227 Nicholas Sever and William Welsteed to Judge Sewall

    Coppy of a letter to Judge Sewall

    May it please your Honour:

    Cambridge June 15, 1721.

    For some Years past the most of the Resident Fellows of the College have been off from the foundation, and this being so occasions great Uncertainty and difficulty to them in their business, and is hurtfull to the Interest of the College, especially now when our Numbers are so greatly encreased. This is a matter of such importance that We think it to be Worthy the Consideration of His Excellency and the Honourable and Reverend the rest of the Overseers. And the most of them being now in the Town, it seems to be the best time for it. We have prepared a Memorial to lay before them, and beg that your Honour would favour us so far as to make a Motion to his Excellency to appoint A Meeting of the Overseers as soon as may conveniently be for that purpose. And you will greatly oblige &c: N. Sever W. Welsteed

    And as to the Fellows Allowances We find by the College Books that from the Year 1692 for many years the Fellows were allowed fifty pounds each per annum from the Treasury, Charlestown Ferry, and the benefit of two Classes, which by computation for Many Years together was about 46 pounds per Annum more, so that their Allowance was upward of 100 per Annum.

    Whereas Now the four Fellows Salaries are Stated at 90, 80, 70 and 60 pounds per Annum of this base Money including their Tuition Money. And if the difference of Money be considered it will appear that the Fellows Salaries are but about half the Value of what they were then. And they are too much Shortened and Straitened in their Subsistence.

    College Papers, i. 51 (No. 111). William Welsteed (A.B. 1716), appointed Tutor in 1720, now joined Sever in his campaign. A page, which repeats the thought, even the phraseology, of the first part of the document, has been omitted.