Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 1

John Winthrop to John Winthrop, Jr.1

Winthrop, John Winthrop, John, Jr.

1626-12-18

To my lovinge sonne John Winthrop at the three Fawnes in the olde Baylye, London. dd.

My good sonne,

I wrote not the last weeke, trustinge to Lewes Kedby his comminge to London, who failed and went not, and besides it was a tyme of muche businesse and distraction, which tooke vp my minde more then ordinarylye: what the carriage and issue of these late affaires hathe been in our countrye, you shall knowe by my letters to your vnckle: I made no other accompt but to haue been at London before this lettre, but it hath seemed good to the Lordes most wise providence to dispose otherwise of it, as you may know by that my lettre. Sir Nath: Barnardiston came not to Burye till Saturdaye neare noone, when all was doone, and when I was come out of towne the Lordes sent for him, but what conclusion he made with them I doe not heare.2 When you have read your vnckles 337lettre, I wish you would goe into Southwark to the marshallsea, and remember my love and service to Sir Francis Barrington,3 and acquaint him how thinges have gone in our countrye, but you must doe it in private. I prayse God we are all heere in health. Your grandmother and mother salute and blesse you. The good Lord blesse you and sanctifie you throughout, and prepare and fitt you a vessell for his kingdome, and guide vs all wisely and faithfully in the middest of the dangers and discouragementes of these declininge tymes farewell. your loving father

J Winthrop Dec: 18. 1626 1.

W. Au. 26; L. and L. , I. 211.

Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston (1588–1653), a commissioner for the loans on privy seal in 1626, a means by which the King sought to avoid the need of summoning a Parliament and asking for subsidies, had not only refused to take the oath tendered to him according to the Commission, but had refused to lend the King the sum of £20, alleging that he was not satisfied therein in his conscience. February 25, 1626–27, he was summoned before the King’s council, and for persisting in his refusal to contribute “the ship-money, coat and conduct money, and the loan” he was committed to prison. In March, 1627–28, he was released, and was immediately returned to Parliament as a representative of Suffolk. D. N. B. , III. 242–244. Cf. the biographical sketch in Samuel Clark’s Lives of sundry Eminent Persons in this Later Age (London, 1683), II. 105–116, with a portrait.

Sir Francis Barrington (c. 1570–1628), member for Essex in seven Parliaments, uncle by marriage of Oliver Cromwell. Cokayne, Complete Baronetage, I. 28. He had been committed to prison in November for refusing to sit on the commission in Essex on the forced loan. S. R. Gardiner, History of England, VI. 148.

Forth Winthrop to John Winthrop, Jr.1

Winthrop, Forth Winthrop, John, Jr.

1626-12

To his louinge Brother Mr. John Winthrop at London giue these with speed.

Louinge Brother,

I will not stand to compliment if I could nether can I if I would: but this I say that howsoeuer you are occupied about serious affaires, and perhapps that is the reson I haue not heard from you of soe longe time, yet I know that as you are sure I doe not seldome remember your exceedinge loue, soe you doe not forgett my wonted affection: the truth is I should haue trobled you with my letters many times, but I knew not at which dore to knock, one while hearinge you weare at London, in which you weare as hard to be found of me as in a Labyrinth, for I doe nether know where my vncle Downinge kepeth, whom I wold haue wrot toe, nether did I remember the Sine of my vncles Foneses house: an other time at Groton whether once by Sir Caly and that latly my letters to you goinge came backe with a non est inventus, but my father writinge to me the place I send you in haste my hart and good wishes, with my loue in 338generall desiringe you to take the greatest branch of it your selfe, and soe distributing it after the manner of Logitians first the great boughes of my service to my vncle and aunt Downinge and all his Family, to my Valintine Mary Downinge, and soe prosedinge in the same manner to my vncles Fones house to my sister and cosens all: I haue noe newes for it is fast kept in prison I thinke in the City. Thus hopinge of your welfare, and to heare if leisure will permitt you from you I commit you to the protection of the Allmighty and rest your or not his owne

Forth Winthrop Cambridge, probably near the end of December, 1626. 2

I would entreat you to send me word of my Brothers Henry’s Iourney to the Indes what place he hath or how and with whome he goeth, for my father wrote to me that he was goinge: Farewell.

W. 1. 19.

The date is suggested by the reference in the postscript to Henry’s departure for the West Indies. The vessel, the William and John, commanded by Captain Henry Powell, sailed near the end of December, and reached Barbados on February 17, 1627, making the first settlement there. N. D. Davis, The Cavaliers and Roundheads of Barbados (Georgetown, British Guiana, 1887), 27–43; V. T. Harlow, A History of Barbados (Oxford, 1926), 1–15.