490 Examination Respecting Sever

    [May–June 1749]

    An Account of several Examinations of Wittnesses relating to the Huzzaing in the College Yard in the Night between the 11th and 12 of May 1749, so far as that Testimony respects Sir Sever.

    Parker328 being examined by the President and Tutors May 13th 1749, as a Person suspected of being concerned in said Huzzaing, owned that He was so and said that Sir Sever was another that Huzza’d.

    Sir Marston329 being examined next, own’d that He huzza’d, and testified the same, that Parker had done before concerning the other Persons active herein.

    Sir Wiswal330 being out of Town when the abovenamed Persons were examined, was not examined ‘till May the 16th the first opportunity after his Return. And tho’ He was one of the Persons named by Sir Marston and Parker as active in Huzzaing, denied that he was so and said that He was in their Company but left ‘em just before that action was done, and said that Sir Sever, who went Home the morning after, before any discovery was made, asked him soon after the Huzza was over who it was that withdrew and didn’t join with the rest in the Huzzaing and that He (Wiswal) replied it was I.

    Sir Marston, Sir Wiswal and Parker, being examined again by the President and Tutors, June the 10th 1749. Sir Marston and Parker both declared as before, concerning the Persons who huzza’d, And as to Sir Sever, Sir Marston said that He tho’t he stood at his right Hand, when He stood by Williams’s331 Window with his Face to the East at the Time of the Huzzaing. And that the rest of the company stood to the East of him except Parker who stood westward. And Parker said that He stood nearest of any Body to the West Entry. And both Sir Marston and Parker declared that they had no Doubt but that the whole company (of which they said Sir Sever was one) joined in Huzzaing, and that they knew nothing of any one’s leaving the company before this action was done.

    Sir Sever returning to College a little before Commencement, the above named Wittnesses were examined by the President and Tutors in his Presence and Sir Marston and Parker testified as before concerning the Persons who huzza’d and the Places that they themselves and others stood in. And after they heard Sir Sever deny that He huzza’d, they both declared as before that they had no doubt but that the whole company (of which Sir Sever was one) shouted. Sir Marston said the Huzzaing was proposed when the whole company was together and that no Body made any objection against it, or cleared himself of it when anything was said about it, before they were examined by the President and Tutors. Sir Wiswal also testified as before concerning Sir Sever’s asking him who it was that withdrew before they shouted and his (Wiswal’s) answering that it was He, and declared besides that Sir Sever said nothing further. Notwithstanding these Testimonies Sir Sever deny’d that He huzza’d, but owned that He heard it proposed that they should do so, and that He made no objection against it, for which he gave this Reason, that He did not think the Proposal would be complied with. But confessed that the Huzza was made before He withdrew—tho’ He wouldn’t own that He stood where Sir Marston and Parker testified He did, in the Time of the Huzza, but said that He stood against the West Entry of the Massachusetts when those who huzza’d stood near the east Entry.

    College Papers, 1. 87 (No. 179). John Sever (A.B. 1749) was degraded seven places, and later restored to his former rank. As part of the disorder, a stone was thrown through Tutor Joseph Mayhew’s window. See Sibley, Sketches (Shipton), xii. 487, and Faculty Records, 1. 285–297, passim.