Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-08-24
A COLONIAL WOOING.
HOW Mr.. JUSTICE SEWALL COURT
ED THE WIDOW WINTHROP.
Stately, sedate and Extremely Csu-
tious on Both sides Was This Love-
making Affair In Massachusetts In
the SeveUteenth Century.

As the seventeenth century began to
wane into the eighteenth colonial life
In America does not grow less curious
Or interesting in what now seem it's ex-
tremes of eccentricity, but they begin
10 grow milder in their manifestation.
In Virginia in the eighteenth century
1t Is no longer possible for a layman
who has spoken disrespectfully of the
n minister of his parish to be sentenced
IA to construct pair of stocks at his
"A own expense and sit in them during
IN the time of service by way of penance.
~ When this happened to Henry Charlton
m to enforce in him more decent re-
aspect for Rev. Mr. Cotton of Hungar's
w Parrish, Va, it was in the first half of
NJ the seventeenth century. In the sec
N ond half of the century, and more
Respectfully in the last quarter, this spirit
50 of clerical severity against sin and
1sinners had reached its climax In the
witch mania In New England. In the
Fraction which followed Justice Sam
4,lel -Sewa.i., who had sat on the bench
at the Massachusetts witch trials, was
B at last so overcome by his conscience
that on Jan. IA, 1897. at being fast
day." he attended the meeting house
and stood up publicly to hear read the
paper in which he confessed himself
.sensible of the guilt contracted" by
his participation on the bench In the
hanging of witches.
This eased a conscience whose ten
derness extraordinary in q seven
teenth century lawyer) is perhaps due
to his education for the church. He
studied at Harvard and after gradual
ing there began the career in the min
istry which lasted until not long after
N he had married a wealthy heiress, the
# daughter OF the mint master" of
& Massachusetts. After the event he de-
n pended no more on the church., but de-
4 voted himself to the law, rising to its
q highest dignities and yet retaining
throughout his lifetime until the ripe
age at which he courted the widow
5 Winthrop his fondness for religious
meditation, the reading Of the Scrip
n lures and good Canary, which make
b his own account of his courtshlp of the
widow the greatest treasure of the
Massachusetts Historical societys IL
brary.
His "Son Sewall' being grown to
mans estate and settled In the min
istry and his Daughter SewalP' be-
ing mature in age, Justice Sewall
4 found them both willing enough that
he should pay his court to the widow
Winthrop. He being at that time Of
portly figure and an agreeable,
rounded countenance, with double
chin, as his portraits show, met Mad
am Winthrop at the house of his "Son
Eewalr'' and told her he was "glad to
see her." as he had not seen her in
some time. He 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 Sewalp' he then informed Madam
Winthrop that If she would be "pleas-
A ed to be within he would wait on her
Il shortly. She answered that she would
IA expect him. On the following Satur-
day" after having dined, he waited on
n her and "spake to her, saying: My low
u ing wife died so soon and suddenly
a twas hardly convenient for me to
think Of marrying again. However. /
a have come to the resolution that will
not make my court to any other person
a without first consulting you" After
n this he had a very pleasant discourse
q with her, but as there were about sew
y en- other persons sitting in the room
ne made not much progress on that
n day.
i On Oct. g. when he waited on her
again, he was received by "her Daugh
ter Noyes," to whom he said he hoped
4 his suit to her mother was not disa-
greeable to her. She answered she would
not be 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. Thereupon, 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
LOOK IL up ny way VI uehiai, 40 IL suc
had catched at an opportunity to do
It." She made some further discourse
about unwillingness to leave her chill
dren, by which, being discouraged at
that time from warmly urging her,
the justice gave her a copy Of VIII
lard's Fountain" with the little print
and verses, saying he hoped she would
read 1t. She took the book and put
1t In her pocket. Thereupon the JUS
tice took leave.
On his next meeting with the widow
she treated him with a great deal Of
courtesy and also with wine and mar
malade. She told him that DR.. In
crease Mather visited her that day in
Mr.. Hutchinson's coach. He gave her
. copy of the News Letter with
verses in 1t and took leave. This was
the day after DR.. Cotton Mather's
a chimney fell afire so as to interrupt
the assembly a. M"
n He then ''writ few lines to Madam
u Winthrop" and sent her Mr.. Mayhew's