Jacob Woolley, confession, 1763 July 25
Date25 July, 1763
Call Number763425.2
abstractWoolley's confession of drunkeness and blasphemy.
handwritingHandwriting is formal and clear, with very few deletions and additions.
paperPaper is in fair condition, with moderate staining, creasing and wear that results in minor loss of text. There is repair work at the creases.
inkBrown.
signatureThere are multiple signatures: that of Woolley and three others as witnesses.
Persistent Identifier
I Jacob Woolley acknowledge I have been ſcandalouſly guilty
of ſeveral groſs Breaches of the Law of God. Particularly, I have
been ſcandalously guilty of drinking ſtrong Drink to Exceſs;
And of being in a very ſinful Paſsion of Anger, which I ſhewed by
a very boiſterous Behavior, doubling & ſwinging my Fiſts, ſtamping
with my Feet, and many violent Motions & Geſtures of Body, attempting
to throw the Bed and Bed Cloathes out of the Chamber window; And also
by very vile & prophane Language, daring God Almighty to damn
me if I were guilty according to what had been reported of me
[when at the ſame Time the Report was true] and frequently challenging
of God to it, ſaying I did not care if I was damned, threatening Vengeance
upon the Boy who had reported what he had of me, ſaying I would
be revenged if I were damned for it. And thus I perſiſted in
Imprecations of Damnation upon myſelf, and blaſphemous Treatment
of the ſacred Name, againſt the much repeated and moſt forcible and
kind & urgent Entreaties of M.r Wheelock and M.r Leſsly, in Oppoſition
to whoſe Entreaties to ſpare and deſiſt from my irreverent and abuſive Uſe
and Treatment of the ſacred Names, I increaſed in it with the more
Fury & Violence; And alſo in attempting to go away with[gap: worn_edge][guess: out]
Leave or Advice from M.r Wheelock, under whoſe Conduct Providence
has placed me, and purſuing that Deſign in a very tumultuous Manner,
which was aggravated by this Circumſtance, that it was on Saturday
Evening, Time obſerved as Holy by M.r Wheelock and Family, who
were kept in a Ruffle till late in the Night; And alſo by
many undutiful, proud, and ungrateful Expreſsions towards M.r Wheelock
And all this has been greatly aggravated by the peculiar
Obligations I am under to God & Man, by whoſe Goodneſs & their
Charity I have been ſo diſtinguiſhed from all my Nation
Hereby I have much diſhonoured God, wounded the Hearts
of my kindeſt Friends and Benefactors, brought great Diſhonour
upon the Chriſtian Name, and done much to diſcourage & cool
that Chriſtian Charity, which has ſo remarkably appeared of late
towards my periſhing Savage Bretheren, and particularly much
to diſcourage & hurt the Intereſt & Progreſs of this School, in which
I have received ſo great Favours, and which I am under ſo
great Obligations by all poſsible Means to encourage & promote.
I
I deſire to be humbled in the Duſt for theſe things before
God and Man, and to implore the divine Pardon & Forgiveneſs
through the Blood of Chriſt. I ask Forgiveneſs of M.r Wheelock,
M.r Leſsly, and of the whole Family and School, and of all
my kind Benefactors who ſhall hear of it. And deſire they will
pray to God for me that Iniquity after all Endeavors uſed with
me may not prove my Ruin — and I do ſolemnly warn all the
Members of this ſchool againſt Pride of Heart & a ſenſual Courſe of Living,
[left]Witneſes and that they take Warning by my Falls. not to imitate my Example
of ſeveral groſs Breaches of the Law of God. Particularly, I have
been ſcandalously guilty of drinking ſtrong Drink to Exceſs;
And of being in a very ſinful Paſsion of Anger, which I ſhewed by
a very boiſterous Behavior, doubling & ſwinging my Fiſts, ſtamping
with my Feet, and many violent Motions & Geſtures of Body, attempting
to throw the Bed and Bed Cloathes out of the Chamber window; And also
by very vile & prophane Language, daring God Almighty to damn
me if I were guilty according to what had been reported of me
[when at the ſame Time the Report was true] and frequently challenging
of God to it, ſaying I did not care if I was damned, threatening Vengeance
upon the Boy who had reported what he had of me, ſaying I would
be revenged if I were damned for it. And thus I perſiſted in
Imprecations of Damnation upon myſelf, and blaſphemous Treatment
of the ſacred Name, againſt the much repeated and moſt forcible and
kind & urgent Entreaties of M.r Wheelock and M.r Leſsly, in Oppoſition
to whoſe Entreaties to ſpare and deſiſt from my irreverent and abuſive Uſe
and Treatment of the ſacred Names, I increaſed in it with the more
Fury & Violence; And alſo in attempting to go away with[gap: worn_edge][guess: out]
Leave or Advice from M.r Wheelock, under whoſe Conduct Providence
has placed me, and purſuing that Deſign in a very tumultuous Manner,
which was aggravated by this Circumſtance, that it was on Saturday
Evening, Time obſerved as Holy by M.r Wheelock and Family, who
were kept in a Ruffle till late in the Night; And alſo by
many undutiful, proud, and ungrateful Expreſsions towards M.r Wheelock
And all this has been greatly aggravated by the peculiar
Obligations I am under to God & Man, by whoſe Goodneſs & their
Charity I have been ſo diſtinguiſhed from all my Nation
Hereby I have much diſhonoured God, wounded the Hearts
of my kindeſt Friends and Benefactors, brought great Diſhonour
upon the Chriſtian Name, and done much to diſcourage & cool
that Chriſtian Charity, which has ſo remarkably appeared of late
towards my periſhing Savage Bretheren, and particularly much
to diſcourage & hurt the Intereſt & Progreſs of this School, in which
I have received ſo great Favours, and which I am under ſo
great Obligations by all poſsible Means to encourage & promote.
I
I deſire to be humbled in the Duſt for theſe things before
God and Man, and to implore the divine Pardon & Forgiveneſs
through the Blood of Chriſt. I ask Forgiveneſs of M.r Wheelock,
M.r Leſsly, and of the whole Family and School, and of all
my kind Benefactors who ſhall hear of it. And deſire they will
pray to God for me that Iniquity after all Endeavors uſed with
me may not prove my Ruin — and I do ſolemnly warn all the
Members of this ſchool againſt Pride of Heart & a ſenſual Courſe of Living,
[left]
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