MATHER, INCREASE (1639-1723). A colo nial divine, youngest son of Richard Mather (q.v.). Ile was born at. Dorchester. Mass., June 21, 1639. A precocious boy, he entered Harvard at twelve and graduated at seventeen. On his nineteenth birthday he preached an able sermon from his father's pulpit. Shortly afterwards, at the request of his brothers, Samuel and Na thaniel, he went to Dublin, where, at Trinity College, he took his MA. Then he preached in Devonshire. and Guernsey with success. but re turned to Slassaehusetts in 1661. For some time he divided his services between his father's church at Dorchester and the new North Church at Boston, but in 1664 he threw in his lot with the latter.
In 1681, on the death of Brian Oakes (q.v.), Slather was appointed his successor as president of Harvard, and began his duties, but his church would not let him go. In 1685, after the death of 'President John Rogers, he was enabled to ac cept the post on the condition that he should still reside in Boston. He held it until 1701, the college growing under his care, but suffering from various intrigues. As a result of these intrigues Slather was finally forced to reside at Cambridge, and soon after gave up the post, which had been rendered most uncomfortable to him. Meanwhile he had made himself useful to. the colony by resisting the attempts of Charles. 11. to seize the charter of Massaehusetts, had patriotically opposed the tyranny of James 11., and in 1688 had gone to England as agent for his fellow citizens. Ile could not seeure from William HI. the restoration of the old charter, but he obtained a new and fairly satisfactory one, and gained the favor both of the King and of the people of the colony. Fortunately for him, lie was absent in England during the worst of the witchcraft delusion, and thus is not amenable to some of the censure that has been passed upon him as a fomenter of the popular excitement. It is plain, however, that after
this excitement wore off. the hold of Slather and his son Cotton upon the clergy and people of the colony was greatly weakened. He main tained his personal vigor to a considerable extent, until his death. August 23, 1723. Chief among his works are A Brief History of the Wur with the Indians in. New England (1676; edited by Drake, 1862) ; A Relation of Troubles of New England front the Indians (1677; edited by Drake, 1864) ; Cometograph or a Discourse Concerning Comets (1683) ; and best known and most probably, Ann• L•'ssay for the Recording of Illustrious Prori deuces (1684; reprinted in the "Library of Old Authors," 1856). The last-named book is usu ally known as Remarkable Proridenees, and is a mine for those interested in seventeenth eentury superstitions. Ilis Cases of ronsricner Concern ing Witchcraft (1693; reprinted with Cotton Slather's Wouth-rs of the Inrisiblc World in the "Library of Old Authors." 1862), is interesting and important. For Increase 'Slather's life, con sult: Cotton Slather's biography of him en titled Parentotor (Boston, 172-l): Pond, The Mather Family (Boston, 1844) ; Wendell. Cot ton Mather (New York, 1891) ; and Slarvin, Life and Times of Cotton Mather (Boston, 1892). Consult, also: Tyler, History of A tneriron Lit erature, vol. ii. (New York, 18S1): and Wil liston Walker, Ten New Englund Leaders (New York, 1901). For a list of his voluminous writ Tugs, consult Sibley, Harvard Graduates, 1'01. (Cambridge, 1873).