their contempt for the good and wholesome laws of this province, they wrote letters against the country; and represented some worthy characters as guilty of political crimes which existed only in their pregnant fancies. Mr. Otis was one upon whom their malignity vented its poison. He called upon the commissioners individually, and as a board, for an explanation of some things which they had written against him. He used perhaps unguarded expressions in the heat of his resentment, upon which Mr. Robinson one of the commissioners threatened to chastise him. They met at the coffee-house in state street, in the month of Sept. 1770, and an affray took place, which caused serious consequences. The whole account may be seen in the papers of the times. The friends of one took oath, that Mr. Otis was attacked by numbers. On the other side, men swore that no man struck him but Mr. R. It was likewise said, that "it was a plan to kill him, contrived in Mr. Paxton's room." This was never brought forward at the trial: there it appeared that the attack of Mr. R. was base and cowardly; but the other part of the story served to make the commissioners more odious.

Mr. Otis prosecuted Robinson, and recovered 2000 pounds, which sum he generously remitted upon his making an acknowledgment of his offence,

He was subject to fits of insanity after this, and found it necessary to retire from publick business. At the election of representatives the ensuing season the town of Boston sent him a letter of thanks for his publick services. They lamented his ill state of health, and earnestly prayed for his recovery. They publickly declared that his services were such as ought to be remembered with gratitude, and distinguish him among the patriots of America. Mr. Bowdoin, one of the counsellors, who had been negatived by gov. Bernard, was chosen in his place. The next year Mr. Otis recovered his health, and was again chosen representative. Whenever he en

gaged in business, he was one of those, who gave his whole soul to the object, and, like other great men, lost his health by "being overplied with publick energies." He lived a number of years, and frequently rendered himself useful to the community. When his health would not permit him to engage in publick concerns, he retired into the country. In one of these seasons of retirement, May 29, 1783, as he was standing at the door of Mr. Osgood's house, in Andover, he was instantaneously deprived of life by lightning.*

OVERING JOHN, attorney general, came into this country with gov. Burnet. He was remarkable for his fluency of expression and agreeable manner of speaking at the bar. He exercised his abilities in the law with great success, and acquired considerable fortune and influence. He held the office of attorney general from the time of his appointment, in 1728, to the administration of gov. Shirley. He died about the year 1745, and was succeeded in his office by Mr. Trowbridge.

OXENBRIDGE JOHN, one of the ministers of the old church, in Boston, was born in Daventry, a town in Northamptonshire. He received the de

written by a

The following lines are extracted from a poem,
gentleman of eminent character and worth, in Boston:
"Blest with a native strength and fire of thought,
With Greek and Roman learning richly fraught,
Up to the fountain head he push'd his view,
And from first principles his maxims drew.
Spite of the times, this truth he blaz'd abroad,
The people's safety is the law of God."

His works are, "the rudiments of latin prosody, with a dissertation on letters, and the principles of harmony, in poetick and prosaick composition, collected from some of the best writers,” pp. 72, 1760; it is said to be a most clear and masterly treatise by the reviewers in the Monthly Anthology; "A vindication of the house of representatives of Massachusetts," 1762; “remarks on the Halifax libel," 1763; " rights of the British colonies,” 1764: "considerations on behalf of the colonists," 1765. He wrote many political speculations in the Boston Gazette, which had a high reputation among the writings of those times.

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gree of master of arts, at Cambridge, A. D. 1631, where he finished his education, though at first he was sent to Oxford. He soon became a preacher

of the gospel, and made several voyages to the West Indies. In the year 1644, he was ordained pastor of a church in Beverly, and was chosen fellow of Eton College. He is in the list of ejected minis. ters in 1662, published by Dr Calamy, who tells us, that he was settled at Berwick on the Tweed, where he was silenced. West Indies; went first to Surrinam, and, in 1667, He sailed again for the he was at Barbadoes. In 1669 he fixed at Boston, as colleague with Mr. Allen, after the death of Mr. Davenport. His name was John, a man sent from God." Dr. Mather thinks it remarkable that he should succeed four of this name. of the most popular preachers in Massachusetts.* He was oné In all his compositions he seems to breathe an evan gelical spirit. He died, Dec. 28. 1674. the close of a sermon, which he was preaching at the Towards Boston lecture, he was taken with an apoplexy, and continued only two days.

His works are," the duty of watchfulness," in a number of discourses; the election sermon, 1671; a sermon entitled, "seasonable seeking of God."? He also published "a proposition for propagating the gospel by christian colonies, in the continent of Guiana, being some gleanings of a large discourse."? That large discourse was preserved some years. We know not where it can be obtained. Dr. Mather says, he had read it, and found a grateful variety of entertainment.

PARKER THOMAS, pastor of the church at Newbury, was the son of Robert Parker, a famous controversial writer against the form and ceremonies of the church of England. book," de Politia ecclesiastica." The son became He wrote a very learned also a very excellent scholar. He was educated at Dublin, under the care of the famous archbishop

Chalmer's annals.

Usher. He afterwards studied with Dr. Ames, or received advice and assistance from him, while he continued his studies at Leyden. He received the degree of master of arts, when he was 22 years old, and the particular esteem of several divines, celebrated in the Belgick universities. In the diploma they gave him they testified, "Illum non sine admiratione audiverimus ;" and, "se philosophiæ artiumq; liberalium peritissimum declaraverit." After leaving Holland, he resided at Newbury, in England. He came into New England, in 1634, with many of his people, and settled in a spot on Merrimack river, which was called Newbury, according to their desire. He applied himself to the study of the prophecies, and wrote several volumes, mostly in Latin. He was a man of the most extensive charity and liberal principles. He thought too much satire was mingled in the fathers' writings against the bishops; and because he expressed this in a preface to a book, president Chauncy entered into a controversy with him, calling him " Urijah the priest, who would set up the altar of Damascus to thrust out the brazen altar of the Lord's institution." Mr. Parker died in the month of April, 1677, in the 82d year of his age.*

PARKER SAMUEL, D. D. minister of Trinity church, Boston, and bishop of the protestant episcopal church in Massachusetts, was born in Ports

*The works of Mr. Parker upon the prophecies were never printed, except a commentary on Daniel, which he wrote in English, and which is not according to the common opinion of expositors. When he was a young man, be composed theses "de traductione peccatoris ad vitam" which have been bound up with Dr. Ames's smaller works. He did not choose to appear as the author at the time.

Mr. Popkins, his successor in the pastoral office, mentions some facts not recorded in the Magnalia. He instructed a school, and took no pay. The pupils must be designed for the church or he would not admit them. When he was blind he could teach Latin, Greek and Hebrew. He could talk in these languages, and even speak his mind upon occasions in arabick-See appendix to the sermon of rev. J. S. Popkins, preached at quitting the old and building the new meeting house, Newbury, 1806.

mouth, New Hampshire. His father, judge Parker, was an eminent lawyer, a man of great integrity and benevolence, and for many years deacon of the first church in that town. The son was graduated at Harvard College, 1764, with a view of being a minister of one of the congregational churches. He soon manifested a preference for the church of England, and, in 1773, received orders from Dr. Ternch, bishop of London, as an episcopal clergyman. He was chosen assistant minister of Trinity church, where he officiated above 30 years. His moderation and prudence were manifested upon some very important occasions. Prejudices against episcopal clergymen were strong during the revolutionary war, because their political principles were on the side of government. He maintained the esteem of the people, and of ministers of other denominations, whose opinions were entirely different. Among them his reputation was high as a clergyman, and he was looked up to, as the head of the episcopal church in New England. The university at Philadelphia presented him with a diploma of doctor in divinity. After the decease of bishop Bass, by an unanimous vote of their convention, he was elected to succeed him in his office. He was consecrated but a few months before he was seized with the disorder of which, after a second return, he died.

ance.

His death was lamented by a numerous acquaintTo many of these he was a very sincere friend some of whom received his advice, others his bounty. He was an active and useful officer of several institutions for pious and humane purposes, capable of transacting a variety of business, and faithful in whatever he engaged. The several soci eties attended his funeral, Dec. 9, 1804, and an elegant discourse, well adapted to the occasion, was preached by his colleague, Mr. Gardiner, which was afterwards published.

PARTRIDGE RALPH came into this country among the early planters, and was settled at Dux