if death came to separate. Instances of old maids were very rare and those of old bachelors even more so. (Stoughton stands almost alone among Puritan worthies as a man who never took unto himself a wife.) The elders on the man's side seem to have had a custom of sending a suitable present to the lady's parent as a sign that Barkis was "willin'." If the match was to be refused the present was very likely returned. This custom may be held to explain the following rather blind letter of Sewall's:

"MADAM:

"BOSTON, Jan. 13, 1701. The inclosed piece of silver, by its bowing, humble form bespeaks your favour for a certain young man in town. The name (Real) the motto (plus ultra) seem to plead its suitableness for a present of this nature. Neither need you accept against the quantity; for you have the means in your own hands; and by your generous acceptance you may make both it and the giver great. Madam, I am "Your affect. friend,

"s. s."

When the Puritans first came to New England they ordered (1646), in a reaction against

the Church of England, that only magistrates or one appointed by the authorities should join parties in holy wedlock. Under this law Governor Richard Bellingham, the last survivor of the patentees named in the charter, performed a marriage service for himself and his new bride: "His last wife was ready to be contracted to a friend of his who lodged in his house and by his consent had proceeded so far with her when, on the sudden, the governor treated with her and obtained her for himself. He was fifty and the lady twenty and Bellingham also solemnized the marriage himself." By Sewall's time, however, the ministers, as we have seen, were performing the marriage ceremony.

One rather curious courtship custom which obtained at this time was that of addressing fervid petitions to a near woman-relative of the girl a man wished for his wife, praying that this sister or mother would intercede with thedivine mistress." Drake in his "Roxbury "gives such a letter sent by Paul Dudley, son of the royal governor, to Mrs. Davenport, sister of his "dearest Lucy":

"DEAR MADAM:-It is impossible but that you must take notice of that most affectionate

Respect and Dutiful Passion I Bear to your most charming and amiable Sister, and you as easily guess at my Design in it which I Blush at the thought of. But the just honour and Regard I have and ought to have to Colonel Wainwright, [the girl's father] and his Lady in this affair, forbids my pursuing it any further till I have mentioned it to them; for Which Reason it is that I am now going Hither (though with a trembling and heavy heart) and carry with me a letter from the Governor to your Father that he would allow me to wait upon my Sweetest fairest Dearest Lucy. But unless my Dearest Davenport will assist and make An Interest for me I Can't Hope for Success. I Confess I have no grounds to ask or expect such a favour from you, unless it Be by reminding you of the many obligations you have already laid me Under, and this is an argument which goes a great way with Noble and Generous minds, and I am sure if you did but know what I Undergoe Both Day and Night, you would Pity me at least. I must beg of you therefore if you have any regard to my Health and Happiness, I might say to my life, you would show your compassion and friendship to me in this matter;* and Hereby lay such an obligation upon me as shall not, cannot ever Be forgotten.