full-blown blossoms. "Antient
maides" were held in little esteem by him; not one thornback is on his
list.

Not only did he look and wander, but all his friends and neighbors arose
and began to suggest and search for a suitable wife for him, with as
officious alacrity as if he needed help, which he certainly did not. In
March Madam Henchman strongly recommended to him "Madam Winthrop, the
Major General's widow." This recommendation was very sweet to the
widower, who had turned his eyes with such special approval on this
special widow, and further and warm encouragement came quickly.

"Deacon Marion comes to me, sits with me a great while in the
evening; after a great deal of Discourse about his Courtship He
told me the Olivers said they wish'd I would court their Aunt. I
said little, but said 'twas not five Moneths since I buried my dear
Wife. Had said before 'twas hard to know whether to marry again or
no or whom to marry."

The Olivers' aunt was Madam Winthrop. It would seem somewhat
presumptuous and officious for nieces and nephews to suggest courtship,
when there were grown up Winthrop children who might dislike the
marriage, but in those days everyone meddled in love affairs; to quote
Pope: "Marriage was the theme on which they all declaimed." The Judge
gossiped publicly about his intentions. He writes: "They had laid one
out for me, and Governor Dudley told me 'twas Madam Winthrop. I told him
I had been there but thrice and twice upon business. He said _cave
tertium_." Even solemn Cotton Mather proffered counsel in a letter on
"paying regards to the Widow."

In spite of all these hints and commendations, and the Judge's evident
pleasure in receiving them, the Winthrop agitation all came to naught,
for about this time he was called to make a will for a Mr. Denison, of
Roxbury, who died on March 22d. Though the Judge was too upright and too
pious to let even his thoughts wander to a wife, the amazing rapidity
with which he turned his longing eyes on the newly-made widow (cruelly
forsaking Madam Winthrop) is only equalled by the act of the famous
Irish lover who proposed to a widow at the open grave of her husband.

Judge Sewall went home with widow Denison from her husband's funeral and
"prayed God to keep house with her." The very next day he writes, "Mr.
Danforth gives the Widow Denison a high commendation for her Piety,
Goodness, Diligence and Humility." On April 7th she came t