Moses married Jane Bethune. Their daughter, Jane Prince, was consort of the Rev. Chandler Robbins, D. D., of Plymouth, Ms., grandfather of the Rev. Chandler Robbins of Boston, of whom we have obtained this relic of antiquity.]

Pity me O my friends and for me Pray
To him yt can supply what's taken away.
My crown is fallen from my Head, and wo,
Wo unto me yt I have sinned so,
As to provoke ye Lord to show such Ire
Wh I deserve 'gainst me should burn like Fire.
God righteous is in all yt He hath done
Yea good in lending Her to me so long.
A Blessing rich Forty three years and more:
Had I been wise to have improved such store
Of Gifts and Grace wherewith she was endu'd
I might in Grace have also much improv'd.
How prompt in heavenly Discourse was she,
That to her own and others good might be!
Out of her store came things both new and old
Wh she had read, or thought, or had been told.
How great my Bond to God in Thankfulness,
For such a Gift, for all my worthlessness.
The only child her gracious mother bare,
Obtain'd of God as a Return of Prayer:
For wh she with her Friends employ'd a Day,
In private, and soon found it good to pray
Unto ye God of Nature and of Grace,
Who thus approv'd their seeking of his Face,
In forming this fair child to shew his Praise:
Endowed with virtues in her early Days
Wh grew and shine'd in young and riper age,
And to her Maker's Praise did much engage
All those wo knew Her both of late and old,
And prove'd as diverse godly wise foretold.
She by her wisdom built ye House and by
Her prudent care kept all in such a way
And in such order, so as nought might be }
A Let to worship in the Family }
Or cause Distraction on God's holy day. }
Yea both at Morn and even, as was need
She did in Household-worship always lead
Her Family, while in her widow-state,
And in my absence since she was my mate.
Whose good example may rebuke all Those
Who slight this Duty and Themselves expose
Unto yt wrath of God wh hangs o'er all
Those Familes wh on Him do not call.
To rise up very early was her way, }
Enter her closet strait, to read and pray, }
And then to call and raise her Family, }
And liv'd to see a Blessing great upon
Her Prayers and prudent Education
Of children such a number for ye Lord,
Under his gracious covenant and word,
That now may say, I am, thro grace divine,
Thy Servant, Daughter, Son, of Handmaid thine.
She highly prized a Gospel Ministry,
For its support was an example high,
And while a widow chose ye town shou'd say }
What was her Part lest self from Right shou'd sway }
And allways gave more than her Rate away, }
Yea ever first wou'd pay that pious due, }
Then other Debts, and on the Residue }
Wou'd wisely live and help ye Poor she knew. }
Nor ever any want she found thereby,
And counselled her Friends ye like to try:
But if they wou'd till last let That alone,
They wou'd find nought to pay't, all wou'd be gone:
Which some have try'd, and found what she said True,
And so God was not robbed of his Due.
As by God's Grace she lived piously
So by the same she lived righteously:
Chusing yt she and hers might wrongs receiv,
Than even ye least to others give:
Allways a Pattern of Sobriety, }
Meek, lowly, peacefull, prone to charity }
And freely given to Hospitality, }
Behaved wisely in a perfect way,
Both in ye brightest and ye darkest Day.
She came in nothing short with count of many
Of highest Praise of Tongue or Pen of any.
Great cause we have of pious Thankfullness;
For that tho sharpest Pains did her distress
For six weeks allmost constantly, yt she
Could take no Rest nor in ye night nor Day;
Yet God preserv'd her mind and senses clear,
With exercise of Grace, yt we cou'd hear
Not the least murmuring nor impatient word,
But meek submission to ye Sovereign Lord:
Full of heart-melting Prayer and savoury words
Which Joy and wonderment to all affords
Whose Hearts were mov'd to leav their Homes and see
And help Her in her great extremity.
Her last words were, come dear Lord Jesus, come
And take me quickly to thy Bosom home:
And in few minutes had her Soul's Desire
With Him whom she did love with Heart intire.
Death was no Terrour unto Her nor Fear,
No Ghastliness did in her Face appear:
But sweet composure in her Life and Death }
When her dear soul she in her final Breath }
Resigned to Him whom she beheld in Faith: }
Whose own she was and with Him long'd to be
Where she is free from sin and misery:
She enter'd into perfect, endless Rest,
And with ye blest above is ever blest.
So that we have no reason to repine }
But thankfully and humbly to resign }
To his most wise and righteous hand therein }
Nor mourn for Her in Plenitude of Joy,
But for ourselves whom evils still annoy.
As a great Loss to all, ye wisest deem,
Then sure to me and mine a Loss extream;
Now she has left the gap, is made a way
For evils to bear on us every Day:
Wh our Iniquities deserved have,
Unless ye Lord please, as I humbly crave,
To give Repentance and Remission free
Of all our sins; of mine especially,
My great Defects in point of gratitude
In prizing and improving such a good:
Wh as a second miracle of grace,
After the first who no less Pious was
And lovely consort. Both free gifts most rare
And Both in answer unto humble Prayer.
As soon as I my will resigned so
To God, as to be free yt he shou'd do
As most for his own glory he shou'd see;
Then did their several Relatives agree
To say, They had oppos'd our match so long,
They neither dared nor wou'd it more prolong:
Wh was so far above all expectation
As made us to admire the Dispensation.
Yet that such wondrous works I cou'd forget,
Does my Offences greatly aggravete:
Which has so much dishonored his Name
As justly may me fill with grief and shame
And oh yt by his grace enabling me, }
I may with Hate, yea self-abhorrency }
Turn from all sin and unto Jesus flee }
Whose meritorious and precious blood
Can clease from sin and reconcile to God.
O may He be most highly priz'd by me
And as most precious may embraced be.
May I to Him eternally be join'd
And in Him Rest and Satisfaction find:
By his good Spirit's mighty energy }
My Heart be purg'd from all Impurity, }
And filled with all grace and sanctity: }
Awakened out of all my drowzy Frames
Raised up to lively, heavenly views and aims,
Ever composed, humble, watchful be, }
Especially upon God's holy Day, }
And when I read, hear, meditate and pray. }
In holy Duties never slightly be;
As if to approach ye glorious majesty
Of God, a light and trifling thing it were;
But ever look and speak to him with Fear:
May bring forth much good Fruit in my last Days,
Living and doing more unto his Praise:
Gaining much profit by our Father's Rod,
Who can make all work our eternal good.
For all which mercies great I beg ye Prayers
Of all who see these drops of aged Tears,
That I and mine may by his mighty Hand
Be kept thro Faith unto Salvation, and
That we may neither slack or slothful be,
But follow Her and that blest company,
Who thro' their faith and patience now possess
The full completion of the Promises,
And we may fitted be at Death to say, }
Lord Jesus come and take us quick away, }
To be with Thee unto eternal aye! }
Afflicted and distressed, but thro rich undeserved mercy not wholly forsaken,
T. HINCKLEY. ætatis 85.

The following is an extract from one of the manuscript volumes of the Rev. Mr. Prince:

"She [Mrs. Hinckley] was ye only child of Mr Quarter-master Smith by his 1st wife, formerly of Lancashire in England and afterward of Dorchester in New England.

Her Father had been a Quarter-master in ye army of ye Netherlands: her mother a gentlewoman of a creditable Family and of eminent natural Powers, Piety and acquir'd accomplishments. Of them this Mrs Hinckley was Born in Lancashire in England in 1630. Her Parents living undr ye ministry of ye Rev. Mr Richard Mather at Toxteth in that shire; they came up and brought Her wth them to Bristol in order for N. E. in April 1635: young Mr Nathaniel a son of ye sd Mr Mather being carried on One side a Horse in a Pannier and this young Mrs Mary on ye other: as I have often heard her say.

May 23, 1635; She with her father and mother, ye sd Rev. Mr Richard Mather and wife, yr sons Samuel and Nathaniel, Mr Jonathan Mitchell then about 11 years of age, &c. set sail from Bristol. In ye night between Aug. 14 and 15 coming on ye N. E. coast yr arose an extream Hurricane, wrin yy wr in ye utmost Danger and wondrously delivered [see ye acct in ye Life of ye sd Mr Richard Mather in ye Magnalia] and on Aug. 17 arrived at Boston.

Her Father and others settling at Dorchester and a new chh gathd There Aug. 23, 1636, ye sd Mr Richard Mather became yr Teacher: under wos ministry she liv'd, unless wn sent to school at Boston, wr she enjoy'd Mr Wilson and Cotton's ministry.

In —— she married to Mr Nathanl Glover a son of ye Honb John Glover Esq: of sd Dorchester by wm she had Nathaniel and Ann. And then this Husband Dying, she remained a widdow till wn she married ye Honbl Thomas Hinckley Esq. of Barnstable; whither she removed and had by Him Mercy, Experience, John, Abigail, Thankfull, Ebenezer and Reliance: wo all grew up and married; and all but Ebenezer before she died.