Month: June 1772

1772 June 1 (Monday).  Bradhsaw is better to day.  Sophy has my Horse and goes to Mr. Fish’s.  She returns at Eve, and Miss Patty with her, to work here at her Taylor-Business, in making and altering Gowns.  Ruth watches to night.

1772 June 2 (Tuesday).  Mr. Bradshaw has had no sleep all night.  Has an Ague-Fit.  Fever afterward came on.  But was not so bad as Sabbath Day.  Hannah rode with me to Mr. Jonah Warrins, where I preached on Mat. 6.21, “For where your Treasure is” etc.  After the Exercise the Widow Lydia Grout (who now lives at Mr. Warrins) desired to Speak with me.  She delivered me letters from Deacon Plympton.  One dated Apr. 13 concerning the Supply of their Pulpit, that is, who they had improved, and the Reason why he had not mentioned Mr. Bradshaw; the other dated May 28, containing a Certificat concerning this Mrs. Grout.  She also desired to join with our Church.

1772 June 3 (Wednesday).  Mr. Bradshaw has Slept well, and has a moderate Day.  D.G.  I rode to Southborough and dined there.  Rev. Mr. Perry of Windsor there also, but did not tarry to dinner.  I went with full purpose to preach Mr. Stone’s Lecture and did pray in public.  But was so unhappy as inadvertently to leave my Note Case at home, and did not conceive I was called to attempt to preach without Notes.  Mr. Stone preached himself from Mat. 9.13, “For I am not come to call the Righteous” etc.

1772 June 4 (Thursday).  Mr. Bradshaw had a poor night, as Sleepless, and had an Ague fit about break of Day.  Yet he had not so bad a Day as we feared.  He slept a great part of the Day.

1772 June 5 (Friday).  Mr. Briggs visits us — as does Mrs. Fish, and returns home.

1772 June 6 (Saturday).  Mr. Bradshaw has ague Fitts every other Day.

1772 June 7 (Sunday).  Read Dan. XII.  Preached on Prov. 12.26.  P.M. read Heb. 8.  Preached again on Rom. 8.6.  Miss Patty Fish is with us.  Mr. Benjamin Tainter is Sick of a Fever.  Mr. Bradshaw a Fitt at Eve.

1772 June 8 (Monday).  Visit Mr. Tainter and pray with him.  P.M. visit the Child of Mr. Joseph Green junior and prayed there.  Cousen Betty Gott here, and takes leave of us, she being about to go to Springfield.  Mr. Morril of Wilmington and his Deacon Jacquet here in their way to Grafton Council.  Daughter Kezia came with her Son.  Mr. Taylor came and took Mr. Bradshaw into a Chaise, and rode to the Doctors.

1772 June 9 (Tuesday).  Read Mr. Fish on “Japhet dwelling in the Tent of Shem,” which I hope will by the Blessing of God be of Service in this Day of Defection, and may god graciously reward the author, and make him a Successful Angler!  Read also an agreeable poetic piece delivered last Sept. at Nassau-Hall on the Rising Glory of America.  Mr. Bradshaw had his Ague fit about 4 or 5 o’Clock p.m.  Miss Patty is taken off from her work by Indisposition.  Little Robert Breck is dipped.

1772 June 10 (Wednesday).  Breck and Phinehas ride up to Grafton.  Mr. Stone and Mr. Isaac Johnson call here as they go to Grafton.  I chose to stay at home.  John Chowin, an Indian, or rather Molatto, here, and acquaints me with the Death of his infant Child and desires I would be the Funeral of it tomorrow.  Robert Breck is dipped 3 times.

1772 June 11 (Thursday).  Our Little Robert-Breck is dipped twice this Morning.  Visited Mr. Tainter and prayed there.  Both my Daughter in Law Kezia and Miss Patty Fish are still with us.  Wrote by John Arnold to my Cushings.  Rode to John Chowin’s Wigwam; prayed there and attended the burying the Child.  Mr. Stone and Mr. Johnson returned from Grafton.  Mr. Jonathan Drury from Temple here.  The Widow Lydia Grout here — brings a written Relation.  Miss Patty Fish rides home.  Hannah (my Daughter) rode with her.  Mr. Bradshaw has another Fitt — somewhat gentler.

1772 June 12 (Friday).  Trouble with Mr. B’s Merry Mare, which has broke my Fetters and causes Breck a sad Ramble — but finds her where she was Supposed to have jumped from, viz. Lt. Bakers Hill Pasture.  Little Rob-Breck is dipped twice.  Hannah returns from Upton.  P.M. Kezia with her Son leave us to return home to Leicester.  Mr. Morril and his Delegate, Deacon Jaquet, came in, and gave me an account of the Councils Proceedings, at Grafton.  They tarried so long as that Mr. Morrill read the Result to me: and therein I [perceive?] Mr. Hutchinson has been found chargeable with Untruth in some Number of Articles; and blameable in other Respects.  N.B. Mr. Taylor was here in the forenoon.  Mr. Bradshaw took a ride with him in his Chaise.  Memorandum.  Mr. Taylor said he did not write the Publication so much talked of, and that he knew not who did.  Mr. Taylor leaves this Town to go to Shrewsbury and to live at Mr. Sumner’s.

1772 June 13 (Saturday).  Have been and am preparing another Sermon on Prov. 12.26.  Mr. B. has a slighter Fit.

1772 June 14 (Sunday).  Read Hosea first.  Found I could not prepare more than for one Sermon on the Subject I had designed.  Therefore went on with Repeating sermon on Rom. 8.6.  Now delivered (with variations and additions) the 1st Sermon of the Second part, viz. on Spiritual Mindedness.  P.M. read Heb. 9 and having been obliged to break off in Such manner as would not admit of Delay of the Connection of the remaining part with the foregoing, I went on with the Same Discourse, viz. how Spiritual Mindedness is Life and Peace.  N.B. baptized Mr. Adonijah Rice’s Twins, Relief and Submitt.

1772 June 15 (Monday).  Breck Setts out for Boston before Day.  Mr. Green acquaints me that his Sons Child dyed a little before Sunsetting last Evening.

1772 June 16 (Tuesday).  At 8 o’clock attended the Funeral of young Mr. Green’s Child.  Then hastened to Ministers Meeting at Southborough.  But few there present.  Of the Association only Mr. Smith and I besides Mr. Stone.  Mr. Peter Whitney and Mr. Caleb Rice gave us their Company.  Mr. Stone gave a serious sermon on Col. 2.6.  Returned at Eve.  Marryed Joseph Belknap to Esther Snow.  Nathan Fay came to me to be instructed in his Duty previous to his Making Confession etc.  Reflecting upon this being the Day 48 Years agoe, that I gave affirmative Answer to the Town of Westborough to tarry with them.  O what abundant Cause for mourning and Grief, having been so unprofitable!  May God most gracious extend Mercy through Jesus Christ!

1772 June 17 (Wednesday).  Breck returns from Boston: brings 2d and 3d Vol. of Mr. Winters Doddridge Expositor.

1772 June 18 (Thursday).  Mr. Sumner came, dined with us, and preached my Lecture on  Ps. 119.57, which may the divine Blessing accompany and follow!  Mr. Jonathan Child and his Wife here to discourse about making a public Profession.  He would own the Covenant but I perswade him to take it further into Consideration and recommended his joining in full Communion.  He consents to do so.  Mr. Bradshaw So drooping as not to go out to Meeting to day.

1772 June 19 (Friday).  Mr. Hannaniah Parker here and wants to talk alone.  Being retired he went over a Number of Complaints, which I endeavoured to answer, but he does not go away Satisfyed.  I perceive that the main Disquietment is that I did not tell him, when I was at his House, of Brecks going into Trade.

1772 June 20 (Saturday).  Phinehas went with the Cow we call Spot to Lt. Bakers Bowker Place to Pasture.  Alexander came from Leicester.  N.B. He takes  with him three Bush. of Indian Corn.  I hear there is an extraordinary Scarcity of Grain, especially in upper and new Towns.  My Son Baldwin and his wife came.

1772 June 21 (Sunday).  Read Hosea 2.  Prepared Sufficient for two Exercises of Ordinary Length, but could not divide it.  Determined therefore to endeavour to deliver the whole in one.  And what I had yet remaining of the Sermons on Rom. 8.6, latter part, being very suitable to the Occasions of the Day, I a.m. finished that Discourse; administered the Lords Supper.  Mr. Baldwin was with us at Communion.  My Daughter was unwell and could not go to Meeting.  Mrs. Maynard at Dinner.  Ruth Bellows  commonly dines here.  P.M. read Heb. 10.  Preached on Prov. 12.26, though it was long.  Hezekiah How Fessenden Baptized.  Mary Drury, heretofore Pratt, and My Daughter Moore dismissed.  Mr. Bradshaw confined yet.

1772 June 22 (Monday).  Heavy Weather prevents my Baldwins Setting out a.m. but after Dinner, though misty, they leave us for Boston.  N.B. This Morning Ruth Bellows here to Spin.  N.B. We lately had a Letter from Ashburnham and from Rochester of June 11 by Mr. Briggs.  At Eve came Bowman from Cambridge and lodged here.  Mr. Bradshaw has ups and downs: has a distemper attending him which keeps him low and weak.

1772 June 23 (Tuesday).  Master Bowman leaves us, designing to Oxford and to Brookfield.  My Kinsman is Still weak and under a Variety of Disorders which very much incapacitate him for any Business, Reading, writing etc. unless it be in low Degrees, and once in a good while.

1772 June 24 (Wednesday).  I rode to Marlborough.  Dined at Mr. Smiths.  Preached the Lecture on Gen. 3.15, latter part.  N.B. Committ my Watch to Mr. William Henderson to have the Day of the Month rectify’d.  In returning home visited Mr. Nathaniel Adams.

1772 June 25 (Thursday).  My Kinsman poorly yet — under Dr. Hawes’s Care and Administrations.  He sleeps much — Several Hours in the Day time.  Our Kinsman Larkin Williams and his Wife made us a Visit and drank Tea here.  Dr. Joseph Wood here also.  Elias complains of pain in his Temple.

1772 June 26 (Friday).  Deacon Wood here, and we reckoned.  Paid him in full, to this Day.  Sent Mr. Tainter by his son Jonathan a Note of 27/ for a Bed Cord.  P.M. Mr. Levi Warrin here.  Pays me 97.14.8 old Tenor, which with the Notes (which were £9.0.6 old Tenor) made 106.15.2 and was in full of what he was to Collect, viz. 238.18.9 or 31.17.2 Lawful Money.  Elias is greatly afflicted and confined with his Pains.

1772 June 27 (Saturday).  Breck has Mr. Bradshaws Mare, and Hannah has my Horse to go up to Leicester.  Elias Still in his grievous Complaints.

1772 June 28 (Sunday).  Read Hosea III and made my expository and practical Remarks thereon the forenoon Exercise.  P.M. Read Heb. 11 and being the forenoon preparation took up my time, and I have been informed of the ill behavior of many Young Persons, I repeated Sermons on Prov. 29.1, former part to page 9.  Mr. Bradshaw at Meeting.

1772 June 29 (Monday).  Breck and Hannah return from Leicester between 10 and 11 o’Clock.  We have a sore Hand with Elias’s Illness.  He has been blistered.  And various other Means are used, but without Effect. Mr. Bridge of Worcester here with another message (by Letter) to Mr. Bradshaw from Mr. Pain, to urge him to take their School.  Mr. Bridge dines with us.  He also brings Mr. Maccartys Request to Change with him next Sabbath but Mr. Fish had bespoke me to go to Upton, for he was here last Saturday in his Return from Concord and expected to go there again.  Accordingly he was here again to day with his Delegates going to Concord.  I rode up to Mr. Joseph Grouts, his youngest Child being Sick.  Mr. Bridge aforesaid, being much discouraged as to Mr. Bradshaws being able to bear the Weight of the School, at present, goes up to Grafton to try for young Mr. Hutchinson to undertake it.  In my returning from Mr. Grouts (where I had prayed with them in their Affliction) I called in at Capt. Jonathan Fay’s.  Here arose a new scene of Trouble, for one Rose was there, a Shooe-Maker, who had worked lately at Mr. Hannaniah Parkers; and having heard his (Mr. Parkers) Disquietments with Me, told them to these Fays, who therefore had got them to complain of with Additions.  I called Rose into the Room, and in my Defence I related nakedly what had been the very Truth of Fact in the two Articles which they had mentioned.  One of which was relative to Brecks Setting up Trading.  The other referred to Mr. Parkers buying me a Psalm-Book at Mr. Boyles’s.  But Capt. Fay was disturbed about the Choosing the Choristers, and about the Deacons and Choristers having (as he said) Psalm Books given them, and about the Seating of the Meeting House etc. etc.  When I got home found my Baldwins here, they having kept Sabbath at Concord, and now were on their way home.  N.B. At Boston, by Means of their Brother Samuel they had lodged at Mr. Shaw’s.  Elias is in great Affliction yet.

1772 June 30 (Tuesday).  Mr. Bradshaw leaves us to go to Brookfield with Mr. Baldwin and his Wife.  Catechized a.m. about 53 Boys.  P.M. Catechized about 29 Girls.  N.B. Deacon Wood was here with a Letter which he had received from his Son John at Colrain, which gives Account of the great scarcity of Corn in the New Towns above us.