,libraries47       ,a  ,,proposal  ,for 
the better ,supplying of  ,,churches    
,,in ,,our  ,foreign ,plantations1      
,,and ,,for  ,converting the ,savage    
,americans to ,,christianity1  ,by a    
,,college to be erected in the ,summer  
,islands1 otherwise called the ,isles of
 ,bermuda4   ,the harvest is truly      
great1 but the labourers are few1 ,luke 
c4 #aj4 v4 #b4   ,,london1  ,printed by 
,h4 ,,woodfall1 at ,elzevir's-,head     
without ,temple-,bar3 ,and sold by ,j4  
,,roberts1 near the ,oxford-,arms in    
,warwick-,lane1 #agbe4 7,price          
,sixpence47     ,a ,,proposal for the   
better ,supplying of ,churches in our   
foreign ,plantations1 c4   ,although    
there are several excellent persons of  
the church of ,england1 whose good      
intentions and endeavours have not been 
wanting to propagate the gospel in      
foreign parts1 who have even combined   
into societies for that very purpose1   
and given great encouragement1 not only 
for ,english missionaries in the        

,west-,indies1 but also1 for the        
reformed of other nations1 led by their 
example1 to propagate christianity in   
the ,east3 ,it is nevertheless          
acknowledged1 that there is at this day1
 but little sense of religion1 and a    
most notorious corruption of manners1 in
 the ,english colonies settled on the   
continent of ,america1 and the islands4 
,it is also acknowledged1 that the      
gospel hath hitherto made but a very    
inconsiderable progress among the       
neighbouring ,americans1 who still      
continue in much-what the same ignorance
 and barbarism1 in which we found them  
above a hundred years ago4  ,i shall    
therefore venture to submit my thoughts 
upon a point1 that ,i have long         
consider'd1 to better judgments1 in     
hopes that any expedient will be        
favourably hearkned to1 which is        
proposed for the remedy of these evils4 
,now in order to effect this1 it should 
seem the natural proper method1 to      
provide1 in the first place1 a constant 

supply of worthy clergy-men for the     
,english churches in those parts2 and in
 the second place1 a like constant      
supply of zealous missionaries well     
fitted for propagating ,christianity    
among the savages4  ,for though the     
surest means to reform the morals1 and  
soften the behaviour of men1 be1 to     
preach to them the pure uncorrupt       
doctrine of the gospel1 yet it cannot be
 denied that the success of preaching   
dependeth in good measure on the        
character and skill of the preacher3    
,forasmuch as mankind are more apt to   
copy characters than to practise        
precepts1 and forasmuch as argument1 to 
attain its full strength1 doth not less 
require the life of zeal1 than the      
weight of reason2 and the same doctrine1
 which maketh great impression1 when    
delivered with decency and address1     
loseth very much of its force by passing
 through aukward or unskilful hands4    
,now the clergy sent over to ,america   
have proved1 too many of them1 very     

meanly qualified both in learning and   
morals for the discharge of their       
office4 ,and indeed little can be       
expected from the example or instruction
 of those1 who quit their native country
 on no other motive1 than that they are 
not able to procure a livelihood in it1 
which is known to be often the case4    
,to this may be imputed the small care  
that hath been taken to convert the     
negroes of our plantations1 who1 to the 
infamy of ,england1 and scandal of the  
world1 continue ,heathen under          
,christian masters1 and in ,christian   
countries4 ,which cou'd never be1 if our
 planters were rightly instructed and   
made sensible1 that they disappointed   
their own baptism by denying it to those
 who belong to them3 ,that it would be  
of advantage to their affairs1 to have  
slaves who should obey in all things    
their masters according to the flesh1   
not with eye-service as men-pleasers1   
but1 in singleness of heart as fearing  
,god3 ,that gospel liberty consists with

 temporal servitude3 and that their     
slaves would only become better slaves  
by being ,christian4  ,and though it be 
allowed that some of the clergy in our  
colonies have approved themselves men of
 merit1 it will at the same time be     
allowed1 that the most zealous and able 
missionary from ,england must find      
himself but ill qualified for converting
 the ,american ,heathen1 if we consider 
the difference of language1 their wild  
way of living1 and above all1 the great 
jealousy and prejudice which savage     
nations have towards foreigners1 or     
innovations introduced by them4  ,these 
considerations make it evident1 that a  
college or seminary in those parts is   
very much wanted2 and therefore the     
providing such a seminary1 is earnestly 
proposed and recommended to all those1  
who have it in their power1 to          
contribute to so good a work4 ,by this1 
two ends would be obtained4  ,first1 the
 youth of our ,english plantations might
 be themselves fitted for the ministry2 

and men of merit would be then glad to  
fill the churches of their native       
country1 which are now a drain for the  
very dregs and refuse of ours4  ,at     
present1 there are1 ,i am told1 many    
churches vacant in our plantations1 and 
many very ill supplied2 nor can all the 
vigilance and wisdom of that great      
prelate1 whose peculiar care it is1     
prevent this1 so long as the aforesaid  
churches are supplied from ,england4    
,and supplied they must be1 with such as
 can be pick'd up in ,england or        
,ireland1 till a nursery of learning for
 the education of the natives is        
founded4 ,this indeed might provide a   
constant succession of learned and      
exemplary pastors2 and what effect this 
must be supposed to have on their       
flocks1 ,i need not say4  ,secondly1 the
 children of savage ,americans1 brought 
up in such a seminary1 and well         
instructed in religion and learning1    
might make the ablest and properest     
missionaries for spreading the gospel   

among their countrymen2 who would be    
less apt to suspect1 and readier to     
embrace a doctrine recommended by       
neighbours or relations1 men of their   
own blood and language1 than if it were 
proposed by foreigners1 who would not   
improbably be thought to have designs on
 the liberty or property of their       
converts4  ,the young ,americans        
necessary for this purpose1 may1 in the 
beginning be procured1 either by        
peaceable methods from those savage     
nations1 which border on our colonies1  
and are in friendship with us1 or by    
taking captive the children of our      
enemies4  ,it is proposed to admit into 
the aforesaid college only such savages 
as are under ten years of age1 before   
evil habits have taken a deep root2 and 
yet not so early as to prevent retaining
 their mother tongue1 which should be   
preserved by intercourse among          
themselves4  ,it is further proposed1 to
 ground these young ,americans          
thoroughly in religion and morality1 and

 to give them a good tincture of other  
learning2 particularly of eloquence1    
history1 and practical mathematicks3 to 
which it may not be improper to add some
 skill in physick4  ,if there were a    
yearly supply of ten or a dozen such    
missionaries sent abroad into their     
respective countries1 after they had    
received the degree of master of arts in
 the aforesaid college1 and holy orders 
in ,england1 7till such time as         
episcopacy be established in those      
parts7 it is hardly to be doubted1 but1 
in a little time the world would see    
good and great effects thereof4  ,for1  
to any considering man1 the employing   
,american missionaries for the          
conversion of ,america1 will1 of all    
others1 appear the most likely method to
 succeed2 especially if care be taken1  
that1 during the whole course of their  
education1 an eye should be had to their
 mission2 that they should be taught    
betimes to consider themselves as       
trained up in that sole view1 without   

any other prospect of provision1 or     
employment2 that a zeal for religion1   
and love of their country1 should be    
early and constantly instilled into     
their minds1 by repeated lectures and   
admonitions2 that they should not only  
be incited by the common topics of      
religion and nature1 but farther        
animated and enflamed by the great      
examples1 in past ages1 of publick      
spirit and virtue1 to rescue their      
countrymen from their savage manners1 to
 a life of civility and religion4  ,if  
his majesty would graciously please to  
grant a charter for a college to be     
erected in a proper place for these     
uses1 it is to be hoped a fund may be   
soon raised1 by the contribution of     
well-disposed persons1 sufficient for   
building and endowing the same4 ,for as 
the necessary expence would be small1 so
 there are men of religion and humanity 
in ,england1 who would be pleased to see
 any design set forward for the glory of
 ,god and the good of mankind4  ,a small

 expence would suffice to subsist and   
educate the ,american missionaries in a 
plain simple manner1 such as might make 
it easy for them to return to the coarse
 and poor methods of life in use among  
their countrymen2 and nothing can       
contribute more to lessen this expence1 
than a judicious choice of the          
situation1 where the seminary is to     
stand4  ,many things ought to be        
considered in the choice of a situation4
 ,it should be in a good air2 in a place
 where provisions are cheap and plenty2 
where an intercourse might easily be    
kept up with all parts of ,america and  
the islands2 in a place of security1 not
 exposed to the insults of pyrates1     
savages1 or other enemies2 where there  
is no great trade1 which might tempt the
 readers or fellows of the college to   
become merchants1 to the neglect of     
their proper business2 where there are  
neither riches nor luxury to divert1 or 
lessen their application1 or to make    
them uneasy and dissatisfied with a     

homely frugal subsistence3 lastly1 where
 the inhabitants1 if such a place may be
 found1 are noted for innocence and     
simplicity of manners4 ,i need not say  
of how great importance this point would
 be toward forming the morals of young  
students1 and what mighty influence it  
must have on the mission4  ,it is       
evident the college long since projected
 in ,barbadoes would be defective in    
many of these particulars2 for though it
 may have its use among the inhabitants1
 yet a place of so high trade1 so much  
wealth and luxury1 and such dissolute   
morals1 7not to mention the great price 
and scarcity of provisions27 must at    
first light seem a very improper        
situation for a general seminary        
intended for the forming missionaries1  
and educating youth in religion and     
sobriety of manners4 ,the same          
objections lie against the neighbouring 
islands4  ,and if we consider the       
accounts given of their avarice and     
licentiousness1 their coldness in the   

practice of religion1 and their aversion
 from propagating it1 7which appears in 
the withholding their slaves from       
baptism7 it is to be feared1 that the   
inhabitants in the populous parts of our
 plantations on the continent are not   
much fitter1 than those in the islands  
above mentioned1 to influence or assist 
such a design4 ,and as to the more      
remote and less frequented parts1 the   
difficulty of being supplied with       
necessaries1 the danger of being exposed
 to the inroads of savages1 and above   
all1 the want of intercourse with other 
places1 render them improper situations 
for a seminary of religion and learning4
  ,it will not be amiss to insert here  
an observation1 ,i remember to have seen
 in an abstract of the proceedings1 c4  
annexed to the ,dean of ,canterbury's   
sermon1 before the society for the      
propagation of the gospel in foreign    
parts2 that the savage ,indians1 who    
live on the continent1 will not suffer  
their children to learn ,english or     

,dutch1 lest they should be debauched by
 conversing with their ,european        
neighbours3 which is a melancholy1 but  
strong confirmation of the truth of what
 hath been now advanced4  ,a general    
intercourse and correspondence with all 
the ,english colonies1 both on the      
islands and the continent1 and with     
other parts of ,america1 hath been      
before laid down1 as a necessary        
circumstance1 the reason whereof is very
 evident4 ,but this circumstance is     
hardly to be found4 ,for on the         
continent1 where there are neither inns1
 nor carriages1 nor bridges over the    
rivers1 there is no travelling by land  
between distant places4 ,and the        
,english settlements are reputed to     
extend along the sea-coast for the space
 of fifteen hundred miles4 ,it is       
therefore plain1 there can be no        
convenient communication between them1  
otherwise than by sea2 no advantage     
therefore1 in this point1 can be gained 
by settling on the continent4  ,there is

 another consideration1 which equally   
regards the continent and islands1 that 
the general course of trade and         
correspondence lies from all those      
colonies to ,great ,britain alone3      
,whereas1 for our present purpose1 it   
would be necessary to pitch upon a      
place1 if such could be found1 which    
maintains a constant intercourse with   
all the other colonies1 and whose       
commerce lies chiefly or altogether 7not
 in ,europe1 but7 in ,america4  ,there  
is but one spot that ,i can find1 to    
which this circumstance agrees3 and that
 is the isles of ,bermuda1 otherwise    
called the ,summer ,islands4 ,these     
having no rich commodity or manufacture1
 such as sugar1 tobacco1 or the like1   
wherewithal to trade to ,england1 are   
obliged to become carriers for ,america1
 as the ,dutch are for ,europe4 ,the    
,bermudans are excellent shipwrights and
 sailors1 and have a great number of    
very good sloops1 which are always      
passing and repassing from all parts of 

,america4 ,they drive a constant trade  
to the islands of ,jamaica1 ,barbadoes1 
,antego1 c4 with butter1 onions1        
cabbages1 and other roots and           
vegetables1 which they have in great    
plenty and perfection4 ,they have also  
some small manufactures of joyner's work
 and matting1 which they export to the  
plantations on the continent4 ,hence    
,bermudan sloops are oftener seen in the
 ports of ,america1 than any other4 ,and
 indeed1 by the best information ,i     
could get1 it appears they are the only 
people of all the ,british plantations1 
who hold a general correspondence with  
the rest4  ,and1 as the commerce of     
,bermuda renders it a very fit place1   
wherein to erect a seminary1 so likewise
 doth its situation1 it being placed    
between our plantations on the          
continent1 and those in the isles1 so as
 equally to respect both4 ,to which may 
be added1 that it lies in the way of    
vessels passing from ,america to ,great 
,britain2 all which makes it plain1 that

 the youth1 to be educated in a seminary
 placed in the ,summer ,islands1 would  
have frequent opportunities of going    
thither and corresponding with their    
friends4 ,it must indeed be owned1 that 
some will be obliged to go a long way to
 any one place1 which we suppose        
resorted to1 from all parts of our      
plantations2 but if we were to look out 
a spot the nearest approaching to an    
equal distance from all the rest1 ,i    
believe it ,would be found to be        
,bermuda4 ,it remains1 that we see      
whether it enjoys the other qualities or
 conditions laid down as well as this4  
,the ,summer ,islands are situated near 
the latitude of thirty-three degrees2 no
 part of the world enjoys a purer air1  
or a more temperate climate1 the great  
ocean which environs them1 at once      
moderating the heat of the south winds1 
and the severity of the north-west4     
,such a latitude on the continent might 
be thought too hot2 but the air in      
,bermuda is perpetually fanned and kept 

cool by sea breezes1 which render the   
weather the most healthy and delightful 
that could be wished1 being1 7as is     
affirmed by persons who have long lived 
there7 of one equal tenour almost       
throughout the whole year1 like the     
latter-end of a fine ,may2 insomuch that
 it is resorted to as the ,montpelier of
 ,america4  ,nor are these isles 7if we 
may believe the accounts given of them7 
less remarkable for plenty than for     
health2 there being1 besides beef1      
mutton1 and fowl1 great abundance of    
fruits1 and garden-stuff of all kinds in
 perfection3 ,to this1 if we add the    
great plenty and variety of fish1 which 
is every day taken on their coasts1 it  
would seem1 that a seminary could no    
where be supplied with better           
provisions1 or cheaper than here4       
,about forty years ago1 upon cutting    
down many tall cedars1 that sheltered   
their orange-trees from the north       
west-wind 7which sometimes blows1 even  
there1 so as to affect that delicate    

plant7 great part of their orange       
plantations suffered2 but other cedars  
are since grown up1 and no doubt a      
little industry would again produce as  
great plenty of oranges1 as ever was    
there heretofore4 ,i mention this1      
because some have inferred from the     
present scarcity of that fruit1 for     
which ,bermuda was once so famous1 that 
there hath been a change in the soil and
 climate for the worse4 ,but this1 as   
hath been observed1 proceeded from      
another cause1 which is now in great    
measure taken away4  ,bermuda is a      
cluster of small islands1 which lie in a
 very narrow compass1 containing1 in    
all1 not quite twenty thousand acres4   
,this groupe of isles is 7to use ,mr4   
,waller's expression7 walled round with 
rocks1 which render them inaccessible to
 pyrates1 or enemies2 there being but   
two narrow entrances1 both well guarded 
by forts4 ,it would therefore be        
impossible to find any where1 a more    
secure retreat for students4  ,the trade

 of ,bermuda consists only in           
garden-stuff1 and some poor             
manufactures1 principally of cedar and  
the palmetto-leaf4 ,bermuda hats are    
worn by our ladies3 ,they are made of a 
sort of mat1 or 7as they call it7       
platting made of the palmetto leaf1     
which is the only commodity that ,i can 
find exported from ,bermuda to ,great   
,britain2 and as there is no prospect of
 making a fortune by this small trade1  
so it cannot be supposed to tempt the   
fellows of the college to engage in it1 
to the neglect of their peculiar        
business1 which might possibly be the   
case elsewhere4  ,such as their trade   
is1 such is their wealth2 the           
inhabitants being much poorer than the  
other colonies1 who do not fail to      
despise them upon that account4 ,but if 
they have less wealth1 they have withal 
less vice and expensive folly than their
 neighbours4 ,they are represented as a 
contented1 plain1 innocent sort of      
people1 free from avarice and luxury1 as

 well as the other corruptions that     
attend those vices4  ,i am also         
informed1 that they are more constant   
attendants on divine service1 more kind 
and respectful to their pastor 7when    
they have one7 and shew much more       
humanity to their slaves1 and charity to
 one another1 than is observed among the
 ,english in the other plantations3 one 
reason of this may be1 that condemned   
criminals1 being employed in the        
manufactures of sugar and tobacco1 were 
never transported thither4 ,but1        
whatever be the cause1 the facts are    
attested by a ,clergyman of good credit1
 who lived long among them4  ,among a   
people of this character1 and in a      
situation thus circumstantiated1 it     
would seem that a seminary of religion  
and learning might very fitly be placed4
 ,the correspondence with other parts of
 ,america1 the goodness of the air1 the 
plenty and security of the place1 the   
frugality and innocence of the          
inhabitants1 all conspiring to favour   

such a design4 ,thus much at least is   
evident1 that young students would be   
there less liable to be corrupted in    
their morals2 and the governing part    
would be easier1 and better contented   
with a small stipend1 and a retired     
academical life1 in a corner from whence
 avarice and luxury are excluded1 than  
they can be supposed to be in the midst 
of a full trade and great riches1       
attended with all that high living and  
parade which our planters affect1 and   
which1 as well as all fashionable vices1
 should be far removed from the eyes of 
the young ,american missionaries1 who   
are to lead a life of poverty and       
self-denial among their countrymen4     
,after all1 it must be acknowledged1    
that though every thing else should     
concur with our wishes1 yet if a set of 
good governors and teachers be wanting1 
who are acquainted with the methods of  
education1 and have the zeal and ability
 requisite for carrying on a design of  
this nature1 it would certainly come to 

nothing4  ,an institution of this kind  
should be set on foot by men of         
prudence1 spirit1 and zeal1 as well as  
competent learning1 who should be led to
 it by other motives than the necessity 
of picking up a maintenance4 ,for upon  
this view1 what man of merit can be     
supposed to quit his native country1 and
 take up with a poor college-subsistence
 in another part of the world1 where    
there are so many considerable parishes 
actually void1 and so many others ill   
supplied for want of fitting incumbents8
 ,is it likely1 that fellowships of     
fifty or sixty pounds a year should     
tempt abler or worthier men1 than       
benefices of many times their value8    
,and except able and worthy men do first
 engage in this affair1 with a          
resolution to exert themselves in       
forming the manners of the youth1 and   
giving them a proper education1 it is   
evident the mission and the college will
 be but in a very bad way4 ,this        
inconvenience seems the most difficult  

to provide against1 and1 if not provided
 against1 it will be the most likely to 
obstruct any design of this nature4 ,so 
true it is1 that where ignorance or ill 
manners once take place in a seminary1  
they are sure to be handed down in a    
succession of illiterate or worthless   
men4  ,but this apprehension1 which     
seems so well grounded1 that a college  
in any part of ,america would either lie
 unprovided1 or be worse provided than  
their churches are1 hath no place in    
,bermuda2 there being at this time      
several gentlemen in all respects very  
well qualified1 and in possession of    
good preferments1 and fair prospects at 
home1 who having seriously considered   
the great benefit that may arise to the 
church and to mankind from such an      
undertaking1 are ready to engage in it1 
and to dedicate the remainder of their  
lives to the instructing the youth of   
,america1 and prosecuting their own     
studies upon a very moderate subsistence
 in a retirement1 so sweet1 and so      

secure1 and every way so well fitted for
 a place of education1 and study1 as    
,bermuda4  ,thus much the writer hereof 
thought himself obliged to say of his   
associates3 for himself1 he can only    
say1 that as he values no preferment    
upon earth1 so much as that of being    
employed in the execution of this       
design2 so he hopes to make up for other
 defects1 by his industry and zeal4  ,in
 ,europe1 the protestant religion hath  
of late years considerably lost ground1 
and ,america seems the likeliest place1 
wherein to make up for what hath been   
lost in ,europe1 provided the proper    
methods are taken3 ,otherwise the       
,spanish missionaries in the ,south1 and
 the ,french in the ,north1 are making  
such a progress1 as may one day spread  
the religion of ,rome1 and with it the  
usual hatred to protestants1 throughout 
all the savage nations in ,america2     
which would probably end in the utter   
extirpation of our colonies1 on the     
safety whereof depends so much of the   

nation's wealth1 and so considerable a  
branch of his majesty's revenue4  ,but  
if this scheme were pursued1 it would in
 all probability have much greater      
influence on the ,americans1 than the   
utmost endeavours of popish emissaries  
can possibly have2 who from the         
difference of country1 language and     
interest1 must lie under far greater    
difficulties and discouragements than   
those1 whom we suppose yearly sent out  
from ,bermuda to preach among their     
countrymen4  ,it cannot indeed be       
denied1 that the great number of poor   
regulars1 inured to hard living1 and    
brought up in an implicit obedience to  
their superiors1 hath hitherto given the
 church of ,rome1 in regard to her      
missions1 great advantage over the      
reformed churches4 ,but from what hath  
been said1 it is1 ,i think1 evident1    
that this advantage may be              
over-ballanced by our employing         
,american missionaries4  ,nor is the    
honour of the crown1 nation1 and church 

of ,england unconcerned in this scheme2 
which1 it is to be hoped1 will remove   
the reproach1 we have so long lain      
under1 that we fall as far short of our 
neighbours of the ,romish communion in  
zeal for propagating religion1 as we    
surpass them in the soundness and purity
 of it4 ,and at the same time1 that the 
doing what may be so easily done1 takes 
away our reproach2 it will cast no small
 lustre on his majesty's reign1 and     
derive a blessing from heaven on his    
administration1 and those who live under
 the influence thereof4  ,men of narrow 
minds have a peculiar talent at         
objection1 being never at a loss for    
something to say against whatsoever is  
not of their own proposing4 ,and        
perhaps1 it will be said in opposition  
to this proposal1 that if we thought    
ourselves capable of gaining converts to
 the church1 we ought to begin with     
infidels1 papists1 and dissenters of all
 denominations at home1 and to make     
proselytes of these before we think of  

foreigners2 and that therefore our      
scheme is against duty4 ,and further1   
that considering the great opposition1  
which is found on the part of those who 
differ from us at home1 no success can  
be expected among savages abroad1 and   
that therefore it is against reason and 
experience4  ,in answer to this ,i say1 
that religion like light is imparted    
without being diminished4 ,that whatever
 is done abroad1 can be no hindrance or 
lett to the conversion of infidels or   
others at home4 ,that those who engage  
in this affair1 imagine they will not be
 missed1 where there is no want of      
schools or clergy2 but that they may be 
of singular service in countries but    
thinly supplied with either1 or         
altogether deprived of both3 ,that our  
colonies being of the same blood1       
language1 and religion with ourselves1  
are in effect our countrymen4 ,but that 
christian charity1 not being limited by 
those regards1 doth extend to all       
mankind4 ,and this may serve for an     

answer to the first point1 that our     
design is against duty4  ,to the second 
point ,i answer2 ,that ignorance is not 
so incurable as error2 that you must    
pull down as well as build1 erase as    
well as imprint1 in order to make       
proselytes at home3 ,whereas1 the savage
 ,americans1 if they are in a state     
purely natural1 and unimproved by       
education1 they are also unincumbred    
with all that rubbish of superstition   
and prejudice1 which is the effect of a 
wrong one4 ,as they are less instructed1
 they are withal less conceited1 and    
more teachable4 ,and not being violently
 attached to any false system of their  
own1 are so much the fitter to receive  
that which is true4 ,hence it is        
evident1 that success abroad ought not  
to be measured by that which we observe 
at home1 and that the inference1 which  
was made from the difficulty of the one 
to the impossibility of the other1 is   
altogether groundless4  ,it hath more   
the appearance of reason to object 7what

 will possibly be objected by some7 that
 this scheme hath been already tried to 
no purpose1 several ,indians having     
returned to their savage manners after  
they had been taught to write and read1 
and instructed in the ,christian        
religion2 a clear proof that their      
natural stupidity is not to be overcome 
by education4  ,in answer to this1 ,i   
say1 that the scheme now proposed hath  
never been tried1 forasmuch as a        
thorough education in religion and      
morality1 in divine and humane learning1
 doth not appear to have been ever given
 to any savage ,american2 that much is  
to be hoped from a man ripe in years1   
and well grounded in religion and useful
 knowledge1 while little or nothing can 
be expected from a youth but slightly   
instructed in the elements of either3   
that from the miscarriage or gross      
stupidity of some1 a general incapacity 
of all ,americans cannot be fairly      
inferred3 that they shew as much natural
 sense as other uncultivated nations3   

that the empires of ,mexico and ,peru   
were evident proofs of their capacity1  
in which there appeared a reach of      
politics1 and a degree of art and       
politeness1 which no ,european people   
were ever known to have arrived at      
without the use of letters or of iron1  
and which some perhaps have fallen short
 of with both those advantages4  ,to    
what hath been said1 it may not be      
improper to add1 that young ,americans1 
educated in an island at some distance  
from their own country1 will more easily
 be kept under discipline till they have
 attained a compleat education1 than on 
the continent2 where they might find    
opportunities of running away to their  
countrymen1 and returning to their      
brutal customs1 before they were        
thoroughly imbued with good principles  
and habits4  ,it must nevertheless be   
acknowledged a difficult attempt1 to    
plant religion among the ,americans1 so 
long as they continue their wild and    
roving life4 ,he who is obliged to hunt 

for his daily food1 will have little    
curiosity or leisure to receive         
instruction4 ,it would seem therefore   
the right way1 to introduce religion and
 civil life at the same time into that  
part of the world3 either attempt will  
assist and promote the other4 ,those    
therefore of the young savages1 who upon
 trial are found less likely to improve 
by academical studies1 may be taught    
agriculture1 or the most necessary      
trades4 ,and when husband-men1 weavers1 
carpenters1 and the like1 have planted  
those useful arts among their savage    
country-men1 and taught them to live in 
settled habitations1 to canton out their
 land and till it1 to provide vegetable 
food of all kinds1 to preserve flocks   
and herds of cattle1 to make convenient 
houses1 and to cloath themselves        
decently3 ,this will assist the         
spreading of the gospel among them2 this
 will dispose them to social vertues1   
and enable them to see and to feel the  
advantages of a religious and civil     

education4  ,and that this view of      
propagating the gospel and civil life   
among the savage nations of ,america1   
was a principal motive which induced the
 crown to send the first ,english       
colonies thither1 doth appear from the  
charter granted by ,king ,james ,i4 to  
the adventurers in ,virginia4 ,see      
,purchas's pilgrims1 part #d4 b4 #i4    
c4i4 ,and it is now but just 7what might
 then seem charitable7 that these poor  
creatures should receive some advantage 
with respect to their spiritual         
interests1 from those who have so much  
improved their temporal by settling     
among them4  ,it is most true1          
notwithstanding our present corruptions1
 that there are to be found in no       
country under the sun men of better     
inclinations1 or greater abilities for  
doing good than in ,england4 ,but it is 
as true1 that success1 in many cases1   
dependeth not upon zeal1 industry1      
wealth1 learning1 or the like faculties1
 so much as on the method1 wherein these

 are applied4 ,we often see a small     
proportion of labour and expence in one 
way1 bring that about1 which in others a
 much greater share of both could never 
effect4 ,it hath been my endeavour to   
discover this way or method in the      
present case4 ,what hath been done1 ,i  
submit to the judgment of all good and  
reasonable men2 who1 ,i am persuaded1   
will never reject or discourage a       
proposal of this nature on the score of 
slight objections1 surmises1 or         
difficulties1 and thereby render        
themselves chargeable with the having   
prevented those good effects1 which     
might otherwise have been produced by   
it4  ,for it is1 after all1 possible1   
that unforeseen difficulties may arise  
in the prosecution of this design1 many 
things may retard1 and many things may  
threaten to obstruct it2 but there is   
hardly any enterprize or scheme         
whatsoever for the publick good1 in     
which difficulties are not often shewing
 themselves1 and as often overcome by   

the blessing of ,god1 upon the prudence 
and resolution of the undertakers3      
though1 for ought that appears1 the     
present scheme is as likely to succeed1 
and attended with as few difficulties1  
as any of this kind can possibly be4    
,for to any man1 who considers the      
divine power of religion1 the innate    
force of reason and virtue1 and the     
mighty effects often wrought by the     
constant regular operation even of a    
weak and small cause2 it will seem      
natural and reasonable to suppose1 that 
rivulets perpetually issuing forth from 
a fountain1 or reservoir1 of learning   
and religion1 and streaming through all 
parts of ,america1 must in due time have
 a great effect1 in purging away the ill
 manners and irreligion of our colonies1
 as well as the blindness and barbarity 
of the nations round them3 ,especially1 
if the reservoir be in a clean and      
private place1 where its waters1 out of 
the way of any thing that may corrupt   
them1 remain clear and pure2 otherwise  

they are more likely to pollute than    
purify the places through which they    
flow4  ,the greatness of a benefaction  
is rather in proportion to the number   
and want of the receivers1 than to the  
liberality of the giver4 ,a wise and    
good man would therefore be frugal in   
the management of his charity2 that is1 
contrive it so as that it might extend  
to the greatest wants of the greatest   
number of his fellow-creatures4 ,now the
 greatest wants are spiritual wants1 and
 by all accounts these are no where     
greater than in our western plantations1
 in many parts whereof divine service is
 never performed for want of clergy-men2
 in others1 after such a manner and by  
such hands as scandalize even the worst 
of their own parishioners3 where many   
,english1 instead of gaining converts1  
are themselves degenerated into         
,heathen1 being members of no church1   
without morals1 without faith1 without  
baptism4 ,there can be therefore1 in no 
part of the ,christian world1 a greater 

want of spiritual things than in our    
plantations4  ,and1 on the other hand1  
no part of the ,gentile world are so    
inhumane and barbarous as the savage    
,americans1 whose chief employment and  
delight consisting in cruelty and       
revenge1 their lives must of all others 
be most opposite as well to the light of
 nature1 as to the spirit of the        
,gospel4 ,now to reclaim these poor     
wretches1 to prevent the many torments  
and cruel deaths which they daily       
inflict on each other1 to contribute in 
any sort to put a stop to the numberless
 horrid crimes which they commit without
 remorse1 and instead thereof to        
introduce the practice of vertue and    
piety must surely be a work in the      
highest degree becoming every sincere   
and charitable ,christian4  ,those1 who 
wish well to religion and mankind1 will 
need no other motive to forward an      
undertaking calculated for the service  
of both3 ,i shall1 nevertheless1 beg    
leave to observe1 that whoever would be 

glad to cover a multitude of sins by an 
extensive and well judged charity1 or   
whoever1 from an excellent and godlike  
temper of mind1 seeks opportunities of  
doing good in his generation1 will be   
pleased to meet with a scheme that so   
peculiarly puts it in his power1 with   
small trouble or expence to procure a   
great and lasting benefit to the world4 
,ten pounds a year1 would 7if ,i mistake
 not7 be sufficient to defray the       
expence of a young ,american in the     
college of ,bermuda1 as to dyet1        
lodging1 clothes1 books1 and education3 
,and if so1 the interest of two hundred 
pounds may be a perpetual fund for      
maintaining one missionary at the       
college for ever2 and in this           
succession1 many1 it is to be hoped1 may
 become powerful instruments for        
converting to ,christianity and civil   
life whole nations1 who now sit in      
darkness and the shadow of death1 and   
whose cruel brutal manners are a        
disgrace to humane nature4  ,a          

benefaction of this kind seems to       
enlarge the very being of a man1        
extending it to distant places and to   
future times2 inasmuch as unseen        
countries1 and after ages1 may feel the 
effects of his bounty1 while he himself 
reaps the reward in the blessed society 
of all those1 who1 having turned many to
 righteousness1 shine as the stars for  
ever and ever4                       99 
99      99      99      99  ,p4,s4      
,since the foregoing proposal was first 
made publick1 ,his ,,majesty hath been  
graciously pleased to grant a charter   
for erecting a college by the name of   
,st4 ,,paul's college in ,bermuda1 for  
the uses abovementioned4 ,which college 
is to contain a president and nine      
fellows4 ,the first president appointed 
by charter is ,george ,berkeley1 ,d4,d4 
and ,dean of ,derry4 ,the three fellows 
named in the charter1 are ,william      
,thompson1 ,jonathan ,rogers1 and ,james
 ,king1 ,masters of ,arts and ,fellows  
of ,trinity ,college near ,dublin4 ,the 

nomination of a president is reserved to
 the ,crown4 ,the election of fellows is
 vested in the president and the        
majority of the fellows2 as is likewise 
the government of the society4 ,the     
,lord ,bishop of ,london for the time   
being is appointed visitor3 and such of 
,his ,,majesty's principal ,secretaries 
of ,state for the time being as hath    
,america in his province1 is appointed  
chancellor of the said college4 ,the    
president and fellows have the power of 
making statutes to be approved by the   
visitor3 they have also the power of    
conferring degrees in all faculties4    
,they are obliged to maintain and       
educate ,indian scholars at the rate of 
ten pounds per ,annum for each4 ,they   
are obliged to transmit annual accounts 
of the state of the college1 number of  
students1 their progress1 c4 to the     
chancellor and visitor4 ,the aforesaid  
president and fellows are licensed to   
hold their preferments in these kingdoms
 till one year and a half be expired    

after their arrival in ,bermuda4 ,this  
society is incorporated with the usual  
clauses1 hath power to receive          
benefactions1 purchase lands1 keep a    
common seal1 c4 ,lastly1 all in office  
under ,his ,,majesty1 are required to be
 aiding and assisting to the protection 
and preservation thereof4  ,as this     
college is proposed to be built and     
endowed by charitable contributions and 
subscriptions1 all well-disposed        
persons1 whether of the laity or the    
clergy1 are desired to assist1 as       
opportunity shall offer1 in forwarding  
and collecting the same without loss of 
time2 to the end that the ,president and
 ,fellows may be able to set out for    
,bermuda in next spring2 which is       
proposed1 in case provision can be made 
by that time of sixty pounds per ,annum 
for each3 ,and it is hoped that the     
charity and zeal of sincere ,christians 
will not suffer a design of this nature 
to be disappointed for want of necessary
 provision4 ,the contributions and      

subscriptions aforesaid1 may be         
deposited in the hands of any of the    
persons hereafter named4  ,john         
,arbuthnot ,m4,d4 in ,corke-street4     
,revd4 ,martin   ,benson1 arch-deacon of
 ,berks1 and prebendary of ,durham1     
in ,albemarle-street4  ,francis         
,child ,esq2 ,banker in ,fleet-street1  
and ,alderman of the                city
 of ,london4  ,revd4 ,dr4      ,cobden1 
chaplain to the ,l4 ,bp of ,london1 at  
,fulham4  ,sir ,clement    ,cotterel    
,bart4 in ,dover-street4  ,sir ,thomas  
,crosse ,kt4 in ,westminster4  ,sir     
,daniel     ,dolins ,kt4 at ,hackney4   
,thomas         ,green ,esq2 in         
,westminster4  ,revd4 ,mr4              
,hargrave1 chaplain to his ,grace the   
,duke of ,newcastle1                and 
prebendary of ,westminster4  ,edward    
,harley ,esq2 auditor of the ,imprests  
in ,lincoln's-,inn4  ,benj4  ,henry     
,hoare ,esquires1 ,bankers in           
,fleet-street4  ,archibald              
,hutcheson ,esq2 in ,james-street1 near 

,golden-square4  ,revd4 ,dr4      ,king1
 master of the charter-house1 and first 
chaplain to                the ,lord    
,chancellor4  ,revd4 ,dr4      ,lisle1  
rector of ,bow1 and chaplain to his     
,grace the ,a4,b4                of     
,canterbury4  ,revd4 ,dr4      ,lupton1 
prebendary of ,durham1 and preacher at  
,lincoln's-,inn4  ,revd4 ,dr4           
,marshal1 rector of ,foster-lane1 and   
prebendary of                ,windsor4  
,revd4 ,dr4      ,mayo1 ,treasurer to   
the ,society for promoting ,christian   
,knowledge1 at ,st4 ,thomas's ,hospital 
in ,southwark4  ,revd4 ,dr4      ,moss1 
,dean of ,ely1 and preacher at          
,gray's-,inn4  ,revd4 ,dr4              
,pelling1 rector of ,st4 ,ann's ,soho1  
and prebendary of                       
,windsor4  ,revd4 ,dr4      ,pierce1    
vicar of ,st4 ,martin's in the ,fields4 
,hon4 ,augustus  ,schutz ,esq2 ,master  
of the ,wardrobe to his ,royal          
,highness4  ,revd4 ,dr4      ,sherlock1 
,dean of ,chichester1 and ,master of the

 ,temple4  ,sir ,william    ,wentworth  
,bart4 in ,clarges-street1 or in ,york4 
,the money received by these ,gentlemen 
is to be laid out in purchasing lands or
 perpetual annuities for endowment of   
the ,college aforesaid1 and in building 
and providing necessaries for the same1 
by order or with the approbation of     
,his ,grace ,william ,lord ,arch-,bishop
 of ,canterbury4      ,the ,right       
,honourable ,peter ,lord ,king1 ,high   
,chancellor of ,great     ,britain4     
,his ,grace ,thomas ,duke of ,newcastle1
 ,principal ,secretary of ,state     for
 the ,plantations in ,america1 c4       
,the ,right ,reverend ,edmund ,lord     
,bishop of ,london4  ,who have been     
pleased to accept the ,office of        
,trustees or ,overseers of so useful a  
charity4  ,n4,b4 ,till such time as the 
contributions and subscriptions amount  
to a sum sufficient for providing five  
persons with the above-mentioned        
salaries of sixty pounds per ,annum1 the
 subscribers shall not be desired to pay

 in their money4   ,,finis4