the Divine whose Life a Revelation Of Faith and Love and Christ to admiration John the Divine whom Jesus lov'd most dear Sweetned with leaning on his Bosome here This is that John whose Death who doth not moan Hath sure no heart of flesh but one of stone He had the Countries Faith and Love and Zeal Even Grace enough for Church and Common-weal Whereby was propt up all the Fabrick still That else had tumbled down our Sion Hill Of meerly Men deserving glory more You 'll finde nor Martyr nor a Confessor Inspir'd he was with the Prophetick Spirit Of all the Prophets which he did inherit 'Twixt an Apostle and Evangelist His Order standeth in the Heavenly List If Paul himself among us dead had been More tears or sorrow could not have been seen They wept not more for this that they should see His face no more then now we Mourners bee For Heavenly Poems most Angelicall Composing Volumes with delight were all But gathered up in one we should espy Enough to fill an University And were another Psalm-book made by thee Mictam of John their Title it should bee As aged John th'Apostle us'd to bless The People which they judg'd their happiness So we did count it worth our Pilgrimage Vnto him for his Blessing in his Age Yet then no Babe more longing for the Breast Then he to take within the Church his rest To have the sincere Milk of God's good Word Which to his Soul all comfort did afford Not Heat nor Cold nor Rain nor Snow must bar But every where becomes an Auditor Who ever labour'd in the Ministry More given then he to Hospitality To Strangers Widows Fatherless and all To Friends and Foes he was most liberall Of all his Prayers Sermons Travels Pains He is ascended Heaven to reap the gains Oh for a double portion of thy Spirit No richer Treasure would we all inherit Maestus apposuit T. S. 1668. THis Year it pleased God to visit new-New-England with the manifestation of his displeasure by the death of three Eminent Instruments The first whereof was that worthy Servant of Christ Mr. Samuel Shepard Pastor of the Church of Christ at Rowley in new-New-England who deceased in the Spring of this year in the midst of his dayes and in the beginning of his Work in the Ministry The second that worthy Man of God Mr. Henry Flint Teacher of the Church of Christ at Braintry in new-New-England who ended his mortal life the 27 of April in this year a man of known Piety Gravity and Integrity and well accomplished with other Qualifications fit for the Work of the Ministry The third and last but not the least that Super-eminent Minister of the Gospel rightly so called Mr. Jonathan Mitchel Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in new-New-England who laid down his Earthly Tabernacle on the Ninth of July in this year Of whose rare Endowments and the great Loss the whole Land sustained by his death take this following brief Account Mr. Jonathan Mitchell was born at Halifax in York-shire in England of pious and wealthy Parents who coming over to new-New-England brought him over young his Education in Learning was perfected at Harvard Colledge in Cambridge where he attained to such a degree in knowledge that he was soon called to be a Fellow of the Colledge and within few years after his lustre did so shine that the Church at Hartford upon Conecticot River made application to him in order to supply the place of that Eminent Servant of Christ Mr. Thomas Hooker a little before deceased but the Church at Cambridge by the Advice of their Pastor Mr. Thomas Shepard then living not willing to part with so great a Treasure became Competitor with Hartford and gave him a Call to them This loving Strife between the two Churches of Hartford and Cambridge about him was in a short time decided by the awfull hand of God in the death of that Eminent and Glorious Star Mr. Thomas Shepard Pastor at Cambridge which place being wholly destitute and Hartford being supplied with a Teacher namely that Worthy of the Lord Mr. Samuel Stone the Ballance was cast for Cambridge and in the year 1650 he was Called and Ordained their Pastor It was an eminent favour of God to that Church to have their great Breach thus made up with a man so much of the Spirit and Principles of their former Pastor and so excellently qualified with respect to the Colledge for Reason and Prudence requireth that the Minister of that place be more then ordinarily endowed with Learning Gravity Wisdome Orthodoxness Ability sweet and excellent Gifts in Preaching that so the Scholars which are devoted and set apart in order to be Preachers of the Gospel might be seasoned with the Spirit of such an Elijah In which regard this holy Man of God was eminently furnished and his Labours wonderfully blessed for very many of the Scholars bred up in his time as is observed do favour of his Spirit for grace and manner of Preaching which was most attractive He lived Pastor of the Church about Eighteen years and was most intense and faithful in declaring much of the Counsel of God He went through a great part of the Body of Divinity made a very excellent Exposition of the Book of Genesis and part of Exodus and delivered many fruitful and profitable Sermons on the four first Chapters of John and in his Monethly Lectures which were abundantly frequented he Preached of Mans Misery by Sin and Recovery by Christ Jesus and died in the third part of it viz. concerning Mans Obedience in Christ besides many other excellent Truths by him taught upon divers occasions In all his Labours God was wonderfully present with him He was a person that held very near Communion with God Eminent in Wisdome Piety Humility Love Self-denial and of a compassionate and tender heart surpassing in Publick-spiritedness a mighty man in Prayer and Eminent at standing in the Gap he was zealous for Order and faithful in asserting the Truth against all Oppugners of it In a word he was a man whom God had richly furnished and eminently fitted for his Work lived desired and died lamented by all good Christians that knew him It pleased God upon the Ninth of July 1668. in a hot and burning season but much more hot in the Heat of Gods Anger to New-England to take him to Rest and Glory about the 43 year of his Age. His Race was but short but the Work he did was very much The Elegies following may give the Reader a further account of what esteem he was Upon the Death of that truely Godly Reverend and Faithful Servant of Christ Mr. Jonathan Mitchell Pastor of the Church at Cambridge who deceased July 9. 1668. VVHat shall we say Of sad Effects what fear Four Splendent Stars extinguish'd in one year Two Old one Young and this of Middle Age A brightest Light most eyes who did ingage The Lord in 's Temple is Earth silence keep
the Complaints of those oppressed English and Indians But notwithstanding they several times sent to them with all gentleness and courteous expressions they neither appeared nor sent satisfying Reasons for their absence but in stead thereof many insolent proud railing opprobrious Returns so that the said Government saw there was no remedy but to send force to constrain them to come which they accordingly performed and Committed the said Gorton and several of them to Ward and during the time of their Imprisonment they carried still very proudly and audaciously towards all in place of Authority sparing not to reproach abuse and traduce the most Honourable and Reverend both in Church and State and which is yet worse spared not blasphemously to fly upon the Lord Jesus himself his Word and Ordinances in such a manner as scarce in any Age any Hereticks or Apostates have done the like Not onely abandoning and rejecting all Civil Power and Authority except moulded according to their own Fancies but belching out errours in their Familisticall Allegories if I may so call them as to speak with holy reverence they rendred the Lord Christ no other then an Imagination Horrible Familism and Blasphemy as if they were spoken by and differ little from the cursed doctrine of their grand Leader Henry Nicols shunning not blasphemously to say That Christ was but a shadow and resemblance of what is done in every Christian That Christ was Incarnate in Adam and was that Image of God wherein Adam was created and That his being born afterwards of the Virgin Mary and suffering was but a manifestation of his suffering in Adam That Man 's losing Gods Image was the Death of Christ That Christ is the Covenant properly and That Faith and Christ are all one They call the holy Word and Sermons of Salvation Tales the Lords-Supper An Abomination and A Spell Baptism Vanity and Abomination the Ministers of the Word Necromancers and by other opprobrious terms villifie and traduce them Much more might be spoken and mentioned of this stuff which they have not been ashamed to divulge but a little is enough save but to give the Reader to see the Lords goodness towards his poor people in New-England that hath delivered us and saved us of his grace from their pernicious destructive wayes and hath so detected their folly as it is made manifest to all men In fine the said Gorton and his fellow-Prisoners were several of them Sentenced to remain in durance in several Towns of the Jurisdiction of the Massachusets for six Months and afterwards Banished He was a subtile Deceiver courteous in his carriage to all at some times for his own ends but soon moved with passion and so lost that which he gained upon the simple To shut up what I have to say concerning him which is sad He is since become a sordid man in his life as he hath been declared to be in his cursed Principles and Opinions and hath not shunned to say and affirm That all the felicity we are like to have we must expect in this life and no more and therefore advised one with whom he had some speech to make much of her self for she must expect no more but what she could enjoy in this life or words to the same effect Thus evil men and deceivers grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 1638. THis Year Mr. Thomas Prince was Chosen Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth were Chosen Assistants in Government Mr. William Bradford Mr. Edward Winslow Captain Miles Standish Mr. John Alden Mr. John Jenny Mr. John Atwood Mr. John Brown This year three men were Executed for Robbing and Murthering an Indian near Providence which besides the Evidence that came against them they did in substance Confess against themselves and were Condemned by Legal Tryal Some have thought it great severity to Hang three English for one Indian but the more Considerate will easily satisfie themselves for the Legality of it and indeed should we suffer their Murtherers to go unpunished we might justly fear that God would suffer them to take a more sharp Revenge By such Arguments was the Government of Plimouth moved by the Government of the Massachusets to do Justice in the case And here may be noted That the Massachusets refused this Tryal as being committed in the Jurisdiction of Plimouth and they of Road-Island having Apprehended them delivered them to the aforesaid Jurisdiction of Plimouth on the same grounds This Year about the second of June there was a great and fearful Earthquake It was heard before it came with a rumbling Noise or low murmure like unto remote Thunder It came from the Northwards and passed Southwards as the Noise approached near the Earth began to quake and it came at length with that violence as caused Platters Dishes and such like things which stood upon Shelves to clatter and fall down yea people were afraid of their Houses and it was so as that some being without doors could not stand but were fain to catch hold of Posts and Pales to prevent them from falling About half an hour after or less came another Noise and shaking but not so loud nor strong as the former It was not onely on the Land but at Sea also for some Ships that were on the Sea-coast were shaken by it so powerful is the mighty hand of the Lord as to cause both the Earth and Sea to shake Nâ—hum 1.3 4 5.6 and the Mountains to tremble before him His way is in the Whirlwind and the storm and the Clouds are the dust of his feet the Rocks are thrown down before him Who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger 1639. THis Year Mr. William Bradford was Chosen Governour of Plimouth were Chosen Assistants Mr. Thomas Prince Captain Miles Standish Mr. John Alden Mr. John Brown Mr. William Collier Mr. Timothy Hatherly Mr. John Jenny This Year HARVARD COLLEDGE was Erected at Cambridge in new-New-England which was so called in Remembrance of a worthy Gentleman who liberally Contributed towards the Charge of the Erecting of it This Year the great Sachem Woosamequen sometimes called Massasoiet and Mooanam his Son came into the Court held at Plimouth in new-New-England on the Five and twentieth day of September in their own proper persons and desired that the ancient League and Confederacy formerly made with the Government of Plimouth aforesaid wherein he acknowledged himself Subject to the King of England and his Successors may stand and remain inviolable And the said Woosamequen and Mooanam his Son for themselves and their Successors He that here is called Mooanam is the same that afterwards was called Wamsuâ—â—a it being usuall for the Indians to change their Names did faithfully promise to keep and observe the Covenants and Conditions therein expressed and contained which on their parts are likewise to be kept and observed And the said Woosamequen and Mooanam his Son did then also promise
England After this they fell to great licentiousness of life in all prophaness and the said Morton became Lord of misrule and maintained as it were a school of Atheism and after they had got some goods into their hands and got much by trading with the Indians they spent it as vainly in quaffing and drinking both Wine and strong Liquors in great excess as some have reported Ten pounds worth in a Morning setting up a May-pole drinking and dancing about it and frisking about it like so many Fairies or Furies rather yea and worse practises as if they had anew revived and celebrated the feast of the Romans Goddess Flora or the beastly practises of the mad Bacchanalians The said Morton likewise to shew his Poetry composed sundry Rythmes and Verses some tending to laciviousness and others to the detraction and scandal of some persons names which he affixed to his Idle or Idol May-pole they changed also the name of their place and instead of calling it Mount Wollaston they called it the Merry Mount as if this jollity would have lasted alwayes But this continued not long for shortly after that Worthy Gentleman Mr. John Endicot who brought over a Patent under the Broad Seal of England for the Government of the Massachusets visiting these parts caused that May-pole to be cut down and rebuked them for their prophaness and admonished them to look to it that they walked better so the name was again changed and called Mount Dagon Now to maintain this riotous Prodigality and profuse expence the said Morton thinking himself lawless and hearing what gain the Fishermen made of trading of Pieces Powder and Shot he as head of this consortship began the practice of the same in these parts and first he taught the Indians how to use them to charge and discharge them and what proportion of powder to give the Piece according to the size or bigness of the same and what shot to use for Fowl and what for Deer and having thus instructed them he imployed some of them to Hunt and Fowl for him so as they became somewhat more active in that imployment then any of the English by reason of their swiftness of foot and nimbleness of body being also quick-sighted and by continual exercise well knowing the haunt of all sorts of game so as when they saw the execution that a Piece would do and the benefit that might come by the same they became very eager after them and would not stick to give any price they could attain to for them accounting their Bows and Arrows but bables in comparison of them And here we may take occasion to bewail the mischief which came by this wicked man and others like unto him in that notwithstanding all laws for the restraint of selling Ammunition to the Natives that so far base covetousness prevailed and doth still prevail as that the Salvages become amply furnished with Guns Powder Shot Rapiers Pistols and also well-skilled in repairing of defective Arms yea some have not spared to tell them how Gun-powder is made and all the materials in it and that they are to be had in their own Land and would no doubt in case they could attain to the making of Salt-Peter teach them to make Powder and what mischief may fall out unto the English in these parts thereby let this pestilent fellow Morton aforenamed bear a great part of the blame and guilt of it to future Generations But lest I should hold the Reader too long in the relation of the particulars of his vile actings when as the English that then lived up and down about the Massachusets and in other places perceiving the sad consequences of his trading so as the Indians became furnished with the English Arms Ammunition and expert in the improving of them and fearing they should at one time or another get a blow thereby and also taking notice that if he were let alone in his way they should keep no servants for him because he would entertain any how vile soever Sundry of the chief of the stragling Plantations met together and agreed by mutual consent to send to Plimouth who were then of more strength to joyn with them to suppress this mischief who considering the particulars proposed to them to joyn together to take some course with him and finding them weighty agreed together to take some speedy course to prevent if it might be the evil that was accrewing towards them and resolved first to admonish him of his wickedness respecting the premises laying before him the injury he did to their common safety and that his acting concerning the same was against the Kings Proclamation but he insolently persisted on in his way and said the King was dead and his displeasure with him and threatned them that if they came to molest him they should look to themselves so that they saw there was no way but to take him by force so they resolved to proceed in such a way and obtained of the Governour of Plimouth to send Captain Standish and some other aid with him to take the said Morton by force the which accordingly was done but they found him to stand stifly on his defence having made fast his doors armed his Consorts set Powder and Shot ready upon the Table scoffed and scorned at them and he and his Complices being filled with strong drink were desperate in their way but he himself coming out of doors to make a shot at Captain Standish he stepping to him put by his Piece and took him and so little hurt was done and so he was brought Prisoner to Plimouth and continued in durance until an opportunity of sending him for England which was done at their common charge and Letters also with him to the honourable Council for New-England and returned again into the Country in some short time with less punishment then his demerits deserved as was apprehended The Year following he was again apprehended and sent for England where he lay a considerable time in Exeter Goal for besides his miscarriage here in New-England he was suspected to have murthered a man that had ventured monies with him when he came first into New-England and a warrant was sent over from the Lord Chief Justice to apprehend him by virtue whereof he was by the Governour of the Massachusets sent into England and for other of his misdemeanors amongst them in that Government they demolished his House that it might no longer be a roost for such unclean Birds Notwithstanding he got free in England again and wrote an Infamous and Scurrilous Book against many godly and chief men of the Country full of lies and slanders and full fraught with prophane calumnies against their Names and Persons and the wayes of God But to the intent I may not trouble the Reader any more with mentioning of him in this History In fine sundry years after he came again into the Country and was imprisoned at Boston for the aforesaid Book and other things
time of his imprisonment his wife fell sick of which sickness she died He procured liberty of the Bishop to visit his Wife before her death and commended her to God by Prayer who soon after gave up the ghost at his return to Prison his poor Children being many repaired to the Bishop to Lambeth and made known unto him their miserable condition by reason of their good Father his being continued in close durance who commiserated their condition so far as to grant him his liberty who soon after came over into New-England and setled for some time at the Town of Scituate and was chosen Pastour of their Church and faithfully dispensed the Word of God amongst them and afterwards the said Church dividing a part whereof removing to Barnstable he removed with them and there remained until his death He was a man of an humble and broken heart and spirit lively in dispensation of the Word of God studious of peace furnished with godly contentment willing to spend and to be spent for the Cause and Church of Christ He fell asleep in the Lord Nov. 8. 1653. 1654. THis Year Mr. William Bradford was Elected Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth were Chosen Assistants to him in Government Mr. Thomas Prince Captain Miles Standish Mr. William Collier Mr. Timothy Hatherly Mr. John Brown Mr. John Alden and Capt. Thomas Willet 1655. THis Year Mr. William Bradford was Elected Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth were Chosen Assistants to him in Government Mr. Thomas Prince Captain Miles Standish Mr. William Collier Mr. Timothy Hatherly Mr. John Brown Mr. John Alden and Captain Thomas Willet The death of Mr. Winslow This year that Worthy and Honourable Gentleman Mr. Edward Winslow deceased of whom I have had occasion to make honourable mention formerly in this Discourse He was the Son of Edward VVinslow Esq of the Town of Draughtwich in the County of Worcester He travelling into the Low-Countreys in his Journeys fell into acquaintance with the Church of Leyden in Holland unto whom he joyned and with whom he continued until they parted to come into New-England he coming with that part that came first over and became a very worthy and useful Instrument amongst them both in the place of Government and otherwise until his last Voyage for England being sent on special Imployment for the Government of the Massachusets as is forementioned in this Book and afterwards was imployed as one of the grand Commissioners in that unhappy Design against Domingo in Hispaniola who taking grief for the ill success of that Enterprize on which together with some other Infirmities that were upon him he fell sick at Sea betwixt Domingo and Jamaica and died the eighth day of May which was about the Sixty first year of his life and his Body was honourably committed to the Sea with the usual Solemnity of the Discharge of Fourty two Piece of Ordnance One of the Company who was imployed in taking notice of the Particulars of that Tragedy gave such Testimony of the said Mr. VVinslow as followeth in this Poem The Eighth of May west from ' Spaniola shore God took from us our Grand Commissioner Winslow by Name a man in Chiefest Trust VVhose Life was sweet and Conversation just VVhose Parts and wisdome most men did excell An honour to his Place as all can tell 1656. THis Year Mr. William Bradford was Chosen Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth were chosen to be his Assistants in Government Mr. Thomas Prince Mr. William Collier Mr. Timothy Hatherly Captain Miles Standish Mr. John Alden Capt. Thomas Willet Capt. James Cudworth This Year Captain Miles Standish expired his mortal life He was a Gentleman born in Lancashire The death of Capt. Standish and was Heir-Apparent unto a great Estate of Lands and Livings surreptitiously detained from him his great Grandfather being a Second or Younger Brother from the House of Standish In his younger time he went over into the Low-Countreys and was a Souldier there and came acquainted with the Church of Leyden and came over into New-England with such of them as at the first set out for the Planting of the Plantation of New-Plimouth and bare a deep share of their first Difficulties and was alwayes very faithful to their Interest He growing ancient became sick of the Stone or Strangullion whereof after his suffering of much dolorous pain he fell asleep in the Lord and was honourably buried at Duxbury 1657. THis year Mr. Thomas Prince was Chosen Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth Were Chosen his Assistants in Government This Election was on the fifth of June 1657. M William Bradford died the 9th of May in this year before this Election Mr. VVilliam Collier Mr. Timothy Hatherly Mr. John Alden Captain Thomas VVillet Capt. James Cudworth Capt. Josias VVinslow Lieut. Tho Southworth This Year it pleased God to put a period to the life of his precious Servant Mr. VVilliam Bradford who was the second Governour of the Jurisdiction of Plimouth and continued in the same place for the most part of his time with little intermission Concerning whom the following Poems made the one by himself and the other by such as were well acquainted with his Worth and Excellency will give a large Testimony thereof Certain Verses left by the Honoured VVilliam Bradford Esq Governour of the Jurisdiction of Plimouth penned by his own hand declaring the gracious dispensation of Gods Providence towards him in the time of his Life and his preparation and fittedness for Death FRom my years young in dayes of Youth God did make known to me his Truth And call'd me from my Native place For to enjoy the Means of Grace In Wilderness he did me guide And in strange Lands for me provide In Fears and Wants through Weal and Woe As Pilgrim past I to and fro Oft left of them whom I did trust How vain it is to rest on Dust A man of Sorrows I have been And many Changes I have seen Wars Wants Peace Plenty have I known And some advanc'd others thrown down The humble poor cheerful and glad Rich discontent sower and sad VVhen Fears with Sorrows have been mixt Consolations came betwixt Faint not poor Soul in God still trust Fear not the things thou suffer must For whom he loves he doth chastise And then all Tears wipes from their eyes Farewell dear Children whom I love Your better Father is above VVhen I am gone he can supply To him I leave you when I dye Fear him in Truth walk in his Wayes And he will bless you all your dayes My dayes are spent Old Age is come My Strength it fails my Glass near run Now I will wait when work is done Vntill my happy Change shall come VVhen from my labours I shall rest VVith Christ above for to be blest By the honoured Major Josias Winstow on the the said Mr. William Bradford as followeth WILLIAM BRADFORD Anagr. I made Law for Bridl ' For
the Earth as is before-noted If the Effects of them usually are such Exod. 19.18 Psal 29 6. 104.32 Matth. 28.2 Psal 18.15 Zech. 14.4 Rev. 6.12 14. Mat 27 51. Acts 16.25 as by them is sometimes a discovery of the Channels of Water and Foundations of the World the Removing of Mountains from one place to another the Cleaving of Rocks and opening of Graves and of Gates yea the throwing down of many famous Buildings and Cities and some swallowed up and many thousands of people destroyed thereby the turning of plain Land into Mountains the throwing down of Mountains and raising up of Islands in the Sea the breaking out of Rivers where there were none before the discovery of burning Mountains where there were none seen before Famine and Pestilence of which particulars divers instances might be produced out of the Sacred Scriptures and several other Authors Ought we not then to fear and tremble before so great a God who as one saith by his Handmaid Nature doth so terribly shake the Earth as no Land can be sure no place so strong that can defend us Nay the more strong the more dangerous for the higher the greater the fall Let us therefore say with the Wise-man Eccles 3 14. I know that whatsoever God doth shall stand for ever nothing can be put to it nor any thing taken from it and God doth it that men should fear before him This Year Mr. John Brown ended this life in his younger Years travelling into the low Countries he came acquainted with and took good liking to the Reverend Pastor of the Church of Christ at Leyden as also to sundry of the Brethren of that Church which ancient amity induced him upon his coming over to New England to seat himself in the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth in which he was chosen a Magistrate in which place he served God and the Country several Years he was well accomplished with abilities to both civil and religious concernments and attained through Gods grace unto a comfortable perswasion of the love and favour of God to him he falling sick of a Feaver with much serenity and spiritual comfort fell asleep in the Lord and was honourably buried at Wannamoiset near Rehoboth in the spring of the Year abovesaid 1663. THis Year Mr. Thomas Prince was Chosen Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth were chosen to be his Assistants in Government Mr. William Collier Mr. John Alden Capt. Thomas Willet Major Josias Winslow Capt. Thomas Southworth Capt. VVilliam Bradford Mr. Thomas Hinckley This year Mr. Samuel Newman Teacher of the Church of Christ at Rehoboth changed this life for a better He was sometimes Preacher of Gods Word at Weymouth in the Jurisdiction of the Massachusets and from thence removed to Rehoboth where he continued in the Work of the Ministry untill the end of his dayes He was a lively dispenser of the Word of God and of a pious life very hospitable and at the close of his life very full of joy and comfort and with chearfulness of spirit resigned himself up to the Lord and his Spirit into arms of his blessed Redeemer desiring that the holy Angels might do their office in transporting his Soul into everlasting bliss and happiness He fell asleep in the Lord on the the fifth of July 1663. This year also it pleased God to put a speedy period to the life of Mr John Norton who was a burning and a shining Light and although the Church of Boston in a more special manner felt the smart of this sudden blow yet it reflected upon the whole Land He was singularly endowed with the Tongue of the Learned inabled to speak a word in due season not onely to the wearied Soul but also a word of Counsel to a people in necessity thereof being not onely a wise Steward of the things of Jesus Christ but also a wise Statesman so that the whole Land sustained a great loss of him At his first coming over into New-England he arrived at Plimouth where he abode the best part of one Winter and Preached the Gospel of the Kingdome unto them and ever after to his dying day retained a good affection unto them From thence he went to Boston and from thence to Ipswich in New-England where he was chosen the Teacher of their Church and after the death of worthy Mr. Cotton he was sollicited and at length obtained to return to Boston and there served in that Office untill his death He was chosen by the Jurisdiction of the Massachusets together with the much honoured Mr. Simon Bradstreet to go over into England as Agents in the behalf of that Jurisdiction unto His Majesty and the Privy-Council upon Business of greatest Trust and Concernment and soon after his Return it pleased God suddenly and unexpectedly to take him away by death on the fifth day of April 1663. His Body was honourably buried at Boston On whose much lamented death take this following Elegie An Elegie on the Death of that Eminent Minister of the Gospel Mr. John Norton the Reverend Teacher of the Church of Christ at Boston who exchanged this life for a better April 5. 1663. ASk not the reason why Tears are our meat And none but Mourners seen in ev'ry street Our Crown alas is faln from our head We finde it off Woe to us NORTON's dead Our breach is like the Sea no healing's known To comfort Sions daughter is there none Oh teach your daughters Wailing every one Their Neighbours deepest Lamentation Oh that mine eyes a Fountain were of Tears I 'd day and night in Mourning spend my years My Father Father Israels Chariots thou And Horsemen wer 't Sons of the Prophets now Weep since your Master from your head is taken This Father of the Muses hath forsaken His Study here not liking our dark Roome Doth chuse those Mansions in his Fathers Home The Schoolmen's Doctors whomsoe're they call Subtile Seraphick or Angelicall Dull Souls their Tapers burnt exceeding dim They might to School again to learn of him Lombard must out of date we now profess Norton the Master of the Sentences Scotus a Dunce to him Should we compare Aquinas here none to be named axe Of a more heavenly strain his Notions were More pure sublime Scholastical and cleare More like the Apostles Paul and John I wist Was this our Orthodox Evangelist And though an Exile from his Native Land As John in Patmos was yet here the hand Of Christ leads forth more clearly to espy The New-Jerusalem in her bravery Who more Acute in Judgement was then he More famous too for Heavenly Policie He was a wise and faithful Counsellor One of a thousand an Interpreter Mighty in Word and Prayer who could have Whate're almost from Heaven he did crave On him with things without which I 'le not name The care of all the Churches daily came He car'd thus naturally Oh hear that Rod Which us bereav'd of such a Man of God! Zealous for Order very Criticall For