Decennium luctuosum. An history of remarkable occurrences, in the long war, which New-England hath…

Thus the Paper of Minutes.

The Reader now ha's nothing but Peace before him. Doubtless he comforts himself with Hopes, of Times better to Live in, than to Write of!

But that which yet more assures a Break of Day after a long and sad Night unto us, is, That the Best King at this Day upon Earth, and the Greatest Monarch, that ever Swayed the Sceptre of Great Britain, hath Commissioned a Noble Person, who hath in him an Illustrious Image of His own Royal Virtues, to take the Government of these Provinces; and he is accordingly Arrived now near our Horizon. When the Schools of the Jews delivered, That there were Three Great Gifts of the Good God unto the world, The Law, the Rain, and the Light; R. Zeira added, I pray, let us take in Peace for a Fourth. All these Four Gifts of God, are now Enjoyed by New-England: But I must now ask, That our Hope of a Fifth may be added unto the Number; which is, A GOVERNOR, of Signalized Virtues. To the truly Noble Earl of BELLOMONT, the whole English Nation must own it self Indebted, while it is a Nation, for the ⟨p. 161⟩most Generous and Successful Zeal, with which he Laboured for those Acts of Parliament; by Assenting whereunto, the Mighty WILLIAM, hath Irradiated England, with Blessings, that it never saw before His Happy Reign: Blessings richly worth all the Expenses of a Revolution. England owes no less Immortal Statues, unto the Earl of Bellomont, than Ireland, unto his Illustrious Ancestors. But the Continent of America, must now Share in the Influences of that Noble Person, whose Merits have been Signalized on the most famous Islands of Europe; and the Greatest Person, that ever set foot, on the English Continent of America, is now Arrived unto it. We are now satisfying our selves in the Expectations of the Great and Good Influences, to be derived from the Conduct of a Governor, in whom there will meet, —Virtus et Summa potesas.