, youngest son of the preceding, was born at Dorchester, in NewEngland, in 1635, and studied at Harvard
, youngest son of the preceding,
was born at Dorchester, in NewEngland, in 1635, and
studied at Harvard college, where he took his degree of
B. A. in 1656. In the following year he arrived in England,
and thence went to Ireland, and joined his brother. He
then entered himself of Trinity college, in which he pro-'
ceeded M. A. in 1658, having performed the necessary
exercises with great applause, and was offered a fellowship
in that institution; but, finding the climate unfavourable to
his health, returned to England, and officiated for some
time as minister, in the place of Mr. Howe, at Great Torrington, in Devonshire. In 1659, he became chaplain to
colonel Bingham, governor of the island of Guernsey, and
preached every Sunday, as well before the garrison, as in
the town of Peter-le Port. After the restoration, as he
could not conform, he sailed for New England, where he
was chosen minister to the New church at Boston. Shortly
after this, he married the daughter of Mr. John Cotton,
once a gentleman of considerable eminence in England,
but then an exile on account of his non-conformity, and
minister at Boston. In 1664, Mr. Mather was ordained to
the pastoral office, the duties of which he performed
through life with credit to himself, and highly esteemed by
his people. In 1683, when king Charles II. required the
inhabitants of New England to surrender their charter, Mr.
Mather attended at a meeting of the freemen of Boston,
and by his zealous persuasions determined them to reject a
motion for that purpose unanimously; and this spirited measure had considerable influence in prevailing on the country
in general to imitate the example set by the Bostonians.
Upon the publication of king James’s second declaration
for liberty of conscience, some of the ministers of New
England, and their churches, drew up addresses of thanks
to him for the benefits which they enjoyed in consequence
of it, and Mr. Mather embarked for England April 7, 1688,
for the purpose of presenting them. He was favourably
received at court, and laid before the king the state of the
country. While he continued in England, the revolution
took place, and he was consulted by the new administration on many political topics, particularly on an attempt to
obtain the re-settlement of the Massachusetts colony, upon
their chartered foundation, by an act of parliament, which
was frustrated by its dissolution. He at length obtained
from his majesty a new charter, containing the whole of
the old one, with the addition of new and more ample privileges. Having rendered this important service to his
fellow citizens, he set sail for America in 1692, and on
his return he received the public thanks of the house of
^representatives for his faithful and zealous endeavours to
benefit his country. He now returned to his labours in the
church, and at Harvard college, of which he was chosen
president in 1684, and also created doctor of divinity. He
died in 1723, at the age of 84. He was author of many
theological tracts, of which his biographer gives a list of
above eighty among which are, “A brief History of the
war with the Indians in New England
” of “An Essay
for the recording of illustrious Providences, wherein an
account is given of many remarkable and memorable events
which have happened in this last age, especially in New
England
” of “A Discourse on Comets;
” “A Discourse
concerning Earthquakes,
” &c.