The Detroit times., 1914-09-25
Brought Over By Second Royal
Governor OF New England,
It is Practically Intact
"KING'S CHAPEL" GOT 1T
BY QUEEN MARY'S WISH
Escaped Ravages of Revolution,
When All Other Royal Gift
Books Were Destroyed

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belonging 70 the Boston Atheneum,
and II Is believed to have had the
longest unbroken existence OF any H.
brary, public or private, in New Eng
land.
] The library was formed when some
or the founders OF Boston, who came
over with Gov John Winthrop. were
still living. II contained books that
were published before Shakespeare
was born. and II vas a gift from King
William III OF England, testifying his
good will toward His maJesty's
Rchapel," as the present Kings chapel
was then called.
Two facts give this ancient collec-
tion Of books special interest at this
time--the Boston Globes recent ac-
quisition OF a reprint OF the catalogue
that was sent here from London with
King Williams gift. and the recent
presentation OF the library by Kings
chapel to the Boston Atheneum, which
has had custody of II for the last 81
years.
The Kings Chapel society, the first
Church OF England In Boston, had
been established about IL years and
was having hard struggle TO keep
as a continuation of the bounty pre-
viously shown by his recently deceas-
ed wife, Queen Mary, sent over this
library in the custody Of the Earl OF
Bellomont, the second royal governor
OF New England. whose fame today
rests largely on the fact that he ap-
pretended In Boston, and sent to Eng
land for trial and execution, the re-
puted pirate, Capt William Kidd.
Having been unable to induce the
Puritan Bostonians to sell them at
any price q plot Of land for the pro-
posed Kings chapel, the early Episco-
palians, under authority of the first
royal governor, Andros, appropriated
so much Of the first burial ground in
Tremont-st. as was necessary to build
wooden edifce, hardly more than
one-half as large as the present stone
chapel, which succeeded II many
years later.
II was on the completion OF the
wooden chapel that the minister.
Rev. Samuel Miles, Harvard, 1854, the
flrst native-bo Episcopal minister In
america, went To England In 1894 to
secure assistance from the rich and
powerful In the old country In fur
hishing and maintaining It, He was
away four years. during which time,
Through the agency OF Lord Bishop
Compton, OF London, he secured q
humber of substantial tokens OF the
bounty OF King William and Queen
Mary.
During the first two years following
DR.. Miles arrival in London the little
chapel in Boston received all the va
ious articles necessary for holding
religious services, as altar and table
cloths, cushions, pulpit Bible and
more than q dozen psalm books,
silver communion and baptismal SER
Eice. supplies for the minister and
assistant, and an annuity OF something
Ike $500 year to maintain the as
istant.
Queen Mary having died meanwhile,
xing william carried out one OF her
ast expressed wishes In sending over
,y Gov. Bellomont an up-to-date IL
Drary for the minister and his assist
INT. the gift being In response to rep
esentations by Rev. Thomas Bray,
benevolent English clergyman, who
Inserted that a library was essential
or every minister, and that only the
,oorer sort of ministers who would
be unable to purchase books In any
.onsiderable number, could be ex-
3,ected TO consent to come to such an
I,ninteresting land as that comprising
he American colonies. The kings
rtst consisted OF $50 different works
n 211 volumes.
n was apparently made possible
nainly through the influence OF the
3ishop OF London, who had not only
rad charge of the education OF both
queen Mary and her sister, Queen
Hnne. hut who had also confirmed and
married. them both. acquiring q claim
bn their bounty which they were free
o acknowledge.
Through bis efforts and those OF
,r. BRAY. the library gift to Kings
khapel was followed by no less than
n different libraries distributed
mong Episcopal churches In the
merfcan colonies. or that number
he Kings chapel collection Is said to
u the only one not destroyed or scat
cred during the Revolution.
THE wardens of Kings chapel on
aceipt OF the books in the summer OF
COS expended sum equal to about
Sfa for chests In which to keep
Nam" and they sent letter Of CRATE
hi acknowledgment to the Lord
sishop of London, assuring him that
or the present they would be lodged
Mr.. Miles study for the use Of him
Ind his assistant and their success
ors."
Possibly the warden had Fremont
ion OF the eventual straying OF the
\ Vhapel from the Episcopal fold into
AvJnitarianism when they told his lord
yhip that care would be taken that
no abuse or imbecilment be made OF
he books by the ministers or their
uccessors."
"Mr. Miles his study" was probably
n the same house that was serving
>s parsonage to Kings chapel when
he later minister. DR.. Gamer. 10y.
list during the Revolution, departeu
or Halifax and later for England ~
he time Of the evacuation OF boston
by the British, March IL, 1776.
DIR. Gamer, though he carried away
number of royal gifts to the cnape''
eft the library behind, propapy IoI
want of room ON the ships. Tne par
onaee was on Tremont-st., on the
(ite OF the granite building apgttins
,n the north side of Kings cnape'
burial ground. 49,. u,..
There Is an entry In the Kings
hapel records showing that Tor
ime. about lso or 40 years ago. the