Life of William Phips, Title page – Dedication
Pietas in Patriam:
THE LIFE OF HIS EXCELLENCY Sir William PHIPS, Knt.
Late Captain General, and Governour in Chief of the Province of the Maſſachuſet-Bay, New England. Containing the Memorable Changes Undergone, and Actions Performed by Him.
Written by one intimately acquainted with Him.
Diſcite Virtutem ex Hoe, verumque Laborem.
LONDON: Printed by Sam. Bridge in Auſtin-Friers, for Nath. Hiller at the Princes-Arms in Leaden-Hall Street, over againſt St. Mary-Ax, 1697.
To his Excellency the Earl of Bellomont, Baron of Coloony in Ireland, General Governour of the Province of Maſſachuſets in New England, and the Provinces annexed.
May it pleaſe your Excellency.
THE Station in which the Hand of the God of Heaven hath diſpoſed His Majeſties Heart to place your Honour, doth ſo manifeſtly entitle your Lordſhip to this inſuing Narrative, that its being thus Preſented to your Excellencies Hand is thereby both Apologized for and Juſtified. I believe, had the Writer of it, when he Penned it, had any Knowledge of your Excellency, he would himſelf have done it, and withal would have amply and publickly Congratulated the People of New England, on account of their having ſuch a Governour, and your Excellency on account of your being made Governour over them. For though as to ſome other things it may poſſibly be a place to ſome Perſons not ſo deſirable, yet I believe this Character may be juſtly given of them, that they are the beſt People under Heaven; there being among them, not only leſs of open Profaneneſs, and leſs of Lewdneſs, but alſo more of the ſerious Profeſſion, Practiſe, and Power of Chriſtianity in proportion to their number, then is among any other People upon the Face of the whole Earth. Not but I doubt, there are many bad Perſons among them, and too many diſtemper'd Humours, perhaps even among thoſe who are truly good. It would be a wonder, if it ſhould be otherwiſe; for it hath of late Years on various accounts, and ſome very ſingular and unuſual ones, been a Day of ſore Temptation with that whole People. Nevertheleſs, as I look upon it as a Favour from God to thoſe Plantations that he hath ſet your Excellency over them, ſo I do account it a Favour from God to your Excellency, that he hath committed and truſted in your Hand, ſo great a part of his peculiar Treaſure and precious Jewels, as are among that People. Beſides, that on other accounts the Lord Jeſus hath more of a viſible Intereſt in New England, then in any of the outgoings of the Engliſh Nation in America. They have at their own Charge not only ſet up Schools of lower Learning up and down the Country; but have alſo erected an Univerſity, which hath been the happy Nurſery of many uſeful, Learned, and excellently accompliſhed Perſons. And moreover, from them hath the bleſſed Goſpel been Preached to the poor barbarous ſavage Heathen there, and it hath taken ſuch root among them, that there were lately four and twenty Aſſemblies in which the Name of the Lord Jeſus was conſtantly called on, and celebrated in their own Language. In theſe things New England outſhineth all the Colonies of the Engliſh in thoſe goings down of the Sun. I know your Excellency will Favour and Countenance their Univerſity, and alſo the Propagating of the Goſpel among the Natives; for the Intereſt of Chriſt in that Part of the Earth is much concerned in them. That the God of the Spirits of all Fleſh would abundantly repleniſh your Excellency with a ſuitable Spirit for the Service to which he hath called your Lordſhip, that he would give your Honour a proſperous Voyage thither, and when there, make your Excellency a rich Bleſſing to that People, and them a rejoycing to your Excellency, is the Prayer of
April 27. 1697. My Lord, Your Excellencies moſt Humble Servant. Nath. Mather.