University of Virginia Library

June ye 18.

To-morrow we embark for Home. Wrote a long
letter to my dear Brother and Sister, and one to my
Cousins at York. Mr. Richardson hath just left us,
having come all the way from Newbury to the
Wedding. The excellent Gov. Broadstreet hath this

morning sent to Lady Hale a handsome copie of his
first wife's Book, intituled “Several Poems by a gentilwoman
of New England,” with these words on the
blank Page thereof, from Proverbs xxxi. 30, “A
Woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be Praised,”
written in the Governor's own hand. All the great
Folks hereabout have not failed to visit my Cousin
since her Marriage; but I doe think she is better
pleased with some visits she hath had from poor
Widows and others who have been in times past
relieved and comforted by her Charities and Kindness,
the gratitude of these people affecting her unto Tears.
Truly it may be said of her, as of Job: When the Ear
heard her then it blessed her, and when the Eye saw
her it gave witness to her: because she delivered the
poor that cried and the fatherless, and him that had
none to help him. The blessing of Him that was ready
to perish came upon her; and she caused the widow's
Heart to sing for Joy.

[Here the Diary ends somewhat abruptly. It
appears as if some of the last pages have been lost.
Appended to the Manuscript I find a note, in another
handwriting, signed “R. G.,” dated at Malton Rectory,

1747. One Rawson Grindall, M. A., was curate of
Malton at this date, and the initials are undoubtedly his.
The sad sequel to the history of the fair Rebecca
Rawson is confirmed by papers now on file in the
State House at Boston, in which she is spoken of as
“one of the most beautiful, polite, and accomplished
young ladies in Boston.” — Editor.]

“These papers of my honored and pious Grandmother,
Margaret Smith, who, soon after her return
from New England, married her Cousin, Oliver
Grindall, Esq., of Hilton Grange, Crowell, in Oxfordshire,
(both of whom have within the last ten years
departed this Life, greatly lamented by all who knew
them,) having come into my possession, I have thought
it not amiss to add to them a narrative of what happened
to her Friend and Cousin, as I have had the Story
often from her own lips.

“It appears that the brave gallant, calling himself
Sir Thomas Hale, for all his fair seeming and handsome
address, was but a Knave and Impostor, deceiving
with abominable villany Rebecca Rawson and most
of her friends, (although my Grandmother was never
satisfied with him, as is seen in her Journal.) When
they got to London, being anxious, on account of seasickness
and great weariness, to leave the Vessel as

soon as possible, they went ashore to the house of a
Kinsman to lodge, leaving their trunks and clothing on
board. Early on the next morning, he that called
himself Sir Thomas left his Wife, taking with him the
keys of her trunks, telling her he would send them up
from the Vessel in season for her to dress for dinner.
The trunks came as he said, but, after waiting impatiently
for the keys until near the dinner hour, and
her Husband not returning, she had them broken open,
and, to her grief and astonishment, found nothing
therein but shavings and other combustible matter.
Her Kinsman forthwith ordered his carriage, and went
with her to the Inn where they first stopped on landing
from the Vessel, where she inquired for Sir Thomas
Hale. The Landlord told her there was such a Gentleman,
but he had not seen him for some days. `But
he was at your house last night,' said the astonished
young Woman. `He is my Husband, and I was with
him.' The Landlord then said that one Thomas
Rumsey was at his house, with a young lady, the
night before, but that she was not his lawful Wife, for he
had one already in Kent. At this astounding news, the
unhappy young Woman swooned outright, and, being
taken back to her Kinsman's, she lay grievously ill for
many days, during which time, by letters from Kent, it
was ascertained that this Rumsey was a graceless
young spendthrift, who had left his Wife and his two
children, three years before, and gone to parts
unknown.

“My Grandmother, who affectionately watched over
her, and comforted her in her great affliction, has often
told me that, on coming to herself, her poor Cousin
said it was a righteous judgment upon her, for he
pride and vanity, which had led her to discard worthy
Men for one of great show and pretensions, who had
no solid merit to boast of. She had sinned against
God, and brought disgrace upon her Family, in choosing
him. She begged that his name might never be
mentioned again in her hearing, and that she might
only be known as a poor relative of her English
kinsfolk, and find a Home among them until she could
seek out some Employment for her maintenance, as
she could not think of going back to Boston, to become
the laughing-stock of the thoughtless, and the reproach
of her father's family.

“After the marriage of my Grandmother, Rebecca
was induced to live with her for some years. My
great Aunt, Martha Grindall, an ancient spinster, now
living, remembers her well, at that time, describing
her as a young Woman, of a sweet and gentle disposition,
and much beloved by all the members of the
family. Her Father, hearing of her misfortunes,

wrote to her, kindly inviting her to return to New
England, and live with him, and she at last resolved to
do so. My great Uncle Robert having an office under
the Government at Port Royal, in the Island of
Jamaica, she went out with him, intending to sail from
thence to Boston. From that place she wrote to my
Grandmother a letter, which I have also in my possession,
informing her of her safe arrival, and of her
having seen an old friend, Capt. Robert Pike, whose
business concerns had called him to the Island, who
had been very kind and considerate in his attention to
her, offering to take her home in his Vessel, which was
to sail in a few days. She mentions, in a postscript to
her letter, that she found Capt. Pike to be much
improved in his appearance and manners — a true
natural Gentleman; and she does not forget to notice
the fact that he was still single. She had, she said,
felt unwilling to accept his offer of a passage Home,
holding herself unworthy of such civilities at his
hands; but he had so pressed the matter that she had,
not without some misgivings, consented to it.

“But it was not according to the inscrutable wisdom
of Providence that she should ever be restored to her
Father's house. Among the victims of the great
earthquake which destroyed Port Royal a few days
after the date of her letter, was this unfortunate Lady.

It was a heavy blow to my Grandmother, who entertained
for her Cousin the tenderest affection, and,
indeed, she seems to have been every way worthy of
it — lovely in person, amiable in deportment, and of a
generous and noble Nature. She was, especially after
her great trouble, of a somewhat pensive and serious
habit of Mind, contrasting with the playfulness and
innocent light-heartedness of her early Life, as depicted
in the Diary of my Grandmother, yet she was ever
ready to forget herself, in ministering to the Happiness
and Pleasure of others. She was not, as I learn, a
member of the Church, having some scruples in
respect to the rituals, as was natural from her education
in New England, among puritanic schismatics;
but she lived a devout Life, and her quiet and unostentatious
Piety exemplified the Truth of the language of
one of the greatest of our Divines, the Bishop of Down
and Connor, `Prayer is the peace of our Spirit, the
stillness of our Thoughts, the issue of a quiet Mind,
the Daughter of charity, and the Sister of meekness.'
Optimus animus est pulcherimus Dei cultus.