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Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 1

359
John Winthrop, Jr., to John Winthrop1
Winthrop, John, Jr. Winthrop, John

1627-09

To the worshipfull John Winthrop Esq. at his house in Groton.
Sir,

My humble duty remembred to your selfe with my mother, and Grand mother with the remembrance of my love to my brothers, and sister, and the Rest of my freindes. I wrote vnto you the last opportunity which I found by two severall messengers, whether they came to your handes I know not: but yet I dought not but you have had so full Intelligence of our proceedings till that tyme that it should be needlesse to write any thing thereof, as touching our affaires now you shall vnderstand now thereof, Our army lieth still the most part at St. martins some few Garrisons in other partes of the Iland. The Cittadell is now Intrenched Round, our trenches come in some places within a stones quoite of the Enemies the centinels on both sides continually playing with their small shotte watching as narrowly as the fouler after a bird how they may come at a shotte the great Ordinance on both sides shoote not so often as they did at first: every day there come some running out of the Castle who bring divers and vncerteine reportes what they thinke of the tyme it can hold out, but it is thought they had yeilded it vp by this tyme had it not beene for 3 or 4 boates which in a darke and foule night stole over vndiscovered of the shipes but tis thought they could not furnish them with much victuales, and if that be spent there is such order taken that they shall very hardly get any more, for besides the ships which lie there close together, and our boates scoutinge out all night they have made a boome with mastes chained together which lieth crosse that place where they shold go in so that they must needes be foule eyther of the shipes or that, those boates which gatt over were guided by two Dutchmen who Ridinge among our shipes had taken notice of the order of our fleet and the likeliest place they might come by them without discovery they are now taken and to be executed. We tooke the other night two boates which were goeing to the Castle with victualls some other there were which escaped backe againe. We have now arrived 2400 soldiers out of Irland, and doe expect a supplye of shipes and men out of England when they be come I hope we shall not stay here long after I thinke soone after Michaelmas we shall be at home the King of France hath had an army about Rochell ever since our comminge they are reported to be 12000 men but the towne and they were vpon good tearmes till the 30 of August and then they began to fall out with some store of great shott 360on both sides but they feare not the kinges forces so long as our fleet keepe the sea open to them When I had well veiwed the towne I marveiled not that it holds out so long seige, for I thinke it almost Impossible to take it by force if they be not shutt vp at sea as well as by land. It is a very deare place for strangers, and St. martins is dearer by reason of our army, and that all we have brought in commeth from Rochell. I am (I thanke God) hitherto in good helth and our ship hath bene generally helthfull. thus my duty againe Remembred and desiringe your dayly prayer and blessinge I commend you to Godes protection and rest Your obedient sonne

John Winthrop. September, 1627.

I pray remember my love to my vncle Gostlin and aunt with mr. Lee and the Rest of our freindes.

1.

W. 1. 26; L. and L. , I. 243–245; 5 Collections , VIII. 4–6.