Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-09-17
HOW MIR. JUSTICE SEWALL
WOODED WIDOW WINTHROP
Stately, Sedalc and Cautious was That Col
onial Lovemaking Affair III Massacm=
sets in the Seventeenth Century
Cupid Badly Handicapped.

AS the seventeenth century began to
wanc into the eighteenth colonial life
In America docs not grow less curious
or interesting I'm what now sccm It's OK
tremcS Of ccccntricity, hut they begin
to grow miltlcr in their manifestation.
III Virginia in the eighteenth century
il Is no longer possible for Il layman
who has spoken disrcspcctfully Of The
minister OF his parish 10 he sentenced
to construct pair of stocks ut his
own expense and 81, in them during
tho time of service by waJ of pcnnnce
When this happened To Henry Charlton
TO enforce in him Il more decent re-
spcct for Rev. Mr.. Cotton OF IIunEar's
parish, Va. II was in The first half of
the seventeenth century. In the seq
ond half of the century, and more
especially in the last quarter this spirit
of clerical severity against sin and
sinners had reached Its climax in the
Witch mania in New England. In the
reaction which followed Justice Sam
uel Sewall. who had sat OH the bench
mt the MasSa chusctts witch trials, was
Mt last so overcome by his conscience
that on ian. III. 1857. sit being IL fast
day he attended tho meeting house
and stood MP publicly to hear read The
paper in which he confessed himself
Sensible Of the guilt contracted by
his participation OH the bench In the
hanging OF witches.
This cascd conscience whose ten
dcrncss Extraordinary in sovcn-
tecnth century lawyer Is perhaps due
fo 10 all,
studied ut Harvard and after gradual
ing there began the career I'm the min
istry which lasted until not long after
he had married Il wealthy hcircss, the
daughter of the mint master" of
Massachusetts. After the event he de-
pended no more on the church, but de-
voted himself TO the law, rising to its
highest dignitics and yet retaining
throughout his lifetime until the ripe
age ut which he c0urtcd the widow
Winthrop his fondncss for religious
meditation, the reading OF The Scrip.
lures and .guod Canary, which make
his own account of his courtship of the
widow the greatest treasure of the
Massachusetts Historical society's Ii
brary. So.
His "Son Scwal' being grown ITO
mans cstatc@and settled In the MIN
fstry ind; lis Daughter Scwiin") he
ing mature In, age, Justice Sewall
found them both willing enough that
he should pay his court to the widow
Winthrop. He being Mt that time Of
portly figure and nm agreeable.
rounded countenancc, with n double
0b IA tic,
nm Winthrop ut the house of his "Son
Scwall' end told her he was glad to
see her" MS lie had not seen her In
some time. lie then gave her copy
OF Mr.. Homes sermons. but said moth
Ing Of matrimony on that occasion.
Through the good offices Of his "Daugh-
ter Scwnll' he then Informed Madam
Winthrop that if she would he pleas
ed TO he within" he would wait on her
shortly. She answered that she would
expect him. On the following Sntur-
day." after having dincd, he waited OH
her and ''spakc to her. saying: My low
ing wife died so soon and suddenly
twas hardly convenient for me to
think Of marrying again. However, I
have come TO tho resolution that will
not make my court to any other person
without first consulting you" After
this he had very pleasant discourse
with her, but rs there were about sew
en- other persons sitting III the room
he made not much progress on that
day.
On Oct, 8. when lie waited OH her
again, he was received by ''hcr Dangh-
Ter Noyes," to whom he said he hoped
his suit to her mother was not dIsa-
grceablc to her. She answered she would
not he against what might add to her
mothers comfort. When Madam Win
throp came into the room where sat
Chaplain Airs. who had hung UP his hat
"as If he belonged to the house." the
Justice asked her to favor him with
private consultation. Thcrcupon, when
she spake of going into another room,
Chaplain Airs presently left with the
others. Then, they two being alone.
he prayed that SHE might be the per-
son assigned to him." She instantly
"tooK It up by way Of denial, as If she
had catcbed ut an opportunity to do
it." She niude some further discourse
about unwillingness TO leave her chill
drcn, by which, being discouraged at
that time from warmly urging her,
the justice gave her copy Of Will
lard's Fountain" with the little print
and verses, saying he hoped she would
read it. She took. the book and put