TRANSACTIONS

    1922–1924

    TRANSACTIONS OF THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS

    FEBRUARY MEETING, 1922

    A Stated Meeting of the Society was held at the house of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, No. 28 Newbury Street, Boston, on Thursday, 23 February, 1922, at three o’clock in the afternoon, the President, Fred Norms Robinson, Ph.D., in the chair.

    The Records of the last Stated Meeting were read and approved.

    The President announced the death on the nineteenth instant of Edward Mussey Hartwell, a Resident Member.

    The Corresponding Secretary reported that letters had been received from Mr. Walter Austin and Mr. Francis Tiffany Bowles accepting Resident Membership.

    Dr. Homer Gage of Worcester was elected a Resident Member.

    Mr. Alfred C. Potter read the following paper:

    THE HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY, 1723–1735

    Thomas Hollis, ever the good friend of Harvard College, wrote from London, February 2, 1722, to Benjamin Colman, member of the Corporation, as follows:

    My Cousin Neale did hint to you and I now second it that you should doe well to send over to him and to some others a printed Catalogue of your College Library—that they may know what books you have and it is now a likely time for you to be supplied with many, that you may want—by one hand and another—my donations to the College having made more discorse about it then formerly in London. I could have wisht to have been less knowne, only quiet my mind, in that possibly hereby some others may be moved to like good worke for your advantage.1

    A few months later, in a letter dated September 1, 1722, Hollis wrote: “The want of a Catalogue of your library—you see Sir is the occasion of sundry repetitions, in devizing away these few books—but I hope we shal be favord with it shortly for the publick service of the College.” But nearly six months before this second letter could have reached Cambridge the Corporation had already taken action toward the fulfilment of the request, as appears from the following vote:

    Upon the Intimation lately made by Mr Hollis, and formerly by Mr Neal, that it may be of great advantage to the College Library, that a Catalogue of the Books in the sd Library be printed and Sent abroad, Voted, that forthwith the Library-keepr take an Exact Catalogue of the Books in the Library, and the same be printed in Order to transmitt to friends abroad: And that this be don at the Charge of the College.2

    That the Library-keeper proceeded expeditiously on this task is shown by the vote passed by the Corporation on October 3, 1722: “That Mr Gee3 Library-keeper, having prepar’d a Catalogue of the Books belonging to the Library for the press is desired to take care to get 300 Copys printd off & stitch’d for the Use of the Corporation.”4

    The catalogue thus prepared was issued the following year under the imprint of B. Green of Boston.5 This small quarto volume of 106 pages is probably the first library catalogue published in America. The Latin preface gives a brief description of the arrangement of the Library and the plan of the catalogue. The books were arranged in numbered cases of seven shelves each, and the books on each shelf were also numbered. A typical book number under this scheme might be “14–5–23.” The first number represents the case, the second the shelf, and the last the book. This numbering system is not unlike that used one hundred and fifty years later in the new stack of Gore Hall. Attached to each case there was an index to the books in it, or what we should now call a shelf-list. There was a definite scheme of classification: thus, case 1 was for general works, the next ten or dozen cases were devoted to theology; then came the classics, science, history, etc. As was customary at the time—and it is a custom still followed in the catalogues of English auction sales—the catalogue was divided into three alphabetical sections, according to the size of the books,—folio, quarto, and octavo and under. In these sections, under each letter the names of the authors were not further alphabetized but followed the order of the case numbers. This makes it somewhat difficult to find readily the works of an author. This Mr. Hollis complained of, in a letter dated February 27, 1724: “looking over your Catalogue, I remark, a fault as I think) all books of One Author, of same size, should stand together, wheras Goodwin, Owen &c have divers others intervening, wch is not easy to observ in a cursory viewe, unless a man read over the whole letter.”

    It is worth noting that while this is the first printed catalogue of the Library there had been at least two written catalogues made some years earlier and that one of them was prepared for the purpose of sending it to England. On August 22, 1705, John Whiting6 was reappointed Library-keeper and was also “allowed fourty shillings more for his paines in transcribing the Lists sent to England of the books in the Library.”7 A few years later Nathaniel Gookin,8 on September 5, 1709, just at the end of his librarianship, was paid by the treasurer fifty shillings “for his pains in taking a Catalogue of ye Books in ye Library.”9 These are the only catalogues of which there seems to be any record, but undoubtedly others were made from time to time, for as early as 1667 when the first rules for carrying on the Library were adopted, one of them was as follows: “The Library keepr shall write or cause to be fairly written in a book (to be payd for by the Treasurer) the names of all the Books belonging to the Library, ffirst in the order as they are placed & disposed according to the affixed catalogue. Secondly, Jn one continued Alphabet setting down the Authors name & what of his works are in the Library & where. Thirdly. The names of the severall Donors of ye Books with the Books given by them.”10

    Turning for a moment to the character of the Library as indicated by this Catalogue, it may be noted that of its three thousand volumes by far the greater part was theological and most of it in Latin. Except for a set of Shakespeare11 and of Milton,12 English literature is almost unrepresented. From the desert of dead and forgotten theological works there stand out the titles of three or four books that still live: Walton’s Lives, Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion, the Works of Sir William Temple, and Chapman’s Homer. The Greek and Latin classical writers are fairly well represented. In French literature there were only the works of Clement Marot. It is small wonder that Thomas Hollis felt the need of increasing and broadening this Library in which he took so keen an interest.

    Copies of the Catalogue were forwarded to Hollis, who acknowledged them in the following letter, dated London, February 24, 1724:

    I have newly receivd 8. doz books, catalogues of your College Library wch I shall distribute with all Convenient expedition, as you direct me. . . .

    I have one instance of the usefulnes of your Catalogue alredy by giving one to my Nephew Tho Hollis who had. 3. valluable book designed now to send unto you, he finds you have them, and so forbears, but as he designd a present, he must waite an opportunity for some others you have not. . . .

    My love to you and yours and all freinds

    Your Loving Freind

    Thomas Hollis

    On a separate sheet enclosed in this letter, he states in detail how he had disposed of his copies of the Catalogue, giving the names of some two dozen people to whom he had given from one to a dozen or more copies.13 He was not, however, content with a mere distribution of the Catalogue, for his letters show that he wrote to many men and talked with many others, importuning them for gifts of books for the New England college. For example, he wrote to Mr. Gunston, Treasurer of the Society for Propagating the Gospel: “Upon perusal of the Catalogue of the library in the College at Cambridg N E—it is found, numbers of useful books fitting for such a library are wanting, whereupon I am moved by some Ministers in London, to see if £100. star, might not be spared for so valluable a purpose out of the cash of our Society to buy such necessary books and send them over to Boston for that purpose.”14 This particular appeal brought no immediate result, although some twenty years later the Society sent to the College many books. His other efforts were more successful, and in the next few years many boxes of books found their way across the Atlantic. Members of his own family were the most frequent givers, and the names of his two brothers, John and Nathaniel, and his nephew, Thomas, appear on the list of donors. Others were Isaac Watts, Dean Berkeley, John Lloyd, Rev. Thomas Cotton, and John Guyse. But the largest gifts came from Thomas Hollis himself. Quincy summarizes these gifts briefly, stating that he gave “in 1724, two large packets of valuable books; in 1725, many other valuable books; and, in 1726, he sent another box of books.”15 Even a cursory examination of Hollis’s letters and of the Corporation Records shows that his gifts were much more extensive than this memorandum would indicate. While we have no way of determining the exact number of volumes that he gave,—and there must have been between four and five hundred of them,—we now are able to judge accurately of their general character, if not to quote specific titles. But before proceeding to an analysis of these gifts, which show the nature of the growth of the Library for the dozen years subsequent to the publication of the Catalogue of 1723, some of his still unpublished letters, showing as they do his sincere interest in the College, are worth quoting. They are all addressed to the Reverend Benjamin Colman, the first pastor of the Brattle Street Church, and a member of the Corporation from 1717 to 1728.

    March 28, 1724 Mr. Dummer16 was to see me some days since, I suppose he writes his Brother17 by this Ship what both sides say. He tells me your College Catalogue of your library comes very oportunely, there is one gives £60. star—wch he will lay out in valluable books, he had begun to draw out the books by his head, but not examind the Catalogue because he had noted down some, wch I told him you had alreddy, and it is to prevent duplicates, I prayed him to consult Mr I Hunt18 who has read it, and vallues a good publick Library. He said he would do so, I wish he dont forget it—I am told he has lately forwarded some valluable books &c to Yale College, and seems to boast, that in a little time that nursery will exceed Cambridg—he has such a vollible tongue, wch takes with some People, it is not fitt to disgust him, but rather to treat him civilly, because he may be of some use to you.

    Aug. 1, 1724. I forward to you about £500-Star in books for your library at College—there is roome to lay out £500.Star more for to furnish it well for a publick library—now if you have moneys to spare, why should not yee see to lay it out in such books as you are sensible are wanting.

    In a long letter, begun on January 6, 1725, but not finished till February 15, Hollis had much to say of the Library and his gifts to it:

    . . . I have not yet heard from any of the College of the receipt of my large chest of Books to your publick library, I hope they came safe to hand, and well Conditioned—I am now preparing two Smaller chests of Books given to your College library—with this. Rule.

    whatever books I forward, of my own, or for others, if you have Duplicates already, then take or keep the best, for Edition or binding in the publick Library—and with the consent of those who intrust me I order the duplicate be given to my Professor, for his own closet, or if he needs it not, then that the Professor with the advice of the President give them to such of my students as shall be going out into the Ministry for their own use. I supose folios best estemed in your College library, if so you will have a number of Baxters &c smaller works, thus to give away.

    Mr Loyd has bought Gravius & Grenovius works, and I am promised they shall be sent you in Lethered.19

    I intreat you Sir speake to your proper officer to prepare and send me by the first ship possible after the receipt of the books forwarded unto you this Spring a supplement or Appendix—of all the Books sent unto you or that you have receivd since the printed Catalogue wch you have sent me, for my ease to know what you most want, and avoid duplicates, if some of your NE Marchants had the good of your College at heart you might have a great number of books sent unto you in a little time, but one in my Neiborhood has discouraged one I expected a present from, telling him how Rich and able & flourishing you are to Buy Books your selves if you want them and some think that Mr Sam Mathers book of his fathers life has some passages in it, tending to discourage others, wch I am sorry for.

    I have been discoursing the great Bookseller Mr Guy20 and a gentleman undertook to second me—for some valluable Books; and to settle a Professor of Mathematicks among you wch I discourst him upon, with some expectation, but He died 27 xber, after a Short indisposition, and that motion is sunk, but has left me one of his Executors, a great Trust, and like to be attended with much labour & paine and care—relating to his Hospital for 400. Incurables, we are now Indevoring to obtain an Act of Parlament so soon as may be for settling of it. . . .

    as to your motion about Exchanging Bales french dictionary, for an English one, I a little admire at, we have few, ne[xt] to none of our valluable Students at London, who sincerely indevour after knowlege, but they easily attaine to read French as well as Latin—and that because so many very valluable books in History & Philosophy are written in French, it is very easy for one verst in Lattin to read French—and that sett of books—are esteemd very valluable. However upon your notice, I may discorage any more French books, by my hand; tho I should think such ought to be estemed in a publick Library.21

    Mr. Hunt tells me Bayles Dictionary22 in french is worth two of them in English—and yet they are in such demand now, that they ask 11. or 12. ginees for them—he has been much displeased with me or the Bookseller, several times for sending Montfaucons Antiquities in English, he would have had the french been sent you—but according to your remark upon Baile—I perceive you like what you have best, as it is in English.

    April 28, 1725. The occasion of my writing this letter is—I have an acquaintance who has a mind to make a present to your College library—who had seen or heard of some performces of the Royal Academy in Paris wch he liked—he sent last yeare to Paris to buy them—they are come over in sheets and now are binding up, being about 25. volumes in quarto, and will cost neare £25. Star.—they are all in French. Histoire de l’ academie Royale des Sciences, avec les Memoires de Mathematique et de Physique &c a Paris. I told my freind how little you esteemd Bayles Dictionary because in French—he replyed—he would waite—and not send them till he heard from you, that you estemed such performances & desired them, pray Sir consult my Professor and send me both your opinions, so soon as you can because if you dont like these, he will send some other books, but not so costly.

    Evidently either Mr. Colman or the Hollis Professor did “like them,” for the set is entered in the second Supplement to the Catalogue.

    June 21, 1725. When your library keeper shall send me a printed Supplement to your first Catalogue of your library, perhaps it might be of use if you drew out a Catalogue of what books, you yet want, and would be most acceptable unto you—if any new benefactors should offer to my cognisance.

    The following paragraph from a letter of June 7, 1725, has been printed before, by Quincy and others, but it is worth quoting again as a picture of the Library at this time:

    Your library is reckond here to be ill managed, by the account I have of some that know it, you want seats to sett and read, and chains to your valluable books like our Bodleian library, or Sion College in London, you know their methods, wch are approved, but you do not imitate them, you let your books be taken at pleasure home to Mens houses, and many are lost, your (boyish) Students, take them to their chambers, and teare out pictures & Maps to adorne the Walls, such things are not good; if you want roome for modern books, it is easy to remove the less usefull into a more remote place, but not to sell any, they are devoted, your goodness will excuse me, if I hint to you what I think is faulty, if you are convinced my hints are just, your own prudence wil rectify what is amiss as far as you can.

    In another letter, dated February 10, 1726, Hollis intimates that the Colony does not do enough toward the support of its own College. He is sending fonts of Greek and Hebrew type, and says: “but we much wonder considering the number of very rich Gentlemen and Marchants in or about Boston your College should not be supplied liberally by them with all such things as are for publick use to their children and posterity, but put them upon writing to London for them; if it were in Pensilvania I should not wonder.”

    In one of the above letters, Hollis had asked that a supplement to the Catalogue be made and sent him. The Corporation acted promptly, for on June 2, 1725, it passed the following vote:

    Voted That the Treasurer defray the Charge of printing & stiching three Hundred Supplements to the Catalogue of the Library Voted That Mr Hancock23 the Library keeper be paid 40sh by the Treasurer for his Labr in writing the said Supplemt getting it printed & correcting the press Voted that one hundred of sd Supplemts be sent by the Treasurer to or worthy Benefactr Mr Thomas Hollis Mercht in London and a Copy be given to Each of the Overseers Corporation & Tutrs and that the rest be brought to the Library.24

    This Supplement is a pamphlet of only five leaves, without a title-page and paged continuously from the Catalogue of 1723, i.e. pages 103–112. The heading of the first page reads: “Continuatio Supplementi CATALOGI LIBRORUM BIBLIOTHEGÆ Collegij Harvardini. Quod est CANTABRIGIÆ in NOVA ANGLIA.” On the last page is the imprint of B. Green, MDCCXXV. There is no copy of this in the Harvard Library. Twenty-five years ago, when preparing an account of the librarians of Harvard,25 I heard that the Massachusetts Historical Society had a copy, and Dr. Green furnished me with a description of it. I did not at the time inspect the volume and supposed the information was complete. A few weeks ago I asked Mr. Ford if he would let us have a photostat of these ten pages; in reply he asked if we did not want the other dozen pages also. From the photostat that the Society kindly sent us, we learned for the first time that another Supplement was printed ten years later. This was a pamphlet of twelve pages, numbered 113 to 124, and also without a title-page. The first page bears the heading: “Continuatio CATALOGI LIBRORUM BIBLIOTHECÆ Collegij Harvardini. Ab Anno 1725, Ad Annum 1735.” There is no imprint. A pencilled note at the end shows that this copy was given the Historical Society by Oliver Wendell Holmes in 1871. An examination of the College Records would have shown that such a Supplement was made, for on April 14, 1735, the Corporation voted “That Mr Diman26 prepare for ye Press, and get printed, a Continuation of ye Catalogue of ye College Library to this day; and yt Dr Wigglesworth27 be desired to direct & assist him therein.”28 A year later, on April 27, 1736, this further vote was passed: “That Mr Diman be allowed three pounds out of ye College Treasury, for his care & trouble in preparing a Continuation of ye Catalogue of ye Books of ye College Library for Impression, & for correcting the Press.”29 One further vote in relation to the catalogue was passed by the Corporation on September 11, 1740. It reads “That any of the senior sophisters, may have the Liberty to purchase a Library Catalogue, to be charg’d to them in the Qurtr Bill at five Shillings.”30

    Having thus traced the history of these two little pamphlets that form a supplement to the first Catalogue of the Harvard Library, a few words may be given to a study of their contents and to a consideration of the books that made up the accessions of the Library for this period of twelve years. Hollis and his friends in London were not giving books at random, or clearing out their attics as for a rummage sale. The books they sent were carefully selected as the most necessary for this distant nursery of learning. Since a college was still looked upon largely as a training school for the ministry, it is natural that a majority of the books should be theological. Hollis was a good Baptist, but his views were liberal for the times, in that he was anxious to have both sides of a question represented. In a letter dated February 15, 1725, he wrote: “if there happen to be some books not quite Orthodox, in search after truth with an honest design dont be afraid of them, a publick library ought to be furnished if they can, with Con as well as Pro—that students may read, try, Judg—see for themselvs and beleive upon argument and just reasonings of the Scriptures—thus saith Aristotle, thus saith Calvin—will not now pass for proof in our London disputations.”

    In the first of these Supplements (1725) there are catalogued about 250 volumes, and in the second Supplement (1735) 350 volumes. In the light of Hollis’s remark about folios quoted above, it is worth noting that over half (132) of the volumes in the first Supplement are folios and that in the second the number had fallen to less than a quarter. A large proportion of the books were theological,—biblical commentary, controversial works, church history, and sermons. Much of this was in Latin and few of the writers would be known to-day by any but the special student of theological lore. There is a fair sprinkling of the Greek and Latin classics, especially in the Delphine edition, a set of which seems to have been given. History appears somewhat sparsely, but one may note such titles Burnet’s History of my own Times, De Rapin’s and Tyrrell’s histories of England, Busbeck on the Manners of the Turks, a history of Virginia, and a life of Cromwell (authors not given). Except for the set of the French Academy, referred to in one of Hollis’s letters already quoted, science is hardly recognized. There is An Exact Survey of the Tide (London, 1717) by E. Barlow, and several medical works, among them an Essay on the Gout by George Cheyne (London, 1723).

    American books were strangely neglected. In all there are only fifteen American imprints listed. Nine of these are by Cotton Mather; there are two copies of Willard’s Complete Body of Divinity (Boston, 1726); sermons or tracts by Nathaniel Appleton, Samuel Sewall, and Ebenezer Thayer; and a copy of the Massachusetts Laws of 1726 completes the brief list. When we consider that there was at this time a good deal of printing being done in the colonies—Evans lists 1359 titles for the twelve years from 1724 to 1735—this meagre showing is the more surprising and justifies the complaint of Hollis that the people of Boston and New England were not doing enough for their own library.

    One other comparison may be made between the two Supplements. In the first, there were of recent, or current books, i.e. works printed since 1720, only fifty titles, or twenty per cent. In the second Supplement, there were 213 such titles, or sixty per cent. This would indicate a growing interest in the thought of the day, a healthy desire to keep up with current intellectual development. But religious writings still predominate, perhaps ten to one, and most of these are by authors almost unknown to-day.

    Indeed, among the six hundred volumes recorded in these two Supplements, there are hardly more than a score whose authors are familiar to many of us now. Milton’s Works (Amsterdam, 1698, 3 volumes, folio) stand out conspicuously, and so does Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress (London, 1728). Other names everybody would recognize are John Locke, Sir Isaac Newton, Jeremy Taylor, Isaac Watts, Richard Hooker, and (perhaps) Sir Richard Blackmore. There is also one volume by Defoe, but his name is not attached to it in the Catalogue; it is tract entitled “Conjugal Lewdness, or Matrimonial Whoredom.” But there are none of the writers that to us are famous in English literature the first third of the eighteenth century. The Harvard student of that day could not take from the College Library and read the works of Swift, Steele, Addison, Pope, Gay, or Thomson. Instead he might read Bishop Bull On the Trinity, Burrow’s Essay on Providence, or the two folio volumes by Bishop Patrick: Commentaries on the Old Testament to the Book of Job. It is no wonder that Harvard produced no poets or novelists in the eighteenth century.

    President Robinson read a translation by Professor George A. Reisner of a tale from an Arabic book entitled Stories (p. 21), by Ibrahim Zeki, a well-known modern author in Cairo:

    Tell the Truth and fear not.

    Once upon a time, there was a small boy named Ali Samy. Now his father had given him a small hatchet with which to play. Then he rejoiced in it and took it with him to the garden and roamed in every direction and he was trying it upon everything he saw, until at last he came to a cherry tree. And he began trying his hatchet on it and opened in it a deep cut. Then he removed himself to another part of the garden. Now he had forgotten that this cherry-tree was a beloved one of his father. Then when his father entered and found the tree in this state, he was greatly disturbed and asked him affectionately: “Who has done this, O Aly?” And the boy answered: “I do not know, O my father.” Then the parent said; “And has anyone been here except yourself?” And the boy answered weeping: “O my father, I am not able to tell a lie. For I am he who has done this thing.” And thereupon the father forgave his dear son.

    Moral: Often the temptation comes to children to speak other than the truth, and then they should remember this child and testify like him: “I am not able to tell a lie.”31

    Mr. Albert Matthews read extracts from an advertisement announcing the publication of the first volume of Alumni Cantabrigienses, edited by Dr. John Venn and Mr. J. A. Venn of Cambridge University, England; and made the following communication, compiled by Mr. J. Gardner Bartlett of Cambridge, Massachusetts:

    UNIVERSITY ALUMNI FOUNDERS OF NEW ENGLAND

    As a contribution towards the approaching tercentenary celebration of the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, the writer has been collecting, during the past three years, materials for a volume to be entitled The University Alumni Founders of New England, which will endeavor to present biographies (and genealogical records of the families) of all emigrants to New England before 1650 who had attended as students any European university, before coming to New England. Research has been made among printed and original sources, not only in New England but also in England during 1920 and 1921. The writer has also conferred personally with Dr. John Venn, President of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, England, who is now publishing a monumental Alumni Cantabrigienses, and has given to Dr. Venn abstracts of biographies of over a hundred Cambridge alumni who emigrated to New England before 1650, for use in Dr. Venn’s work.

    In 1880 the late Professor Franklin B. Dexter of Yale University prepared a list giving the names of all Cambridge and Oxford alumni then known to him who emigrated to New England before 1650, comprising 72 Cambridge matriculates and 22 Oxford matriculates.32 This is the latest list of such a kind that has been printed to the knowledge of the writer, who believes that the numbers may be much extended, for Cambridge to at least 104, and for Oxford to at least 29.

    Appended are tentative lists of matriculates compiled from data so far secured by the writer, who would welcome corrections or additions from anyone interested in this subject. Places are in Massachusetts unless otherwise stated.

    Matriculates of Cambridge University who emigrated to New England before 1650

    • Alcock, George, Roxbury
    • St. John’s 1622
    • Allen, Rev. Thomas, Charlestown
    • Caius 1624
    • Allin, Rev. John, Dedham
    • Caius 1612
    • Baker, Rev. Nicholas, Scituate
    • St. John’s 1628
    • Bellingham, William, Rowley
    • Christ’s 1618
    • Blackwood, Rev. Christopher, Scituate
    • Pembroke 1621
    • Blaxton, William, Boston
    • Emmanuel 1614
    • Bradstreet, Gov. Simon, Boston
    • Emmanuel 1618
    • Brewster, William, Plymouth
    • Peterhouse 1580
    • Browne, Rev. Edmund, Sudbury
    • Emmanuel 1624
    • Bulkeley, Rev. Edward, Concord
    • St. Catharine’s 1629
    • Bulkeley, Rev. Peter, Concord
    • St. John’s [A.B.331604–5]
    • Burdett, Rev. George, Dover, N.H.
    • Sidney [A.B. 1623–4]
    • Burr, Rev. Jonathan, Dorchester
    • Corpus Christi 1620
    • Carter, Rev. Thomas, Woburn
    • St. John’s 1626
    • Cheever, Ezekiel, Boston
    • Emmanuel 1633
    • Child, Dr. Robert, Boston
    • Corpus Christi 1628
    • Cooke, George, Cambridge
    • St. John’s 1626
    • Corlett, Elijah, Cambridge
    • Pembroke [A.B. 1634]
    • Cotton, Rev. John, Boston
    • Trinity 1598
    • Dalton, Rev. Timothy, Hampton, N.H.
    • St. John’s 1610
    • Dane, Rev. Francis, Andover
    • King’s 1633
    • Denison, Daniel, Ipswich
    • Emmanuel 1626
    • Denton, Rev. Richard, Hempstead, Long Island
    • St. Catharine’s 1621
    • Downing, Emmanuel, Salem
    • Trinity 1602
    • Dudley, Rev. Samuel, Exeter, N.H.
    • Emmanuel 1626
    • Dunster, Henry, President of Harvard College
    • Magdalene 1627
    • Eaton, Rev. Nathaniel, Cambridge
    • Trinity 1629–30
    • Eaton, Rev. Samuel, New Haven, Ct.
    • Magdalene 1620–1
    • Eliot, Rev. John, Roxbury
    • Jesus 1621
    • Fenwick, George, Saybrook, Ct.
    • Queens’ 1619
    • Firmin, Rev. Giles, Ipswich
    • Emmanuel 1629
    • Fiske, Rev. John, Wenham and Chelmsford
    • Peterhouse 1625
    • Fordham, Rev. Robert, Southampton, Long Island
    • Caius 1623
    • Gibson, Rev. Richard, Saco, Me.
    • Emmanuel 1627
    • Greene, Rev. Henry, Reading
    • Emmanuel 1635
    • Harrison, Rev. Thomas, Boston
    • Sidney 1634
    • Harvard, Rev. John, Charlestown
    • Emmanuel 1631
    • Higginson, Rev. Francis, Salem
    • Jesus [A.B. 1609–10]
    • Hinckley, Gov. Thomas, Barnstable
    • Trinity 1633
    • Hobart, Rev. Peter, Hingham
    • Magdalene 1623
    • Hooker, Rev. Thomas, Hartford, Ct.
    • Emmanuel [A.B. 1607–8]
    • Huit, Rev. Ephraim, Windsor, Ct.
    • St. John’s 1611
    • Humfrey, John, Lynn
    • Trinity 1613
    • James, Rev. Thomas, Charlestown
    • Emmanuel 1611
    • Jenner, Rev. Thomas, Saco, Me.
    • Christ’s 1623–4
    • Johnson, Isaac, Salem
    • Emmanuel 1614
    • Jones, Rev. John, Fairfield, Ct.
    • Queens’ 1608
    • Josselyn, Henry, Scarborough, Me.
    • Corpus Christi 1623
    • Knight, Rev. William, Ipswich
    • Emmanuel 1626–7
    • Knollys, Rev. Hanserd, Dover, N.H.
    • St. Catharine’s 1629
    • Knowles, Rev. John, Watertown
    • Magdalene 1620
    • Larkham, Rev. Thomas, Dover, N.H.
    • Trinity 1619
    • Leverich, Rev. William Huntington and Newtown, Long Island
    • Emmanuel 1622
    • Lothrop, Rev. John, Barnstable
    • Queens’ [A.B. 1606]
    • Maude, Rev. Daniel, Dover, N.H.
    • Emmanuel 1603
    • Mellowes, Edward, Charlestown
    • Emmanuel 1627
    • Mildmay, William, Cambridge
    • Emmanuel 1641
    • Miller, Rev. John, Rowley and Yarmouth
    • Caius 1624
    • Morrell, Rev. William, Weymouth
    • Magdalene 1611
    • Moxon, Rev. George, Springfield
    • Sidney 1620
    • Newton, Rev. Roger, Farmington and Milford, Ct.
    • King’s 1636
    • Norcross, Rev. Nathaniel, Watertown
    • St. Catharine’s 1632
    • Norton, Rev. John, Ipswich and Boston
    • Peterhouse 1621
    • Partridge, Rev. Ralph, Duxbury
    • Trinity 1595
    • Pecke, Rev. Robert, Hingham
    • St. Catharine’s [A.B. 1598–9]
    • Peirson, Rev. Abraham, Branford, Ct.
    • Trinity 1629
    • Pelham, William, Sudbury
    • Emmanuel 1615
    • Perkins, Rev. William, Roxbury and Topsfield
    • Emmanuel 1624
    • Peter, Rev. Hugh, Salem
    • Trinity 1613
    • Phillip, Rev. John, Dedham
    • Emmanuel 1600
    • Phillips, Rev. George, Watertown
    • Caius 1610
    • Prudden, Rev. Peter, Milford, Ct.
    • Emmanuel 1620
    • Rashley, Rev. Thomas, Gloucester
    • Trinity 1629
    • Reyner, Rev. John, Plymouth, and Dover, N.H.
    • Magdalene 1622
    • Rogers, Rev. Ezekiel, Rowley
    • Christ’s [A.B. 1604–5]
    • Rogers, Rev. Nathaniel, Ipswich
    • Emmanuel 1614
    • Sadler, Rev. Richard, Lynn
    • Emmanuel 1637
    • Saltonstall, Sir Richard, Kt., Watertown
    • Clare 1603
    • Saltonstall, Richard, Ipswich
    • Emmanuel 1627
    • Saxton, Rev. Peter, Scituate
    • Trinity 1594
    • Shepard, Rev. Thomas, Cambridge
    • Emmanuel 1620
    • Sherman, Rev. John, Watertown
    • St. Catharine’s 1631
    • Skelton, Rev. Samuel, Salem
    • Clare 1608
    • Smith, Rev. Henry, Wethersfield, Ct.
    • Sidney 1617
    • Smith, Rev. Ralph, Plymouth
    • Christ’s 1610
    • Stone, Rev. Samuel, Hartford, Ct.
    • Emmanuel 1620
    • Symmes, Rev. Zechariah, Charlestown
    • Emmanuel 1617
    • Walton, Rev. William, Marblehead
    • Emmanuel 1618
    • Ward, Rev. John, Haverhill
    • Emmanuel 1622
    • Ward, Rev. Nathaniel, Ipswich
    • Emmanuel 1596
    • Waterhouse, Rev. Thomas, Dorchester
    • Emmanuel 1631
    • Weld, Rev. Thomas, Roxbury
    • Trinity 1611
    • Wetherell, Rev. William, Scituate
    • Corpus Christi 1619
    • Wheelock, Ralph, Medfield
    • Clare 1623
    • Wheelwright, Rev. John, Salisbury
    • Sidney 1611
    • Whiting, Rev. Samuel, Lynn
    • Emmanuel 1613
    • Williams, Rev. Roger, Providence, R.I.
    • Pembroke 1625
    • Wilson, Rev. John, Boston
    • King’s 1606
    • Winthrop, Gov. John, Boston
    • Trinity 1603
    • Woodmansey, Robert, Boston
    • St. John’s 1609
    • Worcester, Rev. William, Salisbury
    • St. John’s 1620
    • Yonges, Rev. John, Southold, Long Island
    • Emmanuel 1620

    Matriculates of Oxford University who emigrated to New England before 1650

    • Avery, Rev. Joseph, Cape Ann
    • Queen’s 1615
    • Bacheller, Rev. Stephen, Hampton, N.H.
    • St. John’s 1581
    • Blakeman, Rev. Adam, Stratford, Ct.
    • Christ Church 1617
    • Blinman, Rev. Richard, Gloucester
    • New Inn Hall 1635
    • Bright, Rev. Francis, Salem
    • New Inn Hall 1624–5
    • Cobbett, Rev. Thomas, Lynn
    • Trinity 1627
    • Davenport, Rev. John, New Haven, Ct
    • Merton 1613
    • Hooke, Rev. William, New Haven, Ct.
    • Trinity 1620
    • Hull, Rev. Joseph, Yarmouth
    • St. Mary’s Hall 1612
    • Jordan, Rev. Robert, Richmond Island, Me.
    • Balliol 1632
    • Lenthall, Rev. Robert, Weymouth
    • Oriel 1611
    • Lyford, Rev. John, Plymouth
    • Magdalen [B.A. 1597]
    • Mather, Rev. Richard, Dorchester
    • Brasenose 1618
    • Matthews, Rev. Marmaduke, Rehoboth
    • All Souls 1623–4
    • Maverick, Rev. John, Dorchester
    • Exeter 1595
    • Mayo, Rev. John, Yarmouth
    • Magdalen 1615
    • Newman, Rev. Samuel, Rehoboth
    • Magdalen 1619–20
    • Norris, Rev. Edward, Salem
    • Balliol 1599
    • Noyes, Rev. James, Newbury
    • Brasenose 1627
    • Parker, Rev. Thomas, Newbury
    • Magdalen 1613
    • Peter, Rev. Thomas, New London, Ct.
    • Brasenose 1610
    • Pole, William, Taunton and Dorchester
    • Oriel 1609–10
    • Pynchon, William, Springfield
    • Hart Hall 1596
    • Street, Rev. Nicholas, Taunton
    • Pembroke [B.A. 1624–5]
    • Tompson, Rev. William, Braintree
    • Brasenose 1618–9
    • Warham, Rev. John, Windsor, Ct.
    • St. Mary’s Hall [B.A. 1614]
    • Whitfield, Rev. Henry, Guilford, Ct.
    • New College 1610
    • Willis, Thomas, Lynn
    • St. John’s 1602
    • Woodbridge, Rev. Benjamin, Cambridge
    • Magdalen 163834

    Matriculate of Dublin University who emigrated to New England before 1650

    • Winthrop, Gov. John, Jr., New London, Ct.
    • 1622

    Queries

    Rev. Jose Glover was born about 1595, eldest son of Roger Glover, merchant of London; rector of Sutton, co. Surrey, 1624–1634; suspended for nonconformity and in 1635 went to New England; the next year returned to England and resigned his living, but in the summer of 1638 again sailed for New England with his family and died during the voyage. Where was he educated? In Foster’s Alumni Oxonienses appears a “Joseph Glover of London, pleb., matriculated at St. John’s College July 4, 1609, aged 14; B.A. October 22, 1612; M.A. June 13, 1615.” This record fits well to apply to Jose Glover, and enquiries at Oxford fail to show any further information of Joseph Glover. A student named Glover, first name unknown, matriculated at Clare College, Cambridge, as a pensioner, at Easter, 1613. The college records show no more about this matriculate.

    Thomas Dudley, born about 1606, matriculated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, as a pensioner, at Easter, 1624; A.B. 1626–7; A.M. 1630. Was he the eldest son of Governor Thomas Dudley of Massachusetts? The latter when elected deputy-governor May 17, 1637, is termed “Senior” on the records, which implies a son Thomas then in New England. Governor Dudley was married to Dorothy Yorke on April 25, 1603, and his eldest known child, Samuel, was not baptized until November 30, 1608, so there is a chance that he may have had an older son Thomas born about 1606. Among the papers in the Public Record Office, London, is a list, evidently made in the summer of 1630, of “the principall undertakers for the plantation of the Massachusetts bay in Newe England that are themselves gonne over with theire wives and children,” and in this list appears “Mr. Dudley, his wife, 2 sonnes and 4 daughters.”35 His only known son was Samuel Dudley, but perhaps the other was the Thomas Dudley just out of Emmanuel College. Some of the vessels of the Winthrop fleet did not finally leave England until May, 1630; so Thomas Dudley might have received his master’s degree just before sailing. If Governor Dudley had any child named Thomas, such a son must have died comparatively young. It is possible that the other “sonne” of Governor Dudley referred to on the list may have been his son-in-law, Simon Bradstreet.

    Rev. Henry Flynt was born about 1613, son of Henry Flynt of Matlock, co. Derby. He first appears in New England late in 1635, being admitted to the Boston Church November 15, 1635, and freeman May 25, 1636. In March, 1636–7, he signed the petition in favor of Wheelwright. The next record I find of him in New England is on August 11, 1639, when he was dismissed from the Boston Church to the Church at Braintree of which he was soon ordained teacher, in which office he continued until his death April 27, 1668. Where was he educated? The records of Jesus College, Cambridge, give a Henry Flint of Yorkshire, matriculated as a sizar at Easter, 1631; A.B. 1634–5; A.M. 1638; his further history is unknown. According to Dr. Venn, a graduate had to receive his degrees in person; so if this Jesus College man be our emigrant, he must have returned to England after March, 1636–7, and then come back again to Boston before August, 1639, all of which seems possible. Against the identity is the statement that the matriculate was of Yorkshire, not Derbyshire; but the emigrant’s father had property in Nottinghamshire, so perhaps also in Yorkshire. Also the name of the matriculate was spelled Flint; but the emigrant in New England seems always to have spelled his name Flynt. Besides the Jesus College matriculate, there was a—Flint who matriculated at St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge, in 1629, of whom nothing more is known.

    David Offley of Surrey, born about 1616, matriculated as a pensioner at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, at Easter, 1632–3; later history unknown. Was he identical with the following? “Mr.” David Offley appears in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1638. Various records show he was a young man, of gentleman’s rank, and had relatives in London. He married in Boston in 1639 Elizabeth Wolcott (then a minor) and about 1645 disappears from New England.

    Dr. John Clarke of Newport, Rhode Island, baptized at Westhorpe, co. Suffolk, October 8, 1609; emigrated to New England in November, 1637, and died April 20, 1676. Where was he educated? He doubtless had a college education. According to tradition he studied at Leyden University, but this has not been verified. There seems no matriculate at Oxford to fit with him. At Cambridge appear John Clarke, matriculated at Corpus Christi, pensioner, 1624; A.B. 1626–7; A.M. 1630; another John Clark marticulated at Trinity, sizar, 1626; A.B. 1629–30; A.M. 1633; also a John Clark entered Peterhouse, pensioner, in 1626; another John Clark entered Queens’, pensioner, in 1627; and still another matriculated sizar at St. Catharine’s in 1627, A.B. 1630–1.

    Dr. John Clarke of Newbury and Boston, Massachusetts, born about 1599, emigrated to New England about 1638, having previously been of Colchester, co. Essex, and London. He deposed in 1662, aged 63, and died in 1664. It has been generally claimed that his widow Martha (who died September 19, 1680, aged 85) was a sister of Sir Richard Saltonstall; but the latter had no sister named Martha. It is very likely, however, that Dr. Clarke had an earlier wife who was one of the sisters of Saltonstall. Did Dr. Clarke have a college education? A John Clarke, son of John Clarke, gentleman, of Wrestling-worth, co. Bedford, prepared at Sutton School, matriculated as pensioner at Caius College, Cambridge, at Easter, 1616, aged 17; A.B. 1619–20; A.M. 1623.

    William Wood was the author of New England’s Prospect, published in London in 1634. Where was he educated? He came to New England, probably with the Rev. Francis Higginson in 1629, and apparently lived in Saugus (now Lynn) until he returned to England in August, 1633. His book has passages indicating a liberal education, and was dedicated to his “much honored friend, Sir William Armyne, Bart.” The latter was of Osgodby in Lavington, co. Lincoln, and entered Sidney College, Cambridge, in 1610. After the dedication, there is a twelve-line appreciation in verse addressed “To the Author, his singular good Friend, Mr. William Wood,” and signed “S. W.” I suggest the latter to be the Rev. Samuel Whiting, born in Boston, co. Lincoln, in 1597, entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge, in 1613, A.B. 1616–17, A.M. 1620, rector of Skirbeck, co. Lincoln, emigrated in 1636, and became pastor at Lynn, where he died in 1679. A William Wood entered Corpus Christi, Cambridge, in 1613; A. B. 1616–17; A.M. 1620; this contemporary of Samuel Whiting at the University may be our New England author. Another William Wood was of St. John’s in 1615, A.B. 1618–19, A.M. 1622; and still another entered Emmanuel in 1625.36

    It will be useful to have the alumni of Cambridge and Oxford Universities arranged by colleges:

    Cambridge University

    • Caius College. See Gonville and Caius College
     
    • Dudley, Rev. Samuel
    • Firmin, Rev. Giles
     
       
    • Christ’s College
      • Bellingham, William
      • Jenner, Rev. Thomas
      • Rogers, Rev. Ezekiel
      • Smith, Rev. Ralph
     
    • Gibson, Rev. Richard
    • Greene, Rev. Henry
    • Harvard, Rev. John
    • Hooker, Rev. Thomas
    • James, Rev. Thomas
     
       
       
       
    • 4
     
    • Clare College
      • Saltonstall, Sir Richard
      • Skelton, Rev. Samuel
      • Wheelock, Ralph
     
    • Johnson, Isaac
    • Knight, Rev. William
    • Leverich, Rev. William
    • Maude, Rev. Daniel
     
       
       
    • 3
     
    • Corpus Christi College
      • Burr, Rev. Jonathan
      • Child, Dr. Robert
      • Josselyn, Henry
      • Wetherell, Rev. William
     
    • Mellowes, Edward
    • Mildmay, William
    • Pelham, William
    • Perkins, William
    • Phillip, Rev. John
    • Prudden, Rev. Peter
     
       
       
    • 4
     
       
       
       
    • Emmanuel College
      • Blaxton, William
      • Bradstreet, Gov. Simon
      • Browne, Rev. Edmund
      • Cheever, Ezekiel
      • Denison, Daniel
      • Walton, Rev. William
      • Ward, Rev. John
      • Ward, Rev. Nathaniel
      • Waterhouse, Rev. Thomas
      • Whiting, Rev. Samuel
      • Yonges, Rev. John
     
    • Rogers, Rev. Nathaniel
    • Sadler, Rev. Richard
    • Saltonstall, Richard
    • Shepard, Rev. Thomas
    • Stone, Rev. Samuel
    • Symmes, Rev. Zechariah
     
       
       
       
       
       
       
     
    • St. Catharine’s College
      • Bulkley, Rev. Edward
      • Denton, Rev. Richard
      • Knollys, Rev. Hanserd
      • Norcross, Rev. Nathaniel
      • Pecke, Rev. Robert
      • Sherman, Rev. John
     
       
       
       
       
    • 34
     
    • Gonville and Caius College
      • Allen, Rev. Thomas
      • Allin, Rev. John
      • Fordham, Rev. Robert
      • Miller, Rev. John
      • Phillips, Rev. George
     
    • 6
     
    • St. John’s College
      • Alcock, George
      • Baker, Rev. Nicholas
      • Bulkeley, Rev. Peter
      • Carter, Rev. Thomas
      • Cooke, George
      • Dalton, Rev. Timothy
      • Huit, Rev. Ephraim
      • Woodmansey, Robert
      • Worcester, Rev. William
     
       
       
       
    • 5
     
    • Jesus College
      • Eliot, Rev. John
      • Higginson, Rev. Francis
       
       
    • 2
     
    • King’s College
      • Dane, Rev. Francis
      • Newton, Rev. Roger
      • Wilson, Rev. John
       
     
    • 9
     
    • Sidney Sussex College
      • Burdett, Rev. George
      • Harrison, Rev. Thomas
      • Moxon, Rev. George
      • Smith, Rev. Henry
      • Wheelwright, Rev. John
     
    • 3
     
    • Magdalene College
      • Dunster, Henry
      • Eaton, Rev. Samuel
      • Hobart, Rev. Peter
      • Knowles, Rev. John
      • Morrell, Rev. William
      • Reyner, Rev. John
       
       
       
     
    • 5
     
    • Trinity College
      • Chauncy, Rev. Charles
      • Cotton, Rev. John
      • Downing, Emmanuel
      • Eaton, Rev. Nathaniel
      • Partridge, Rev. Ralph
      • Peirson, Rev. Abraham
      • Peter, Rev. Hugh
      • Rashley, Rev. Thomas
      • Saxton, Rev. Peter
      • Weld, Rev. Thomas
      • Winthrop, Gov. John
     
       
    • 6
     
    • Pembroke
      • Blackwood, Rev. Christopher
      • Corlett, Elijah
      • Williams, Rev. Roger
      • Hinckley, Gov. Thomas
      • Humfrey, John
      • Larkham, Rev. Thomas
       
       
       
    • 3
     
       
       
       
    • Peterhouse
      • Brewster, William
      • Fiske, Rev. John
      • Norton, Rev. John
       
       
       
    • 3
     
    • QueensCollege
      • Fenwick, George
      • Jones, Rev. John Lothrop, Rev. John
       
       
    • 3
    • 14

    Oxford University

    • All Souls College
      • Matthews, Rev. Marmaduke
     
    • Peter, Rev. Thomas
    • 1 Tompson, Rev. William
     
     
    • 4
    • Balliol College
      • Jordan, Rev. Robert
      • Norris, Rev. Edward
     
    • Christ Church
      • Blakeman, Rev. Adam
     
     
    • 1
     
    • 2Exeter College
      • Maverick, Rev. John
     
    • Brasenose College
      • Mather, Rev. Richard
      • Noyes, Rev. James
     
    • 1
     
    • Hart Hall
      • Pynchon, William
     
     
    • 1
    • Magdalen College
      • Lyford, Rev. John Mayo, Rev. John
      • Newman, Rev. Samuel
      • Parker, Rev. Thomas
      • Woodbridge, Rev. Benjamin
     
    • Pembroke College
      • Street, Rev. Nicholas
     
     
    • 1
     
    • Queen’s College
      • Avery, Rev. Joseph
     
     
    • 1
    • 5
    • St. John’s College
      • Bacheller, Rev. Stephen
      • Willis, Thomas
     
    • Merton College
    • Davenport, Rev. John
    • 1
     
    • New College
      • Whitfield, Rev. Henry
     
    • 2
    • 1
    • St. Mart’s Hall
      • Hull, Rev. Joseph
      • Warham, Rev. John
     
    • New Inn Hall
      • Blinman, Rev. Richard Bright, Rev. Francis
       
    • 2
    • 2
    • Oriel College
      • Lenthall, Rev. Robert
      • Pole, William
     
    • Trinity College
      • Cobbett, Rev. Thomas
      • Hooke, Rev. William
     
       
    • 2
    • 2