now.

"_Aug_. 21.--Mr. Edward Oakes tells me Mr. Chiever died this last
night."

Then in a note he tells the chief facts in his life, which he closes
with,--

"So that he has Laboured in that calling (teaching) skilfully,
diligently, constantly, Religiously, Seventy years. A rare Instance of
Piety, Health, Strength, Serviceableness. The Wellfare of the Province
was much upon his spirit. He abominated Perriwiggs."

"_Aug_. 23, 1708.--Mr. Chiever was buried from the Schoolhouse. The
Gov'r, Councillors, Ministers, Justices, Gentlemen there. Mr. Williams
made a handsome Latin Oration in his Honour. Elder Bridgham, Copp,
Jackson, Dyer, Griggs, Hubbard, &c., Bearers. After the Funeral, Elder
Bridgham, Mr. Jackson, Hubbard, Dyer, Tim. Wadsworth, Edw. Procter,
Griggs, and two more came to me and earnestly solicited me to speak to a
place of Scripture, at the private Quarter Meeting in the room of Mr.
Chiever."

Cotton Mather, who had been a pupil of his, preached a funeral sermon in
honor of his loved teacher. It was printed in Boston in 1708, and later
in 1774. A copy of it in the Athenæum is well worth a perusal. Some of
Mr. Cheever's Latin poems are attached to it. Cotton Mather precedes his
sermon by An Historical Introduction, in which, after referring to his
great privilege, he gives the main facts in the long life of the
schoolmaster of nearly ninety-four years. In closing it, he says: "After
he had been a Skilful, Painful, Faithful Schoolmaster for Seventy years;