tories revealing the utmost poverty; and it is tantalizing to find other property lists that show a high degree of comfort and the beginning of luxury in which the books are merely appraised at twenty-five or a hundred pounds. Among these early inventories with book lists two seem worthy of especial mention.

THE RATCLIFF INVOICE, 1668

1

An early document of the Boston book trade is an inventory of Thomas Ratcliff, stationer, of Wapping, England, covering books and stationer's goods in the hands of John Ratcliff, of Boston, stationer. John Ratcliff appears as binder of Eliot's Indian Bible 1 in 1664. To him and Alice, his wife, are born sons John and Thomas and a daughter Elizabeth in 1664, 1666, and 1669.2 He is one of those citizens of Boston who in 1664 petition the General Court on October 19 that the Charter rights of the Colony be confirmed and continued.3 In 1667 he is a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company. Samuel Sewall in a commonplace-book notes, “Samuel Sewall, his Booke, Decemb. 29, 1677. Bound by Jno. Ratcliff."5

4

6

Thomas notes him as a bookseller for whom was printed Cotton Mather's youthful poem upon President Urian Oakes, and for whom and John Griffin was published the Rev. Joseph Rowlandson's last sermon. These were printed in 1682. Thomas further says that Ratcliff did little work as a bookseller, but that a few pamphlets were printed for him. After 1682 John Ratcliff apparently disappears from Massachusetts. It seems likely that he removed with his family from the vicinity of Boston, for outside the present entry the name of Ratcliff, in any form, does not again appear in the Suffolk County Probate Records for more than two hundred years.

The inventory that follows, together with the preamble and the attached power of administration, explains itself. The books are of the class to be found on the shelves of the colonists generally, not alone in ministers' libraries. The consignment was treated appar

1 Our Publications, v. 390, 391; W. C. Ford, Boston Book Market, pp. 43, 72; Memorial History of Boston, i. 469.

2 Boston Record Commissioners' Reports, ix. 93, 101, 112.

• Proceedings Massachusetts Historical Society, lii. 315.

Roberts, History of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, i. 209, 210. 5 Diary, ii. 12.*

• History of Printing in America (1874), ii. 207, 208, 242.

ently by the court as if to have been sold on commission as the venture of Thomas Ratcliff, of Wapping, and not as an order at the risk of John. The binding materials John would of course buy for his own use; the books he would sell on commission. It will be noted that the items on seamanship and navigation are usually of several copies each, but that the books of divinity are usually of a single copy. It would be interesting to know whether these latter represent a special order sent to England or whether they are wholly a venture on Thomas Ratcliff's part to feel the Boston market. Such ventures were not unknown.1

An Inuentory of Certaine parcells of Bookes pasboards parchments &c sent ouer by the late m2 Thomas Ratlife of Wapping station' sent over to his Brother John Ratlife of Boston station' &c as found in the Depty GovTM Warehouse, Taken and Apprized by m2 Hezekiah Usher as they cost in England, as neere as he could: 15 July 1668

3: Bookes of m2 Hennings, Things worth Thinkinton in Octauo 000:04:6

Att a meeting of the major Generall John Leveret & Edw: Tyng Esq with the Record" in Boston this: 24: July: 1668

Power of Administration to the Estate of the late m1 Thomas Ratlife, of Wapping station' as found in this Jurisdiction is granted to John Ratliffe his Brother in right & behalfe of the children left by the sajd Thomas Ratliffe, hee giuing Bond to Administer there vpon According to Law. As Attests: EDW RAWSON Record

24 July 1668

John Ratliffe deposed that this paper contains a just & true Inuentory of soe much of his late Brother Tho: Ratlife his Estate, as is come to his hands & knowledge that when hee knowes more hee will discouer the

same

1 Suffolk Probate Files, no. 486.

pEDW RAWSON Record11

THE GREENE INVENTORY, 1728

Judge Sewall in his Diary, August 9, 1714, wrote "Last night our neighbour Green died." This neighbor was Nathaniel Greene, a prosperous young merchant, a grandson of John Greene who was an associate of Roger Williams in the Providence settlement, 1638, and nephew of James Greene from whom descended General Nathaniel Greene of the Revolution. He was born at Warwick, Rhode Island, April 10, 1679. On February 27, 1704, he was married in King's Chapel to Ann, daughter of Thomas and Frances (Robinson) Gould, of Boston, about eighteen years of age. In his will written two days before his death he mentions five children to whom he leaves one hundred and fifty pounds each with equal shares in Rhode Island land. His wife he makes residuary legatee and "full and sole executrix.” The widow Greene increased the property; and by her will of November 27, 1727, in which she describes herself as "widow and shopkeeper," she leaves all of the property to her five sons equally, the eldest of whom, Thomas, she makes sole executor. The total estate as inventoried four months later sums up to more than £7000, consisting of shop and household goods, books, and the Rhode Island land still undivided and much increased in value. It was the children of Thomas Greene who left to Trinity Church in Boston the "Greene Foundation" of £500 for the maintenance of assistant ministers.2

In the long and minutely detailed inventory of the property left by Mrs. Greene in 1728 the books are of chief interest, one hundred and twenty-four titles from folios to unnamed pamphlets. They are mostly works of divinity, to be sure, but a careful look down the columns shows to one who has become familiar with seventeenth century book-lists that here is something different. Even the divinity is of lighter type. "Pilgrims Progress" and "Grace Abounding" appear, surprisingly rare in New England lists for a generation after Bunyan's death, when compared with the frequent appearance of such books as "Caryl on Job" and Mr. Preston's and Dr. Sibbs's works. For a library of this size the folios are fewer and less profound than in those of a generation before. The quartos and octavos have a fair proportion of history, and the list ends with a group of a

1 Diary, iii. 14.

The Greene Family (1901), p. 50.

dozen titles of fiction and romance that would indicate that the widow Greene and her family had found that books might serve for delight. Of all her books one quarter, including history, may fairly be called books of diversion or of diverting information.

An Inuentory & Apprizement of the House & Land Plate Wearing Apparel and Household Goods belonging to the Estate of Ann Green late of Boston deceased as taken Accompt of & apprized by Mess's Zechariah Thayer, Benja Simpson & Philip Bongarden the 8th day of March 1727/8 Vizt. . .