May 14, 1686. Arrived from England, His Majesty's Commission to divers worthy Gentlemen, to be a President and Council for the management of his Majesty's Government here, and accordingly on the 25th of May, '86, the President and Council being assembled in Boston, the exemplification of the Judgment against the Charter of the Late Governour and Company of the Massachusetts-Bay in N E together with His Majesty's Commission of Government were publickly read, and received by persons of all conditions with general Acceptance.
It will appear by the following advertisement that a market was then first appointed by authority to be kept in Boston.
Advertisement. There is Appointed by Authority a Market to be kept in Boston, and a Committee is ordered to meet and state the place, and days, and other circumstances relating to the good settling thereof: Of which a more particular Account may be speedily expected.
This Almanack was published only 67 years from the settlement at Plymouth, and 59 from that of Salem.
In the eyes of the old New England people the almanac stood next to the Bible in importance. Almost the only knowledge we have of many events of those early days has been obtained from diaries kept in interleaved almanacs. It is true, important facts are often found recorded in connection with trifling or quite unimportant matters.
The venerable Dr. Holyoke, of Salem, president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, who died in March, 1829, at the age of one hundred years and eight months, wrote a letter, a few months before his death, in answer to a request that he would furnish some particulars of his mode of living. Dr. Holyoke was through life noted for being remarkably temperate in all things. After his death it was reported that some physician said (perhaps in fun) that if Dr. H. had not been in the habit of using intoxicating liquors he might have lived to a good old age.
We give here a copy of this interesting letter.
Salem.
SATURDAY MORNING, AUGUST 1, 1829.