202 Thomas Hollis to John Leverett

    London April 4, 1720

    Mr. John Leveret

    Reverend Sir

    Last yeare I made a present to your College for use of poor Pious Students for the Ministry, and have your Tresurer’s receipt for the same. I received a letter from Mr. E. Colman1 about it informing me in part the Method and government of your Colege and made me hope to receive a letter also from you Sir, which I should esteem a favour when your leisure permits. I have written several letters this Spring to the honored Aged Father Doctor I. Mather and Mr. E. Colman also for some advice that whereas I had it in purpose to adde to my former gift with a viewe that the produce of what I should send be paid your Tresurer and be put out to Interest, if you shall think fitt to take the troble and trust among you, and to apoint a Sum to be paid annually for and towards supporting the studies of Pious poor Students for the Ministry—I have thought if you so aprove of appointing Ten pounds a yeare your money towards one man—but as I am not acquainted with your method and charges in education, I should gladly be informed what is required for the hording and what for Tuterige of a poor Student in your College or neiborhood, in order to my knowing if that be a sufficient Donative for their Incoragement, with what others may or now doe. And I am thinking, if it be not too much troble to you and you so approve, that some one of your Governors may send me an account of proper objects, describing their characters and circumstances, for me to fix on one or more as provision may be made, while I am living, and to inform me, how I may word my self to you in life or by my last Will give directions about the future management of this Trust.

    I send now by four ships Goods consigned to Mr. John Tyler, which if it please God that they all arive safe and well conditioned, I hope there will be paid into your Tresurers hand, to whom I send the Bills, between six and seven hundred pounds your moneys, which several bills when entred into Cash, I desire may be placed in your College account to my Credit, and put out to Interest, with last years Gift, and the produce thereof to be disposed of as I shal hereafter expresly order. And if it seem good to you to incorage my pious intention I Have thoughts living or dying to make farther addition. But if it should please God that I die before I come to make a possitive declaration of my minde for the management of this Trust, I do hereby intreat the President and Governors of the College for time coming to Govern themselves herein by this present sketch of my thoughts as neere as they conveniently can.

    Hoping you will excuse the troble I am putting on you it being with the same honest design in me which I doubt not you pursue in your cares and labors, to promote the Intrest of our Common Lord and Saviour in this world—and real good to our Neibors for another—with due Respects to you Reverend Sir and the Worthy Governors, I Remaine.

    Your very loving Friend

    Thomas Hollis.

    Hollis-Leverett ms, Houghton Library. There are two slightly different copies, evidently sent by different vessels. One bears the following note in Leverett’s hand: “June 17 1720 This came to hand within night. This day Chadder sail’d by whom I wrote to Mr. Hollis.”