INTRODUCTION. Ixxi
Bay. Thereupon Governor Bradstreet, whose name was the first on the Hst of Counsellors appointed by the New Charter, resigned his office to him.*
He died at Salem, March 27, 1697, at the age of ninety- four, thus closing a long, exemplar}'-, and honorable life, sixty years of which had been devoted to constant and faithful public service. f
- Hutchinson's History, Vol. i. pp. 332-41^; Vol. ii. pp. 19, 20; Palfrey's
History of New England, Vol. iii. pp. 574-98; Ancient Charters, p. 27.
t He was buried in Salem, where his tomb is still to be seen in the old Charter Street burying-ground. The inscription on the horizontal slab which covers it is now totally obliterated. His epitaph, however, was preserved by some antiquary in the following communication to The Boston Chronicle" for March 7-14, 176S (p. 119): —
" By giving the inclofed a place in your Chronicle, it being now fcarce legible on the monument, you'll oblige a number of your friends, who think it worth preferving.
Infcn'ption upon Gover?ioy Bradstreet's Tomb Stone, in Salem.
" SIMON BRADSTREET. Armiger ex Ordine Senatorio in Colonia Maffachufettenfi ab Anno 1630 ufq; ad Annum 1673 Deinde ad Annum 1679 Vice Gubernator Deniq; ad Annum 16S6 ejufdem Colonise Communi & Conftanti Populi SuftVagio Gubernator Vir Judicis Lynceato prjeditus Quem nee Minte nee Honos allexit Regis Authoritatem & Populi Liberta- tem aequa Lance libravit Religione Cordatus Via innocuus Mundum et vicit et deferuit Die XXVII. Marcij Anno Dom : MDCXCVII Annoq; R. R's GuUielmi tertii IX. et ^Etatis fua; XCIV."
Mr. Robert Peele, of Salem, has a copy of this paper, with this marginal note in the handwriting of the old loyalist, Sam. Curwen, whose Journal and Letters were so ably edited by the late Mr. Geo. A. Ward : —
•' Ben son of Co' B. Pickman sold y" tomb, being claimed by him for a small expence his father was at in repairing it ab' y" y 1793 or 1794 to one Daniel Hathorne who now holds it."
I am told that the tomb was accordingly cleaned out. and the remains of the honored Governor and his familv thrown into a hole not far off.
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