Kings Chapel in Boston first erected of Wood in the

Year of our Lord 1688 & afterwards enlarged Anno 1710, being

found in the year 1741 in a State of considerable decay, it was

proposed to rebuild it with Stone. The Rev:^d M^r Roger Price1

was at that Time Minister & Will^m Shirley2 Esq^r (about the same

Time also appointed ^Gov:^r of the Province) & M^r Sam^l Wentworth3

Wardens    A voluntary Subscription was to this Purpose

set on foot. & Peter Faneuil4 Esq:^r chosen Treasurer for receiving

and paying the Sums that should be collected for the new

Building, a Copy of said Subscription is as follows viz^t

     A List of the Subscribers towards rebuilding the Kings

Chapel in Boston; the Subscription Money to be paid into the

Hands of Peter Faneuil Esq:^r in three equal Payments; the first

Payment to be made when Ten Thousand Pounds shall be

subscribed, the second in six Months after the Work is begun;

the third in Six Months after the second Payment. The Building

to be of Stone and to cost £25,000 in Bills of Credit of the Old

Tenor

As the Conditional Sum for entring upon the Building was not

at this Time fully subscribed, A Neglect to prosecute the Affairs with

suitable Vigour, The Death of the Treasurer which soon after followed &

from whose Abilities considerable Expectations had been form’d

put a Damp upon the good Design and occasioned it’s being

laid a side for some Time.

             In the Year 1747 M^r Price having resign’d & M.^r Caner16

chosen to succeed him the Affair was again resum’d.  Some

were of Opinion that rebuilding was now quite necessary,

as the Chapel was now much more gone to Decay, that

it would be throwing away Money to attempt to repair it

Others objected it would be better to tarry till a Peace, as the War

had raised the Price of Materialls, and rendered building very

expensive. To this it was reply’d that the great Number of

Officers of the Army & Navy who reside here during the War

would more than ballance that Difficulty, as they might

reasonably be expected to lend their Assistance

In order to a prudent Judgment how far the Congregation might

of themselves be able to go on with the Work M^r Caner M^r Apthorp

& D:^r Gibbins made two private Lists of Subscriptions which

they supposed the People might be able & would be willing to comply

with. This amounted to about £20,000 w^ch Sum it was imagin’d

might accomplish the Walls of a Brick Building, and the

Assistance that might be expected from abroad it was thought

would bring it to a Condition fit for Use, and as to the finishing

that might be very well left to Time & future Ability

After communicating this to the Wardens, sundry of the Vestry

& others, a Meeting was propos’d to which also his Excellency

Gov^r Shirley concurr’d in & advis’d in order to agree upon a Method

of reviving & prosecuting the old Subscription; Accordingly a

voluntary Meeting was agreed on & held at the House of the Rev.^d

M^r Caner at which were present His Excell^cy Gov:^r Shirley

S^r Henry Frankland The two Wardens Eliakim Hutchinson

Tho^s Lechmere17 & Charles Apthorp Esq^rs D^r Silvester Gardiner18

& M^r James Smith M.^r Caner having previously drawn

up a Subscription, after some Amendments it was agreed to

and subscribed by all that were present. Of this Subscription

the following is a true Copy.

                                           Whereas a Subscription was

some Time ago begun by his Excellency Will^m Shirley Esq^r

S^r Henry Frankland Peter Faneuil Esq^r & others for rebuilding

King’s Chapel in Boston; & whereas the said Peter Faneuil

then chosen Treasurer or Receiver to the said Subscribers soon

after died & nothing further has been since done in the Affair

We the Subscribers upon a Representation that the

said King’s Chapel is now much more gone to Decay & not worth

the Charge of Repairs; out of Regard to the Honour of God & the

more decent Provision for his publick Worship & for confirming

& further promoting the said Subscription heretofore begun. Do

hereby severally promise & oblige our Selves our heirs Exet.^rs

& Adm:^rs to pay at or before the last day of September next ensuing

the Date hereof in quarterly Payments unto Charles Apthorp

Esq:^r hereby appointed Treasurer to us the Subscribers, or to the

Treasurer or Treasurers that may be hereafter chosen by the

Majority of said Subscribers, towards rebuilding the said Chapel

the several Sums annex’d to our respective Names, and we do

hereby also further invite all well dispos’d charitable Persons to

whom this Subscription of ours shall be made known to join with

us in the good Work above mentioned

     Provided nevertheless that in Case a Sum of the Value

of Two Thousand Pounds Sterling shall not be raised or sub:

:scribed towards the building of the Chapel aforesaid within

the Space of One Year and an half from the Date hereof; then

the Subscriptions which are or shall be made shall be void;

and all Sums which shall be paid in Consequence of them

to the beforenamed Treasurer shall be refunded to the Persons

who shall have paid the same their Heirs Ex:^crs or Admin^rs

Done at Boston the 30^th Day

of September 1747

• William Shirley Two Hundred Pounds Sterling
• Tho^s Lechmere Thirty Pounds Sterling
• H Frankland One Hundred & fifty Pounds Sterling
• James Smith Thirty Pounds Sterling
• Eliakim Hutchinson Forty Pounds Sterling
• Charles Apthorp One Thousand Pounds old Ten^r
• James Gordon Two Hundred Pounds old Tenor
• Silvester Gardiner Thirty Pounds Sterling
• John Box19 Two Hundred Pounds old Tenor

This Subscription being afterwards handed about to others was soon

enlarged to a considerable Sum For the better promoting & improv:

:ing the Design so well begun it was propos’d by some Gentlemen

particularly D:^r Gibbins M^r Cradock20 Apthorp & Gardiner that

a weekly Meeting should be held on Tuesday Evenings at a

publick House in order to consult & concert Measures for

advancing the Design in hand & for addressing Gentlemen of

Interest & Ability abroad At this weekly Meeting it was

proposed that every well Wisher to the Affair should be desired to

be present; M^r Caner, Apthorp, Cradock, Gibbins, Gardiner,

Gordon & Lloyd21 were pretty steady Attendants, some others occa:

:sionally gave their Presence & by recommending from Time to

Time the above Subscription it receiv’d still further Enlargem:^t

     Encourag’d by these Proceedings, it was moved by some

that the Church should be enlarged as well as rebuilt in order

to it’s being both more uniform and capacious, And an Address

to the Town resolved on for Ground to effect it.

Not to lose time while these Things were in Agitation

sundry Letters were drawn up to be sent abroad to ask Assis:

:tance of well disposed Persons towards carrying on the good

Work. particularly the following Letter was sent to William

Vassall22  Esq:^r then at the Island of Jamaica viz.^t

To Will:^m Vassall Esq:^r

In Jamaica

Sir                                                                Boston Jan:^ry 28:^th 1747/8

     As the ruinous Condition of Kings Chapel in this

Town is very well known to you, who have generously contributed

to the rebuilding of it, & as you are not unacquainted with the Ina:

:bility of the People to go thro’ with so chargeable a Work; We

flatter our Selves with your further kind Assistance in applying

to such well disposed Gentlemen of your Acquaintance in Jamaica

whose Ability Generosity or Charity point them out as proper to

be applyed to. A Violent Storm having lately carried off a large

part of the Roof, lays us under a Necessity of hastning the Work

with all possible Expedition. The Subscriptions already

obtained amount to about £1600 Sterling which to you at least

who well know our circumstances is an Evidence of the Readiness

and Zeal of the People in this Affair.

     We have upon former Occasions, particularly at the first erecting the

Chapel experience’d the Generosity of the Gentlemen in the West Indian

Islands, and their Readiness to assist their Brethren in these Parts

destitute of the favour of the Government and many Advantages

which they enjoy to promote Affairs of this Nature, And it is a

singular Pleasure to us that we have the Opportunity of making

our present Application to those Gentlemen thro’ your Hands, whose

Influence & Interest we are very sensible of, and whose knowledge

of us & of our Circumstances will give you all the Advantages

proper to recomend the Case. Convinced of your Readiness

to Promote an Affair of this Kind, we make no Apology for

giving you this Trouble but desire our hearty Thanks may be

given those Gentlemen who shall please to lend us their Assistance

entirely confiding in you to receive manage & transmitt  to us

any Benefactions of this kind that offer In the mean Time heartily

wishing you Success in this & in your own Affairs and a speedy

safe Return. We take Leave to subscribe our Selves

                                        Sir Your most Obedient & most Humble Serv:^ts

Inclosed in the above Letter was the following Application and Form

of a Subscription directed to the Gentlemen of Jamaica

      To all charitable and well disposed Gentlemen in the

Island of Jamaica We the Minister Church Wardens & Vestry of

Kings Chapel in Boston Send Greeting

     The ruinous Condition of the Parish Church called

Kings Chapel in Boston requiring the Said Chapels being

speedily rebuilt, to which Purpose the Congregation according to

their Abilities has largely contributed, but the Sum falling much

short of accomplishing the Work; we hereby humbly desire the

Assistance of all such well dispos’d Gentlemen in the Island of

Jamaica whose Abilities enable them to promote so good a Work

and particularly beg leave to recommend to them the following

or other such Form of Subscription as they shall think proper

to that End. In the mean Time heartily Praying for their

Health & Welfare We Subscribe our Selves

                                                          Their most Humble Serv.^ts

Subscribed at Supra

     We the Subscribers upon Application made to us from the Minister

Wardens & Vestry of the Parish church of Kings Chapell at Boston

in New England representing the Necessity of rebuilding the s^d Chapel

& their Inability to accomplish the good Work alone Willing to en:

:courage so good a Design do promise to pay towards rebuilding

the said Chapel unto William Vassal Esq:^r appointed by the said Minister

Wardens & Vestry receiver of our said Bounty the several Sums annex’d

to our respective Names to be by him delivered to the said Gentlemen

for the Use above specify’d

Done at             Jamaica the             Day of             1748

     The above Letters and Form of Subscription were transmitted

to William Vassal Esq:^r at Jamaica per Captⁿ George Ruggles

    About the same time also the following Letters were sent to London

by M:^r William Martin in the Ship Samuel & John William

Blanchard Master bound for Hull

     To the Right Rev.^d Father in God Edmund23 Lord Bishop of London

                                                                               Boston July 25^th 1748

May it please your Lordship

                      We think it our Duty to acquaint your Lordship that Time

and other Accidents, particularly a late remarkable Storm have so much

impaired Kings Chapel in Boston that it is become necessary to rebuild

it; to which Purpose the Congregation have chearfully entered upon a

Subscription which at present amounts to £16,000 New England Currency

equal to so many Hundreds Sterling, and is daily increasing; but as we

have no Expectation of their Ability to compleat the Work of Themselves,

they have tho’t proper to apply to such Friends whose Ability & Virtue

give Hopes of their encouraging a Design of this Nature. But as all

probable Means in our Power will be found little enough to accomplish

the good Work; We humbly beg Leave to ask your Lordship’s Opinion

of the Propriety of an Application to His Majesty in Favour of a Church

the first in America; and who at the  Publick Charge erected a very

handsome Pew for His Majestys Governour, a Church which has heretofore

tasted of the Royall Bounty, and if we may judge by the Name seems in

some Measure encouraged to expect it. We are sensible your Lordship’s

Interest and Influence would be the greatest Security of Success if such an

Application were tho’t practicable and proper, whether that Assistance was

ask’d from the Royal Bounty or by Virtue of an authoritative Brief

In Hopes of being favoured with your Lordship’s Direction and supported

by your Interest we beg leave to Assure your Lordship that we are with

all Duty and Submission.

                                          Your Lordships most Obedient & most Humble Serv:^ts

     signed as before by the Minister Wardens & Vestry

                                                              Boston in New England Jan.^y 29^th 1747/8

May it please your Lordship

                               Your Lordships Residence for some Time in these Parts

of America but  especially your known Zeal & Liberality in promoting

the Interest of Religion & Learning here encourages us to acquaint your

Lordship with the Condition of Kings Chapel in this Town & to ask your

Interest & Assistance in favour of it’s being Rebuilt, which by Time and

Accidents is now become necessary. The Congregation have chearfully

contributed according to their Ability but that is much short of what the

Work will require. If a Letter from your Lordship to any Persons in

England who are piously & charitably dispos’d might be tho’t to procure

Assistance to a thing of this Kind we beg Leave to hope it will not be

wanting. M^r Tho^s Sanford Merchant in London is the Person with whom

any thing advanced in our Favour might be safely lodged in Order to

be transmitted to us. We beg your Lordships Pardon for this Freedom

and Leave to subscribe our Selves with all dutifull Regard

                                                             Your Lordships most Obedient and

                                                                              most Humble Servants

To The Right Rev^d Father in God     H C -- J G &c

George Lord Bishop of Cloyne24

                                                     Boston in N England Jan.^ry 29th 1747/8

Sir

     While the united Acclamations of Brittish Subjects have

agreed to celebrate the Success God has given to his Majestys Fleets

under your Conduct: permitt us also at this Distance to assure you

that we hear the News of your Victories with Joy and celebrate them with Gratitude

to Heaven: Particularly we thank God for the Renewal of that Health so

necessary to the Publick Service, & which we hear was some time since in a

precarious State. If the many great Affairs in which you are engaged give

you Leisure to attend to the Application of a People at this Distance, We

humbly beg Leave to lay before you the ruinous Condition of Kings Chapel

in this Town, which having suffered very much from a late violent Storm is

now become necessary to be rebuilt. Subscriptions are raising to this

Purpose with all Diligence, a List of which we have presum’d to inclose,

but as it is impossible for the Congregation to raise a sufficient Sum to

accomplish the Work we flatter’d our selves we might take Leave to re:

:commend a thing of this Nature to you whose Abilities enable you to do

that which your Prudence & Generosity dictate. ‘Tis our Necessity

which gives us the Confidence of this Address and which must also be

our Excuse for the particular Freedom of it. We only beg Leave farther

to assure you that we Shall heartily Pray for Your Health & Happiness

and that We are with all proper Submission

                                             Your most Obedient and most Humble Serv^ts

To The Hon:^ble S^r Peter Warren25     H C, J G &c

     The above Letter with a Copy of the Subscription Paper Page 3^d was

forwarded & recommended at the Request of the Minister Wardens & Vestry

under Cover of S^r Henry  Frankland  Charles Apthorp Esq^r & M^r Thomas

Hancock

                                                                       Boston N E Jan:^ry 29:^th 1747/8

M^r Thomas Sanford

                                 Sir

                                               Our former Experience of your Goodness has

determined us to apply to you, not doubting your Interest in the Affair

in which We are at present engaged, which is that of rebuilding Kings

Chapel in this Town, become necessary by Time & the Injuries of a

late Storm. We have addressed some Friends abroad for Assistance

as we are not able to perfect the Work alone, and have presum’d to direct

them if any thing should be obtain’d, to lodge it with you, whom we desire

to receive it and transmit it to us. If you should add your own

Interest to the Advancement of this Design, We should acknowledge it

as an Addition to the many favours done to

                                                                  S:^r

                                                                      Your most humble Servants

                                                                                   H C &c

M^r John Caswall     Boston N E Jan:^y 29th 1747/8

     Sir

                                     The Design of this is to inform you that our Friend

your late Uncle Henry Caswall26 did sometime ago in Company with

His Excellency Gov^r Shirley, S^r Henry Frankland and others, the Heads

& Members of Kings Chapels project to rebuild the s.^d Chapel, and to this

End fram’d a Subscription which each of them signed with his own hand

to be paid when Ten Thousand Pounds this Currency should be subscrib’d.

But as the Affair was not prosecuted with Vigour by the Managers,

the said Sum was not intirely raised till a few Days before M^r

Caswall’s Death. The sum of the Subscription now amounts to

about Fifteen Thousand Pounds, and a much greater is still wanted.

We therefore beg the Favour of your Order to M^r Sherman who is

Administrator upon your Uncle’s Estate here, to pay the said

Subscription (which he thinks himself not impower’d to do without)

being Two Hundred Pounds of this Currency equal at the time of

subscribing to about Forty Pounds Sterling. And if we may pro:

:mise our Selves any Addition to the said Sum from your own Bounty

we shall take Care to acknowledge it, as a very seasonable Instance

of your Regard to Religion and the Prosperity of the Churches in

New England and esteem it a favour done to

To M^r John Caswall     S:^r     Your most Humble Servts

Merch^t In London

                                       This and the foregoing Letters from Page 6^th

were all signed by the Minister Wardens & Vestry viz^t

Sir

                                                                            Boston Jan.^ry 29^th 1747/8

                          We the Minister Wardens & Vestry of Kings Chapel in

Boston beg Leave to return our hearty Thanks for your very kind &

generous Subscription towards rebuilding our decay’d Church of

which we were acquainted by our very worthy Friend S^r Henry

Frankland. Your Departure from hence so soon after we were

notified of this Favour prevented us of the Pleasure of waiting upon

you and paying the proper Complements of Gratitude. This was what

we should particularly have chosen at that critical Juncture, as a

Testimony of our dislike of the tumultuous Proceedings w^ch unaccount:

:ably took Place about that Time. Prevented of that Opportunity

we have pitch’d upon this Method of expressing the Sentiments we

entertain of your Virtue & Bounty, and to assure you that as we shall

always esteem our Selves bound to pray for your Health & Welfare

so particularly that all your Enterprises for His Majestys’ Service

& the publick Good of the Nation may be crowned with Success

We only beg leave further to assure you that we are with  all

possible Gratitude

Sir     Your most obliged most Obedient &

To The Hon^ble     most Humble Serv^ts  H:C. J:G. &c

Charles Knowles29 Esq^r

                                                                    Boston Jan:^ry 29^th 1747/8

May it please your Honour

                               Kings Chapel in this Town worn out by Time and

particularly shattered by a late Storm is tho’t necessary to be rebuilt,

to which Purpose Subscriptions are raising both at home & abroad, it

being impossible the Congregation should do it without Assistance;

And as Your Honour is a Proprietor of it, and your Family there

accomodated with the Advantages of Divine Worship. We have tho’t

it our Duty to acquaint you with the Proceedings of the Church and

accordingly have inclosed you a List of the present Subscriptions and

to beg your Assistance in carrying on the Good Work. This indeed

we promise our Selves from your known Virtue & Generosity but Shall

intirely leave it with you how far and in what Manner to recommend a

Thing of this Nature to the Officers and Gentlemen of the Garrisons

Assuring our Selves that this Affair will have your utmost Countenance

We only beg Leave to add our hearty good Wishes for your Health and

Prosperity and that We are Your Honour’s

                                                          Most Obed & most humble Servants

                                                                                               H.C. J.G. &c

To The Hon^ble

Paul Mascarene30 Esq^r

     The foregoing Letter and a Copy of the Subscriptions inclosed,

were delivered to the Care of  Cap:^t Cha:^s  Morris who sailed in the

Massachusetts Frigate

                                                                                       Boston Feb:^ry 3^d 1747/8

     Sir

                                     King’s Chapel in Boston, the first Church ever built

in this part of the World is now thr’o length of Time and sundry Accidents

bro’t to such a ruinous Condition as to occasion it’s being speedily

pull’d down. And the Members thereof notwithstanding the generous

Subscriptions of His Excellency our Governour and S^r Henry Frankland;

with all the Efforts they can make here, finding themselves unequall to

the rebuilding the same, are constrain’d to seek Assistance from abroad.

     We therefore the Minister Wardens & Vestry of said Church, taking

Encouragemt from the Benefaction of That brave and worthy Officer

Admiral Knowles, presume to make our Address to you, not doubting

the Veneration you have for the establish’d Church, and the great Success

with which it has pleased Almighty God to bless you, will be sufficient

Motives to render our poor Church a proper Object of your Charity,

and thereby give us an Opportunity of numbring Cap^t Tho^s Frankland

as well as S:^r Henry among our best Benefactors. We pray for the

Continuance of your good Success and are with due Regard

To Cap^t Tho^s Frankland     Your most Humble Servants

                                                                 signed as before by the Minister

                                                                                      Wardens & Vestry

The above Letter with that to M^r Knowles was delivered to S^r Henry

Frankland to be forwarded under his Cover

After forwarding these Letters an Address to the Town formerly re:

:solvd on was now drawn up and presented to the Town at a Publick

Meeting held on the 14^th March 1747/8

A Copy of which here follows viz^t

          To the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town

of Boston in general Town Meeting assembled March 14^th 1747/8

          The Petition of the Minister Church Wardens and Vestry

of Kings Chapel in Boston in Behalf of themselves and the Con:

:gregation that usually attend the Publick Worship of God there

Sheweth

          That the said Chapel which has been constantly improved

for the publick Worship of God for about sixty years past is in many

parts of it rotten and greatly decayed, and almost rendered unfit for

that Service any longer; And said Congregation out of Regard for

the Honour of God and for their own Edification being very desirous that

the Publick Worship of God should be still supported & carried on in

said Place; have determined to rebuild said Church & make it some:

:what larger and more commodious than it now is, but apprehend they

shall be greatly streightned for Want of a little Ground at the East

End of said Church to effect the same, and the town having a peice

of Ground at said East End that leads into the Burial Place

          Your Petitioners pray, the Town will be pleased to grant

to said Church so much of this Land eastward as will make the Same

regular and commodious or if the Town think best that they would

appoint a Comittee to consider of this Petition, view the Premises

and report to the Town what is best to be done as to granting the

Prayer thereof

And Your Petitioners shall pray &c

Attⁿ E Goldthwaite Town Clerk

     This Petition was much debated and met with considerable Opposition

from some overbusy People; but at length a Committee was chosen

and the Town came to the following Resolution

          At a Meeting of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of

the Town of Boston duly qualify’d and legally assembled at Faneuil

Hall on Monday the 14th day of March A Dom: 1747

Voted     that the Hon:ble Andrew Oliver31 Esq.r Thos Hancock32 Esq:r M:r

           Jeremiah Allen33 M.r Middlecot Cooke34 the Hon.ble Jacob Wendell35

           “Esqr M.r Thomas Green & M:r John Tyng36 be, and they are hereby

           appointed a Comittee to consider of this Petition, view the Premises

           enquire into the Circumstances thereof and report to the Town at the

           Adjournment of this Meeting what is best for the Town to do as to

           granting the Prayer thereof.

                      Attⁿ Ezek^l Goldthwaite Town Clerk

The Comittee soon after met and having notified the Petitioners desired

to have what Proposalls they had to make. M^r Caner Cradock

Apthorp Gibbins Hutchinson Gordon & Gardner attended, went with the

Comittee to view & measure the Premises, and then proposed the follow:

:ing Terms: that the Town allow for the enlarging the chapel the Passage

Way before mentioned and six feet into the School Yard, In consideration

of which the Petitioners should oblige themselves to turn an Arch

under the New Building of 10 feet wide that after Passage might

be left into the burying Ground. It was objected to this that the

Passage would be long and dark and therefore incommodious, and that

the Town would probably not much relish a Proposal of this Kind

To remedy this & all other Difficulties of like Nature it was proposed that

the School House itself at the East End of the Chapel should be remov’d

that the Petitioners should find a convenient Peice of Ground and re:

:move or rebuild the School House at their own Charge. This tho’ at

first imagin’d & afterwards found to be attended with Difficulty was tho’t

the best Expedient and accordingly was chearfully entered upon

The Comittee desired the Proposalls of the Petitioners in writing

which was comply’d with. The Substance of which was that as the School

House was found upon Examination to be decay’d & unfit to be re:

:mov’d the Petitioners should erect a new one upon a convenient Peice

of Ground at a small Distance from the present. In Consideration of w.^ch

the Petitioners should have a Grant of the whole Ground taken up by

the School House, reserving only a Passage Way of 10 feet wide into the

Burying Ground It was imagined that these Proposalls would be

accepted and therefore the Petitioners agreed for a Peice of Ground

about 80 feet square at the Price of £600 at a little Distance from

the School House in a very commodious Place, every way suitable for

such a Design At the same Time a House and small Peice of Ground

opposite to the School House was likewise agreed for at the Price of

£1700 as the former Peice of Ground was not to be purchased without

This latter.

          After a long time of Consideration the Comittee gave it as

their Opinion that if the Petitioners would make over to the Town the

latter Peice of Ground of £1700 Price instead of the former, and erect

upon it a new School House of like Dimentions & Accomodations with

the former, the Town might without Inconvenience comply with the

Proposalls. It was also added that the Petitioners should obtain

Leave of the Friends of those deceas’d Persons whose Corps lay within

the Ground petitioned for.   This appeared to disinterested People

a most extraordinary Proposal, but it was afterwards found that

all of them were not consenting to the Thing even upon those Terms.

The Petitioners were now told by the Comittee that the present Proposals

were so much inlarg’d beyond the original Petition that they did not

apprehend Themselves authorised to make a Report agreeable to them

and therefore advis’d that the Proposals should be thrown into the

Form of a new Petition and laid before the next Town Meeting

          The Petitioners did not much relish this Advice, nor the Proceedings

of the Comittee, some considering the great Charge that was like to

arise, and how much of the Capital & Stock must be sank in these

Preparations tho’t it more advisable to quit the thing & rebuild the

Chapel only in it’s present Dimentions. To this His Excellency the Gov^r

& some others reply’d, that as the Building was design’d for Posterity as

well as themselves it would be hereafter deem’d very injudicious if an

Advantage of enlarging into a convenient & regular Building should

now be lost for the sake of an increas’d Charge. That it was better

to be longer about it than forego the present Advantages which if

neglected now,  would probably never offer again, & That a handsome

regular Building would more readily engage the Liberality & enlarge

the Number of the Benefactors. After these Things had been

duly weighed it was agreed on to throw in another Petition to the

Town containing the former Proposalls agreed to by the Comittee

excepting as to the Peice of Ground. Before this Petition was

offered to the Town it was tho’t convenient to take a Publick Vote

of the Proprietors of the Chapel whether they were unanimously

agreed in the Affair of taking down & rebuilding the said Chapel;

for tho’ Peoples Minds were generally known as to this Matter

yet nothing publick or authoritative had been done about it;

A Meeting of the Proprietors was therefore warned by Ticketts left at

their Houses & by Notice from the Desk to be held on Sunday March

27^th after Evening Service at which Time & in the Chapel it was una:

:nimously voted to take down, and afterwards rebuild the said Chapel

     The Gentlemen of the three Churches having been notified & desired

to give their Attendance at Faneuil Hall. The following Petition

was presented to the Town at their meeting on the 4^th of April 1748

     To the Freeholders & other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston in

General Town Meeting assembled April 4^th 1748

     The Petition of the Minister Wardens & Vestry of King’s Chapel

in Boston in Behalf of themselves & The Congregation that usually

attend the publick Worship of God there Sheweth

     That said Chapel which has been constantly improved for

the Publick Worship of God for about sixty Years past, is in many

Parts of it rotten & greatly decay’d & almost considered unfit for that

Service any longer, and said Congregation out of Regard to

that Honour of our God & for their own Edification being very desirous

that the Publick Worship of God Should be still supported & carried

on in said Place have determined to rebuild said Church & make

it somewhat larger more commodious & regular than it now is,

but apprehend they shall be greatly streightned for want of Ground at

the East End of said Church to effect the same

     Your Petitioners therefore pray the Town will be pleased to grant

to said Church 34 feet Eastward for the Body of said Chapel &

10 feet for a Chancel in order to inlarge the same into a regular &

commodious Building, & whereas the Town has a School House upon

part of the Land which your  Petitioners request, it is therefore

humbly proposed in Consideration of the Grant hereby requested

That the Petitioners do purchase & make over to the Town a Peice

of Ground at the upper End of the Lane or Passage fronting the

present School House and erect thereon a New School House of

like Dimentions with the present. The said Petitioners not to dig

or open any Ground which the additional Building shall cover

excepting to lay the foundation nor at any Time to exclude those

who have Vaults or Tombs within the requested Limits from the

Liberty of a Free Access to them.

     Your Petitioners apprehend that the said Grant will be

no Detriment to the Town as the present School House is much

decayed, in many Parts defective & will within a Short Space of Time

require to be rebuilt & as the Place now proposed for the School

neither has nor can probably have any contiguous Building being

88 feet long & 77 foot wide, has a fresh Air a pleasant Ascent &

capable of a Southerly high Way to it from Bromfield’s Lane

which if it be tho’t necessary the Petitioners have a reasonable

Prospect of obtaining, is very near S^d School Street & yet agreeably

Retired. The Town will have a larger Peice of Ground to accommodate

the School, the Chapel aforesaid & other neighbouring Buildings will be

less in Danger from fire & such Accidents. The Town receiving a

new Ornament in the Building proposed & all to be effected at

the Charge of the Petitioners and other such well dispos’d Persons

as may think proper to contribute to the same. For a clearer

Veiw of what your Petitioners hereby request we refer to the

Platts of the Ground & Building annex’d, Hoping the Town

upon the Considerations above will grant the said Petition.

Your Petitioners shall ever pray &c

H Caner Minister & All

as in P.^a 13

     Some officious People made it their Business to oppose these

very reasonable Proposals & propagated sundry idle Stories to prejudice

People against granting the Petition in any Shape. The Moderator

Tho^s Hutchinson Esq.^r conducted the Meeting with great Judgment and

Propriety & thereby prevented several warm temper’d People from

making the Confusion they desired. several Gentlemen spoke

very handsomely in favour of the Petition particularly the Hon:^ble

Andrew Oliver Esq:^r who with great Temper & Propriety answer’d

many ill natured & trifling Objections which some tho’t proper to

advance. But what was most of all surprizing was that M.^r

Tyng & M:^r Allen two of the Comittee who had been deputed by

the Town to consider about the proper Method of granting the

Petition should with the utmost Violence of Temper endeavour

to defeat the Petition & withhold the Town from granting any

Thing at all. The Town after much Struggle came to the

following Resolution viz^t

          The Petition of the Minster Wardens & Vestry of Kings

Chappel in Boston in behalf of themselves and the Congregation

that usually attend the publick Worship of God there was heard

and after some Debate thereon it was moved seconded and

Voted     that, The Hon:^ble Andrew Oliver Esq:^r John Steel Esq:^r

           Thomas Hancock37 Esq:^r, M^r John Tyng, M.^r Edward Bromfield,

           John Fayerweather Esq.^r & M^r Hugh Vans, be and hereby are

           appointed a Comittee to prepare the Form of a Vote in answer

           to the said Petition with such Conditions & Reservations an:

           :nexed to it as said Comittee shall think necessary  & proper

           and they are desired to report hereon at the intended Adjourn:

           :ment of this Meeting38

     The Town according to their Adjournment met on Monday

the 18:^th of April when the Comittee made the following report

         The Comittee appointed the 11^th Instant to prepare the

Form of a Vote in answer to the Petition of the Minister, War:

:dens & Vestry of Kings Chappel praying for a Peice of Ground

in order to enlarge the Church having maturely considered the

Affair have agreed to Offer the following Draft to the

Town viz^t

          That the Selectmen be impowered to make a legal Con:

:veyance in behalf of the Town to the Petitioners of the several

Peices of Land and of the Priviledge hereafter mentioned, upon

their first complying with or satisfying the Select Men with

Respect unto the Terms and Conditions herein required of them

viz.^t a Peice of Land fronting on School Street extending Thirty

feet on said Street from the East End of Kings Chapel and

includes the Passage way into the Burying Ground, and the

Westerly part of the School House and of the Yard thereto

belonging, measuring thirty seven feet back from the said

Street together with the old School House and other Buildings

belonging to it, being partly on the Premises and partly on

the Towns Land adjoining, to be removed when the Town Shall

require it at the Expense of the Petitioners, also a Strip of Land

Thirty feet in Length and four feet wide extending from the

Northeast Corner of the old Chappel upon a line with the North side

of said Chappel in order to erect thereon part of the Walls of the

proposed New Church, also another Strip of said Width adjoining

to and turning upon a Right Angle with the former thence running

until it meets the larger Peice herein first proposed to be granted

saving a Passage way of six feet wide in the last mentioned Strip

thro the Walls of the new Church in some convenient Place between

the said Northeast Corner, and the Chancel herein after mentioned

which Entrance shall be at least six feet high leading into a

Peice of Burying Ground belonging to the Town which Peice

measures twenty five feet North & South & Twenty feet East

& West.

          Also another Peice of Land in form of an half oval adjoining

Easterly upon the before mentioned proposed Grants and extending

Fifteen feet North and as much South from the middle of the

Easternmost Line thereof and to extend ten feet farther East in it’s

extream Distance from said middle Point being for the proposed

Chancel, provided there shall be still left a Passage way of at

least eleven feet in the narrowest Part between said Chancel

& Mr: Cooke’s Line into the Burying Ground, provided also that

the Bodys of those who shall be known to lay in the said Strip

of Land or within the said half Oval Peice shall be decently

taken up and buryed in some other Part of the Burying Ground

with the Consent of their Friends and in such Manner as they wish

the Select Men shall agree to & direct, or when no Friends shall

appear they shall be removed as the said Selectmen shall direct

at the Charge of the Petitioners

           Also a Priviledge to extend their a new Building over the

aforesaid Peice of Burying Ground lying to the North ward

of the present School House and measuring 26 feet by 20 as afore

express’d: provided they do not carry the Floor of the Church

or otherwise incumber the same within eight feet of the Surface

of the Earth as it now lays and that no Monuments or Grave

Stones either within or without the Building be destroyed or if

accidentally broken in carrying on the Work be repaired at the

Charge of the Petitioners unless they shall agree with the

Friends of those who may lay buried in said Peice of Ground, or

where no Friends appear with the Selectmen to remove the Bodys

in Manner as is herein provided for the other dead Bodys before:

mentioned, then and in such Case that the Select men be im:

:powered likewise to convey to the Petitioners said Peice of

Burying Ground, and the Entrance into it herein before

mentioned

          That in Consideration of the proposed Grants beforementioned

the Petitioners shall procure and cause a legal Title to be made

to the Town of a certain Peice of Land over against the present

Grammar School now in the Occupation of the Widdow Green &

others measuring Thirty four feet and a half or thereabouts on

School Street, & running 97 feet back more or less, bounded on

  The West by Coll.^o Wendell’s Land and Easterly on a Passage Way

leading to the House where M:^r Gunter now dwells, together with

The Priviledge of the said Passage way forever

saving to the Petitioners a Liberty of removing if they see good

the Buildings now upon said Land, when required by the Select

Men said Petitioners likewise to erect upon said Land

a New School House of like Dimentions and Accomodations

with the present and finish the same in like decent Manner

to the Satisfaction of the Select men: unless the Petitioners

should propose a Sum of money to the Acceptance of the Town

instead of erecting the said Building

          All which is humbly Submitted in the Name & by Order

of the Committee      And:^w Oliver

Which Report being read and a long Debate had thereon, it was

mov’d and seconded that the following Question may be put viz^t

whether the Town have Power in this Meeting to appropriate or

Dispose of the Land on which the South Latin School stands to

any other Use than for a School, the Vote of the Town of the 14^th

1^mo 1655 as entered in the towns Records notwithstanding, and the

same being accordingly put: It was voted in the Affirmative

And then on a Motion made and seconded the following Question was

put viz.^t Whether the Town have Power to accept of the said Report

of the Committee, the Province Laws of the fourth of William & Mary

entituled an Act for regularity of Townships, choice of Town Officers

& setting fourth their Powers, and the twelfth of Queen Anne en:

:tituled an Act directing how meetings of Proprietors of Land

laying in Common may be called, which have been now read

notwithstanding: and it was Voted in the Affirmative

And then it was proposed and seconded that the following Question

may be put Viz:^t Whether the said Draft of a Vote as prepared

by the Committee be accepted, Whereupon it was moved that the

Vote of Acceptance of said Draft may be determined by a

written Voted and that the Persons that are for accepting said

Draft and passing it as the Vote of the Town be directed to write

Yea and those that are not for it write Nay and the Question

being put whether it should be thus determined by a written

Vote it passed in the Affirmative and thereupon the Inhab:

:itants were directed to bring in their Votes in writing, & such of ‘em

as were accepting of said Draft of a Vote as prepared by the

Committee & passing the same as the Vote of the Town in answer

to said Petition were desired to write Yea and such as were not

for accepting it to write Nay. And the Inhabitants proceeded

to bring in their Votes, and when the Selectmen were receiving ‘em

at the Door of the Hall they observed one of the Inhabitants

Vizt John Pigeon  to put in about a dozen with the Word Yea wrote

on all of ‘em and being charged with so doing he acknowledg’d i^t &

was thereupon ordered by the Moderator to pay a fine of Five Pounds

for putting in more than one Vote according to Law, and the Mo:

:derator thereupon declared to the Inhabitants that they must

withdraw and bring in their Votes again in Manner as before

directed, and The Inhabitants accordingly withdrew, and the

Votes being brought in and sorted it appeared that there was

four Hundred and two Voters, and that there was

• Two hundred & five Yeas &
• One hundred & ninety seven Nays

Whereupon it was declared by the Moderator that the said Form

of a Vote was accepted and passed by the Town accordingly.

          This Grant being conditional and the Select men appointed

to see the Conditions executed if complyed with; the Petitioners took

some time to deliberate upon them and to judge whether it were

prudent to accept them But on the 22:^d of April 1748 being

a Meeting of the Proprietors & Subscribers for rebuilding Kings

Chapell it was unanimously voted

That they accept of the Towns grant of Land voted to them

on Monday the 18:^th Instant

It was then and there also proposed to chuse a Comittee who should

Thenceforward be impower’d to transact all Affairs relating to the

rebuilding the Chapel and by Vote of the said Proprietors the

following Gentlemen were chosen viz^t

And the following Instructions were voted and given them as to the

Extent of their Authority viz^t

          That the said Comittee are hereby impowered to do & act every

thing necessary towards compleating the Agreement between the

Select Men and the Petitioners of Kings Chapell in relation to the

New Church To make good a former Agreement with M^r Sal:

:tonstall to this End. To collect all Sums of money subscribed or

that shall be subscribed towards rebuilding. To take down the

present Chapel when it shall be thought necessary & to purchase

Materialls for the New Church, and to agree with Workmen &

others necessary to be employed to those Purposes & in general to

do and transact any other Thing requisite to the prudent Manage:

:ment of the Premises.

     As soon as the Comittee aforesaid were chosen they drew up &

delivered to the Select Men the following Acceptance of the Town’s

Grant viz^t

          To the Select Men of the Town of Boston now sitting

at Faneuil Hall

          Pursuant to a Vote of the Proprietors of Kings

Chapel we the Subscribers do hereby promise to comply with &

Execute the Conditions contained in the Vote or Grant of the

Town meeting held on the 18^th day of this Instant in favour of

the Petitioners of s^d Chapel. Witness our Hands at Boston

22^d April 1748

The Comittee also deputed M^r Thomas Hawding to Coll^o

Saltonstall39 (the Owner of the Land upon which the Town insisted to

have the School House built) to purchase and pay for the said Land, w^ch

was accordingly done, a Deed of it taken in the Names of the Comittee

and soon after another executed for the Conveyance of the Peice proposed

for a School to the Selectmen

Application was made to the Friends of the deceased for Liberty to

remove the Corps which fell within the Granted Limits, that being

one Condition of the Grant; this was readily & unanimously complyed

with

          Some Short Time before the Appointment of this Comittee

S^r Henry Frankland determining to go for England and having sundry

Times with great Kindness proffered his best Services upon his

Arrival there to collect the Donations of his Friends in favour of

the Chapell a Letter was drawn up & a Short Address to well disposed

People inclosed. Copys of w^ch are as follows

     Sir                                                           Boston   April 12^th 1748

                                Tis with much Pleasure we entertain so Favourable

an Opportunity of prosecuting the Interest of our New Church with our

Friends at home. The doing of it thr’o your Hands who have

hitherto so heartily appeared in it & so generously contributed towards

it, we imagine will be the best Method to convince our Friends of

the Necessity of the Thing & of our Inability to accomplish it without

their kind Assistance. The several Letters we have Sent before

to S^r Peter Warren & others representing the decayed & ruinous

Condition of Kings Chapel, the heavy Charge of rebuilding it

& the generous Subscriptions that have here been made towards it

tho’ far Short of what the Charge will amount to will indeed give

those Gentlemen some distant Notion of what we are doing, but

when the Matter is explain’d & recommended by you who have

been engaged in the previous Measures that have been taken, We

assure our Selves the Thing will appear in a more favourable Light

& more readily determine their concurring to our Request

assured of your Readiness to undertake the Thing, we have presumed

to inclose a Copy of the Subscriptions which we apprehend you have

sufficient Authority to recommend to any Gentlemen generously

dispos’d both from our present Request & as you are a Member

of the Vestry

     Heartily wishing you a safe Voyage & Success in this & in

your own Affairs we take Leave to assure you that we are

                                                   Sir Your most Humble Servants

To S^r Henry Frankland

                                                         HC. JG: JB & Al

To all charitable & well dispos’d Persons to whom the inclosed

Subscription may be presented the Ministers Wardens & Vestry of

Kings Chapel in Boston send Greeting

     Whereas the Parish Church of Kings Chapel in Boston

is by Time & Accidents gone to Decay & is therefore found necessary to

be rebuilt The Congregation have generously according to their Ability

subscribed towards the good Work, but the Sum being much Short

of what so great a Work will require We have presum’d to ask, and

hereby do heartily desire the Assistance of all charitable well dispos’d

Persons to whom our Subscription may be Presented, & particularly

that they will be pleas’d to pay whatever Sums they Shall think

proper to advance to this good Design to our very good Friend

S^r Henry Frankland who as he has been a very liberal Subscriber

towards it & is himself a Member of the Vestry of  said Chapel

we have presum’d to trouble with the inclose’d Subscription & to

desire him to receive & transmit to us whatever may be advanc’d in

Consequence of this our Humble Request. Your favourable

Reception of which will engage the Prayers and hearty good

Wishes of      Your Humble Servants

Done at Boston in NE      H.C. JG: JB &c

April 12^th 174840

As the Transaction of Affairs between the Town & the Petitioners was

since the late Grant put intirely on the Town’s part into the Hands

of their Select Men viz.^t Thomas Hancock, Middlecot Cooke, John

Steel Esq:^rs & Mess.^rs Jn^o Tyng W^m Salter Sam^l Grant &           Hill

so these Gentlemen now began to exercise the Patience of the Chapel

Comittee in as severe a manner as the Town’s Comittee had done

before insisting that the new School House must be built with Brick,

must have a Cellar under it, must be one sixth part larger than

the old one, and must have a Gambrell Roof &c. Conditions

each of them quite foreign to the Grant & which caused sundry

Debates. These and severall other Difficultys were secretly

contriv’d & fomented by some litigious People, to whom the Select Men

gave too much Countenance, particularly by M^r Lovell the School:

:master, who upon very many Occasions impertinently dictated in

the Conduct of the Affair, & frequently gave Disturbance both

to the Select Men & the Committee. But since one Condition

of the Grant was that the Work should be accomplish’d to the Satis:

:faction of the Select Men, they under this general Instruction

were resolv’d to accept nothing but what was agreeable to their own

Humours; & Some of them hoping by this Means intirely to defeat

the whole Affair & render it ineffectuall. It must be indeed

confess’d that others of the Select Men tho’t this Proceeding most un:

:reasonable and even unchristian, but a Majority prevail’d; several

of the Comittee tho’t it would be best to build it according to the

express words of the Grant without Regard to the Select Men, but

others esteem’d it an unsafe Way, as the Town would be most likely

to justifie their Select Men, especially in an affair which too many

would have been glad any way to have defeated.

     To accommodate the Thing in some better manner it was proposed

to the Select Men that a Sum of money should be given them, and that

they should undertake the Building to their own Satisfaction, as there

seem’d to be Room left for such an Agreement by a Clause in the Grant

     To this Purpose an Estimate was obtain’d from sundry Workmen

of the Charge of a Brick School House, which amounted to £2900.

and of a wooden one with all their additional Expense of Bigness

Roof Cellar &c which was computed at £2380.

     The Comittee wearied out with Opposition and willing to put an End

to it offered Two thousand Pounds, this the Select Men refus’d to accept

but propos’d that if they might be allowed £2400 and the Building

then standing on the Ground they would try if by Subscription they

could raise £500 more, and if so, they would accept.

Here again the Comittee astonish’d at the unreasonableness of such

Proposalls were at a Loss of what to do; some were for throwing up at

last, imagining that such excessive Charge would prevent or at least

greatly retard the building their Church, but after consulting

some other principal Members of the Church they came to the

following Resolution viz^t

     At a Meeting of the Comittee for rebuilding Kings

Chapel at Eliakim Hutchinson’s Esq:^r Tuesday 28^th June 1748

Voted     unanimously that we make an Offer to the Select Men

           of the Sum of Twenty four hundred Pounds old Ten:^r together with

           the Buildings now in the Spot of Ground where the School is to be

           erected pursuant to a Vote of the Town in Consideration of their

           freeing us from building Said School, & that the said Offer be made

           to morrow

     Agreeable to the above Vote Charles Apthorp Esq^r in the

Name & at the Desire of the Comittee made an Offer the next

Day to the Select Men of £2400 &c: upon which they came

to the following Vote

Bostonss

     At a Meeting of The Select Men June 29.^th 1748

Charles Apthorp Esq.^r in the Name of the Committee of the

Chappel offers if the Select Men will build the School as pro:

:posed he will pay them on their Order Twenty four hundred

Pounds old Ten:^r

Voted     that a Subscription be put for:

           :ward in order to compleat the Same as soon as may be

           Bostonss

     At a Meeting of the Select Men July 11^th 174841

The Question being put whether the Select Men are willing and

content to receive twenty four hundred Pounds old tenor as offered

by Charles Apthorp Esq:^r in behalf of the Comittee of Kings Chapel

with the Houses now standing on the land wherein the New Grammar

School is to be built, and discharge the said Comittee from

building said School & that the Select Men will proceed to

erect said School as soon as the Subscription is compleat, in

Order to finish the said Building without putting the Town

to any Charge & the said Question being put, It passed in

the Negative

     The Question being put whether the Select Men will

now determine that the Town be called together in order to know if

they will accept the aforesaid Sum of twenty four hundred Pounds

old Tenor &c It passed in the Negative

     It was now imagined that a speedy End would have been put

to this long contested Affair especially as the Subscription met w^th

good Encouragement from sundry Gentlemen in Town, but after

waiting in vain for a farther Answer till the12^th of July, the

Committee of the Chapel proceeded to the following votes viz^t

     At a Meeting of the Comittee for rebuilding Kings Chapell

at D:^r Gardners 12:^th July 1748

Present

Charles Apthorp Esq^r Treasurer

1^st The Question being put whether Application shall be made to

Morrow to the Select Men to know whether they accept of the

£2400 offered them by Charles Apthorp Esq^r in behalf of the

Committee with the old Buildings now upon the Land where the

New Grammar School is by Vote of the Town to be built.

                                          Pass’d in the Affirmative

2^d The Question being put whether in Case the Select Men Shall

refuse the above Offer that this Committee will proceed to build a

School agreeable to the Voted of the Town.

                                          Pass’d in the Affirmative

3^d The Question being put whether in Case the Select Men shall

refuse the above Offer that this Comittee will make Application

to know their Sense of that Expression in the Grant of the Town

to the Satisfaction of the Select Men, and what they expect from

this Committee in Consquence  of the said Expression, & to

desire their Answer in writing

                                            Pass’d in the Affirmative

Agreeable to the above Votes, Application was the next day made

to the Select Men who in answer to the first Vote produced the

following previous Resolution of the 11.^th July42

Upon Receipt of this and in Consequence of the third Vote of the

Committee of 12^th July as above Application was made to know

the Sense of that Expression in the Grant of the Town “to the

Satisfaction of the Select Men,” to this they received the

following Answer viz^t

Boston ss

         At a Meeting of the Select Men July 20^th 1748

Being desired by the Committee of Kings Chapel on the 13^th Ins.^t

to inform them what School we think as to be to the Satisfaction of

the Select Men, We reply a Brick House of the Dimensions

following viz^t Thirty four feet Front toward School Street, Thirty

six feet deep on the Passage and twelve feet Stud’d43 with suitable

Doors & Windows & finished Workmanlike to the Acceptance of

the Select Men, with House of Office Wood House &c

          The Committee finding it in vain to expect any Agreement

and having thus obtained a Resolution as to what the Select Men

expected from them in Consequence of the above Expression in the

Grant, resolved now to proceed in building the School House themselves

with all possible Expedition: accordingly they came to the following

Articles of Agreement with John Indicott Carpenter & with Joshua

Blanchard & Daniel Bell Masons viz^t

          This present Writing indented Witnesseth an Agreement

between John Indicott of Boston in the County of Suffolk & Province

of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Housewright on the one

part and Charles Apthorp George Cradock & Eliakim Hutchinson

Esq^rs John Gibbins & Silvester Gardner Physitians and Thomas Haw:

:ding Merchant all of Boston aforesaid a Committee chosen & appointed

for the Kings Chapell in Boston aforesaid and the rebuilding thereof

of the other Part Imp.^y The said John Indicot for the Consideration

& Agreement hereinafter mentioned to be made paid done & performed

on the Part of the said Committee Doth hereby covenant promise

and agree at his own Cost & Charge to find and provide all Timber

Plank Boards & Joice necessary to frame & compleatly finish the

Carpenters Work for a School House for the Use of the Town of

Boston situate in School Street in Boston aforesaid of the Dimentions

following viz.^t to be thirty six feet by thirty four feet with a pitch’d

Roof to have eleven Windows with Shutters to ten of them, to have

two outside Doors & Cases, three hipp’d Lutherans44 and to case all

the Windows, to board & shingle the Roof, to lay a floor in the upper

Story, to lay a double Floor below with Seats & Benches for the

Boys, two Desks for the Masters, and a Belfry, to make all the

Floors, to build a Wood house with a House of Office across the Yard

the Width of the Land, to paint all the Windows red as also all

Doors, Door Cases Shutters and Weather Boards and also to find

And provide all Timber Boards Nails Window Glass Lead Lime

Locks Bolts Hinges and casting, all which Work the said John

Indicott. Doth hereby agree and promise to do and perform strong

substantial and in Workmanlike Manner according to the Rules

of the Housewrights Act and fully to compleat & finish all the

Work of a House Carpenter in all Respects within the Month of

October next And, it is agreed by the Partys to these Presents

that the said Indicot shall have the Benefit of all the Materialls

of the said Building excepting the Stones & Bricks he the said

Indicot being at the Expense of pulling the old Building down.

                   In Consideration of which Frame Stuff Mate:

:rialls & workmanship to be done compleated and finished as

aforesaid the said Charles Apthorp George Cradock Eliakim

Hutchinson John Gibbins Silvester Gardner & Thomas Hawding

Do hereby Covenant promise and agree to pay to the said

John Indicott on his Order the Sum of Fourteen hundred &

thirty Pounds in Bills of Credit of the old Tenor in full Pay:

:ment and Satisfaction for the said Frame Stuff Materials

and Workmanship aforesaid, to be paid as the Work is carried

on, so that the whole be paid when and so soon as the said Frame

Building & Housewrights Work aforesaid shall be compleatly finish’d

in a Workmanlike Manner.

      To the true & faithful Observance and Performance of this

Agreement the Partys to these Presents do bind and oblige

Themselves their Heirs Execut:^rs and Adminis:^trs each unto the

other his Heirs Execut^rs & Adminis:^trs in the Sum and Penalty

of seven hundred & fifty Pounds lawfull money of New England

           In Witness whereof the Partys to these Presents have

hereunto interchangeably set their Hands & Seals the

day of                Anno Dom: One thousand Seven hundred

& forty eight Annoq R^eg R^is

Georgii secundo Magnae Brittaniae

&:c Vicessimo secundo45

Signed Sealed & dld

in Presence of

                                                  J: J:    L - S

This present Writing indented Witnesseth An Agreement

between Daniel Bell and Joshua Blanchard both of Boston

in the County of Suffolk &  Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New

England Bricklayers on the one part and Charles Apthorp George

Cradock Eliakim Hutchinson Esq:^rs John Gibbins & Silvester Gardiner

Physitians and Thomas Hawding Merchant all of Boston a Com:

:mittee chosen & appointed for Kings Chapel in Boston aforesaid

and the building thereof of the other part Imp.^ris46  the said Daniel

Bell & Joshua Blanchard for the Consideration and Agreement

herein aftermentioned to be made paid done and performed on the

part of the said Committee Do hereby convenant promise & agree

at their own Cost & Charge to set up erect & build a Brick School

House for the Use of the Town of Boston on a certain peice of Land

situate in School Street over against the present Grammar School,

now in the Occupation of the Widow Green and others, of the Dimen:

:tions following viz.^t To be thirty six feet wide thirty four feet

long and twelve feet Story with a pitch’d roof fourteen feet

High and find and provide all Bricks Brick Work & Stones & Stuff

and lay a foundation for the same, plaister the Ceilings & Sides

down to the Lining of the Wall, to digg & stone a Vault of twelve

feet square and eight feet deep, to underpin the Woodhouse, digg

the Foundation wheel & carry away the Dirt; And this Daniel

Bell & Joshua Blanchard do hereby agree & promise to find and

provide all Stuff & Materials whatsoever sufficient & necessary for

the said Building and that ought to be done & perform’d of Brick:

:layers and Masons Work, all which the said Bell & Blanchard

agree to do & perform strong substantial and in Workmanlike

manner according to the Rules of the Bricklayers Act, And fully

to compleat & finish all Bricklayers & Masons Work in all

Respects whatsoever within the Month of October next,

And it is agreed by the Partys to these Presents that the said

Bell & Blanchard shall have the Benefit of the old Bricks &

Stones which are to be pulled down from the old wooden Building

         In Consideration of which Brick Building to be

erected and compleatly built and finished as aforesaid the said

Charles Apthorp George Cradock Eliakim Hutchinon Esq^rs

John Gibbins Silvester Gardner and Thomas Hawding Comittee

as  aforesaid Do hereby covenant promise and agree to pay to the

said Daniel Bell and Joshua Blanchard on their Order the Sum

of twelve hundred & seventy Pounds in Bills of Credit of the old

Tenor in full Payment & Satisfaction for the said Building

Stuff & Workmanship aforementioned to be paid as the Work as

carried on so that the Whole be paid when and so soon as the said

Building shall be compleatly built and finished as aforesaid

To the true & faithfull Observance and performance of this

present Agreement the Partys to these Presents do bind and

oblige themselves their Heirs Execut:^rs & Adm:^rs each unto the

other his Execut:^rs Adm.^rs & Assigns in the Sum & Penalty of

Six hundred & thirty five Pounds lawfull money of New England

firmly by these Presents. In Witness whereof the Partys to

these Presents have hereunto interchangeably at their Hands &

Seals the     day of     Anno Domini One

Thousand seven hundred & forty eight Annoq R^ex  R:^is Georgii

secondi Magnae Britanniae &:c Vicessimo Secundo

Signed Sealed & dld in     “D. B.     L S

Presence of us     J B      L S

To enable the Treasurer to make good the foregoing Articles of Agree:

:ment on the part of the Committee they pass’d the ensuing Vote viz^t

At a Meeting of the Committee for building Kings Chapel at

Charles Apthorp Esq^r’s 9^th [illegible] 19^th August 1748

Present

Voted     unanimously that in Consequence of the Agreement made

           w:^th M^r John Indicot for the Carpenters Work & Stuff of the New

           School & with Mess:^rs Dan^l Bell & Joshua Blanchard for the

           Masons Work & Stuff for said School the Treasurer desired to

           pay to the said John Indicott Fourteen Hundred & thirty Pounds

           old Ten:^r & to the said Daniel Bell & Joshua Blanchard Twelve

           Hundred & Seventy Pounds old Ten:^r as the work of the said School

           House goes on w^ch Sums are in full of their several Contracts

      While this Affair was thus in Agitation the Committee not willing

to lose time employed themselves in collecting the first Moiety

of the Subscription for rebuilding the Chappell & endeavoured to

inlarge the Number of Subscribers, and to this purpose besides

what was done at home they wrote sundry Letters to Gentlemen

abroad.   The first to S^r Edward Hawke47 as follows

S.^r      Boston May 23^d 1748

                We the Minister Treasurer and Committee of Kings

Chapel in Boston in New England humbly beg Leave to joyn

with our fellow Subjects at home in congratulating the late Success

of His Majestys Fleet under your Happy Conduct, and the

Honour to which his Majesty has been pleased to advance you.

The Advantages desired to you from this Accession of Honour &

Fortune together with some slender Acquaintances w:^ch Some of us

had the Pleasure of cultivating with you formerly in these Parts

is that w:^ch encourages us to lay before you the Circumstances

of Kings Chapel in this Town, which on Account of it’s old and

Shattered Condition the Congregation have undertaken to rebuild;

A Work of this Nature is seldom attempted in our Mother Country

without neighbouring Assistance, to be fare it is impracticable to

us in our present immature State without the Help of distant Friends

     The Congregation here have largely subscribed according to

their Abilities and some Applications we have made to our

Friends, but the present Subscriptions tho’ generous fall much Short of

what the work will require. We hope therefore at least to be ex:

:cused for the Freedom of mentioning this Case to you, and of

promising our selves your kind Notice of us. A Copy of our

Subscription is in the Hands of our very good Friend S^r Henry

Frankland now in London who is one of our Vestry & has been a

very liberal Benefactor to us, with whom anything advanc’d in

our favour may properly be lodged

     We only beg Leave to add our hearty Prayers for the

Continuance of your Health & Prosperity, and that we are

with much Respect                             S:^r

To Sir Edw^d Hawke      Your most Obedient &

                                                               most Humble Serv^ts

The next was to Richard Dalton48 Esq:^r of the same Date as follows viz^t

S:^r                                                                          Boston May 23^d 1748

     Our Perswasion of your Ability & good Disposition confirm’d

by many Instances of Charity while you resided among us en:

:courage us to apply to you in behalf of the Church w:^ch we have the

Honour to represent. We being chosen as a Committee to rebuild

Kings chapel in this Town which is much gone to decay.

The Congregation have generously subscribed according to their

Ability for advancement of this good Design, but as a Work of

this Nature is too burthensome for the mere Strength of any single

People we are constrained to such Friends abroad whose Abilities

enable them to contribute towards it, & particularly we flatter our

selves that you will be ready to encourage it by your personal

Assistance, and we intirely submit it to you how far it may be

proper to recomend it to any Friend who is charitably disposed.

     A Copy of our Subscription together with a Power to receive any

thing advanced in our favour is lodged in London with M:^r William

Shirley son of his Excellency our present Governour & with M:^r

Thomas Sandford Merchant. The Goodness of this design

we depend upon as our Excuse for the Freedom we have taken

Therefore only beg leave to add that we are

To Richard Dalton Esq^r      S.^r Y^r most Obedient &

                                                                           most Humble Serv^ts

A third of like Date to S^r Henry Frankland viz^t

S:^r                                                              Boston May 23^d 1748

     Flattering our selves that you are now safely arrived and

agreeable to the Liberty you were pleased to indulge us, we have pre:

:sum’d to inclose you a Letter for S:^r Edw^d Hawke, in w:^ch we have

breifly represented the Circumstances of our Chapel. & (we hope)

modestly ask’d his Assistance for carrying on the Work, we promise

our selves you will be ready to explain the Matter more perfectly to

S.^r Edward if need so require. A Line or two to let us know of

your safe Arrival together with your Advice what farther Appli:

:cations you apprehend it may be proper for us to make at home would

be a particular pleasure to

To S^r Henry Frankland      S:^r Y^r  oblig’d Friends &  most Hu:^ble

The three foregoing Letters were Sent per the Boston Packett Cap^t

Allison who sailed 1^st June

     The Committee chose M^r Barlow Trecothick49 their Clerk to

take down the Minutes of their several Meetings and afterwards

engross them, together with all Letters & the pages either sent a:

:broad or received

While the School House was building they met with much Vexa:

:tion & Delay from the various Humours of the Select Men and

others, but especially from the continued Impertinence of M^r Lovel

the Schoolmaster, indeed every man seemed to imagine he had a

Right to dictate & prescribe his own Fancy in the building, but

the Committee endeavour’d to encourage their Workmen to proceed

thro’ all Opposition & to hearken to no Alterations but what the

Projectors would become bound to pay for.

In September M.^r Caner received the following Letters from M:^r

Thomas Sandford & S.^r Henry Frankland relating to the Affairs

of the Church, which he imediately communicated to the Committee

viz^t

Rev^d Sir      London 27^th June 1748

                             These are to acknowledge the Receipt of yours

signed by the Church Wardens and several other gentlemen of Kings

Chapel at Boston dated the 29:^th Jan^y last, with a Letter inclosed

for the Lord Bishop of Cloyne, which I received by the Hands of

M:^r Will:^m Martin, the Letter for his Lordship I forwarded ime:

:diately; And I shall readily receive any Money sent to me

for the Use you have proposed, And remitt the same to you,

with what more I am able to prevail on any other Persons here

to give for that Use; And with my hearty Service to your self

and the rest of the Gentlemen I am

                                                         Rev^d Sir

The Rev:^d M^r Henry Caner     Your very Humble Serv^t

                                                                            Tho Sandford

The other from S^r Henry Frankland as follows viz^t

Sir      London July 9^th 1748

     I this day received the favour of yours of the 23^d May last,

inclosing Letters to S.^r Edw^d Hawke & M^r Dalton, which I shall

deliver as soon as possible; I beg you would assure the Gentlemen of

the Vestry of Kings Chapel I will exert my self to get Subscriptions

for rebuilding the Chapel, but at present all my friends & Acquaint:

:ance are in the Country, so nothing can be done till the Winter

& should Return before then, will leave the Management of it to

a Gentlemen who will take as much Care as myself. I am

                                                      S^r

I go into Yorkshire next Monday     Your most Humble Serv^t

I beg you would direct for me to the     H Frankland

Care of Mess:^rs Knight & Jackson

Bankers in Lombard Street London

The Rev^d M^r Henry Caner

     These two Letters were kindly received & the following Answers pre:

:pared & sent by the first Ship for London viz^t

     S:^r      Boston Sep^t 20^th 1748

                     M:^r Caner communicated to us your obliging Letter of the

9:^th of July in which we observe that ours to S.^r Edw^d Hawke & M^r Dalton

came safe to hand, we thank you for your Care of those Letters, and for

the Assurances you are pleased to give us of your best Endeavours to

promote the Affair of Subscriptions for rebuilding Kings Chapel.

Should you return to New England before Winter we doubt not but

you will leave the Management of your Interest in such good Hands

as will give us Reason to hope for Success, tho’ perhaps not all that

we might have expected from your own personal Activity.

We heartily wish you Health & Happiness & a safe Return to us

being with much Respect

To S^r Henry Frankland     S^r

                                                                           Your obliged Friends

                                                                               & Humble Serv^ts

Sr                            Boston Sep^t 20^th 1748

         Your Favour of 24^th June to M^r Caner has been comunicated

to us who are chosen by the Proprietors of Kings Chapel as a Comittee

to negotiate the Affairs of its rebuilding. As we were always perswaded

of your Readiness to serve the Interest of the Church, so now we

have the Pleasure to thank you for your Care of our Letters to the

Lord Bishop of Cloyne and for the Assurance you give us of your

further care of any thing that shall be lodg’d with you in our

favour, and for the Promise of your personal Interest. We have

wrote to S^r Peter Warren S^r Edw^d Hawke M^r Dalton & others

& flatter our selves we Shall not be quite without Success, but that

we leave to time to determine. Mean while we take Leave

to assure you that we are

To M^r Thomas Sandford     Your obliged Humble Serv^ts

In December the Committee tho’t proper to write to M^r Tho^s Lechmere

& M:^r John Thomlinson50 to beg their Assistance and Interest in

favour of the Work in Hand. The Letter to M^r Lechmere as

follows viz^t

S:^r                                                               Boston Dec 19^th 1748

     Expecting the Pleasure of your speedy Return to us, we

neglected to write to you concerning the Affairs of our Church, but

now being inform’d that you are like to spend your Winter in England

we think our selves bound to inform you that we the Subscribers were

chosen at Easter last a Committee for rebuilding Kings Chapel

and in that Capacity do now apply to you in favour of it. It is

not improbable that your Interest with very many Persons of Ability

in England may enable you to procure some Additions to our Sub:

:scription, and we assure our Selves of your Readiness to undertake

any thing of that kind that is practicable both from your own

Disposition & from the Relation you bear to it as one of our Vestry.

a Copy of our Subscriptions is lodged with M^r Thomas Sandford, who is

also appointed to receive & transmit to us the Benevolence of any

Gentlemen in London who shall think proper to take Notice of us.

We have had a hard Struggle with the Dissenters to obtain a small

Peice of Ground for enlarging the Church and it has cost us dear

but if our Subscription meets with any tollerable Success in England

we hope notwithstanding to be able to make a beginning in the

Spring. Wishing you all Health & Happiness & a safe Return

to us we take leave to assure you that we are

To Tho^s Lechmere Esq^r      Your hearty Friends &

                                                                      most Humble Servants

The other to M^r Thomlinson thus

S:^r                                                                           Boston Dec^r 12^th 1748

     Your Ability & charitable Disposition encourage us to apply

ask your Interest & Assistance towards rebuilding Kings Chapel

in this Town which is much gone to decay. We have been chosen by

the Church a Committee for this Purpose, and Since so great a Work

will require a larger Hand than can reasonably be expected from an

Infant Church & Country, we are obliged to presume upon the kind

Notice of our Friends at Home. You have undertaken as a Member

of the Society for propagation of the Gospel in these Parts to promote the

settling & establishing New Churches in the Country, & we therefore

imagine it not foreign to your Design or Inclination to preserve

one that is already settled & which as it is the Mother Church in these

Parts must give Countenance or Discouragement to all the rest in

Proportion to it’s Increase or Decline. We have many Diffi:

:cultys to contend with in this Undertaking which occasion much

Expense & which call for the Countenance & Assistance of such as

are Friends to our happy Constitution, we assure our Selves that we

may number you among the first of these, & therefore beg Leave

to promise our Selves your kind Notice of our Request.

A Copy of our Subscription is lodged with M^r Thomas Sandford in

London who has promised to receive & transmit to us the Benevolence

of those who shall think proper to enlarge it.

          We ask Pardon for the Freedom of this Request & Leave

to assure you that we are

                                                                  S.^r Your most Obedient &

To M^r John Thomlinson     most Humble Serv^ts

To these were added two other Letters on the 19:^th of the same Month,

the first to M.^r Thomas Coram51 viz^t

M^r Tho:^s Coram                                            Boston Dec 19^th 1748

     S:^r

                   We the Subscribers the Minister & Committee

appointed for rebuilding Kings Chapel in this Town considering

your Attachment to the Church of England & upon how many Oc:

:casions you have exerted your Interest & Influence in favour of

the Infant Churches in this Country have tho’t proper to lay

before you the present State of our Affairs.

     Kings Chapel w.^ch was the first Church in New England

is now worn out & become necessary to be rebuilt it is a Work

in it self too burthensome for an Infant People, & has been

rendered much more so by the violent Opposition of the Dissenters

& the unreasonable Charges they have bro’t upon us in the Purchase

of a small peice of Ground for it’s Inlargement. It has by

their Management cost us upwards of £4000 for Liberty to

lengthen the Building about 20 or 30 feet, & This has so much

lessen’d our Fund that we must despair of proceeding without the

kind Assistance of some Friends at home. A Few Applications

of this Nature we have made to S^r Peter Warren to S^r H Frankland

now in England but we have address’d to none who have Shown

(a greater Readiness & Zeal to appear in behalf of the Church’s In:

:terest than your self) for which Reason we have inclosed to you a

Copy of our Subscription assuring our Selves it will receive an

Addition from your own Bounty & something by your Influence

from the Liberality of your Friends. M^r Thomas Sandford has

been appointed by us to receive & transmit the Benefactions of

this kind that maybe collected in our Favour. Wishing you

all Health & Happiness we take Leave to assure you that we are

                                                          S.^r Your most Humble Serv^ts

The other to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury52

May it please your Grace      Boston Dec^r 19^th 1748

           To receive the humble Address of the Minister Wardens

& Vestry of Kings Chapel in this Place. Our Distance has prevented

us from being among the first who have congratulated your Grace’s

Translation to the See of Canterbury, but we assure our selves that

none have done it with grater Sincerity or Pleasure. Distant as

we are from your Grace’s imediate Notice we are no Strangers to the

Report of that Merit which our Gracious Sovereign has tho’t proper

to reward with the most exalted Station in the Church. We Sincerely

bless that good Providence of God which has called forth your Graces

Activity to preside & direct the Affairs of his Church at a time w:^ch

manifestly requires a distinguished Measure of Ability & Zeal to

oppose It self to the Efforts of Infidelity Popery & Enthusiasim w^ch

seem to be conspiring the Destruction of our Ecclesiastical Consti:

:tution nor will any Loyal Subject forget your Grace’s

vigourous & noble Opposition to the late presumptuous Invasion of

our civil Liberties

We have frequently been honoured with the Notice of your Prede:

:cessors and beg Leave in like manner to hope for your Grace’s

Favour. And upon this Occasion particularly we think it our Duty

to acquaint your Grace that we are engaged in rebuilding this an:

:cient Church, the first in these Parts of New England.  In which

expensive Work as your Grace’s Interest & Assistance would very much

encourage & promote our Success, so we humbly beg Leave to hope

that the first Instance of your Grace for these remote & Infant

Churches will distinguish it self in our Favour.

    We have presumed to inclose a Copy of our Subscription, which

tho’ far short of what the Work will require is yet an Evidence of

the Zeal & good Dispositions of the People here.

One Favour more we presume to ask w^ch is your Grace’s Blessing

together with Leave to  profess ourselves

                                                May it please your Grace

                                                     Your Grace’s most dutiful

                                                       most obed:^t & most Humble Serv^ts

The former of these was seconded by one from the Rev^d D^r Miller53 re:

:commending its Contents.

As the School House was now near compleated the Committee turned

their tho’ts upon the Affair of Materials for the Chapel and to finish

the Collection of the first Payment of the Subscription. Benj:^a

Faneuil54 Esq^r had been handsomely ask’d for his Brother’s Sub:

:scription to whom he was Executor, but he refus’d to pay it, however

the Church Wardens were desired to wait upon him once more w.^ch

they did & before Witness demanded his first Payment & left a

Coppy of their Demand in Writing. As he absolutely refused

Payment the Committee after previous Consultation of Gent^mn

learned in the Law commenc’d an Action against him in the Name

of the Wardens for recovery of his said Brothers Subscription

upon receiving the Writ he sent to the Wardens & Minister of the

Chapel to demand his Brother’s Arms to be taken down from therein

& delivered to him, to which he received a decent Answer & Excuse

that it was a matter out of their Power. The Committee had a

fair Pretence to the above demand since M^r Sherman Executor to

M:^r Caswal had lately paid the said M:^r Caswals Subscription of the

same Tenor & Date with M^r Faneuil’s

          The Committee had formerly obtained Liberty of the Friends of

the deceased for removing the Corps that lay in the Range of the

Foundation of the Building proposed; and since upon Condition of like

Liberty as to those which would be covered by any part of the Church

the Select Men were impowered by the Grant of the Town to convey the

Fee of said Land to the Parishioners of King’s Chapel. The Committee

proposed to enter upon this Affair & Charles Apthorp Geo: Cradock

Esq^rs were desired to negotiate the Matter and the following Writing

was drawn up to be offered the Friends of the deceased to sign in order

to the desired Acquaintance w:^ch was accordingly compleated & deliv:^d

into the Select Mens Office to be there recorded viz^t

          Be it known to all whom these Presents may concern that

we the Subscribers do hereby agree and give our free Consent

that the Church Wardens or other publick Officers of King’s

Chapel shall have Liberty to remove the Bodys of our Friends

or any of them that shall be found to lie within the Ground

granted by the Town for rebuilding the said Chapel if it Shall

seem necessary to the Wardens or other Publick Officers of said

Church Or if the said Bodys of our Friends or any

of them shall in their present Situation be deem’d not incon:

:venient to the Building propos’d, in that Case we do also

agree to remitt all our Right and Title to the said Ground

or any part thereof to the Parishioners of King’s Chapel

forever, to be under the Directions of the Wardens and Officers

of said Church as Witness our Hands at Boston this 17^th Day

of Feb:^ry 1748

This & all other Obstacles being now removed, The School compleatly finished

was tendered to the Select Men for their Approbation & Acceptance, who

after viewing & examining the same came to the following Resolution

from w:^ch M^r Tyng only (persisting in his unreasonable Opposition to

the Church) dissented                viz^t

Boston Ss

    At a Meeting of the Select Men March 6:^th 1748

Present, M^r Hancock Cap^t Steel Cap^t Salter M^r Tyng M^r Grant

& M^r Hill

     D:^r Silvester Gardiner & M^r Thomas Hawding two of the Comm^e

for Kings Chapel attended the Select Men on the 1^st Instant & inform’d

that they were desired by said  Comittee to let ‘em know that the

School by them erected on the South Side of School Street on the Land

by them purchased of Rich^d Saltonstall Esq^r & Mary his Wife & for which

they gave a Deed to the Select Men for the Use of the Town of Boston

in April last is now finished as they apprehend in such a Manner as

is required by the Vote of the Town desiring the Select Men to view said

School & if they judge it is finished to accept thereof for the Use of

the Town and accordingly on Fryday last M^r Hancock & M^r Cooke

Cap^t Salter M.^r Grant & M^r Hill went to said School House &

there met D:^r Gibbins D^r Gardiner & M^r Hawding Comittee &c

fully viewed said School & think the same is compleatly finished

according to the Vote of the Town in April last & that the same ought

to be accepted by the Town & now the Question being put, whether

the Select Men will accept of said School for the Use of the Town

Voted in the Affirmative & that the select Men accordingly give

‘em a Deed of the Land granted to the said Chapel in April last

M:^r John Tyng one of the Select Men disagreed to the Acceptance

of the School not having viewed the same, & also disagreed to giving

the Deed aforesaid.55

          The Comittee being now freed from the Vexation & Trouble their

frequent Attendance on the Affair of the School had so long given them

were now at Leisure to revive the main Business of procuring far:

:ther Subscriptions, w.^ch they resolv’d imediately to pursue, as well as to

consider of the best Methods to procure Materials for carrying on

the Work so soon as their Fund would admit of it.

In order to make an Estimate of the Quantity & Cost of the

Materials it was necessary to fix on some Plan of the Building

for w:^ch Purpose the Rev^d M.^r Caner projected one & also wrote

the following letter to M^r Harrison of Rhode Island a Gent

of good Judgment in Architecture

                                                                   Boston 5^th April 1749

M^r Peter Harrison56

    Sir

     The Committee appointed to have the Care

of rebuilding the Kings Chapel in this Town, as they design with all

convenient Expedition to proceed in the Business committed to their

Trust have desired me to acquaint you that they should esteem it

a Favour if you would oblige them with a Draught of a handsome

Church agreeable to the Limitts herein after assigned.

The Length of the Church from the West to East including the Steeple

is to be 120 feet besides which there will be 10 feet allowed for a

Chancel. The Breadth is to be 65 feet 8 inches. The Ground

has a Declivity of about 5 feet from West to East. It is bounded

with a fair Street on the West End & another on the South Side.

The North side has a large open Space or Burying Ground.

The East End is bounded by private Property at about 12 feet

Distance. As the cheif Beauty & Strength of Building

depend upon a due Proportion of the several Members to each other

The Gentlemen of the Comittee are encouraged to make this

Application to you whom they have often heard mentioned with

Advantage for a particular Judgment & Taste in Things of this

Kind & for the Knowledge you have acquired by travelling & Obser:

:vation. We do not require any great Expense of Ornament

but cheifly aim at symmetry & Proportion which we intirely

submit to your Judgment.  The Building is to be of rough

Stone, & since the Charge will greatly increase by carrying the Walls

very high, if it does not interfere with your Judgment we should

perhaps be pleased with one Tier of Windows only. This indeed will

be inconvenient for the Gallery and therefore if it be not too much

trouble the Gent^m  would be glad to have a Prospect of a Side of

each Sort, one with a single Tier of Windows & the other with two.

The Steeple & Spire for Bigness Heigth & Ornament is left with

you to determine, a Draught of which together with a Ground Platt

is what is desired & would [extreamly] oblige the Gent^m of the Committee

and be esteemed a very great Favour by

                                                                Sir Yr most Obedient &

                                                               most Humble Serv^t H Caner

M.^r Vassall some time since gone for Antiqua having kindly offered

his Service to obtain some Benefactions from the Gent^m m of that Island

the Comittee tho’t proper to remind him of his Promise in a Letter

sent by Cap^t Stoddard to the same purpose with that of 28^th Jan^ry 1747/8

                                                                                                    An Address &

Recorded in P^a. 557 to W:^m Vassall Esq^r at Jamaica inclosing also the

Form of a Subscription of like Tenor both signed by the Minister

Treasurer & Comittee & dated 25^th April 1749

       This Letter & Subscription were so late received & M^r Vassall’s Stay in

that Island so short that nothing was done in the Affair. The Committee

indeed received but small Encouragement from the many Letters they sent

abroad; however they continued to hope the best from future Applications confiding

that the good Providence of God would in some way or other give

Success to their Endeavours. Some Assistance they received from

abroad particularly a handsome Subscription of £50 Sterling from Major

Mascarene at Annapolis of which they were acquainted by his Son M.^r

John Mascarene, who likewise added £100 Old Tenor of his own Bounty.

In soliciting the Assistance of the Gentlemen in the Town the Committee

were much surprized to find an universal Repulse from the Members

of Trinity Church (one or two only excepted). It was said by some that

the Minister Wardens & Vestry of that Church had called a Meeting of that

Congregation & recomended to them a unanimous Opposition to the Affair

of rebuilding the Chapel, but as the Comittee were at a Loss for the Reason

of such a Conduct they chose to suspend their Beleif of it, however

nothing was obtained from that Quarter.  In Balance to this Discouragem^nt

the Comittee had the Pleasure of hearing the Success of some former Nego:

:tiations. S^r H: Frankland now returned from England had obtained

about £80 Sterling & had left the further Management of the Affair

with his Brother Thomas Frankland Esq^r with Hopes of some further

Success

The Comittee being every Day encouraged to expect their Plan, consulted

about supplying themselves with Stone, Lime &:c at the cheapest Rate

and as the Sumer was now considerably advanc’d agreed that the

Building should be begun with all convenient Speed, and accordingly

came to the following Resolutions viz^t

At a Meeting of the Comittee for rebuilding Kings Chapel at the house

of M^r Barlow Trecothick June 20^th 1749

Voted     unanimously that M^r B Trecothick make an Agreement

           w^th M:^r George Tilley to morrow to cart all the Stones Sand &

           other Materialls that shall be landed at his Wharfe to the Spot where

           they are to be used at the Rate of 16/ Old Ten^r per Cart Load for such

           as are landed & carted from this Time to the 25:^th March next

Voted     that the Comittee meet M^r Indicott & C:^o at the School House

           to morrow morning & dispose of the old Building exclusive of the Stones

           Bricks Stones & Iron work about it to them on the best Terms they can

           to be removed at the Expence of the Purchasers. Voted also that

           D^r Gardiner be impowered to agree with the Roxbury Men for as many

           Cart Loads of Stones as are necessary for the Foundation on the best

           Terms he can not exceeding 16/ Old Ten^r per Load

     Agreeable to the above Vote the Comittee sold the School House to M^r

Indicott & C.^o for £         Old Ten:^r reserving the Bricks Iron Stones Glass

& c likewise on the 22d June the following Agreement was made with

M:r George Tilley viz^t

                                                                               “Boston June 22d 1749

     I acknowledge to have this day agreed w:^th G. Cradock Esq:^r Eliakim

Hutchinson Esq:^r D^r John Gibbins Doctor Silvester Gardiner & M^r Thomas

Hawding Comittee for rebuilding Kings Chapel to cart all the Stones

Sand & other Materialls that shall be landed at my Wharf from this Day

to the 25^th March next for the Use of the said Chapel to the Spot where

they are to be used at the Rate of sixteen shillings old Ten.^r per Cart Load

for Wharfage & Cartage      Witness my hand

Witness     “Geo Tilley

Bar Trecothick

     The Comittee having previously consulted the Mason as to the Quality &

Kind of Stones to be provided made the following Votes viz^t

     At a Meeting of the Comittee for rebuilding Kings Chapel on Fryday

Evening July 14^th 1749

Voted     that D:^r Gardiner if he has Opportunity or otherwise some other of

           the Comittee do agree with M^r Hayward of Braintree for as many of

           the South Common Stones as will be wanted this Fall at £40 O Ten.^r

           for a Boat Load of 24 Tons of said Stone delivered at such conve:

           :nient Wharfe in Boston as the Comittee shall appoint

Voted     that M^r Hunt shall be employed to get as many North Common

Stones as will be wanted this Fall at £52 Old Ten:^r for 22 Tons to be

           delivered at such convenient Wharfe in Boston as the Comittee shall

           appoint.

           As the South Front of the Chapel was observed not to stand in a direct

           Line with the Street & that the lengthening of it Eastward would interfere

           with the said Street the Comittee came to this further Resolution on

           the said 14^th July viz^t

Voted     that the Comittee do wait upon the Select Men on Wednesday to

           petition for appointing & laying out a straight Line to give Opportunity

           for building the Church square & straight

This Request was readily granted and as the Comittee had honourably

discharged every Agreement with the Town on their Part to the Satisfaction

of the Select Men. the said Select Men did now cause the Land before

conditionally granted by the Town to the Committee to be conveyed to

them in a proper Manner & to be accordingly staked out adding one

foot of Ground at the North East Corner to allow of a straight Line

without interfering with School Street. Copy of this Deed is as

follows

    This Indenture made the 10^th day of March Anno Dom. 1748

and in the twenty second year of his Majestys Reign between Thomas

Hancock Esq.^r Middlecot Cooke Gent:^mn John Steel Esq:^r William Salter

& John Tyng Gent:^mn Samuel Grant Upholder and Thomas Hill Distiller

all of Boston in the County of Suffolk & Province of the Massachusetts Bay

in New England and present Select Men of said Town on the one Part

and Henry Caner Clerk, James Gordon Shopkeeper, John Box Merch^t,

John Gibbins Apothecary, Charles Apthorp Esq:^r, S^r Henry Frankland

Baronet, Eliakim Hutchinson Esq.^r, James Smith Merchant, Geo

Cradock Jonathan Pue & Job Lewis Esq:^rs  All of Boston James

Forbes Merchant Sylvester Gardiner Physitian and Charles

Paxton Esq:^r all of Boston aforesaid as the said Henry Caner

is Minister the said James Gordon & John Box the Wardens & the said

Charles Apthorp, S^r Henry Frankland, Eliakim Hutchinson, James

Smith, George Cradock, Jonathan Pue, Job Lewis, James Forbes

Silvester Gardiner, John Gibbins & Charles Paxton are the Vestry of Kings

Chapel in Boston aforesaid on the other part; Whereas the Free:

:holders & other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston in Town Meeting

legally assembled on Monday the eighteenth day of April last filed in

answers to the Petition of said Minister Wardens & Vestry of said Chapel

by their Vote then passed impower the Select Men aforesaid to make

a legal Conveyance in Behalf of said Town to the said Petitioners

(upon their first complying with certain Terms & Conditions therein

mentioned & express’d) of a Peice of Land situate in Boston fronting

on School Street extending thirty feet in said Street from the East

End of said Kings Chapel & includes the Passage Way into the

Burying Ground, and the westerly part of the School House & of

the Yard thereto belonging measuring thirty seven feet back from

the said Street, together with the old School House & other Buildings

belonging to it, being partly on the Premises & partly on the Towns

Land adjoining to be removed when the Town shall require it at the

Expense of the Petitioners Also a Strip of Land thirty feet in length

& four feet wide, extending from the Northeast Corner of the old Chapel

upon a line with the North Side of said Chapel in order to erect thereon

part of the Walls of the proposed new Church, also another Strip

of said Width adjoining to & turning upon a right Angle with the former

thence running until it meets the larger Peice herein first proposed

to be granted, saving a Passage Way of six feet wide in the last mentioned

Strip thro’ the Walls of the New Church in some convenient Place be:

:tween the said Northeast Corner & the Chancel herein after men:

:tioned which Entrance shall be at least six feet high leading into

a peice of burying Ground belonging to the Town, which Peice measures

twenty five feet North & South & twenty feet East & West, also another

Peice of Land in form of an half Oval adjoining easterly upon the before

mentioned Parcels of Land & extending fifteen feet North & as much South

from the middle of the Easter most line thereof, & to extend ten feet

further East in its extream Distance from said middle Point,

being for the proposed Chancel provided there shall be left a Passage

Way of at least eleven feet in the narrowest part between said Chancel

and M^r Cooke’s Line into the burying Ground, provided also that

the Bodys of those who shall be known to lay in the said Strip of Land

or within the said half Oval Peice shall be decently taken up &

buryed in some other part of the burying Ground with the Consent

of their Friends and in such Manner as they with the Select Men

shall agree to, & direct, or where no Friends shall appear they shall

be removed as the said Select Men shall direct at the Charge of the

Petitioners. Also a Priviledge to extend their new Building

over the aforesaid Peice of burying Ground lying to the Northward

of the present School House & measuring twenty five feet by twenty

as before express’d provided that they do not carry the Floor of the Church

or otherwise incumber the same within eight feet  of the Surface of the

Earth as it now lyes; and that no Monuments or Graves Stones either

within or without the Building be destroyed, and if accidentally broken

in carrying on the Work be repaired at the Charge of the Petitioners

unless they shall agree with the Friends of those who may lay buried

in said peice of Ground or where no Friends appear with the Select

Men to remove the Bodies in manner as is herein provided for the

said Bodies before mentioned, then & in such Case that the Select

Men be impowered likewise to convey to the Petitioners said peice

of Burying Ground & the Entrance into it herein before reserved

which said Terms & Conditions were that said Petitioners should

procure & cause a legal Title to be made to the Town of a certain

Peice of Land over against the present Grammar School then

in the Occupation of the Widow Green & others measuring thirty

four feet & a half or thereabouts on School Street & ninety seven

feet back more or less bounded on the West by Coll^o Wendells

Lands & Easterly on a Passage Way leading to the House where

M^r Gunter58 now dwells together with the Priviledge of said Passage

Way forever saving to the Petitioners a Liberty of removing if they saw

good the Building then upon said Land when acquired by the Select

Men said Petitioners likewise to erect upon said Land a new School House

and finish the same in like decent Manner with the present School House

to the Satisfaction of the Select Men as by said Vote (Reference thereto

being had) may now fully appear And Whereas the said Petition^rs

or some of them in pursuance of said Vote have since purchased the last

described Peice of Land on the South Side of School Street & by Deed

conveyed the same to said Town of Boston, and also erected a new

Brick School House thereon at their Expence, which School House

the Select Men aforesaid have veiwed and judging the same to be

compleatly finished according to the Vote of the Town did by their

Vote passed the 6^th of March Instant accept the same accordingly

This Indenture therefore Witnesseth that the said Thomas

Hancock Middlecot Cook John Steel William Salter John Tyng

Samuel Grant & Thomas Hill Selectmen as aforesaid in Consideration

that the aforesaid peice of Land in the South Side of School Street

aforesaid has been conveyed to the Town of Boston & a School thereon

erected & compleately finished at the Expence of the Petitioners as is

before mentioned Have Granted enfeoffed conveyed & confirmed had

by these Presents do pursuant to said Town Vote fully & absolutely

Grant enfeoff convey & confirm unto the said Henry Caner, James

Gordon, John Box, John Gibbins, Charles Apthorp, S:^r Henry Frankland

Eliakim Hutchinson, James Smith, George Cradock, Jonathan Pue,

Job Lewis, James Forbes Silvester Gardiner & Charles Paxton, the

several peices or Parcells of Land & Priviledge aforesaid that they the

said Select Men were impowered to convey by the said Vote, saving and

always reserving unto the said Town all such Rights & Priviledges

as they are particularly expressed and reserved to the said Town in

and by the said Vote to have and to hold the said granted

Lands & Priviledges (reserving as aforesaid) unto them the said

Henry Caner, James Gordon, John Box, John Gibbins, Charles

Apthorp, Sir Henry Frankland Eliakim Hutchinson, James Smith,

George Cradock, Jonathan Pue, Job Lewis, James Forbes, Sylvester

Gardiner & Charles Paxton and to the Successors of the said Minister

Wardens & Vestry for ever to and for themselves & th. Congregation

that usually attend the publick Worship of God in said Place and

their only use & Benefit forever        In Witness whereof the Partys

to these Present have hereunto interchangeably set their Hands

& Seals the day & Year first afore written

Signed Sealed & deliv^rd

In presence of us               Thomas Hancock LS

Ezek^l Goldthwaite               Middlecot Cooke  LS

Ezek^l Price

                      Sam^l Grant  LS          John Steel  LS

                      Tho^s Hill  LS          Wm Salter  LS

                                                     Suffolk Ss  Boston March 10:^th 1748

The aforenamed Thomas Hancock, Middlecot Cooke, John

Steel, William Salter, Samuel Grant & Thomas Hill

Select Men &:c personally appeared and acknowledged the

within Instrument to be their free Acts & Deed

                      Coram59

                      John Fayerweather Just Pacis

                                                                     Boston March 10^th 1748

Received & Recorded entered with the Records of Deeds

for the County of Suffolk Lib:^o 76 folio 82 &c

per Ezek^l Goldthwaite Reg^r

In Consequence of two former Votes of the 14:^th July the Committee on the

18:^th made the following Contract with M^r Hayward viz^t

                                                                               Boston 18:^th July 1749

Memorandum that I John Hayward of Braintree in the County of

Suffolk in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England

do promise & oblige my self to Charles Apthorp Esq. Treasurer to the

Committee for rebuilding the Church called the Kings Chapell in Boston

to procure or cause to be procured whatever Quantity of the S:^o Common

Braintree Stones the Committee shall have Occasion for in rebuilding

said Church & the Stones to the liking & Satisfaction of the Masons

employed in building the same for forty Pounds old Tenor for a Boat

Load, each Boat Load to weigh twenty five Tons and to be delivered

at any Wharfe in the Town of Boston where said Charles Apthorp

Esq^r shall appoint

Witness      John Hayward

Will:^m Complin

And another with M^r John Hunt of Braintree as follows viz^t

                                                                          Boston 18^th July 1749

Memorandum that I: John Hunt of Braintree in the County of

Suffolk & Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England do

promise & oblige my self to Charles Apthorp Esq. Treasurer to the

Committee for rebuilding Kings Chapell in Boston to procure or

cause to be procured whatever Quantity of th N:^o Common Braintree

Stones the Comittee shall have Occasion for in rebuilding said Church

and the Stones to the Liking & Satisfaction of the Masons employed

in Building the same for Fifty two Pounds old Tenor for a Boat

Load, each Boat Load to weigh twenty two Tons and to be deliv^d

at any Wharfe in the Town of Boston where said Charles Apthorp

Esq shall appoint

Witness      John Hunt

Will:^m Complin

The Committee having now caused the Ground to be cleared & contracted

for a suitable Quantity of Stones Lime & Sand came to the following

Agreement with Masons to undertake the Work viz^t

                                                                              Boston July 26^th 1749

It is this day agreed between us the Subscribers & the Committee for

rebuilding Kings Chapell to lay the Foundation of the said Chapell

to the Heigth of the first Floor in Stone & Mortar of the thickness

of four feet; all above Ground to be square jointed without Pinners

the Faces hammered square & to be performed in every Respect in a

workmanlike manner for which we are to receive of the said Comittee

at the Rate of Five Pounds old Ten:^r for each Perch of one foot

high sixteen & a half feet long & four feet thick as the said Work goes

on & in Case we make it appear to the said Comittee that we are

Sufferers by this Agreement we are to receive such further Allowance

as they shall think just      Witness our Hands

                                                                                        Dan^l Bell

                                                                                        George Ray

Labourers were now employed to open a Trench for the Foundation

with all possible Dispatch, which being soon accomplish’d to the

Depth of between 7 & 8 feet, the Comittee directed that the first

Stone for the Foundation should be laid on the 11:^th of August to w:^ch

Purpose they made the following Vote viz^t

At a Meeting of the Comittee for rebuilding King’s Chapell at the

House of Doctor Gardiner on Tuesday the 8^th August 1749

    Present      The Treasurer & whole Committee

Voted     that the Rev:^d Mr. Caner & Charles Apthorp Esq:^r wait

           on his Excellency Gov^r Shirley to desire that he will be pleased

           to lay the first Stone in the Foundation of the New Chapell

           on Fryday next & likewise that the Rev^d M:^r Caner be desired

           to preach a Sermon on the Occasion60

On Fryday the 11:^th of August M:^r Caner M:^r Brockwell61, the Treasurer

& Committee together with the Wardens Vestry & other Principal Gent:^m

of the Church waited on His Excellency Will:^m Shirley Esq from

the Province House to the Ground laid out four the Church amidst a

large Concourse of Spectators where a Stone was prepared with the

following Inscription viz^t

[May it be with the Grace of God for Church and State: William Shirley laid this foundation stone, sacred to God, at the restoration and expansion of King’s Chapel in Boston, Massachusetts.]

When the Masons had placed the Stone at the No:East Corner of the Trench his Excellency according to the Custom settled it with a Stroke or two of a Masons Hammer and after giving the Workmen about £20 to drink his Health went into the Church as did also most of those who were present where after Prayers a Sermon was preach’d with a Veiw to the Occasion by the Rev^d M^r Caner from Neh.* 2. 20

     In the Afternoon the Committee met together and passedthe following Vote viz^t

At a Meeting of the Committee for rebuilding King’s Chapell at the

House of Charles Apthorp Esq:^r 11^th August 1749

Voted      Present The Treasurer & whole Comittee

          That Charles Apthorp & Eliakim Hutchinson Esq:^r wait on the

          Rev:^d M:^r Caner in behalf of the Comittee to thank him for the

          Sermon he preached this Morning at King’s Chapell & desire a Copy of it

          for the Press -----

The laying this Stone tho’ attended with no Circumstance or Ceremony

out of the comon Road, excepting that decent one of a Sermon upon the

Occasion recomending the Piety of such Designs & exhorting the Hearers

to Munificence & Liberality, set some Enemys of the Church and of

Government at work to turn the whole into Ridicule, the Attempt

was printed the Monday following in a Weekly Paper called the Inde:

:pendent Advertizor published by Rogers & Fowle in which after an

Introduction full of Scurrility & even Blasphemy taken from a

Pamphlet called the Independent Whigg the Author endeavoured to

display a little low Wit, but the Malice & Ill Manner of the Writer

got the better of his Wit & exposed him to Resentment & Contempt

where he thought to have merited Applause. And indeed the

sober & serious Men of all Parties in the Town were so much offended

att the ill Manners & Irreligion discovered in this Libel that it soon

gave Occasion to the suppressing the Paper in which it was pub:

:lish’d especially as it had long been made Use of for a Vehicle

of Scandall & Disaffection to Government

     The following Votes were passed by the Comittee on the 22:^d Aug:^t

At a Meeting of the Comittee for rebuilding King’s Chapell at the

House of Charles Apthorp Esq 22^d August 1749

Present      The Treasurer & whole Comittee

Voted     that D:^r Gardiner agree with M^r Atkins for what Lime

          may be used for the Foundation now laying on the best Terms

          he can not exceeding Eight Pounds ten Shillings per Hogshead

Voted     that the Expence of printing 300 Copys of the Rev^d M^r

          Caner’s Sermon on laying the first Stone of the Foundation be

          paid by the Treasurer & that they be distributed in the following

Manner viz^t                         Fifty Copys to His Excell^cy the Gov^r

                                               Twenty  to the Rev^d M^r Caner

                                               One  to each Subscriber

The remainder to be lodged with the Treasurer to be disposed of

as the Committee may hereafter think proper

the following Vote was likewise pass’d the 29:^th August viz^t

At a Meeting of the Committee for rebuilding King’s Chapel at the House

of George Cradock Esq:^r on Tuesday the 29^th August 1749

Voted     that in laying the Foundation of the new Chapel there

           be made an arch’d Door of 4 feet wide and 6 feet high exclusive

           of the Sweep of the Arch under the eastern Window in the Chancell

           for carrying Corps under the Church

As the Work of the Foundation was now considerably advanc’d the

Committee began to be very solicitous for the Plan which thro’ a

multiplicity of Business Mr Harrison had not been able to finish

but on the 15:^th of September it was compleated & sent together with

a Letter of w.^ch the following is a copy

                                                       Newport September 15.^th 1749

Sir

                  Since I first undertook to draw a Design for the

New Church many things have unexpectedly occur’d to prevent

me from finishing it in the Time you requested

however have at last completed it; & now send you per the Post

Rider all the Plans & Elevations (as mentioned below) which I

should be glad to hear answers your Expectations & that no

material Alteration is made in the Execution, as it is very

possible by that Means the Symmetry of the whole may be destroy’d

    The Body of the Building (as you directed) is as

plain as the Order of it will possibly admit of, but the Steeple

is fully decorated & I believe will have a beautiful Effect

The inside is likewise designed plain & as regular as can be

continued from the Dimentions you limited me to

From these Hints you may perhaps be able to answer the Objections

of such of the Committee and others who may not be conversant

with Drawings, or have not a Taste in Things of this Nature

I am Sir your most Humble Serv^t

Peter Harrison

• The Plan
• The Elevation of the West Front
• The Elevation of the South Front
• The Section    Breadth Ways
• The Plans of the Steeple
• The Plan of the Pews
• To the Rev:^d M^r Henry Caner

The Comittee were well pleased with M^r Harrisons Plan & desired

M:^r Caner to write him a Letter of Thanks, to acquaint him

therewith and that they had determined to follow it as nearly as

possibly they could; and withal to acquaint him that when it should

be in their Power they should make a further Acknowledgment

of his Favour

Besides endeavouring to increase their Subscription at home

the Comittee determined to try once more what might be done

abroad and to this End came to the following Resolution & Vote

viz^t

At a meeting of the Committee for rebuilding Kings Chapel at

the House of Eliakim Hutchinson Esq:^r on Tuesday 14^th October 1749

Voted     that the Rev^d M^r Caner be desired to write a Letter for the

           Comittee to sign to Gedney Clarke Esq of Barbadoes, another

           to M^r Peter Sherwood & an Address to the Bishop of London

           also to procure a Copy of S^r Henry Frankland’s Petition to His

           Majesty when in England in Behalf of the Chapell & to draw

           another Petition to His Majesty to be signed by the Minister

           Wardens & Vestry, both to be inclosed to His Excellency Gov^r Shirley

           in a Letter from the Comittee, w^ch he is likewise requested to write

     Agreeable to the above Vote & Request of the Committee M^r Caner

drew up the following Letters & Memorial viz^t

                                                                               Boston October 25:^th 1749

M:^r Gedney Clarke62

     Sir

     We the Subscribers being a Committee appointed

for rebuilding Kings Chapel in this Town encouraged thereto by

the Nature of the Work we have in hand & by former Experience of

your Disposition to such Acts of Piety & Munificence particularly

in your generous Donation to Christ Church in this Town; take

the Freedom to ask your Assistance in helping forward this good

Work. We find our selves under a Necessity of making

Applications of this Nature to several of our Friends abroad as the

Work is too expensive for a single Congregation how generous soever

and especially as we have been prevented from laying in a previous

Fund by the constant Applications made to us for Assistance

to many Infant Churches in these Parts. It is now become

our own Turn to appear as Petitioners & So ask the Assistance of

every well disposed Friend among whom we take leave to number you

     If your Business or Inclination permit you also to mention

the Thing to any of your Friends we doubt not of reaping the Fruit

of their Bounty from your Interest & Influence with them

We must not omitt to mention that some of us lately had the Pleasure

of drinking your Health at a publick & generous Entertainment

made here in your Name by your Brother M^r John Clarke

to which we shall only add our hearty good Wishes for the Con:

:tinuance of your Health & Welfare & that we are

                                                                Sir your most Humble Serv^ts

                                                                C Ap. E H. G C. &al

M^r Peter Sherwood                                        Boston October 28^th 1749

     Sir

                   It would be unnecessary to make any Apology

for this Application from us the Committee for rebuilding Kings

Chapel in this Town. The Nature of the Work is a sufficient

Recommendation of it to all hearty Friends & Lovers of our good old

Mother the Church of England. As we know you to be one of them

we think it needless to trouble you further then to let you know,

that the old Chapel is so much decayed as to lay us under a Necessity

of rebuilding, which we have accordingly begun with a very generous

Subscription from the Congregation & some few kind Friends, tho’ it

is Short of what will make the Building fit to meet in

Your Bounty & Assistance upon this Occasion will be a farther Token

of the good Disposition we know to be in you and your Interest

with any Friends in England to the same Purpose will add to the

Obligations we shall esteem our Selves under to serve & thank you

    We would let you know that we have not forgot your Generosity

to Trinity Church, but as you have given us that Assurance

of your Readiness to promote these Works of Piety. so we shall

wait with Pleasure for what further Testimony of it you shall

please to give us in favour of the present Work in the mean:

:time assuring you that we are

[Illegible ]     Sir y^r most Humble Serv^ts

                                                                       C A ----- & the Comt:^ee

May it please your Lordship                     Boston N E 25^th October 1749

                   We the Subscribers the Minister & Committee appointed

for rebuilding King’s Chapel in this Town humbly beg Leave to re:

:present to your Lordship that this Church which was the first erected

in New England America for the Service of the Church of England

is now thro’ time fallen into a State of irreparable Decay, for this

Reason the Congregation have generously subscribed towards rebuilding

of it, but as it is a Work too expensive for a single Congregation, and

especially as this Church has been look’d upon as the Mother of

the nest & so constantly drained by yielding Assistance to more

infant Churches we are constrained to make Application to

those whom Divine Providence has favoured with a Disposition to

Works of this Nature & an Ability to promote them. If We presume

to look upon your Lordship as enjoying these Advantages We beg

Leave to hope the Fruit of our Opinion in your kind Notice of us

& Benevolence to this Work of Piety we have in Hand, ‘Tis not

meerly your Lordships Bounty which we humbly promise and

solicit from this Address, since we are assured your Example

will influence many others to join their Assistance to a Work

which your Lordship shall think proper to encourage

His Excellency our very worthy Gov:^r now in England who has not

only generously subscribed but many other ways given his best

Countenance and Support to this Work has encouraged us that he

will continue to be mind full of us there, and as we know it

will be much in your Lordships Power so we beg Leave to hope

your Lordship will facilitate his Applications

   Our kind & generous Friend S^r H Frankland informs us

that your Lordship condescended to direct him when applying in our

favour to prepare a Memorial to His Majesty & encouraged him with

your Lordships Interest in making a favourable Mention of it

That Gent^m accordingly put a Memorial of that Nature into the Hands

of the Hon:^ble Mr Pelham63 & received his Promise of laying it before

his Majesty, but as we do not find it is yet delivered we have wrote

to his Excellency our Gov:^r To revive the Thing to which if your

Lordship should think proper to add your own Influence it would

doubtless have a proper Effect

     We humbly beg Pardon for the Freedom of this Address to w^ch “

nothing but absolute Necessity would have embolden’d us and take

Leave to add that we are with much Respect & Veneration

May it please your Lordship

Your Lordships most dutiful and

Obedient Humble Servants

To The R^t Rev^d                    H Caner

The Lord Bishop of                    C Apthorp -----

      London64                         & the Comt:^ee

May it please your Excellency                         Boston 31^st October 1749

                     Agreeable to your Excellencys Direction we now presume

to inclose a Coppy of a Memorial delivered by M^r Frederick & S^r Henry

Frankland to M^r Pelham in favour of the Chapel, which that Gent^m

promised them to lay before his Majesty; S^r Harry assures us that this

Step was taken in Consequence of the Advice of the Bishop of London

and we think also the Archbishop concurr’d in it. that the former at least

promised to make a favourable mention of it to his Majesty

     Your Excellency knows where it now sticks & as we hope your own

Affairs have by this Time received so much Dispatch as to give Leisure

for a few Thoughts in our Favour, we have also inclosed a Memorial

signed by the Wardens & Vestry referring it to your Excellency’s Wisdom “

which of them to make Use of. We have likewise presum’d to inclose

a Letter to my L^d of London upon the same Subject, hoping that some

of these Things will sooner or later operate in our Favour

    We wish your Excellency all desired Success in your own Affairs

& in those which relate to the publick Interest of this your Government

and a safe & speedy Return being with all Duty & Submission

                                                                   Your Excellencys

                                                                            most Obed^t and

                                                                            most humble Serv^ts

                                                                                       H C

                                                                                       C A & the Com^ee

     To his most gracious Majesty George the second King of Great Brittain

France and Ireland &c. The Petition or Memorial of the Minister Wardens

& Vestry of Kings Chapel in Boston in New England Humbly sheweth

     That Whereas by the Injuries of Time & Accidents your Majestys

Chapel in this Town is fallen into a State of irreparable Decay, whereby

not only the Congregation but also your Majestys Governour & other your

Majestys Officers in this Province for whom decent Pews have been provided

in the said Chapel are likely in a short Time to be deprived of a convenient

place for the Worship of God. The Parishioners taking the Premises

into their serious Consideration from a sincere Regard to the honour of God

and for continuing the Opportunity & Advantages of his Publick Worship

(and being moreover encouraged thereto be the Countenance & Liberality of

your Majestys Governour of this Province) have contributed towards re:

:building the said Chapel with Stone that it may not be liable to frequent

and expensive Repairs and have caused the Work to be begun, but as

the Subscription is very short of what will be necessary to bring forward

the Building even to a Condition of Usefulness. The Minister Wardens

& Vestry of said Chapel humbly presume to approach your Majesty

with this Memorial praying your Majesty to take the Premises

into your gracious Consideration & to favour them with your Royal

Bounty or otherwise vouchsafe to direct & encourage the raising suitable

Assistance in such Way or Method as to your Majestys Wisdom shall

seem meet

And your Majestys Petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray &c

The following is Copy of S^r Henry Franklands Memoral inclosed with the

foregoing letter & Memorial to His Excellency Gov^r Shirley

     His Majesty’s Chapel at Boston in New England was built

in 1688, & in 1710 the Increase of Parishioners was so considerable as to

require it’s being inlarged, since that Time two other Churches pro:

:ceeded from it which have drawn off the most wealthy part of the Con:

:gregation

     As it is built of Wood & is more than sixty Years old and has been

greatly weakened by a late remarkable Storm it is become dangerous

to attend Divine Service in it when the Winds are high as by its Situation

it is pretty much expos’d, & as it is impracticable to repair it in its

present decayed State & a new one is absolutely necessary the Parishioners

have subscribed sixteen hundred Pounds towards it & as they are incapable

of compleating it themselves they most humbly hope for his Majesty’s Bounty

& Favour in assisting them

                     This is the oldest Church in British America

and was built enlarged & repaired by the Congregation, who also erected a

very fine Pew for the Use of his Majesty’s Governour in it

     If his Majesty would be graciously pleased to signify his Royal

Intentions in this Matter it will have an undoubted Influence on many

charitable & well disposed Persons to follow the good Example & furnish

the Means of finishing a Chapel so spacious as to admit of Numbers

which the present Church is too small to contain. And by Building

it of Stone will be rendered more durable & the great Expence of

future Repairs that wooden Edifices are liable to may be avoided

     The Winter soon setting in, the Committee were obliged to suspend

the Affair of building and apply’d themselves to the Business of enlarging

their Subscriptions and endeavouring to procure new ones. But the when

the Spring advanced, the Committee observing that the Workmen proceeded

very slowly notwithstanding they had all along been fully and punctually

paid came to the following Resolution viz:

     At a meeting of the Committee for rebuilding Kings Chapel at the House

of M^r Tho^s Hawding 8^th of May 1750 Present the Treasurer and whole Committee except D^r Gardner

Voted     unanimously that George Cradock Esq^r and D^r John

           Gibbins acquaint Mess^rs Derham and Ray that unless they go to

           work immediately on the Church and continue steadily at it, they

           will be discharged.

     The foregoing Resolution stirred up the Workmen to a little

more Diligence and Application.

     The Committee had at this Time a vexatious Law Suit to manage

against Benj^a Faneuil Esq^r, who refused to pay a Subscription of £200

Sterling formerly made towards rebuilding Kings Chapel by his Brother Peter

Faneuil Esq^r, And as Robert Auchmuty65 Esq^r, who conducted the Suit as

Attorney to the s^d Benj^a Faneuil was lately dead, they thought proper to

retain his son M^r Robert Auchmuty who was possessed of his Fathers papers

in their Favour; and accordingly came to the following Vote viz:

     At a Meeting of the Committee for rebuilding Kings Chapel at

the House of Charles Apthorp Esq^r 3^d of June 1750 Present the

Treasurer and whole Committee.

Voted     unanimously that Geo. Cradock Esq^r be desired to give M^r Robert

           Auchmuty, Ten Pounds Old Tenor as a retaining Fee in the Case against

           M^r Faneuil, and in any other Affairs of the Church.

     Cap.^t Phillips gone for England some time since having offer’d

his Assistance in procuring Benefactions for the Church there, The

Committee wrote him a Letter to the same purport with that formerly

sent to M^r W^m Vassal66 and inclosed the Form of a

Subscription.

          M^r Barlow Trecothick hitherto Clerk to the Committee for

rebuilding Kings Chapel having signified his Intention  of going to England

within a few Days the Committee desired the Rev^d M^r Caner to keep the minutes of

their Proceedings till his Return which he accordingly accepted to do. And the

s^d M^r Trecothick and Charles Paxton Esq^r bound likewise to England having

each of them offer’d their service in procuring Subscriptions for rebuilding Kings

Chapel, the Committee furnisht each of them with a Letter and Form of a

Subscription to the same Purport with those formerly sent to W^m Vassal67 Esq^r

          The Committee at the same Meeting viz.19^th of June 1750 At the House of

George Cradock Esq.^r  The Treasurer and whole Committee present except Eliakim

Hutchinson Esq^r came to the following vote viz

Voted     that M^r Caner be desired to draw up two Letters for the Committee

           to sign and send by M^r Barlow Trecothik One to D^r Wilson in London

           who made favourable mention of the Affair of the Chapel in a late Letter

           to George Cradock Esq^r The other to Cap^t Tho^s Coram who by a Letter

           from James Gibson Esq^r to the s^d M^r Cradock appears ready to give

           Encouragement to the same good Work. Accordingly the following Letters

           were drawn up and put into the Hands of M^r Barlow Trecothick viz:

                                                                               Boston in N: England June 20^th

                                                                                                                       1750

S^r

                     Tho’ we wrote you some Time since upon the Affair of

rebuilding Kings Chapel in this Town, and begg’d your Kind Assistance in

promoting this good Work, yet knowing your constant Application to Works of

publick Charity, We imagine you have been too deeply engaged in something of this

kind, to be able to give Attention to our Request, not doubting but at a convenient

time you will permit this Affair to have place among the many Interests which fall

under your prudent and effectual Management. This Church has had many violent

Struggles with the Dissenters and perhaps none sharper than since we have

Enter’d upon the present Work. And should the Countenance of our Friends

at home be deny’d us in such a Conjuncture as this, it may justly be expected

that they will have too easy an Opportunity of triumphing in our Misfortunes.

The Bearer who is one of us, will give you a particular Account of our Proceeding

together with an Estimate of the Expense, And if you shall think proper to support

him with your Influence, we doubt not of receiving such suitable Assistance

and Encouragement as may enable us to proceed with Vigour & Chearfulness.

                    In the mean time We beg leave to assure you that we are

                                                               S:^r your most humble Servants

To Cap^t  Thomas Coram                             H. Caner

                                                                     C. Apthorp

                                                                     E. Hutchinson

in London                                                    J. Gibbins

                                                                    G. Cradock

                                                                    S. Gardner

                                                                    T. Hawding

                                                                   Boston in N: England June 20^th 1750

Reverend Sir

                     Our good Friend M^r Cradock communicated to us

a Paragraph of your Letter to him, in which you favourably mention the

good Work we have in hand, viz: the rebuilding Kings Chapel in this Town

We thank you for your obliging Notice of this Affair and for the Promise of

your Interest in its favour. The building is to be 90 foot long exclusive

of the Steeple and Chancel and Sixty six foot wide. The Plan of it is now

in the Hands of the Engraver; and we are encouraged that one of the Elevations

at least will be finisht so as to give us an Opportunity of enclosing it to you

in this Letter. if not we shall send it as soon as it is compleated. As to an

Estimate of the Expense it is computed at 5000 Sterling of which we have raised

about 2000, and expect to make up about £500 more here; which indeed is

going a great Way, as we have been at the Expense of building two large

Churches in this Town, which have sprung out of this within little more

than 20 years past. For the Remainder we must be beholden to Time and

future Ability together with the favourable Disposition of Providence in giving

success to our Applications to you and other pious and generous Friends in

England. M^r Barlow Trecothick who is the Bearer of this will be

able to give you a more particular Account of our Proceedings as he

is one of the Church has been active in the Affair of rebuilding it

and is now empowered by us to cultivate its further Support and the

Enlargement of our Subscription Wishing all Health and Happi:

:ness to you and yours We take leave to Subscribe

Rev^d Sir your obliged humble Servants

                                   H. Caner

to the Reverend D^r Tho^s Wilson68                    C. Apthorp

G. Cradock

in Dean’s Yard Westminister                         E. Hutchinson

J. Gibbins

The two foregoing Letters with two Elevations of the          S. Gardner

South Front one of which was directed for D^r Wilson          T. Hawding

Were put in the Hands of M^r Barlow Trecothick who sailed the 25^th Day

of June 1750 in the Brittania Cap^t  Jer. Jones.

     At a Meeting of the Comittee June 26^th 1750 At the House of

D^r Gibbins Present the Treasurer George Cradock Esq^r Doc^r John Gibbins

Doc^r Gardner and M^r Hawding. Voted that a Copy of a former Letter69

directed to M^r Gidney Clark be prepared for the Committee to sign, as

the Ship was founder’d by which the former was sent.

Voted     also that M^r Treasurer Doc^tr Gardner and M^r Hawding be desired

to go to morrow Morning to M^r Atkins and enquire the Reason why he

           delays proceeding with his Work at the Chapel. To make a Contract with

           him for finishing the Foundation not contracted for with Mess^rs Ray

           and Durham and obliging him to proceed  immediately upon the Work

           and to continue at it till he has finisht his Contract or else to dismiss him

     The foregoing letter to Gidney Clark Esq^r was prepared Sign’d and sent by

D^r Carter of Barbadoes Who sailed the beginning of July 1750

     At a Meeting of the Committee July 3^d 1750 at the House of Doctor

Gardiner present M^r Treasurer George Cradock Esq^r D^r Gardiner and

M^r Hawding. Reported That agreeable to a Vote of June 26^th 1750 M^r

Treasurer Doc^tr Gardiner & M^r Hawding went to M^r Atkins and acquainted

him with the Resolution of the Committee who promised to proceed in the

Work on Friday following and to continue at it in a steady way, and also to

heed wait upon the Committee at this present Meeting

     At a Meeting of the Committee at M^r Hawdings Country House

July 10^th 1750 Present M^r Treasurer George Cradock Esq^r Doc^r Gibbins

Doc^r Gardner & M^r Hawding Voted That George Cradock Esq^r Doc^r John

Gibbins & M^r Hawding be desired to wait on S^r Henry Frankland for a Bill of

Exchange upon his brother Cap^t Tho^s Frankland for 60£ Sterling collected by him

in England for Kings Chapel: And for an Order upon Cha^s Apthorp Esq^r for S^r Peter

Warrens Subscription of 20£ Sterling: And likewise for S^r Harry’s own Subscription

Mem. It is agreed by the Committee to offer Mess^rs Hunt and Howard £75

for a Boat Load of Stones supposd to contain Twenty five Ton

and Twelve or Thirteen Hundred. On Condition they are obliged to pay

forty Shillings per Boat Load Tax to the Town of Braintree

     At a Meeting of the Committee for rebuilding Kings Chapel

at the House of Charles Apthorp Esq^r present

     M^r Hunt and M^r Hayward being present the Committee

agreed with the former to find what North Common Stones shall be

wanted to finish the foundation of Kings Chapel at Seventy five Pounds

for a Boat Load the Boat being loaded down to her Mark, at which She

is suppos’d to carry Twenty five Ton & Twelve or Thirteen Hundred and

a half. The Stones to be to the Acceptance of the Workmen a proportionable

Number of large ones to work up the small, and that the Committee be not

obliged to receive or pay for any Stones that the Masons refuse as unsuitable

to the Work.

     Also agreed with Mess^rs Hunt & Hayward to find and Land upon such

convenient Wharf in Boston as the Committee shall appoint as many North

Common Stones as may be wanted for finishing the whole of Kings Chapel within

a reasonable Time after Notice given them at the above Rate of Seventy five

Pounds for a Boat Load of Twenty five tons and Twelve or Thirteen Hundred

condition’d as above that no more small Stones be brot than what may be

conveniently be wrought up with the large ones, & that the Committee be not

obliged to receive such Stones as their Masons shall declare to be useful for the

Work.

Voted     that M^r Treasurer be desired to make a Contract with s^d

           Hunt & Hayward agreeable to the above Minutes.

           Mem.  Agreed by s^d Hunt & Hayward to abate to the Committee whatever

           part of the forty Shilling Tax shall be abated them by the Committee of

           the Town of Braintree

           Wheras by a former Contract with Mess^rs Bell and Ray the Committee

           agreed to pay their Masons Five Pound for every Perch of Wall70 of

           four foot thick and one foot in heigth and to make such further Allowance

           as to the Committee should seem reasonable: It is now agreed that Mess^rs

           Atkins and Derham, the present Masons employed by the Committee be

           allow’d for every Perch of Wall four foot thick and one foot high under

           Ground five Pound Old Tenor; and for every Perch of Wall four foot thick

           and one foot high above Ground Eight Pounds Old Tenor and in like

           Proportion for any other Thickness. To which the s^d Atkins

           and Derham agreed, and likewise that they be obliged to finish the

           foundation of the Chapel as high as the present Floor by the last Day

           of October next:

Voted     also that a Contract be drawn & executed with the said

           Derham & Atkins pursuant to the above Agreement.

At a Meeting of the Committee for rebuilding Kings Chapel

at the House of George Cradock Esq^r on Tuesday Evning July 24^th 1750

     Upon complaint made to this Committee that by Mess^rs Atkins & Derham

their Masons that having measur’d and computed the last of the Wall

they have  built they find that they shall fall short of Days Wages if they

proceed in the Work at the Price agreed on in the last Meeting of this Committee

and thereupon praying that the Committee will make them a further Allowance

of Wages. The Committee taking the Representation of their s^d Masons into

Consideration unanimously agreed to allow them Six Pounds Old Tenor for every

Perch of Wall four foot thick and one foot high under Ground, & Ten Pounds

for every Perch of Wall four foot thick & one foot high above Ground; To which

Allowance the s^d Derham & Atkins agreed and thereupon promised to finish the

Foundation of the New Chapel at the above Price, & moreover to compleat the Work

as high as the present building will allow by the first Day of November next, and

to have as many Stones ready, hew’d71 for the Outside of the Wall as will compleat the

whole Foundation by the first Day of March next ensuing. And the Committee

desired the Rev^d M^r Caner & D^r Gardner to make a Contract with Mess^rs Atkins

and Derham pursuant to the above Agreement.

     The Committee were encouraged this Evning by a Report from Cha^s Apthorp Esq^r

that His Excellency Gov^r Shirley Esq^r had wrote M^r Hutchinson that “he should

make a Point of it to procure the Kings Bounty to the rebuilding the Chapel,”

     Agreeable to the Desire of the Committee as above the following Contract

with Mess^rs Durham & Atkins was made and sign’d viz:^t

                                                                              Boston July 31^st 1750

It is this Day agreed between us the Subscribers and the Committee for

rebuilding Kings Chapel; To lay the Foundation of s^d Chapel to the height of the

first Floor in Stone and Mortar of the Thickness of four Feet and the Foundation

of the Tower the same height the thickness of five Feet. The work above Ground

to be square joynted without Pinners,72 the Faces hammer’d Square and to be

perform’d in every Respect in a workmanlike manner; and to be accomplisht

as high as the present Floor and Sills of the Chapel will admit by the first Day

of November next, and further to have as many Stones ready hewed for the

outside of the Wall as will compleat the whole Foundation design’d for the New

Chapel by the first Day of March next ensuing under the Penalty of forfeiting

forty Shillings old Tenor in every Perch of Wall out of the Price hereafter

stipulated. For which Work perform’d in Manner and Time as afores.^d

We are to receive of Charles Apthorp Esq^r Treasurer to the s^d Committee

at the Rate of six Pounds for each Perch of Wall of one Foot high and

four foot thick above under Ground. And Ten Pounds for every Perch of Wall, One

foot high and four foot thick above Ground;  and in like Proportion for any

other thickness. To the Performance of all and every Article above specify’d

and upon the Conditions abovementioned. we willingly agree bind and

oblige our Selves. As witness our Hands the Day and Date above written.

Mem. It is agreed between us the Subscribers and the Committee

above mentioned that the same Price be allowed us for the Wall that is

already built, as for that which is yet to build. Always provided that the s^d “Committee

furnish us with a suitable Supply of all necessary Materials, as

fast as they shall be wanted in building.

                                                                                                      John Durham

In Prescence of      Tho^s Atkins

W.^m Warland

Rich^d Atkins

     At a Meeting of the Committee for rebuilding Kings Chapel

at the House of Doct^r Gardner, Augist 14^th 1750. present George Cradock

Esq^r Doc^r John Gibbins Doc^r Sylvester Gardner & M^r Tho^s Hawding.

     Voted     that the Tower of the Chapel be directed to be built Twenty Six foot

                Square from out to out.

     In the Lawsuit which this Committee caused to be commenced against

Benj^a Faneuil Esq^r for Recovery of £200 Ster. the Subscription of his Brother Peter

Faneuil Esq.^r the Committee obtained a Verdict of the Jury to this Effect viz. “The

Jury find the Money sued for to be justly due, but whether the Ch.^h Wardens (in

whose Name the Action was brought) are legally entitled to recover and receive the

same being a Point of Law is referr’d to the “Judgment of the Bench.73

          Before this special Verdict was pleaded to; The cheif Judge Paul Dudley Esq^r

died; And the Case being afterwards brot’ on, before the four remaining Judges it was

pleaded but no Judgment given, because being equally divided there wanted a chief

Judge to decide. Thus the Case now continues suspended till the Appointment of

another Judge.

                      M^r Tho^s Gunter notified us acquainted the Committee that M^r Ralph

Allen a Gentleman in England not far from Bristol was accounted a Person of

a charitable and generous Mind: and that a Letter to him might probably have

a good Effect in favour of the Chapel; the Committee desired M^r Caner to draw up

the Form of a Letter to the s^d Gentleman which was done and sign’d; and of which the

following is a Copy. viz

                                                                         Boston Nov.^r 22^d 1750

Sir

     The Report of your generous Disposition to acts of Piety which

has reached even this distant part of the World, has encouraged us the

Minister Treasurer & Committee for rebuilding Kings Chapel in this Town

to the present Application. This Church first built of Wood in the Year 1688

is now reduced to a State of irreparable Decay. It was the first Church of England

built in English America from which has sprung two others in this Town which

with the frequent Assistance given to other distant Churches in this Country

has prevented our laying by any Stock or Fund. And it is now become our own

Turn to ask that Assistance which we have been used to grant to others. The

Congregation have lately enter’d upon a Design of rebuilding this Church with Stone

but as there is no such thing as free Stone in these Parts, they have begun to

make Use of such as the Country affords, which is of so hard and course a Nature

that it is incapable of being wrot’ into any thing Ornamental such as the Jaumes

of Doors and Windows. Pediments, Capitals and the like, nor if such Stone

could be found is there any Workman capable to do it.  As we are informed

you are the Proprieter of a large Quarry of fine Free stone, It is Sir we apprehend

in your Power, and We have no doubt of your Readiness to lend us some

Assistance. The manner of doing it we shall not presume to prescribe, but

have inclosed a Draught or Design of the intended building by which you will

best percieve what Assistance we need.  Undertakings of this Nature must be

allowed to be too expensive for a single Congregation, especially in an infant Country;

for tho’ we have a Subscription of about £2500 Sterling, which we imagine will

be esteem’d generous for the Congregation; yet it is computed the Work will cost as

much more to compleat it, for which we have little other Dependance besides

such Applications as these. One Act of Generosity points out the Donor as a proper

Resort to such as are in need. And we flatter our Selves since the noble Design

you have lately executed in building and endowing a Chapel at your own Expense

you will not be displeased that We beg the second Instance of your Bounty may

be exerted in our Favour, in such Way and Measure as to you shall seem meet.

We have thro’ the favour of a Friend, desired M^r Morgan Thomas of Bristol

Merchant to wait upon you with this, hoping to find favour at your bountiful

hands. That it may please God to reward your generous Endeavours to advance

his Honour is the hearty Desire of

                                                        Sir your most humble Servants

                                                                                  H. Caner

                                                                                      Ch. Apthorp

To M^r Ralph Allen74 At                                            G. Cradocck

Prior Park near Bath                                                       Elia. Hutchinson

     in Great Brittain                                                      John Gibbins

                                                                                 Sylv. Gardner

                                                                                         Tho^s Hawding

     The foregoing Letter was committed to the Care of M^r Tho^s Gunter who

soon after sent it to England. With a Draught of the New Church as above

mentioned.

     Ch. Apthorp Esq^r transmitted also a Draught of the New Church to M^r

Trecothick in London by Cap^t Phillips for the Inspection of D^r Wilson and other

generously disposed Friends.

     By Cap^t Jones who arrived the Beginning of May 1751 M^r Caner

received a Letter directed to him and the Comtee from M^r Trecothick of which

the following is a Copy viz:

Sir      London March     1750

     Since I had the pleasure of writing you last, I have

(agreeable to the Method I therein advis’d you I should take) put on Foot a

Subscription in favour of the Church, which my Friend M^r Thomlinson

most generously began with Fifty Pounds: I have paid him my best Thanks

for it in Behalf,  doubt not you will put it in my Power to deliver

him a Letter with your own before I leave England.

     I am now going on in procuring what further Benefactions

I can, which at present amount to £40    that is £ 91 in the whole

and I hope still to continue increasing tho’ at present am obliged to be as

secret as the Nature of the Case will admit, to avoid the Interruption of

Persons who treat our Design as little better than chimerical &c extravagant.

     It will be necessary to give Directions for the Purchase of such Materials

as you may want from hence, w^c I flatter my Self may now be done, on as

good or better Terms than hereafter, but submit it to your better Judgment

and shall (in case I receive no Orders from You) invest whatever I collect

in such Goods as will soonest turn into Cash, for Account of the Church

making Insurance thereon. Should you think it necessary to write me

please to remember S^r Harry Franklands Draught for £60 which I have

been long expecting.

     I have several times waited on the Rev^d D^r Wilson who professes

great good Will to our Undertaking but insists that a Petition must be

preferred to his Majesty for his Bounty first, which the D^r thinks cannot fail

of procuring something handsome and will occasion a general Subscription.

To forward this I have inquired the fate of the two Petitions already forwarded

and can learn nothing of that presented by S^r H. F. w^c I presume is overlook’t

and lost   That forwarded to his Exc^llcy I find was lodgd in the Hands

of the Duke of Bedford75 with a Promise from his Grace to present it at a

proper Season but I suppose that is at present forgot also, for which Reason

I have wrote to the Gov^r laying before him a State of the Case & hinting that

without some speedy Encouragement the Work must stop, & begging his

Excell^cys Assistance in getting thro’ the Petition which once done I doubt

not every thing we wish would be effected by good Application. I expect an

Answer soon, when you shall be advis’d of its Purport. In the mean time

my best Endeavours shall be constantly exerted in the pursuit of every Measure

which may tend to procure further Assistance. Pray believe me with very

great Respect

Sirs

Your most obed^t & humble Servant

                                                                                  B. Trecothick

     I had almost forgot to give you an Account of my Embassy to Cap^t

Coram. I waited on him & was very graciously received, but when I

open’d the Occasion of my Visit, he broke out into the most passionate Reproaches

against the Vestry of Kings Chapel, for slighting the present he made them of a

Peice of Land. I found it would not do to insist that they were not qualify’d

to sue for it; and therefore represented that his present Petitioners were to a

Man another sett of People, and not chargeable with the misconduct of their

Predecessors, with whatever else I could think of to cool the old Gentleman, but

all in vain. After several Attempts to sooth him he flatly told me that

he knew it was in his Power to serve the Church very much, but that by G-d

if the twelve Apostles were to apply to him in behalf of it, he would persist in

refusing to do it. This I thot a definitive Answer and so took my leave.

I have since paid him another Visit, and been very courteously treated, but on

mentioning the Church he has directly relaps’d into his Passion so that you

may lay aside all hope from that Quarter.

     Upon the Receipt of the foregoing Letter the Comtee desired M^r

Caner to draw up write a Letter to M^r Trecothick and inclose a Letter of Thanks

to M^r Thomlinson for his generous Benefaction. And to facilitate and pro:

:mote the further Success of M^r Trecothicks Application they likewise

directed a Letter to be wrote to M^r Kilby & another to M^r Jon^a Barnard

Merchants in London desiring their Assistance & Influence in forwarding

the Subscription M^r Trecothick is negotiating. A Letter was also directed

to be prepared for his Excellency the Governor giving Account of the present

State of the Comtee’s Affairs, & desiring particularly his further Assistance in

laying their Petition formerly sent before his Majesty.

     The Letter to M^r Trecothick was as follows viz:

M^r Barlow Trecothick                                     “Boston May 6^th 1751

     Sir

     We have the Pleasure of y^rs by Cap^t Jones, with Account

of your Progress in procuring Subscriptions, & forwarding the Affair of the

Chapel. We most heartily thank you for the special Care & Activity you have

shown in this Business, and assure our Selves from your prudent & judicious

Conduct, that you will yet be able considerably to enlarge the Subscription you

have in hand, notwithstanding the Obstacles that are thrown in your Way.

     Agreeable to your Advice we have inclos’d a Letter of Thanks to M^r Thomlinson

whose bountiful Donation was it seems the first Fruit of your Success. S^r Harry

Frankland at the Desire of the Comtee, gave Draught for the £60 in which it

was thot proper to dispose of here. As to the purchase of Materials We

imagine it will be early enough some time hence; especially since We shall

probably want all the Money we can raise on the Sudden to compleat the Walls,

and purchase such Materials as need must be bot’ here. We are obliged to you

for your Intimation to the Gov^r, who we are sure will omit nothing in his power

to serve us. (As to Coram let him go, he might have served us, but in this

Work tis best to be without Assistance from the D  C.) The Comtee give

their Service to D^r Wilson and desire he will not forget them; possibly he

may yet do something for us. We wish you and M^rs Trecothick all needed

Health and Happiness with a safe Return

To M^r Barlow Trecothick           Being your obliged Friends & humble Servants

in London      H. Caner

Ch. Apthorp & the Com^tee

The following is a Copy of one inclosed to M^r Thomlinson viz:

M^r John Thomlinson                                       Boston May 6^th 1751

     Sir

                     By a Letter from our good Friend M^r Barlow Trecothick

We have the pleasure of being acquainted of your late generous Benefaction

towards rebuilding Kings Chapel in this Town. And the Design of this is

to assure you that we entertain the most grateful Sentiments of this Favour,

which upon all Occasions as well as now, we shall be ready to testify. This Evidence

of your kind Notice of us, and of the good Work we have in hand is a sufficient

Assurance that you will use your Influence where that may take place in

encouraging others to copy your generous Example.

     Be pleased Sir to accept of our most hearty Thanks for your Bounty,

and of our good Wishes for your Health & Happiness,

To John Thomlinson Esq^r     Who take leave to assure you that We are

Merch^t in London.     your most obliged & most hum^le Serv^ts

                                                                            H. Caner

                                                                            Ch. Apthorp &

                                                                            the Com^tee

     The Letter to M^r Kilby is as follows viz:

Mr Kilby                                                           Boston May 6^th 1751

     Sir

     Tis possible that you may have heard that Kings Chapel in this

Town is rebuilding and may have wonder’d that no Application has been made

to you on that Subject. The truth is the Congregation were willing to try

their own Strength before they troubled their Friends. This they have now done

by raising about £2500 Sterling. It is computed the Building will cost near

as much more, part of which we beg leave to hope we shall obtain from you

and other kind Friends. We assure our Selves you will be ready to do something

to promote a Work of this kind from general Principles, something to encourage

the ornamenting your native Town, something to oblige your Friends, of which

there are a good Number Belonging to this Church. ‘Tis indifferent to us upon which

of these Motives you proceed in dispensing your Bounty to us. We the Subscribers

who are a Com^tee chosen for rebuilding it, have desired M^r Barlow Trecothick now

in London to wait on you with the plan & Subscription and having seen the one,

beg leave to promise our Selves your Liberality and Influence in promoting the other.

To Christopher Kilby76 Esq^r      We are Sir your assured Friends & humble Servants

in London      Ch. Apthorp & the Committee

          The following is a Copy of the Letter sent to M^r Barnard

M^r Jon^a Barnard77                                            Boston May 6^th 1751

     Sir

                     We the Subscripbers being a Com^tee appointed for rebuilding

Kings Chapel in this Town, having made some progress in this necessary & expensive

Work, find our Selves obliged to apply to such of our Friends abroad, as we imagine

will give Encouragement to our Design. Your Affection to the Church of England

and Relation to New England, and particularly your former Relation to this very Ch.^h

gives us Reason to believe that you wish its Prosperity, and will be ready to preserve

it from Contempt by encouraging the good Work we have in hand.

     In confidence of this we have desired M^r Barlow Trecothick now

in England to wait on you with our Subscription, and to receive what Benefaction

you may think proper to advance, or by your Influence procure in our Favour.

                                                          We wish you & Yours all Health & prosperity

To M^r Jon^a Barnard      Who are your old assured Friends

Merc^ht in London                                              & humble Servants

                                                                                  Ch. Apthorp & the

                                                                                         Committee

     The Letter to his Excellency the Gov^r was as follows viz:

     May it please your Excellency      Boston May 6^th 1751

                     Having some hopes that this may find you a little at

Leisure from the weighty Affairs in which you have been so long engaged

We presume to offer our Duty, & to remind your Excellency, that we still need

your Influence & Encouragement in the Affair of the Chapel. The Dispute with

M^r Faneuil concerning his Brothers Subscription of £200 Sterling produced a

special Verdict, a Copy of which we have now inclosed. Before this special

Verdict was pleaded to, M^r Dudley died, and the remaining four Judges we

are told are divided in their Opinion, so have given in no Judgment. In this

manner we are inform’d the Case will probably remain suspended till your

Excellency shall please to appoint another Judge. Our Petition to his Majesty

we hear still lies where your Excellency left it, and as the Success of our whole

Business very much depends upon its being laid before his Majesty, we humbly

intreat your Excellency to labour the forwarding of that matter.

     We are still going forward with the Building tho’ slowly, and could we

meet with a little Encouragement from home, imagine we should accomplish it in

due Season. A Draught of our Design is in London, which we suppose M^r

Trecothick will be able to lay before you. It was drawn by M^r Harrison of Newport

and we doubt not will meet with your Excellency’s Approbation.

     That God would give Success to the Affairs in which your Excellency is

engaged and that you may have a speedy and safe Return to this your Government

is the earnest Desire of

                                                                     Your Excellency’s most dutiful

                                                                              most obedient &

To his Excellency Gov^r     most humble Servants

Shirley in London       H. Caner

                                                                                        Ch. Apthorp &

                                                                                        The Committee

(A Copy of the Verdict referr’d to & inclosed in the foregoing Letter to his Excellency

is as follows viz:)

Suffolk Ss

At his Majesty’s Superior Court of Judicature began & held at Boston

within & for the County of Suffolk on the fourth Wednesday of August 1750

by Adjournment from the third Tuesday of s^d Month.

James Gordon e al plts v Benj^a Faneuil Adm^r Deft     The Jury find

specially viz^t That Peter Faneuil Esq^r made the Promise as declared of in the

Writ & that the same is good & binding; that the s^d Benj^a Faneuil is Adm^tr

of the s^d Peters Estate; that untill the Year 1738 The Practice of s^d Church hath

been to elect Ch^h Wardens by a Major Vote of all those that usually assembled in s^d

Church; that in s^d Year 1738. They voted that only those who paid 52/ yearly in

Rates should be Voters, and that since the Ch^h Wardens have been elected only by

those who paid such Rates; and that by such the s^d James Gordon e al were

chosen for the Year in which this Action was bro’t, but never sworn: and if upon the

whole the s^d Gordon e al can by Law maintain this Action, then we find for them

Sixty six Pounds 10/4^d Sterling Money Damage & Costs, otherwise we find for the

Defendant Costs.

                                                         Copy as on File Examin’d Per Sam^ll Winthrop Cler.

    By Cap^t Partridge from Bristol M^r Tho^s Gunter received a Packet with

a Letter inclosed directed to the Rev^d M^r Caner and Mess^rs Apthorp Cradock

Gibbins Gardner & Hawding. being an Answer to the Com^tee’s Letter to M^r Ralph

Allen near Bath in England78 a Copy of which is as follows viz:^t

     Gentlemen

                     I have received the Letter which you were pleased to send

me the 22d of Novem^r last, and have seen the Draught of the new Church

which you intend to build at Boston.

     I much approve of your laudable design and since ‘tis the first

Attempt of this kind in the Plantations, To shew how sincerely I interest my

self in countenancing of it, I shall be willing to make you a present of all

the free stone79 that will be wanting for the Ornaments of your Building, and

deliver it into Barges at my Wharf adjoining to this place without any

Expence to you.

     But finding by your Letter that you have no Workmen in New England

capable of working this Stone and being at the same time sensible that

the sending of it work’d from hence must render it quite useless, by the

Damage which will unavoidably attend it in the Voyage.

     I have enquired whether it was practicable to cause proper Workmen

to go from hence to execute this part of your Building and if they should

be inclinable to go, then to know their Terms.

     In consequence of this Enquiry I find that the Person who lately

built the Exchange at Bristol, with six Workmen under him shews a

Disposition to go to Boston to execute your Design for the Prices which

they had for executing the Ornaments of that Building in Bristol. To

be paid in Sterling Money at Boston with proper Allowance for their loss of

Time & Expence on board the Ship in going from hence to Boston and in

returning home. And since it will be necessary for them to remain at least

one Winter if not more in Boston, to be imploy’d in other Work at certain

Prices during such parts of the Winter, as by the Severity of the Weather

it may be impracticable for them to work the free Stone.

     What the Prices paid at Bristol for all sorts of Free Stone Work

was, I have caused to be inserted in the inclos’d Paper, which is a rough

Estimate of what the Free Stone Work in your Plan (exclusive of the

Incidents taken Notice of) be executed at Boston for, to enable you to form

a more accurate Calculation of the whole Expence of your Building.

     No one can more zealously wish Prosperity to our Colony’s than

                                                              Gentlemen

Prior Park near Bath      your most humble Servant

March 6^th 1750      Ralph

                     Joseph Allen

To the Rev^d M^r Caner & Mess^rs Apthorp

Cradock Gibbins Gardner & Hawding Merchants

in Boston in New England

     The following is a Copy of the Estimate inclose’d with the above

Letter. viz^t:

     An Estimate of the Free Stone Work of Kings Chapel in Boston

in New England but supposing it to be done at Bristol in Old England.

     These Prices are for Workmanship making Mortar and setting up the Work

as well as for Tools and Tackles necessary to Work raise and set the same. It also

includes the Labour in making Scaffolds and taking them down again. But it is

exclusive of Materials for Mortar as well as for Scaffolding, and it is likewise

exclusive of making Scaffolds where it is rough Walls or Brick Work.

     N: B. In the executing the above Work, there may be some necessary

extra Workmanship which cant be now thot of but will be done at the

above Rate.

     Whereas the above Work is to be done at Boston in New England

and as these Prices is supposing it were to be done at Bristol in old England

The Gentlemen of Boston is to make every Mans time from the Time he

sets out of Old England, untill he return back to it again as good to him

as it would have been if the Work had been done at Bristol aforesaid

and to bear their Expences on the Sea both going and coming and

something by way of Encouragement for venturing their Lives so far by Sea

too

     Upon receiving the above Letter and Account Estimate of Work

and Charges. The Committee thot’ proper to acquaint his Excellency

Governour Shirley therewith And accordingly transmitted to him Copy’s of

the Letter and Estimate. The Letter to his Excellency was as follows, viz

     May it please your Excellency      Boston May 22d 1751

     We are desired by the Committee for rebuilding the Chapel

(who could not suddenly be convened) to acquaint your Excellency that since our last

the Committee received a Letter from a Gentleman near Bath in England M^r Ralph

Allen in consequence of an Application by Letter to him wherein he generously makes

an Offer of all the Free Stone it will require to execute the ornamental part of

our Church, the Value of which it is suppos’d is near a thousand Pound Sterling,

and has kindly sent us an Estimate of the Cost of the Workmanship. What Encou:

:raged us to this Application was a Report that this Gentleman was Owner of a

Quarry of Free Stone and that he had at his own Expense built and endowed a

Chapel at or near Bath. We have inclos’d a Copy of our Letter to him and of

his Answer with a Copy of the Estimate to let your Excellency see what a

noble Offer we have provided we had but Stock sufficient to take the Benefit of

it. which unless your Excellency succeed in enlarging we must despair of. Tis

possible your Excellency may think fit to write to him.

     This Day we celebrate the much lamented Death of his late Royal Highness

the Prince of Wales. By a Vote of the Vestry we have a Sermon at the Chapel

upon this sorrowful Occasion and the Pulpit is cover’d with Black Cloath.

     Your Excellency will excuse the hurry of this Letter as the Ship is just upon

sailing. And give us leave to say that we are

                                                    your Excellency’s most dutiful &

To his Excellency Governor Shirley     obedient Servants

                                                                                         H. Caner

                                                                                       Ch. Apthorp

     On Thursday the 30^th of May 1751 The Judges of the Superior Court after

gave Judgment in Favour of Kings Chapel in their Case with Benj^a Faneuil Esq^r

and therein established the Right of the Ch^h Wardens to sue for the Church’s Dues,

notwithstanding they had not been sworn into that Office, which was the Exception

alledged by M^r Faneuils Council. Three of the Judges viz: Saltonstall81 Lines82 &

Cushing83 gave for the Chapel M^r Sewal84 only dissented.

     The Committee desired M^r Caner to draw up a Letter of Thanks

to be sent to M^r Ralph Allen in acknowlegement of his generous Offer of the

Freestone for building the ornamental part of the Chapel; This was accordingly

done and sent by a Vessel bound to Bristol a Copy of which is as follows viz.

                                                                               Boston June 7^th 1751

Sir

                   We received your very kind and obliging Letter of the 6^th

of March. And do very heartily return you Thanks for the generous Offer

contained in it, As well as for the Trouble you have taken in procuring an

Estimate of the Expense of Workmanship in ornamenting our Church. It is

a great Mortification to us and to the whole Congregation, that we find our

Circumstances too much Straitned, to be able to take the Benefit of your

valuable Offer. Our Church to be sure would make a noble figure if it could

be executed in the manner you describe, much beyond any thing yet done

in English America. But an infant People must be content to creep till

they can go. And we can pretend with our small Stock to nothing better than

executing many of the ornamental Parts of the building especially about

the Spire with Wood. You may remember that we acquainted you in

our former Letter that our Subscription amounted to no more than

2500 £ Sterling, and the body of the Building which is doing with rough

Stone we suppose will take up that Sum; And as we have no other Dependance

but what may arise from foreign Applications, We cannot so much as flatter

our Selves at present with being able to receive the Benefit of your generous

Donation. If we should be favou’rd with any tolerable Success in such

Applications, permit us Sir to expect such a part of your Bounty, as our

future Circumstances may enable us to make use of. If nothing of this Nature

should occurr, we must be content to go on in a plainer manner, and to do

that in hone85 and by leizurely Steps, which our Necessity makes us wish could

be suddenly effected. Could we indeed be sure that the Workmen you mention

understood working and laying our rough Stone, which is exceeding hard to hammer,

We should notwithstanding encourage their coming over, and put the whole

Work into their Hands, at the Price we now give, which for plain Wall is 20/

Sterling the Perch, that is, 16 ½ foot long, one foot high, and four foot thick, and

so proportionable, the front or outside only brot’ to square Joynts. In that Case

the Workmen would be sure of a good Jobb at least, and if any future help enabled us

to allow the donation to import the Freestones and pay for its being wrought they

would be ready upon the Spot to execute it. In the mean time accept once more

of our hearty thanks for the kind Notice you have been pleased to take of us, and be

assured that we are with a due Sense of your Generosity, your most obliged

                                                                   and most humble Servants

                                                                              H. Caner

                                                                              C. Apthorp

                                                                              E. Hutchinson

                                                                              J. Gibbins

                                                                              S. Gardner

                                                                              T. Hawding

The Church Wardens at the Desire of the Com^tee waited on M^r Faneuil on Thurs:

:day the 13^th of June, to know whether he was willing to pay the the Remainder of his

Brothers Subscription, without further Dispute in the Law; Upon which he desired

time till Monday following, to consult his Lawyers and the Parties concern’d with

him in this Affair. And on Monday M^r Boutineau86 in behalf of M^r Fanueil

and others waited on Charles Apthorp Esq.^r Treasurer to the Committee and agreed

and engaged to pay the whole Money demanded without further Dispute.

     The same Day the Committee had a Meeting with their Masons and expostulated

with them for their Backwardness in carrying on the Work, who promised to proceed

with all Expedition in finishing their Contract.

     By a Ship from London Cap^t Phillips Commander The Committee received an

Account of the Success of M^r Barlow Trecothick in forwarding a Subscription in

Favour of the Chapel, and likewise of his Design to settle in London

     D^r Gardiner reported to the Committee M^r John Powells Intention of

going for England, and his Willingness to negotiate a Subscription among his

Friends there in favour of the new Church, if some previous Form of that Nature

were put into his Hands. Accordingly M^r Caner at the Desire of the Committee

drew up the following Letter and Address viz:^t

    M^r John Powell87       Boston July 31^st 1751

               Sir

                     The Committee for rebuilding Kings Chapel in this

Town, confiding in your Wisdom and assured of your good Inclinations to serve

them; have inclosed to you the Form of a Subscription or Application to well

disposed Persons in London which they beg you to make use of for enlarging the

present Subscrip:

:tion to this Building which you very well know is much short of what will be needful

and particularly they beg leave to recommend it to you to lay out what you shall so

obtain in purchasing 730 foot of London blown Glass, the Size 11 Inches by Nine,

which is the Quantity the Church will require. If the proposed Subscription should

fall short of Expectation, We make no Doubt of your Generosity to supply what is

wanting for purchasing the Glass. We wish you a prosperous Voyage good success in

this and in your own Affairs and a safe Return being your Assured Friends &

humble Servants

To Mr John Powell Merc^t                Cha. Apthorp

in Boston                         George Cradock

Eliakim Hutchinson

John Gibbins

Syl. Gardiner

Tho^s Hawding

    To all charitable and well dispos’d Persons to whom the following Subscrip::tion

shall be presented

                     We the Subscribers being a Committee appointed for rebuilding

Kings Chapel at Boston in New England having collected what Subscriptions we

are able among the Members of s^d Chapel & others and in these Parts, and finding the Sum to fall much short of accomplishing the Work; beg leave by the Bearer our very good Friend M^r John Powell to represent our Necessity to all charitable and well disposed Persons in England to whom he shall think proper to apply: hereby humbly desiring their Assistance in forwarding the good Work we have in Hand by such Contribution of Money or Donation of Glass Nails Lead or other Materials requisite in such a Building as to them shall seem most proper and convenient.

Done at Boston in New England      Ch Apthorp &c

Aug^t 3d 1751     Sign’d as above

     Cap^t Jeremiah Jones likewise offer’d his Service upon being furnisht with a

Subscription to endeavour the obtaining something among his Acquaintance in

London Accordingly the Committee Order’d the following Letter & form of a

Subscription to be  drawn up and put into his Hands viz:^t

     Capt Jer. Jones

     Sir

                     The Condition of Kings Chapel in this Town is well known

to you, both as to the Necessity of rebuilding it, and the heavy Expense that attends

it. The Congregation have done very generously, but it will be impossible to finish

it without some foreign Assistance; And as it may be in your Power to procure

some help to it in London among well dispos’d people of your Acquaintance: The

Treasurer and Committee have inclosed the Form of a Subscription, and desire you to

use your Influence in recommending it. Several People with whom you may happen

to Converse may be able to assist us by some Donations in the way of their several

Trades or Business, who could not perhaps with Convenience spare so much Money.

And as their several Commodities will be vendible here, they will very well answer the

End of carrying forward the Work. Assuring our Selves of your good Disposition to

serve us to the utmost of your Power, We leave the Methods of doing it to your own

Prudence wishing you a prosperous Voyage and all imaginable Success

                                                               Who are

                                                                      your most humble Servants

To Cap^t Jer. Jones                         Cha. Apthorp

at Boston                              George Cradock

                                                                                     Eliakim Hutchinson

                                                                                  John Gibbins

                                                                                  Sylv. Gardiner

                                                                                         Tho^s Hawding

     We the Subscribers upon Application made to us by Cap^t Jeremiah Jones

at the Desire of the Treasurer and Committee for rebuilding King Chapel at Boston in New England representing the Necessity of the Work, and the Inability of the Congregation to accomplish it without some further Assistance; Willing to encourage so good a Design whereby promise to pay and deliver to the said Jerem. Jones appointed by the said Treasurer and Committee receiver of our said Bounty the several Sums Merchandise or other Commodities annex’d to our respective Names, To be by him delivered to Charles Apthorp Esq^r Treasurer as afores^d Or to his Order for the use above Specify’d.

Done at London     1751

     The Above Letters to M^r John Powell & to Cap^t Jones went in the Brittania Cap^t

Jer. Jones afores^d Commander Who saild Aug^t 7^th 1751.

     M^r Cradock reported to the Committee that Co^ll Wiltshire now bound to

Barbadoes kindly offer’d his Service in applying to the Governor and other principal

Gentlemen of that Island in order to procure Assistance from thence for carrying

on the Building of the New Chapel. Upon which the Committee order’d some

Suitable Draughts to be made to prepare the Way for such an Application. And

they were acc::ordingly done as follows viz:

                                                                               Boston Aug^t 5^th 1751

     Sir

                     As we have the pleasure of numbring you among the Members

of Kings Chapel in this Town, the State and Condition of which you are very well

apprized of: The Necessity of rebuilding it, the liberal Contribution which the

Congregation have made towards it, and their Inability to go thro’ with such an

Expen: :sive Work without foreign Assistance. We have inclosed the Form of a

Subscription which we beg you to negotiate among the Gentlemen of Barbadoes for

promoting and carrying  forward the good Work we have in hand. We have upon

former Occasions, particularly at the first erecting the old Chapel, experienced the

Generosity of the Gentlemen in the West India Islands and their readiness to assist

their Brethren in these Parts, destitute of the favour of the Government, and many

Advantages which they enjoy, to promote Affairs of this Nature, And it is a singular

Pleasure to us, that we have the Opportunity of making our present Application

thro’ your hands whose Interest and Influence, we are very sensible of, and whose

knowledge of us and of our Circumstances, will give you all the Advantages proper

to recommend the Case. Convinced of your readiness to undertake the Office Affair

we make no Apology for giving you this Trouble, but desire our hearty thanks may be

given those Gentlemen who shall honour our Application with their kind

Notice and Assistance, by advancing cash or Sugars, or whatever may be most

convenient to them, entirely confiding in you to receive manage and transmit

to Charles Apthorp Esq^r Treasurer to the Committee any Benefactions of this kind

that offer. In the mean time heartily wishing you Success in this and your

own Affairs, we take leave with assuring you that we are Sir

                                                                      Your most obedient & most humble Serv^ts

                                                                                      H. Caner

To Co^ll Rich^d Wiltshire Esq^r                                   Ch. Apthorp

in Boston                                                                      Geor. Cradock

                                                                                    Elia. Hutchinson

                                                                               John Gibbins

                                                                                         Syl. Gardiner

                                                                                        Tho^s Hawding

     To all charitable and well disposed Gentlemen in the Island of

Barbadoes We the Minister Treasurer and Committee of Kings Chapel in

Boston N: England send greeting.

     Being engaged in a necessary and very expensive Work of

rebuilding Kings Chapel in this Town, to which the Congregation according to

their Ability have largely contributed, but the Sum falling much short of ac:

:complishing the Work, we hereby desire the Assistance of all such well

dispos’d Gentlemen in the Island of Barbadoes, whose Abilities enable them to

promote so good a Work, and particularly beg leave to recommend to them, the follow:

:ing or other such Form of Subscription as they shall think proper to that End.

     In the mean time heartily praying for their health and Welfare We subscribe our

Selves

                                                                     Their most humble Servants

Boston Aug^t 5^th 1751                         H. Caner

                                                                                       Ch^a Apthorp

                                                                                 Geo. Cradock & c

                     We the Subscribers upon Application made to us from the Minister

Treasurer & Committee of the Parish Church of Kings Chapel at Boston in

N:England and farther recommended by Co^ll Rich^d Wiltshire Esq^r representing the

Necessity of rebuild :ing  the Said Chapel, and the Inability of the Congregation to

accomplish the good Work

alone      Willing to encourage so good a Design      Do promise to pay, towards

rebuilding the said Chapel unto Co^ll Rich^d Wiltshire Esq^r appointed by the s^d

Treasurer & Committee receiver of our said Bounty. The several Sums annexed to

our respective Names to be by him delivered  to Cha. Apthorp Esq^r Treasurer to the s^d

Committee or to his Order for

the Use above specify’d.

      Done at Barbadoes the             Day

      of                    1751.

     The Sloop                Prince Master in which Co^ll Wiltshire

took his Passage sailed Aug^t 12^th 1751.

1754 Aug^t 21. The New Chapel opened by Rev’d D^r Caner

with a Sermon from Leviticus (19. v. 30)*

at Same time a contribution was made to complete the Building

* Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, & reverence my

Sanctuary; I am the Lord.