Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 1

Henry Winthrop to John Winthrop, Jr.1

Winthrop, Henry Winthrop, John, Jr.

1623-10-04

To his verie lovinge brother Mr. John Winthrop in Deblin in Ierlonde Deliver this.

Most loving brother

my hartie loue remembred vnto you and to my ant. I haue takinge occatione to write vnto yow to giue you to vnderstan that i ame in good helthe, as I hope yow are hauinge not hearde of yow of a longe time vntile my unckele2 came ouer and when I heard he wase com ouer I hoped I shold haue sene yow her and if it sholde haue bene I sholde haue bene verie glad for i doeth make longe to see yow and I doe desier yow that yow wold not be offended that I haue not write vnto you of a long time for i do not doute but youe know how it is with me that I haue dwelte with my cosen barfoot3 this daie: 5 monthes, and therefore my not riting vnto yow it is not for lacke of loue but of time and thus desiringe to here of your welfare and that you wold take the paines to rite vnto me sometimes that i mite here of your wellfare and thus thankinge 290yow for all your loue wich yow haue showed vnto me even frome our bearthe and thus committeinge yow to the protection of all mytie god I rest

Your louinge brother Henry Winthrop

desiring yow to pardone my brefe ritinge for it was not for wante of paper but of time

Ritene from london the 4 of october 1623

Indorsed by John Winthrop, Jr.: “Receyved November 14: 1623”

W. 1. 9; 5 Collections , VIII. 178–179.

Emmanuel Downing.

Cf. p. 291, infra.

John Winthrop to Thomas Fones1

Winthrop, John Fones, Thomas

1623-11-11

My good Brother,

I perceive my last weekes lettre was not come to your handes when yours was written, tho’ I doubt not but since it is, and therefore I will spare to write of any thinge in that: my mother (I prayse God) is well recovered and remembers hir love to you and to my good sister, and so dothe my wife, and we all are gladd of the continuance of your healthes and of all yours. If my Brother Downinge goe for Irelande so suddainly, I thinke I shall not see you this winter. I have assigned Haxall 2 trees which stande in the ditche waye between mr. Brande and you, we estimated them (being stubbed) at 2 lodes and 1/2 so that, what he hathe more than his allowance now must be abated at the next assignment (which he is well content with) if vpon sisinge by workmen they fall out to be more. In that fence, there be divers places, where it cannot be discerned that there hathe been any ditche or bancke, so as I have a purpose to meet mr. Brande there one day, and have it viewed and agreed vpon. I wrote you in my last that Peyton hall2 wilbe sould, it is now offered to any that will buye it, the rent is 300 li. per an. and his price is 6000 li.: but he must come downe a great deale, if he will sell it togither, which (I thinke) will make him in the ende to parcell it out, which yet he is not willinge to doe: I heare that it is all Soccage tenure (except 40 acres) it is good lande but very bare of wood and no royalty or other advantage 291belonginge to it, nor any building, and farre from Churche, which defects, I suppose, will discourage any great purchaser, and Sir David must needs sell, and that speedylye. Thus with my heartyest salutations to your selfe, my sister and all yours, I comend you to grace and blessing of our heavenly father, who keepe and guide vs in all our wayes, to feare and trust in him, so I rest your lovinge brother

John Winthrop November 11: 1623

I praye when you goe by Pouls buye me the book of the relation of the Blackfryars accident.3 and remember my Reseite of Hande.

you shall receive by Welles a Rundlett of our Sider, it wilbe fitt to drink by Christyde, and if you like it, you shall have more in Lent when I broache my hoggeshead.

Broache it not to lowe at first because the groundes are in it, you shall not need open it for there is mustardseed in it allreadye.

W. 1. 10; L. and L. , I. 201–202. “The address of this letter, and those of many others which precede and follow it seem to have been torn off for the sake of the paper; probably on this side of the ocean, owing to the scarcity of the commodity in New England in the early days of the Colony.” L. and L. , I. 201, note.

Peyton Hall was in Boxford and belonged to the Peyton family that removed to Isleham, co. Cambridge. Visitation of Cambridge (H. S., Pub. , XLI), 3–5.

The book here referred to was entered at Stationers’ Hall, October 30, by Richard Whittaker, under the title of The fatall Vesper: or a Relacon of that which hapned vpon Sondaie last being the 26. of October in Blackfryers. London. Registers of the Company of Stationers (ed. Arber), IV. 106. Writing to Sir Dudley Carleton on November 8, John Chamberlain said the house which fell was next to the French Ambassador’s, and contained a number assembled to celebrate mass and hear Father Robert Drury, a famous Jesuit, preach. Ninety-five in all lost their lives. The priests would not call it a judgment, because people so dying escaped purgatory. “The barbarous multitude rather railed, and taunted the sufferers than helped them. The dead were buried in two pits behind the house, and black crosses erected, which were taken down by order of Council. A relation of the disaster was printed, but is called in. It is much talked of as happening on Nov. 5 [Gunpowder day], and at the first so solemn assembly of theirs heard of in England for 60 years. Our preachers speak of it temperately and charitably.” Calendar of State Papers, Domestic, 1623–1625, 108. Cf. M. H. S., Proc. , XXV. 436.