for the founding, endowing and ordering the said school, and thereupon desired that full liberty and privilege might be granted to the said undertakers for that end." The General Assembly, willing to encourage their laudable undertaking, granted them a charter, and invested them with all the powers requisite for the government of a college.

Soon after the reception of this charter, the trustees met at Saybrook, and appointed the Rev Israel Chauncey, of Stratford, as the Rector of the collegiate school. But upon his resignation, the Rev. Abraham Pierson was elected to that office. They also passed the following rules for the regulation of the Institution.

"1st. That the Rector take special care, as of the moral behavior of the students at all times, so with industry to instruct and ground them well in theoretical divinity; and to that end, shall neither by himself, nor by any other person whomsoever, allow them to be instructed and grounded in any other system or synopsis of divinity, than such as the said trustees do order and appoint; but shall take effectual care, that the said students be weekly (at such seasons as he shall see cause to appoint) caused memoriter to recite the Assembly's Catechism in Latin, and Ames' Theological Theses, of which, as also Ames' Cases of Conscience, he shall make, or cause to be made,

from time to time, such explanations as may (through the blessing of God) be most conducive to their establishment in the principles of the Christian Protestant religion.

"2d. The Rector shall also cause the Scriptures daily (except on the Sabbath), morning and evening, to be read by the students at the times of prayer in the school, according to the laudable order and usage of Harvard College, making expositions upon the same: and upon the Sabbath shall either expound practical theology, or cause the non-graduated students to repeat sermons: and in all other ways, according to his best discretion, shall at all times studiously endeavor, in the education of the students, to promote the power and purity of religion, and the best edification of these New England Churches."

At the same meeting, after some debate, they made choice of Saybrook for the present, as the most convenient location for the collegiate school. They also requested the Rector to remove to that place, but until he could make arrangements for that purpose, they directed that the students should be instructed at or near his residence in Killingworth. Rector Pierson, however, never made this removal, the state of the collegiate finances furnishing little inducement, and his congregation being very much opposed to the measure.

The first commencement was held at Saybrook, September 13th, 1702: at which, four young men who had before been graduated at the college at Cambridge, and one more, who had a private education, received the degree of Master of Arts.* All these without exception became ministers of the gospel.

After this period, no remarkable event occurred until the death of Rector Pierson, in 1707. At his demise, the Rev. Mr. Andrew of Milford was appointed Rector pro tempore. The senior class was removed to that place, for the purpose of receiving his instructions; while the remainder of the students were located at Saybrook, under the charge of two tutors.

The collegiate school continued at Saybrook about seven years, when, dissatisfaction arising with regard to its situation, it was agreed to locate it permanently in some other place, and until this could be effected, the students were allowed to go to other places for instruction. The majority of them removed to Wethersfield, to receive the instructions of the Rev. Elisha Williams.

As the collegiate school was in this unsettled state, and as the trustees were not agreed among themselves, in what place it should be establish

* Clap's Annals of Yale Coll., p. 12.

ed, the people, in different parts of the colony, began to subscribe considerable sums of money for the building of a college, that by these means they might induce the trustees to locate it according to their wishes. About £700 sterling was subscribed for its establishment at New Haven, £500 for Saybrook, and considerable sums for Hartford and Wethersfield.*

On the 17th of October, 1716, the trustees met and agreed to establish the college at New Haven, a measure which met with most decided opposition from many of the colonists; and it was not until the Legislature had passed an act sanctioning their proceeding, and granting them a donation of £100, that the animosity subsided, and harmony was restored. As an evidence of this opposition, we have only to refer to the reception which the sheriff met with at Saybrook, where he went by order of the trustees, with a warrant to take possession of the books. "The house where the books were, was surrounded and filled with a great number of men, who were determined to prevent their removal, and therefore resisted the officer: but he, with his attendants, broke open the door, and delivered the books to the trustees; and so they were conveyed to New Haven. But in the tumult and confusion, about

* Trumbull's Hist. Conn.

two hundred and fifty of the most valuable books and sundry papers of importance were conveyed away by unknown hands, and never could be found again."*

The institution was accordingly located at New Haven, and several donations soon increased its prosperity in a very sensible degree. The greatest of these was from Gov. Yale of London, who sent collections of books and goods to the value of £400 sterling.t

These donations enabled the trustees to finish a large and commodious edifice, which they had before commenced. The following cut is a representation of this building.

"It was 170 feet long, 22 feet wide, and 3 stories high; and contained near 50 studies in

† Ibid.