USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of King's Chapel, in Boston : the first Episcopal church in New England : comprising notices of the introduction of Episcopacy into the northern colonies > Part 12
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part have cause for pleasing expectation. The youth and health of your new pastor promise you many years of usefulness and love. And long after I am laid in the grave, the light of his instructions will shed a kindly influence upon your children.'
" Alas! how little can we see what lies before us. For what is human life ? It is even a vapour, which appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.
" How much nearer to the truth, much nearer indeed than any one at the time could have suspected, were those sadly prophetic words which occurred a few sen- tences before in the same discourse, and upon the same occasion. 'You are still young : but death will soon overtake you. This solemn truth furnishes you with a strong motive to diligence. The world abounds with comforts and even pleasures. It is a world every part of which displays the goodness of God. But the present scene is not permanent. All its joys are pass- ing rapidly away, and you look for something more substantial.'*
" These prophetic words have been but too literally and exactly fulfilled. After a connexion of six years, the result of which was the increasing attachment of his reverend colleague, of his numerous congregation, and of all who had the honour and the happiness of his acquaintance, Mr Cary was arrested in the midst of his days, and in the prime of his usefulness, by the hand of death. 'His purposes were broken off, even the thoughts of his heart.' His sun is gone down while it was yet day. All his schemes of usefulness, all his flattering hopes of glorifying God and Christ,
* Dr Freeman's Sermons, pp. 294-5.
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and of contributing to the diffusion of truth and vir- tue and genuine evangelical piety in the world are cut off in the bud. And his family, his colleague, his con- gregation, his friends, and the public, are left to de- plore their irreparable loss, and to adore the unfathom- able mysteries of Divine Providence which baffle all human sagacity, and whose ways are past finding out.
" Endued with a vigour of constitution which pro- mised length of days, and which perhaps occasioned the neglect of prudent caution, he was seized in March last with an accidental cold, which not exciting imme- diate alarm, was not treated with sufficient attention, and which of consequence went on increasing in vio- lence, and gradually sapping his excellent constitution, till in the month of July he found himself incapable of continuing his public services, and retired for a few weeks to what was conceived to be a more salubrious climate. He returned somewhat relieved, but without any radical improvement. Some of his friends then suggested, and he was himself inclined to hope, that a voyage across the Atlantic might be of service to his health ; and that a winter spent in the mild cli- mate of England might perfect his recovery. He accordingly left Boston in the month of September. His passage was remarkably expeditious. But the weather being uncommonly wet was unfavorable to an invalid. About three weeks ago, he landed at Liver- pool, and proceeded to Yorkshire, where he passed a few days in the house of a friend. But finding himself a little revived he was anxious to continue his progress towards the south .: being desirous after passing a few weeks near the metropolis to spend the winter in the West of England. He travelled slowly, and by short
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stages, as he was able to bear it (accompanied by Mrs Cary, whose tender solicitude for his health and com- fort animated her to endure the fatigues of a long voy- age, and of a residence in a land of strangers, together with another friend.) Being refreshed by gentle exercise and change of air, he pleased himself with the hope that upon some early day, perhaps at this very hour, he should be able to assist in divine worship in the Chapel which Mr Lindsey had founded, in which that great and good man had statedly officiated, and where the doctrine which he himself regarded as of the first importance, that of the sole unrivalled majesty and worship of the one God and Father of all, was still publicly taught. But this favour was denied. Last Lord's Day (October 22,) he was at Cambridge, in bet- ter spirits than usual ; and expressed his delight in the transient view which he enjoyed of the venerable and majestic buildings of that ancient seat of learning. In the evening he pursued his journey, but a mile before he came to Royston, he was seized with a diffi- culty of breathing, and an acute pain across the chest. With much difficulty he was taken forward to the end of the stage : and notwithstanding all the assistance which could be given, and the humane attention which he experienced not only from the few friends who ac- companied him but from the strangers who surrounded him, Mr Cary expired within two hours after his arrival.
" Almost with his latest breath he expressed a wish that his remains might be taken to London, and that his funeral service might be performed by the officiating minister of Essex-Street Chapel; to whom he had brought a letter of introduction, and with whom he
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had expressed a desire to become acquainted, and who on his part would have been truly gratified had an in- terview, however short, been permitted with a charac- ter so interesting. All that Divine Providence in fact allowed was, that he should fulfil the dying request of his unknown friend by officiating at his funeral. Such was the will of Him who doth all things well. And may his will be done, and ever be cheerfully acquiesced in by all his reasonable creatures. Nor, after all, was the disappointment of great account. Pass but a few fleeting years, and the virtuous of all countries and of all ages, will meet, to part no more."
XVII.
INSCRIPTIONS ON THE THREE MONUMENTS IN KING'S CHAPEL.
1. THE SHIRLEY TABLET.
M. S. FRANCISCA SHIRLEY, Quam Virginem Omnium Admirationi commendavit Eximius Forma Nitor, Familiarium vero etiam Amori Gratior veniens in pulchro Corpore virtus :
Quam Nuptam Fides intemerata, Amor sincerus, Rerum Domesticarum prudens Administratio, Indoles suavissima, In tantum Marito devinxerunt, Ut Cor ejus in illa tutissime confiderit :
APPENDIX. 205
Quam Matrem Nulla prius habuit Cura Quam ut Liberorum Animos præstantissimis moribus im- bueret, Quod et strenue laboravit et feliciter :
Quam Demum, In omni Vitæ statu et Conditione, Summa Ingenii Elegantia Quicquid Decorum atque Honestum diligenter excolentis Quicquid Vanum contra et Leve serio aversantis Morum Simplicitas candida Pietas infucata In Egeno Liberalitas, in omnes Benevolentia, Dolorum Tolerantia, Voluptatum Temperantia, Omnis denique et omnimoda Virtus Ut amabilem fecerunt omnibus Ita Amorem ipsum et Delicias hujus Provincia Vivam, Desiderium triste et insolabile reddiderunt mortuam.
Maritum habuit GULIELMUM SHIRLEY hujus Provincia Præfectum, Quem Filiis quatuor, Filiabus quinque beavit. E Stirpe Generosa Nata est Londini MDCXCII, Denata Dorcestria Massachusettensium prid: Kal. Sept. MDCCXI.VI, In communi hujus Oppidi Cæmeterio condita ipsius Exuvia Felicem ad meliorem vitam Reditum expectant.
JUXTA hanc Præstantissimam Matrem positum est Quicquid Mortale fuit Filia Natu secunda FRANCISCA BOLLAN, GULIELMI BOLLAN Armigeri In Curia Vice Admiralitatis apud Massachusettenses Regii Advocati, Nuper Uxoris,
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APPENDIX.
Quam Virtus et Forma excellens, Prudentia et Ingenium excnltum, Pietas et Mores suavissimi, Dilectissimam omnibus, dum in vivis fuit finxerunt. Spatiolo Vitæ, (heu brevi) percurso, Annum quippe vix quartum supra vicessimum attigit, Primo in Partu diem obiit supremum XII Kal. Martias MDCCXLIV Marito, Parentibus, Amicis, Ingens sui Desiderium relinquens.
1. THE APTHORP TABLET.
M. S. CAROLI APTHORP, QUI PATERFAMILIAS PRUDENS ET LIBERALIS, MERCATOR INTEGERRIMUS, INSIGNI PROBITATE CIVIS, INTER HUJUS ÆEDIS INSTAURATORES PRECIPUE MUNIFICUS, SINCERA FIDE ET LARGA CARITATE CHRISTIANUS, OBIIT SEXAGENARIUS XI. NOVEMBR. MDCCLVIII, REPENTINA ET SUIS IMMATURA MORTE PRÆREPTUS. NE TANTARUM VIRTUTUM MEMORIA ET EXEMPI.UM OBSOLERET,
APPENDIX. 207
VIDUA ET XV LIBERI SUPERSTITES HOC MARMOR AMORIS ET PIETATIS MONUMENTUM P P.
3. THE VASSALL MONUMENT,
Sacred to the memory of SAMUEL VASSALL, Esq. of LONDON, Merchant, one of the original proprietors of the lands of this Country ; a steady and undaunted asserter of the Liberties of ENGLAND, in 1628, He was the first who boldly refused to submit to the tax of Tonnage and Poundage, an unconstitutional claim of the Crown arbitrarily imposed : For which (to the ruin of his family) his goods were seized and his person imprisoned by the Star Chamber Court. He was chosen to represent the City of LONDON, in two successive Parliaments which met Apr. 13 and Nov. 3, 1640. The Parliament in July, 1641, voted him £10445. 12. 2 for his damages, and resolved that he should be further considered for his personal sufferings ; But the rage of the times and the neglect of proper applications since
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have left to his family only the honour of that Vote and Resolution. He was one of the largest subscribers to raise money against the Rebels in IRELAND. All these facts may be seen in the Journal of the House of Commons. He was the Son of the gallant JOHN VASSALL who in 1588 at his own expense fitted out and commanded two Ships of War, with which he joined the Royal Navy to oppose the SPANISH ARMADA.
This monument was erected by his great grandson, FLORENTIUS VASSALL, Esq. of the Island of JAMAICA, now residing in ENGLAND, May, 1766. .
Beside these monuments in King's Chapel, there is a small marble tablet inserted over the door of the vestry room, bearing the following inscription :
WILLIAM PRICE, A BENEFACTOR TO THIS CHURCH, DIED, MAY XIX, MDCCLXXII. AGED LXXXVII. YEARS.
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APPENDIX.
XVIII.
LIST OF MINISTERS OF KING'S CHAPEL.
Inducted. | Died or removed.
Robert Ratcliffe,
Rector.
1686
Left 1689
Robert Clarke,
Assistant.
1686
Samuel Myles,
Rector.
1689
Died 1728
George Hatton,
Assistant.
1693
Left
1696
Christopher Bridge,
do. do.
1709
Died
1729
Roger Price,
Rector.
1729
Resi'nd. 1746
Charles Harward,
Assistant.
1731
Died
1736
Addington Davenport,
do. do.
1737
Left
1740
Stephen Roc,
1741
Rem'vd. 1744
Henry Caner,
Rector.
1747
Left
1776
Charles Brockwell,
Assistant.
1747
Died
1755
John Troutbeck,
do.
1755
Left
1775
James Freeman, Do.
Rector.
1787
Samuel Cary, Associate Minister.
1809
Died
1815
Francis Win. Pitt Greenwood, do.
1824
XIX.
LIST OF THE WARDENS OF KING'S CHAPEL.
1686 to 1687, Benjamin Bullivant and Richard Banks.
1689, Francis Foxcroft Samuel Ravenscroft.
1690, Benjamin Mountfort
Giles Dyer.
1691, Savill Simpson
Harry Clark.
1692, Nicholas Tippet
Edward Gouge.
1693, William Hobby
George Turfrey.
1694 1695, Thaddeus Maccarty 1696, Giles Dyer
Benjamin Mountfort.
1697, Giles Dyer
Shubal Simpson. John Indicott.
1699, John Indicott
William Hobby.
1790, William Hobby
East Apthorp.
1701, East Apthorp
Edward Lyde.
Samuel Checkley.
14
1702 1703, Edward Lyde
Francis Foxcroft.
1698, George Turfrey
1782
Reader.
1699
Rem'vd.1706
Henry Harris,
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APPENDIX.
1704, Thomas Newton
Nicholas Roberts.
1705, Nicholas Roberts
John Nelson.
1706, John Nelson
Savill Simpson.
1707, Savill Simpson
William Tailer.
1708, William Tailer
Thomas Newton.
1709, Thomas Newton 1710, Arthur Langharne 1711, Anthony Blount 1714, Sir Charles Hobby
Anthony Blount. Cyprian Southack.
John Jekyll.
1715
1716, John Oulton
John Valentine. Edward Mills.
1717 1718, Giles Dyer
1719 1720. Henry Francklyn
George Cradock.
1721, John Cutler
Henry Francklyn
1722, John Cutler
James Smith.
1723, Francis Brinley
James Stirling.
1724, James Stirling
John Barnes.
1725, John Barnes
John Gibbins.
1726, John Gibbins
Thomas Selby.
1727, Thomas Selby
Thomas Phillips.
1728, John Eastwicke
William Randle.
1729, William Randle
William Speakınan.
1730, William Speakman
Job Lewis.
1731, Job Lewis
Charles Apthorp.
1732, Charles Apthorp
George Steuart.
1733, George Steuart
George Shore.
1734, George Shore
Thomas Greene.
1735, Thomas Greene
John Read.
1736, John Read
Thomas Child.
1737, Thomas Child
William Coffin.
1738, William Coffin
Silvester Gardiner.
1739, Silvester Gardiner
James Gordon.
1740, James Gordon
William Shirley.
1741, William Shirley
Samuel Wentworth.
1742, Samuel Wentworth
Eliakim Hutchinson.
Charles Apthorp.
George Cradock.
William Shirley, jr.
Jolin Box.
James Forbes.
John Box.
Thomas Hawding.
Henry Lloyd.
Nathl. Wheelwright.
Charles Paxton.
1746 to 1752, James Gordon 1753, John Box
1754, James Forbes 1755, James Forbes
1756 1757, Silvester Gardiner
1758 1759, Silvester Gardiner
1760 1761, Nathaniel Wheelwright
Arthur Langharne.
1713
1743, Eliakim Hutchinson
1744, Charles Apthorp
1745, George Cradock
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APPENDIX.
218
1762, Charles Paxton
1763 1768, Silvester Gardiner
Silvester Gardiner. Charles Paxton. Gilbert Deblois.
1769 1774, Silvester Gardiner Revolutionary interval.
1782, Thomas Bulfinch
James Ivers.
1783
1792, Thomas Bulfinch
Shrimp. Hutchinson.
1793 1794, Thomas Bulfinch
Joseph May.
1795, Charles Miller
Joseph May.
1796 1797, Charles Miller
Ebenezer Oliver.
1798
1826, Ebenezer Oliver
Joseph May.
1827
, Francis Johonnot Oliver William Minot.
KING'S CHAPEL AS IN 1720. BEACON HILL IN THE DISTANCE.
D28441.37
₹144
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