[1] _Religio Medici_, Part II., Sec. 3.
[2] Christopher Kilby was one of the Representatives of the Town in the
General Court, (1739,) and was appointed by that body to go to England,
as an agent for the Province. He soon after embarked for London, where
he resided for several years. He was called the "Standing Agent" of the
Province, and was likewise the Special Agent of the Town. Five years
after this, we find a record of his election, at which he had 102 votes
out of 109. When the General Court passed an act granting the King an
excise on spirituous liquors, wines, limes, lemons, and oranges, the
Town "voted unanimously to employ him to appear on behalf of the Town,
and to use his utmost endeavour to prevent said Act's obtaining the
Royal Assent," and likewise to be its agent in other matters. This
action of the Town was June 3d, 1755.--See Drake's _History of Boston_,
p. 606.
[3] It would be interesting to know, something more of Cox,--who he was,
and what was his standing in the trade. Did he take rank with Tonson,
Watts, Lintot, Strahan, Bathurst, and the rest,--publishers of Pope,
Gay, Swift, etc.? or was his an Ishmaelite of the Row?--and did all the
trade think so badly of him as Hancock did?
[4] The following letter from Mr. Faneuil's own hand, found among Mr.
Hancock's papers, is sufficiently curious to warrant its insertion
here:--
"_Boston, February 3'd._ 1738.
"CAPT. PETER BUCKLEY,
"S'r,--Herewith you have Invoice of Six hh's. fish, & 8
Barrells of Alewifes, amounting to £75. 9. 2--which when you
arrive at Antiguas be pleased to Sell for my best advantage,
& with the net produce of the Same purchase for me, for the
use of my house, as likely a Strait limbed Negro lad as
possible you can, about the Age of from 12 to fiveteen
years, & if to be done, one that has had the Small pox, who
being for my Own service, I must request the fav'r. you
would let him be one of as tractable a disposition as you
can find, w'ch. I leave to your prudent care & management,
desireing after you have purchased him you would send him to
me by the first good Opportunity, recommending him to a
Particular care from the Captain by whom you send him. Your
care in this will be an Obligation,--I wish you a good
Voyage, & am
"S'r. your humble Servant
"PETER FANEUIL.
"P.S. Should there not be En'o to purchase the Boy desir'd
be pleased to Add, & if any Overplus, to Lay it out for my
Best Advantage in any thing you think proper. P. F."
Truly, in confronting this ghost of departed manners, may we say with
the Clown in "Twelfth Night,"--"Thus the whirligig of Time brings in his
revenges." The Hall which was the gift to the town of this merchant, who
proposes to trade codfish and _alewifes_ for a slave, afterward became
everywhere known to the world as the very "Cradle of Liberty."
[5] _History of Boston_, p. 681.
[6] Mr. Hancock, although a merchant "of the approved Gresham and
Whittington pattern," appears, for some reason or other, to have judged
no small degree of secrecy expedient in regard to some of his ventures.
Thus, under date of October 22d, 1736, he writes to Captain John
Checkering, then absent on a voyage on his account:--
"I hope ere this, you Safe arrived at Surranam, & your Cargo to a Good
Market. I Press you make the best dispatch possible, & doe all you can
to serve the Interist of y'e concerned, & Closely observe when you come
on our Coasts not to Speak with any Vessells, _nor let any of your men
write up to their wives_, when you arrive at our light house."
[7] "At length wearied with the altercation and persuaded of the
justness of their cause," (in refusing to settle a fixed salary on Gov.
Burnet,) "the House resolved to apply to his Majesty for redress, and
Mr. Francis-Wilkes, a New-England merchant, then resident in London, was
selected as their agent."--Barry's _History of the Provincial Period of
Massachusetts_, p. 126.
[8]
"I'll do what Mead and _Cheselden_ advise,
To keep these limbs and to preserve these eyes."