Memoir of Roger Williams, the Founder of the State of Rhode-IslandKnowles, James D. (James Davis)
History
Memoir of Roger Williams, the Founder of the State of Rhode-Island
Knowles, James D. (James Davis)
Rhode Island -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775; Williams, Roger, 1604?-1683
Mr. Williams, in writing his book, caught some of the same spirit, and
used a style of contemptuous bitterness, which was not natural to him.
Mr. Fox and Mr. Burnyeat replied in the same strain, though with more
coarseness. Their book is a quarto, of 489 pages. It is entitled, “A
New-England Firebrand Quenched,” &c. They filled twenty-four pages with
words and phrases culled from Mr. Williams’ book, with this preface: “A
catalogue of R. W’s. envious, malicious, scornful, railing stuff, false
accusations and blasphemies, which he foully and unchristianlike hath
scattered and dispersed through his book.” At the end are two letters,
the one from Mr. Coddington, and the other from Mr. Richard Scott, in
both of which Mr. Williams is spoken of with much harshness.
But we have done with these books. It would be well, for the reputation
of all the parties, if they could be forgotten.
We have thus reviewed all the printed books of Mr. Williams, of which we
have been able to obtain copies. Two or three treatises, which he wrote,
were not, it is presumed, printed. Among these, was the essay concerning
the patent, which excited the displeasure of the magistrates in
Massachusetts, before his banishment.[386] At the end of his Key, he
says, “I have further treated of these natives of New-England, and that
great point of their conversion, in a little additional discourse to
this.” This discourse we have never seen. In the letter to Governor
Bradstreet, (page 353 of this volume) Mr. Williams speaks of a
collection of heads of discourses preached to the “scattered English at
Narraganset,” and which Mr. Williams requests the Governor to assist him
in printing. It does not appear that it was printed. Dr. Holmes,
(Annals, vol. i. p. 411) says, “In the Prince Collection of MSS. are
heads of discourses, which he delivered to the Narraganset Indians.” An
ineffectual search has been made among the MSS. referred to, for these
heads of discourses, which may have been mislaid. They may be the same
as those mentioned in the letter to Governor Bradstreet.
There is said to be a MS. of one hundred and six quarto pages, in the
library of the Massachusetts Historical Society, entitled, “Esau and
Jacob’s Mystical Harmony,” &c. written in 1666, with a memorandum in Dr.
Stiles’ hand writing, “I suppose Roger Williams.” We have not had an
opportunity to examine this manuscript.
The letters of Mr. Williams were very numerous. He held an extensive
correspondence. Many of these letters are preserved, and many others are
referred to, which have perished.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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