[The following is an extract from the Preface
regarding these letters.]
...In the United States we have been greatly indebted to George
Moore, LL.D., Superintendent of the Lenox Library, for the use
of the treasures of that richest library in America; as also for
the use of two letters of Francis Makemie, never before published
Appendix X., 3 and 4 and other material, in addition to his
valued counsel. To D. McN. Stauffer, Esq., we are indebted for
the privilege of consulting the most precious of all the letters
of Francis Makemie, which is given in Appendix X. 5....
X
LETTERS OF FRANCIS MAKEMIE
There are six letters of Francis Makemie,
which are known to us. The first of these
was written from the Elizabeth River,
Virqinia, July 22, 1684, to increase
Mather. This is preserved in the Mather
Papers, V.70, in Boston Public Library.
The second is also from the Elizabeth River,
July 28, 1685, to increase Mather. It is
preserved in the Prince Colllection,
1686-1790, p.57, in the Massachusetts
Historical Society, Boston. These are both
given by Webster (in l. c., pp. 297-8, but
so inaccurately that l have secured fresh
copies. The third is the long letter from
the Barbadoes, [barbados?] Dec. 28, 1696,
printed at Edinburgh, under the title
Truths in a True Light, etc. The only
copy known is in the Library of Harvard
College. The Librarian has kindly furnished
us with a transcript, but it is too long
for us to publish here. The fourth letter
is from Barbadoes, [Barbados?] Jan 17,
1697(8), and the fifth from the same
place, Feb. 12, 1697(8), both to Increase
Mather. These l have copied from transcripts
in possession of Dr. George H Moore,
Superintendent of the Lenox Library,
N.Y. These are Vol. LVII., p6I,of the
Massachusetts Archives. The sixth letter,
the most important of all, is from
Philadelphia, March 28 1707, to Benjamin
Colman. It was published by E.D. Neil,
in his Terra Maria, pp. 195-6: then in
the Pennsylvania Magazine of History
and Biography, V., p228. The precious
original is in the possession of
D. McN.Stauffer, of New York, Who, with
kindness and courtesy, has granted
me the privilege of copying the original.
ELIZABETH R. VIRINIA 22 JULY - 84
R. & d.B.
I wrote to you tho [though?] unacquaint,
(sic) by Mr Lamb from North Carolina, of my
designe [design?] for Ashly [R.?] So--- [South?]
Carolina, which l was soe [so?] forward
in accomplishing th-- [that?] [l?] en-----
[engaged?] in a voyage, and went to sea
in the moneth [month?] of May bu- [but?]
[god?] in the providence saw it fitt
[fit?] that l should nott [not?] see it,
att [at?] this time; for wee [we?] were beate
[beat?] upon the coast by contrary winds,
and to the north as far as Delaware bay,
[Bay?] for five weeks together, soe [so?]
that falling short in our provisions were
necessitated, after serverall [several?]
essayes to the South, to Virginia, and
in the meane [mean] while, Collonell [Colonel?]
Anthony Lawson, and the other inhabitants
of the Parish of Linhaven, in lower
Norfolk County, who had a dissenting
Minister formerly from Ireland until the
Lord was pleased to remove him by death,
in August last, among who l preached,
before l went to the South, in coming
from Maryland, against their earnest
importunity coming soe [so?] pertinently
to the place of our landing for water,
renuing [renewing?] their suits, prevailed
with me to stay this season, which the more
easily overcame me, considering the season
of the yeare, [year?] and the litle
[little?] encouragement l found for
Carolina from the sure information l have
had. But for satisfaction of my friends
in Ireland, whom l designe [design?] to
be very nice in inviting to any place in
America l have yet seen, l have sent one
of our number to acquaint me further
concerning the place. I am here assured
of liberty, and other encouragements,
resolving to submitt [submit?] to the
soveraigne [sovereign?] providence of gd
[God?] who has been pleased very unexpectedly
to drive me back to this poor desolate
people, among whom l desire to continue
until god in his providence determine
otherwise concerning me. l have presumed a
second before l can heare [hear?] how
acceptable my first has been. l hope
this will prevent your writting
[writing?] to Coll. [Colonel?] Anthony Lawson,
att [at?] the Eastern branch of Elizabeth
R. l expect if you have an oppurtunity
[opportunity?] of writting [writing?] to
Mr. John Hart, you will acquaint him
concerning m- [me?]; which with your
prayers, and advice will oblige him
who is your deare [dear?], and affectionate
brother in [the] gospell [gospel?] of
our Lord Jesus.
The bearer Mr Wilson will be a safe
bearer. To the reverend Mr Increase
Mather Minister of the Gospell [Gospel?]
att [at?]
Bostone [Boston?] n. [New?] England,
These
(2).
Eliza. R., 28 July, 1685.
Honoured Sir:-
Yours l received by Mr Hallet with three
books, and am not a little concerned that
those now sent to Ashley R were miscarried,
for which, l hope it will no offence,
to declare my willingness to satisfy;
for there is no reason they should be lost
to you, and far less that the gift should
be reiterated for which l am oblidged [obliged?]
to own your debtor. And assure yourself if
you have any friends in Virginia, to find
me ready to receive your commands. l have
wrote to Mr. Wardrope, and beg you would
be pleased to order the safe conveyance
thereof unto his hands. l would have
likewise wrote a line to one Mr. Thomas
Barret, a minister who lived in S.
(South?) Carolina, who, when he wrote
to me from Ashley R., told me that
next week was to take shipping for
N.E., So that l conclude he is with
you. But, if there be no such
man in the country, let me [my?] letter
be returned.
l am yours in the Lord Jesus,
ffrancis [Francis?] Makemie.
(3)
BARB. [Barados Jan 17 1697/8
Reverend Sr [Senior?]
Yours, with your mentioned
tokens, p. Capt. White l have received,
for which l thanke [thank?] you,and
shall not be unmindfull, [unmindful?] of
a gratefull [grateful?] return, p. Capt.
Green, your son in law.
This comes to inform you of our great
and unexpected disappointment, by our son,
Mr Samuel, his not coming to Barbados,
after so full purposes and frequent
resolutions and wonder at your people
who return from this Jsland [Island?]
with magnifyed [magnified?] news, of our
sicknesse, [sickness?] and that of purpose,
to discourage any ministers coming hither
from N: E: [New?] [England?] which l am
contrained to impute to nothing else but
their willingness that any of you should
come hither to behold, and remark, the
lives, carriage, and conversation of
some new England men, in Barbados,
which l am informed, are vastly
different, from what they appeare [appear?]
in N. England: And whatever discouraging
reports has been or shall be carried to you,
upon this account, l confidently confirm,
that Barbados does now, and has for severall
[several?] moneths [months] past enjoyed,
more peace, plenty, and health, then [than?]
it enjoyed since our late Revolution,
and l am willing to beleeve [believe?]
that as our visitation by sicknesse
[sickness?] came in by war, so God
will remove it by peace, for tho
[though?] we have of late had, and have
as great, if not greater concourse of
strangers, and sailors on this island,
then [than?] has been formely observed, and yet
very healthly, and no greater mortality,
then in other healthy places of the world,
many instances might be given to obviate
what you have heard, of not one in three,
escaping in life, even from many N.E: [New England?]
ships, particularly Capt. ffoster [Foster?]
lately sailed for London, who had been here,
for many months, had considerable number
in hands, in a large ship, and assured me,
he had lost not one man by sicknesse
[sickness?] tho [though?] many of them
pressed aboard men of war, which has
been the continued grave for sailers [sailors?],
who have fallen most by sicknesse
[sickness?] of this place.
If this reach your hands, to undeceive and
other friends, who have disuaded [dissuaded?]
your son from Barbados before
he sail for London, l shall be
necessitated to leave this people, and many
strangers, who resort to this Island desolate,
being purely confined these two yeares [years?]
from going off for my health, for want of
supply; and as to particular visitations
by mortality N. [New?] England, London, and all
other places, as lyable as Barbados.
Ld. [Lord?] Bellamont your Governour, [Governor?]
beat of the coast of N. Yorke [New York?], and
arrived at Barbados, and being from Ireland and
having knowledge of some of his relations, and
since l was capable of knowing anything,
heard an honourable character of his father
Sr Ch. Coot, a zealous Paliamentarian, and
terror to the Irish, l presumed to pay my
respects to him and admitted to familiar
conversation; our President Bond, lover
and admirer of N. England [New England?],
blesses God on your behalf, that he put
it into the heart of our king to pitch
upon such a man, for N: E [New England?]
and l am really persuaded, he is a
loyall [loyal?] subject, a true protestant,
and a moderate man; and this juncture, a
fitter man, of his quality, scarse [scarce?]
could be had in England for that post,
excepting the infirmity of his body, by
the Gout.
I took the freedome, [freedom?] when
alone to assure his Lship [Lordship?]
if he would protect and countenance N. E.
[New England?] in their Religion and Liberty,
he would be
happy in that Government, and he assured me
of all moderation on that account. I expect
fresh opportunities of further accesss to
his ldship, [leadership?] which l shall
endeavor to improve in favour of N. E:
and communicate what occurs to you, and
present subscribe yourself.
Your assured friend, humble servant,
tho [though] worthy
Brother
ffrancis [Francis?] Ma [Makemie?]
l was long since
convinced the Carlysle Dove
was a cunningly contrived
cheate [cheat?]
(4)
Barbados ffeb. 12 1697/8
Reverend Sr [Sir?]
This comes by Capt Green, to informe
[inform?] you l wrote at large, by way of
Saltetudos, concerning our disappointment
in our expectation of your son Mr Samuel,
since which time severall [several?] families
of my hearers are resolving off for Europe
Sr accept a small token of the product
of our island, from
Your humble servant
and unworthy B/
l.M A small barrell [barrel?]
mixed preserves./..
[Superscribed]. To the Reverend
Mr Increase Mather at
Boston These
p Capt Green
Q:D:G:
(5)
PHILADELPHIA, March 28, 1707.
Mr. Benjamin Colman.
Rd Brother. Since our imprisonment we have
commenced a correspondence with our Rd
[Reverend?] Brethren of the Ministry at Boston,
which we hope, according to our intention, has
been communicated to you all, whose Sympathising
concurrence, l cannot doubt of, in our expensive
Struggle, for asserting our liberty, against the
powerful invasion of Ld Cornbury, which is not
yet over.
l need not tell you, of a pickd [picked?]
Jury, and the penall [penal?] laws are invading
our American Sanctuary, without the least
regard to the Toleration, which should justly
alarm us all. l hope Mr Campbell, to whom l
direct this for the more safe Conveyance,
has shown or informed you, what l wrote last.
We are so far, upon our return home; tho'
[though?] l must return for a finall
[final?] Tryall [trial?] which will be very
troublesome and expensive. And we only
had liberty, to attend a Meeting of
Ministers we had formely appointed here;
and were only seven in number, at first,
but expect a growing number: Our design
is to meet yearly, and oftener, if
necessary, to consult the most proper
measures, for advancing religion,
propagating Christianity, in
our Various Stations, and to mentain
[maintain?] Such a Correspondence as
may conduce to the improvement of our
Ministeriall [Ministerial?] ability by
prescribing Texts [texts] to be preached
on by two of our number at every meeting,
which performance is Subjected
to the censure of our Brethren; our
subject is Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews,
l and another began and performed our parts
on vs. I,2, and the 3 is presribed to Mr
Andrews and another. If any friends write,
direct to Mr. Jn [Junior] Bud at
Philadelphia, to be directed to me in
Virginia. Pardon Sr [Sir?] this
diversion from
Your humble Servant, and Brother
in the worke [work?] of the
ffrancis [Francis] Makemie.
Transcribed by Maxine Green
