when matters were not clear he was slow to proceed to judgment, as most wise men used to be.

He was highly accounted of always for his wisdom in managing of affairs of the greatest concernment, and therefore was at the first called to be one of the standing council of the Massachusetts, while that trust was put in the hands of the first three, where it remained for several years, when it was arrested out of their hands by the importunate striving of some gentlemen of a more popular spirit, and so was afterwards shared amongst all the assistants in common. And as the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts has large experience of Mr. Dudleys wisdom and zeal in many cases of moment and difficulty all the time that he was able to steer the affairs of the commonwealth; so in an especial manner in the time of the familistical opinions that were broched in the country, Anno 1636, 1637, when the countrey was in danger to have been over-run with that sort of men; but for Mr. Dudleys courage and constancy to the truth, things issued well; he being always found to be a steadfast friend thereunto, & one that would not shrink therefrom, for hope of favor or fear of enemies.

*

After our Hooker and his church removed out of the bounds of the Massachusetts, Mr. Dudley, not willing to remove so far from the center, took up his station at a nearer stand, viz., at a place then known only by the Indian name of Agawam, since called Ipswich, and twenty six miles from Cambridge, alias Newtown, his first seat; but the country soon found a need of his wisdom to help to strengthen them, in that storm of trouble that began to arise immediately after his removal, so as the necessity of the Government and importunity of friends, enforced him to return back two or three years after his going away. The town he returned unto was called Roxbury, within two miles of Boston, where he was near at hand to be counselled or advised with in any exigent; divers of

* Mr. Adlard has it, "fanatistical opinions."-EDS.

which did presently appear after his return; of him it was verified what the poet saith, "Virtutem presentem odimus, sublatam ex oculis quærimus invitis." At one time in the year 1641,* to accept the place of

he was chosen unto

kindness he met withal, yet comforted him
his coming to Roxbury,

it pleased God to take away his first wife, by whom he had one son and four daughters; the first of which four was, in her father's lifetime, endowed with so many excellencies, as not only made her known in the gates of her own city, but in the high places of the world, by some choice pieces of poetry, published with great acceptation, as may be seen by the testimony of sundry gent" well skilled in that art, prefixed thereunto. Of her may Solomon's words be really verified," though many other daughters had done wonderfully, yet she excelled them all." But to return; the loss of Mr. Dudley's former wife made way for a second choice, by whom he had three children, the eldest yet surviving, who may be likely to inherit his father's honor & dignity, as well as his name, place and virtues. He was a man of a great spirit, as well as of great understanding; suitable to the family he was, by his father, descended from; and envy it self cannot deny him a place amongst the first three that ever were called to intermeddle in the affairs of the Massachusetts. He was endowed with many excellent abilitys that qualified him thereunto; for he was known to be well skilled in the law, for which he had great opportunities under Judge Nichols. He was likewise a great historian, and so could converse with the dead † of former ages, as well as with those amongst whom his own lot was

The blanks are in the MS. Mr. Adlard prints, " in the year 1641, quickly after his coming to Roxbury," &c. The words "quickly after" are written into the MS. by a later hand. - EDS.

† Mr. Adlard has it, "emerge with the seed of former ages." A few only of his errors are noticed. EDS.

cast. He had an excellent pen, as was accounted by all; nor was he a mean poet. Mention is made by some of his relations of a paper of verses, describing the state of Europe in his time, which having passed the royal test in King James's time, who was himself not meanly learned, and so no unmeet judge of such matters; but in his latter times he conversed more with God and his own heart, foreseeing his own change fast approaching upon him, which he discovered by a small parcel of verses, found in his pocket after his death; which were those that follow:

"Dimme eyes, deaf ears, cold stomach shew,

My dissolution is in view

Eleven times seven near lived have I,

And now God calls, I willing dye.

My shuttles's shut, my race is run,
My sun is set, my deed is done.

My span is measured, [my] tale is told,
My flower's faded & grown old.
My life is vanish'd, shadows fled,
My soul's with Christ, my body dead.
Farewell, dear wife, child" & friends,

Hate heresy, make blessed ends,
Bear poverty, live with good men,

So shall we meet with joy agen.

Let men of God, in courts & churches watch

O'er such as do a toleration hatch,

Least yt ill egg bring forth a cockatrice,

To pay you all with heresy & vice.

If men be left & otherwise combine,

Mine epitaph's - I did no hurt to thine."

These were good ornaments to a gent", but that which crowned all, was his sincere piety, exact justice in his dealings, hospitality to strangers, and liberality to the poor; which the approbation that God himself gives of a man that shall be blessed to keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; and commanding his family so to do, in order to obtaining the good of the covenant with God himself. He lived to a good old age, being full of days before he was called hence; when he was found as a shock of corn, that cometh in in his season, being entered into the seventy seventh year of his age:

his death happened on the 31st of July, 1653, at Roxbury, where he was honorably interred. One of the ministers of the coun[try] honored him with a small parcel of verses, both Latin and English, in remembrance of his stedfast adherence to the truth in the dangerous time of error, when many were ready to turn aside therefrom.

(Indorsed,)

"THE LIFE OF THOMAS DUDLEY,

SEVERAL TIMES GOVERNOR OF

MASSACHUSETTS COLONY OF NEW ENGLAND."

In presenting these papers to the Society, Mr. Dudley stated that his family were once in possession of other papers which had been borrowed from time to time by persons professing an interest in antiquarian pursuits; and, he feared, had never been returned. The most of these now presented to the Society had only recently been recovered, after having been long missing.

Voted, That the thanks of the Society be presented to Mr. H. A. S. D. Dudley, for the very valuable donation made by him this day to the Library and Cabinet of the Society.

FEBRUARY MEETING.

A stated monthly meeting was held on Thursday, the 10th instant, at eleven o'clock, A.M.; the President in the chair.

In the absence of Mr. DEANE, who was detained by illness, Mr. SMITH was appointed Recording Secretary pro tempore, and read the record of the last meeting.

The Librarian announced the list of donors to the Library during the last month.

The Corresponding Secretary read a letter of acceptance from Pierre Margry, of Paris.

The President read the following letter from our associate, Mr. Norton, relative to the photographic copies of three letters of Columbus presented at the last meeting:

Hon. ROBERT C. WINTHROP, President of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston. DEAR SIR, I had the pleasure of sending to you a few days since photographic copies of three autograph letters of Columbus, the originals of which are in possession of the Municipality of Genoa. I beg you to do me the favor to offer the photographs to the Historical Society in my name. I obtained them during a recent visit to Genoa, at the palace of the Municipality, where, through the kindness of Signor De Simoni, Capo Ufficio al Municipio, I had opportunity to see the originals, as well as the book made by order of Columbus, containing copies of diplomas, patents, and privileges granted to him, to which he refers in two of the letters. The volume is in perfect preservation, and still remains " in una sacca di cordovano colorato, con la sua serratura d'argento."

The story of this interesting volume is told, and its contents are printed, in the well-known work entitled Codice Columbo Americano, printed at Genoa, in 1823, in 4to. An English translation of this work was published, if I am not mistaken, in London; and I think that the library of the Historical Society must contain a copy of the original or the translation.* In this work two of the letters of which I have sent you the photographic copies, are engraved in fac-simile, the two addressed to Niccolò Oderigo, ambassador of Genoa at the Spanish Court.

I also send to you a little volume printed at Milan in 1863, entitled "Lettere Autografe di Cristoforo Colombo, nuovamente stampate." This is of some interest as containing a reprint, asserted to be the first (see p. 66), of the original Spanish text of the letter of Columbus to Rafaele Saxis, announcing his discovery of the New World. The facsimiles of the woodcuts that adorned the edition of 1493 give to this reprint a special value.†

The title of the English translation of the work referred to is, "Memorials of Columbus; or A Collection of Authentic Documents of that Celebrated Navigator," &c. "Preceded by a Memoir of his Life & Discoveries," &c. London: Treuttell and Wurtz, Treuttell, jun. and Richter, 30 Soho Square. 1823.” — - EDS.

↑ See "Proceedings " for August, 1865, for a notice of the original edition of this letter, in the Ambrosian Library at Milan, of which a reprint is given in the volume here presented to the Society by Mr. Norton. The letter is not the one addressed to Saxis, but that to Luis De Santangel. - EDS.