324 Thomas Cotton’s Donation

    Boston June 21, 1725. At the House of the Honourable Judge Sewal, present with him William Welsted Esq. and Mr. Benjamin Colman

    The Letters of the Rev. Mr. Thomas Cotton of Hamsted near London were read and considered, impowering us to dispose of the sum of four hundred pounds N. E. money in charitable uses, such as may best promote the interests of Religion and Learning; and We having particularly taken into consideration the several Articles pointed to in said Letters, came into the following determination.

    First that one hundred pounds of the said Summ be given to Harvard College in Cambridge, the annual Income of it to be for ever for an augmentation of and in addition to the Salary of the President of said College for the time being.

    Secondly one hundred pounds to buy useful and needed Books for an addition to the Library of the said College.

    A True Copy154 Samuel Sewall

    Benja. Colman

    Boston March 6, 1727

    [Addressed:] For the Reverend Mr. Wadsworth President of the College in Cambridge.

    College Papers, 1. 71 (No. 149). For further on Rev. Cotton’s gift to the College see CSM Publications, xvi. 841–842, and Quincy, History, i. 427–428.