University of Virginia Library

"The Depositions of John Mico & Zechariah Tuthill, Merchants.

"These Deponents say, That on or about the 16th of July last, they
went to Bartholomew Green's to see if he were ready to Print the Answer
to Old Mr. Mather's Gospel Order, but he was then unwilling to
Print it because (as he said) it would displease some of his Friends;
and to the best of their remembrance, he mentioned particularly the
Mathers. They told him it was strange he would Print any thing for
the said Mathers, and particularly the said Gospel Order, and nothing
in Answer to it or them, by which means the World might think
those Principles to be approved by all, which were abhorred by sundry
Worthy Ministers in the Land. The unfairness of which practice
they laboured to convince him of, yet he still declined to Print
it; but at length said, if they would admit the Lieutenant Governor
to be askt, to give his Approbation to it, he would Print it; which
they were unwilling to for this reason: Because they conceived it a
new Method, not practised heretofore, and which the said Green
would not have required of them now, but to put off the Printing
of this Book which answered the Mathers, whom he seemed loth to
displease. These Deponents hereupon asked said Printer, whether

he had his Honours leave to Print the Gospel Order? he said, he
had not. They then asked him if he would Print this, if Young
Mr. Mather would be Imprimatur to it? he readily said, he would.
Then they told him, it was a shame so Worthy a Minister as Mr.
Stoddard must send so far as England to have his book printed,
when young Mr. Mather had the Press at his pleasure? To which
he replied, he hoped Mr. Mather was another guess man than Mr.
Stoddard. At length they told him, if he would not Print it, they
would have it Printed elsewhere; but did not hear him say those
words in his Advertisement of the 21st Instant, namely, That he did
not refuse to print it.

"Boston, December 27, 1700.

"John Mico
Zech Tuthill."

"Sworn by the two persons Subscribing, Bartholomew Green being
present, and excepting against those words in the Evidence; particularly
the Mathers, and that he would Print it, if young Mr. Mather
would be Imprimatur to it: Also affirming he said those words, He
did not refuse to Print it, and nothing further.

 

"Coram, Isaac Addington, Nathanel Byfield.

Justices of the Peace."

"Mr. Green the Printer, being by these Depositions Convicted of
sundry Mistakes in his late Advertisement, so that his Folly and
theirs who set him on work is manifest unto all men; there is just
reason to suspect the truth of what he saith in the Fag-end of his
Advertisement, that neither the Reverend Præsident, nor any of his
Friends ever spoke a word to him to discourage his printing the
Answer to the Order of the Gospel. But whether that be true or false,
concerns not the Advertisement prefix'd to said Answer, which saith
nothing of any one speaking to the Printer, to discourage him; but
only that his Press was so much under the aw of the Reverend Author
and his friends, that we could not obtain of him to Print it; Than
which nothing can be more evident from these Depositions, which
say, The said Printer after he had positively agreed for the Printing
said Answer, fell off from his Bargain, and declin'd to Print it, because
it would displease some of his Friends, and particularly the

Mathers, who are known by all to have been his particular Friends
and Imployers. So that the Reverend Author of that Libellous
Scribble, at the tail of said Green's Advertisement (to which the Reverend
Author was not yet so Hardy as to set his Name) had no reason
to Reflect as he did on the Advertisement prefix'd to said Answer,
or to Boast of the Printer's Vindication, but might be asham'd of
both. As for the prophane Scoffs and Scurrilities not only on particular
persons, but on the Holy Churches of the Lord, and the most
Sacred Actions therein performed (by which are meant O HORRIBLE!
his two dear and precious Creatures, RELATIONS and the
CHURCH COVENANT,) which that infamous Scribble saith, is
the Spirit of the whole Answer, and those other Falsehoods it is
threatened shall appear therein; they are but Bruta Fulmina to
fright and scare the poor deluded, bigotted people withal, which is
the very Spirit and Quintessence of the Reverend Scribler. But all
these little Artifices and Cavils were plainly foreseen, and so fully
provided against by the Ingenious Authors of said Answer, that
there's no need of taking any further notice of them here.

"I shall therefore at present say no more, but that the World may
Judg what base and injurious treatment that Answer must expect
from its Enraged Adversaries, by what is contained in that one little
Canting, Scandalous Libel, wherein there are far more profane
Scoffs, Scurrilities and Impudent Falsehoods, than are in all that
GREAT and NOBLE and EXCELLENT ANSWER.