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PUBLICK

OCCURRENCES

Both FORREIGN and DOMESTICK.

Boſton, Thurſday Sept. 25th. 1690.

It is deſigned, that the Countrey ſhall be furniſhed once a moneth (or if any Glut of Occurrences happen, oftener,) with an Account of ſuch conſiderable things as have arrived unto our Notice.

In order hereunto, the Publiſher will take what pains he can to obtain a Faithful Relation of all ſuch things; and will particularly make himſelf beholden to ſuch Perſons in Boſton whom he Knows to have been for their own uſe the diligent Obſervers of ſuch matters.

That which is herein propoſed, is, Firſt, That Memorable Occurrents of Divine Providence may not be neglected or forgotten, as they too often are. Secondly, That people every where may better underſtand the Circumstances of Publique Affairs, both abroad and at home; which may not only direct their Thoughts at all times, but at ſome times alſo to to aſſiſt their Buſineſſes and Negotiations.

Thirdly, That ſome thing may be done towards the Curing, or at leaſt the Charming, of that Spirit of Lying, which prevails amongſt us wherefore nothing ſhall be entered, but what we have reaſon to believe is true, repairing to the beſt fountains for our Information. And when there appears any material miſtake in any thing that is collected, it ſhall be corrected in the next.

Moreover, the Publiſher of theſe Occurrences is willing to engage, that whereas, there are many Falſe Reports, maliciouſly made, and ſpread among us, if any well-minded perſon will be at the pains to trace any such false Report ſo far as to find out and Convict the Firſt Raiſer of it, he will in this Paper ( unleſs juſt Advice be given to the contrary ) expoſe the Name of ſuch perſon, as A malicious Raiſer of a falſe Report. It is ſuppos'd that none will dislike this Propoſal, but ſuch as intend to be guilty of ſo villainous a Crime.

The Crisſtianized Indians in ſome parts of Plimouth, have newly appointed a day of Thanksgiving to God for his Mercy in ſupplying their extream and pinching Neceſſities under their late want of Corn, & for His giving them now a proſpect of a very Comfortable Harveſt. Their Example may be worth Mentioning.

Tis obſerved by the Husbandmen, that altho' the With-draw of ſo great a ſtrength from them, as what is in the Forces lately gone for Canada, made them think it almoſt inpoſſible for them to get well through the Affairs of their Husbandry at this time of the year, yet the Seaſon has been ſo unuſually favourable that they ſcarce find any want of the many hundreds of hands, that are gone from them; which is looked upon as a Merciful Providence

While the barbarous Indians were lurking about Chelmsford, there were miſſing about the beginning of this month a couple of Children belonging to a man of that Town, one of them aged about eleven, the other aged about nine years, both of them ſuppoſed to be fallen into the hands of the Indians.

A very Tragical Accident happened at Water-Town, the beginning of this Month, an Old man, that was of ſomewhat a Silent and Moroſe Temper, but one that had long Enjoyed the reputation of a Sober and a Pious Man, having newly buried his Wife, The Devil took advantage of the Melancholly which he thereupon fell into, his Wives diſcretion and induſtry had long been the ſupport of his Family, and he ſeemed hurried with an impertinent fear that he ſhould now come to want before he dyed, though he had very careful friends to look after him who kept a ſtrict eye upon him, leaſt he should do himſelf any harm. But one evening eſcaping from them into the Cow-houſe, they there quickly followed him found him hanging by a Rope, which he had uſed to tye their Calves withal, he was dead with his feet near touching the Ground.

Epidemical Fevers and Agues grow very common, in ſome parts of the Country, whereof, tho' many dye not, yet they are ſorely unfitted for their impolyments; but in ſome parts a more malignant Fever ſeems to prevail in ſuch ſort that it uſually goes thro' a Family where it comes, and proves Mortal unto many.

The Small-pox which has been raging in Boſton, after a manner very Extraordinary is now very much abated. It is thought that far more have been ſick of it then were viſited with it, when it raged ſo much twelve years ago, nevertheleſs it has not been ſo Mortal, The number of them that have