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

Upon certain Affronts, he has made sudden Returns, that have showed Choler enough, and he has by Blow as well as by Word, chastised Incivilities: He was, indeed, sufficiently impatient of being put upon, and when Base Men, surprising him at some Disadvantages (for else few Men durst have done it) have sometimes drawn upon him, he has, without the Wicked Madness of a Formal Duel, made them feel that he knew how to Correct Fools. Nevertheless, he ever declined a Deliberate Revenge of a Wrong done unto him; though few Men upon Earth, have in their Vicissitudes, been furnished with such frequent Opportunities of Revenge, as Heaven brought into the Hands of this Gentleman.

Upon certain Affronts, he has made sudden Returns, that have shewed Choler enough, and he has by Blow as well as by Word, chastised Incivilities: He was, indeed, sufficiently impatient of being put upon, and when Base Men, surprizing him at some Disadvantages (for else few Men durst have done it) have sometimes drawn upon him, he has, without the Wicked Madness of a Formal Duel, made them feel that he knew how to Correct Fools. Nevertheless, he ever declined a Deliberate Revenge of a Wrong done unto him; though few Men upon Earth, have in their Vicissitudes, been furnished with such frequent Opportunities of Revenge, as Heaven brought into the Hands of this Gentleman.

Under great Provocations, he would commonly say, 'Tis no Matter, let them alone; sometime, or other they'll see their Weakness and Rashness, and have occasion for me to do them a Kindness: And they shall then see, I have quite forgotten all their Baseness. Accordingly, 'twas remarkable to see it, That few Men ever did him a Mischief, but those Men afterwards had occasion for him to do Them a Kindness; and he did the Kindness with as forgetful a Bravery, as if the Mischief had never been done at all. The Emperor Theodosius himself could not be readier to Forgive; so worthily did he verify that Observation.

Under great Provocations, he would commonly say, 'Tis no Matter, let them alone; sometime, or other they'l see their Weakness and Rashness, and have occasion for me to do them a Kindness: And they shall then see, I have quite forgotten all their Baseness. Accordingly, 'twas remarkable to see it, That few Men ever did him a Mischief, but those Men afterwards had occasion for him to do Them a Kindness; and he did the Kindness with as forgetful a Bravery, as if the Mischief had never been done at all. The Emperour Theodosius himself could not be readier to Forgive; so worthily did he verifie that Observation.