November 23, 1737

1737 November 23 (Wednesday).  The wife and younger son of Mr. Increase Ward very bad.  I visited them and old Mrs. Pratt A.M.  P.M. I rode up to Worcester at the Request of the Criminal and others to preach to him.  There were so many at the Goal that we were obliged to go to the Meeting-House.  I preached on 1 Tim. 1.15.  Supped (with Mr. Campbell) at Deacon Haywards.[1]  We visited the Prisoner.  He spoke of having a solemn warning taken from his mouth, but chose to have it deferred to the morning, but prayed I would be early.  We lodged at Mr. Burr’s.

[1]Forbes: Daniel Haywood, one of the first deacons of the Old South Church in Worcester.  He kept the first tavern in that town – he, his son, and grandson keeping for nearly a hundred years a hotel on the site of the Bay State.  This old hotel is still standing in Worcester, having been moved years ago to the southeast corner of Salem and Madison streets.