t Boyle to Governor Endicot. The Hon. Robert Boyle was not only
distinguished as the first philosopher of his age, but as the founder of
the Royal Society and the President of the Society for the Propagation
of the Gospel in New England--the Society which supported John Eliot,
the apostle to the Indians of New England--for the Massachusetts Bay
Government neither established nor supported his mission to the Indians.
New England never had a warmer and more benevolent friend than the
celebrated Robert Boyle, who, in a letter dated March 17th, 1665, and
addressed to the Governor Endicot and the Massachusetts Court, after
acknowledging their resolution of thanks, through Mr. Winthrop, to him
for his exertions on their behalf, proceeds as follows:

"I dealt very sincerely with Mr. Winthrop in what I informed him
concerning the favourable inclinations I had found both in his Majesty
and in my Lord Chancellor toward the united colonies of New England; and
though his lordship again repeats and confirms the assurances he had
authorized me to give to your friends in the city, yet I cannot but
acquaint you with this, observing that in your last addresses to his
Majesty, and letters to his lordship, there are some passages that were
much more unexpected than welcome; insomuch that not only those who are
unconcerned in your affairs, but the most considerable persons that
favour you in England, have expressed to me their being unsatisfied in
some of the particulars I am speaking of. And it seems generally
unreasonable that when the King had so graciously remitted all that was
past, and upon just and important inducements, sent Commissioners to
promote the welfare of your colony, you should (in expressions not over
manly or respectfully worded) be importunate with him to do an action
likely to blemish his wisdom or justice, or both, as immediately to
recall public ministers from so remote a part of the world before they
or any of them be so much as accused of any one crime or miscarriage.

"And since you are pleased I should concern myself in this business, I
must deal so ingenuously with you as to inform you, that hearing about
your affairs, I waited upon my Lord Chancellor (and finding him, though
not satisfied with your late proceedings, yet neither your enemy, nor
indisposed to be your favourer as before). His lordship was pleased,
with a condescending and unexpected freedom, to read himself, not only
to me, but to another good fr