66o
THE GREEN BAG
munication, declares his belief that Dr. schedules. From them it would seem that Mather wrote it. Very likely the sentiments Dr. Cotton Mather left no property, except therein expressed corresponded well with household goods valued at ^235, 105. iod., and some waste land in Hampshire County his feelings. The woman referred to was Mrs. Elizabeth valued at £36. The chief item was 147 Fifield whose husband, Giles Fifield, was ounces of silver plate consisting of a tankard, a surety on Cotton Mather's bond, but two servers, a pair of candlesticks, snuffers was now deceased. Whether Mrs. Fifield and stand-dish, a teapot, several broken ceased to molest the calm mind of the spoons, a spout cup, a sugar dish and two clergyman until his death (February 13, porringers. Another item is 114 pounds 1728) may not appear; but after his death of pewter, viz., 18 dishes, a pasty plate, she pressed her grievance against his estate, "pye plate," cheese plate and "some to which we now turn our attention. The broken puter. " There are mentioned 63 records show that "Rev. Samuel Mather chairs, flag, leather, Turkey worked and offered an instrument or writing, bearing cane chairs. But there is nothing to show date April 21", 1727, under the hand of his that he was a collector of books or a profuse Father, the Revd Dr. Cotton Mather, lately author, not a Bible or a Magnalia. deceased, praying administration cum tcsiaTo obtain a more complete inventory, menio annexo may be granted to him." the guardians of two Fifield children filed The judge took a fortnight to consider, their petition May 9, 1729, complaining of when Mr. Samuel Mather prayed that his the "very imperfect" inventory. "Things motion might be withdrawn. No reason is of the greatest value being entirely left out, given for this action, and the will itself is not as may appear by the particular list hereto annexed, and as your petitioners are Guron file. Next, Mrs. Elizabeth Fifield applies for dians to Jonathan Armitage Fyfield & John administration as she, the widow of Giles Fyfield, minors, whose Interest very much Fifield, is "one of the Principal Creditors of depends on said Estate being made the most the Estate of Dr. Cotton Mather;" but her of. " They pray that the administrator request was not granted. may be cited to show cause why those She appealed to Lieut. Gov. Dummer and particulars ought not to be added to his Council, alleging as one reason, "That your schedules. The guardians were Jonathan petitioner may be saved harmless and Armitage and Samuel Adams and the wards Indemnified agst the bond Given by Giles were the young children of John Fifield, also Fyfield, late husband of your petitioner, for a mariner, now deceased. The court ordered ye faithful administration of ye sd Dr. the administrator "to appear on Munday Cotton Mather on ye Estate of Nathan next at 11 o'clock." Howell deced: Whereby your petr is The list of particulars referred to is not now among the papers on file. The next greatly indangered." She did not prevail, however, and Mrs. day the appraisers filed a list of three Lydia Mather, the "relict widow," having articles only, "some thing omited in the declined to act, letters of administration Inventory of Dr. Cotton Mather's Estate were granted, July 22, 1728, to Nathaniel now taken by us," an iron back, something Goodwin, shopkeeper, on the estate of Rev. pertaining to the chimney, and "an old touren mape of the land of Canaan," £3 Dr. Cotton Mather. Mr. Goodwin's inventory is a surprise to 145. in all. Nathaniel Goodwin, the admin us, and was a disappointment to Mrs. Fifield. istrator, also filed a written answer to the He did not err, as perhaps was done in the petition, which "Sheweth, That he has Howell case, by putting too much in the Inventored all that has been shewed to him
