[159] Dr. I. Mather's Narrative of this Affair runs thus: "When the King was pleased to give a positive Command that the Charter of New England should be dispatched, it was not for the Agents to say, It shall not be so. True it is, that all the Agents, when they saw what Minutes would be inserted in the Charter, were desirous of a Delay, until the Kings happy Return to England. And I may without Vanity say, no Man laboured to have it so, more than myself. I prayed Arch-Bishop Tillotson to intercede with the Queen for this Favour to us, who at my Request did so. Moreover, I drew up several Reasons against that which in the Minutes of the New Charter is most grievous to us; which were by Sir Henry Ashurst, and my self, delivered to His Majesties Attourney General, on July 24. 1691, and which I did also send to my Lord Sidney, one of His Majesties principal Secretaries of State, then with the King in Flanders."—Some Few Remarks, 22-3. Lord Henry Sydney was afterwards Earl of Romney.
[160] Thinking there would be no further Proceedings about the Charter before the Return of the King, Mr. Mather says he went into the Country for the Recovery of his impaired Health, where, before he had been three Weeks, he was surprised by being sent for to London, "with Information that the King had signified His Royal Pleasure to the Earl of Nottingham, that there should be a Procedure with a Charter for the Massachusetts Colony, according to the Minutes that the Lords of the Committee for Plantations had agreed to, notwithstanding the Objections of the Agents."—Some Few Remarks, 23.
[161] This Document is printed in the Work just cited, Pages 14 to 18; and also by the Son in his Remarkables of his Father, Pages 157-60. The rebutting of the "Bull" has been noticed in an earlier Page.
[162] Whether this Paper, containing the variety of Heathen Learning, was ever printed, the Editor is unable to say.
[163] The Defenders of Dr. Mather say, that, by what they have heard about that Story of Dr. Sharp, attempting "to get himself made Bishop, did what he could to undermine the Presbyterian Government:" and continue,—"Certainly, Satan himself could not but blush to say, that ever Mr. Mather went to destroy the Government of New England, either as to their Civil or Ecclesiastical Constitution."—Some Few Remarks, 29, 30. Mr. Calef is very far from bringing any such Charge. Some later Authors are far more severe on Dr. Mather than he. See Baylies, N. Plymouth, iv, 134.
[164] After extracting this Acknowledgement of our Author, his Reviewers say: "With what Face then can he insinuate that no Thanks are due to the Instruments of obtaining such a valuable Charter, and so many peculiar Priviledges? Surely he was beside himself, when he wrote such Things as these."—Ibid., Page 30.
[165] The Authors of the Some Few Remarks, print a Letter from Mr. John Goodwin, as a triumphant Vindication of what Dr. Cotton Mather published respecting the bewitchment of Goodwin's Children. The Letter is too long and too unimportant to occupy Space here. It may be seen on Pages 62 and 63 of that Work. It is, of course, an attempt to sustain Dr. Mather's Account, the substance of which Account is in the Magnalia. They then go on: "Now behold how active and forward Mr. Mather was, in transacting the Affairs relating to this Woman; and be astonished, that ever any One should go to insinuate things to the World, as are known by most that ever heard of those afflicted Children, to be so far different from Truth, as to do what in you lies to lessen the Esteem of those Servants of Christ, (which you make your chiefest Butts) among the Lord's People.... We pray God Pardon your Sin, and give you the Grace to Repent."—Ibid, 65. See also Magnalia, B. ii, 61; where it appears that Mr. Joseph Dudley was Chief Judge when the poor old crazy Woman was tried and Executed.
[166] Dr. Mather answers: "After the Storm was raised at Salem, I did myself offer to provide Meat, Drink, and Lodging, for no less than Six of the Afflicted, that so an Experiment might be made, whether Prayer with Fasting, upon the Removal of those Miserables, one from another, might not put a Period unto the Trouble then arising, without giving the Civil Authority the Trouble of Prosecuting the Methods of the Law on that Occasion. You'll say, How came it then to pass that many People took up another Notion of me? Truly, Satan knows. Perhaps 'twas because I thought it my Duty alwayes to speak of the Honourable Judges with as much Honour as I could; (a Crime which I am generally taxed for, and for which I have been finely requited!) This made People, who judge of Things at a Distance, to dream that I approved of all that was done."—Ibid, 39-40. Certainly, if Words mean any thing, what he published fully justifies that Conclusion, notwithstanding his rare Ambidexterity. See Vol. I, Ubique loci.
[167] Salem Street was in those Times, called Green-Lane; at the Corner made by that Lane and Charter Street, the Governor actually resided. See History and Antiquities of Reason, 816.
[168] Dr. Mather says in Reply: "Moreover, when the Ministers presented unto the Governour and Council, their Advice against making the Spectral Exhibitions to be so much as a Presumption of Witchcraft, it was my poor Hand which drew up that Advice, and my Heart was always in it."—Some Few Remarks, 38-9. But the Doctor does not explain how, in speaking of this Address in the Life of Phips, he came to make use of the Words—as I have been informed—while in the Some Few Remarks he owns that it was drawn by his poor Hand. See Life of Phips in Magnalia, Book II, 63.