Pierson (A.)—Continued.

The original in Translateing a Catichisme." title-page of the little book, printed in 1658-59, accordingly contains the words: "Examined, and approved by Thomas Stanton InterpreterGeneral to the United Colonies for the Indian Language, and by some others of the most able Interp[r]eters amo[n]gst us." In 1657, the Commissioners wrote to the Corporation in England as follows: "wee heare that Thomas Stanton is taken notice of and possibly recorded as a very able Interpretor for the Indian language which is certainly true, and that a sallarie of 50 lb. per annum is appointed for him in England which hee may take vp heer and charge vpon you this may bee a mistake but if true wee maruill att it; the Comissioners doe Imploy him as Interpretor betwixt themselues and the Indians in ciuill occations of the Colonies and doe afford him conuenient recompence for the same." At their meeting in September, "forasmuch as some 1660, it was recorded that, of the Tribute is now seased; and the Rest brought in by the Indians themselues as it hath been for some yeares past the Comissioners thought a lesse sallary might bee a sufficient Recompense [to Mr. Stanton] for the yeare past and soe for the time to come; and therefore tendered him the sume of ten pounds for this yeare Intimateing to doe the like heerafter onely for his attending the Comissioners meetinges; and for other Services to allow him proportionable as hee shalbee Imployed which hee not accepting The Comissioners payed him his former sallary of thirty pounds; but declared they were not willing to bee att the like charge for the time to come; and therfore left it to him to doe as hee should see cause." reason, probably, his name does not appear in the records of the Commissioners for 1661; but in 1662 and 1663 he was again employed by them on several occasions.

For this

About the year 1658 he removed to Stoning. ton, where he resided until his death in 1678. Of this town he was elected representative in 1666. In 1667, and again in 1671, he was at Southampton on Long Island, where he was employed as Indian interpreter. In 1674 he was one of the founders of the first church in Stonington, over which the Rev. James Noyes was ordained as minister. Mr. Stanton had nine children, of whom the two eldest, Thomas and John, were educated in early life for the Indian work. The latter is mentioned as com. mander of the New England Indians in the expedition under Major-General Winthrop towards Canada in 1690, and again as an Indian interpreter at New London in 1699 and 1700.

The only other copy of this edition known to be extant has a different title, as follows:

Some Helps for the Indians; | Shewing them how to | Improve their Natural Reason, | to know the true God, and the Christian Religion. | 1 By leading them to see the Divine | Author

ity of the Scriptures. | 2. By the Scriptures, the Divine | truths necessary to Eternal sal- | vation. | By | Abraham Peirson | Pastor of the Church at Branford. | Examined and approved by that | Experienced Gentleman (in the In- | dian Language) Captain | John Scot. | Cambridge: Printed for Samuel Green, 1658.

Title within a border of fleur-de-lis-shaped ornaments verso blank 1 1. "To the Reader" (signed "A. P.") p. 3, title in Indian with interlinear English translation (being a repetition of the above as far as the word "Salvation") p. 4, text in Indian with interlinear English translation pp. 5-67, verso blank, sm. 8°. See the facsimile of the title-page.

Copies seen: British Museum.

ance.

This copy differs from the other only in the title leaf, which has been inserted in place of the original (cancelled) title. In other respects the two copies are of the same edition. The circumstances under which Pierson's catechism was prepared, "At the Motion, and published by the Order of the Commissioners of the United Colonies," and the fact that it was translated with the help of their official interpreter, Thomas Stanton, and was "examined and approved" by him, as also "by some others of the most able Inter, reters amongst us," are fully and explicitly set forth in the records and on the original title-page. With this certain knowledge the new title is at variNot only does it not mention the commissioners, who promoted and published the work, but it omits the name of Thomas Stanton, together with the reference to the other interpreters, and in their stead represents Captain John Scott as the sole examiner and approver of the book. It also characterises him as "that Experienced Gentleman (in the Indian Language)" a statement which appears to have no confirmation, or even mention, in the records or elsewhere. Indeed, so little is known to the credit of "that mischievous adventurer," as he is termed by Dr. Trumbull, that it seems "highly probable that this title page was substituted by himself, or at his motion, and, probThe alteration of ably, after the restoration." the imprint from "Printed by" to "Printed for" Samuel Green, was more likely to be made in England than in America.

But little is known with certainty of John Scott's early career. According to one account, he was born of "very meane parentage" at a place called Ashford in Kent, probably about the year 1632, and "whilst a boy was brought over by his mother into New England." From his own statements it appears that he was "an unlucky boy," who "would cutt ye souldiers girts of ther saddles yt were against ye King and such like tricks, soe yt some of them gott him transported to forraign parts, wher he was

Pierson (A.)- Continued.

a servant many years." He also declared that he was ordered to be sent to New England under the tuition of one Downing, who dealt most perfidiously" with him. Upon his arrival at Boston, with other children under Downing's care, in September, 1643, he was bound as an apprentice to Lawrence Southwick of Salem, whom he served until 1649 or 1650, part of the time being employed in tending cows. From the records of the general court at Boston in May, 1648, it may be inferred that he was then guilty of some misdemeanor, for his master was obliged to pay certain charges, and Scott was ordered to serve him additional time, "when his time shall be expired," or to make satisfaction in some other way. At the end of his apprenticeship, he was "forced to court any imployment to acquire a livelihood, imploy. ing himselfe in and about an island called Long Island," where he "traded for himselfe and dwelt long with ye natives." In March, 1654, he was arrested on Long Island by the Dutch authorities, and examined with other suspected persons before the council at Fort Amsterdam. In April of the same year, an action of defamation was entered against him in the court at New Haven, but th affair was settled privately. In 1657 he was made a freeman at Southamp ton, and on December 9th, 1658, was granted a home lot there of three acres, and five other acres, provided he remain d three years. His name appears in the records of that town as an attorney at a trial held on the 30th of April, 1660; and again on the 24 of May following as the seller of a tract of land for 401. He also claimed that he had purchased from the Indians a large portion of Long Island; and of this land, Brodhead relates, "he executed numer. ous conveyances, which, after much litigation, were found to be fraudulent and void."

One of his contemporaries wrote of him a few years later as follows: "Hee having a nimble genius, though otherwise illiterate, with the helpe of a little reading, having a good memory to retaine the same and greater contidence, hee became somewhat above the common people & being weary of home, upon news of the kings restoration in England, hee found means to be transported over to London." It has been ascertained that he sailed from New Amsterdam in the ship Eyckenboom, probably in October, 1660. In May of the fol lowing year it was falsely reported that the whole of Long Island had been conveyed to him by a new patent from the king. It seems that his petition for that grant had met with some favor; but after the arrival in England of John Winthrop in the autumn of 1661 with a report to the king, decision upon his requests had been postponed, and they were finally denied in 1662. At that time he was called "Captain" John Scott. In April, 1663, while employed as agent for the Atherton company, a body of land speculators from Massachusetts who had laid out a plantation on Narragansett

Pierson (A.) — Continued.

Bay, he wrote that he had used "a parcel of curiosities" to the value of 60l. to interest "a potent gentleman" in favor of a petition in the company's behalf. About two months later, in June, 1663, he had another petition before the king, in which he claimed that his father had advanced 14,300l. to the cause of Charles I., besides losing his life in the service; that on account of his own loyalty, he himself had been banished to New England, where he had afterwards purchased "near one third part" of Long Island; and that he therefore prayed his Majesty "to bestow upon him the government of the said island and islands adjacent, or libertie to the inhabitants to chuse a governor and assistants yearly." On the failure of this petition, and the announcement of the king's intention to grant Long Island and the neighboring Dutch possessions to his brother the Duke of York, Scott determined to sail for America.

To this period of his career belong some characteristic acts which have been brought to light by the recent researches of Mr. G. D. Scull. While in London, Scott had become acquainted with a Major Gotherson, and also with his wife, whose name was originally Dorothea Scott, of Scott's-Hall in Kent. Having ingratiated himself into their confidence, by claiming a relationship to Mrs. Gotherson's family, he sold to Major Gotherson, in 1662 and 1663, several large tracts of land on Long Island. He also made them liable for large sums of money which he pretended he had paid out on their account, and by these transactions finally ruined their entire estate. When he left England, in the autumn of 1663, he took with him 2001. worth of Mrs. Gotherson's jewels which he had fraudulently detained. At the same time he persuaded them to send to New England in his care their only son, a lad about thirteen years of age, whom he afterwards sold into service there, with other young men he had "tempted along with him out of England upon promise of preferment."

His chief object now "was to promote his private interest, in securing the ascendency of the English over Long Island." On the 23d of November, not long after his return to Long Island, "Colonel Scott, as he was then called, was again buying land from the Indians. In December he was appointed by the government of Connecticut one of three commissioners, with magistratical powers, to settle the difficulties with the Dutch on Long Island. On the 4th of January, 1664, he succeeded in having himself declared "president" of the English towns on the island, to act in that capacity until the Duke of York should take possession. On the 11th and 12th of January, having raised a company of over 150 foot and horse, he invaded Breuckelen and the neighboring Dutch towns "with sounding trumpet, beaten drum, flying colors, great noise and uproar," and proclaimed the English ownership of the land, declaring

Pierson (A.) - Continued.

also that he would run his sword through the body of Stuyvesant, the director general. When he met the Dutch commissioners on the 14th, he exhibited an unsigned writing, "wherein his Majesty of England granted to him the whole of Long Island." A temporary agreement was then made that he should leave the Dutch towns unmolested for a period of one month, which limit was subsequently (February 24th) extended to one year. On account of these and other unwarranted proceedings, the government of Connecticut issued a warrant for Scott's arrest, March 10th, 1664. He was accordingly taken into custody, and on his trial was convicted, May 24th, of the following "Hainous crimes and practises seditious: " 1, Speaking words tending to the defamation of the king's majesty; 2, Seditious practices and tumultuous carriages; 3, Abetting and encour. aging the natives in hostile parties, one against another; 4, Usurping the anthority of the king, pretending to pardon treason; 5, Threatening his majesty's subjects with hanging and banishment; 6, Gross and notorious profanation of God's holy word; 7, Forgery and violation of his solemn oath; 8, Acting treacherously to the colony of Connecticut; 9, Usurping au thority upon pretence of a commission; and 10, Calumniating a commissioned officer with the charge of villanous and felonious practices. He was therefore sentenced to pay a fine of 2501., to be imprisoned during the pleasure of the court, and to give 500l. bonds for future good behavior. Before July, he had escaped from prison and returned to Long Island, where, in the latter part of August, he joined the English forces under Col. Richard Nicolls before New Amsterdam, with his own company of horse and foot. On the 11th of September, wishing to return to his residence at Ashford on the island, but fearing another arrest from Connecticut, he requested and obtained from Nicolls a passport which protected him from interference.

On the 18th of January, 1665, his name ap. pears as attorney in a trial at Jamaica; and again on the 1st of March in a trial at Hempstead. On February 1st the secretary of Connecticut wrote to Coll. Nicolls, that Mr. John Scott according to his wonted course is agayne making disturbance amongst the people of Setawkett, by laboring to deprive the people of that place of the land expedient for their sub. sistance." This complaint was followed by an order of the General Meeting at Hempstead held in March, 1665, "wherein Capt. John Scott was obliged to bring in at the General Court of Assizes following a certain deed or writing called by the said Capt. Scott a Perpetuity with the King's Picture on it, and a great yellow wax seale affix't to it, which hee very frequently shew'd to divers persons and deceived many therewith." Before the court met, however, Scott became alarmed at the prospect of his forgeries being exposed, and deserting his wife

Pierson (A.)—Continued.

and child, he fled to Barbados. On the 4th of October, 1666, Coll. Nicolls issued a special war. rant to the high sheriff to seize and confiscate all" Lands, Goods or Chattells the said Capt. John Scott hath any right or pretense unto within this government." At this period it is related that Scott's mother "lived miserable poore in this Government, a poor bankrupt miller's wife till very lately, even next unto want and beggary, scarcely ever looked at or acknowledged by her son in his grandeur here, or ever remembered by him, by letter, token or recommendation." On the 24th of October, Coll. Nicolls wrote to Secretary Morrice, that formerly the very Originall of Mr. Maverick's peticon to the King & Councell (concerning the Massachusetts Colony) was stolen out of the Lord Arlington's Office in Whitehall by one Captaine John Scott and delivered to Governor and Councell at Boston; This I affirme posi tively to bee true, though when I question'd Scott upon the matter, hee said a Clarke of Mr. Williamsons gave it him. This same Scott by a pretended seale affixed to a writing in which was the King's picture drawne with a pen or black lead, with his Majesties hand Charles R. and subsign'd Henry Bennet, hath horribly abus'd His Majesties honor in these parts, and fledd out of the Country to Barbadoes. My Lord Willoughby sent me word that hee would send the said Scott prisoner into England upon this account and therefore I thought fitt to give you this information against him, that such fellowes may have some marke of Infamy put upon them." In another letter of Nicolls, written to the Duke of York, he gave an account of "Capt. Scott who was borne to worke mischiefe as farre as hee is credited or his parts serve him. This Scott (it seems) aim'd at the same patent which Your Royal Highress hath, and hath since given words out that hee had injury done him by Your Royal Highness, whereupon he contriv'd and betrayed my Lord Berkely and Sir G. Carterett into a designe (contrary to their knowledge) of ruining all the hopes of increase in this Your R. Highness territory, which hee hath fully compleated, unless Your Royal Highness take farther order herein."

After Scott's flight to Barbados, he obtained a commission as Captain, and was engaged in fighting against the Dutch in Tobago. In 1667 he returned to England, and through the influ ence of his friends, who considered him "a very useful rogue," was appointed geographer to the king, August 29th, 1668. This position he did not hold long, for Coll. Nicolls, on his return to London soon after, told the king, the queen, and the duke enough about Scott to make the latter "forsake Whitehall." He next appeared on the continent, and about the year 1672 was detected in taking sketches of the fortifications of Bruges, and ordered to leave the town within twenty-four hours. In 1673 and 1674 he was in the service of the Dutch in Holland as major and afterwards as colonel. In 1678 he returned

Pierson (A.)- Continued.

to England from France, and shortly after was arrested while in disguise on suspicion of being a spy. His appearance was then described as follows: "Hee has one or both legs crooked, a proper, well-sett man, in a great light cockered Perriwig, rough-visaged, having large haire on his eyebrows, hollow-eyed, a little squinting or a cast with his eye, full-faced about ye cheekes, about 46 years of age, with a Black hatt and in a straight boddy'd coate, cloath colar with silver lace behind." In 1679 he engaged in a conspiracy against the government, as well as against Samuel Pepys and Sir Anthony Deane, both of whom he charged with treason. In 1682 he brutally killed a coachman in London, upon some slight provocation, and was arrested and beld for trial. He made his escape, however, and fled to Norway, where he remained until 1696, when he obtained a pardon from the king and returned to England. His later history is unknown, but his descendants are still living on Long Island.

It is probable that the altered title-page of Pierson's catechism, with the words "Examined and approved by that Experienced Gen. tleman (in the Indian Language) Captain John Scot," was also one of his forgeries-a suppo sition which is strengthened by the above sketch of his life. Dr. Trumbull was the first to suggest that the substitution of this spurious title" may have been Scott's own device, to give himself, in London, a certificate of position and character, and perhaps add weight to his statements in support of the title of the Narragansett proprietors and of his own claims to lands for which he had procured deeds from Indians on Long Island."

Some helps | for the Indians | shewing them | How to improve their natural Reason, To know the True God, and the true Christian Religion. 1. By leading them to see the Divine Authority of the Scriptures. 2. By the Scriptures the Divine Truths necessary to | Eternall Salvation. Undertaken | At the Motion, and published by the Order of the commissioners of the United Colonies. by Abraham Peirson. | Examined and approved by Thomas Stanton Interpre- ter-Generall to the United Colonies for the Indian | Language, and by some others of the most able | Interpreters amongst us. |

London, | Printed by M. Simmons, 1659.

In A further accompt of the Progresse of the gospel amongst the Indians in New-Eng land, pp. 22-35, London, 1659, 4°. (Congress, Lenox.) See the fac similes of the title-page and of the first page of the text.

│Pierson (A.)—Continued.

For a full description of the volume of which this forms a part, see page 197 of this bibliography.

The portion of Pierson's catechism here reprinted comprises the whole of the first sixteen pages (signature A) of the original issue of the edition of 1658, which also breaks off in exactly the same place, with the catchword unk. It is referred to as follows in the prefatory epistle to the first part of the tract: "Two great works we find here further undertaken in order to that service. The one some helps and directions to the Indians how to improve their nat⚫urall reason unto the knowledg of the true God. The reason why there is so short and imperfect a specimen given of it is, because the ships came away from New-England, before any more of the Copy was wrought off from the presse."

Some helps for the Indians: | a catechism in the language of the Quiripi 1 Indians of New Haven colony, by the rev. Abraham Pierson. | Reprinted from the original edition, Cambridge, 1658. With an introduction, | by J. Hammond Trumbull. | From the collections of the Connecticut historical society, vol. 11. |

Hartford | printed by M. H. Mallory & co. | 1873.

Printed cover with brief title, inside title as above verso "One Hundred Copies", introductory (containing a biographic sketch of the author and a bibliographic account of the catechism) pp. 3-11, reprint of the original title (from the Lenox copy) verso blank 1 1. epistle "To the Reader" p. 3, Indian title with interlinear English translation p. 4, text in Indian and English interlinear (from a transcript of the British Museum copy collated with the Lenox copy) pp. 3-67, verso blank; 2 fac-simile plates, one of the title page and the other of page 4 (both from the British Museum copy), 8°.

Copies seen: Brinton, Eames, Pilling, Powell, Trumbull.

Quaritch, no. 12587, priced a copy 31. 38. The Brinley copy, no. 5692, sold for $4.75; the Mur. phy copy, no. 1984, $5.75. Priced by Quaritch, no. 30088, 21. 28., and in 1887, 11. 168.

The volume of "Collections" from which one hundred copies of this catechism were separately printed was entirely destroyed by fire at a bindery in Hartford in 1873.

Abraham Pierson - the name was so written by himself and by his son-was born, probably, in Yorkshire, England, about the year 1608. In 1632 he graduated at Trinity College, Cam. bridge, and, after being ordained a minister, preached for a while at Newark, in the county of Nottingham. He came to New England in 1639 or 1640, and on the 5th of September of the latter year joined the church in Boston. At that time a considerable number of the inhab