University of Virginia Library

January ye 16th, 1679.

Have just got back from Reading, a small town ten
or twelve miles out of Boston, whither I went along
with mine of Uncle and Aunt Rawson, and manie
others, to attend the Ordination of Mr. Brock, in the

place of the worthy Mr. Hough, latelie deceased. The
weather being clear, and the travelling good, a great
concourse of people got together. We stopped at the
Ordinary, which we found well nigh filled, but Uncle,
by dint of scolding and coaxing, got a small room for
Aunt and myself, with a clean Bedd, which was more
than we had reason to hope for. The Ministers, of
whom there were manie and of note (Mr. Mather and
Mr. Wilson, of Boston, and Mr. Corbet of Ipswich, being
among them), were alreadie together at the house
of one of the Deacons. It was quite a Sight the next
morning to see the people coming in from the neighboring
Towns, and to note their odd Dresses, which
were indeed of all kinds, from silks and velvets to
coarsest homespun woollens, dyed with Hemlock, or
Oylnut bark, and fitting soe ill that, if they had all
cast their Clothes into a heap, and then each snatched
up whatsoever coat or gown came to hand, they could
not have suited worse. Yet they were all clean and
tidy, and the young people especially did look exceeding
happie, it being with them a famous Holiday. The
young men came with their sisters or their sweethearts
riding behind them on pillions; and the Ordinary and
all the houses about were soon noisie enough, with
merrie talking and laughter. The Meeting-house was
filled long before the services did begin. There was
a goodlie show of honorable People in the forward
seats, and among them that venerable magistrate, Simon
Broadstreet, who acteth as deputy Governor since
the death of Mr. Leverett; the Honorable Thomas
Danforth, Mr. William Brown of Salem, and others of
note, whose names I do not remember, all with their
Wives and Families, bravely apparelled. The Sermon
was preached by Mr. Higginson, of Salem, the Charge
was given by Mr. Phillips, of Rowley, and the Right
Hand of Fellowship by Mr. Corbet, of Ipswich. When
we got back to our Inn, we found a great crowd of
young roysterers in the Yard, who had got Mr. Corbet's
negro man Sam on the top of a barrel, with a bit
of leather cut in the shape of Spectacles astride of his
nose, where he stood swinging his arms, and preaching,
after the manner of his Master, mimicking his
tone and manner very shrewdlie, to the great delight
and merriment of the young Rogues who did set him
on. We stood in the door awhile to hear him, and, to
say truth, he did wonderfully well, being a Fellow of
good parts and much humor. But, just as he was describing
the Devil, and telling his grinning hearers that
he was not like a black but a white man, old Mr. Corbet,
who had come up behind him, gave him a smart
Blow with his Cane, whereupon Sam cried,

“Dare he be now;” at which all fell to laughing.

“You rascal,” said Mr. Corbet, “get down with you;
I'll teach you to compare me to the Devil.”

“Beg pardon, Massa!” said Sam, getting down
from his pulpit, and rubbing his shoulder; “How you
think Sam know you? He see nothing; he only feel
de lick.”

“You shall feel it again,” said his Master, striking
at him a great blow, which Sam dodged.

“Nay, brother Corbet,” said Mr. Phillips, who was
with him, “Sam's mistake was not so strange, after
all; for if Satan can transform himself into an Angel
of Light, why not into the likeness of such unworthy
Ministers as you and I?”

This put the old Minister in a good humor, and Sam
escaped without farther punishment than a grave admonition
to behave more reverently for the future. Mr.
Phillips, seeing some of his young people in the Crowd,
did sharply rebuke them for their follie, at which they
were not a little abashed.

The Inn being greatlie crowded, and not a little
noisy, we were not unwilling to accept the invitation
of the provider of the Ordination dinner, to sit down
with the honored guests thereat. I waited, with others
of the younger Class, until the Ministers and elderly
People had made an end of their Meal. Among those
who sat at the second Table, was a pert, talkative lad,

a son of Mr. Increase Mather, who, although but sixteen
years of age, graduated at the Harvard College
last year, and hath the reputation of good scholarship
and livelie wit. He told some rare stories concerning
Mr. Brock, the Minister ordained, and of the marvellous
efficacy of his Prayers. He mentioned, among
other things, that, when Mr. Brock lived on the Isles of
Sholas, he persuaded the People there to agree to
spend one day in a Month, beside the Sabbath, in religious
worship. Now, it soe chanced that there was on
one occasion a long season of stormie, rough Weather,
unsuitable for fishing; and when the day came which
had been set apart, it proved soe exceeding fair, that
his Congregation did desire him to put off the Meeting,
that they might fish. Mr. Brock tried in vaine to
reason with them, and showe the dutie of seeking first
the Kingdom of God, when all other things should be
added thereto, but the major part determined to leave
the Meeting. Thereupon he cried out after them;
“As for you who will neglect God's worship, go, and
catch Fish if you can.” There were thirty men who
thus left, and only five remained behind, and to these
he said: “I will pray the Lord for you, that you may
catch Fish till you are weary.” And it soe fell out,
that the thirty toiled all day and caught only four
Fishes, while the five who staid at Meeting went out
after the worship was over, and caught five hundred;
and ever afterwards the Fishermen attended all the
meetings of the Minister's appointing. At another time,
a poor man, who had made himself useful in carrying
people to Meeting in his Boat, lost the same in a storm,
and came lamenting his loss to Mr. Brock. “Go
home, honest man,” said the Minister; “I will mention
your case to the Lord; you will have your Boat again
to-morrow.” And surelie enough, the very next day
a vessel pulling up its anchor near where the Boat
sank, drew up the poor man's Boat, safe and whole,
after it.

We went back to Boston after dinner, but it was
somewhat of a cold ride, especiallie after the night set
in, a keen northerly Wind blowing in great gusts,
which did well nigh benumb us. A little way from
Reading, we overtook an old couple in the road; the
man had fallen off his Horse, and his Wife was trying
to get him up again to no purpose, so young Mr.
Richards, who was with us, helped him up to the
Saddle again, telling his wife to hold him carefullie, as
her old man had drank too much flip. Thereupon the
good wife set upon him with a vile tongue, telling him
that her old man was none other than Deacon Rogers,
of Wenham, and as good and as pious a saint as there
was out of Heaven; and it did ill become a young,

saucie rake and knave, to accuse him of Drunkenness,
and it would be no more than his deserts if the Bears
did eat him before he got to Boston. As it was quite
clear that the Woman herself had had a taste of the
mug, we left them and rode on, she fairly scolding us
out of hearing. When we got home, we found Cousin
Rebecca, whom we did leave ill with a cold, much
better in health, sitting up and awaiting us.