December 1, 1750

1750 December 1 (Saturday).  Billy Somewhat chearful though we dare not let him Stir for fear of his Bleeding again.  We let him lie in the Blood, which we now hope is Stopp’d.  Lieutenant Bruce here, and upon his asking a Note to the Collector I read him what I wrote of our Agreement last April 11, respecting the Cook Island; and he consenting to it, I gave him a Note for Twenty Seven Pounds and Ten Shillings old Tenor.  P.M. Ebenezer rode to Dr. Gotts[1] on Billy’s Case.

[1]Benjamin Gott.

December 2, 1750

1750 December 2 (Sunday).  Dr. Gott being ill, his son Benjamin came and dress’d Billy’s Leg, which (through Gods Mercy) was effected without any more bleeding.  In the Public Service (to which I went somewhat late, 7 minutes after Eleven when I got here) read Lev. 8th.  Preach’d on Ps. 23.4, a. and p.m.  Din’d at Esq. Bakers.  N.B. Walk’d up, rode back.  N.B. Astonishing Accounts of Mr. Benjamin Lawrence’s[1] cruelty to his Boy Seem confirm’d.  P.M. read John 20.  Of both the Chapters which we read, I gave some brief Exposition.

[1]Of Bolton.

December 3, 1750

1750 December 3 (Monday).  A pleasant Day — The little Snow which has lain a while on the Earth wastes away, and the Roads dirty and hollow.  Billy bears the Dressing his Leg very well, is Sensible of but very little Pain.  Ebenezer and Thomas husking p.m.  Church Meeting.  About 23 or 24 present.  Robert Cook was not there; nor his Father etc.  The whole Church seem ready to Vote.  The Vote was written and read over and over.  Whether Robert Cook and his Wife Should enjoy Special Privileges of the Gospel in this Church without an acknowledgement.  No Hand was lifted up for it.  I said upon it, that they all seem’d to be of one mind — viz. on the Negative.  Had any one any Thing to offer?  There was a profound Silence.  The Meeting clos’d with Prayer and Blessing.  Was after Meeting, at Deacon Newtons, Mr. Ebenezer Rice’s.  Mr. Pratts and old Mr. Maynard’s.

December 4, 1750

1750 December 4 (Tuesday).  My Wife and I rode p.m. to Mr. Martyn’s.  Mr. Martyn was gone to the Funeral of a Child of John Oakes, and return’d not till Eve: but we found there Revd. Mr. Trowbridge[1] of Groton, Rev. Mr. Goss and his wife, Mr. Caleb Richardson[2] and Mr. Marritt[3] of Cambridge.  We tarried till the moon was up and Supp’d there.  N.B. the Story of Mr. Benjamin Lawrence was true but in part.  This Eve the select men of this Town meet in order to Relieve the Boy, as they were the Guardians of the Child and had bound him out to Mr. Lawrence.

[1]The Reverend Caleb Trowbridge.

[2]The son of Joseph Richardson, Jr., of West Newbury.

[3]Amos Marrett was a man of considerable wealth.  Paige, Cambridge, p. 604.

December 5, 1750

1750 December 5 (Wednesday).  Benjamin Gott here and dresses Billy’s Legg.  P.M. I rode to Mr. Amsdens[1] to make him a Visit since the Death of his two Brethren, Beemans, and to see his son Abijah Gale who has been Sick.  I was also at Mr. Adams’s because of the late Sickness of their Children, and call’d at Mr. Twitchells in my returning.  At home was Mr. Daniel Forbush by appointment to reckon.  I am to pay him for 23 Days work at 18 shillings but he found himself his Dinners.

[1]Jacob Amsden of Westborough.

December 7, 1750

1750 December 7 (Friday).  Mr. Maccarty[1] and Mr. Wellman,[2] came from Mr. Beans[3] Ordination at Wrentham, were here and din’d — Sent home to Mr. Cushings Father Calmets Dictionary[4] Volume 3.  My Sons finish’d husking.

[1]The Reverend Thaddeus Maccarty of Worcester.

[2]The Reverend James Wellman of Millbury.

[3]Joseph Bean (Harvard 1748), the minister of the First Congregational Church in Wrentham, 1750-1784.  Sibley, XII, 240-242.

[4]Augustin Calmet, An Historical, Critical, Geographical, Chronological, and Etymological Dictionary of the Holy Bible, 3 vols. (London, 1732).

December 8, 1750

1750 December 8 (Saturday).  Mr. Cushing came so near night that I could not Sett out till near sunsetting — passing by Mr. Daniel Warrins after sundown, and they Still at work in shingling the House, I besought ‘em to break off, expressing my Regret for my own riding so late.  They answer’d that they would soon break off.  N.B. Mr. Cushing had stopp’d to visit Mr. Daniel Hemingway who was Sick at Doctor Smiths.  I call’d there also at Mr. Cushings Desire — lodg’d at Mr. Cushing.

December 9, 1750

1750 December 9 (Sunday).  Rainy Day.  Preach’d at Shrewsbury a.m. on Rom. 8.7 from page 19 to the End, and p.m. on Ps. 110.3.  After the Eve came on and family Exercises over, Mrs. Cushing walk’d with me to Mr. Artemas Wards[1] who had invited me after meeting to come to see him.  N.B. Dark and rainy.

[1]The future Major General and first commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.

December 10, 1750

1750 December 10 (Monday).  At Dr. Smiths — Mr. Heminway better.  I return’d home.  My wife informs me that Mr. Cushing rode away from the Meeting House Yesterday in order to go to Marlborough, to her great Surprize, at the Funeral of a base-born Child, at Mr. Francis Whipples.  The Mother is from Boston: I ask’d her what her name was, but she desir’d to conceal it.  At Eve Lieutenant Tainter here.

December 11, 1750

1750 December 11 (Tuesday).  A number of Young Men, chiefly the religious Society, came and chopp’d Wood.  They were Daniel How, Merodach Smith, Phinehas Maynard, Moses Warrin, Joseph Grout junior — and Mr. Cornelius Biglo and his Son, very kindly came with them.  My son Ebenezer Chopp’d with them and Thomas carted part of the Day.  Sent a Letter to Mrs. Stoddard at Boston with 14£ of money by Mrs. Mary Maynard (James’s Wife) to buy my Daughter Lucy a Riding Hood.

December 12, 1750

1750 December 12 (Wednesday).  Ebenezer a.m. fits up an House for the Doves, which were lately presented me, and p.m. Swingled Flax.  Thomas to mill a.m.  Cut Wood at the Door p.m.  Billys Sore begins to digest a little.  P.M. I went to Mr. Hezekiah How’s and got him to go with me to view my North East Bounds, which border on him and on the Ministerial Lot and on Mr. Richard Barns.  N.B. To Day Mr. Solomon Wood was here and settled our Accounts.  I ow’d him 12£ 13 Shillings Old Tenor and gave him a Note to Lieutenant Tainter.  Mr. Wood informs me likewise of the Death of the Widow Thurstons[1] Daughter Experience.

[1]The widow of Joseph Thurston.

December 23, 1750

1750 December 23 (Sunday).  A cold raw Storm.  I doubted much in the Morning whether it was my Duty to go to Meeting.  I concluded to try; and found that though is was tedious and difficult, yet I could undergo it.  There was a considerable assembly, which gave me fresh Encouragement.  Of Levit. 12 I read only the first 10 and proceeded to Some Remarks.  Preach’d on Exod. 20.12.  My wife din’d with me at the Squire’s and Martha Pannell at Deacon Newton’s.  P.M. I read Acts 2 and preach’d on Exod. 20.12.  But this Exercise was little other than a Recapitulation of what I had deliver’d and repeated Some Time ago, of the Dutys of Children and Parents, from Eph. 6.1.2.3.4.  But I made many alterations, transpositions and necessary Corrections etc.

December 24, 1750

1750 December 24 (Monday).  My Wife rode with me to visit the Two Widows Tomlin: and thence we went to Ensign Rice’s.  N.B. The little Boy was there which Mr. Lawrence of Bolton had So Severely whipp’d.  His Back was Stripp’d for me to See it.  There were bad Signs all over it and Two or Three large and plain Scarrs.  We went to Mr. Martyn’s, and tarry’d to Supper with them there begin a pleasant Moon to come home by.

December 25, 1750

1750 December 25 (Tuesday).  I hear that Several of my Neighbours, particularly Eliezer Rice and his Wife are trapesing over to Hopkinton to keep Christmas there.[1]  Were any of them rationally and Sincerely Enquiring and Examining into the Grounds of the Controversie between the prelatists and the Dissenters it were a far different Case; but they manifest only a Spirit of unsteddiness.  May God grant ‘em a Sight and Sense of their Folly and Childishness!  P.M. Mr. Martyn and Mr. Smith of Marlborough made us a Visit and tarried till Evening.  My Son Thomas is gradually providing him Tools etc. for setting up his Trade.  His prospering herein is a Matter that lyes much upon my Mind from Day to Day.  May God afford us the wisdom which may be profitable to direct!

[1]The celebration of Christmas by the Anglicans led by Commissary Roger Price was deplored by the Puritans.

December 27, 1750

1750 December 27 (Thursday).  Molly and Lucy undertook to walk over to Mr. Martyn’s.  Mr. Joseph Haven (accompany’d by Deacon Burnap of Hopkinton) made us a Visit.  Paid me 15£ and 2 shillings old Tenor on account of his Sons lodging here.  He acquainted me with Some of his Difficultys with Mr. Reed, which rather increase and advance.  Tarried to supper but return’d to his Brother Burnaps.

December 30, 1750

1750 December 30 (Sunday).  Very Cold.  Read a few verses in the Beginning of Lev. 13, and a few Remarks thereon: preach’d on Prov. 29.15, repeating Sermon on Eph. 6.4 from page 21 to page 27.  My wife and I din’d at Esq. Bakers.  P.M. Read Acts 3.  Preach’d on Gen. 17.18 and repeated Sermon on Eph. 6.4, from page 27 to the End.  N.B. I had formerly repeated the other parts of these Discourses on the Dutys of Children and of Parents, but had not these Sermons but now Mention’d, and therefore I chose to finish the Repitition of these rather than omit them although I had prepar’d on the Duty of Magistrates for one part of the Day, and in other parts of my Time I gave myself as much as I could to Reading, viz. Mr. Reyners Rules of the New Creature,[1] Travels of Cyrus by Ramsay,[2] Popes Essay on Man[3] etc.

[1]Edward Reyner (1600-1668), an English minister, published Precepts for Christian Practice (London, 1645).  This was designated as the second edition, but is the earliest edition this editor has found.  The eighth edition bore the title Precepts for Christian Practice; or the Rule of the New Creature new Model’d (London, 1655).  There were at least eleven English editions of this work.

[2]Andrew Ramsay (1686-1743), a French author, wrote Les Voyages de Cyrus, avec un Discours sur la Mythologie des Payens (Paris, 1727).  English translations were published in London in 1730 and 1733.

[3]Alexander Pope’s famous work appeared first in London in 1734 and several other English editions were soon printed.  By 1751 there had also been published Philadelphia editions in 1747 and 1748.

December 31, 1750

1750 December 31 (Monday).  My Sons are clearing at the New Place.  I rode over to them to Lieutenant Tainters — visited at Mr. Nurse’s,[1] he having been several Times absent from Meeting.  At Eve Mr. Williams and Mr. Whipple here.  I perceive there is much Strife among the People on the Affair of the Law-Suit depending between Revd. Mr. Price and this Precincts Treasurer for Mr. James Maynards Rates — 21 Persons having Sign’d against the Proceedings of the Precinct at their last Meeting, at which they voted that their Treasurer Should Stand Mr. Price.  I am very much griev’d for this Contention, as it very much frustrates the End of the ministry among a people.  O that the God of infinite Mercy would grant us wisdom, grace and Peace!  We finish this Year with these Sorrowful Reflections and with many Fears of what we are about to meet with unless God Himself be pleas’d to interpose and prevent.

 

[1]William Nurse.