ERRATAAT NONCORRIGENDA.

If any of these come outSo long 's the world doe last:Then credit not a wordOf what is said and past.

Now I come to rubbe over my work, I finde five or six things like faults, which would be mended or commended, I know not well which, nor greatly care.

1. ForLevity, read,Lepidity, —— and that a very little, and that very necessary, if not unavoydable.

Misce stultitiam Consiliis brevem—Dulce est desipere in loco.Horat.

To speak to light heads with heavy words, were to break their necks: to cloathe Summer matter, with Winter Rugge, would make the Reader sweat. It is musick to me, to heare every Dity speak its spirit in its apt tune: every breast, to sing its proper part, and every creature, to expresse it self in its naturall note: should I heare a Mouse roare like a Beare, a Cat lowgh like an Oxe, or a Horse whistle like a Red-breast, it would scare —— mee.

The world's a well strung fidle, mans tongue the quill,That fills the world with fumble for want of skill,When things and words in tune and tone doe meet,The universall song goes smooth and sweet.

2. Foraudacity, read,veracity, orVerum Gallice non libenter audis. Mart. Flattery never doth well, but when it is whispered through a paire of lisping teeth; Truth best, when it is spoken out, through a paire of open lips. Ye make such a noyse there, with Drums and Trumpets, that if I should not speak loud, ye could not hear me: Ye talke one to another, with whole Culvering and Canon; give us leave to talk Squibs and Pistoletto's charged with nothing but powder of Love and shot of Reason: if you will cut such deep gashes in one anothers flesh, we must sow them up with deep stitches, else ye may bleed to death: ye were better let us, your tender Countrymen doe it, than forraine Surgeons, who will handle you more cruelly, and take no other pay, but your Lives and Lands.

—— —— Aspice vultus,Ecce meos, utinamque oculos in pectore possesInserere: & patrias intus deprendere Curas.(Ovid. Phœb.

He that to tall men speakes, must lift up 's head,And when h' hath done, must set it where he did:He that to proud men talkes, must put on pride;And when h' hath done, 'tis good to lay 't aside.

3. For,Yes, but you speak at three thousand miles distance, which every Coward dare doe, read,if my heart deceives me not, I would speak thus, in the Presence Chamber or House of Commons; hopingHomerwill speak a good word for me.

ΕργοισιΘαρσαλεος γαρ ανηρ εν πασιν αμενωνΕργοισι. ——

Omnibus in rebus potior vir fortis & audaxSit licet hospes, & è longinquis venerit oris.

When Kings are lost, and Subjects cast away,A faithfull heart should speak what tongue can say:It skils not where this faithfull heart doth dwell,His faithfull dealing should be taken well.

4. For,affected termes, read,I hope not—— If I affect termes, it is my feeblenesse; friends that know me, thinke I doe not: I confesse, I see I have here and there taken a few finish stitches, which may haply please a few Velvet eares; but I cannot now well pull them out, unlesse I should seame-rend all. It seemes it is in fashion with you to sugar your papers with Carnation phrases, and spangle your speeches with new quodled words. Ermins in Minifer is every mans Coat: Yet we heare some are raking in old musty Charnel books, for old mouldy monosyllables; I wish they were all banisht toMonmouthshire, to returne when they had more wit.

Multa renascentur quæ jam cecidere, cadentqueQuæ nunc sunt in honore vocabula, si volet usus.(Hor.

I honour them with my heart, that can expresse more than ordinary matter in ordinary words: it is a pleasing eloquence; them more, that study wisely and soberly to inhance their native language; them most of all, that esteeme the late significant speech,the third great blessing of the Land; it being so enriched, that a man may speak in many tongues in his Mothers mouth; and an uplandish Rusticke, more in one word than himselfe and all the Parish understands. Affected termes are unaffecting things to solid hearers; yet I hold him prudent, that in these fastidious times, will helpe disedged appetites with convenient condiments, and bangled ears, with pretty quicke pluckes. I speake the rather because, not long since, I met with a book, the best to mee I ever saw, but the Bible; yet under favour, it was somewhat underclad, especially by him who can both excogitate and expresse what hee undertakes, as well as any man I know.

The world is growne so fine in words and wit,That pens must now SirEdward Nich'lasit.He that much matter speaks, speaks ne'r a whit,If 's tongue doth not career 't above his wit.

5. For,You verse it simply, what need have we of your thin Poetry; read,I confesse I wonder at it my self, that I should turne Poet: I can impute it to nothing, but to the flatuousnesse of our diet: they are but sadden raptures soone up, soone downe.

—Deductum dicere Carmen, is highly commended byMacrobius.Virgilhimselfe said,Agrestem tenui meditabor arundine musam.

—Deductum dicere Carmen, is highly commended byMacrobius.

Virgilhimselfe said,Agrestem tenui meditabor arundine musam.

Poetry's a gift wherein but few excell;He doth very ill, that doth not passing well.But he doth passing well, that doth his best,And he doth best, that passeth all the rest.

6. Fortediousnesse, read,I am sorry for it—— Wee have a strong weaknesse in N. E. that when wee are speaking, we know not how to conclude: wee make many ends, before we make an end: the fault is in the Climate; we cannot helpe it though we can, which is the Arch infirmity in all morality: We are so near the West pole, that our Longitudes are as long, as any wise man would wish, and somewhat longer. I scarce know any Adage more gratefull, thanGrata brevitas.

Verba confer maxime ad compendium.Plaut.

Coblers will mend, but some will never mend,But end, and end, and end, and never end.A well-girt houre gives every man content,Sixe ribs of beefe, are worth sixe weeks of Lent.

For,all my other faults, which may bee more and greater than I see, read,I am heartily sorry for them, before I know them, lest I should forget it after; and humbly crave pardon at adventure, having nothing that I can think of, to plead but this,

Quisquis inops peccat, minor est reus.Petron.

Poore Coblers well may fault it now and then,They'r ever mending faults for other men.And if I worke for nought, why is it said,This bungling Cobler would be soundly paid?So farewell England oldIf evill times ensue,Let good men come to us,Wee'l welcome them to New.And farewell Honor'd Friends,If happy dayes ensue,You'l have some Guests from hence,Pray welcome us to you.And farewell simple world,If thou'lt thy Cranium mend,There is my Last and All,And a Shoem-AkersEND.

Poore Coblers well may fault it now and then,They'r ever mending faults for other men.And if I worke for nought, why is it said,This bungling Cobler would be soundly paid?

So farewell England oldIf evill times ensue,Let good men come to us,Wee'l welcome them to New.

And farewell Honor'd Friends,If happy dayes ensue,You'l have some Guests from hence,Pray welcome us to you.

And farewell simple world,If thou'lt thy Cranium mend,There is my Last and All,And a Shoem-AkersEND.

This honest Cobler has done what he might:That Statesmen in their Shoes might walk upright.But rotten Shoes of Spannish running-leather:No Coblers skill, can stitch them strong together.It were best to cast such rotten stuff away:And look for that, that never will decay.If all were shod with Gospel's lasting Peace;Hatred abroad, and Wars at home would cease.Jerome Bellamie.

If all were shod with Gospel's lasting Peace;Hatred abroad, and Wars at home would cease.Jerome Bellamie.

FINIS.

The following Letters, (from Hutchinson's History and Collections,) &c., and Deed from Essex Registry of Deeds, Salem, (Lib. I., Ipswich,) are supposed to possess sufficient interest to justify their insertion here.Boston, 1843.

Boston, 1843.

Salutem in Xto nostro.

Reverend and dear friend,

I was yesterday convented before the bishop, I mean to his court, and am adjourned to the next term. I see such giants turn their backs, that I dare not trust my own weak heart. I expect measure hard enough and must furnish apace with proportionable armour. I lacke a friend to help buckle it on. I know none but Christ himself in all our coast fitt to help me, and my acquaintance with him is hardly enough to hope for that assistance my weak spirit will want, and the assaults of tentation call for. I pray therefore forget me not and believe for me also if there be such a piece of neighbourhood among Christians. And so blessing God with my whole heart for my knowledge of you and immerited interest in you, and thanking you entirely for that faithful love I have found from you in many expressions of the best nature, I commit you to the unchangeable love of God our Father in his son Jesus Christ, in whom I hope to rest for ever.

Your's in all truth of heartNath'L. Warde.Stondon Mercy,Dec. 13. 1631.

[Extracts from Johnson's Wonder-Working Providence, printed in London, 1658.]

"Of the Ninth Church of Christ gathered atIpswitch.

"This year [1634] came over a farther supply of Eminent instruments for furthering this admirable Worke of his, amongst whom the Reverend and judicious servant of Christ Mr.Nathaniel Ward, who tooke up his station at the Towne ofIpswich," "scituated on a faire and delightfull River," "in theSaggamooreship, or Earldom ofAggawam." "The peopling of this Towne is by men of good ranke and quality, many of them having the yearly Revenue of large Lands inEnglandbefore they came to this Wildernesse, but their Estates being imployed for Christ, and left in banke as you have formerly heard, they are well content till Christ shall be pleased to restore it againe to them or theirs.

"Their meeting-house is a very good prospect to a great part of the Towne, and beautifully built, the Church of Christ here consists of about one hundred and sixty soules, being exact in their conversation, and free from the Epidemicall Disease of all Reforming Churches, which under Christ is procured by their pious Learned and Orthodox Ministery, as in due place (God willing) shall be declared, in the meane time, look on the following Meeters concerning that Souldier of Christ MasterNathaniel Ward.

Thou ancient Sage, comeWardamongChrists folfe,[5]take part in this great worke of his,Why do'st thou stand and gaze about so long;Do'st war in jest, why, Christ in earnest is,And hath thee arm'd with weapons for that end,To wound and heale his enemies submitting,Not carnally, then to this worke attend;Thou hast prevail'd the hearts of many hitting.Although the Presbytery unpleasant jar,And errors daily in their braines new coyne:Despayer not, Christs truth they shall not mar;But with his helpe such drosse from Gold refine.What Man do'st meane to lay thy Trumpet downe?Because thy son like Warrier is become,Hold out or sure lesse bright will be thy crowne,Till death Christs servants labour is not done."

[5]folke.

LETTER FROM GYLES FYRMIN TO GOV. WINTHROP.

Much honoured and deare Sir,

But that I thinke it needlesse (God havinge more than ordinarye fitted you for such trials) my letter might tell you with what griefe of spirit I received the news of that sad affliction which is lately happened to your worship, by means of that unfaithful wretch; I hope God will find a shoulder to helpe you beare so great a burthen. But the little time there is allotted me to write I must spend in requesting your worships counsel and favour. My father in law Ward, since his sonne came over, is varey desirous that wee might sett down together, and so that he might leave us together if God should remove him from hence. Because that it cannot be accomplished in this town, is verey desirous to get mee to remove with him to a new plantation. After much perswasion used, consideringe my want of accommodation here (the ground the town having given mee lying 5 miles from mee or more) and that the gaines of physick will not finde mee with bread, but, besides, apprehendinge that it might bee a way to free him from some temptations, and make him more cheereful and serviceable to the country or church, have yeelded to him. Herein, as I desire your counsel, so I humbly request your favour, that you would be pleased to give us the libertye of choosinge a plantation; wee thinke it will be at Pentuckett, or Quichichchek, by Shawshin: So soon as the season will give us leave to goe, wee shall informe your worship which we desire: And if that, by the court of election, we cannot gather a company to beegine it, wee will let it fall. Wee desire you would not graunt any of them to any before wee have seene them. If your worship have heard any relation of the places, wee should remaine thankful to you, if you would bee pleased to counsel us to any of them. Further, I would entreate for advise in this: The towne gave mee the ground (100 acres) upon this condition, that I should stay in the towne 3 yeeres,or else I could not sell it: Now my father supposes it being my first heritage (my father having none in the land) that it is more than they canne doe to hinder mee thus, when as others have no business, but range from place to place, on purpose to live upon the countrey. I would entreate your counsel whither or noe I canne sell it. Further: I am strongly sett upon to studye divinitie, my studyes else must be lost: for physick is but a meene helpe. In these cases I humbly referre to your worship, as my father, for your counsel, and so in much haste, with my best services presented to your worship, wishinge you a strong support in your affliction, and a good and comfortable issue, I rest

Your worships in what he canne to his power,

Ipswich, 26. 10th1639.Gyles Fyrmin.

Wee humbly entreate your secrecye in our desires.

November 25º 1646./

This prsent writing wittnesseth that I, Nathaniel Ward of Ipswich in New England have bargained & sould to John Eaton of Salsbury Coo[per] all the land ground meadow & Com̅onage wththeir apprtincs which I have or ought to have at this prsent Day in Haverhill or Pentuckett in New England tohave and to holdthe said prmisses to the said John Eaton his heires & assignes paying for the same vnto the said Nathaniel Ward his executorsadministrsor assignes the full sum̅e of twelve pounds of wheate & pipe-staves six pounds worth of one & six pounds worth of the other to be deli[ver]ed to mrRichard Russell or Maior Sedgwick at Charles Towne before the end of September Next ensuying the Dat hereof; such as shalbe good & merchantable at the currant price at that tyme & place

In witness whereofI have set to my hand & seale.

Nath WardWittnesThomas HowlettEdman Bridges

Transcriber's NotesCorrections to more evident typographical errors are listed here, together with handwritten or penned changes and additions to the text, where they appear to be errata (in several cases backed up by an earlier print of the same text):Page5: changed comma to semi-colon (... James, who practised medicine;)Page5: changed "cotemporaries" to "contemporaries" (... estimated by his contemporaries and successors.)Page15: changed period and upper case "H" to comma and lower case "h" (... when he said, he had rather the Earth should swallow him up ...)Page34: handwritten insertion "one" ( ... to help them frisk from [one] ill-favor'd fashion to another.)Page70: handwritten insertion "of" ( ... the luxury [of] your Court and Country, ...)Page79: handwritten change of word order from "not let" to "let not" (I pray not letBritanicusscape, ...)Page85: handwritten insertion "s" ( ... the Bots that crawle on the Beast[s] taile, ...)Page97: strikethrough deletion "in" ( ... that a man may speak [in] many tongues in his Mothers mouth; ...)Other changes to the text are listed here, where the printer evidently used alternative type:Pages1,7&8: changed "VV" to "W" (THE SIMPLE COBLER OF AGGAWAM IN AMERICA.)Page10onwards: changed "J" to "I". "J" was used for "I" on some pages and not others - which suggests it was a limitation of typesetting, not intended by the author.Page47: changed "VVhen" to "When" (When Christ whips Market-makers out of his Temple, ...)Page103(heading): changed "i646" to "1646" (November 25o1646.)

Corrections to more evident typographical errors are listed here, together with handwritten or penned changes and additions to the text, where they appear to be errata (in several cases backed up by an earlier print of the same text):

Page5: changed comma to semi-colon (... James, who practised medicine;)

Page5: changed "cotemporaries" to "contemporaries" (... estimated by his contemporaries and successors.)

Page15: changed period and upper case "H" to comma and lower case "h" (... when he said, he had rather the Earth should swallow him up ...)

Page34: handwritten insertion "one" ( ... to help them frisk from [one] ill-favor'd fashion to another.)

Page70: handwritten insertion "of" ( ... the luxury [of] your Court and Country, ...)

Page79: handwritten change of word order from "not let" to "let not" (I pray not letBritanicusscape, ...)

Page85: handwritten insertion "s" ( ... the Bots that crawle on the Beast[s] taile, ...)

Page97: strikethrough deletion "in" ( ... that a man may speak [in] many tongues in his Mothers mouth; ...)

Other changes to the text are listed here, where the printer evidently used alternative type:

Pages1,7&8: changed "VV" to "W" (THE SIMPLE COBLER OF AGGAWAM IN AMERICA.)

Page10onwards: changed "J" to "I". "J" was used for "I" on some pages and not others - which suggests it was a limitation of typesetting, not intended by the author.

Page47: changed "VVhen" to "When" (When Christ whips Market-makers out of his Temple, ...)

Page103(heading): changed "i646" to "1646" (November 25o1646.)

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