In 1765, Dr. E. was chosen fellow of the corporation of Harvard College. He had been some years secretary of the board of overseers; and was one of the committee to obtain donations after the old college was burnt. Many of the present generation remember his exertions to procure the present library and apparatus. He did not confine his application to gentlemen in the provinces. Several valuable presents were made to the library at his particular request by his correspondents in England. When that venerable man, president Holyoke, rested from his labours, it was the publick expectation that he would succeed him, but as he could not think of breaking the connection with his people, who were unwilling to part with him, he declined standing a candidate for the office. Afterwards, when the chair was again vacant by the resignation of another president, he was one of three fellows of the college, elected by the corporation. This he opposed, but his opinion was overruled. It appeared to him,as to many other persons in the province, a deviation from the line of decorum for gentlemen of the same body to choose each other into office, for the sake of the honour, when it was well understood they would not accept it.

There were other events in his life, which are worthy of a relation, as they manifest how much his aim was to be useful. When lieut. gov. Hutchinson's house was pillaged, and pulled to pieces by an infuriated mob, his books and mss. were thrown into the streets, and were in danger of being completely destroyed. Dr. E. made every exertion to save them. Several trunks of mss. among them the second volume of the history of Massachusetts Bay,

ton. The method the societies now practice is, to teach them the arts of life; and some tribes feel the necessity of cultivating their lands, of acquiring manual employments, are sensible of the benefit of early instruction for their children, so that the pros. pect is fair of their improving the means of religion while they enjoy the blessings of social life.

were preserved by his care and attention, and he spent much time in assisting to arrange them.

Another thing may be mentioned as manifesting how much he was influenced by a sense of duty. He remained in Boston during the blockade from April 19, 1775, to the March of the succeeding year. His friends, his family, and most of his congregation had left the town, but the inhabitants who could not leave their dwellings were many, and they constituted a very large religious society. He shared with them in their affliction, preached every Sabbath, and paid every attention which is ever expected from a pastor to his flock. He often ob. served, that although he never passed a season, when his own feelings were more tried, yet he never had an opportunity to be more useful. Others have said, his preaching was uncommonly impressive. For several months Dr. Mather and he attended the Thursday lecture, but finding it inconvenient, they agreed to bring it to a close, and a farewell sermon was preached upon an occasion which many circumstances concurred to render very solemn and affecting. When the people of the town returned, this lecture was again opened; gen. Washington and the officers of the American army attended; a fuller assembly has been seldom known; Dr. E. preached from Isaiah xxxiii. 20, and gave a very interesting view of the state of the town. The latter years of his life, he appeared to enjoy a good degree of health, had the same animation in the pulpit, and vivacity in his conversation, but he was subject to bodily complaints which he supposed to be indications of a speedy dissolution. In the summer of 1778, he complained more than usual, but did not confine himself to the house till the first week of September, and died the 30th day of the month. He had been 36 years in the ministry and was in the 60th year of his age.*

•Works. He was never fond of printing sermons. When he was desired to publish any single discourse which had gratified

ENDICOT JOHN, governour of Massachusetts, was from Dorchester in England, and one who purchased of the council of Plymouth that part of New England three miles to the south of Charles river, and three miles north of Merrimack from the Atlantick to the South sea. In the summer of 1628, he was sent over to Naumkeake with a company who considered him as governour of the plantation, because all the affairs of this infant settlement were committed to his care. He was a man peculiar in his notions, rigid in his religious principles, eager and ardent in all his views. One of his odd opinions was, that women ought to wear veils that their faces may never be seen in the church;

his people; his answer was, that he intended to collect a number, which he would publish in a volume after some years. This volume of twenty sermons was printed in the year 1774. The other discourses which appeared at different times, were five "ordination sermons;" one upon the inordinate love of the world;" a sermon after " the death of Mr. Webb;" a fast sermon, 1754; one upon the thanksgiving, 1759; the election sermon, 1765; a sermon at the Dudleian lecture, 1771; also, a sermon "upon the thief on the cross." He wrote several pieces in the episcopal controversy, particularly “remarks upon the bishop of Oxford's sermons," extracts of which were published in England, by Dr. Blackburn; his friends there also printed an edition of his election sermon. In the memoirs of T. Hollis, esq. of London, there are several pages filled with the letters he wrote to that gentleman. A letter from a friend of his will close the account of his writings. "I well remember two (I believe there were three pieces) of your father's, which I copied at his desire and carried for publication, saying nothing, save that they were written by a worthy friend. To say they were excellent would be superfluous. One of them on prelatical ordination was much spoken of and admired. Old justice Dana in particular was abundant; I need not say that he was loud in his praises. How many others he wrote, of which he was willing to be known as the writer, I am not able to say." The gentleman who wrote the above, was his particular friend. Their intimacy, which began in youth, and was founded on mutual esteem, increased with their years; death separated them for a while, but a most affec tionate remembrance of the good qualities of his deceased friend is still lively in the breast of the survivor.

Hon. Samuel Dexter.
B b

and this matter he disputed with Mr. Cotton at a lecture in Boston. He acted so violent a part in executing his plan of church government, that we are told, the "friends of the colony in England wrote a reproof to him, and that he never recover. ed his reputation in England,”* He also gave great offence to the civil power in the plantation, by cutting the cross out of the colours. He consid ered this as a piece of Romish superstition, being influenced by the opinion of his minister, Mr. Williams, who, with many prominent traits of a great character, was very zealous and opinionated. They, however, carried their point. For though the militia first refused to train with colours that were so defaced, the cross was very soon left out by the general expression of the publick sentiment. Mr. Endicot was, at the time, censured by the people, as well as the government, and the succeeding year, 1635, left out of the magistracy. "They adjudg ed him worthy of admonition, and to be disabled for one year from bearing any publick office; declining any heavier sentence, because they were persuaded he did it out of tenderness of conscience and not of evil intent."

Mr. E. was chosen afterwards an officer to command fourscore men, against the Pequods; but not succeeding in making an attack upon them, he was much blamed. According to the best accounts he acted with prudence; for winter was approaching, and he must have followed them through the woods wherever they fled; his object likewise was to make a bolder attempt to subdue them the next season. He soon acquired more ascendency in the civil af. fairs of the colony; and in 1641 was chosen deputy governour, which office he held the two succeeding years, and was placed in the chair of government in 1644, Winthrop being the deputy. A new of fice was created the same year, that of major gene

He had the sole

ral, and given to Mr. Dudley. command of the militia, as the governour was at the head of the civil department. In 1645, Mr. Dudley was chosen governour, and Mr. Endicot appointed major general. After gov. Winthrop died, Dudley and Endicot were the candidates for the chief seats. In 1649, Mr. E. was in the chair, at the head of the magistrates, and signed a declaration against wearing wigs, "as a thing uncivil and unmanly, whereby men do deform themselves, and offend sober and modest men, and do corrupt good manners." He was chosen governour every year from 1655 to 1660. No governour since the settlement of the country has been for so many years chief magistrate. He was 16 years governour of the colony, and in the office when he died, 15th of March, 1665.

Though he was more rigid in his notions, and bigotted in his religious principles than any other of the magistrates, yet he was very acceptable to the people when they had advanced him to the chief places. The opposition he made to gov. Winthrop, and the discordant proceedings attending it, might arise in some measure from jealousy and envy. He had been a kind of sub-governour in the plantation before the gentlemen came over in the Arabella. They were his superiors in property, character and influence. Though he was one of the assistants, it did not satisfy him. There was another ground of rivalship between the settlement at Naumkeake, and the towns that were situated upon the banks of Charles river, which place should be the capital. This caused bitter altercations, and had a political influence, especially upon the choice of magistrates. Boston being such a convenient mart for business, and other circumstances concurring to increase its population, soon obtained the preference; and has continued unto this day to be the metropolis.

Mr. Endicot being in the chair of government, and having moved to Boston, had every inducement