The History of New England from 1630 to 1649
By John Winthrop
Volume I
Preface
Early in the spring of 1816 was discovered, in the tower of the Old South church in Boston, the third volume of the History of New England, in the original of the Massachusetts Bay. When the precious book was presented to the Massachusetts Historical Society, at their next meeting, 25 April, the difficulty of transcribing it for the press seemed to appall several of the most competent members, whose engagement in more important duties afforded also a sufficient excuse for leaving such labour to be undertaken by any one, at any time, who could devote to it many weeks of leisure. The task appeared inviting to me. On the same evening the MS was taken, and the study of its chirography was begun, the next day, by the aid of one of the former MSS collated with the printed volume, usually called Winthrop's Journal. Of all the three MSS and of the published Journal, a sufficient account may be seen in 2 Hist. Coll. IV. 200.
Before the collation of the former MS with the volume printed in 1790 had proceeded through many pages, the discovery of numerous important errours seemed to make a new edition of the earlier part of the History very desirable; and when a transcript of the newfound volume was completed, my resolution was fixed, that it should not be printed without a perfect revision in the Journal. Notes, explanatory, in some instances, of the text, illustrating, in some degree, the biography of many persons named in it, and referring to better accounts of others than I could furnish, were though necessary. Several hundred notes were prepared, and a careful collation of the whole printed volume, for the second time, with the original volumes of MS was finished on 2 June, 1819. Being then required to visit a foreign country, all my preparations were suspended until I returned. care, however, was taken to leave the corrected copy of the printed volume, with my copy of the third part, to be kept safely. Again called abroad in 1822, I so carefully disposed o my copy of the third volume, as to leave it in a forgotten place, which afforded me the gratification of making a new one, begun 8 December, 1823, and finished 30 March, 1824. This circumstance admonished me of the propriety of adopting early measures for guarding against farther accidents of that kind. Application was made, at the next session of the General court of this commonwealth, by the Historical society, for encouragement of the publication. In consequence of the liberal aid of the Legislature, the volume comes thus early before the publick.
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