Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 1
1603
Long looked for comes at last, so sayth our english Prouerb, which might wel be verified in me. I tooke accompt of the dayes the Neights the howres the Minutes nay lesser Moments expecting Thursday and when yt came be off toward Suffolk long in vayne walkt the exchange nether to buy or sell, yt Proffited nought Coming home and sadly Musing what occasion barde mee my hope I at last perceaue the foot of good Tydinges at doore, which largely recompense my travell, yea such effectes workes the true affectes of thy hart and mind if they do even dissolue me with emulation and desire to exceed thee in loue for why should that loue that could admit no equall: be now second to any: Ah how Impatient is loue of delayes if the sight of a poore letter bring such Joy how far wold yt exceed to touch that hand that wrote yt to behold and Imbrace that fayre frame of Nature that Contaynes that loving hart that guydes that truly Medicinable touch from whence flowes the soveraine balmes that cures loue sick mindes then since yow know how Precious is your Presence to me as I haue sayd before so still I say, festina, I hope to see yow before xij dayes yf there come no letter in the Meane tyme wryte yow forget to satisfy me for the vse of your Physick whether yow had begon but I hope yow will I am now so full of busines that I wryte not in that Methode so otherwise I might haue sent an Answere at your brothers letter which I Received not before Monday I haue write to my Mother. I haue sent my brother Lutestringes my Mother and your self washing half Fingerd gloues to work with hard wax for your Letters Many such loving wishes for thy kindnes harty vowes of constancy and perseverance to my self hart wringing sighes for thy absence, for yt fares with me as with the sick of the dropsy who the more they drink the more they thirst for mine eyes and eares are Insatiable who Gredily and Gluttonously devoure those Mourning teares thy pen shedes. they tell me thy sighes for my sake is hartravishing Musick that is more Pleasing to my Parched hot hart then the sweet breath of cooling Zephyrus: 150but like Phylomely by the hand of a cruell Lowler3 cut of in the Mides of hir wales so am I by the Messenger who Gapeth for an end of this sad Letter but none but he that takes all shall ever end my loue.
Comend vs to Groton Hall your friendes do as Much to yow at the Prese thank my Mother for our Capones.
Thomas Fones, citizen and apothecary, at the sign of the Three Fawns in the Old Bailey, London, was son of Thomas Fones of Dedford in Bromsgrove, co. Worcester. He married Anne Winthrop, a sister of Governor John Winthrop, in February, 1604–05, and the two letters were written during the engagement. The Fones or Fownes pedigree is given in the Visitation of the County of Cornwall, 1620 (H. S., Pub.
, IX), 289, and in Muskett, 86–87.
W. Au.27.
Lowler, a variant of Lollard, used here as a general term of opprobration.