I, EZEKIEL ROGERS, born at Wethersfield, in Essex, in Old England, now of Rowley, in Essex, in New England, being at this time of good memory and competent health through God's mercy; yet not knowing when the Lord may be pleased to put an end to this pilgrimage, do ordain and make this my last will and testament. And first, I will and desire everlasting praises be given to the One holy God in Jesus Christ, as for all his mercies to me, which are innumerable, so for these three special blessings.
First, for my nurture and education under such a Father, Mr. Richard Rogers, in catechism, and knowledge of the holy Scriptures, the want whereof I see to be the main cause of the errors of' the times. Secondly, that whereas , 'till I was about twenty years -ears of age, I made but ill use of my knowledge, but lived in a formal profession of religion, the Lord was pleased by occasion of a sore sickness which was like to be death, to make me see the worth and need of Christ, and to take such hold of him as that I never could let him go to this hour, whereby I am now encouraged to bequeath and commit my soul into his hands who hath redeemed it, and my body to the earth ; since he will give me with these very eyes to see my Redeemer.
Thirdly for my calling , even to be a minister of the Gospel, the most glorious calling in the world, which the Lord brought [me] into, not without difficulty, for my [day] being in the time of the hottest persecution of that bloody hierarchy, and being enlightened concerning the evil and snare of subscription and ceremonies, I was advised to give over the thought of the ministry, and to betake myself to the study and practice of physic ; but the Lord mercifully prevented that ; for though it be a good and necessary calling, I have observed that the most, thought their own corruption, have made it to themselves, the very temptation to covetousness, or lust, or both. I therefore chose rather to lie hid about a dozen years in an honorable family, exercising myself in ministerial duties for about a dozen years after my leaving the University. Then the Lord gave me a call to a public charge at Rowley, in Yorkshire, where, by the gentleness of Toby Mathew, I was favored both for subscription and ceremonies, and enjoyed my liberty in the ministry about seventeen years in comfortable sort, 'till for refusing to read that accursed book that allowed sports on God's holy Sabbath or Lord's day, I was suspended, and by it and other sad signs of the times driven, with many of my hearers, into New -England, where I have lived in my pastoral office about [twenty one] years, with much rest and comfort, believing the way of the churches here, to be according to the present light that God hath given, the purest in the whole world.
Now age and infirmities calling upon me to look daily for my change, I profess myself to have lived and to die an unfeigned hater of all the base opinions of the Anabaptists, and Antinomians, and all other phrenetics, delays of the times, that spring from thence, which God will ere long, cause to be as dung on the earth. I do also protest against all the evil fashions and guises of this age, both in apparel and that general disguisement of long ruffian-like hair, a custom most generally taken up at that time when the grave and modest wearing of hair was a part of the reproach of Christ, as appears by the term of roundheads and was carried on with a high hand, notwithstanding the known offence of so many godly persons, and without public expression of their reason for any such liberty taken.
As for my estate, I will and dispose thereof as followeth
First, I do bequeath and give to my well beloved wife, Mary Rogers, my dwelling house, barn, and all the outhouses; also, my orchard, gardens, and the yards belonging, and pasturage adjoining to the orchard on both sides of the brook; also, the hemp yard, also the upper house-lot on the other side of the highway, with all the land and horse pasture adjoining to the same land; I give her also six acres of arable land, by the house of Ezekiel Northend, and my part of the warehouse pasture; also, I give her hay-ground salt and fresh, so much as my overseers shall judge sufficient to afford one year with another, thirty loads of bay, and where she will choose it, and all this only for her natural life. Also I give to my said wife all my goods, household stuff, cattle, corn, and all my stock whatsoever.
I give to my loving nephew, Mr. Samuel Stone, of Connecticut, thirty
ponds
I gave to my cousin, his son John, ten pounds.
I give to my dear brother and fellow officer, Mr. Phillips, five pounds, and Aquinas his works in folio.
I give to my sometime servant, Elizabeth Jenny, alias Parrot, 'ten pounds.
To my loving neice, Mrs- Mary Watosius, of Malden, in Essex, in Old England, I give ten pounds.
To my loving neice, Mrs. Eliza Cawton, wife of the preacher of Roterdam, in Holland, I give ten pounds.
I gave to the wife of my cousin Rogers of Billerica, five pounds.
I give to my two present maid-servants, each of them, one ewe lamb.
All and every of these several legacies I will to be paid within one year
after my death, except that into England and Holland, which shall be
ready to be paid as soon as they shall appoint and empower any from themselves, or any merchant or merchants here, that may receive it in their half, and for their uses, and give a full acquittance, as empowered from them, that so my executrix or overseers may be fully discharged thereof.
I give all my Latin Books to Harvard College in Cambridge, and some English books as appears in the catalogue.
Item. The rest of my estate in lands, that are not given unto my wife, during her natural life, that is, the land at planting- hill, the land called Shattowell's ground, and all the rest, be it meadow, fresh or salt, or other upland whatever, and one third part of gates or commonage, I give to the church and town of Rowley; upon condition, that they pay, or cause to be paid, or legally tendered, unto Ezekiel Rogers, the son of Mr. Nathaniel Rogers, late pastor of the church of Ipswich deceased, the full sum of eight score pounds in country pay; the one half, that is to say, four score pounds, within one year after my death, the other four score pounds, to be paid the next year after, that is, within the two years after my death.
And I entreat and appoint Mr. John Whipple, of Ipswich, the ruling elder, to be guardian for Ezekiel Rogers to receive, or caused to be received, this above said eight score pounds, and to give unto the church or town of Rowley, a full discharge and acquittance upon the receiving thereof; and in case the church and town of Rowley pay not the above said eight score pounds, my will is, that the above said lands, that are not given unto my wife, shall be assigned and set over by my overseers unto Ezekiel, for the above said payment.
Provided also, it shall not be in the liberty of the church or town of Rowley, to give, sell or alien those lands or any part thereof, or appropriate them or any part of them, to any other end or use, than for this, for the better enabling them to carry on the ministry forever'.
Also, all my houses, barns, and orchard, and all my lands, pastures and commonages and meadows, which I have given unto my wife Mary Rogers, during her natural life, after her decease, I do bequeath and give unto the church and town of Rowley, to enable them the better to maintain two teaching elders, (i. e. pastor and teacher) in the church forever, and upon that condition do I give them; the time which I allow them the settling of an elder shalt be four years, and so from time to time as God makes any changes either by death or removal, or any other way; and in case that the church or town of Rowley fail of the condition of providing themselves of two teaching elders, according to the time prefixed, that is, within four years after they have this to enable them the better, and so from time to time within the said time of four years after God by his providence have made any change, my will is, that the above said housing and lands shall be to the use of Harvard College, at Cambridge, in New England.*
I give also to the Church my silver bowls, which they use for the communion, to be so used still, after my wife's decease.
And I make and appoint my said well-beloved wife, the sole executrix of this my will and testament.
And I appoint Maximilian Jewett and Samuel Brocklebank, to be overseers of this my will and testament.
Made and signed, the 17th of April, 1660.
EZEKIEL ROGERS.
Witnessed by us, Samuel, BROCKLEBANK, MAXIMILIAN JEWETT, John BROCLEBANK.
Sworn in Court by Maximilian Jewett and Samuel Brocklebank, to be the last will and testament of Mr. Ezekiel Rogers.
ROBERT LORD, Clerk.
John Brocklebank, sworn to the same in Court at Ipswich, the 26th March, 1661.
By me, ROBERT LORD, Clerk.
* After 1769, the church and town of Rowley continued more than four years without two teaching elders, and the Corporation of the College took possession of the lauds, and after some trials at law, maintained their title. The property thus acquired was sold in 1785, and the proceeds vested in an estate in Waltham, which has recently been sold for $5000- Prest. Quincy's History of Harvard University.
Mathers' Magnalia.-Neals History of the Puritans,-Brook's Lives of the Puritans. Mass. Hist. Collections. —Eliot's Biographical Dictionary. - Gage's History of Rowley. - Savage's Winthrop.