"March 19. Mr. Leverett, when he and I are alone, told me his wife and he had laid out Madam Brown for me and yet took occasion to say that Madam Winthrop had done very generously by the Major General's family in giving up her dower. I said if Madam Brown should leave her fair accommodations at Salem, she might be apt to repent it.”

But soon, either because fate was unpropitious, or Sewall's discretion had the upper hand, he turned for comfort to the Widow Dennison, whose husband had died shortly before

"an autumnal matron," as Hawthorne would phrase it, but withal a business woman not wasting property on sentiment. Judge Sewall had written the late Dennison's will and attended his funeral, for we read:

March 19. I write Mr. William Dennison's will, being desired by a messenger from Roxbury with minutes."

On March 26, Sewall, with other Puritan notables, attended Mr. Dennison's funeral at Roxbury, where his pastor, Mr. Walter, said: "He was a man of truth, and of trust, a man of prayer, integrity and piety."

"Gov. Dudley and I went next the mourners," the Judge records. "Went back to the house in a coach. At coming away I prayed

"Mr.

God to keep house with the widow." Danforth gives the widow Dennison a high commendation for her piety, prudence, diligence, humility." April 7. I prove Mr. Dennison's will. Her brother, Edmund Wells, brought the widow to town and gave me notice before hand. I gave her 10s. to give her sister Weld for her Indian Bible. Mr. Dorr took occasion in her absence to say she was one of the most dutiful wives in the world. Her cousin, the widow Hayden, accidentally came in with her. April 8. Mr. Boydell, when I was at his office and signed the papers, smiling said Mr. Dennison's will looked as if it was written by me. I told him, Yes, but there was not a tittle of it mine, but the form.'"

6

"June 3d. Go to Roxbury, talk with Mr. Walter about Mrs. Dennison. He advises me not to see her then, lest should surprise her undressed [not dressed for callers]. Told him I came on purpose; yet finally submitted to his advice; he spake of her coming to town on Thursday. June 5. Nobody came - I writ to Mr. Walter. June 9. Note, Mrs. D. came in the morning about nine o'clock, I took her up into my chamber and discoursed thoroughly with her. She desired me to procure another and better nurse. [Sewall had represented

that he needed some one to look after him in his old age.]

"I gave her the last two News Letters, told her I intended to visit her at her own house next lecture day. She said 'twould be talked of. I answered in such cases persons must run the gauntlet. Gave her Mr. Whiting's oration, for Abijah Walter who brought her on horseback to town. I think little or no notice was taken of it."

"June 17. Went to Roxbury Lecture. Visited Govr. Dudley, Mrs. Dennison; gave her Dr. Mather's sermons very well bound; told her we were in it invited to a wedding. She gave me very good curds. July 2. I gave Mrs. Dennison her oath to the inventory [of her husband's goods.] At night when all were gone to bed, Cousin Moody went with me into the new hall, read the history of Rebecca's Courtship and prayed with me respecting my widowed condition. July 16. Went and visited Mrs. Dennison. Gave her King George's effiges in copper; and an English crown of King Charles II., 1677. Eat curds with her; I craved a blessing and returned thanks; came home after it."

"July 25. I go in a hackney coach to Roxbury. Call at Mr. Walter's who is not at home; nor Gov. Dudley nor his lady. Visit Mrs. Den

nison; she invites me to eat. I give her two cases with a knife and fork in each; one, turtle shell tackling; the other long with ivory handles, squared, cost 4s. 6d.; pound of raisins with proportional almonds. and sister Weld."

Visit her brother

"Aug. 6. Visited Mrs. Dennison, carried her sister Weld, the widow and Mrs. Weld to her brother, where we were courteously entertained. Brought Mr. Edmund Weld's wife home with me in the coach; she is in much darkness [concerning the outcome of his suit]. Gave Mrs. Dennison a psalm book neatly bound in England with Turkey leather. 27th. I ride and visit Mrs. Dennison, leave my horse at the Grey Hound. She mentions her discouragements by reason of discourses she heard; I prayed God to direct her and me."

In fact, Sewall visits this lady upon almost every opportunity; but as his duty as circuit judge took him away, Mrs. Dennison disappears from the Diary while he is on his travels. The next significant entry is Oct. 15:

"Visit Mrs. Dennison on horseback; present her with a pair of shoe buckles cost 5s. 3d." "Nov. 1. My son from Brookline being here, I took his horse and visited Mrs. Dennison. I told her 'twas time to finish our busi

ness. Asked her what I should allow her. She not speaking, I told her I was willing to give her £250 pr. annum during her life, if it should please God to take me out of the world before her. She answered she had better keep as she was than to give a certainty for an uncertainty. She should pay dear for dwelling at Boston. I desired her to make proposals but she made none. I had thought of publishment next Thursday. But now I seemed to be far from it. May God who has the pity of a father, direct and help me!"

Her late husband, as Sewall well knew, had left Mrs. Dennison a life interest in all his estates. The trouble in this case seems to have been that the lady declined to alienate any of her interests by marriage. In fact, all through his later courtships Sewall shines more as a sharp business man than a lover with tact or sentiment.

"Novr. 28, 1718. I went this day in the coach [to Mrs. Dennison's], had a fire made in the chamber where I stayed with her before. I enquired how she had done these three or four weeks. Afterwards, I told her our conversation had been such when I was with her last that it seemed to be a direction in Providence not to proceed any further; she said