An Oration Delivered on the eighth day of May one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine. At the Funeral of the Hon'ble John Winthrop..., 1779-1780

Small pamphlet bound in brown paper containing a handwritten nine-page copy of Stephen Sewall's funeral oration for Hollis Professor Mathematics and Natural Philosophy John Winthrop delivered May 8, 1779. The title page includes the inscription: "The lips of the wise disperse knowledge,/ A Man shall be comended [sic] according to his Wisdom -- Solomon."

A system of ethicks: Of morall phylosophy in generall & in speciall

This hardcover volume contains manuscript copies of Charles Morton's "A System of Ethicks," "Pneumatics. Or a treatise of the Rev'd Mr. Charles Morton about ye Nature of Spirit," "Appendix of the Souls of Brutes," "Some Theological Questions Answd," and a one-page list "Texts of Scripture to prove if ye head of Christ &c." copied by Harvard student Ebenezer Williams in February 1707/8.

Interleaved almanac, 1744

The 1744 diary is interleaved in Poor Richard's An almanack for the year of Christ 1744. The thin paper-covered book holds brief notes about Holyoke’s daily life as an undergraduate at Harvard, written on blank pages bound with the almanac. The entries focus on Holyoke’s life as a college student with mention of his professors and daily events. The months of May, July, October, November, and December have no entries. The diary records the outbreak of King George's War: "War with France Proclamed [sic]" (June 2), as well as his new hobby of painting.

Diary and account book, 1780-1786

Shapleigh explains on the first page that this account book contains "an accurate account of the several articles I've received from my Guardian since the first day of May Anno 1780, continuing from year to year." The book lists material goods and money given to Shapleigh by Samuel Leighton, as well as many goods and services which Shapleigh appears to have purchased independently. Among the items he received were "a pair [of] Silver Knee Buckles," "an outside coat, alias, a Rapper," "two pair worsted stockings," and multiple ferry crossings during travel. Entries detail expenses incurred while traveling, including those "at Mystick for a glass of anisseed" and "at Newell's for 3 glasses of wine;" the costs of attending both Dummer Academy and Harvard; and myriad other goods and services. The volume contains some brief diary entries, lists of "items wanted," and records of books borrowed from and loaned to fellow students.