182 Ebenezer Pierpont to President Leverett

    Boston, Tune 28, 1718

    Reverend Sir

    For as much as you Have been Pleased To Say That I Shall be Denyed the priviledges of the Colledge, as To my Degree, And it also Appears To be So Inasmuch as the Printed papers are ordered So by yourSelf.

    These are Therefore With all Humility To Inform you Reverend Sir That His Excellency Governour Shute Orders me to Inform you That his Desire Is that you would be pleased To give Your Attendance at His House in Boston on monday Morning Next at Ten of The Clock as also The Reverend Fellows of the Colledge that are against my having my Degree and That, that matter Relating my being Debarred as abovesaid May be Heard before His Excellency. That If I have been guilty of those High Crimes and Misdemeanors Laid To my Chare, then I may Expect To be Delt with Accordingly. If not That my Innocency might be made manifest.

    Reverend Sir, As I Allways was Ready to make satisfaction To any Person Whomsoever That I may have Wronged, So if after mature Consideration it Shall Appear that I have Wronged your Self or Either of the Reverend fellows of the Colledge, I Stand Ready With all Humility To Make Satisfaction To Your Self or Them. I am Reverend Sir Your Humble Servant

    Ebenr. Pierpont

    [Addressed:] To the Reverend John Leverett President of Harvard Colledge in Cambridge.

    College Papers, i. 47 (No. 104). Pierpont (A. B. 1715) was denied his Master’s Degree, because of a complaint he made against Tutor Sever. For an account of the case, which was mixed up in politics, see Quincy, History, i. 213–220, Hoffmann, Commonwealth College, pp. 493–498, and Sibley, Sketches (Shipton), vi. 99, where a portion of this letter is quoted, and CSM Publications, xvi. 441–442.