gentleman he derived great assistance, and he af terwards married his daughter. At the bar he was distinguished for legal knowledge, and a philosophical arrangement of his ideas. He was also an able reasoner in the house of representatives, where he was a member for Boston a number of years. His politicks were in opposition to Shirley, and hence he was a favourite of Pownall. This also made him popular in Boston, where his splendid abilities might excite admiration, but would not have gained him votes. The inhabitants of that town could never love a man who had no complacency in his disposition, nor urbanity in his manners; a man who emerged from low life to a high station, and despised those who formerly knew him, even those from whom he had received favours. When Pownall left the province, Pratt lost entirely the regard of the people. The merchants and mechanicks in the town were very indignant at his conduct in the general court in supporting a motion to send away the province ship. This ship, though owned by the government, was designed to protect the trade, and the merchants had subscribed liberally towards building her. Yet, in the midst of the war, it was proposed by Pownall's friends, that this ship should leave the station, and the trade suffer merely for his personal honour or safety. The clamour was so great, that the governour found it necessary to take his passage in a private vessel. But the spirit of the people was not suddenly calmed. A larger town meeting than ever had assembled at Faneuil hall, discovered their displeasure by leaving out Pratt and Tyng from the list of their representatives. Pownall, however, remembered Mr. Pratt, and by his recommendation he was made chief justice of New York. He died soon after this promotion.

What talents judge Pratt possessed as a fine writer we cannot learn from any publication with his name. The verses found in his study, and publish

1

ed in the Royal American magazine, April, 1774, discover a strong vigour of fancy. If these were his own compositions, he ought to have exercised a fine genius for poetry.

PRINCE THOMAS, governour of the colony of Plymouth, was first elected into this office in the year 1634; afterwards, in 1638. When gov. Bradford died, in 1657, he was chosen to succeed him, and continued to be chosen as long as he lived. For many years he was one of the assistants, and commissioner to the united colonies. He was one of this respectable body when the disputes happened between Massachusetts and the other colonies about the war with the Dutch, and joined heartily in the letter of reproof which the colony of Plymouth sent to our general court. Mr. Morton gives him the character" of a very worthy, pious gentleman, capable of the office of government." He was a

man of great integrity, a just man in private life, and so steady to his trust, as never to betray the publick confidence reposed in him. Douglass says, he had "strong natural powers, but no learning.” He was a friend to learning and religion, whatever his own acquirements might be, according to the account we have "that the most able men in the colony thought no method would be more effectual in preventing the churches being overwhelmed with ignorance, than the election of Mr. Prince to the office of governour; and this point being gained, the adverse party from that time sunk into confusion."'* He also procured revenues for the support of grammar schools. It was this gentleman, with six others, who first settled the town of East ham. He removed there, in 1644, and returned to Plymouth, when he was fixed in the chair of govern

ment.

Gov. Prince died, March 29, 1673, in the 73d. year of his age. Having lived in New England from the year 1621. Morton's Memorial. Prince's Annals, &c. &c.

Historical collections, vol. viii. page 167.

PRINCE THOMAS, was born at Middleborough, and graduated at Harvard College, 1707. He passed several years in travelling, but with no particular object. He says, "that when he made reflections upon that part of his life, he never could see with satisfaction the reasonableness and consistency of it." While he was in England he was invited to settle as a minister in several places, but his love to his native country induced him to return. He arrived

at Boston in 1717, having been absent about seven years. He was ordained pastor of the Old South church, Oct. 1, 1718, and was one of the most learned and useful men of the age. He would deserve this character if he had never published any thing but the chronology.

The worth of this book was not known at the time he wrote it. He enlarged his method from what the proposals stated, and the first part of the work was so unacceptable to the publick, that he could not get subscribers to the second volume. He did, however, publish several numbers which bring the New England annals down to 1633, and which are so valuable for the precious documents they contain, that all who look into the affairs of their own country lament the work was not continued. Concerning this book one of the first men of that generation, Mr. Callender writes, in a letter, dated Newport, April 4, 1739, "It gives me great concern, that Mr. Prince's chronology has been so ill received. I look on it as an honour to the country as well as to the author, and doubt not but posterity will do him justice. But that you will say is too late. Some of the very best books have had the same fate in other places and other ages. I need not tell you of Milton, Rawleigh, &c. I wish for his sake he had taken less pains to serve an ungrate ful and injudicious age, lest it should discourage his going on with his design. I hope it will not, and hope you will encourage him, for sooner or later the country will see the advantage of his work and their obligation to him."

That Mr. Prince was a great scholar is evident from the opinion given of him by the most learned men among us. Dr. Chauncy says, "he may be justly characterised as one of our great men, that his learning was very extensive, but that he was very credulous. He could easily be imposed upon. Another imperfection hurtful to him, was a strange disposition to regard more the circumstances of things, and sometimes minute and trifling ones, than the things themselves." He says, from his

own acquaintance with him, he could relate many instances of this; yet with all these weaknesses he possessed intellectual powers far beyond what is

common.

As a preacher Mr. Prince was excellent, if we may judge from the sermons he published. It is said his delivery was bad, Objections have been made, that he frequently rendered his common discourses too learned for common people. He printed the discourse at his own ordination, which no ordinary man could write; several funeral discourses, which are as remarkable for their pathetick effu. sions, as judicious observations, and are valuable on account of the information concerning the worthies of Boston, many of whom belonged to that church; the election sermon, 1730; several fast and thanksgiving sermons; and also published some philosophical essays. His revisal of the New England psalms in metre discover his acquaintance with the oriental languages, but not any glow of fancy, nor the least glimmering of genius. A man may be a good historian and no poet.

The friends of Mr. Prince observed his declining. health with anxiety. The means used to restore it failed, and he died, October 22, 1758.*

The father of Mr. Prince was Samuel Prince, esq. of Middleborough, who was born in Boston, 1649, and died 1728, aged 80. He was justice of the peace for Plymouth county, and a ve ry respectable man. His son wrote an account of the family with the character given in the New England Journal, July 15, of that year. He tells us that he was the fourth son of Mr. John Prince,

PRUDDEN PETER, was minister of the church in Milford, Connecticut. He came with his church to New Haven, but removed to Milford. There he lived many years an example of piety, gravity and zeal, against the evils of the times, which our pious ancestors complained of, in the same manner, as those who talk about the great degeneracy of the present

age.

He died, A. D. 1656, in the 56th year of his age. Dr. Mather says, "that his death was felt as a pillar, which made the whole fabrick to shake."

Dr. Trumbull says, that his estate in this country was appraised at 9247. 18s. 6d. He left a landed interest in England, at Edgton, in Yorkshire, valued at 1300 pounds sterling, which is still enjoyed by some of his heirs. He had two sons. One of them, John Prudden, was graduated, after his father's de. cease, at Harvard College, in 1668. He settled in the ministry at Newark, in New Jersey. The other inherited the paternal estate. Their descendants are numerous in Connecticut and New Jersey.

PUTNAM ISRAEL, major general in the army of the United States, was born at Salem, Essex county, Jan. 7. 1718. His parents were respectable, and his ancestors among the early settlers of Massachu

ruling elder of the church in Hull, New England. who was the eldest son of the rev. John Prince, rector of East Strafford, in Berkshire, England, in the reign of James and Charles I. Elder Prince came to Massachusetts when archbishop Laud persecuted the non-conformists. He was two or three years at the university of Oxford, but did not think himself sufficiently learned to enter into the ministry, and therefore applied himself to husbandry. He died, August 6, 1676, in the 66th year of his age. His second wife was the daughter of Thomas Hinckley, esq. governour of Plymouth. She was the mother of the rev. Mr. Prince of Boston, and of Nathan Prince, a distinguished character in our literary annals. A man of superiour genius to his brother, and in mathematicks and natural philosophy superiour to any man in New England. He was fellow of Harvard College many years, and a candidate for the professor's chair. He wrote a book upon the Jaws and constitution of that seminary. This was after he was dismissed from the government and instruction of the college on account of his intemperate habits, which destroyed his usefulness.