It is probable that the idea of a “College Will” was suggested to Biglow by “Father Abbey’s Will,” portions of which, till the present generation, were “familiar to nearly all the good housewives of New England.” From the history of this poetical production, which has been lately printed for private circulation by the Rev. John Langdon Sibley of Harvard College, the annexed transcript of the instrument itself, together with the love-letter which was suggested by it, has been taken. The instances in which the accepted text differs from a Broadside copy, in the possession of the editor of this work, are noted at the foot of the page.
“FATHER ABBEY’S WILL:
TO WHICH IS NOW ADDED, A LETTER OF COURTSHIP
TO HIS VIRTUOUS AND
AMIABLE WIDOW.
“Cambridge, December,
1730.
“Some time since died here Mr. Matthew Abbey, in a very advanced age: He had for a great number of years served the College in quality of Bedmaker and Sweeper: Having no child, his wife inherits his whole estate, which he bequeathed to her by his last will and testament, as follows, viz.:—
“To my dear wife
My joy and life,
I freely now do give her,
My whole estate,
With all my plate,
Being just about to leave her.
“My tub of soap,
A long cart-rope,
A frying pan and kettle,
An ashes[74] pail,
A threshing-flail,
An iron wedge and beetle.
“Two painted chairs,
Nine warden pears,
A large old dripping platter,
This bed of hay
On which I lay,
An old saucepan for butter.
“A little mug,
A two-quart jug,
A bottle full of brandy,
A looking-glass
To see your face,
You’ll find it very handy.
“A musket true,
As ever flew,
A pound of shot and wallet,
A leather sash,
My calabash,
My powder-horn and bullet.
“An old sword-blade,
A garden spade,
A hoe, a rake, a ladder,
A wooden can,
A close-stool pan,
A clyster-pipe and bladder.
“A greasy hat,
My old ram cat,
A yard and half of linen,
A woollen fleece,
A pot of grease,[75]
In order for your spinning.
“A small tooth comb,
An ashen broom,
A candlestick and hatchet,
A coverlid
Striped down with red,
A bag of rags to patch it.
“A rugged mat,
A tub of fat,
A book put out by Bunyan,
Another book
By Robin Cook,[76]
A skein or two of spun-yarn.
“An old black muff,
Some garden stuff,
A quantity of borage,[77]
Some devil’s weed,
And burdock seed,
To season well your porridge.
“A chafing-dish,
With one salt-fish.
If I am not mistaken,
A leg of pork,
A broken fork,
And half a flitch of bacon.
“A spinning-wheel,
One peck of meal,
A knife without a handle,
A rusty lamp,
Two quarts of samp,
And half a tallow candle.