104 Corporation Vote on President Mather’s Resignation

    Cambridge, August 5, 1695.

    At a meeting of the Corporation of Harvard Colledge wheras the Reverend president (who was and is setled in the Presidentship by an act of the Great and General Assembly &c.) by reason of a Late Vote of the House of Representatives has signified to the Corporation his design to relinquish his service in the Colledge as president; The fellows of said Corporation (tho they should heartily rejoyce if the Reverend Mr. Increase Mather could have such encouragement as might induce him to reside at the Colledge, yet) Considering how advantageous his sustaining the office and performing the worke of a president (as hitherto) has bin, and forseeing how many wayes it may prove detrimental to the affairs of this Society both at home and abroad, should he pursue such his designes, do unanimously engage the Reverend Mr. Mather, that laying aside such thoughts and not too deeply regarding the matter of discouragement layed before him in the sayd vote, he would continue his care and conduct of the Society as formerly.

    College Papers, i. 19 (No. 42). This document is in the handwriting of Increase Mather. It refers to one of his frequent attempts to resign, is noted in Morison, Seventeenth Century, ii. 509, and printed in CSM Publications, xv. 351 and in Quincy, History, i. 76. The “vote” referred to was one of those requiring that the President reside in Cambridge. For Mather’s reply see No. 106.