Page:The works of Anne Bradstreet in prose and verse.djvu/76

 Ixviii INTRODUCTION.

were living at the time of her death. Her descendants have been very numerous, and many of them have more than made up by the excellence of their w^ritings for whatever beauty or spirit hers may have lacked. Her grandson, the Rev. Simon Bradstreet, of Charlestown, son of the Rev. Simon of New London, Conn., although very eccentric, was one of the most learned men of his

and died in 1707. She had five sons and five daugliters. N. E. Hist. Gen. Register, Vol. viii. pp. 167 and 324; Vol. ix. p. 143.

6. Mercy; married Major Nathaniel Wade, of Medford, Oct. 31, 1672. She died Oct. 5, 17 15, in her sixty-eighth year. She had eight children. N. E. Gen. Hist. Register, Vol. iii. p. 66;, Vol. viii. p. 324; Vol. ix. p. 121 ; Brooks's History of Medford, p. 558; Essex Institute Collections, Vol. iv. pp. 6S-69; Felt's Ipswich, p. 153.

7. Dudley; was born in 164S, and married Ann Wood, widow of Theo- dore Price, Nov. 12, 1673. He resided in Andover, which town he repre- sented in the General Court, besides holding many municipal oflices in its gift. He was one of the Council of Safety between 16S9 and 1692, was a colonel in the militia, and for many years a magistrate. During the witchcraft delusion in 1692, he granted thirty or forty warrants for the ap- prehension and imprisonment of the supposed witches; but, refusing after- wards to grant any more, he himself fell a victim to the same charge, and was obliged for a time to secrete himself. At the time of the attack of the liidians on Andover in 1698, he and his family were made prisoners, but immediately afterwards released. He died Nov. 13, 1702, having won the respect and confidence of his fellow-townsmen. He had three children. Abbot's Andover, pp. 18-19, 133, 154 et seq. ; N. E. Hist. Gen. Register, Vol. iii. p. 66; Vol. viii. p. 320; Savage's Genealogical Dictionary, Vol. i. p. 235 ; Butler's History of Groton, pp. 165-70.

8. John ; was born in Andover, July 22, 1652, and resided in Topsfield. He married Sarah, daughter of the Rev. William Perkins of that town, June II, 1677. He died at Topsfield, Jan. 11, 1718. He had five children, and perhaps more. N. E. Hist. Gen. Register, Vol. viii. pp. 320-21 ; Vol. ix. p. 120; " Sutton-Dudleys," p. loi.

In her poem '•/« reference to kcr CIiiLUcu" (p. 401), Mrs. Bradstreet speaks of her Jijti't child as being a son. This must be a misprint for seventh, as a comparison of the above dates will show.

�� �