ELEGIAC POEMS AND EPITAPHS.

1677-1717.

LEGIAC POETRY must fill this volume if we take works by dates, for not only was little else produced during many years, but so abundant is it that it would easily fill another volume. For variety of subject, however, chronology may not be hereafter followed.

The first poem here reproduced seems to have been the first that was written, printed, and published with its own title-page in our country. It is An Elegy on the Reverend Thomas Shepard of Charlestown, by the Reverend URIAN OAKES. Of the latter a sketch has been given in the preface to the third volume of this series. At the time

he wrote the Elegy he was superintending Harvard College. Four years later he died.

The Reverend Thomas Shepard, the son of a distinguished minister of Cambridge who bore the same name, was born in London in 1634, and with his father came to New England in 1635. In 1653 he graduated at Harvard. Six years later he was ordained teacher of the Church in Charlestown,

where, until 1671, he was an associate of the Reverend Zechariah Symmes, but afterwards he was alone. Mather tells us (Magnalia, 189) that he "was as Great a Blessing and Glory as ever Charlestown had," and many a good and prominent man had already lived there.

A portion of this Elegy was printed in small modern type by the Reverend William I. Budington in his History of the First Church, Charlestown. The present complete and exact reproduction is from a copy owned by the writer that belonged to the late George Brinley of Hartford, in the catalogue of whose library it is called excessively rare, a term which there had much significance.

The title-page, supposed to be the first of a poem both written and printed within the present limits of our country, is reproduced in modern type, and in fac-simile by process (Heliotype Company) which shows the imperfect type and inking of the original.

Although the Reverend COTTON MATHER Wrote only two poems issued as separate publications, he also wrote several that appear as parts of other works. The former are reproduced in the third volume of this series. Three of the latter and a long Epitaph that shows the author's Latin are given on the following pages. All the five works, it is believed, are for the first time reproduced in their original form, page for page.

Johannes in Eremo contains Lives of five prominent ministers republished in different form seven years later in the Magnalia, as also was the poem on the Reverend John Wilson. The latter is here, perhaps for the first time, reproduced in its original style from a fine copy of the rare and valuable edition of 1695, owned by Mr. Sumner Hollings

worth. Mr. Wilson, the first minister of Boston, is so well known that no sketch of him is needed here. Born, in 1588, of eminent ancestry, educated in Law and in Divinity, he came to Boston in 1630. He died August 7th, 1667, and "was Interr'd with more than Ordinary Solemnity" (Life, p. 28).

"Vigilantius.. A Discourse Occasioned by the Early Death of Seven Young Ministers," was preached "At Boston Lecture, 8. d. 9. m. 1705,” on the Text, "Therefore be ye also ready" (Matthew xxiv. 44). The pages 1 to 28 contain the Discourse, which is followed by a poem, exactly reproduced in this volume from a copy that belongs to Mr. Abram E. Cutter of Charlestown. By his courtesy the Club is enabled to present a very rare work found in few libraries.

While only two of the Ministers are named in the poem, all are in the Discourse, but with little or no biographical information. "TOMPSON of Marshfield" was Edward, born April 20, 1665, H. C., 1684, and minister there from Oct. 14, 1696, until he died, March 10, 1705, aged 40. (Drake,