A50149:7
Pietas in patriam the life of His Excellency Sir William Phips, Knt. late Captain…
Pietas in patriam the life of His Excellency Sir William Phips, Knt. late Captain General and Governor in Chief of the province of the Massachuset-Bay, New England, containing the memorable changes undergone, and actions performed by him / written by one intimately acquainted with him.Pietas in patriam the life of His Excellency Sir William Phips, Knt. late Captain General and Governour in Chief of the province of the Massachuset-Bay, New England, containing the memorable changes undergone, and actions performed by him / written by one intimately acquainted with him.
London: printed by Sam. Bridge for Nath. Hiller, 1697
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
To his Excellency the Earl of Bellomont, Baron of Colony in Ireland, General Governor of the Province of Massachusetts in New England, and the Provinces annexed.
To his Excellency the Earl of Bellomont, Baron of Coloony in Ireland, General Governour of the Province of Massachusets in New England, and the Provinces annexed.
May it please your Excellency.
THE Station in which the Hand of the God of Heaven hath disposed His Majesties Heart to place your Honour, doth so manifestly entitle your Lordship to this ensuing Narrative, that its being thus Presented to your Excellencies Hand is thereby both Apologized for and Justified. I believe, had the Writer of it, when he Penned it, had any Knowledge of your Excellency, he would himself have done it, and withal would have amply and publicly Congratulated the ⟨image 3⟩People of New England, on account of their having such a Governor, and your Excellency on account of your being made Governor over them. For though as to some other things it may possibly be a place to some Persons not so desirable, yet I believe this Character may be justly given of them, that they are the best People under Heaven; there being among them, not only less of open Profaneness, and less of Lewdness, but also more of the serious Profession, Practise, and Power of Christianity in proportion to their number, then is among any other People upon the Face of the whole Earth. Not but I doubt, there are many bad Persons among them, and too many distempered Humours, perhaps even among those who are truly good. It would be a wonder, if it should be otherwise; for it hath of late Years on various accounts, and some very singular and unusual ones, been a Day of sore Temptation with that whole People. Nevertheless, as I look upon it as a Favour from God to those Plantations