the president and council, for their coun-
tenance and encouragement in the discharge of
his office ; }Tet 'twas a long time before they took
the least notice of him or his business. At last,
though strongly opposed, I got a little room in
their town-house, for such as were of the church
of England to assemble in, but found it so strait
that we are forced now to make use of the ex-
change for that purpose ; where, to humour the
people, our minister preaches twice a daj and
baptises all that come to him, some infants, some
adult persons. We are now come to have
prayers every Wednesday and Friday mornings
on their exchange, and resolve not to be baffled
by the great affronts ; some calling our minister
BaaFs priest, and some of their ministers, from
the pulpit, calling our prayers leeks, garlic and
trash." He then recurs to the subject of mainte-
nance, saying, " W"e have often moved for an
honorable maintenance for our minister ; but they
tell us those that hire him must maintain him, a>
they maintain their own ministers, by contribu-
tion." He humbly represents to his grace " that
the three meeting-houses in Boston might pay
30 PERIOD FIRST.
twenty shillings a week, a piece, out of their con-
tribution, towards the defraying our church
charges ; that sum being less per annum than each
of their ministers receive." He speaks of the
necessity of having another minister sent over, to
supply the place of Mr Ratcliffe, in case any ill-
ness or indisposition should happen to him. He
then repeats his favorite project of laying hold of
the money designed for converting the Indians ;
calls it a " bank of money," and doubts not that
it amounts to at least two thousand pounds, but
says that he does not adventure to stir in it, hav-
ing already brought upon himself so many ene-
mies, and to all his crimes " added this one as the
greatest, in bringing in the liturgy and ceremonies
of the church of England."*
Nothing could be more graphic than the strong
and natural touches of this letter. We see the
Bostonians angry and abusive, the ministers railing
in their pulpits against the English Liturgy, in
terms which few ministers would use now of the
prayers of the most degraded heathen ; and on
the other hand we have the usual steady and un-
ci oubting arrogance of Randolph, who talks of
making the three congregational churches support
the church of England, in ways as oppressive
* Spelt in the letter " letherdge and cerimonise."
PERIOD FIRST. 31
as those which compelled the fathers of that gen-
eration to fly from their native land.
In still another letter to the Archbishop, dated
" Octo. -27th, '86," Randolph again exhibits the
necessities of his church. " I have some time
since,'' he begins, k* humbly represented to your
grace a necessity of having a church built in Bos-
ton to receive those of the church of England.
We have at present 400 persons who are daily
frequenters of our church, and as many more
would come over to us, but some being tradesmen,
others of mechanic professions, are threatened by
the congregational men to be arrested by their
creditors, or to be turned out of their work, if
they offer to come to our church ; under such
discouragements we lie at present, and are forced
to address your grace for relief.'' He once more
speaks of the funds for evangelising the Indians,
which he says are shamefully misapplied and
even embezzled ; mentions that Mr Ratcliffe lives
on a small contribution, and that they are yet
forced to meet in the town house ; and finally
entreats the efficient aid of the Archbishop, lest
the small beginnings of the church of England,
settled here with great difficulty, fall to the ground
and be lost, for want of timely relief and counte-
nance.
But the face of things was now to experience
32 PERIOD FIRST.
another change, the operation of which was to
give more confidence to the episcopalians, and
more trouble and disquietude to the great body of
the people. I refer to the arrival of Sir Edmund
Andros to supersede President Dudley.
Having advanced thus far in our history, it is
easy to perceive that episcopalianism in New
England was in a great measure indebted to the
efforts, official and personal, of Edward Ran-
dolph. Though he was not so bad a man as the
colonists represented and believed him to be, yet
he was arbitrary, selfish and grasping, and not a
champion for a religious denomination to be
proud of. But a cause cannot always choose its
promoters, and many promoters of this cause
were highly respectable members of the commu-
nity, fairly entitled from the first to the liberty
which they won at last.
PERIOD SECOND.
FROM THE FORMATION OF THE FIRST EPISCOPAL SOCI-
ETY TO THE BUILDING OF THE FIRST CHAPEL.
SO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD WAS PERFECTED. — 2 Chron.
viii. 16.
In the two preceding discourses I have been
somewhat minute and circumstantial in relating
the history of Episcopalianism previous to the
erection of the first Episcopal chapel in Boston.
But such particularity seemed to be required, in
order that the temper of the times relating to this
subject might be exhibited with some distinctness,
and justice might be done to the events which
led to what was in reality a great moral innovation,
if not revolution in these colonies.
I have also been obliged, in order to be faithful,
to record much contention and recrimination.
Considering the condition of the two religious
parties, together with the frailty of human nature,
no less was to have been expected. One party.
34 PERIOD SECOND.
the great majority, had always been accustomed
to rule here ; the other were attached to the
church which was established and dominant in
England, and their deficiency in numbers was in
a good measure supplied by the countenance of
royal authority. The latter were determined to
enjoy their own mode of worship ; and the former
were determined to prevent them as long as they
could. In this state of things it is not in the least
to be wondered at, however it may be regretted,
that both parties should far transgress the bounds
of moderation, and the laws of Christian charity
and liberty — which laws, by the way, were cer-
tainly not understood at that time as well as they
are now, and are not so generally understood now,
as I trust they will be hereafter.
But though it must be acknowledged, and ac-
knowledged to be deplored, that much acrimony
accompanied the beginnings of our church, and
that much pride and unholy warmth was mingled
with the just zeal of its founders, it must not be
supposed that all were equally liable to such a
charge and equally reprehensible. John Dunton,
from whose journal I have already quoted, says
expressly of one of the chief promoters of the
undertaking, Dr Bullivant, the first senior warden
of the Episcopal church, that " he was so far from
pushing things to that extremity as some hot
PERIOD SECOND. 35
spirits would have had him, that he was for ac-
commodating things, and making peace."* No
* As Dr Bullivant was a conspicuous Episcopalian in those
days, and stands at the head of the list of Wardens of the
Chapel, I shall make no apology for here inserting the
whole of his character, as given in the quaint manner of
Dunton.
"From Dr Oakes I pass to my good friend Dr Bullivant,
formerly my fellow citizen in London. I must consider
him both as a gentleman and aphysitian. As a gentleman,
he came of a noble family, but his good qualities exceeded
his birth. He is a great master of the English tongue, and
the Northampton people find him a universal scholar. His
knowledge of the laws fitted him for the office of attorney
general, which was conferred upon him on the revolution in
Boston ; it is true he sought it not, but New England knew
his worth, and even forced him to accept of it. While he
held this place of attorney general, he was so far from push-
ing things to that extremity as some hot spirits would have
had him, that he was for accommodating thiugs, and making
peace. His eloquence is admirable ; he never speaks but
'tis a sentence, and no man ever clothed his thoughts in bet-
ter words.
" I shall next consider him as a physitian. His skill in
pharmacy was such as had no equal in Boston, nor perhaps
Northampton. — He is so conversant with the great variety
of nature, that not a drug or simple escapes his knowledge,
ro that he never practises new experiments upon his patients,
except it be in desperate cases, where death must be expel-
led by death. This also is praiseworthy in him, that to the
poor he always prescribes cheap, but wholesome medicines,
not curing them of a consumption in their bodies, and
sending it into their purses, nor yet directing them to the
East Indies to look lor drugs, when they may have far better
out of th&ir gardens."
36 PERIOD SECOND.
doubt the same might have been said of many
others, both on the episcopal and congregational
sides. Neither must it be supposed that the reli-
gious services of the Episcopalians were not
soberly and devoutly performed, because they
had so much trouble in obtaining a place wherein
to perform them. In the most contentious and
stormy periods, I doubt not that a holy calm was
shed upon the heart of many a worshipper as he
offered up his prayers in the way which to him
was best and most affecting, and perhaps the way
in which, long years ago, he had offered them up
in some ivy-clad village church of green England,
with many dear friends about him, now absent or
dead. And when, according to the agreement
before mentioned, they celebrated their first com-
munion, on the second Sabbath in August, 1686,
I am fully persuaded that it was celebrated in
that small room which they held by reluctant
sufferance, and round that " table " which was
their cheap and lately constructed altar, with as
much reverence and humility and edification as it
was in any church or meeting-house in Old Eng-
land or New.
Let us now return to the narrative of events.
My last discourse concluded with an intimation
of the expected t rrival of the royal governor, in
whose favor Mr Dudley was to resign his tempo-
PERIOD SECOND. 37
rary presidency over the New England colonies.
Randolph was anxious for his coming, as a cool-
ness had for some time subsisted between himself
and Dudley ; the latter gentleman not having
proved so favorably disposed to his views, when
surrounded by his own people, as he had given
Randolph reason to suppose he would have been,
by his former apparently interested and almost
servile conduct. Nor was Randolph obliged to
wait long. Sir Edmund Andros arrived at Nan-
tasket on Sunday the 19th of December, in the
Kingfisher, a 50 gun ship, landed at Boston on
the 20th, and published his commission on the
same day, about seven months only after Dudley
had come over with his commission as president.
The new governor was not long in showing
his arbitrary dispositions, and the strong hand
with which he intended to rule. One of the first
acts of his despotism is connected with the history
of our church, and indeed comes in regular con-
tinuation of it. The very day of his landing and
the publication of his commission, he had a con-
ference in the library of the town-house with the
ministers of the three congregational churches,
concerning the accommodation of the Episcopal
society, and suggested that it might be so con-
trived that one house might serve two assemblies.
The ministers, with four lay members of each
38 PERIOD SECOND,
congregation, held a meeting the next day, to
consider what answer to give to the governor,
and it was agreed, as Judge Sewall says in his
diary,* that they could not with a good conscience
consent that their meeting-houses should be made
use of for the common prayer worship. On the
evening of the following day, December 22, Mr
Mather and Mr Willard waited on the governor
at his lodgings, and " thoroughly discoursed his
Excellency about the meeting-houses, in great
plainness, showing they could not consent."
The governor, either from an unwillingness to
hurt their feelings too rudely, or from a fear of
displaying his power too suddenly, seemed to say
that he would not impose upon them what was
manifestly so disagreeable. And so the matter
was suffered to rest, but only for a short time.
On the 23d of March, 1687, the governor sent
Mr Randolph for the keys of the South meeting-
house, now called the Old South ,f that the
Episcopalians might have prayers there. A
committee of six, of whom Judge Sewall was one,
thereupon waited on his Excellency, to show
that the house was their own property, and to
* A manuscript yet unpublished, and in possession of the
Sewall family.
t It was called the Old South, after the New South in
Summer Street was built, which was in the year 1717.
PERIOD SECOND- 39
repeat that they could not consent to part with it
to such use. This was on Wednesday. The
following Friday, which was Good Friday, Sir
Edmund Andros sent to command the sexton of
the South church to open the door, and rin«- the
bell for those of the Church of England. The
sexton, though he had resolved not to do so, was
persuaded or intimidated into compliance, and
the Governor and his party took possession of
the house, and the church service was performed
there.
In looking back on this event, we are obliged
to consider it, though not of itself of great political
importance, as one of the most arbitrary acts ever
perpetrated in this country, while it remained
under the English government. No excuse is to
be rendered for it. It was such a deliberate
outrage on the common rights of property, to say
nothing of conscience and liberty, that we may
only wonder that Andros and his abettors, of
whom Randolph was doubtless one, suffered no
personal violence from the people. But none
seems to have been offered ; and the proprietors of
the South meeting-house, finding that they could
not resist the imposition, submitted to it as well
as they could. Both parties, indeed, after the
intrusion was effected, and regarded as a settled
thing, evinced some desire to accommodate each
40 PERIOD SECOND
other with regard to the hours of their several
meetings, though Andros was still the dictator.
On Easter day, March 27 ,# the governor and his
retinue again met in the South Church, at eleven
o'clock, word having been sent to the proprietors
that they might come at half past one ; but it
was not till after two that the church service was
over, owing, as it is stated by Judge Sewall, to
" the sacrament, and Mr Clarke's long sermon ;
so 'twas a sad sight," he continues, " to see how
full the street was with people gazing and moving
to and fro, because they had not entrance into
the house."
From this time the South meeting-house was
occupied by the governor and the Episcopalians
for divine worship, if not constantly, yet whenever
they pleased to order it. On Friday, Feb. 10,
1688, it was used for the funeral service over
Lady Andros, who was buried with all the state
attendant on such occasions in England. There
is something quite striking in the few words of
Judge Sewall's description of what he witnessed
of this ceremony. " Between 4 and 5 I went to
the funeral of the Lady Andros, having been
invited by the dark of the South Company.
Between 7 and 8 (lychnsf illuminating the cloudy
* Entry in the old book, under the date of March 27, 1687.
" Paid for wine one gallon 12s. — Paid for bread 6d."
t Torches. Link has the same Greek derivation.
PERIOD SECOND. 41
air) the corpse was carried into the herse drawn
by six horses, the soldiers making a guard from
the governor's house down the Prison Lane to
the South meeting-house ; there taken out and
carried in at the western door, and set in the
alley before the pulpit, with six mourning women
by it. House made light with candles and torches.
There was a great noise and clamor to keep peo-
ple out of the house, that they might not rush in
too soon. I went home."
On the 14th of April Mr West was sent by
the governor to the Rev. Mr Willard, to request
him to begin at 8 in the morning, and said that
this should be the last time, for they would build
a house. However, it was not the last time, and
the governor probably continued to use the house,
till he was deposed by a popular insurrection the
next year. The Episcopalians were nevertheless
sincere and earnest in their intentions to build a
church for themselves forthwith. Judge Sewall
was applied to at different times, and once parti-
cularly by Mr RatclifFe, for land at " Cotton
Hill,"* on which they might set their church.
But his constant reply was, that he could not ;
first, because he would not set up that which the
people of England came over to avoid, and sec-
ondly, because the land was entailed.
* Cotton Hill is the elevated ground on which Mr Phillip's
house now stands, opposite the Chapel burying ground.
42 PERIOD SECOND.
It appears from the above account, as well as
from other authorities, that Mr Ratcliffe had an
assistant by the name of Clark, or Clarke. His
christian name was Robert.* It is probable that
he was sent over by the Bishop of Lon Ion, at
the instance of Randolph ; but I have not been
able to learn anything of his history.
As illustrative of the times, it may not be amiss
to mention in this its proper place, that a person
by the name of Lilly having died, and left the
ordering of his funeral to his executors,! Mr Rat-
cliffe undertook to perform the funeral service at
his grave, the deceased having probably belonged
to his society .% The executors forbade his read-
ing it, and when he begun, Deacon Frairey, of
the South Church, interrupted him and stopped
his proceeding ; for which the deacon was bound
to his good behaviour for twelve months.
* Christian name Robert. So says the list of the ministers
of King's Chapel in Hist. Col. 1 S. vol. iii. p. 250. But the
following memorandum from the old book makes me doubt
it, and think that his name was Josiah. After a receipt of
Mr Ratcliffe for twenty pounds and fourteen shillings from
the wardens Bullivant and Maccartie, comes the " memo-
randum, that Mr Ratcliffe gave of the above sum, and at the
same time, unto Mr Josiah Clarke minister for his afternoon
Lecture, Tenn pounds. As attests Benjamin Bullivant."
The date of Mr Ratcliffe's receipt is Decemb. 31. 1686.
t Hutch. Hist. 1. 356. note.
1 1 find the name of Edward Lilley among the subscribers
to the church.
PERIOD SECOND. 43
We now approach the close of Andros's tyran-
nical government, which was brought about
through the influence of one of the most auspi-
cious changes in the government of the mother
country, the glorious revolution, as it is called, of
16S8. The spring succeeding the landing of
William of Orange at Torbay, news was brought
to Boston of the event, by way of Virginia, by a
Mr Winslow. He was immediately imprisoned
by Justice Foxcroft and others, " for bringing a
traitorous and treasonable libel into the country,"
and though he offered two thousand pounds bail,
it was not accepted. The old magistrates, and
other principal colonists, secretly hoped and
prayed for the success of the Prince's enterprise,
but thought it best to wait for the consummation.
But the people could not wait. The wrath which
had long been pent up within them, broke out
into open revolt on the 18th of April, 1689; the
governor, Randolph, Bullivant, Dudley, and
many others were seized and confined, the fort
and the Rose frigate were taken, and the old
magistrates were restored as a sort of provisional
committee of safety. Sunday, the 26th of May,
the joyful news arrived of the proclaiming of
William and Mary, and on the 29th, the pro-
clamation was published in Boston with great
ceremony. Late in the year, an order from the
44 PERIOD SECOND.
king * was received, requiring that Sir Edmund
Andros, Edward Randolph, John Trefry, and
others that had been seized by the people of
Boston, should be sent to England in the first
ship bound thither, and in February, 1690, they
embarked, and Boston was rid of them and their
tyranny.f
Mr Ratcliffe and his assistant, Mr Clark, must
have also gone back to England about this time,
as I find no notice of either of them, after the
deposition of Andros. J
But in the meantime the Episcopal church
had been built. How the land was procured, or
of whom, when the building was dedicated, or
by whom, there is no record, or if there be one,
I have not met with it.$ The entry which im-
* Dated July 30, 1689. Hutch. Hist. 1. p. 391.
t Andros " obtained, some time after, the government of
Virginia. Dudley was appointed chief justice of New York,
and, the latter end of the year 1690, was at Boston, in his
way to his post. Nicholson endeavored for the government
of New York, but had not interest to carry it, and was ap-
pointed Lieut, governor of Virginia." Hutch. Hist. 1. p.
395.
t Mr Ratcliffe must have gone to England before Andros,
and very soon after his deposition, as is evident from the fol-
lowing entry on the records. " July 27, 1689. By disburse-
ments for the accommodation of Mr Ratcliffe for his voy-
age home, as appears by several bills on file, £11 4s. 3d."
§ The following dates from the old record-book may give
some light. Under the date of March 20, 1687, there is the
PERIOD SECOND. 45
mediately follows the record of the second meet-
ing, mentioned in my last discourse, is a list of
ninetysix contributers to the building, dated July,
1689, and headed thus ; " Laiis Deo — a memo-
randum of such honest and well disposed persons
that contributed their assistance for, and towards
erecting a Church for God's worship in Boston,
according to the constitution of the Church of
England, as by law established." The sum con-
tributed by these ninetysix individuals, was £256
9s. The cost of the house is then stated to be
£284 16s. A few lines further on, is inserted
the following remarkable note : —
" Note that on 18° Aprill preseeding the date
on th' other side, began a most impious and de-
testable rebellion agst the King's Majety's Gov-
ernment, the Governr, and all just men to the
same were brought into restraint." Then fol-
lows ; " Sr Edmund Androse Kl left for the
last regular entry of the weekly contribution till after An-
dres's deposition. On the 30th of June, 1689, these entries
are again resumed. It will be remembered that on the 23d
of March, 16S7, Androstcok possession of the South Church,
aad on the 18lh of April 18S9, was deposed. July 1, 1689,
there is an entry of 20s. paid to Mr Niles, and 5s. to the
" Clerke :" and July 5, of £1 15s 0 to " Mr Wm. Smith for
Benching the church." Putting these dates together, I
think it almost certain that worship was first performed in
the wooden church on the last Sabbath and day in June,
16S9.
46 PERIOD SECOND.
church service 30 Capt. frrancis Nicholson
left 25 ."
Next to the above it is recorded that in the
year 1693, the officers of Sir Francis Wheeler's
fleet, which put into Boston to recruit, after an
unsuccessful expedition against Martinique, gave
twenty four pounds, and the gentlemen land officers
thirty two, making fifty six pounds. After these
are recorded some other donations.
Still the church was without pews. In 1694
an agreement was entered into with a carpenter
to build them, which he was to do for £85 —
and a subscription was made by fiftythree persons,
which more than covered the expense. " So the
house of the Lord was perfected."
This first church was built of wood. It stood
on t e spot covered by the present church, but
did not occupy nearly so much ground. In an
old engraving which I have examined, represent-
ing the town of Boston as it was in 1720, this
church, among others, is introduced. It stands
in the same position with the present one, has a
squire tower at the west end, from the roof of
which rises a staff supporting the vane, and just
uncer the vane is a large and quite observable
crown. It was the fifth house of public worship
erected in Boston. The congregational houses
were then three in number, and the Baptists had
PERIOD [SECOND. 47
succeeded in building themselves a church, seve-
ral years before the Episcopalians commenced
theirs.*
Some of the circumstances connected with the
origin and progress of the Episcopal society must
always be regretted. And yet it is pretty certain
that had there not been such an excess of oppo-
sition, bigotry and contumely on the other side,
there would not have been so much overbearing
pride excited on theirs. There are some who
undertake to defend our puritan fathers through
the whole of their exclusive course. This can
never be done with success. If they were pro-
scribed and oppressed in the mother country,
they ought to have learned that proscription and
oppression are hateful everywhere. If they suc-
cessfully resisted or eluded proscription and op-
pression, they might have learned that wherever
there is true strength in the public mind, pro-
scription and oppression are as useless as they
are hateful. If it is said that it was necessary
for the safety of the puritans, that they should
persecute all who dissented from them, and keep
* The first Baptist meeting-house in Boston was op ned
for worship on the 15th of February, 167!). The Baptists
" proceeded with so much caution in huilding their house,
that it was not known for what purpose it wa* erected until
it was completed." — Snow's History of Boston, p. 151,
48 PERIOD SECOND.
any mixture of doctrine from coming among them,
I must be pardoned for not believing it ; espe-
cially when I see that in thirtyfive years after the
planting of this city, one of the three churches then
gathered in it was a dissenting church, and that
in less than thirty years more, two out of the five
houses of worship erected in it were not congre-
gational, and yet the colony was as safe as ever.
I must be pardoned for believing that the propor-
tion of dissenters would not have been greater,
had our puritan fathers been more liberal in their
principles ; and that there would have been quite
as much unity of opinion, with a great deal more
of that which is a great deal better, namely, unity
of spirit. There would hardly have been more
dissenting houses than there were, and they would
have been built up more religiously and peace-
fully. If I am pointed, as the petitioners of 1646
were pointed, to the case of Rhode Island, I say
I want no better case for my argument. If all
who were rejected here fled there ; if Gortonists
and Hutchinsonians and Baptists and Quakers
and Episcopalians, and freethinkers and revellers,
if all of every name and character who were
compelled to quit this state, settled down to-
gether on that little lot of land, and still Rhode
Island succeeded as she did and has, I desire no
better case ; for it only shows me what a bond of
PERIOD SECOND. 49
discordant elements, what a sweetener of bitter
waters, is holy freedom.
My sympathies are not with Episcopalians or
royalists, as such. They rather cleave to the
puritans, whether in the mother country or in this
— that noble company, who separated themselves
from the corruption which was in the world through
lust, the lust of pleasure and the lust of power,
and founded an asylum on these shores for virtue
and liberty. But they had their faults ; and ex-
clusiveness, which was one of them, deserves
reprobation, wherever and by whomsoever it is
manifested. In looking at those times which are
now passing under our review, I may be permitted
to rejoice, therefore, and I do rejoice, that the
Episcopalians accomplished their object, and ob-
tained a house of prayer which they could call their
own ; in which they could worship God in their
own chosen way, and commemorate their Lord
without going through a discipline of rigid creeds
and confessions, and baptize their children as
they themselves were baptized in the land of their
birth.
PERIOD THIRD
FROM THE ARRIVAL OF MR MYLES, THE SECOND
RECTOR TO THE DEATH OF MR BRIDGE, HIS
FIRST ASSISTANT.
AND THE PRIESTS WAITED ON THEIR OFFICES. — 2 Cliroil.
vii. 6.
A BISHOP THEN MUST BE BLAMELESS — VIGILANT — APT
TO TEACH. — 1 Tim. Hi. 2.
The successor of Mr Ratcliffe, as minister of
the " Congregation of the Church of England in
Boston," was the Rev. Samuel Myles. As the
records of the church show that the first weekly-
contribution after the deposition of Andros was
paid to Mr Myles, July I, 1689, and that on the
27th of July, a disbursement was made " for
the accommodation of Mr Ratcliffe for his voy-
age home," there is reason to believe that both
these gentlemen were present at the opening of
the newly erected church. Taking into view the
highly excited state of the popular mind at the
time, it is not likely that any great ceremony
was attempted on the occasion.
PERIOD THIRD. 51
I presume, though I am unable to state it as a
fact, that Mr Myles was sent over from England
to the Episcopalians, by their diocesan, the Bish-
op of London, because such was the constant
practice. He waited regularly on his office,
from the time of his induction, June 29, 1689,
to some time in July, 1692,* when he took a
voyage to the mother county, for the purpose of
laying before the high authorities there the con-
dition of the Chapel and congregation, and ob-
taining aid in their behalf.
In his absence the pulpit was supplied by a
Mr Smith, who officiated till the middle of June,
1693 ; and from that time till the return of Mr
Myles, it was filled by Mr George Hatton.
Of the former of these gentlemen I can learn
no particulars. Of the latter there is a notice in
the records, which will be copied in its place.
On the 24th of July, 1696, Mr Myles return-
ed from England, having executed his commission
in such a manner as to infuse new life into his con-
gregation. He had found means so to interest
the royal partners, that they extended to the
church their personal protection and patronage ;
and though Queen Mary died while he was in
London, William III. continued to perform what
she had engaged to do on her part for the adher-
* Mr Myles's last receipt at this period is dated July 17,
1692.
52 PERIOD THIRD.
ents to the English establishment in these distant
dominions. The influence of the Bishop of
London was no doubt the channel through which
Mr Myles effected his purposes.
His arrival is thus recorded. " Boston, 1696.
This year Mr Samuel Myles, Pastor of this
Church, returned from England; hee arrived
July 24th and brought with him part of the Gift
of Quene Mary performed by King William
after her decease, viz. the Church furniture, which
were A Cushion and Cloth for the Pulpit, two
Cushions for the Reading Deske, a carpet for the
Allter, all of Crimson Damask with silk fringe,
one Large Bible, two Large Common prayer
Books, twelve Lesser Common prayer Bookes,
Linin for the Allter. Also two surplises."
Soon after is the following notice, which has
just been referred to, respecting Mr Hatton.
" Boston, October 28th. Mr George Hatton,
who had preached here in the Absence of Mr
Myles for about three years, at his going home to
the Island of Providence the Church presented
him with twenty pounds, which was paid him.
Tenn pounds by Thaddeus Mackarty and Tenn
pounds by Capt. nra ffoxcroft out of the church
stock."
Then are recorded gifts to the church in mon-
ey, from Dr Biillivant, and Capt. William
TERIOD TniRD. 53
Higgins, commander of his Majesty's ship the
Arundell, after which is the following memoran-
dum ; k- The Decalouge, viz. thee tenn Com-
mandments, the Lord's Prayer and the Creed,
were drawne in England and brought over by Mr
Samuel Myles in July, 1696."* A costly service
of communion plate is described as brought over
by Capt. John Foye, the next year ; another
proof of the bounty of the King and Queen.f
It formed a part of the service no doubt, which
was carried back to England by Dr Caner, in the
war of the revolution.
But a more substantial evidence still of the
* It is no stretch of charity to believe that the honest war-
den who made this memorandum knew better how to keep the
Decalogue, than he did to describe or to spell it.
t " Boston 1697, then received of Mr Myles too great
Silver Flagons, and one sallver and one boul and one Civer
all of Sill ver which was given to the Church by the King
and Queen and broughtover by Capt. John Foyp, Received
by me Giles Dyer Church Warden."
Mr Giles Dyer seems to have had a generous soul, which
was inflamed with the desire ot imitating the royal benefac-
tors of the Chapel ; as his own records may witness. " To
my Labor for making the Wather Cock and Spindel, to Duing
the Commandements and allter rome, and the Pulpet, to Du-
ing the Church and Winders mor to Duing the Gallarey
and the Kings Armes, fortey pounds which I Freely Give,
G. Dyer." In return for these benefactions the church
should have taught Mr Dyer the useful science and accom-
plishment of Orthography. " Duing," probably means
painting, which was Mr Dyer's business.
54 PERIOD THIRD.
royal favor, was an annuity of one hundred pounds,
for the support of an assistant minister at the
Chapel ; though some subsequent events made it
extremely doubtful whether this provision was
for the real benefit of the cause.
The first assistant appointed by the Bishop of
London, was a Mr Dansy, who died on his pas-
sage to Boston.* The next was a Mr White,
who was sent with Lord Bellomont, when that
nobleman came out to succeed Sir William Phips
in the government of New England. j- The man
of war in which they sailed was blown off to Bai -
badoes, where Mr White died. Thus twice de-
prived of their expected minister, the church
applied for another, in a letter to the Bishop, of the
2d of May, 1698. A letter of the same date is re-
corded, being a congratulatory address to the Earl
of Bellomont, on his arrival at New York. It is
superscribed " To his Excellency, Richard, Earl
of Bellomont, Capt. Generall and Governour in
Chief of his Majesties Provinces of the Massa-
* Mr Myles married his widow, and went to housekeeping,
and his salary was increased in consequence from two to
three pounds per week.
t Sir William Phips arrived with the new charter May
14th, 1692. He returned to England in 1694, and died there
Feb. 18, 1695. Richard, Earl of Bellomont, arrived in New
York, May, 1698, and in Boston, May 26, 1699.
PERIOD THIRD. 55
chusetts Bay, New York and New Hampshire ;"
and is in the adulatory style common to such
addresses.
With the new Governor arrived a very valua-
ble present of books to the Church from the
Bishop of London.* A complete catalogue of
them is preserved in the book of records of this
period, and an examination of it enables me to
say, that they formed a theological library which
was perhaps the best at that time in the country,
and would be now considered as of great excel-
lence and such as any institution or individual
might be glad to possess. It was carefully de-
posited in boxes made for the purpose by order
of the wardens, and placed in Mr Myles's house.
It has since been neglected, dispersed and abused
in various ways, till the sad remnant was saved,
by being deposited a few years ago in the Libra-
ry of the Boston Athenaeum.
The receipt of these books was acknowledged
in a letter to the Bishop, dated 21 July, 1698,
written by the wardens in behalf of the congre-
gation. " We have received," say they, " an-
other experience of his Lordship's care and kind-
ness in sending us a Library, which we have
received in good condition, and having this op-
' * The gift of books was actually from the King. This I
infer from its being afterwards called the King's library.
56 PERIOD THIRD.
portunity of a worthy Gent. Coll. Andrew
Hamilton, Late Governor of the Jerseys, may not
omit to render your Lordship our most hearty
thanks ; and shall see them improved to the true
intent : for the present have lodged them in Mr
Myles his study, for the use of him, the assistant
when he comes, and his or their successors, and
take care that no abuse or imbecilment be made
of them."
In a third letter of the 21st November, same
year, the wardens renew their request for an as-
sistant to Mr Myles, " for," they urge, " should
any sickness or distemper happen to him, we
should run adventure of being dispersed, which
would overthrow in an instant what we have
been this ten years endeavoring, the firm estab-
lishment of a Church of England Congregation
in this place." They further entreat his Lord-
ship not in the least to admit of Mr Myles's re-
moval, " for he is well liked of all of us," say
they, " a good liver and a painfull preacher."
They end by assuring his Lordship that they are
very zealous in promoting their increase, " and
are intended, finding it will be needful, to enlarge
their chapel."
The following letter mentions the arrival of
an assistant.
PERIOD THIRD. 5d
" Right Hon'j'o and Right Reverend Father in God.
May it please your Lordsp-
We have gladly received the
effect of our formers by the appearance of Mr
Christopher Bridge amongst us. Which favour
of your Lordship we acknowledge with all thank-
fulness : And doubt not but he will be to satis-
faction : We shall constantly pay him 40 shillings a
week, which we began the 5th instant the first day
of his arrival. Also we continue unto Mr Myles
his 3 pounds a week, besides his perquisites, and
shall not be wanting in our due respects to both
of them. We have received the goods from Mr
Wessendunck, and pray the continuance of your
Lordship's favour. We shall alwaies endeavour
to approve ourselves
Yr Lordps Most obedient Sons.
George Turfrey > lir 7
T , > H ardens
John Ixdicot )
Of the King's Chappell in Boston in New
England.
20 March, 1691."
The Mr Wessendunck mentioned in the above
letter, was an original member of the church,
and at this time their agent in London, who
transacted their business, and through whom
their letters were transmitted. The " goods,"
were articles of merchandize, in which form it
58 PERIOD THIRD.
was more advantageous to the church to receive
the king's bounty than in money.
About a month after Mr Bridge's arrival, the
congregation, whose temporal concerns had hith-
erto been managed by two wardens, voted to
constitute a body of vestrymen to be joined in
authority with the ministers and wardens. This
vote was passed on Easter Monday, April 10th,
and the next day the vestrymen were chosen,
according to the following vote.
to o
" Voted that Francis Foxcroft, Thaddeus
Mackarty, Thomas Newton, Giles Dyer, Benja.
Mountfort, John Cooke, Savil Simpson, Edward
Lyde and Edward Turfrey be a Vestry of this
Congregation for one year ensueing, to advise
and consult with the Ministers and Wardens upon
and concerning all matters and things as shall by
them be from time to time thought necessary
to be done and performed relating to the said
Church, and the placing and seating of persons
therein, and to represent the whole congregation
in all matters and things whereunto the consent
of the same is necessary. And that whatsoever
the Wardens with the advice of said Vestry or
major part of them shall do in the premises be
accounted the act of the whole Congregation.
Provided that this shall not be understood so as
to hinder the Wardens from paying the weekly
PERIOD THIRD . 59
allowance of 3 ft, to MrMyles, 2ft to Mr Bridge;
os. to Edward Hill, Sexton, and lofb a year to
John Giles, Clerk, without the consent of the
said Vestry, but that they pay the same as has
been accustomed.
" Voted also That a Vestry be alike annually
chosen."*
The next month, May 1699, Lord Bello-
montf came to Boston from New York. The
churchmen must naturally have expected that
much consequence, if not advantage would be
gained to them by counting a nobleman among
the members of their society, and they exerted
themselves to show him attention. They fitted
up a state pew for him, J and at their Easter
meeting, April 1, 1700, at which he was present,
placed him first on their list of vestrymen. But
it was his Lordship's policy, as it was for his in-
terest, to conciliate the general favor, and there-
fore though he attended public worship at the
* The next year, April 1, 1700, the number of vestrymen
was increased from nine to eleven, the next year to thir-
teen, and the next to twenty. In 1706 it was agreed that
there should be " twelve, besides his Excellency, the Left.
Governor, ministers and church wardens, in the vestry."
Dudley was then Governor. Afterwards the number was
constantly varying.
t Hutchinson spells the name Bellamont.
| " 1 Aprill. By Capt. ffoxcraft pd for my Lord's pew to
Mr Everard £13. — ."
60 PERIOD THIRD.
King's Chapel, he went also to hear the congre-
gational ministers at the Thursday Lecture, and
was so far from imitating the conduct of Andros,
that lie was inclined perhaps to the opposite
error of indifference to his own mode of faith.*
Thus it happened to the episcopalians as has
often happened to others before and since, that
one worldly interest was counteracted and nul-
lified by the operation of another equally as
worldly. There was little time, however, for
the noble governor and vestryman either to pat-
ronize or disappoint them. He went back to
New York this year, where he soon after died.
In the beginning of the year 1702, news was
received of the death of King William, and the
Church was put in mourning. Before his de-
cease, Mr Joseph Dudley, who had rendered
himself so obnoxious here, as in many things the
coadjutor, and, for his own selfish ends, al-
*Hutchinson in his second volume, page 112, tells in a
note this anecdote of the Governor. e*« Among the more
liberal was one Bullivant, an apothecary, who had been
a justice of peace under Andros. Lord Bellamont, going
from the lecture to his house, with a great crowd round him,
passed by Bullivant standing at his shop door loitering.
' Doctor,'' says his lordship with an audible voice, ' You have
lost a precious sermon to day.' Bullivant whispered to one
of his companions who stood by him, ' If I could have got
as much by being there as his lordship will, I would have
been there too.' "
PERIOD THIRD. 61
most the creature of Randolph, had interest
enough to obtain while in London, the appoint-
ment of Governor of Massachusetts, which he
had so long and eagerly coveted. On his
reappearance in Boston, invested with his new
dignity, he was received kindly, and with a for-
getfulness of past offences. He joined himself
to the congregation of Queen's Chapel, as it was
now called, on the accession of Queen Anne ;
and his name, together with that of the Lieuten-
ant Governor, constantly appears on the list of
vestrymen ; it having been voted that these two
magistrates should belong to the vestry from their
office.
We now come to an unpleasant part of the
history of the church. Toward the end of the
year 1703, it was voted at a vestry meeting that
Mr Bridge, thea<si>tant minister, should proceed
to England in order to solicit subscriptions for
enlarging the chapel, a measure which had been
made necessary by the increase of the congrega-
tion. But either before he took his voyage, or
during his stay in England, or after his return to
Boston, there were misunderstandings between
him and Mr Myles, which grew into serious di-
vision, and threatened the church's peace and
prosperity. Something too, which I do not clear-
ly understand, is said about Mr Bridge's breaking
62 PERIOD THIRD.
open a letter written by Mr Myles, and sending
it to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the
Bishop of London for their inspection, thinking
that would injure Mr Myles. At any rate, the
Bishop of London was so much displeased with
Mr Bridge, and as it would seem, with the church
also, that he sent an order for his removal, and
deprived the church of part of the one hundred
pounds a year which they drew from the royal
bounty. The church was alarmed, and at a ves-
try meeting held on the 19th of August, 1705,
voted that articles of agreement and peace should
be drawn up, and presented to the two ministers
to be signed by them. Such a paper was accor-
dingly prepared, consisting of a preamble and
eight articles, which was signed by the two
ministers on the 22d. By this agreement they
bound themselves not to join with any persons in
doing, saying or reporting anything that should
tend to the damage or dishonor of either ; that
they should unite in promoting the welfare of the
church, and that they should not officiate anywhere
but in their own chapel, without mutual consent.
Mr Bridge was not to receive any perquisites,
which all belonged to Mr Myles as minister of
the church, and were appropriated to him by the
bishop's especial order ; and neither of them
ivas to warn any vestry without the full concur^
PERIOD THIRD. 63
rence of the other. These were the main arti-
cles ; and a copy of them was transmitted to the
Bishop of London, inclosed in a letter from the
wardens, in which they assure his lordship that
in many things he had been misinformed, that
Mr Bridge was not of a proud, lofty and haughty,
but of a courteous and agreeable deportment, as
became his profession and the gospel, and that
both of their ministers were worthy of their
esteem, " whether in regard of their doctrine, life,
or conversation." They speak of an inclosed
affidavit, which they trust will clear up the diffi-
culty about the intercepted letter, and humbly
beg the continuance both of the salary and of Mr
Bridge's stay with them.
The Bishop of London at this time was Henry
Compton, who held that see from the year 1675
to 1713, in which year he died. The present
cathedral of London was commenced by Sir
Christopher Wren, about the time of his induc-
tion, and he lived just about long enough to see
its completion. He was wise, energetic, moder-
ate and munificent. "The princesses Mary, and
Anne, (both successively queens of England)
were educated, confirmed, and married by him,
and he also crowned the former, together with
her husband, William III." " He warmly inter-
ested himself to bring about the revolution of
64 PERIOD THIRD.
1688, and was afterwards one of the commission-
ers for the reform of the liturgy," in which en-
terprise his own liberal and tolerant intentions
were unhappily defeated.
From such a bishop, it was to be expected
that whatever demanded attention in the way of
duty, however distant it might be from the place
of his residence, would be attended to in a proper
manner. In answer to the representations of the
church here, he sent a letter, which is marked
throughout by a practical good sense, joined with
good feeling, which show that he was well fitted
for his responsible office. It is to be clearly seen
from it, that he was not a man to be trifled with,
and that having authority, he was determined to
exercise it in a steady and decided manner, and
as much for the real benefit of the church as pos-
sible. As this letter may give us some idea of
the way in which our predecessors in this church
used to be governed, and as it is itself a good
letter, from a distinguished person, I make no
apology for giving it entire. Fortunately for us,
as I think, we now govern ourselves, without in-
terference from bishops at home or abroad ; but
while the church was lawfully under such authori-
ty, it could hardly have had a better overseer
than Henry Compton, Bishop of London. " The
Copie of my Lord of London's Letter," say the
records, " is as ffollowet.h."
PERIOD THIRD. 65
" Gentlemen, — I am sorry with all my heart
you have so little concerned yourselves for the
peace of the church, as to uphold a controversy
which may so easily be laid asleep, and whilst
these two gentlemen are together upon the same
place I do not see how it ever will be effected.
As to your imagining that I might too easily blame
Mr Bridge concerning the letter of Mr Myles
which was broken open, I can assure you the
first copy I saw of it was sent up in triumph to
London, either by Mr Bridge or his order, from
Plymouth or Portsmouth, soe that I took it not
at second hand ; though I blame Mr Nicholls ex-
tremely for promoting that which he must needs
know could produce nothing but animositie, but
can by noe means excuse Mr Bridge ; and in-
deed I hope there is none among you that can
approve of that malitious practice of spreading
about copies of this letter, which must needs
breed very ill blood among you. But I say this
rather for my own justification, than that I would
quarrell any further with Mr Bridge on that ac-
count, and therefore I shall not be soe earnest for
his removall, otherwise than that I am convinced
it is impossible for him and Mr Myles to live to-
gether in peace. I know his spirit is too high to
submit to that subordination which it is absolutely
necessarie he should comply with whilst he stayes
5
(y(j PERIOD THIRD.
at Boston, soe that I would by all means advise
him to goe to Narragansetts, where he may have
an hundred pounds per annum sterling, besides
what perquisites he may make upon the place,
and there he will be his own Master.
" You must likewise give me leave to tell you
that I think you have made a great mistake in one
of the articles of reconciliation which you have
drawn up, where you have in a manner sett Mr
Bridge upon an equall foot with Mr Myles, by
making the call of a Vestry depend upon their
joynt consent, whereas Mr Bridge hath nothing
more to doe in the Church than what Mr Myles
shall direct him, as he is the Curate and Assist-
ant ; wherefore you must pardon me, if after all
the due regard I have for you, I must deale soe
plainly with you as to tell you that you have been
carried on too far in this matter by some that have
more respect of persons than for the reall good
and peace of the church. I know I shall be
forced at last to recall Mr Bridge, and therefore
I wish you would persuade him to make it his
owne choice to retire to some other place, where
he shall find me his sincere friend, notwithstand-
ing all that has been said. — I pray God direct
you for the best, and desire you would believe
me, Gentlemen,
1 " Your most assured friend and servant
"H. London.
PERIOD THIRB. 67
" Postcript. — I forgot to give you a more par-
ticular account in the inclosed of Mr Bridge's
proceedings in that letter of Mr Myles; that he
writt from the Port in England, before he went
away, to Mr Wessendunck, to take care to com-
municate that same letter, or the copie, to my
Ld. Arch Bp. of Canterbury, and myselfe ; which
I think is evidence enough of his concern in it.
" Fulham : feb : 12 : 1706. H. London."
The effect produced by this letter may be seen
from the following record, which precedes the
copy of it.
" Boston, Sept. 23. 1706. Att a meeting of
the Vestry at Mr Paule Dudley's, his Excellency
being present, my Lord of London's letter was
read relating to Mr Bridge his removall to the
Narrowgansetts &c. to which he complied, and
wished me, Savill Simpson* to tell Mr Myles
that he left the Charge of the Church wholly to
his care, and intended to goe to Narragansetts in
three days."
Thus was this very disagreeable affair termina-
ted, affording, most probably, some matter of
triumph to the many, who, as the wardens in their
letter to the Bishop express it, waited for and
would have greatly rejoiced at the halting and
* Junior warden this year.
PERIOD THIRD.
destruction of the episcopal church. We are not
permitted, happily, to believe Mr Bridge's char-
acter to have been an unworthy one, for the war-
dens speak of him with regard and respect, and
the Bishop promises to him the continuance of
his friendship ; but it is impossible to suppose,
from what the records deliver to us, that his con-
nexion with the church could have been of much
service to it, or to the episcopal cause.
PERIOD FOURTH.
ARRIVAL OF MR HARRIS. -CHAPEL ENLARGED. - FIRST
ORGAN .- ATTEMPT TO MAKE AMERICAN BISHOPS.
PRAISE HIM WITH STRINGED INSTRUMENTS AND ORGANS.
Ps. cl. 4.
Mr Myles, being left without an assistant by
the departure of Mr Bridge to Rhode Island,
remained alone in the care of the Church about
two years. Early in the year 1709, arrived Mr
Henry Harris, with authority from the Bishop
of London to take Mr Bridge's vacated place.
The letter which Mr Harris brought with him
from the Bishop, bears the marks of the same
strong hand which penned the former one al-
ready copied. At a vestry meeting on the 1st
of April, this year, it was ordered, upon the
reading of these instructions, " that the same be
entered verbatim as followeth, viz1."
" Having appointed Mr Harris to go over as-
sistant to the Minister at Boston ; for his better
satisfaction, I have thought fit to declare; that
as he is not to go under the absolute command of
70 PERIOD FOURTH.
Mr Myles, yet is he to pay a respect to him in
all reasonable things, and take an equall share
with him in supplying the Church, but not to
meddle in anything that relates to perquisites,
whether for marriages, bury alls or Christenings,
and to be contented with what is alloted him from
home, and by all means to avoid the insinuation
of any, that shall attempt to make matters un-
easy betwixt him and Mr Myles, whom I do
likewise require to receive this his assistant with
all fair and good usage, and that they both con-
spire into so good an understanding, that nothing
may creep in to make a breach between them :
And that they do agree to relate all story es, that
shall be whispered to them, publickly in the
next vestry ; that such little make-bates may be
discouraged and made ashamed of such base be-
haviour. And therefore I desire likewise that
this paper may be read in a full vestry, that they
may be witnesses of your sincere conformity to
what is appointed. I do also declare that Mr
Harris shall have the full allowance of the ap-
pointed bounty, by Midsummer next come twelve
month at furthest, as not being yet fully informed
to what degree, and upon what grounds Mr
Bridge hath committed that insolent Riott upon
the Church of Road Island : which so soon as
I am ascertained of, I intend the full allowance
shall commence from that time.
PERIOD FOURTH. ^1
« Given under my hand this Twenty Eighth
day of May. 1708.
H : London."
We may gather, if I am not mistaken, from
these instructions, a principal reason of the form-
er assistant's discontent. A great inequality, by
far too ^eat, existed between him and the rec-
tor of the church. Before he left the mother
country, he could easily make up his mmd to
take a curacy abroad, on the same terms of in-
feriority on which hundreds of his brethren took
curacies at home ; but when he came to New
En-land, and began his duties at her Majesty s
Chapel, and instead of being kept contented by
the customs of the place, and .the example of
those about him, saw that in every congregation-
al church which supported two ministers, they
were regarded as colleagues, having equal rights,
privileges and duties, his own subordinate situa-
tion must have grown every day more irksome to
him and the task of obedience to his superior
every day more difficult. It was not in human
nature to rest satisfied with such a condition. It
certainly was not in Mr Bridge's nature, and in
the sequel we may have cause to believe that it
was not in Mr Harris's.
'What is meant by the violent riot committed
72 PERIOD FOURTH.
by Mr Bridge upon the church of Rhode Island,
alluded to by the Bishop in the instructions
above, I have not ascertained.*
All this time the chapel congregation was
steadily increasing, and at the Easter meeting in
1708, it was " agreed, that on Whitsunmunday
there be a meeting of the congregation about en-
larging the Queen's Chappell." The work, how-
ever, seems not to have been commenced till the
year 1710, when a subscription was raised to
* Mr Bridge did not remain long in Rhode Island, but re-
moved to Rye in New York, where he was again settled in
the ministry, and where he finished his uneasy pilgrimage
on the 23d of May, 1719. The following obituary notice is
copied from the " Boston News Letter," a weekly paper,
and the first newspaper published in Boston, where it was
commenced in the year 1704. The date of this number is
"June 1 to 8. 1719."
" We have an account from Rye in the government of New
York, of the death of the Reverend Mr Christopher Bridge,
M. A. a Presbyter of the Church of England, and Minister of
the Gospel in that Place ; who Died on Saturday the 23d of
May last : He was formerly for many years together, one
of the Ministers of the Church of England in Boston, a
Religious and Worthy Man, a very good Scholar, and a fine
grave Preacher, his performances in the Pulpit were Solid,
Judicious and Profitable, his Conversation very agreeable
and improving : And though a strict Church Man in his
principles, yet of great Respect and Charity to Dissenters,
and much esteemed by them. He was bred at the Univer-
sity of Cambridge in England, and was about 48 Years oi
Age when he Died. Very much lamented."
PERIOD FOURTH
73
effect its accomplishment. It amounted, in-
deed, to a rebuilding of the church, which was
enlarged to twice its original size ; nor was it
till the year 1713, that the pillars, capitals and
cornice were painted, and the scaffoldings were
taken down. Places were assigned anew to the
proprietors, and each person paid for the build-
ing of his own pew. And whereas the pews had
been built before, according to the usual fashion,
with little rails or banisters, running round the
top, it was now voted that they should " be
built in one forme without banisters." The
pulpit was removed from its former situation " to
the next pillar at the East, being near the Cen-
ter of the Church." The two long pews front-
ing the pulpit were made into two square pews,
one for Col. Tailer, Lieut. Governor, the other
for Mr Jekyll, and the two pews behind them
were made into one, for the use of masters of
vessels ; and the pew behind that was appropri-
ated to the accommodation of eight old men. A
shell was placed over the south door.
A clock was given by " the Gentlemen of the
British Society ;" and a more important present
still, that of an organ, demands a more particu-
lar notice * The following is a record of a meet-
ing held in consequence of the bequest.
* The clock was not given till a year after the organ.
74 PERIOD FOURTH.
" At a meeting of the gentlemen of the Church
this 3d day of August, 1713, referring to the
Orgains given them by Thomas Brattle Esq.
deceased, Voted that the Orgins be accepted
by the Church, and that Mr Myles answer Mr
William Brattle's letter concerning the same."
A few days afterwards, the organ, or organs, as
that instrument seems to have then been com-
monly called,* was brought into the church,
though it was not put up till the following
March. f A Mr Price was engaged to be the
organist, but only temporarily till one could be
obtained from England ; and a contribution was
raised from sundry " well disposed gentlemen
and other persons," of whose names a list is
given, " towards the maintenance and support of
the Orgins," which amounted to between forty-
three and forty four pounds. The wardens were
instructed at a vestry meeting, to write to Col.
Redknap, their agent in London, to entreat of
him his favor in going to Mr Edward Enston,
living next door to Mr Masters's on Tower Hill,
to inquire into his ability as an organist, and to offer
* It may have been called so only by the ignorant, of
which description was the warden who made the entry, as
appears by his spelling, which I have not always literally
copied, for fear that the original might not be understood.
t "To Cash payd forbringin the Orgins, 10s."
PERIOD FOURTH. 75
him the situation at the Chapel, with a salary of
£30 per annum, colonial currency, " which,"
they observe, " with dancing, music, &c, they
doubt not will be sufficient encouragement."
Col. Redknap attended to the commission at
once, and writes, in a letter dated April 27,
1714, that he had engaged Mr Enstone or In-
stone, to go over to Boston on the proposed sal-
ary, on the condition that £10 sterling should be
paid him for his and his wife's passage ; that he
would probably sail about the end of July, and
in the meantime was to acquaint himself with
the manner of keeping an organ in repair. In
July he writes again, and sends over a copy of
the articles of agreement made with Mr Enstone,
but says that he will not be able to sail so soon
as was expected. Another letter, dated Sept.
7, same year, mentions Mr Enstone as having
taken his passage, and speaks of him as " a
person of a sober life and conversation, and well
qualified for what he hath undertaken." He
entered on his duties here as organist, about
Christmas, 1714, till which time Mr Price had
been serving for the same salary. This interest-
ing business was thus happily concluded and the
music of the Chapel must now have been a
great and attractive, though to many a very
offensive novelty ; for there is no doubt that this
76 PERIOD FOURTH.
organ was the first ever heard in public worship
in all New England.*
This year, 1714, Queen Anne died, and
George I. ascended the throne of Great Britain ;
in consequence of which event, the Chapel
was again called King's Chapel. The year be-
fore, Henry Compton died, and John Robinson
was created Bishop of London.
At this period the cause of episcopacy had
made rapid strides, and its advocates were un-
wearied in their efforts to advance it. The in-
crease of episcopalian strength was owing in part,
it is likely, to a weariness which some began to
feel of the rigid discipline of the puritan church-
es, but chiefly to the continually multiplying
numbers of emigrants from the mother country,
attracted here by various interests, and in com-
munion with the established church at home.
The exertions which were made by the episco-
palians of Boston, and other places in the colo-
nies, were greatly aided and inspirited from Eng-
land, by the influence and pecuniary aid of the
Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in
Foreign Parts, which was established b y charter
from King William in 1701. In October, 1712,
the Hon. Francis Nicholson having been ap-
* Tate and Brady's version of the Psalms was introduced
into the worship of the Chapel about this time,
PERIOD FOURTH. 77
pointed her Majesty's commissioner in North
America for several purposes, the Society, of
which he was a member, furnished him with an
instrument, dated the 17th of the same month
and year, by which he was requested, in sub-
mission to the royal prerogative, and the jurisdic-
tion of the Bishop of London, to make inquiry,
as he should see fit, " of and concerning such of
the Society's Missionaries, Schoolmasters, and
Catechists with respect to the good purposes
and designs of the Society relating to them, and
of the present state of the Churches, Glebes,
Parsonage-Houses, and Libraries (sent by the
Society) within all and every such part and parts
of Her Majesty's Dominions and Countries as
are comprized in the Commission now granted
to the said Francis Nicholson from her Majesty
for the purposes therein mentioned. To the end
the said Francis Nicholson may give and trans-
mit to the said Society a full, particular, and im-
partial account thereof, that the said Society may
be the better enabled to discharge the great trust
reposed in them, the advancement of the glory
of God, the Honour of her Majesty, and spirit-
ual good and welfare of her Subjects in those
Parts."
There is a record in the old book, which gives
us an instance of Nicholson's exercise of authori-
78 PERIOD FOURTH.
ty as Commissioner, and is also evidence of the
existence of a church in Braintree over which
the wardens and vestry of Queen's Chapel had
some control. It is a petition of Thomas Eager,
clerk, to his Excellency Francis Nicholson, Esq.
showing that the petitioner had been appointed
by the Society for Propagating the Gospel, to
officiate as minister at Braintree, but had found
himself very uneasy there with the people, and
therefore desired to be dismissed, and to have
the arrears of his salary paid him, that he might
discharge his debts and remove elsewhere. This
petition was referred by Gov. Nicholson to
the gentlemen of the Chapel vestry, who decid-
ed that it was for the interest of the church that
Mr Eager should be dismissed. This was in
December, 1713.
But the matter to which, as being of the high-
est moment, the Society devoted their most
earnest attention, and in the prosecution of which
they were warmly seconded by the congrega-
tion of the Chapel, was the establishment and
endowment of Bishoprics in the colonies. The
design met with the approbation of Queen Anne,
and though, when it was known here, it created
a great ferment among the people, it can hardly
be doubted that, had it not been for the Queen's
death, it would have succeeded, and this country
PERIOD FOURTH. 79
would have witnessed, what in the event it never
did witness, the settlement in its borders of Bish-
ops of the English Church. This attempt de-
serves, as one of the curious and interesting
events connected with the history of our church
and of colonial episcopacy, more than a passing
notice.
The preamble of the " Society's Representa-
tion to her Majesty for the sending Bishops into
America," sets forth " That as it hath pleased
the Divine Goodness to dispose your Majesties
Royall Heart for the establishing of Bishops and
Bishopricks within your Majesties Plantations or
Colonies, and other your Majesties Dominions of
America, in like manner as the Church of Christ
is settled for Ecclesiastical Government in En*?-
o
land and Ireland, pursuant to the Apostolical
form and order in all Christian Nations where
Bishops have been deemed the true Successors
of the Apostles, and as is most agreeable to the
inclinations of many of the present Inhabitants of
those places, whence there have been made for
these Eleven Years past earnest application for
such Bishops to preside amongst them, that they
may ordain some, Confirm more, and Bless all
by the most Orderly Administration of the Holy
Word and Sacrament." The Society then pro-
ceed to lay before her Majesty a complete
80 PERIOD FOURTH.
scheme of transatlantic hierarchy, in which they
represent it as their opinion after mature deliber-
ation, that it is expedient that four Bishops be
sent as soon as conveniently may be, " two for
the care and superintendency of the Islands, and
as many for the Continent, with the appointment
of fifteen hundred pounds per annum for each of
the former, and one thousand pounds per annum
for each of the latter, as the nature of their Dio-
cesses seems to require in case the Sees of the
former be settled, as is humbly proposed by the
said Society, the one of them at Barbados, for
itself and the Leward Islands, the other at Ja-
maica, for itself with the Bahama and Bermuda
Islands ; those for the Continent, the one of them
at Burlington in New Jersey (where the Society
has been at six hundred pounds charge and up-
wards to purchase a very convenient house and
land for his residence) for a District extending
from the East side of Delaware River to the ut-
most bounds of your Majesties Dominions East-
ward, including Newfoundland ; the other at
Williamsburg in Virginia, for a District extending
from the west side of Delaware River to the ut-
most bounds of your Majesties Dominions West-
ward." The Representation concludes with a
particular exposition of the ways and means by
which the above Bishops and Bishoprics are
proposed to be supported.
PERIOD FOURT H. 81
As was observed before, this representation of
the Society was followed up most cordially by
the Congregation of the Chapel, who, by their
ministers, wardens and vestry, presented an ad-
dress to the Queen on the subject. In this ad-
dress they say, that nothing can tend more to
make religion flourish among them than the com-
pletion of the Society's scheme in all its details,
and humbly entreat her Majesty to carry it into
execution. In an address to the Bishop of Lon-
don, written at the same time,* they enter into a
brief history of their church ; mention that the
congregation is very much increased and consists
of about eight hundred persons ; speak of the
late enlargement of the Chapel, and pray his
Lordship's good offices that the money from the
privy purse may be constantly and regularly
paid. These addresses were entrusted to the
care of Col. Redknap, their agent in London ;
who writes word, the following April, that they
were delivered faithfully, and that the gentlemen of
the Society, being fully persuaded of the neces-
sity of having Bishops sent to America, were
resolved to join their Address to those of New
York, New England and Rhode Island to her
Majesty, that she would be pleased to appoint some
* December 8, 1713.
6
82 PERIOD FOURTH.
proper person for that work so soon as possible.
" I did speak/' he continues, " to several of the
members of the Society, particularly to my
Lord of London and Clarendon, that they would
be pleased to consider of our Northern parts be-
fore Jamaica or Barbados, there being a greater
necessity for having one amongst us where Whigs
and fanaticks swarme, than in those parts."
Hut all the Societies and Bishops in the world
could not arrest the warrant of death, even though
it was issued against a queen. The decease of
Anne put a stop, for the time, to the proceed-
ings relating to American bishoprics, and though
the plan was presented and urged in succeeding
reigns, it was never accomplished, and perhaps
never came so near accomplishment as at this
first trial.
The next occurrences of importance in the
history of the church, are, Mr Harris's voyage to
England, the death of Mr Myles, and the arrival
of Mr Price as his successor.
PERIOD FIFTH.
DEATH OF MR MYLES. — ARRIVAL OF MR PRICE. -IN-
CREASE OF EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
JOUR FATHERS, WHERE ARE THEY? AND THE PROPHETS,
DO THEY LIVE FOREVER? — Zech. \. 5.
In the winter of 1714, Mr Harris the Assis-
tant, at the suggestion of General Nicholson, took
a voyage to England, having previously obtained
the consent of the church. He went partly to
attend to some affairs of his own,* and partly to
make application to the Society for Propagating
the Gospel in Foreign Parts, for ministers to
supply two new Episcopal churches, one in New-
bury, the other in Marblehead. So it appears
there were now three churches, if no more, which
had sprung from, and were in a great measure
dependent upon, the King's Chapel ; that in
* There was a heavy tax on Mr Harris's allowance of
£100, which he wanted to be relieved from, a9 also to have
some arrears paid him. Through the assistance of Bi3hop
Robinson, he succeeded, but not till after his return.
84 PERIOD FIFTH.
Braintree, and the two just mentioned. An ad-
dress of congratulation to George I. on his acces-
sion, which was sent about this time, and probably
by the hands of Mr Harris, was signed by the
members of the churches " at Boston, Newberry
and Marblehead." A " publick testimonial," or
letter of recommendation was furnished to that
same gentleman by his church, in which they say
that he has resided among them about six years,
in all which time they had observed him " faith-
ful in the discharge of his duty, and regular and
inoffensive in his life and conversation, by which
he has gained the esteem and love of the whole
church."
The congregation were not willing that Mr
Harris should stay away long from them, and
therefore the Bishop sent him back in the summer
of 1715. He arrived late in the year, and was
received by his people with joy ; but misunder-
standings afterwards arose between them.
The cause of episcopacy, continually advancing
as we have seen, in Massachusetts, was suddenly
and remarkably developed at this period in the
neighboring colony of Connecticut. Mr Timothy
Cutler, President of Yale College,* and Messrs
* He was the first resident rector or president of that in-
stitution.
PERIOD FIFTH. 85
Johnson * and Brown, tutors in the same institu-
tion, had convinced themselves of the invalidity
of Presbyterian or Congregational ordination, and
the impropriety of public extempore prayer, as
also of the apostolical authority of the English
Church and the superior beauty and advantages
of its Liturgy, and in the year 1722 came to
Boston, to take passage for England, for the pur-
pose of being there invested with holy orders.
Mr Brown died in England. The two other gen-
tlemen, after effecting their object, returned to
America the next year. Dr Johnson took charge
of a small Episcopal church, then the only one,
in Connecticut, and Dr Cutler became the first
rector of the North or Christ Church in Boston.
This, the second episcopal church in the town,
had been built while he was abroad. The design
had been greatly encouraged and forwarded by
a subscription of the congregation of King's Cha-
pel, and was undertaken, according to the pre-
amble of the subscription paper, because " the
church of England at the south part of Boston, is
not large enough to contain all the people that
would come to it." The corner stone of Christ
Church was laid by the Rev. Mr Myles, on the
* Mr, afterwards Dr Samuel Johnson, was at the time of
his resolution to obtain orders, minister of a congregational
church in West Haven. — Chandler's Life of Johnson.
bO PERIOD FIFTH.
15th of April, 1723, and was opened for public
worship by Dr Cutler, on the 29th of Decem-
ber.
In the summer of 1727 Mr Myles was obliged,
through illness, to cease from his duties at the
Chapel, where his portion of the services was
performed by a Mr Watts. The next February
he directed a letter " to the Parishioners of the
King's Chapel at Boston in New England," as
follows :
" Gentlemen, — Inasmuch as I am at present
in a very low and languishing condition, and God
only knows when I shall recover my health, so
as to be able to perform the Duties of my Holy
Function, I therefore most earnestly intreat you
speedily to find out some method to procure me
a Curate from England, who may come over as
soon as may be ; and in so doing you will oblige
your very weak and afflicted but faithful Friend
■ — Samuel Myles.
Boston N. E. Feb. 2nd : 1727-8."
In the beginning of March Mr Myles died.*
He may be considered the first rector of the
Chapel, though not of the Society, because Mr
RatclifFe left Boston soon after the Chapel was
* The expenses of his funeral were nearly £200, and
were defrayed by the church.
PERIOD FIFTH . "87
built. With the exception of his voyage to Eng-
land, and occasional services rendered to the
church at Marblehead, he officiated constantly
at the Chapel, from its opening till within a few
months of his decease, a period of nearly forty
years. To judge from the steady increase cf his
congregation, he must have been a worthy and
pious man and an acceptable preacher. His suc-
cessful mission to England, shows him to have
been prudent and energetic. He certainly was
not very happy with either of his assistants, but
the nature of the relation between them suffi-
ciently accounts for this ; and though he may
have committed no aggression or wrong, he pro-
bably maintained all his rights. He lived peace-
ably and usefully with his congregation, much of
whose prosperity was owing to his exertions, and
which continued to flourish without intermission
under his equable care, till he was called, as we
may trust, to higher services in a holier temple.
On his decease, his people paid every mark of
respect to his memory, but were divided among
themselves with regard to a successor. There
was a party in favor of Mr Harris, but they were
a minority. The larger portion were much
offended with him, and were opposed to his being
either rector or curate. The causes of this op-
position I am not enabled by the records to
88 PERIOD FIFTH.
determine. They could not have affected his
moral character, nor could the opposition have
been carried to any extreme of virulence, because
he all the time officiated at the Chapel, and con-
tinued so to do, by vote of the congregation, till
his own decease.
Another difficulty was raised respecting the
right of presentation to the rectorship of the
Chapel. The congregation were afraid that the
Bishop of London would claim it, whereas they
insisted on its belonging to themselves, and voted
to defend it at any expense against any who
might dispute it. Their agent in this business in
London, was Mr Thomas Sandford. He had sev-
eral interviews with the Bishop, in some of which
he was accompanied by Mr Charles Apthorp who
was then in England, and an amicable settlement
was the result. Even on his first visit to the
Bishop, the latter told him that he did not pre-
tend to the right of presentation, but thought
that it was in the congregation who supported the
minister ; and it was agreed that his lordship
should recommend, some fit person as rector, who
should be the person whom Mr Sandford, as the
agent of the congregation, should present to his
Lordship for his license. Accordingly Mr Roger
Price was recommended, presented, and licensed.
PERIOD FIFTH. 89
The Bishop* says of him, in a letter written in
April, 11*29, "He has been long known to
me, and is one whom I am willing to en-
trust with the power of commissary for in-
specting the lives and manners of the clergy, if
he succeed in that place ; and I think a better
service cannot be done the congregation than the
inducing both parties to unite in him."
The account of the new rector's induction is
truly a tale of old times to us, and must impress
every reflecting mind with a sense of the changes
which a century has produced on this spot.
" At a meeting of the Vestry in King's Chapel
on the 25. June, 1729,
" Present,
William Handle, > ni z T^ 7
-„r 0 > Church wardens.
William speakman, )
James Stevens, Esq. John Checkley,
George Cradock, Benjamin Walker,
Joshua Wroe, Samuel Grainger,
George Stewart, Robert Skinner,
Jonathan Pue ,Esq. Thomas Creese, Junr.
Thomas Child, Thomas Holker.
Thomas Wallis.
" About four o'clock in the afternoon, the
Rev. Mr Roger Price was conducted into Kind's
* Edmund Gibson was then Bishop of London.
90 PERIOD FIFTH.
Chapel by the Rev. Mr Henry Harris, it being
a few hours after the arrival of the Rev. Mr
Price, and a letter from Mr Thomas Sandford to
the Committee was read, importing that the Rev.
Mr Roger Price was the person he had present-
ed to the Lord Bishop of London, by virtue of
the power devolved upon him by the votes of
the Congregation of the 13th March, 1727-8.
Whereupon the Rev. Mr Price produced the
following Licence and Certificate, reading them
in the Church, and then delivered them to the
Church Wardens to be recorded in the Church
Book/''
Here follow copies of the Bishop's Licence in
Latin, and Mr Price's declaration in English to
conform to the Liturgy, duly sealed and signed.
Then the account proceeds.
" These above being read, the Rev. Mr Henry
Harris, the Church Wardens, the Vestry-men,
and the people who were present, all went out
of the Church, the Church Wardens at the door
delivering the key of the Church to the Rev.
Mr Price, who locking himself in the Church,
tolled the bell, and then unlocked the door of
the Church, receiving the Church Wardens and
Vestry men into the Church again, who wished
him joy upon his having possession of the Church.
PERIOD FIFTH. 91
— Then the Rev. Mr Price ordered the Clerk
to give public warning in the Church upon the
Sunday following, that the Congregation meet in
the Church next Wednesday, at eleven of the
clock in the Forenoon."
This ceremony was in accordance with the
customs of the English Church ; but though it
was gratifying to many of the Chapel congrega-
tion, and met with open opposition from none,
there were yet many who did not in the least
relish it, for a republican spirit was even now
working in this most royal and loyal church.
There were many who preferred to come to the
King's Chapel, who yet were not thorough Eng-
lish churchmen. They had the congregation-
al notions respecting their property, and could
with difficulty agree that Mr Price should own,
even in form, what they had paid for. They
had a dislike, also, to the whole proceeding of
foreign presentation to the Bishop. These sen-
timents spread and prevailed in the church more
and more.
Mr Harris survived the arrival of Mr Price
but a few months. He died on the 16th of the
following October; and it may serve to show
the terms on which the church and he had lived
together for a few years past, to state, what b
92 PERIOD FIFTH.
unpleasant to state in the solemn connexion of
death, that more than a year after his decease,
the congregation voted that no money should be
paid out of the church stock toward defraying
the charge of burying him, though they had
granted an expensive funeral to Mr Myles. His
life, indeed, for the last years of it, must have
been but a " fitful fever," and whatever were the
exciting causes of it, or whoever was most to
blame for it, himself or others, it is enough now
to know, that " after it he slept well." This is
the universal termination, and it is a quiet one.
And, truly, as I turn over the yellow leaves of our
records, and read the lines of faded ink, and note
the successive variations of orthography and style,
and the constant changes of handwriting, and see
names, some familiar and some forgotten, of min-
isters, governors, wardens and vestrymen, appear-
ing and then disappearing, the representatives of
generations which have here " kept holy time,"
the fleeting nature of our life, with all its scenes
and occupations, is revealed to me with more
than a common distinctness, and men and ages
seem to melt away before me like the flakes of
snow in spring-time, which dissolve as they feel
the earth. And when I have perused votes, ex-
pressive of division or estrangement, and think
that the hands which were held up to pass them,
PERIOD FIFTH. 93
and the hands which were employed in record-
ing those, are now turned to dust, and that some
of those who were so active and so heated then
are now sleeping coldly in the green yard beside
us, or beneath this very floor,* I seem to hear
the voice, the " still small voice " of peace. It
speaks of love ; it speaks from the grave ; it
speaks to those for whom the grave is waiting —
and alas for us if it speaks in vain.
Immediately after Mr Harris's death, the con-
gregation applied, as usual, to the Bishop of
London, for some one to succeed him. The
Rev. Thomas Harward was accordingly sent;
and the Bishop, in a letter to Mr Price, dated
July 3d, 1730, thus speaks of him. " Mr
Harward, who comes over to succeed Mr Harris,
is well recommended by the neighboring clergy
in Surrey, where he has been an incumbent for
many years, near Guilford ; and their recommen-
dation is confirmed by the Bishop of Winchester,
their Diocesan, according to the method I use for
receiving due satisfaction concerning the Charac-
ters of such Persons as offer themselves for mis-
sionaries. He is directed to behave himself to-
wards you with all due respect, as his Superior,
* There are family tombs under the Chapel, and a large
one, called the Stranger's Tomb, under the tower.
94 PERIOD FIFTH.
and not to intermeddle in any matter, but what
shall appear to belong to him as Lecturer, But
it is impossible for me to descend to particulars,
since I do not know what share of duty properly
belongs to him as such. If you can fix that mat-
ter between yourselves, with the advice and as*
sistance of some serious persons of the Congrega-
tion, I shall be ready to ratify it, that it may be
a rule to all future Ministers and Lecturers of
that Church."
Mr Price received at the same time from the
Bishop his Commission as Commissary ; an of-
fice which had been created for the sake of the
English Church in America, to answer the pur-
poses in some measure, of the episcopal function
and dignity. It was a kind of vicarage under the
Bishop, invested with a superintending authority
from the Bishop, and subject to his control.
Other Commissaries beside Mr Price had been
appointed for other parts of the country. " I
also send you," says Bishop Gibson, " three
copies of the Directions I have drawn, for all the
Commissarys in the Plantations, in order to their
proceeding against irregular Clergymen, which
I hope you will have no occasion to carry into
practice."
Of Mr Har ward, the assistant, or lecturer, or
king's chaplain, as he was indifferently termed,
PERIODFIFTH. 95
we hear nothing in connexion with the Chapel,
but that not long after his arrival he refused to
join with a Committee appointed by the united
vestries of King's Chapel and Christ Church, in
drawing up a memorial to the Bishop of London,
and a petition to the King, respecting what were
called " the sufferings of the Churchmen in this
Province."
The sufferings of the Churchmen ! What a
change, and what a retribution ! Think of the
days of Archbishop Laud. Think of the " suf-
ferings " of the old puritans. And think, and
think again, how unjust, how blind are pains and
penalties and all kinds of coercion in matters of
religion. History teaches nothing more plainly
than this ; and it teaches nothing more impor-
tant than this, or more necessary to be learned,
and got by heart ; and yet how slowly it has
been learned, and with how little heartiness have
its truth and necessity been accepted. The suf-
ferings complained of, arose directly from the ope-
ration of the laws of the Colony. Members of
the Church of England were distrained and im-
prisoned for not paying towards the building of
Congregational, or what they termed Dissenting
meeting-houses, and the support of Dissenting
teachers. Application was made for redress
to the " Great and General Court ; " and the
96 PERIOD FIFTH.
Court being backward in affording redress, the
united churches employed counsel to prosecute
their claims in London, and chose a committee,
as before stated, to represent their case to their
Diocesan and to the King.
The answer which the Bishop returns, sets
forth, it must be confessed, in a strong light, the
impartiality of the gentlemen of the law abroad,
and their adherence to their principles in spite of
their feelings and prejudices. " We have at last
obtained," he says in his letter to Mr Price, of
Feb. 6, 1732-3, " the opinion of the Attorney
and Solicitor General in relation to the New Eng-
land Charter, and the power of the Legislature
there to make laws for rateing the members of
the Episcopal Churches to the Independent
Ministers." He then declares, though with sor-
row, that those high legal authorities thought that
the exercise of the power claimed by the colony
began so early, and had continued so long, that
there was little encouragement to hope that their
acts could be pronounced null and void. " I am
obliged to write," he adds, " in this plain, though
uncomfortable manner, that you may judge how
far it will be advisable for the members of the
Church there to make it a Cause ; and if judge-
ment be given against them, as it certainly will,
to bring it before the King and Council by way
of appeal."
PERIOD FIFTH. (J 7
Here was consistency, at least. Dissenters
in England were?/ and still are obliged to support
the clergy of the establishment, beside obliging
themselves to support their own, and it was but
fair that Churchmen, when surrounded abroad
by a majority who looked on them as Dissenters,
should not be permitted to complain very loudly
or effectually of the operation of a principle
which was acted on at home.* But how defec-
tive is the principle itself; and how impossible it
is, at least in this case, for an old wrong to grow
into a right.
On the 15th of April, 1736, Mr Harward
died,f and the usual application for another Assist-
* The grievance to the Churchmen here, was not in fact
very great. Only three cases of oppression could be produced
before the General Court, and the churches were obliged to
pay for hunting up raore. One thing complained of \
the refusal of seats in the Board of Overseers of Harvard
College to the ministers of King's Chape! and Christ Church.
t At a vestry meeting, April 16, 1736. «' Voted that Mr
John Merrett, Mr James Gordon, and Thomas Greene be •*
Committee to take care that the Rev. Mr 1 nomas Harward
be buried in a decent frugal manner, and in the absence of
either of them, Mr Samuel Bannister is to act in his room."
At a meeting of the Congregation, April 18. " Voted that
the charges that shall arise by burying the Rev. Mr Thomas
Harward, deceased, be paid out of the Church Stock. Voted,
that Mr John Merrett, Mr James Gordon, and Thomas
Greene be a Committy to order the way and manner of the
funeral."
7
93 PERIOD FIFTH.
ant was again made to the Bishop, in a letter
from the rector, wardens and vestry. In this let-
ter they say, " Our infant Church being sur-
rounded with ten dissenting Congregations in this
principal Town, which are provided with Minis-
ters the most esteemed for Learning and Piety
among them, its prosperity depends much on the
Abilities and good Qualities of our Ministers.
We therefore relye on your Lordship's Judge-
ment and Goodness in speedily supplying us with
a proper Person." The person appointed was
the Rev. Mr Addington Davenport, who had
been for some time minister or missionary to the
church in Scituate. He entered on his duties
about a year after the death of Mr Harward.
Bishop Gibson wrote him the following letter on
his appointment.
"Whitehall, Jan. 29, 1736-7.
" Good Sir, — I have appointed you to suc-
ceed Mr Harward in the duty at the King's
Chappie, there to be performed by you under
the rules and directions which have been given
by the Bishop Compton and myself. You will
not fail in general to pay all due respect to Mr
Price, both as chief Pastor of the congregation
and as my Commissary ; and when the duty of
this latter station obliges him to be absent from
Boston, which, as I am informed, is very seldom.
PERIOD FIFTH 99
I think it reasonable that you should perform his
duty there without expecting any gratuity for it.
As to the other accidental inabilities or absences
on account of health or necessary business, which
both of you in your turns may have occasion
for, I hope there is no need to exhort either of
you to afford mutual assistance to each other.
I desire you to communicate this letter to Mr
Price, and have no more to add at this time but
to commend you to the Divine protection, and
to wish you success in your pastoral labours, which
will always be a great satisfaction to
Sir, your assured Friend and Brother,
Edm. London."
And still Episcopacy continued to spread in
Boston. Notwithstanding Christ Church was
built in 1723, and large galleries had since been
added to King's Chapel, it had been resolved as
early as the year 1728 to build a new Church at
the corner of Summer Street and Bishop-alley,
now Hawley Street, " by reason that the Chapel
was full, and no pews to be bought by new
comers." The corner stone of Trinity Church
was laid by Commissary Price, on the 15th of
April, 1734. On the 15th of August, 1735, the
Rev. Mr Harward read prayers there, and Mr
Price preached the first sermon. Afterwards
Mr Price and Mr Davenport officiated there, by
100 PERIOD FIFTH.
leave of their own church, as did other episco-
pal ministers. In May, 1740, Mr Davenport,
who had so recently been made Assistant at
King's Chapel, accepted the invitation of the
congregation of Trinity Church to become their
pastor, and he was accordingly inducted as their
firs1, rector.
To prove still further that episcopacy was then
prevailing as it has never since prevailed here, at
a vestry meeting holden on the 18th of Septem-
ber of the same year, 1740, the following vote
was passed to consider of the rebuilding the
King's Chapel. " Voted that a Committee of
six persons of this Church shall be joinad with
the minister and church wardens, and shall be
chosen to consider of a method of raising a sub-
scription for the rebuilding the King's Chappel."
The measures which were taken in pursuance
of this vote, and which resulted in the erection
of the elegant and spacious church in which we
now worship, will be considered, with other
matters, in the next discourse.
PERIOD SIXTH.
RESIGNATION OF MR PRICE. — SETTLEMENT OF DR CA-
NER. — BUILDING OF THE STONE CHAPEL.
THE GOD OF HEAVEN. HE WILL PROSPER US} THEREFORE
WE HIS SERVANTS WILL ARISE AND BUILD. — Nek. il. 20.
In consequence of the vote passed in 1740 to
consider of the rebuilding of the Chapel, William
Shirley, Esq. a warden of the church, and after-
wards Governor of the State, was appointed to
draw up a subscription paper, which he did, and
headed the list himself with the liberal sum of one
hundred pounds sterling. Other subscriptions to
a considerable amount were obtained, and Peter
Faneuil, Esq.* was constituted Treasurer of the
building fund. Owing to his death, however, and
some other circumstances, the business received
a temporary check, and was suffered to rest for
several years.
On the removal of Mr Davenport to Trinity
Church, the Bishop of London was applied to
for a successor to fill his place at the Chapel.
* The same who gave to the town the famous hall called
by his name.
102 PERIOD SIXTH.
The Rev. Stephen Rowe, or Roe, was mention-
ed, who was at that time a minister in South
Carolina, but unable to stay there on account of
his health. The applicants spoke of him as a
person who, they were sure, would be agreeable
to them. To use their own expressions, they
" begged leave to insinuate that they had once
heard him read divine service, and preach, and
well approved his talent therein. Yet finally,"
they say, " we rest ourselves in your Lordship's
wisdom and goodness, properly and seasonably to
supply us."
Mr Roe, after some delay, was appointed to
the situation, and entered on his duties in 1741 :
but he did not remain long at the Chapel, nor do
I learn anything of him or his departure from the
records.
The ecclesiastical condition of the church at
this period experienced some important changes.
Mr Price had not been long settled as rector, be-
fore differences began to spring up between him
and his congregation ; the short account of which
is, that he presumed too much on his place and
dignity of Commissary, and they were growing
jealous of their congregational rights and privi-
leges. In May, 1734, he communicated his in-
tention of leaving the church and returning to
England, and no regret was manifested by his
PERIOD SIXTH. 103
people at the prospect of losing him. He took
his passage on board a vessel bound to London,
and actually set sail in her ; but being detained
at Nantasket by contrary winds, he came up to
Boston, requested the wardens to call a vestry
meeting, and announced his resolution to stay with
his church. Whereupon a list of his former pre-
tensions was made out, and on his agreeing to give
them all up, it was voted by the congregation, on
the 26th of May, that he should be Rector and
minister of the Church as before. The six arti-
cles thus consented to by Mr Price, serve as an
explanation of the principal causes of contention
between him and his people. They are as follows.
" 1 . To have no pretentions to the perquisites
of the money for burying under the church.
2. To have no pretentions in chuseing a Church
Warden.
3. To have no pretentions to the Church
Stock.
4. To have no pretentions to the Church Li-
brary ; only the use of them.
5. To preach on Sunday afternoons ; when it
can be done.
6. To make due entries of the Church mar-
riages, christenings and burials in the book provi-
ded for that purpose."
That Mr Price should ever have made such
104 PERIOD SIXTH.
pretensions as are here resigned, appears singular
to us, with our present customs and habits of
thinking. But it must be recollected that Mr
Price came over from England, and took posses-
sion of the Chapel, with English notions of a rec-
tor's prerogatives, and that some of the conces-
sions which he was obliged to make, were extort-
ed by the innovating spirit of the church. With
regard to the appointment of wardens, for instance,
it would seem that Mr Myles, the predecessor of
Mr Price, exercised the privilege of nominating
to that office ; for it is recorded, that in the year
1726 he informed the vestry that Charles Ap-
thorp refused to serve as Church Warden, and
nominated Mr Thomas Selby, who was chosen.
I have been told that the English custom is, that
the Rector nominate one of the wardens, and the
vestry the other. But Mr Price undoubtedly as-
sumed too much, and by thus rendering himself
unpopular, lost some privileges which by quiet-
ness he might have retained.
Several other troubles of a serious nature arose
between the parties, and reference was occasion-
ally had to the Bishop of London. At length, on
Thanksgiving day, Nov. 27, 1746, Mr Price signi-
fied to the congregation his final intention of going to
England, and quitting the rectorship and cure of the
church. The congregation then took the bold
PERIOD SIXTH.
105
and unprecedented step of choosing a committee
to consider of a fit person in holy orders, and to
recommend him as such, not to the Bishop of
London, but to the congregation, to be appointed
Rector of the King's Chapel, in the room of Mr
Price. On the evening of the same day, this
committee met at the Royal Exchange Tavern,
and agreed unanimously to recommend the Rev.
Mr Henry Caner, minister of the church in Fair-
field, Connecticut, to the congregation of the
Chapel, to be their rector. At an adjourned
meeting of the congregation, on Sunday the 30th,
Mr Price's letter of resignation, and the report of
the committee having been read, the question was
put, " Whether wee should choose a minister to
succeed the Revd Mr Commissary Price from
amongst the clergy in holy orders in New Eng-
land, or write to his Lordship our Diocesan, and
other friends in Old England to procure us a min-
ister from thence ; and it was carried by a great
majority that wee should choose a minister from
amongst the Clergy in New England." After
this, the congregation proceeded to the choice of
a minister, and the Rev. Henry Caner was
chosen by a great majority.
This independent line of conduct shows a wide
departure from the old course, which had always
pointed hitherto in the direction of London. The
106 PERIOD SIXTH.
assistant minister or lecturer, however, was ac-
knowledged to be at the disposal of the Diocesan,
because his salary came from abroad ; and the
church were regular in their applications to the
Bishop for the appointment of this officer on
every occasion of vacancy.
The customary letters having passed between
the conoretration and Mr Caner, of invitation
on their part, and acceptance on his, he removed
from Fairfield to Boston, and the day succeeding
his arrival, Saturday, April 11, 1747, was con-
ducted to the Chapel by the Rev. Mr Commis-
sary Price, and there put in possession of the
church after the same manner and form which had
been observed in the case of the latter gentle-
man ; no mention being made of the Bishop of
London, however, throughout the whole affair.*
The terms on which he was settled were, that
* From the record?. " The Reverd Mr Henry Caner
came (o town on ffriday Evening, and the next morning,
April 11, 1747, about Eleven o'clock in the forenoon, he was
conducted to the King's Chapel in Boston by the Reverd Mr
Commissary Price, the Church Wardens and others of the
Comittee appointed as above, who all went out of the Church,
the Church Wardens at the door delivering the key oi
the Church to the Reverd Mr Caner, who locking himself
in the Church, tolled the Bell, and then unlocked the Door,
receiving the Church Wardens and Comittee &c. into the
Church again, who wished him joy upon his haveing Posses^
sionof the Church."
PERIOD SIXTH. 107
he was to be paid the long established salary of
one hundred and ten pounds sterling per annum,
at that time equal to eleven hundred pounds old
tenor ; that he was to share the public services
of the church with the Assistant for the time be-
ing, and receive all perquisites as the Rector's
due.
In the summer of this year, 1747, the Rev.
Commissary Price sailed for England in the Mer-
maid man of war. Though he had not lived on
the happiest terms with his people, his talents
were good and his morals irreproachable. His
great failing was, that he could not accommodate
himself to the country to which he had come, and
was always wishing to live more like a dignitary
of the church at home than the habits of this
country would bear. He published two sermons
here, if no more. One was preached in January.
1733, on occasion of the death of John Jekyll,
Esq. collector of Customs ; and the other on the
death of the queen, in March, 1733. The former
of these 1 have seen. The style is considerably
studied and ornate, and the sentiments are good
and well suited to the occasion. It is such a ser-
mon as would be heard with interest at any time
by any congregation.
Mr Caner entered on his duties, as Rector of
King's Chapel, with a high reputation. He was
108 PERIOD SIXTH.
educated at Yale College, and became a candi-
date for episcopal orders two or three years after
the ordination of Doctors Johnson and Cutler.
" In 1727 he went to England for ordination, and
the Society appointed him their missionary to
Fairfield. His occasional services at Norwalk
greatly recommended the Church ; and it was
not long before he had a respectable congregation
there, as well as at Fairfield." * In Boston he
was considered as a more than commonly good
preacher ; and his congregation at the Chapel,
essaying to turn his popularity to their advantage,
were led into an unpleasant altercation with the
Assistant or Lecturer, the Rev. Charles Brock-
well, who had been appointed to succeed Mr
Roe in 1747, and who had previously been min-
ister of the churches at Scituate and Salem. Mr
Brockwell, according to the appointment of the
Bishop of London, wTas " Lecturer or Afternoon
Preacher," and of course his time of officiating
at the Chapel was the afternoon. But the week-
ly collection, on which the church mainly depend-
ed for the rector's salary, was taken in the after-
noon ; and it was the desire of the congregation
7 O O
that Mr Caner, as the most attractive preacher,
should officiate at that season, rather than in the
morning, which more particularly belonged to
* Chandler's Life of Dr Johnson, p. 62.
PERIOD SIXTH. J09
him. This desire they expressed, in a formal
manner, to Mr Brockwell ; and that gentleman's
meekness not being prepared for such an appli-
cation, by no means a flattering one, he at first
refused his consent, and resolved to abide by the
very terms of the Bishop's appointment. But
he afterwards, with a reservation of his right,
agreed to the proposed arrangement. This af-
fair occupies in its details, several pages of the
records. Without making the comments which
might be made upon it, it will be sufficient to re-
mark on the change of customs of which it fur-
nishes another example. The afternoon would
not now be selected here, as the season for the
fullest congregations.
Beside Mr Caner's popularity in the pulpit,
he had also a remarkable talent for business ; and
it was probably owing in a great measure to this
characteristic of the Rector, that soon after his
settlement, the design of rebuilding the Chapel
was resumed, and prosecuted with vigor and dil-
igence to its completion. The subscription paper
was revived ; letters were sent in all directions,
in the country and out of it, to solicit aid ; con-
tributions were taken in the church ; assessments
were laid on the pews ; and every effort and
method was resorted to which seemed to promise
any furtherance to the desired end. The difficulties
HO PERIOD SIXTH .
contended with were great, the exertions and
sacrifices made were constant and eminent. In
our own days of activity, there has not been a
church erected in the land at a greater expense
of labor and time, nor with a greater straining of
means. In all the measures which were pursued,
Mr Caner took a leading part ; he attended to
many if not most of the business details, and wrote
nearly all the letters of application, in which a
remarkable ingenuity is displayed in varying the
terms of the same oft repeated story, told in dif-
ferent phrase to each individual applied to, through
a series of documents which would fill a volume.
Indeed the records of this undertaking form a thin
folio volume, entitled, " A Record of Votes and
Resolutions, &c, together with some brief Me-
moirs of the Transactions relating to the rebuild-
ing King's Chapel in Boston." This volume is
my guide in the narrative which follows, and my
authority for all the facts. As it recounts some
things which have been already briefly mention-
ed, it may serve the purpose of a useful recapitu-
lation, to present an abstract of the entire story,
as there given.
The manuscript begins with stating that King's
Chapel was first erected of wood in the year
1688, that it was enlarged in 1710, and being
found in the year 1741 in a state of considerable
PERIOD SIXTH . Ill
decay, that it was proposed to rebuild it of stone.
The Rev. Roger Price was at that time '• min-
ister," and Wra. Shirley, Esq. (about the same
time appointed Governor of the Province) and
Mr Saml. Wentworth, wardens. A voluntary
subscription was set on foot, and Peter Faneuil,
Esq. chosen treasurer for receiving sums sub-
scribed. The building was to be of stone, and
to cost £25,000, old tenor. It was net to be
commenced till £10,000 were subscribed.
The names on the first subscription paper were
as follows : Win. Shirley, Esq. ; Sir Henry Frank-
land ; Ed. Tyng ; Eliakim Hutchinson ; Charles
Apthorp; Henry Caswall ; John Gibbins ;
James Gordon ; James Smith ; Robert Lightfoot ;
Thos. Hawding ; Chas. Paxton ; Saml. Went-
worth ; Peter Faneuil.
The principal contributers among these were,
Mr Faneuil, for £200 sterling (i. e. 2000 old
tenor), Mr Shirley, £100 stg. and Sir Henry
Frankland, £50 stg. The rest subscribed from
one to two hundred pounds old tenor.
As the whole sum subscribed was only £5,250
old tenor, little more than half the sum proposed
to begin with, and as Mr Faneuil soon afterwards
died, the affair languished, and was for some time
laid aside. In 1747, Mr Price having resigned,
and Mr Caner having been chosen to succeed
liim, it was revived.
112 PERIOD SIXTH.
Though the Chapel was now more ruinous
than before, It was objected by some to the re-
building it, that the war had raised the price of
materials and made building more expensive.
To this it was answered that the war had also
brought a number of army and navy officers into
the town, who might be expected to assist the
design.
A meeting was held at Mr Caner's house *
o
for the purpose of reviving and prosecuting the
old subscription ; at which were present Governor
Shirley, Sir Henry Frankland, the two wardens,
(James Gordon and John Box) Eliakim Hutch-
inson, Thomas Lechmere, Charles Apthorp, Dr
Silvester Gardiner, and James Smith. A new
subscription paper was drawn up and proposed
by Mr Caner, to which all present agreed and
subscribed. It was dated Sept. 30, 1747. By
it the subscribers, " out of regard to the honor of
God, and the more decent provision for his pub-
lick worship, and for confirming and promoting
the said subscription heretofore begun," oblige
themselves, executors and administrators to pay
to Charles Apthorp, Esq. appointed their trea-
* Situated on the north side of the burying-ground, and
lately taken down for the purpose of building on the lot a
new Savings Bank of stone. It was of wood, rough-cast
outside. In this house were the rooms of the Boston
Athenamm from 1810 to 1822.
PERIOD SIXTH. 113
surer, or to his successor, the sums annexed to
their names. But it was provided, that if the
sum of two thousand pounds sterling was not
raised within a year and a half from the date of
the paper, the subscriptions should be considered
void, and all moneys paid were to be refunded.
On this second paper Gov. Shirley stood first,
and enlarged his subscription to £200 stg. Sir
Henry Frankland gave £150 stg. and Charles
Apthorp £1000 old tenor, or £100 stg. The
whole subscriptions of nine persons amounted to
£6200 old tenor, which was more than was
before obtained from fourteen.
The paper being handed round, a considerable
sum was subscribed. It was resolved that a weekly
meeting should be held at some public house, in
order to advance the design ; that the church
should be enlarged as well as rebuilt ; and that
an address should be made to the town for ground
sufficient to effect this enlargement. And, " not
to lose time while these things were in agitation,
sundry letters were drawn up to be sent abroad
to ask assistance of well disposed persons towards
carrying on the good work."
The first of these letters was to Wm. Vassall,
Esq. then in the Island of Jamaica. It was dated
Jan. 28, 1747-8, and signed by the minister,
wardens and vestry. They mention that a vio-
8
114 PERIOD SIXTH.
lent storm had carried away a large part of the
roof, which obliged them to hasten their opera-
tions in the design of rebuilding the church.
They observe that they have already obtained
about £1600 stg. " We have," they say,
" upon former occasions, particularly at the first
erecting the chapel, experienced the generosity
of the gentlemen in the West India Islands, and
their readiness to assist their brethren in these
parts destitute of the favour of the government and
many advantages which they enjoy to promote
affairs of this nature." They beg Mr Vassall to
obtain aid for them from the charitable and well
disposed people in the Island of Jamaica, and to be
their agent in receiving and transmitting the same.
The next letter was to the Bishop of London,
and is sufficiently curious to copy entire.
" To the Right Revd. Father in God, Edmund, Lord Bishop
of London.
" Boston, July 25, 1748.
" May it please your Lordship,
" We think it our duty to acquaint your
Lordship, that Time and other accidents, partic-
ularly a late remarkable storm, have so much
impaired King's Chapel in Boston, that it is be-
come necessary to rebuild it ; to which purpose
the Congregation have cheerfully entered upon a
Subscription which at present amounts to £ 16,000
PERIOD SIXTH 115
New England Currency, equal to so many hun-
dreds Sterling, and is daily increasing ; but as we
have no expectation of their ability to compleat
the work of themselves, they have thought proper
to apply to such friends whose ability and virtue
give hopes of their encouraging a design of this
nature. But as all probable means in our power
will he found little enough to accomplish the
aood work, we humbly beg leave to ask your
Lordship's opinion of the propriety of an appli-
cation to his majesty, in favour of a Church, the
first in America ; and who at the publick Charge
erected a very handsome Pew for His Majesty's
Governour, a Church which has heretofore tasted
of the Royall Bounty, and if we may judge by
the Name, seems in some measure encouraged
to expect it. We are sensible your Lordship's
interest and influence would be the greatest se-
curity of success, if such an application were
thought practicable and proper, whether that
assistance were asked from the Royal Bounty or
by virtue of an authoritative Brief. — In hopes
of being favoured with your Lordship's direction
and supported by your interest, we beg leave to
assure your Lordship that we are, with all duty
and submission.
" Your Lordship's most obedient and most
Humble Servants."
116 PERIOD SIXTH.
Matters being advanced thus far, it was thought
expedient to take a public and authoritative vote
of the proprietors on the subject of rebuilding,
which was accordingly done on Sunday, March
27, 1748, when it was unanimously determined
that on account of the ruinous and decayed con-
dition of King's Chapel, it should be taken down
and rebuilt. A few days previously, a petition,
as before agreed on, had been presented to the
town, for a piece of ground at the east end of the
church, that the new building might be made
more spacious and commodious than the old one.
The town chose a committee to confer with the
committee of the church, and the result of the
conference was a proposal that the church should
have the lot occupied by the school-house at the
east end of the old building, with the reservation
of a passage way of ten feet wide into the bury-
ing ground, on condition that the school-house
should be rebuilt by the church on a convenient
spot in the vicinity. Thereupon the petitioners
bargained for a piece of ground at a short distance
from the school-house, and also for another more
expensive lot opposite the school-house, on the
south side of School Street, as the former coold
not be purchased without the latter.* But the
* Col Saltonstall was owner of this land.
PERIOD SIXTH. 117
Committee of the town, finding the latter piece a
more desirable situation than the other, rose in
their demands, and insisted that a school-house
should be erected for them there. This came
near to break off the negotiations, and compel the
church to rebuild according to the old dimensions.
But Governor Shirley and others came forward,
and said nobly and sensibly, " that as the Build-
ing was designed for Posterity as well as them-
selves, it would hereafter be deemed very injudi-
cious if an advantage of enlarging it into a con-
venient and regular building should nowT be lost
for the sake of an increased charge." The
church was induced to persevere, and to present
to the town another petition. Much obstinate and
vexatious opposition was encountered, especially
from one or two of the selectmen, and Mr Lovell
the schoolmaster, but the end of the whole busi-
ness was, that the church erected a school-house
on the required lot opposite the old one, and on
which the present Latin School now stands, and
gave it, together with the ground, to the town,
and in return were granted the lot at the east end
of the Chapel, and a strip four feet wide on the
north side of it, and thus were enabled to rebuild
the Chapel according to its present location and
measurement. Wherever the new boundaries
encroached on tombs or graves, leave wTas readi-
ly obtained from the friends of the deceased for
118 PERIOD SIXTH.
the removal of their remains, and their decent in-
terment elsewhere.
Toward the end of this year (1748J the school-
house being nearly completed, the Committee
turned their attention to contracting for materials
for the church, and collecting the first payment of
their subscriptions. For the subscription of Peter
Faneuil, Esq. deceased, they were unfortunately
obliged to sue his brother and executor, Benjamin
Faneuil, from whom, after a disagreeable lawsuit,
they at last recovered it.
" In order to make an estimate of the quantity
and cost of the materials, it was necessary to fix
on some plan of the building ; for which purpose
the Rev. Mr Caner projected one, and also wrote
a letter to Mr Harrison of Rhode Island, a gen-
tleman of good judgment in architecture."
This letter, addressed to a gentleman who real-
ly deserved the name of an architect, and to whom
this part of the country is indebted for more than
one specimen of correct, tasteful and appropriate
architecture, is as follows.
" Boston, 5th April, 1749.
"Mr Peter Harrison,
"Sir, — The Committee appointed to have
the care of rebuilding King's Chapel in this town,
as they design with all convenient expedition to
PERIOD SIXTH. 119
proceed In the business committed to their trust,
have desired me to acquaint you that they should
esteem it a favour if you would oblige them with a
draught of a handsome Church agreeable to the
limits hereinafter assigned.
" The length of the Church from West to East,
including the Steeple is to be 120 feet, besides
which there will be 10 feet allowed for a Chancel.
The breadth is to be 65 feet 8 inches. The ground
has a declivity of about 5 feet from West to East.
It is bounded with a fair street on the West End,
and another on the South Side. The North Side
has a large open space or Burying Ground. The
East End is bounded by private property at about
12 feet distance. As the chief beauty and strength
of building depends upon a due proportion of the
several members to each other, the gentlemen of
the committee are encouraged to make this appli-
cation to you, whom they have often heard men-
tioned with advantage for a particular judgment
and taste in things of this kind, and for the know-
ledge you have acquired by travelling and obser-
vation. We do not require any great expense of
ornament, but chiefly aim at symmetry and pro-
portion, which we entirely submit to your judg-
ment. The building is to be of rough stone, and
since the charge will greatly increase by carrying
the walls very high, if it does not interfere with
120 PERIOD SIXTH.
your judgment, we should perhaps be pleased with
one tier of windows only. This indeed will be
inconvenient for the Gallery s, and therefore if it
be not too much trouble, the gentlemen would be
glad to have a Prospect of a side of each sort, one
with a single tier of windows, and the other with
two. The Steeple and Spire for bigness, height
and ornament is left with you to determine, a
Draught of which, together with a Ground Piatt,
is what is desired and would extreamly oblige the
gentlemen of the Committee, and be esteemed a
very great favor by
" Sir, your most obt. and most humble Servant,
" H. Caner."
Contracts were made in July with Mr Hay-
ward and Mr Hunt of Braintree for North and
South Common stones, the stones from the North
Common being charged the highest. " Laborers
were now employed to open a trench for the
foundation, which being soon accomplished, to the
depth of between seven and eight feet, the Com-
mittee directed that the first stone for the founda-
tion should be laid on the 11th of August, 1749."
Governor Shirley was desired to lay the same, and
Mr Caner was invited to preach a sermon on the
occasion.
On Friday, the day appointed, " Mr Caner,
PERIOD SIXTH. 121
Mr Brock well, the Treasurer and Committee, to-
gether with the wardens, vestry, and other prin-
cipal gentlemen of the church, waited on his Ex-
cellency William Shirley, Esq. from the Province
House to the ground laid out for the. Church,
amidst a large concourse of spectators, where a
stone was prepared with the following inscription.
Quod felix faustumque sit
EcCLESIiE ET ReIPUBLICE
Hunc Lapidem Deo sacrum
Regime Capellje
Apud Bostonium Massachusettensium
RESTAURATiE ATQJJE AUCTiE FuNDAMENTUM
posuit gulielmus shirley
Province Prjefectus
Augusti IImo, Anno Salutis 1749.
" When the masons had placed the Stone at
the N. East corner of the trench, his Excellency,
according to custom, settled it with a stroke or
two of a mason's hammer, and after giving the
workmen about £20 to drink his health, went
into the [old] Church, as did also most of those
who were present, where, after Prayers, a Ser-
mon was preached with a view to the occasion
, by the Rev. Mr Caner from Neh. ii. 20." The
words of the text are those which I have placed
at the head of this discourse ; " The God of
heaven, he will prosper us ; therefore we his ser-
122 PERIOD SIXTH
vants will arise and build." The sermon was
printed at the request of the Committee.
The ceremony above related was attacked with
witty scurrillity in a paper called the Independent
Advertiser ; " but," say the records, " the malice
and ill manners of the writer got the better of his
wit, and exposed him to resentment and contempt
where he thought to have merited applause.
And indeed the sober and serious men of all par-
ties in the town were so much offended at the ill
manners and irreligion discovered in this libel, that
it soon gave occasion to the suppressing the paper
in which it was published, especially as it had
long been made use of for a vehicle of scandal and
disaffection to Government."
In September an answer was received from Mr
Harrison of Newport, with the plans and eleva-
tions which had been requested.
"Newport, September 15th, 1749.
" Sir, — Since I first undertook to draw a De-
sign for the new Church, many things have un-
expectedly occurred to prevent me from finishing
it in the time you requested. However, I have
at last compleated it, and now send you per the
Post Rider all the Plans and Elevations (as men-
tioned below) which I should be glad to hear an-
swer your expectations, and that no material al
PERIOD SIXTH. 123
teration is made in the execution, as it is very
possible by that means the symmetry of the whole
may be destroyed.
" The Body of the Building (as you directed)
is as plain as the order of it will possibly admit
of, but the Steeple is fully decorated, and I be-
lieve will have a beautiful effect. The inside is
likewise designed plain, and as regular as can be
contrived from the dimensions you limited me to.
— From these hints you may perhaps be able to
answer the objections of such of the Committee
and others who may not be conversant with
drawings, or have not a taste in things of this na-
ture. I am, Sir,
" Your most humble Servant,
" Peter Harrison.
"The Plan. —The Elevation of the West
Front. — The Elevation of the South Front. —
The Section. — Breadthways. — The Plans of
the Steeple. — The Plan of the Pews.
" To the Rev. Mr Henry Caner."
As I have not seen these plans of the archi-
tect, it is impossible for me to say how closely
they were followed. But as the Committee were
well pleased with them, and wrote to Mr Harri-
son that they should follow them as nearly as they
could, it is not probable that there was any great
124 PERIOD SIXTH.
deviation from them. It is to be regretted, that
the means of the church did not permit them to
erect the steeple, as this must have proved a great
ornament both to the building and the town.
The workmen proceeded with their labor but
slowly. Granite was not then the manageable
material that it is now. In the meantime the
congregation continued to worship in the old
chapel, decayed and partially unroofed by a se-
vere storm as it was, while the walls of the new
structure were gradually rising around it. The
committee also continued to write letters to wealthy
men and dignitaries ; but not much fruit was ob-
tained from them, and the church were left to
rely mainly on their own resources, which is
generally, after all, the best reliance.* I have
* Among other unsuccessful applications was one to Capt.
Coram, the founder of the Foundling Hospital in London.
Mr Barlow Trecothick, who was then in London, waited on
him, and though graciously received, had no sooner mentioned
the purpose of his visit, than he was obliged to listen to a burst
of most passionate reproaches against the vestry of King's
Chapel for slighting a present which Capt. Coram had for-
merly made them of a piece of land. All the explanations
of Mr Trecothick served not to cool the old gentleman's rage,
who at last flatly told his visitor, with an oath, " that he
knew it was in his power to serve the church very much,
but that if the twelve apostles were to apply to him in be-
half of it, he would persist in refusing to do it." This,
says Mr Trecothick in his communication to the Committee
" I thought a definitive answer, and so took my leave."
PERIOD SIXTH. 125
hitherto in these discourses called our church the
oldest episcopal church in New England, not
venturing to go further ; but these letters advance
a still higher claim, as they almost constantly de-
scribe it, though no doubt erroneously, as the
" oldest Church in British America."
In March, 1753, the new church being so far
advanced that it was necessary to desert the old
one, the congregation requested and obtained
leave to meet in Trinity Church on Sundays, at
separate hours from the congregation of that
church, and on festival and prayer days in Mr
Croswell's meeting-house.* In April the old
church was pulled down. Before it falls to the
ground, let us take such a glimpse of its venera-
ble interior, as the mist of dim ages will allow to
us.
Since the enlargement of the Chapel in 1710,
and the erection subsequently of galleries, it con-
An application was also made to the celebrated Ralph
Allen, Esq. of Prior Park, near Bath, for freestone from his
quarries, for the interior and ornamental part of the work.
The stone was promised, but as it was found that the ex-
pense of working it would be greatly beyond the means of
the church, the design of using it was relinquished, and
wood was employed instead for the pillars and decorations.
* Dr Sewall's church was applied for to be used on Christ-
mas day. A verbal answer was returned that the request
was granted, only it was "expected that the House should
not be decorated with spruce, &c."
126 PERIOD SIXTH.
tained 122 pews, of which number 82 were on
the ground floor. But these pews must have
been small, as the present church contains no
more. The pulpit was on the north side of the
church, at about the midst. A finely decorated
pew for the governors who sat successively in it,
was opposite ; and near it there was another pew
reserved for officers of the British army and navy.
In the west gallery of this first episcopal church,
was the first organ which ever pealed to the
praise of God in this country ; while displayed
along its walls, and suspended from its pillars,
after the manner of foreign churches, were es-
cutcheons and coats of arms, being those of the
king, Sir Edmund Andros, Francis Nicholson,
Captain Hamilton, and Governors Dudley, Shute,
Burnet, Belcher and Shirley. In the pulpit
there was an hour glass, according to the old
fashion, mounted on a large and elaborate stand
of brass. At the east end there was " the Altar
piece, whereon was the Glory painted, the Ten
Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, the Creed,
and some texts of Scripture." It was a strange
sight among the bare churches of New England.
Much that was in it has gone, never to return.
We do not desire that it should return. But the
mind may muse on these tokens of rejected royalty
and forgotten heraldry, if without regret, yet with
PERIOD SIXTH. 127
that tenderness which pays a due respect to things
which were venerated aforetime, and which, with
other shadows of earth, have passed away.
On the 16th of August, 1754, letters of thanks
were written to the Ministers and Wardens of
Trinity Church, and to Mr Croswell and his Con-
gregation, for the use of their respective houses
of worship ; and on Wednesday, the 21st of the
same month, the new Chapel was opened with
prayers, and a sermon by Mr Caner, from Leviti-
cus xix. 30. " Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, and
reverence my Sanctuary ; I am the Lord." Af-
ter the sermon " the sum of £342 Old Tenor, was
collected towards finishing the Chapel, and paid
by the Church wardens to Charles Apthorp, Esq.
treasurer to the Committee." Though the house
was in a fit state for the services of the sanctuary,
it was yet far from being completed. As the
Society obtained means, they went on with the
work of finishing and beautifying it ; and up to the
month of June, 1758, it had cost £7405 sterling.
It now remains for me to give an account of
that revolution in the religious sentiments of
our church, which was a consequence of the
great political revolution of our country.
PERIOD SEVENTH.
FROM THE ERECTION OF THE STONE CHAPEL TO THE
PRESENT TIME.
THE GLORY OF THIS LATTER HOUSE SHALL BE GREATER
THAN OF THE FORMER, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS ;
AND IN THIS PLACE WILL I GIVE PEACE, SAITH THE
lord of hosts. Haggai, h- 9.
But few events in the history of the church
require to be recorded, between the period of the
erection of the " latter house," and the breaking
out of the war of the Revolution.
The Rev. Charles Brockwell, assistant, died
on the 20th August, 1155, and the Rev. John
Troutbeck was appointed to succeed him the
same year.
In 1756 the noble organ which now stands in
our west gallery was procured from England, and
paid for by the subscription of individuals belong-
ing to the church. Its original cost in London
was £500 sterling ; and when all charges were
added, its whole expense amounted to £637.
As it was obtained by private subscription, no
PERIOD SEVENTH.
notice of it whatever is taken in the church re-
cords. The only memorial concerning it with
which I am acquainted, is a paragraph in the
" Boston Gazette and Country Journal" of 30th
of August, 1756, which is copied into our later
records, and is as follows.
" We hear that the organ, which lately arrived
from London by Capt. Farr for King's Chapel
in this Town, will be opened on Thursday next
in the Afternoon ; and that said organ (which
contains a variety of curious stops never yet heard
in these parts) is esteemed by the most eminent
masters in England, to be equal, if not superior
to any of the same size in Europe. — There will
be a sermon suitable to the Occasion ; Prayers to
begin at four o'clock."
There is a very current tradition respecting
this organ, that it was selected by Handel him-
self. Taking into consideration the above refer-
ence to" the most eminent masters in England,"
we may receive this tradition as founded in truth.
And moreover, as the organ was designed for the
King's Chapel in New England, we may readily
suppose that his Majesty's favorite musician would
at least be desired to give his opinion of its mer-
its ; and this opinion, being favorable, might be
called a selection, even if the " mighty master"
gave himself no further trouble with its purchase.
9
130 PERIOD SEVENTH.
Handel died in 1758, and was blind eight years
before his death. But sight was not at all ne-
cessary in the office supposed to be consigned to
him, and though his eyes never could have mea-
sured the external proportions of this organ, his
ears most probably have judged of its tones and
powers, and his own hands rested on its keys.
In August, 1760, Francis Barnard made his
public entry into Boston as Governor of the State ;
and Mr Caner having convened the Clergy and
Wardens of the three episcopal churches, waited
on him with an address of congratulation. The
next year, at the Easter meeting, Gov. Barnard
was placed, according to the established usage, at
the head of the vestry of the Chapel.
On the arrival of the intelligence of the death
of George II. and accession of George III., Mr
Caner was appointed by the governor, council
and house of representatives to preach a sermon
on the occasion ; which he did at the Chapel,
Jan. 1, 1761 ; and the sermon was printed.
" May we," says the preacher, in the concluding
sentence of his discourse, " May we and all his
subjects, duly considering whose authority he
hath, faithfully serve, honor, and humbly obey
him, [the King] for conscience' sake, according to
God's holy Word and ordinance, through Jesus
Christ our Lord ; to whom with the Father and
PERIOD SEVENTH. 131
Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, might, ma-
jesty and dominion, both now and for evermore,
Amen." The good man little thought that he
was on the brink of a deep and mighty change.
He little thought that a political revolution was
soon to drive him from the pulpit and country in
which he was so warmly expressing his loyalty,
and that in a few years his concluding ascription
and the doctrine which it denoted, would no lon-
ger be heard within the walls of this chapel.
In 1766, Florentius Vassal], Esq. of London,
sent over a marble monument in honor of his an-
cestor Samuel Vassall, requesting that it might
be erected in the Chapel. Whereupon the ves-
try voted to place it on the north side of the door,
and charged Mr Vassall with the price of pew
No. 43, which was removed to give it room. It
is an interesting monument, and still stands on the
spot of its original location, which seems to be-
long to it by right of purchase.
In 1772, an additional service of plate, together
with new pulpit furniture, was obtained from the
King through the influence of Governor Hutchin-
son.
In 1773, the ancient records end. If there
are any others in existence, embracing the remain-
ing three years during which Dr Caner discharged
his duties as rector of the church, they have not
]32 PERIOD SEVENTH.
been recovered. The last record is that of the
Easter meeting of 1773, and the last vote record-
ed is, " that the old bell,* with the Apurtenances,
be given to the Saint Ann's Church in Gardi-
nerston."
A short time previous to the breaking out of
the war, and through the whole of the year 1775,
King's Chapel was the place of worship of many
of the officers of the navy and army of Great
Britain, who were stationed in and near Boston ;
and the duties of Dr Caner and his assistant
were consequently much increased. The Church
Register of Births, Marriages, and Burials for the
years 1775 and 1776, furnish ample evidence of
this fact. The last burials recorded by the hand
of Dr Caner, at this time trembling with age,
are those of three soldiers of the 65th regiment.
In March, 1776, the British troops evacuated Bos-
ton, and Dr Ca ler went with them. His assist-
ant, Mr Troutbeck, left the church in November.
The congregation, consisting mostly of royalists,
were dispersed, and the doors of the chapel were
closed. Dr Caner took with him the church
registers, vestments, and plate, and part of the
* A new bell had been obtained the year before, which
was perhaps the finest ever heard in this town, ft was made
in London, and weighed 2475 lbs. It was cracked in the
year 1814, by an injudicious manner of tolling it.
PERIOD SEVENTH. 133
records of the Vestry. The registers were ob-
tained from his heirs in 1805. In the Register
of Marriages he had written the following note.
•.March 10, [1776.] An unnatural Rebell-
ion of the Colonies against his Majesties Govern-
ment obliged the Loyal Part of his subjects to
evacuate their dwellings and substance, and to
take refuge in Halifax, London and elsewhere :
By which means the public Worship at King's
Chapel became suspended, and is like to remain
so, till it shall please God in the Course of his
Providence to change the Hearts of the Rebels,
or give success to his Majesties arms for suppress-
ing the Rebellion.
" Two boxes of Church Plate, and a Silver
Christening Basin were left in the hands of the
Rev. Dr Breynton at Halifax to be delivered to
me or my Order, agreeable to his Note Receipt
in my hands. H. Caner."
The above mentioned plate was the gift of
three kings, and amounted to 2800 ounces of
silver. Neither this nor the vestments were ever
recovered ; nor is their recovery to be desired.
The Chapel remained closed till the autumn of
1777 ; and thenit wasopened,not for episcopal but
congregational services, very contrary to all the
anticipations of Dr Caner. The congregation of
the Old South Church, not being able at that
134 PERIOD SEVENTH.
time to repair the desolations of their own sanctu-
ary, which had been desecrated, spoiled, and used
as a riding-school by the British troops, applied
for the use of King's Chapel, or the Stone Chap-
el, as it then for obvious reasons, began to be
universally called.* The application was made
to the few proprietors of the Chapel who were
left, and was readily granted. " The congrega-
tion," says Mr Wisner in his History of the Old
South Church, " were kindly and gratuitously
accommodated at the Chapel about five years."
This, taken in connexion with an earlier event,
is one of the most remarkable incidents in the
history of our church. The reception of the
Old South Congregation into the Chapel, ap-
pears in the light of an atonement made by the
successors of those episcopalians, who, nearly a
* Everything with a royal sound was of course unpopular
with the republicans. King Street was changed to State
Street, Queen Street to Court Street, and King's Chapel to
Stone Chapel, which is still its common though not legal
and proper name. I have been informed by a gentleman
well acquainted with the antiquities of the Chapel, that
before the revolution, the organ was surmounted by a gilt
crown in the centre, supported by two gilt mitres on the
sides, and that on the evacuation of the town by the troops,
some friend or member of the church prudently caused
them to be taken off and deposited in his garret. These
ornaments, as may be supposed, have not shared with the
name of the Chapel in its restoration.
PERIOD SEVENTH. 135
century before, took forcible possession of the
South Meeting-house. The event could not
have been more happy, and pleasant to contem-
plate, if it had been devised and arranged on
purpose. Well would it be, if all the wrongs
committed by parents, could thus be expiated
by the children.
In 1779, the Rev. Joseph Eckley, pastor of
the Old South congregation, was ordained in this
church, on the 27th of October. The congre-
gation remained here till February, 1783, when
their own house being repaired, they re-dedicated,
and returned to it, with joy and singing.
But in the preceding summer, the proprietors
of the Chapel had resolved to re-occupy it for
their own worship ; and on the 8th of Septem-
ber, 1782, Dr Thomas Bulfinch, the senior war-
den, addressed a letter to Mr James Freeman,
then at Walpole, which was followed by a more
formal one, signed by both the wardens,* in
which he was invited to officiate at the Chapel
as Reader, for six months. On the 18th of
October, Mr Freeman entered on his duties in
that capacity ; and on the 21st of April, 1783,
at the Easter meeting of the Proprietors, he was
chosen Pastor of the church, with a salary of
two hundred pounds, lawful money.
* James Ivers was Junior Warden.
136 PERIOD SEVENTH.
In the letter of the wardens to Mr Freeman,
above referred to, it is said " the Proprietors con-
sent to such alterations in the service as are made
by the Rev. Dr Parker ; and leave the use of
the Athanasian creed at your discretion." These
alterations of Dr Parker were merely such as
the altered political state of the country required.
The Athanasian creed was always unpopular in
the American Episcopal Church, and when that
church was regularly organized, was left out of
its Book of Common Prayer. But much greater
alterations than these were afterwards contem-
plated by Mr Freeman, whose opinions in the
course of a year or two underwent some important
changes, and who then found that some parts of
the Liturgy were so inconsistent with the faith
which he derived from the Scriptures, that he
resolved no longer to read such portions, and to
propose to his Society an amended Form of
Prayer for public use at the Chapel.
Before such a form was offered, however, the
proprietors had taken measures to ascertain who
properly belonged to the church as pew-holders,
and what pews had been forfeited by the absence
of their former owners, according to the letter of
their deeds. And in order that no ground of
complaint should be suffered to exist, the proprie-
tors engaged to pay for every vacated pew, al-
PERIOD SEVENTH. 137
though legally forfeited, the sum of sixteen
pounds to its former owner, if application were
made for the same within one year from the pass-
ing of the vote, which was on the 10th of Jan.
1785. Twenty nine pews were declared, by the
report of a committee chosen for the purpose, to
be forfeited to the church, and together with the
Governor's pew, and eight others, making thirty-
eight in all, were put to sale for its benefit. They
were first offered to those who occupied them at
the time, who were generally desirous of pur-
chasing them. The proceeds were to be devot-
ed " to the repairing of the church, and finishing
the colonnade and spire." The colonnade which
now surrounds the tower was not reared, how-
ever, till 1790. The spire is not yet reared ;
and we have been so long accustomed to the
present appearance of the tower, that most of
us, perhaps, regard it as finished already.
On the 20th of February, 1785, the proprie-
tors voted that it was necessary to make some
alterations in some parts of the Liturgy ; and ap-
pointed a committee to report such alterations.
This committee consisted of seven gentlemen,*
in addition to the wardens, who were to consult
* John Haskins, John Gardiner, Charles Williams, Perez
Morton, Samuel Breck, Charles Miller, and John Wheel-
wright.
138 PERIOD SEVENTH.
and communicate with the Rev. Mr Freeman.
On Easter Monday, the 28th of March, they
reported that some alterations were essentially
necessary ; and the alterations as reported were
read, considered and debated at several adjourn-
ments. On the 19th of June, the proprietors
voted, " that the Common Prayer, as it now
stands amended, be adopted by this church, as
the form of prayer to be used in future by this
church and congregation." The yeas and nays
being called for, it appeared that of yeas there
were twenty, and of nays seven ; and three out
of the seven dissentients had worshipped at
Trinity Church ever since the year 1776.* The
alterations made in the Liturgy were principally
those of Dr Samuel Clarke, the celebrated Eng-
lish divine, and for the most part were such as
involved the omission of the doctrine of the
Trinity. The work as amended was immediate-
* The yeas were Thomas Bulfinch, John Gardiner, John
Wheelwright, Joseph May, John Jutau, Eben. Oliver,
George R. Minot, John Amory, John Templeman, Joseph
Barrell, Andrew Johonnot, Charles Miller, Henry Johnson,
Joseph Coolidge, Jacob Porter, Robert Hewes, Thomas
Clement, Joseph Eayres, Samuel Breck, Perez Morton. —
The nays were James Ivers, Theodore Dehon, John Box,
John Haskins, Matthew Nazro, Charles Williams, Ambrose
Vincent. Messrs Dehon, Box and Nazro were those who
had worshipped at Trinity Church since 1776.
PERIOD SEVENTH. 139
ly put to press, and was used in this church till
the year 1811, when other amendments were
made.*
Here was a most conspicuous, and as we must
regard it, a most happy revolution ; an auspicious
turning from the dominion of creeds and phrases
of men's device, to the easy yoke and authority
of simple Scripture. This important change is
to be attributed mainly to the judicious and learn-
ed expositions of Mr Freeman, who preached a
series of doctrinal sermons to his people, and by
the aid and influence of the word of God, moved
them to respond to his sentiments. The first
Episcopal church in New England, became the
first Unitarian church in America^ and our
venerated senior minister, though not absolutely
the first who held or even avowed Unitarian opin-
* In 1828 a third edition of the Chapel Liturgy was pub-
lished, with alterations and additions, and in 1831 a fourth,
containing the Chapel Service as in the third, with the ad-
dition of family services and prayers, and a collection of
hymns for private and domestic use.
A collection ot Psalms and Hymns for public worship at
the Chapel, was published in 1799, superseding Tate and
Brady. Another collection was introduced in 1830.
t The writer does not mean to a-sert that King's Chapel
was the first church in America, in which Unitarian opinions
were to any extent entertained, but the first which came
out and appeared before the world, in a body, as a Unitarian
Church.
140 PERIOD SEVENTH.
ions, still on many accounts deserves to be con-
sidered as the father of Unitarian Christianity in
this country.
Although the congregation thus adopted a
Liturgy from which all recognition of the doc-
trine of the Trinity was excluded, as being an
erroneous and unscriptural doctrine, they never-
theless continued to regard themselves as episco-
palians, and desired to remain in connexion, if
possible, with the American Episcopal Church.
At a meeting held on Sunday, July 22d, 1787,
they voted " that a letter be addressed to the
Rev. Bishop Provost at New York, to inquire
whether ordination for the Rev. Mr Freeman
can be obtained on terms agreeable to him and
to the proprietors of this church, — and that this
letter be drawn up by the Rev. Mr Freeman,
and signed by the Wardens." The letter was
written, approved, and sent ; and an answer
thereto was returned by the Bishop, in which he
declined giving a decision in a business of such
moment, and stated that it was to be referred, by
advice, to the ensuing General Convention.
The congregation then determined to ordain
Mr Freeman themselves. A plan of Ordination
was reported on the 4th of November, and
adopted on the 11th, and on the 18th of the
same month, 1787, it was carried into execution,
PERIOD SEVEiNTH. 141
and the Rev. James Freeman was ordained on
the afternoon of that day, by a solemn and ap-
propriate form, " Rector, Minister, Priest, Pas-
tor, teaching Elder, and public Teacher1' of the
Society worshipping at King's Chapel. The
evening service being performed as usual, the
wardens joined Mr Freeman in the desk, and the
senior warden made a short address to the pro-
prietors and congregation, setting forth the reasons
of the present procedure. The first ordaining
prayer was then read by Mr Freeman, after which
the senior warden read the ordaining vote, which
was unanimously adopted by the Society, and
signed on the spot by the wardens in their be-
half. Mr Freeman next declared his acceptance
of the office to which he had been chosen, and
signed the same. The ceremony of ordination
was then performed by the senior warden, who,
as the representative of the Society, laid his
hand on Mr Freeman, and declared him to be
their Rector, &c ; in testimony of which he de-
livered to him a bible, enjoining upon him " a
due observance of all the precepts contained
therein." He then blessed him in the name of
the Lord, and " the whole assembly, as one
man, spontaneously and emphatically pronounced,
Amen /"
After this, Mr Freeman read the second ordain-
142 PERIOD SEVENTH.
ing prayer, and, an anthem having been sung,
preached on the duties and offices of a Christian
Minister. Another anthem closed this affecting
and appropriate service.
The validity of this ordination was furiously
assailed in the newspapers of the day, as might
have been expected, and vehemently protested
and argued against by some of the former propri-
etors of the church. The newspaper abuse was
sufficiently and pleasantly answered in a short
piece attributed to the Rev. Dr Belknap,* always
a truly liberal and charitable man. The protest
was triumphantly refuted by an unpublished re-
ply of the wardens of King's Chapel, distinguish-
ed for good sense and sound argument. A sort of
repudiation or excommunication of Mr Freeman
and his church, was also circulated by the clergy-
men of five episcopal churches of New England.
But all the notice which Mr Freeman took of
this, was to send it to the Columbian Centinel,
requesting its insertion in that paper.
This ordination was certainly not according to
received episcopal usage ; but in the circum-
stances of the church it was the only ordination
attainable ; and it is impossible to prove that it
* Minister of the church in Federal Street, author of a
History of New Hampshire, &c.
PERIOD SEVENTH. 143
was not according to Christian principle. With
regard to its validity, there are few liberal Chris-
tians at this day, who would think of calling
it in question, or of doubting that it was as
valid as that of any clergyman of any denom-
ination in this or any other land. The con-
gregation of the chapel were well acquainted
with the ground which they had been obliged
to take, and therefore they took it with a calm
and intelligent determination. " A minister after
ordination," say the wardens and vestry in their
recorded defence of their Plan, " remains exactly
the same man he was before ; ordination there-
fore is only a decent human institution. It is a
ceremony by which a minister is publickly intro-
duced into office. In some churches the bishop
performs this ceremony, but this is not indispens-
ably requisite ; for any person might perform it
whom the people chose to appoint. — All the
essential powers of ordination are derived from
their choice ; the bishop gives this choice his
sanction by imposition of hands ; but where he
refuses to do it, the minister is not for that reason
the less elected or ordained." *
* The Defence of the Plan of Ordination, or Reasons of
the Wardens and Vestry, was thought to be too long to be
inserted in the Appendix. It is an able document, in which
the purposes and nature of ordination are discussed with
learning, good sense and a manly freedom.
144 PERIOD SEVENTH.
It will be only necessary for me to glance
at some remaining events, which, though not less
important than others which have been more par-
ticularly stated, are too recent to admit of being
dwelt upon more minutely.
A bequest of Mr William Price to the church,
made in 1770, of an estate in that part of Wash-
ington Street then called Cornhill,was accepted by
the church in 1789. And this, so far as appears
from any records, was the first acceptance of it.
The principal condition of holding it, was the
preaching of a course of eight Lectures during
the season of Lent, by the Clergymen of the
three episcopal churches. The right of our
Church to the estate was afterwards called in
question by Trinity Church, and submitted to a
long course of litigation. The result was a com-
promise lately made between the churches, ac-
cording to which, Trinity Church performs the
conditions of the will, takes care of the property,
and divides the income with King's Chapel.
In 1806, the members of the West Boston
Society worshipped in this house, while their
present church was building.
On Sunday, Jan. 1, 1809, the Rev. Samuel
Cary was ordained associate minister, the Rev.
Mr Freeman assisting at the ordination. Mr
Cary continued with his people, useful, respected
PERIOD SEVENTH. L45
and beloved, till ill health compelled him to re-
linquish his duties in 1815, and seek restoration
abroad. He died at Royston in England in the
October of this same year, at the age of thirty, and
was interred in the Unitarian Burying Ground at
Hackney, near London, where a suitable monu-
ment with an inscription was erected over his re-
mains by his people, who had been called so early
to mourn for him. He is remembered by many
among us, and by none without affectionate
emotion.
The Rev. Dr Freeman remained in the sole
care of the church till the year 1824. On Sun-
day, Aug. 29, of that year, the present associate
minister was publicly inducted into the office
which he holds.* In the summer of 1826, Dr
Freeman's health demanded his retirement into
the country, and he has not yet been able to re-
sume his pastoral duties.
The history of our Chapel is now brought to
a close. It contains more interesting facts than
belong, as I am convinced, to the history of any
other church in our country. I have endeavored
to state these facts as concisely as I could, with
* On this occasion, as well as at the ordination of Mr
Cary, the ceremony of presenting a Bible was performed
by Dr Freeman.
10
146 PERIOD SEVENTH.
a proper attention to their importance, and the
space of time which they occupy in the life of
our native state and native land. I began with
the first symptoms of episcopacy in the time of
our first governor ; proceeded to the erection of
the wooden Chapel in 1688 or '9, and the ser-
vices of the first Rector, Robert RatclifTe, and
have brought the narrative down through the
times of the three other ante-revolutionary rec-
tors, Myles, Price and Caner, with their respec-
tive assistants, in number eight, to the present
republican and unitarian era, during which there
have been only one rector, or senior minister,
and two associates or colleagues.
Our church, as a building, has undergone no
considerable change since the revolution, ex-
cept the erection of the colonnade at the West
End, or Front, winch, as already stated, was
put up in the year 1790. The crown and mitres
have, to be sure, disappeared from their stations
on the top of the organ, and the Governor's
pew, with its Corinthian pillars and crimson dam-
ask tapestry, has been lately taken down, and
converted into two pews of common size and
pretensions. But the architecture and interior
arrangements, are, in all other respects, the same
as before the war. The Vassal monument, and
wo mural tablets, one to the memory of Frances
PERIOD SEVENTH. 147
Shirley, the lady of Governor Shirley, and their
daughter, Mrs Bollan,* and the other to that
of Charles Apthorp, Esq. maintain their old
situations, and form interesting and appropriate
decorations of the church ; — so interesting
and appropriate that I have sometimes wondered
that others of a similar character have not been
added to their number. I speak with particular
reference to the tablets, which seem to be better
adapted to the size of our churches, than larger
and more expensive monuments, because they
clothe the walls and fill the sanctuary with solemn
and tender associations, without obtruding them-
selves, or occupying a disproportionate or incon-
venient share of space.
With regard to our religious opinions, we in-
deed differ widely, in some respects, from those
who once met for worship in this temple. Of
these it is sufficient to say, that we believe them
to be true and scriptural, and hold them to be
precious. Though we have no objection to the
name or office of bishop, when used in a scriptural
sense, and exercised in a scriptural manner, yet we
claim to be interpreters of the meaning of scrip-
ture, on that as well as on other topics, for our-
selves. And though we refuse not to be designa-
* The Latin inscription on this tablet has been greatly
and deservedly admired. Over the tablet is a marble bust
of Mrs Shirley.
148 PERIOD SEVENTH
ted by the term episcopal, yet so long as episco-
palians deem the doctrine of the trinity to be
essential, and an assent to it indispensable, we,
as Unitarians, cannot join with them, nor can they
receive us ; and our communion with our Unita-
rian brethren of the Congregational order must
necessarily be much more intimate than with
them. But we retain and prefer the ancient
Liturgy, simplified and altered in conformity with
our opinions, and in this respect differ from Con-
gregationalists and others who use no regular form
of public worship. In unity of spirit and the
bond of peace we desire to join with all our
brethren, and in righteousness of life to be re-
conciled unto God, through his Son Jesus Christ.
This is not the place to enter into an argument
concerning the truth or excellence of our doctrin-
al opinions, as compared with those of our pre-
decessors. I must, however, observe, that if we
have not more truth, we certainly have more
peace than they. This is not to be attributed,
however, so much to our change of religious sen-
timents, as of our political and ecclesiastical con-
dition. It has given me pain to relate the conten-
tions and troubles which arose from time to time
between the rector and his assistant, and the
church and their ministers, and principally concern-
ing services, prerogatives and perquisites, from the
PERIOD SEVENTH
149
beginning down to the revolution. From that
date, from the very time of our severance from
the mother church and the parent state, there has
been not a single disagreement from those causes, or
from any cause, so far as I can learn. The words
of the prophet which stand at the head of this
discourse, sound in this connexion like prophecy
for us. " The glory of this latter house shall be
greater than of the former, saith the Lord of
hosts, and in this place will I give peace, saith
the Lord of hosts." So may it ever be. " Peace
be within thy walls ! — for my brethren and com-
panions' sakes I will wish thee prosperity."
APPENDIX.
CURIOUS EXTRACTS FROM THE OLD RECORDS.
Aug. 8. 1686. Pd Mr Maccartie for the outside of
the pulpit Cushion and Silke £1, 7s. Pd Mr Buckley
for makeing fringe and Tassells and Silke 10s. Pd.
Mr Shippen makeing the Cushion, for the feathers,
pillow, and Case, 16s.
Sept. 20. Pd for wood delivered the old Elathera
man and woman 10s.
Xov. 1. By money given a poore man in Necessi-
tie, 2s.
July 22. 1689. By cash paid Mr Miles and Clarke
£1, 5s. And to old goody, a poore woman, 5s.
July 23. By Cash paid for our Church Bell to Mr
John Butter by Mr ffoxcroft, £13, 5s.
Feb. 20. By Cash for one and twenty weekes for
Mr Miles at 12s. per weeke, for meatte, drinke, wash-
ing, lodging, fire and candle, £12, 12s.
July To. Being a day of Humilliation, Reed for
the poore £3, 5s Sd.
Sept. 21. 1691. It must not be forgot that Sir Rob-
152 APPENDIX.
ert Robbinson gave a new silk damask cushion and
cloth pulpit cover.
Mr John Mills, a Barbados gentleman gave a piece
plate, a Cup.
Dec. 25. 1691. Mr Thomas Gold and Mr Wm.
Weaver gave a brass standard for an hour-glass.
April 3. 1692. Payd for greene boughs against
Whitesun-tide Is 4c?.
January, 1695-6, Governor Nicholson sent ffox-
croft a bill for sterl. £15, and ordered the disposall
thus, £5 to the minister, £5 to the poore at Xmas,
£5 to buy bibles with Common prayers and singing
psalmes for the poorer sort of the Church.
1697. WhitSunday, Paid Mr Coyneyball for buy-
ing and carting Poses, and hanginge the Doares, 8s.
Dec. 20. Paid for a stone Gug Clark Hill broak, 6s.
Crismas day, paid for Bread and Wine at the Sacra-
mant, 12s.
March 29. 1698. Paid Mr Shelson for his Loucking
after the Boyes, £1.*
April 1. 1699. By Loss in brass money, 13s.
July 24. 1701. At a vestry meeting. Ordered,
that Gierke Hill shall wash the Church once in a
month during the Summer ; Sweep it twice in every
week, and brush the dust off the seats, shelves and
tops of the pews ; Shall go out and appease the boys
and Negros and any disorderly persons ; to provide a
seat for Strangers according as they appear ; to ring
the bell, open the doors and windows and shut them as
formerly, and take care of the books, &c.
* The miserable spelling which occurs in the four last en-
tries is to be placed to the account of the churchwarden, or his
amanuensis, and not of the age.
APPENDIX. 153
Aug. 4. Paid for scouring the brass frame for the
hour glass, 10a. Paid for broom and brush and pail
3s.
March 28. 1702. Reed from Doct Checkley, being
most part bad money £15 8.
.Vor. 23. Paid Mr Childe painting the hour glass,
3s.
Aug. 17. 1705. Vestry meeting. Ordered that the
Deed of Land given by Coram, lying at Taunton, be
recorded, that the Church Wardens enquire into the
value of the Land, and to deliver their opinions to the
Vestry at their next meeting.
April 15. 1713. James Berry chosen to look after
the Boys, and is to have 26s. per yeare for the same.
Voted that there shall be 20 Vestry men beside the
Govr Left Govr Church Wardens and minister. That
whereas Judd had 5s. per week, he shall have 6s.
The last Bell to ring at 10 of the Clock in the Morn-
ing the whole yeare, and 3 o'Clock in the Afternoone
from the 10th of March to the 10th September, and at
2 the other months. The Bread and Wine at the Com-
munion to be payd out of the Contribution money.
The Psalmes of Tate and Brady to be sung in the
Church. Every Sunday the Commandments are to be
read at the Communion Table.
Aug. 12. Voted that the Pillers, Capitalls and Cor-
nish of the Church be painted wainscott colour, before
the scaffold be taken down.
JVov. 16. 1714. Voted by the Vestry (with Mr
Myles's Approbation) that Mr Harris may go Home;
he proposing to return by Midsummer next ; and that
Mr Myles be allowed 20s. more per week during Mr
Harris's absence.
154 APPENDIX.
April 18. 1715. Mr James Baker chosen Clerk for
the year ensueing, he behaving himself as he ought
to do.
July 10. 1717. Vestry Meeting. Upon reading an
Agreement of the Neighbourhood of School Street re-
lateing to the Paveing of the same, it was then and
there Agreed that the present Church Wardens should
agree with suitable persons to pave the Churches pro-
portion in said street, and to pay for the same out of
the Church Stock, if they cannot obtaine subscriptions
for the same.
Decemb. 6. Voted that there be a new Pulpit forth-
with built, and that it stand against the pillar in the
officers Pew.
Voted that Mr Mills and Mr ffrancklin have liberty to
build a Tomb under the East End of the Church.
April 18. 1720. Those that have the possession of
pews and don't pay contribution, to have them taken
away and sold to others that will ; notice being first
publickly given, the Churchwardens being empowered
to dispose of them.
That D. Rutley be appointed to keep good order
amongst the Boys, and that for his trouble he be allow-
ed 12c?. per Sunday.*
April 6. 1724. Voted, by a vote of the congrega-
tion, that Mr Nathaniel Gifford be organist for the
year ensuing, and that he play a Voluntary before the
first Lesson, and attend the Church upon all Holy
Days.
* To keep good order among the boys, or in the words of
the vote of 1701, " to appease the boys and negros," was
in fact a regular office in the church, for many years, dis-
tinct from the sexton's.
APPENDIX. 155
June 4. Voted that Mr William Randle be sent to
the Reverend Mr Henry Harris, to desire the letter
he promised to give the 30th of last April ; and
answered he had no timely notice, and that he would
have nothing to say to us.
Voted that the Minister and Churchwardens of the
King's Chappie make a faithfull and just representa-
tion to my Lord of London of the Revd Mr Henry
Harris's conduct for the last two years.
April 4. 1727. Voted, that the Church Wardens for
the time being provide a good strong Box, with three
different Locks and Keys, one of which Keys shall be
always kept by the eldest Church Warden, one other
key, by the other Church Warden for the time being,
and the third key by such proper person as the Congre-
gation shall appoint, and that the Box containing the
Church money shall be lodged at the ministers house.
Voted. That Mr Job Lewis be the third person to
keep the third key for the year ensuing.
Voted. That the said Church Wardens and said
Mr Job Lewis shall meet at the place where the said
box is kept on the first Monday in every Month, and
make fair entries in the book, and put into the said
strong box such monies as shall be in the eldest church
Wardens hands, and do all other business relating to
the stock which is never managed only by the eldest
Church Warden, except paying the weekly saleries
and mending the windows. And that no sum of money
shall be put out to Interest without the consent of two
of the key keepers at least. And in case any one of the
key keepers should want any money upon Interest with
Good Security, he shall have the approbation of the
other two. And that no person shall have any Sum
exceeding one hundred pounds without Land Security.
]56 APPENDIX.
Aug. 3, 1727. At a meeting of the Vestry at Mr
Thomas Selby's, voted, that the Church Wardens be
desired and empowered to sign a certain memorial to
the Generall Court, in relation to the ministers of the
Church of England in Boston being overseers of the
Colledge att Cambridge.
Voted, that the Church Wardens shall be empowered
to pay one half of the present contingent charge, and
what hereafter may arise by presenting to effect a
certain memoriall to the Great and Generall Court ex-
hibited asserted and maintaining of the Right of the
Rev. Dr Timothy Cutler and Samuel Miles being re-
jected as Overseers of Harvard Colledge according to
the originall Establishment.
April 29. 1728. Voted that the Governors Pew be
new lined with China, and that the Cushions and
Chairs be covered with Crimson Damask, and the Cur-
tains to the Window be of the same Damask.
Nov. 25. Voted that the Church wardens look into
the Vault where Mr Myles lyes interred, and consider
what may be proper to be done in removing his Corps 5
and to act as they shall think proper.
July 25. 1729. Voted that a Gallery be built on the
South and S. East of the Church, excepting over his Ex-
cellency's seat, over which there is only to be a passage.
Aug. 11. 1730. Voted, that His Excellency Gov.
Belcher's Arms be painted and put over his Pew in
King's Chapel.
March 26. 1733. The Rev. Mr Roger Price claimed
his right of choosing a Church Warden, but was over-
ruled by the Congregation.
March 30. Voted, that the pew (No. 62) that was
formerly the Reverend Mr Samuel Myles's, our late
APPENDIX. 157
Oct. 11. Voted, that the Brass Stand for the hour
glass be lent to the Church of Scituate, as also three
Diaper napkins, provided the Reverend Mr Addington
Davenport their minister gives his note to return the
same to the Church wardens of this Church for the
time being whensoever this Church shall see meet to
demand them.
Oct. 29. Voted, that Robert Auchmuty, John Reed,
John Oberine, William Shirley and William Bolan Esqrs,
have, each of them, a retaining fee of three pounds for
the service of the suffering members of the Church of
England in this Province.
May 22. 1734. Voted, that the Church Wardens be
empowered to have a place fixed up in the Belfrey to
place the Books in belonging to the Library of King's
Chape], and that the Books be removed from Mr John
Barnes's house to said place in the Belfrey, the Church
Wardens taking a Catalogue of the same.
April 7. 1735. Voted, that the Church Library be
delivered unto the Rev. Mr Roger Price for the use of
the Ministers belonging to the Church of England in
Boston, he giving a Receit to be accountable for the
same to the Church Wardens for the time being, when
and so often as desired by the Church.
June 17. 1737. Whereas Thomas Child one of the
present Church Wardens is chose a Juryman for the
next Inferior Court of Common Pleas to be holden at
Boston the first Tuesday of July next, Voted, that he do
not serve, and if he is fined, to appeal to the Seshions
and stand tryall, and the Charge to be paid out of the
Church Stock.
Sept. 5. The Rev. Mr Price informed the Vestry
that severall Gentlemen had desired him and the Rev.
158 APPENDIX.
Mr Davenport to performe Divine Service in Trinity
Church untill the said Church was supplied with a
Minister, and desired to know if they had any objec-
tion. The major part was of opinion they might sup-
ply that Church till Easter next.
May 15. 1738. Voted, that the Sexton be sent to
each family of the Congregation of the King's Chappell,
with one of Mr Commissary Price's Sermons preached
on the death of the Queen, and that a Church Meet-
ing be called as soon as conveniently can be to know
whether the charge shall be paid out of the Church
Stock.
April 14. 1740. The question being put whether
the Pew number 39 is become vacant by the Rev. Mr
John Checkley's removal with hisffamily to Providence
in Rhod-Island Government, and being there settled
as a missionary to the Church there — and it not ap-
pearing that he has paid contribution according to the
votes of this Church — It passed in the affirmative.
April 3. 1740. Reed, of Mr Sylvester Gardner Six-
teen Pounds Two Shills, in full for Wine for the Chap-
pie for the year past. Jno. Hancock.
May 16. 1751. Voted, that the following advertise-
ment be printed in the Newspapers that come out on
Monday and Tuesday next, and that the Wardens
cause the same to be done.
Advertisement. — Upon the melancholy News of the
death of his Royal Highness the late Prince of Wales,
the Wardens and Vestry of King's Chapel mett, and
voted that the same be Solemnised at King's Chapel on
Wednesday the 22d instant. Upon which occasion
the Pulpit will be hung in Black, and a Sermon
preached by the Revd. Mr Caner suitable to that So-
lemnity. Divine Service will begin at 11 O'Clock.
APPENDIX. 1 59
Oct. 31. 1753. That a Guinea each be given to
Jeremiah Gridley and James Otis Esqrs. as a retain-
ing fee for defence of the Church's right to the Lands
at Taunton left to the Chappel by Mr Thomas Coram,
in case a suit should commence on said account. And
that Eliakim Hutchinson take the conduct of said affair
in behalfe and for the benefite of the Church.
May 27. 1754. At a Vestry. Eliakim Hutchinson
Esq. reported, that agreeable to a vote of the Vestry
the 31st October, 1753, he had settled the affair of the
Land at Taunton left to the Chapel by Mr Thomas
Coram, with Mr Stephen Burt the present possessor,
and the said Burt would pay the Gentlemen of the Ves-
try one hundred pounds Lawfull money within twelve
month? from the 25th cf this instant, upon their suffer-
ing a recovery against them at the next Inferior Court
at Taunton in the County of Bristol, and giving a
Quitt Claim to said Land. — Voted that Eliakim
Hutchinson be impowered to proceed in the above
affair according to the agreement made with Mr Burt,
and that the hundred pounds Lawful money when re-
ceived shall be applyed towards the building of the
new Chapel.
•Aug. 21. 1754. Voted that no Negros be admitted
to sitt or stand in any of the Isles dureing the time of
Divine Service, but that the Sexton be directed to
order them up into the Gallery.
Oct. 13. 1759. Whereas the Governor, Council and
house of Representatives appointed Tuesday the 16th
Instant to be observed at Doct SewalFs meetinghouse
as a Public Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the great
Victory his Majesty's Arms has obtained over the
French at Quebeck, and for reducing that City to
160 APPENDIX.
Obedience of the Crown of Great Britain — Voted,
that the same be observed at the same time by this
Church, and that the Rev. Mr Caner be desired to
preach on that Occasion.
Sunday, March 30. 1760. A Brief was read in the
Church for a collection to be made the 3d of April to-
wards the relief of the sufferers in the great Fire which
happened in this Town on the 20th March, 1760.
Agreeable thereto there was collected on said 3d of
April, being the annual Fast day appointed by the
Government Nine hundred and twenty five pounds six
shillings old Tenor towards the relief of said suffer-
ers ; which sum was paid into the hands of John
Phillips Esq. Treasurer to the Committee appointed
by the Government to distribute the same.
(A collection had been made Nov. 25, 1759, for the
sufferers by another fire, at which were collected
£529 12s. Old Tenor.)
April 1. 1771. Whereas the Hon Lieutenant Gen-
eral Shirley, formerly Governor of this Province, lately
deceased, did for several years attend the public wor-
ship at King's Chapel, to which he was a warm friend
and a very generous benefactor — For his more Hon-
orable Interment and to testify their gratitude for his
many useful and excellent services, the Proprietors of
said Chapel have this day Voted, that John Erving Jun.
Esq. have liberty to deposit the Corps of the said Lieut.
Gen. Shirley, and any other of his family, or decend-
ants, in the Tomb No 18 under said Chapel.
April 20. 1772. Voted that the Vestry be desired to
form a plan for one or more Stoves in the Church, and
report to this Congregation.
Aug. 13. The question being put whether the Ves-
APPENDIX. 161
try has power to regulate Toleing the bell for funer-
als, voted in the affirmative.
Voted, that that the first and second hell for Funer-
als be Toled in the usual manner, and hut Eight min-
utes each time.
Voted that the manner of Toleing the third or pass-
ing bell be altered, and that she strikes only four times
in a minute.
Dec. 1. Voted, that the Rev. Dr Caner and the
Churchwardens wait on his Excellency the Governor,
and return him thanks for procuring the King's donation
for a Service of Plate and pulpit Furniture for the
King's Chapel.
Voted, that as Salem Church has made application
to this Church at Easter last for their old pulpit Furni-
ture as soon as they shall receive their new, by the
influence of Governor Hutchinson, Vote that the
Minister and Wardens deliver to them the Old Furni-
ture on their application for the same.
Voted, that three new Folio prayer Books be also
given to Salem Church, who we understand is almost
destitute of common prayer books, for their Reading
Desk and Clerks Desk.
II.
king's chapel library.
[See page 55. J
1. A record of the meeting of the Proprietors, at
which it was voted to deposit the library in the Boston
Athenaeum.
11
1(32 APPENDIX.
July 27. — At a special meeting of the proprietors
held pursuant to the usual notification, at the Vestry
immediately after morning service on Sunday, 27 July,
1823.
Revd. Dr Freeman opened the meeting by stating
the object for which it was called, Avith suitable re-
marks ; after a short discussion Col. May proposed
the following which was unanimously adopted, viz.
Whereas the Books belonging to King's Chapel Li-
brary, were in the year 1807, by permission of the Pro-
prietors deposited with the Theological library in the
Vestry Room of First Church, in Chauncy Place ; and
whereas the Proprietors of the Theological Library,
have at a regular meeting lately passed a vote, that in
their opinion it is expedient and advisable for the pre-
servation of the books and for the better accommoda-
tion of the Proprietors, that the said Theological
Library be removed from First Church vestry, and
placed in the Atheneum under charge of the proper
officers of that institution.
Therefore — Voted, that the Proprietors of this
Church do consent and agree that the said books be-
longing to King's Chapel library be removed carefully
with the other books of the Theological library from
the Vestry of First Church to the Atheneum, and de-
posited in the keeping of that establishment on the
following conditions.
First. That a fair catalogue of all said books, be
made out by the Librarian of the Atheneum, and lodged
with the Wardens of this Church.
Second. That the Ministers of this Church and
their Successors shall be entitled to the privileges of
Life subscribers of the Boston Atheneum.
APPENDIX. 163
Third. That the Wardens of the Church, for the
time being, shall have the right to visit semiannually
the Atheneum, to witness the safe keeping and good
order of the books.
Fourth. That the Proprietors of this Church shall
have the right to withdraw and remove from the Athe-
neum at any time and without cost or expense all the
Books which they hereby consent to deposit there
whenever a majority of said proprietors, at a regular
meeting, shall so determine.
Ebe>\ Oliver. ) JTr ,
Jos. May.
2. The agreement between the wardens of King's
Chapel and the Trustees of the Athenaeum relating to
the said deposite.
Boston, July 31, 1823.
It is hereby agreed by the standing Committee of
the Trustees of the Atheneum to receive the deposite
of the Library known by the name of the King's Chapel
Library on the terms following — to wit.
First. That the Ministers of said Chapel shall be
admitted to the Rooms of the Atheneum as Life sub-
scribers while said library remains in the Atheneum.
Second. That the books of said Library shall be
properly arranged in the Atheneum in the room appro-
priated to Theology, and an accurate Catalogue of
the same shall be made out and preserved, it being
always understood that the said library shall remain
under the care of the officers of the Atheneum, shall
be subject to all the rules of that Institution, and furth-
er that the Atheneum shall not be accountable for any
164 APPENDIX.
loss or injury that may happen to said books other than
shall arise from manifest negligence, the same care
being taken of these books as is taken of the Books of
the Atheneum. For the Committee,
Theodore Lyman, Jr.*
Ill,
address of the church to the bishop of london, in
favor of governor dudley.
Boston, New Engld, Feb. 4, 1705-6.
May it please your Lordship,
The constant experience we have of your
Lordships fatherly care over us encourageth us freely
to address your Lordship, being sensible of your great
regard and esteem for his excellency our Governor.
Therefore we are humbly bound to informe your
Lordship that he has been very successfull in his gov-
ernment for the security of the country from the
Indians to the observation of all Her majesties good
subjects, the ennemie haveing been often defeated and
the frontiers preserved more than in any former trou-
ble.
That notwithstanding the taxes have been and are
very burthensome to support and carry on the war
* This same agreement was subscribed by Ebenezer
Oliver and Joseph May on the part and in behalf of the
Proprietors of King's Chapel.
APPENDIX. 165
wee are engaged in against the French and Tndians,
who in conjunction have done us much mischiefe, yet,
through the noted prudence and good conduct of his
Excellencie the ennemie have not only been repulsed
but are now constrained to abandon their own coun-
tries and places of retreate unto some hundreds of miles
distance from these parts ; the administration of the
Govern™1 and expense of the Revenue is and has been
such as give a general satisfaction and make us easie
and thankfull unto God, for her Majesties wisdome
and good grace to us in appointing such an one
over us, who by his long experience in government
and knowledge of the country in particular renders
him (as we humbly conceive) the most proper person
to promote and maintaine the honour and interest of
the Crowne, here every thing proceeding well except
the govrsown salary which is by no means sufficient
notwithstanding her Majesties repeated comands in
the matter ;
That his constant attendance and care for the peace
of the church and support and honor thereof is appa-
rent to all men as well as his example of justice and
vertue, upon all which account wee are humbly bold
to informe your Lordship this his continuance in the
government will be most acceptable to all her majes-
ties good subjects, merchants ?and planters that have
their dependance on the government of England as
well as the Church here, and therefore humbly pray
your Lordships favourable acceptance and representa-
tion of this our address as need be for Coll0 Dudley's
continuance in the Governmt which wee are well as-
sured will be to her Majesties honour, the peace and
166 APPENDIX.
satisfaction of this province, and most particularly of
ourselves and the congregation of the Church of Eng-
land under your Lordships care and patronage here.
We are, My Lord, with all submission,
Your Lordship's most Humble, most dutifull,
and most Obedient Servants,
Gyles Dyer. Samuel, Myles.
Samuel, Checklev. Christopher Bridge.
Anthony Blunt. Nicholas Roberts. )
John Devin. John Nelson. 5
Thomas Child. Church Wardens.
John Eastwick. John Endicott.
Cyprian Southack. Edward Lyde.
John Redknap. Easte Apthorpe.
Peter Hawksworth. Samuel Baker.
John Oulton. Savii.l Simpson.
Ra. Harrison. Henry Franklyn.
Benjamin Mountfort.
Wee have avoyded troubling your Lordship with a
number of Names, these being the Cheife of the
Church.
To the Right Revd Father in God Henry.. Lord Bishop of
London, and one of Her Majesties most Honble Privy
Councille.
APPENDIX. 167
IV.
SOME PAPERS CONCERNING AMERICAN BISHOPS.
[Sec Page 81.]
1. LETTER TO THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION- OF
THE GOSPEL.
At a meeting of the Vestry of her Majesties Chap-
pell in Boston New Engd- Dec. 8th- 1713. —
To the IIon'>le Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in
Foreign Parts.
The representation and request of the Ministers
and Church Wardens, and Vestry of the Church of
England, in Boston.
We are informed by the Honble Gen1 Nicholson
a most worthy member of yr Honble society, and a
most generous benefactor to the Church in these parts,
that y honbl6 Society have laid before her Majesty a
particular scheme for Setling Bishops in these Ameri-
can parts, and as nothing can contribute more to the
nourishing state of Religion among us, we have made
our humble Address to her most Sacred Majesty upon
that head, and would humbly entreat some of the mem-
bers of yr Honble Society to be our remembrances to
her Majesty on that behalf, and that Almighty God
would bless and prosper all yr pious endeavors for the
good of his Church, and bless you for those endeav-
ors, is the hearty prayer of yr most obedient and most
devoted humble servts-
J. Dudley, Gov.
Wm. Tailer, Esqr. Lt. Gov.
Samuel My les ) Ministers,
Henry Harris )
168 APPENDIX.
Charles Hobby. > ^ Warden^
JOHN JEKYLL. )
J. Redkjtap. Wentworth Paxton.
Tho : Bannister. Cyprian Southack.
J. Bridges. Jno. Nelson.
Jno. Valentine. Jo : Hearnes.
Tho. Newton. Go. Dyer.
John Oulton. Geo. Turfrey.
2. ADDRESS TO THE QUEEN.
To the Queen's most Excellent Majesty. — The humble
Address of the Ministers, Church Wardens, and Vestry
of the Church of England in Boston, New England.
May it please yr Majesty.
Your Royall goodness being extended to all,
even the Remotest parts of yr Majesties Dominions,
we take this opportunity of expressing our humble
tho; Imperfect Thanks to yr Majesty for the many
Blessings we have enjoyed in the Course of yr Glori-
ous Reign: Such was yr Majestys care of us during
the War, that our ease was in a measure Secured by
the happy Reduction of the Important fortress of Port
Royall under the Auspicious Conduct of General
Nicholson, and now that Honble and Advantagious
Peace which y Majesty has concluded dose mightily
Increase our Happiness, by delivering us from the vio-
lence of Barbarous Savages who continually infested
our country, and acted unheard of Cruelties : To com-
pleat our Felicity, we humbly Entreat of yr Majesty
to provide for our Spiritual concerns, and to Establish
Bishops and Bishopricks within yr Majestys Planta-
tions in America.
Wee are informed by Gen1 Nicholson, whose Piety,
Generosity and Zeal for the Church, we cannot suffi-
APPENDIX. 169
ciently commend, that the Honbl° Society for Propa-
gating the gospel in Foreign Parts ; have laid before
yr Majesty the particular Manner of the Bishops Res-
pective Settlements. Since nothing can tend more to
make Religion Flourish amongst us, we promise our-
selves that yr Majesty will take this Affair into
yr Royal Consideration. And that it may please Al-
mighty God to grant yr. Majesty a long and happy
Reign over us, and Advance you to Immortal Glory
hereafter is the constant and fervent Prayer of —
Y>" Majestys most Loyall, most Dutifull and most obe-
dient Subjects.
3. LETTER TO BISHOP ROBINSON".
May it please yr Lordship.
The Episcopal Congregation at Boston in
New England haveing been favoured with many re-
peated Instances of their late Diocesans love and
kindness towards them, Humbly presume to lay before
yr Lordship the State and Circumstances of our Church,
not doubting of an Equal Regard from yr Lordships
known Goodness, and Consummate Prudences, the In-
fluences whereof we hope to Enjoy in these Remote
Parts.
About Twenty years since, a handsome Chappell
was built in this place, by the Subscriptions of Sir
Edmund Andros, and other well disposed Gentlemen,
particularly by the Benefactions of the HonbIe Francis
Nicholson Esqr (whose Eminent services to his Queen
and countrey, and Affectionate Concern for the Church
of England, will render his name ever precious amongst
us, and famous to Posterity) and has since been
adorn'd by the Bounty of the late Queen Mary of Glori-
170 APPENDIX.
ous Memory ; Our Ministers are supported in the same
manner : One by the Voluntary Contributions of the
People ; the other, by a Sallary of One hundred pounds
per Annum paid out of the Privey Purse ; and entered in
her Majesty s Books : Our Congregation is very much
increased, and consists of about Eight Hundred persons ;
and the Chappell has lately been enlarged into twice
its former dimentions : This Additional Building has
put us to a very considerable Expense, and therefore
we humbly entreat yr Lordships good offices in our
behalf, That the money from the privey purse may be
Constantly and Regularly paid. Thus we shall be
enabled to Finish the Work we have begun, and may
reasonably expect to be in a flourishing Condition :
We will not trespass any longer onyr Lordships Time
but beg leave to Subscribe Ourselves &c —
Boston, Dec. 8th, 1713.
Signed by the Governor and Lieut. Governor, Min-
isters, Wardens and Vestry.
To the Rt. Revd Father in God John Ld. Bishop of London.
V.
ADDRESS OF THE CHURCHES AT BOSTON, NEWBURY AND
MARBLEHEAD TO GEORGE I. ON HIS ACCESSION. 1714.
To the King's most Excellent Majesty. — The humble
Address of the Ministers, Vestry Gentlemen and others of
your Majesty's Chappell in Boston in New England.
May it please your Majesty,
Wee your Majesty's most dutifull and loy-
all subjects in this place of the Church of England as
APPENDIX. HI
by law established, humbly approach your Majesty
with the most sincere and hearty joy for your peaceful!
accession to the Crown, yours by superior right and
merit ; a blessing so great as mitigates our sorrows
for the demise of your Royall predecessor of happy
Memory, who was always to us a gratious and bounti-
full Sovereign.
It's our misfortune to be removed to so great a
distance from your Majesty's Royall Person, whose
comfortable influencys fall with directer Rays upon your
more happy subjects in Great Britain. It behoves us
therefore to be constant in our solicitations, as we
doubt not to approve ourselves in our obedience, loyal-
ty and zeal for your service. Though distance may
make us late with our addresses, yet none of your
Majestv's subjects shall appear more early and dili-
gent with their Lives and Fortunes in defence of your
sacred person and government.
Extend, therefore, most gratious Sovereigne, your
princely care toward us, that whilst the hearts of those
subjects, who more immediately share the blessings of
your auspitious reign, overflow with joy, we may par-
ticipate in your Royall Favours.
That your Majesty may long wear the Impenall
Crown of your great Ancestors, and the glorys of
your reign increase with the number of your days,
and every day accompanied with an affluence of all
that can make a Monarch great and happy, is the
hearty prayer of your Majesty's most dutyfull and
most lovall subjects.
Signed by the Members of the Church at Boston,
Newberry, and Marblehead.
J72 APPENDIX
VI.
ADDRESS TO GEORGE II. ON HIS ACCESSION.
To the King's most Excellent Majesty the Humble Address
of the Ministers and Congregations of the Episcopall
Churches in Boston in the Massachusetts Bay in New
England —
May it please your Majesty.
We your Majesty's Dutiful] and Loyall Subjects
humbly beg leave to condole with your Majesty on the
Death of your Royall Father our late Gracious Sove-
raign, a loss only to be repaired by your Majesty's hap-
py and peaceable Accession to the throne of your An-
cestors, to which you are entitled by your vertues as
well as by your Birth, it being the united voice of all
your Majesty's Loyall subjects that the Graces and
Perfections which adorn your Royall Person reflect a
greater Lustre upon the Crowne you wear than they
receive from it, and the Gems in your Imperialle Dia-
dem are not so resplendent as the shining accomplish-
ments of our most Excellent Queen rendered still
more Glorious by the beautifull Prospect of your Illus-
trious Offspring. We are indeed far removed from
the centre of your Majesty's Government, nevertheless
we doubt not but your propitious influences like the
Rays of the Sun will be extended to the utmost bounds
of your large Dominions. Your Majesty's most Gra-
cious Declaration has already filled our hearts with ex-
traordinary Joy, Wee are thereby encouraged to hope
for your Majesty's Protection and especialle favour to
the Episcopall Churches in New England being in
APPENDIX. 173
their infancy and strugling with many Difficulties, and
tho' we are net so Capable of serving your Majesty
as some of otir fellow Subjects who are placed under
your immediate Presence, yet in our inferiour Station
We shall embrace all Opportunities of demonstrating
our hearty Zeal and unfeigned affection for your Sa-
cred Person and Government. We shall always
esteem it our principall and most Comprehensive Duty
to fear God and Honour the King our Rightfull and
lawfull Soveraigne, King George the Second, and
pray with the most fervent Devotion that God would
be graciously pleased to grant your majesty a long and
happy Reign over us, that he would crowne you and
your Royall Consort with everlasting felicity and make
you glad with the joy of his countenance and grant that
there never may be wanting Princes of your August
Family and of your faith who may transmitt the
Blessiags of your Majesty's Reign to After Ages. —
Signed by two hundred and nine names.
Written by Dr Cutler, rector of Christ's Church,
Aug. 1727.
VII.
bishop gibson's license to rev. mr price.
[See Page 90.]
EDMUNDUS permissione Divina LONDINEN-
SIS Episcopus, Dilecto nobis in Christo Rogcro Price
Cler. Salutem et Gratiam. Ad peragendum Officium
Ministrale in Provincia de Nova Anglia in America, in
174 APPENDIX.
Precibus communibus aliisque Ministeriis Ecclesiasticis
ad Officium Ministri perlinentibus juxta Formam de-
scriptam in Libro publicarum Precum Authoritate Par-
liament! hujus inclyti Regni magna? Brittannia3 in ea
parte edit, et provis. et Canones et Constitutiones in
ea parte legitime stabilitas et publicatas, et non aliter
neque alio Modo : TIBI cujus Fidelitati, Morum Inte-
gritati, Literarum Sciential, Sanse Doctrinse et Diligen-
tise plurimum confidimus (Subscriptis prius et Juratis
per Te coram Nobis omnibus et singulis Articulis et
Juramentis in hac parte de jure subscribendis etjuran-
dis) LICENTI AM et Facultatem nostras concedimus et
impartimus per Prsesentes : ad nostrum bene placitum
duntaxat duraturas. In cujus Rei Testimonium Sigilium
nostrum (quo in hac parte utimur) Prassentibus apponi
fecimus. Dat. apud VVestmonast. quarto Die Mensis
Martis, Anno Dui millesimo septingentesimo vices-
simo nono. Nostrseque Translationis Anno Sexto.
I do declare that I will conforme to the Liturgy of
the Church of England as it is now by Law Establish-
ed. ROG. PRICE.
, — ^ This declaration was made and
\ subscribed before me by the said
Seal. J Roger Price to be lycensed to per-
^ • forme the Ministerial Office in
Boston in New England in Ameri-
EDM. LONDON, ca this fourth Day of March in
the Year of our Lord 17^8-9, and
in the sixth year of our Transla-
tion.
\PPENDIX. ]75
VIII.
INVENTORY OF CHURCH FURNITURE.
An Inventory of Vestments and Ornaments belonging to the
Church Called King's Chappel in Boston in New Eng-
land, taken by George Steuart and Mr George Stone,
Church Wardens, and Mr George Craddock one of the
Vestrymen of the said Church on the 19 April 1733 —
Six Surplices of fine Bagg Holland.
The Altarpiece, whereon is the Glory painted, the
Ten Commandments, The Lords Prayer, The Creed,
and some Texts of Scripture.
A Communion Cloath of the finest Crimson Genoa
Damask.
An old Communion Cloath of silk Damask.
Five China Cushions, Given for the Communicants
to kneel upon, without the rails of the Altar, by Cap-
tain James Sterling when he was Church Warden.
The pulpit Cloath, Desk Cloath, and three Cushions
of fine Genoa Damask.
Two old Cushions of Silk Damask.
An old pulpit Cloath of ditto and a cushion lent the
Church at Braintree.
Three Table Cloaths of fine Damask Linnen.
Seventeen Napkins of Ditto.
Two pieces of fine Diaper ten yards in apiece.
The stand for the Hour Glass of Brass, given by
Thomas Gold and Mr William Weaver.
One Bible and fifteen Common Prayer books all old.
One New Bible and fourteen Common Prayer
Books.
176 APPENDIX,
One large Common Prayer book given by Thomas
Lechmere Esq.
Twelve Leather Buckettes given by the Gentlemen
of the British Society.
A Clock given by the Same Gentlemen.
An Organ Given by Thomas Brattle Esq.
The King's Coat of arms.
The Arms of Sir Edmund Andros, Knight and Gov-
ernour.
Of Francis Nicholson Esqr Lieutenant Governor.
Of Captain Hamilton of his Majesty's Ship.
Of Joseph Dudley Esqr Governor.
Of Samuel Shute Esqr Governor.
Of William Burnett do do.
Johnathan Belcher do do.
The Bell.
An inventory of the Silver Plate taken by the above per-
sons, 19 April 1733.
Four large Flaggons.
Three Chalises and their covers.
One Bason.
One Receiver.
Two Servers.
IX.
LETTERS RELATING TO MR DAVENPORT S SETTLEMENT AT
TRINITY CHURCH.
[See page 100.]
1. Mr Commissary Price delivered a letter from the
Revd Mr Davenport, and it being to vote whether the
APPENDIX. 177
letter should be recorded in our church books or no,
and it passed in the affirmative, the letter is as fol-
lows —
Revd Sir As I have determined to comply with the
repeated desires of the Proprietors of Trinity Church
in removing there, upon receiving an Equivalent for
my present allowance, and our worthy Diocesan not
forbidding it ; I therefore think it just and proper to ac-
quaint you and your vestry herewith, that so what is
best and most convenient may be done to supply the
Lecturer's place, if it should be vacant.
I, am sir your most obedt humble Servant,
Addington Davenport.
Boston, May 9, 1739.
2. Voted, That the letter from the Revd Mr Adding-
ton Davenport to the Revd Mr Roger Price be record-
ed— Done as follows, viz —
Revd Sir — I have at length accepted the care of
Trinity Church, you will not therefore expect any furth-
er assistance from me at the Chappel, and will be so
good as to communicate this advice to the gentlemen of
that Church as soon as conveniently may be.
I am, Revd Sir, your most obedt humble Servant,
Addington Davenport.
Boston, May 9, 1740.
3 Copy of a letter to the Bishop of London, from
the Ministers, Wardens and Vestry of King's Chapel.
New Engd. Boston, May 24, 1740.
May it please your Lordship.
The Revd Mr Davenport hath at length re-
signed his place in the Kings Chappel for Trinity
VI
178 APPENDIX.
Church. A copy of his letter whereof is here inclosed.
Wherefore we humbly pray your Lordship to supply his
place in the Chappel with such a person as your Lord-
ship shall judge most suitable, by his learning and piety,
to honnour the Church in the Capital town of New Engd,
and that as soon as conveniently may be, because in
case of sickness we have no assistance from any casu-
al lecturer, in these parts. And as wee are informed
that the Revd Mr Stephen Rowe for want of his health
cannot continue in Carolina, wee begg leave to insinu-
ate, that wee once heard him reading Divine Service,
and preaching among us, well approved his talent
therein, and shall be generally gratified in his removal
to this place, for what wee then saw and have other-
wise heard of him. Yet finally wee rest ourselves in
your Lordships wisdom and goodness, properly and
seasonably to supply us, and wait,
Your Lordships most Dutiful and Obedt Servants.
X.
ADDRESS TO BISHOP SHERLOCK.
At a Vestry meeting, March 2d, 1748. Tt was pro-
posed that a letter of Address should be sent to our
Diocesian, D oct. Thos Sherlock, Lord Bishop of Lon-
don, upon his translation to the See of London, and
upon a draught of a letter being presented, it was
read and agreed to be Signed by the Minister, Church
Wardens and Vestry — as follows.
APPENDIX. 179
Boston, Feb 29, 17 IS.
May it please your Lordship
To receive the Address and congratulation
of the Minister, Wardens and Vestry of Kings Chapelj
in Boston, upon your Lordships translation to the See
of London.
Wee sincerely bless that good Providence of God
who disposed his Majesty to appoint and your Lordship
to accept a situation of so great importance to the
Church ; the Importance of which may reasonably
employ your Lordships great ability.
Remote as wee are from the Episcopal Throne wee
have yet the honour of being esteemed a part of your
Lordships Diocese, in consequence of which we doubt
not of shareing your paternal care and Benediction.
King's Chapel is the first Church erected in New
Engd ; it has laboured under a series of opposition,
tho' now pretty well and firmly established ; all the
Churches in New Engd have taken their Rise from its
Countenance and support, and particularly two other
large Churches in this town of Boston.
Its priority in point of time and the difficulties
which have attended it from that circumstance, have
entitled it to singular honours and priviledges. An as-
sistant was procured for it by Bishop Compton, now
paid out of the civil List, and a small Library, by the
same Interest.
The Rector of it had the honour to be appointed
Commissary by our Late Worthy Diocesian and en-
joyed other marks of his Favour. And as wee hope
by our Dutifull Behaviour to merrit your Lordships
Notice in like manner, so wee begg leave in all humil-
ity to expect it, and in particular your Lordships Episco-
180 APPENDIX.
pal Benediction most highly valued by your Lordships
most dutifull and most obedt Servants.
To the Right Revd Father in God Thos Lord Bishop of
London.
XL
LETTER TO BISHOP PROVOST, AND HIS ANSWER.
[See Page 140.]
At a meeting of the proprietors of King's Chapel
held at the vestry room, Sunday, 29 July 1787.
The following letter to the Rev. Bishop Provost
being reported by the Rev. Mr Freeman, was read and
approved, whereupon, Voted that the said letter be
signed by the Wardens, and sent to the Rev. Bishop
Provost, with a copy of the Liturgy.
Boston, 29 July, 1787.
To the Right Rev. Bishop Provost.
Right Rev. Sir, — We the Wardens and Vestry of
the Chapel church in Boston take the liberty, in the
name and by the special direction and unanimous vote
of the church, to address you on a subject very inter-
esting to us. Above four years ago we made choice
of the Rev. Mr Freeman for our Minister, and we are
so well satisfied with his services that we hope to con-
tinue him with us so long as shall be agreeable to him.
This gentleman has made several attempts to procure
ordination, but he has not yet been so happy as to ob-
tain it, for a declaration is required of him, which we
know he cannot in conscience subscribe, and which we
do not wish him to make. By our desire he has written
APPENDIX. 181
to you on the subject, requesting that a relaxation
may be made in the articles of subscription. You have
been pleased to refer him to the general Convention.
It appears from your last letter to him that that body
will not probably sit very soon. From our attachment
to the Episcopal Church, and from our desire to pro-
mote its interest, we should be disposed to wait the
determination of the Convention, could we be assured
that it would probably meet our ideas. We therefore
request that you would have the goodness to give us
your opinion upon the subject. We have long been
deprived of the benefit of the ordinances of religion, and
we feel the inconvenience, but we would consent to
forego the advantages of them untill the meeting of
the Convention, if you could encourage us with any
hope that the American church will acknowledge us as
brethren, and agree to the ordination of our Minis-
ter, upon terms to which Ave can submit. We flatter
ourselves that to a gentleman of your well known lib-
erality we shall not appear presumptuous when we say
that those terms which are agreeable to us are rea-
sonable, for it is our fullest determination sacredly to
adhere to what we conceive to be the doctrines of
Scripture, at the same time that we endeavour to pro-
mote the honour and welfare of the Episcopal Church.
From information which we have received, we have rea-
son to fear that our church has been misrepresented by
our enemies to the Episcopal Clergy of the Southern
states. It has been suggested, we are told, that we
are already dissatisfied with the new liturgy which we
have adopted, that we do not wish that our Minister
should obtain ordination, but are anxious to return to
the book of common prayer of the church of England.
182 APPENDIX.
We assure you with the utmost sincerity that there is
no ground for these insinuations. We are extremely
desirous to procure ordination for Mr Freeman ; but
while we make use of all proper and decent methods
to obtain it, we are religiously resolved to persevere
in adhering to the spirit of a form of prayer which we
are convinced is rational and scriptural.
By the terms of the ordination which Mr Montague,
Minister of Christ's church in this town, has received
of the Right Rev. Bishop White, we find he has only
subscribed a declaration of faith in the holy scriptures,
and a solemn engagement to conform to the doctrines
and worship of the Protestant Episcopal church in the
state of Massachusetts ; in this state no doctrines or
form of worship are yet established. Has not our
Church therefore as good a claim to style itself the
Protestant Episcopal Church of Massachusetts as any
other ? We beg leave humbly to enquire, whether it
is not in your power to ordain Mr Freeman on the
same conditions as Mr Montague ? We are willing
that he should make the same subscription, provided
that he might be allowed to declare that he conceives
his own church to be one of the Protestant Episcopal
churches of the state of Massachusetts, and might be
allowed to use the Liturgy of this church, a copy of
which we do ourselves the honour to present you.
With anxiety we shall wait for an answer to this let-
ter, and for your opinion upon the matters contained
in it.
We have the honour to be with the most profound
respect, Right Rev. Sir, your most obedient and
most devoted Servants,
Thomas Bulfinch.
Shrimpton Hutchinsoi*.
APPENDIX. 183
BISHOP'S PROVOST'S \N-wru.
New York, 13 Aug. 1787.
Gentlemen, since I was honoured with the receipt
of your letter, I have collected the sentiments of the
Council of advice, appointed by a late convention of
the Protestant Episcopal church in this state, consist-
ing of the Rev. xMessrs Beach, Moore and Bloomer,
the Hon. John Jay, Hon. James Duane and James
Alsop, Esqrs, and find them to be unanimously of
opinion that it would be improper for me to enter into
a discussion of the business of your letter, as they
think a subject of so much importance to the church
at large ought to be reserved entirely for the consid-
eration of the general Convention. It is in compli-
ance with their advice that I now refer you to the first
meeting of that Assembly.
Be pleased, gentlemen, to accept my thanks for the
copy of your Liturgy, and believe me to be with great
respect your most obedt and very humble servant,
Samuel Provost,
Bp. of the Prot. Ep. Ch. New Yo?k.
XII.
protest against mr freeman's ordination, and
the answer of the wardens thereto.
[See Page 142.]
Protest, delivered to the Church wardens by Messrs
Deblois, Ivers, and Williams, with a request that the
same may be recorded in the Church books.
Boston, Nov. 16,1787.
Whereas certain persons calling themselves proprie-
184 APPENDIX.
tors of the Stone Chapel in Boston have of late de-
clared that the pews of a number of the original
proprietors are forfeit, on account of their absence,
and have sold said pews to persons who never were of
the Episcopal church, and who hold sentiments diame-
trically opposite to said church; and said new pro-
prietors have introduced a Liturgy, different from any
now used in the Episcopal churches in the United
States, and articles of faith which in our opinion are
unscriptural and heretical ; and have thereby deprived
many of the proprietors of said house of their proper-
ty and the privilege of worshipping God therein
according to the dictates of their consciences ; and
whereas we are informed by a Committee from said
proprietors, that they intend next Lord's day, to take
upon themselves to authorize Mr James Freeman to
administer the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's
Supper in said Church, and to receive him as a regu-
lar ordained Minister, which step in our opinion is
unprecedented, irregular and contrary to apostolic and
primitive usage, and to the common sentiments of
almost every sect and denomination of Christians, a
step which may be attended with fatal consequences
to the interests of religion in general and that of the
Episcopal church in particular. We therefore the
subscribers in behalf of ourselves and other original
proprietors of this church, who have authorized us to
act for them, do hereby enter our most solemn and se-
rious protest and dissent against all such proceedings,
and particularly against the settlement and pretended
ordination of the said James Freeman, declaring our
utter abhorrence of measures so contrary to the doc-
trine, discipline and worship of an Episcopal church
APPENDIX. 185
and which will include in them a total alienation of
the property of said house from the use intended by
the original donors or founders.
James I vers, for himself and Jas. Trecothiclc, Esqr.
Gilbert Deblois, for himself, Lewis Deblois, and
Henry Leddell. James Lloyd, for Wm. Vassall, Esqr.
Henry Smith for Henry Lloyd. James Apthorp.
Charles Williams. Theodore Dehon. John
Box. John Haskins. Lydia Box. Matthew
Nazro. Ambrose Vincent. Grizzell Apthorp.
Dorothy Forbes.
answer to the protest, by the wardens.
The Wardens of the Chapel being two of the un-
doubted proprietors of it, think themselves called upon
to vindicate the conduct of that church respecting the
ordination of the Rev. Mr Freeman on the last Lord's
day. They would have been happy if some of the
former proprietors had not thus obliged them to ap-
pear in public ; but the foregoing protest being of such
a nature as to mislead the public at large, obliges them
to display the impropriety of it. At the same time
from the respect due to some persons whose names
appear in the protest, they are very unwilling to hurt
their feelings, which must necessarily be done in the
following remarks.
Before they enter on the merits of the cause, it will
not be amiss to go over the names and circumstances
of the Protestors, and leave the world to judge of the
expediency or propriety of their acting in this matter
at all. — Previous to their dissent a Committee from
their body called on the senior warden desiring in-
formation respecting the ordination. This desire
being made known to the vestry, they empowered a
APPENDIX.
committee to wait upon them and to furnish them with
a copy of the votes relative to the business ; among1
which votes there was one expressly forbidding any
votes by proxy. Notwithstanding this, five proxies
have appeared in behalf of those whose local situa-
tion and circumstances do not at present admit of their
voting. The dissentient committee were at the same
time informed that if any objections lay against our
procedure a meeting should be called, and they heard
upon the subject before the time fixed for the ordina-
tion. No such meeting was desired, and the ordina-
tion accordingly took place. On Saturday evening
previous to the ordination, another Committee called
on the Wardens and presented the protest, which was
on the next day after service laid before the church,
and congregation,, and dismissed by an unanimous vote
for reasons which will be given. Now let us see who
the Protestors are, and what right they had to make
this protest, and how far their right extended.
The protestors- consist of 17 in number, five of whom
we conceive had no right to protest at all, for although
the agents who appear for them may be their lawful
attorneys in secular matters, yet we do not believe it
probable that they can be competent judges of their
opinions on matters of faith ; and there is quite as
much reason to think that some of them at least would
unite with us in opinion, as that others would unite
with the Dissentients. For instance how does Mr
lvers or Dr Lloyd know that Mr Trecothick and Mr
Vassal would not join in the ordination? As how-
ever it is very improbable that Mr Trecothick, who is
settled in business in London, and has a family and
connexions there, will ever come to this country, ex-
APPENDIX. Ig7
cept on a visit, this vote can hardly be reckoned. The
same may be said of Mr Henry Lloyd, whose depar-
ture we most sincerely lament ; Mr L. Deblois and Mr
Leddell. Where then could be the necessity of ap-
plying- to these gentlemen for their opinion ? Or
must a church in this country be deprived of the bene-
fit of the holy ordinances lest the mode of administer-
ing them should not be agreeable to some of its breth-
ren at a distance ? However, to gratify our dissentient
brethren, we will admit the votes of these five. The
next person we shall mention is Mr James Apthorp of
Braintree, a gentleman who left this town several
years ago, and joined himself to the church at Brain-
tree, and who although he was upon the spot when Mr
Freeman was chosen Minister of the Chapel, and had
heard of the amendments making in the Liturgy, yet
never appeared to disapprove of them ; and yet he
and all the other proprietors were desired in public
prints to appear, and show cause if any, why the
church should not proceed to the business which they
have since transacted. With how much propriety
therefore he appears in the above protest, the candid
will judge. — The next three persons we mention are
Mrs Forbes, Mr Dehon and Mr Nazro, neither of whom
have worshipped at the Chapel since 1775, altho' they
are worthy proprietors; but have continued to worship
at Trinity Church previous to any alteration in our
service. — We have now mentioned eight persons out
of the seventeen of whose right to interfere we leave
to the decision of the public. Of the remainder we
might except against Mrs Box as an elderly lady who
has been unable to attend public worship for several
years past ; and to Mr Haskins and Mr Williams as
188 APPENDIX.
having voted for many of the alterations. As we do
not recollect whether Mr Ives and Mr Box voted for
the alterations, we shall not include them in that num-
ber. — With respect to Madam Apthorp and Mr Vin-
cent, they have frequently worshipped with us since
the alterations were made, and therefore cannot be
presumed to object on that account, but only on ac-
count of the mode of ordination.
The last person to be mentioned is Mr Gilbert Deb-
lois, a gentleman, who, having so lately returned among
us, we fear has not had time to pay sufficient attention
to the alterations, but who, we hope when he has done
it will make us happy in returning with his family to
our Christian communion. Now let us see how many
of the old proprietors, those we mean who were such
before the war, are still remaining with us. Of these,
as it appears by the Church books, there are twenty-
Jour ; who without mentioning any other persons, be-
ing a large majority, are fully justified in taking upon
them the conduct and management of the church.
But beside these there are twenty other persons who
having joined themselves to the church by purchasing
pews and becoming proprietors, have an undoubted
right to give their assent and vote in Church transac-
tions. We might go on, and reckon a great number
of other respectable persons, who by occupying pews
and statedly paying their dues, have likewise a right
of voting. And of these Old and New proprietors
and Occupiers not one dissenting voice was heard
respecting the ordination.
We will now enter upon the merits of the protest
itself. The protest begins thus, " Whereas certain
persons calling themselves a majority of the proprie-
APPENDIX. 189
tors of the Stone Chapel," did &c. — We acknowledge
this to be true ; and whereas this majority consisted
of at least Jive if not six to one of the proprietors, no
man in his senses will assert that they had not a just
right so to do. But what have they done ? " They
have declared that the pews of a number of the orio-i-
nal proprietors are forfeit on account of their absence."
But the Protestors do not say that these forfeitures
are just, by the very tenor of the deeds ; nor do they
say that there is a standing vote of this Church, that
if any of said proprietors either by themselves, or their
special attorney apply within a certain time, they
shall be reimbursed the expenses of their pews, after
deducting the arrears due upon them ; — nor have they
given the reason for this step, which was to defray the
necessary expenses of repairs of damages incurred
during the war, and the time in which the Church lay
unimproved, and to finish the building. They further
say that those pews "have been sold to persons who
never were of the Episcopal Church." This is a very
extraordinary remark. We would wish to know if in
the Episcopal Church or elsewhere, any person, whose
life and conversation was blameless, was ever prevent-
ed from joining any particular society, or becoming
the proprietor of a pew, provided there was room for
him and he able to make good his purchase. We have
always believed that the Episcopal church displayed
a liberality in this respect which Avas truly commenda-
ble. And when a person has once become a purcha-
ser, we wish to know by what authority he can be
prohibited from giving his vote many case whatever,
and whether such a proprietor's vote is not as valid as
even the first and most respectable of its Founders ?
190 APPENDIX.
We are not able to find any record of this church from
its foundation which prohibits the sale of pews to
persons of any persuasion whatever ; and the old pro-
prietors of the Church we doubt not are so far from
disapproving of the sale of pews to the late purchas-
ers, that it would make them happy to dispose of as
many more to persons of equal merit. We would ask
these Protestors if they do not wish from their hearts
that the Episcopal church in general might grow ? and
how is it to grow, if not by additions from other
churches ? But look at the other Episcopal Churches
in this town ; of whom do the far greater part of them
consist, but of those who were educated in another
persuasion? and are they allowed to have no vote at
all ? But this matter is too futile for serious discus-
sion.
The Protestors next say that " these new proprie-
tors have introduced a Liturgy different from any
now used in the United States." This assertion is on
many accounts very extraordinary. Before any alter-
ation was made in the Liturgy, was it not considered
at a meeting of the Members whether any alterations
in the service were necessary ? was it not voted in the
affirmative by Messrs Haskins and Williams ? was not
a committee then appointed to inquire what alterations
were necessary ? Did not that Committee consist of
persons, who have always been of the Church ? How
then can it be said to have been done by the new pro-
prietors ? This is a subterfuge too little to be offered
to the public in a matter of such importance. Further,
was there not an unanimous vote at the first meeting
of the Committee before any business was acted upon,
that it was still the opinion of the Committee that some
APPENDIX. 191
alterations were necessary? We pledge our word to
the public for the truth of the affirmative of these
queries ; and also that Messrs Haskins and Williams
voted personally for many of these alterations tho' not
all. And now because the business has not termin-
ated exactly to their minds, they appear thus openly
against the Church. However, as we greatly respect
these gentlemen as worthy, conscientious men, we
will not wound their feelings by saying more on this
part of our subject.
We come now to the last article to be taken notice
of, which is that " we have introduced articles of faith
which in their opinion are unscriptural and heretical
and have thereby deprived many of the proprietors of
their property in the house, and the privilege of wor-
shipping God therein according to the dictates of their
consciences." As to depriving them of their property,
the church never had a thought of doing it. We shall
be very happy in having them join with us in religious
worship ; but if they cannot do this, they may still re-
tain or doubtless dispose of their property in the
Church to great advantage. As to the introduction of
any articles of faith, the charge is totally without
foundation. We have no articles of faith but the
Apostles' creed. It is true some parts of that are
omitted, and for these omissions all the members of the
Committee voted, Mr Haskins and Mr Williams not
excepted. That the world however may know what
those tenets and articles are which are so unscriptu-
ral, Ave hereby declare, that we worship and adore one
only living and true God, the parent of mankind, the
bountiful Giver of all Good ; that we offer our adora-
tions to him in the name of his dearly beloved Son,
192 APPENDIX.
the Redeemer of mankind ; and that we expect and
hope for pardon and acceptance and eternal happiness
only thro' the mercies of God in Jesus Christ. And if
this is the doctrine which they call heresy, we pro-
fess thus to worship the God of our fathers.
XIII.
ORDINATION OF THE REV. JAMES FREEMAN.
On Sunday, 18th November, 1787, after the Rev. Mr
Freeman had finished the reading of Evening prayer,
the Wardens joined him in the reading desk, when the
Senior Warden (Thomas Bulfinch, M. D.) made a short
but pertinent address to the vestrymen, proprietors and
congregation, on the importance of the service in
which they were now engaging.
" Brethren of the Vestry, proprietors and congrega-
tion who statedly worship in this Church ! At your last
meeting at this place you appointed this day for the
ordination of the Rev. Mr Freeman ; you then deter-
mined it by a vote which I shall now read, to be signed
by the wardens on your behalf. But as this mode of
procedure may appear new and unprecedented to some
of this Audience, it may not be amiss to assign a rea-
son for adopting it.
" It is now upwards of four years, since you made
choice of the Rev. Mr Freeman for your Minister,
since which time you have been anxious for his ordi-
nation, that he might be empowered to administer the
APPENDIX. 193
ordinances of the Gospel — and although you have re-
peatedly sought for this power, yet you have not been
able to obtain it. Some hopes have been conceived
from the American Bishops, the Right Rev. Dr Sea-
bury, and since from the Rt Rev. Dr Provost, but that
prospect being still distant, you have adopted the pre-
sent mode, rather than be longer deprived of those
ordinances. As the business before us is of a serious
and important nature, it becomes us to begin it with a
solemn address to the great Parent of mankind."
The first ordaining prayer Avas then read by the Rev.
Mr Freeman. The Senior Warden then read the or-
daining vote, Viz. " We the Wardens, vestry, propri-
etors and congregation of King's Chapel, or first
Episcopal church in Boston, do, by virtue of the third
article in the declaration of rights, hereby solemnly
elect, ordain, constitute and appoint the Rev. James
Freeman of said Boston to be our Rector, Minister,
Public Teacher, Priest, Pastor and teaching Elder, to
preach the word of God, and to dispense lessons and
instructions in piety, religion, and morality ; and to
minister the holy sacraments in the congregation ; and
to do, perform and discharge all the other duties and
offices, which of right belong to any other Rector,
minister, public teacher, Pastor, teaching elder, or
Priest in orders.
" And it is hereby understood and intended, that the
authority and rights hereby given to the said James
Freeman, to be our Rector, Minister, public Teacher,
Priest, teaching Elder and Pastor, are to remain in full
force so long as he shall continue to preach the word
of God, and dispense instructions in piety, religion and
morality, conformably to our opinions and sentiments of
13
194 APPENDIX.
the holy scriptures, and no longer: and that ourjudge-
ment of his not thus conforming to our religious senti-
ments and opinions, shall be ascertained by the votes
of three fourths of the wardens and vestry, and of
three fourths of the proprietors usually worshipping in
said church, separately and individually taken."
" Brethren ! if this vote be agreeable to your minds,
if you readily and cheerfully adopt it, if you mean to
convey all the powers expressed in it — please to sig-
nify it." — In token of their unanimous approbation,
the proprietors lifted up their right hands.
"If it is your desire that the said vote be now signed
by the wardens in your behalf, please to signify it." —
The Proprietors, as before, unanimously lifted up
their right hands. The Senior Warden then ad-
dressing Mr Freeman, said — " Revd Sir, it appears by
the vote in favour of your ordination that you are law-
fully chosen — it is expected that you now declare
your acceptance of the choice." — Mr Freeman then
read and presented to the Senior Warden the following
subscribed by him. Viz — " To the Wardens, Vestry,
proprietors and congregation of the Chapel or first
Episcopal church in Boston. Brethren, with cheerful-
ness and gratitude I accept your election and ordina-
tion which I believe to be valid and Apostolick.
And I pray God to enable me to preach the word, and
to administer the ordinances of religion in such a man-
ner as that I may promote his glory, the honour of the
Redeemer and your spiritual edification.
James Freeman."
The Senior Warden then delivered to Mr Freeman
a copy of the ordaining vote signed by the Wardens,
and laying his hand on Mr Freeman, said,
APPENDIX. 195
as Senior Warden of this church, by virtue of the
authority delegated to me, in the presence of Almighty
God, and before these witnesses, declare you, the Rev.
James Freeman, to be the Rector, Minister, Priest, Pas-
tor, public Teacher, and teaching Elder of this Epis-
copal church ; — in testimony whereof I deliver you
this book (delivering him a Bible) containing the holy
oracles of Almighty God, enjoining a due observance
of all the precepts contained therein, particularly those
which respect the duty and office of a Minister of
Jesus Christ. — And the Lord bless you and keep you,
the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you
and give you peace now and forevermore." The whole
Assembly as one man, spontaneously and emphatically
pronounced Amen.
The Rev Mr Freeman then read the second ordain-
ing prayer, and after an Anthem was sung by the choir,
preached on the duties and offices of a Christian Min-
ister. Another Anthem then closed the Evening
service.
XIV.
DR BELKNAP'S REMARKS ON MR FREEMAN'S ORDINATION.
[See page 142.]
For the Centinel.
A ROWLAND FOR YOUR OLIVER. *
On Sunday the 18th inst. was exhibited at the house
formerly called the King's Chapel, an instance of the
public exercise of a long dormant right, which every
* In answer to a scurrilous piece in a preceding paper.
196 APPENDIX.
Society civil and religious has to elect and Ordain their
own officers. It is to be observed that application had
been made to one or more of the laivned successors of
the humble apostles, for ordination in the Episcopal
mode, but it was withheld on account of the unpliable
integrity of the Candidate, in scrupling subscription
to articles of faith of human composure. And though
the Bible, the work of Prophets, Evangelists, and Apos-
tles, was acknowledged as the standard of faith, yet
this acknowledgment was insufficient ! When priestly
usurpation is carried to a certain pitch, the people
(thank Heaven) can, and will find out their own rights,
and know how to exercise them. Invested with this
right by the God of nature, secured in the exercise of
it by the civil constitution, and encouraged by all the
consistent friends of order and liberty ; the independ-
ent congregation by their representatives publickly in-
vested with the ministerial office a sensible, honest man,
who publickly accepted the Bible as the only standard of
his faith, and directory of his preaching and ministra-
tions. Thus without any mysterious unintelligible
ceremonies ; without any assumption of apostolick
powers ; without any pretended superiority of office ;
without any affected communication of sacerdotal
effluviee, was a servant of Jesus Christ introduced into
his office in a style, simple, decent, primitive and con-
stitutional. Then was cut the aspiring comb of prela-
tic pride, — then was undermined the pompous
fabrick of hierarchical usurpation ; — then was pricked
the puffed bladder of uninterrupted succession ; while
the eye of liberty sparkled with joy, and the modest
face of primitive, simple, unadulterated Christianity
brightened with the conscious smile of a decent, man-
ly, substantial triumph.
APPENDIX. 197
XV.
CLERICAL EXCOMMUNICATION OF MR FREEMAF.
[See page 142.]
From the Centinel of Jan. 28. 1783.
EX COMMUNICATION".
Mr Russel. By publishing the following Protest, or
Excommunication in the Centinel, you will oblige
yr humble servant, James Freeman,
Minister of the Stone Chapel, Boston.
Whereas a certain congregation in Boston calling
themselves the first Episcopal Church in that town,
have in an irregular unconstitutional manner, intro-
duced a Liturgy essentially differing from any used in
the Episcopal churches in this commonwealth, and in
the United States, not to mention the Protestant
Episcopal church in general, and have also assumed
to themselves a power unprecedented in said Church,
of separating to the work of the ministry Mr James
Freeman, who has for some time past been their Read-
er ; and of themselves have authorized or pretendedlv
authorized him to administer the Sacraments of Bap-
tism and the Lord's Supper ; and at the same time
most inconsistently and absurdly take to themselves
the name and style of an Episcopal Church : — We
the Ministers of the Protestant Episcopal church
Avhose names are underwritten, do hereby declare the
proceedings of said congregation usually meeting in
the Stone Chapel in Boston, to be irregular, unconsti-
tutional, diametrically opposite to every principle
198 APPENDIX.
adopted in any Episcopal Church, subversive of all
order and regularity, and pregnant with consequences
fatal to the interests of religion. And we do hereby,
and in this public manner protest against the aforesaid
proceedings, to the end that all those of our commu-
nion, wherever dispersed, may be cautioned against
receiving said Reader or Preacher, Mr James Free-
man as a clergyman of our church, or holding any
communion with him as such ; and may be induced
to look on his congregation in the light in which it
ought to be looked on by all true Episcopalians.
Edward Bass, of St Paul's Ch. Newburyport.
Samuel Parker, Trinity Ch. Boston.
William Montague, Christ Ch. Boston.
John C. Ogden. Queen's Chapel. Portsmouth
N. H.
Bee. 1787.
XVI.
SOME NOTICES OF THE REV. SAMUEL CARY.
[J?ee Pago 145.]
The Rev. Samuel Cary was the son of the Rev.
Thomas Cary of Newburyport, in which place he was
born. Nov. 24, 1785. He was graduated at Harvard
University in 1804. He studied divinity at Cambridge
for three years, and was invited to preach on probation
at King's Chapel in Nov. 1808. He was ordained,
Jan. 1, 1809. He was married in 1811, and died Oct-
22.1815.
APPENDIX. 199
His publications are, 1. A Discourse before the
Merrimack Humane Society; 180G. 2. A Discourse
at his own Ordination. 3. A Discourse delivered on
the Day of the National Fast; Sept. 9. 1813. 4. A
Sermon before the Ancient and Honorable Artillery
Company ; June 6. 1814. 5. A Discourse on the Igno-
rance of the true Meaning of the Scriptures, and the
Causes of it ; 1814. 6. Sermon on the Death of
Madam Susan Bulfinch ; Feb. 26. 1815. 7. Review of
English's " Grounds of Christianity Examined;" 1813.
The intelligence of Mr Cary's death called forth
warm and heartfelt tributes of respect and love from his
friends. A Sermon on the occasion by the Rev. Dr
Freeman, and a part of a sermon by the Rev. Henry
Colman, in which his virtues and talents were feeling-
ly portrayed, were printed, though not published. His
congregation ordered a monument to be erected over
his remains, and an epitaph in Latin to be inscribed on
it, which was from the pen of his classmate, Professor
Andrews Norton.
An account of Mr Cary was also published in Eng-
land, in the Monthly Repository for December, 1815,
consisting principally of an extract from a Funeral
Discourse delivered the Sunday after his decease, at
the Essex Street Chapel, by the Rev. Thomas Belsham.
As this extract contains an interesting narrative of the
circumstances attending his death, I will here copy
the larger portion of it, without apology.
" Dr Freeman, after twenty years' active service in
the church, finding his health beginning to decline,
requested and obtained from his numerous and flourish-
ing congregation the assistance of a colleague. That
colleague was the Reverend Samuel Cary, a young
200 APPENDIX.
man of distinguished ability, and piety, who on the
first of January, 1809, was ordained co-pastor with the
Reverend Dr Freeman. The talents and the virtues
of this excellent young man are spoken of in the high-
est terms by all who had the happiness of his acquaint-
ance, and especially by those who enjoyed the great
privilege of attending upon his ministry.
" The greatest advantages were naturally antici-
pated from this auspicious connexion. The venerable
pastor of the society whose precarious health led him
to apprehend that his own labours might be speedily ter-
minated, or at least frequently interrupted, was delight-
ed with the prospect of leaving the people of his
charge, the objects of his affectionate solicitude, and
particularly the rising generation, in whose welfare
and improvement he felt a peculiar interest, under the
care of one who would follow his steps, and perfect
the work of instruction and edification which he had
so happily begun. The members of the society also
rejoiced that they had found a minister who in-
herited so large a portion of the spirit of their
admired and beloved pastor ; and one who would be so
well qualified, with divine assistance, to support and
to carry on the great cause of truth and goodness,
when his venerable colleague should in the course of
nature be dismissed from his labours, or by declining
health and the infirmities of advancing years be under
the necessity of retiring from his official duties.
1 With such an affectionate people' (saith this exem-
plary minister of Christ, in a charge delivered upon
the solemn occasion of Mr Cary's settlement as a co-
pastor with him) ' my brother has reason to hope that
his life will be happy. And you, my friends, on your
APPENDIX. 201
part have cause for pleasing expectation. The youth
and health of your new pastor promise you many
years of usefulness and love. And long after I am
laid in the grave, the light of his instructions will shed
a kindly influence upon your children.'
" Alas ! how little can we see what lies before us.
For what is human life ? It is even a vapour, which
appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.
" How much nearer to the truth, much nearer indeed
than any one at the time could have suspected, were
those sadly prophetic words which occurred a few sen-
tences before in the same discourse, and upon the
same occasion. ' You are still young : but death will
soon overtake you. This solemn truth furnishes you
with a strong motive to diligence. The world abounds
with comforts and even pleasures. It is a world every
part of which displays the goodness of God. But the
present scene is not permanent. All its joys are pass-
ing rapidly away, and you look for something more
substantial.'*1
" These prophetic words have been but too literally
and exactly fulfilled. After a connexion of six years,
the result of which was the increasing attachment of
his reverend colleague, of his numerous congregation,
and of all who had the honour and the happiness of his
acquaintance, Mr Cary was arrested in the midst of
his days, and in the prime of his usefulness, by the
hand of death. 'His purposes were broken off, even
the thoughts of his heart.' His sun is gone down
while it was yet day. All his schemes of usefulness,
all his flattering hopes of glorifying God and Christ,
* Dr Freeman's Sermons, pp. 294-5.
202 APPENDIX.
and of contributing to the diffusion of trutli and vir-
tue and genuine evangelical piety in the world are cut
off in the bud. And his family, his colleague, his con-
gregation, his friends, and the public, are left to de-
plore their irreparable loss, and to adore the unfathom-
able mysteries of Divine Providence which baffle all
human sagacity, and whose ways are past rinding out.
" Endued with a vigour of constitution which pro-
mised length of days, and which perhaps occasioned
the neglect of prudent caution, he was seized in March
last with an accidental cold, which not exciting imme-
diate alarm, was not treated with sufficient attention,
and which of consequence went on increasing in vio-
lence, and gradually sapping his excellent constitution,
till in the month of July he found himself incapable of
continuing his public services, and retired for a few
weeks to what was conceived to be a more salubrious
climate. He returned somewhat relieved, but without
any radical improvement. Some of his friends then
suggested, and he was himself inclined to hope, that
a voyage across the Atlantic might be of service to
his health ; and that a winter spent in the mild cli-
mate of England might perfect his recovery. He
accordingly left Boston in the month of September.
His passage was remarkably expeditious. But the
weather being uncommonly wet was unfavorable to an
invalid. About three weeks ago, he landed at Liver-
pool, and proceeded to Yorkshire, where he passed a
few days in the house of a friend. But finding himself
a little revived he was anxious to continue his progress
towards the south : being desirous after passing a few
weeks near the metropolis to spend the winter in the
West of England. He travelled slowly, and by short
APPENDIX. 203
stages, as he was able to bear it (accompanied by Mrs
Cary, whose tender solicitude fur his health and com-
fort animated her to endure the fatigues of a long voy-
age, and of a residence in a land of strangers, together
with another friend.) Being refreshed by gentle
exercise and change of air, he pleased himself with
the hope that upon some early day, perhaps at this very
hour, he should be able to assist in divine worship in
the Chapel which Mr Lindsey had founded, in which
that great and good man had statedly officiated, and
where the doctrine which he himself regarded as of the
first importance, that of the sole unrivalled majesty
and worship of the one God and Father of all, was
still publicly taught. But this favour was denied. Last
Lord's Day (October 22,) he was at Cambridge, in bet-
ter spirits than usual ; and expressed his delight in
the transient view which he enjoyed of the venerable
and majestic buildings of that ancient seat of learning.
In the evening he pursued his journey, but a mile
before he came to Royston, he was seized with a diffi-
culty of breathing, and an acute pain across the chest.
With much difficulty he was taken forward to the end
of the stage : and notwithstanding all the assistance
which could be given, and the humane attention which
he experienced not only from the few friends who ac-
companied him but from the strangers who surrounded
him, Mr Cary expired within two hours after his
arrival.
" Almost with his latest breath he expressed a wish
that his remains might be taken to London, and that
his funeral service might be performed by the officiating
minister of Essex-Street Chapel ; to whom he had
brought a letter of introduction, and with whom he
204 APPENDIX.
had expressed a desire to become acquainted, and who
on his part would have been truly gratified had an in-
terview, however short, been permitted with a charac-
ters© interesting. All that Divine Providence in fact
allowed was, that he should fulfil the dying request of
his unknown friend by officiating at his funeral. Such
was the will of Him who doth all things well. And
may his will be done, and ever be cheerfully acquiesced
in by all his reasonable creatures. Nor, after all, was
the disappointment of great account. Pass but a few
fleeting years, and the virtuous of all countries and of
all ages, will meet, to part no more."
XVII.
INSCRIPTIONS ON THE THREE MONUMENTS IN KING'S CHAPEL.
1. THE SHIRLEY TABLET.
M. S.
FRANCISCO SHIRLEY,
Quam Virginem
Omnium Adnrirationi commendavit
Eximius Formre Nitor,
Familiarium vero eliam Amori
Gratior veniens in pulchro Corpore virtus :
Quam Nuptam
Fides intcmerata, Amor sincerus,
Rerum Domesticarum prudens Administratio,
Indoles suavissima,
In tantum Marito devinxerunt,
Vt Cor ejus in ilia tutissime confident :
APPENDIX. 205
Quam Matrem
Nulla prius habuit Cura
Quam ut Liberorum Animoa prestantiasimia nioribus im-
bueret,
Quod et strenue laboravit et feliciter :
Quam Demum,
In omni Vitae statu et Conditione,
Summa Ingenii Elegantia
Quicquid Decorum atque Honestum diligenter excolentis
Quiequid Vanum contra et Leve serio aversantis
Morum Simplicity Candida
Pietas infucata
In Egeno Liberalitas, in omnes Benevolentia,
Dolorum Tolerantia, Voluptatum Temperantia,
Omnis denique et omnimoda Virtus
Ut amabilem fecerunt omnibus
Ita Amorem ipsum et Delicias hujus Provincial Vivam,
Desiderium triste et insolabile reddiderunt mortuam.
Maritum habuit Gulielmum Shirley hujus Provinciae
Praefeetum,
Quern Filiis quatuor, Filiabus quinque beavit.
E Stirpe Geuerosa Nata est Londini mdcxcii,
Denata Dorcestriaj Massachusettensium pi id: Kal. Sept.
MDCCXLVI,
In communi hujus Op pidi Caemeterio conditae ipsius Exuviae
Felicem ad meliorem vitam Reditum expectant.
Juxta banc Prsestantissimam .Matrem positum est
Quicquid Mortale fuit Filice Natu secundaj FRAXCisCiE
BOLLA.V,
Gulielmi Boll an Armigeri
In Curia Vice Admiralitatis apud Massachusettenses
Regii Advocati,
Nuper Uxoris,
206 APPENDIX.
Quam Virtus et Forma excellens,
Prudentia et Ingeniurn excnltum,
Pietas et Mores suavissimi,
Dilectissimam omnibus, dum in vivis fuit finxerunt.
Spatiolo Vitae, (heu brevi) percurso,
Annum quippe vix quartum supra vicessimum attigit,
Primo in Partu diem obiit supremum xn Kal. Martias
mdccxliv
Marito, Parentibus, Amicis,
Ingens sui Desiderium relinquens.
1. THE APTHORP TABLET.
M. S.
CAROL1 APTHORP,
QUI
PATERFAMILIAS PEUDENS ET LIBERALIS.
MERCATOR INTEGERRIMUS,
INSIGJVI PROBITATE CIVIS,
INTER HUJUS .^DIS INSTAURATORES
PRECIPUE MTJNIFICUS,
SINCERA FIDE ET LARGA CARITATE
CHRISTIANUS,
OBIIT SEXAGENARIES
XI. NOVEMBR. MDCCLVIII,
REPENTINA
ET SUIS IMMATURA
MORTE PRJEREPTUS.
NE
TANTARUM VIRTUTUM
MEMORIA ET EXEMPI.UM
OBSOLEREf,
APPENDIX. 207
VIDUA ET XV LIBERI
SUPERSTITES
HOC MARMOR
A^ORIS ET PIETATIS MONUMENTUM
P P.
3. THE VASSALL MONUMENT,
Sacred to the memory of
SAMUEL VASSALL, Esq. of LONDON, Merchant,
one of the original proprietors of the lands
of this Country ;
a steady and undaunted
asserter of the Liberties of ENGLAND,
in 1628,
He was the first who boldly refused to submit to the tax
of Tonnage and Poundage,
an unconstitutional claim of the Crown
arbitrarily imposed :
For which (to the ruin of his family)
his goods were seized and his person imprisoned by the
Star Chamber Court.
He was chosen to represent the City of
LONDON,
in two successive Parliaments which met Apr. 13 and Nov. 3,
1640.
The Parliament in July, 1641, voted him
£10445. 12. 2
for his damages,
and resolved that he should be further considered
for his personal sufferings ;
But the rage of the times and the neglect of
proper applications since
208 APPENDIX.
have left to his family only the honour of that
Vote and Resolution.
He was one of the largest subscribers
to raise money
against the Rebels in IRELAND.
All these facts may be seen in the Journal
of the House of Commons.
He was the Son of
the gallant JOHN VASSALL
who in 1588
at his own expense fitted out and commanded two Ships of
War,
with which he joined the Royal Navy
to oppose
the SPANISH ARMADA.
This monument was erected by his great grandson,
FLORENTIUS VASSALL, Esq.
of the Island of JAMAICA, now residing in ENGLAND,
May, 1766.
Beside these monuments in King's Chapel, there is a
small marble tablet inserted over the door of the vestry
room, bearing the following inscription :
William Price,
a benefactor to this church,
died, May xix, mdcclxxii.
aged lxxxvii. years.
APPENDIX
•209
XVIII.
LIST OF MINISTERS OF KING'S CHAPEL.
Inducted. Died or removed.
Robert Ratcliffe,
Rector.
1686
Left
1689
Robert Clarke,
Assistant.
1686
Samuel Myles,
Rector.
1689
Died
1728
George Hatton,
Assistant.
1693
Left
1696
Christopher Bridge,
do.
1699
Rem'i
d.1706
Henry Harris.
do.
1709
Died
1729
Roger Price,
Rector.
1729
Resi'nd. 1746
Charles Harward,
Assistant.
1731
Died
1736
Addington Davenpo
% do.
1737
Left
1740
Stephen Roe,
do.
1741
Rem'
^d. 1744
Henry Caner,
Rector.
1747
Left
1776
Charles Brockwell,
Assistant.
1747
Died
1755
Johr. Troutbeck,
do.
1755
Left
1775
James Freeman,
Reader.
1782
Do.
Rector.
1787
Samuel Cary, Ass
ociate Minister.
1809
Died
1815
Francis Win. Pitt G
•eenwood, do.
1824
XIX.
LIST OF THE WARDENS OF KING'S CHAPEL.
16S6tol687,
1689,
1690,
1691,
1692,
1693,
1694 1695,
1696,
1697,
1698,
1699,
17C0,
1701,
1702 1703:
Benjamin Bullivant
Francis Foxcroft
Benjamin Mountfort
Savill Simpson
Nicholas Tippet
William Hobby
Thaddeus Maccarty
Giles Dyer
Giles Dyer
George Turfrey
John Indicott
William Hobby
East Apthorp
Edward Lyde
14
and Richard Banks.
Samuel Ravenscroft.
Giles Dyer.
Harry Clark.
Edward Gouge.
George Turfrey.
Francis Foxcroft.
Benjamin Mountfort.
Shubal Simpson.
John Indicott.
William Hobby.
East Apthorp.
Edward Lyde.
Samuel Checkley.
214
APPENDIX,
1704, Thomas Newton
1705, Nicholas Roberts
1706, John Nelson
1707, Savill Simpson
1703, William Tailer
1709, Thomas Newton
1710, Arthur Langharne
1711, Anthony Blount
1713 1714, Sir Charles Hobby
1715 1716, John Oulton
1717 1718, Giles Dyer
1719 1720 Henry Francklyn
1721, John Cutler
1722, John Cutler
1723, Francis Brinley
1724, James Stirling
1725, John Barnes
1726, John Gibbins
1727, Thomas Selby
1725, John Eastwicke
1729, William Randle
1730, William Speakman
1731, Job Lewis
1732, Charles Apthorp
1733, George Steuart
1734, George Shore
1735, Thomas Greene
1736, John Read
1737, Thomas Child
1738, William Coffin
1739, Silvester Gardiner
1740, James Gordon
1741, William Shirley
1742, S.imuel Wentworth
1743, Eliakim Hutchinson
1744, Charles Apthorp
1745, George Cradock
1746 to 1752, James Gordon
1753, John Box
1754, James Forbes
1755, James Forbes
1756 1757 Silvester Gardiner
1758 1759, Silvester Gardiner
1760 1761, Nathaniel Wheelwright
Nicholas Roberts.
John Nelson.
Savill Simpson.
William Tailer.
Thomas Newton.
Arthur Langharne.
Anthony Blount.
Cyprian Southack.
John Jekyll.
John Valentine.
Edward Mills.
George Cradock.
Henry Francklyn
James Smith.
James Stirling.
John Barnes.
John Gibbins.
Thomas Selby.
Thomas Phillips.
William Randle.
William Speakman.
Job Lewis.
Charles Apthorp.
George Steuart.
George Shore.
Thomas Greene.
John Read.
Thomas Child.
William Coffin.
Silvester Gardiner.
James Gordon.
William Shirley.
Samuel Wentworth.
Eliakim Hutchinson.
Charles Apthorp.
George Cradock.
William Shirley, jr.
John Box.
James Forbes.
John Box.
Thomas Hawding.
Henry Lloyd.
Nathl. Wheelwright.
Charles Paxton.
APPENDIX.
21!
1763
1769
17S3
1793
1796
1798
1827
1762, Charles Paxton Silvester Gardiner.
176S, Silvester Gardiner Charles Paxton.
1774, Silvester Gardiner Gilbert Deblois.
Revolutionary interval.
17S2, Thomas Bulfineh James Ivers.
1792, Thomas Bulfineh Shrimp. Hutchinson.
1794, Thomas Bulfineh Joseph May.
1795, Charles Miller Joseph May.
1797, Charles Miller Ebenezer Oliver.
1826, Ebenezer Oliver Joseph May.
, Francis Johonnot Oliver William Minot.
King's Chapel as in 1720. Beacon Hill in the distance.
DATE DUE
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297
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