Pietas in patriam the life of His Excellency Sir William Phips, Knt. late Captain…

He would often speak to the Members of the General Assembly, in such Terms as these, Gentlemen, you may make your selves, as easy as you will for ever; consider what may have any tendency to your welfare; and you may be sure that whatever Bills you offer to me consistent with the Honour and Interest of the Crown, I'll pass them readily; I do but seek Opportunities to serve you; had it not been for the sake of this thing, I had never accepted the Government of this Province; and when ever you have settled such a Body of good Laws, that no Person coming after me, may make you uneasy, I shall desire not one Day longer to continue in the Government. Accordingly, he ever passed every Act for the welfare of the Province proposed unto him; and instead of ever putting them upon Buying his Assent unto any good Act, he was much forwarder to give it, than they were to ask it: Nor indeed, had the Hunger of a Salary, any such Impression upon him, as to make him decline doing all possible Service, for the Public while he was not sure of having any proportionable, or honourable acknowledgements.

He would often speak to the Members of the General Assembly, in such Terms as these, Gentlemen, you may make your selves, as easie as you will for ever; consider what may have any tendency to your welfare; and you may be sure that whatever Bills you offer to me consistent with the Honour and Interest of the Crown, I'll pass them readily; I do but seek Opportunities to serve you; had it not been for the sake of this thing, I had never accepted the Government of this Province; and when ever you have settled such a Body of good Laws, that no Person coming after me, may make you uneasie, I shall desire not one Day longer to continue in the Government. Accordingly, he ever passed every Act for the welfare of the Province proposed unto him; and instead of ever putting them upon Buying his Assent unto any good Act, he was much forwarder to give it, than they were to ask it: Nor indeed, had the Hunger of a Salary, any such Impression upon him, as to make him decline doing all possible Service, for the Publick while he was not sure of having any proportionable, or honourable acknowledgments.

But yet he minded the Preservation of the King's Rights, with as careful and faithful a Zeal, as became a good Steward for the Crown: And, indeed, he studied nothing more, than to observe such a Temper in all things, as to extinguish what others have gone to distinguish; even the Pernicious Notion of a separate Interest. There was a Time, when the Roman Empire, was infested with a vast number of Governors, who were infamous for Infinite Avarice and Villainy; and referring to this Time,