Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 1

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.

John Winthrop to John Winthrop, Jr.1

Winthrop, John Winthrop, John, Jr.

1627-01-09

To my lovinge sonne John Winthrop at the house of mr. Downinge at the sign of the Bishopp over against the Conduict in Fleet street London dd

My good sonne,

I wrote the last weeke so farre as my paper would reache. I hope you received my letters, which I desire to vnderstand from you, for Jarvice his man had them. I blesse God for your healthe and wellfare but we now thinke longe to have you at home, for your brother is to returne to Cambridge2 and then we shalbe alone, but if there be any good occasion to staye you still, I will not vrge your hastye returne. Touchinge the matter of mr. Pettuall, (though I can give no directe answere where nothinge is propounded, yet) thus muche in general, where I may have more monye I can depart with the more lande. I praye God give you wisdome and grace to discerne of meet giftes and a disposition that may promise hope of a comfortable life, in the feare of God, otherwise (if you can so content your owne minde) you were better liue as you are, but I 339comitt this and all other our affaires to the onely wise providence of our heavenly father.

we have had muche adoe for a minister since mr. Simondes refused it, Groton Churche did not afforde suche variety of giftes in diverse yeares before, we have many suitors that would take it at a meane rate, but for suche as are worthy all the difficulty is to gett maintenance enough, we are now (by Gods providence) like to fasten vpon a godly man one mr. Lea3 a curate at Denston4 in Suffolk a man of verye good partes but of a melancolicke constitution, yet as sociable, and full of good discourse as I have knowne; all the parishe are verye earnest with me to take him but I have taken a litle respite, because he is but a stranger to me, but well knowne to diverse in the towne. he was mr. Simondes pupill. I purpose to send up 10 li. for my A: B:5 if I can heare of any fitt partye, if not, you should receive some monye of your vncle Downinge for mr. John Brande, laye out 10 li. of that, and I will restore it, for I have the monye by me. Be not knowne to any bodye of any monye you receive for mr. Brande, but faile not to write me worde this week of the receipt of it, you may speake to your vncle about it, least he should forgett it. mr. Rogers hathe sett forthe a litle book of faithe:6 buye it. I want a paire of plaine ordinarye knives, and some leafe tobacko and pipes. you may buye these thinges at 340your leysure: as likewise some packthread and lines, hempe ones if you will. your grandmother and mother salute and blesse you, the good Lorde blesse you ever, farewell. your lovinge father

John Winthrop January 9. 1626-27.

I should have sent vp some fowles this weeke if they had been fatt.

W. 7A. 16; Savage (1825), I. 346–347; (1853), I. 414–416; L. and L. , I. 212–213.

Forth, admitted pensioner at Emmanuel, April 18, 1626, and matriculated July 4. Venn, A. C. , IV. 440; L. and L. , I. 212, note.

William Leigh, a graduate of Cambridge, matriculated sizar from St. John’s, Easter, 1616; B.A., 1619–20; M.A., 1623. He was rector of Groton in 1640, when he was assessed 7 s. ship money, and in October, 1645, when his son John was admitted at St. John’s. In September, 1645, he appears as ‘minister’ of Groton in the Eleventh Suffolk Presbyterian Classis. Venn, A. C. , III. 66; J. Peile, Biographical Register of Christ’s College, I. 330. Joseph Hunter (3 Collections , X. 156), summarizing from Rev. Matthias Candler’s genealogical collections in Harleian MS. 6071, says that he “was the son of Ralph Leigh, a Cheshire man, who had been a soldier under the Earl of Essex at Cadiz, by Dorothy his wife, a daughter of William Kemp of Finchingfield, Esquire, and the authoress of a book called The Mother’s Blessing.” This book, published in 1616, had reached a fifteenth edition by 1630. Pollard and Redgrave, Short-Title Catalogue, 347. Leigh has been confused with others of the same name, particularly William Leigh of Gorton in Lancashire, one of the clergymen ejected in 1662, and William Leigh of Christ’s College, M.A. 1626.

Denston, or Denerdiston, is a parish in the hundred of Risbridge, co. Suffolk.

“An ‘A.B.,’ on our side of the ocean, would stand for a degree of Bachelor of Arts. Ten pounds would have been a large price to pay for one, however; and Winthrop would have been a little old at this period to purchase one. In England, too, the letters indicating such a degree are always reversed. But after having repeatedly puzzled my brain over this paragraph, in the notion that it might be a confirmation of the idea, that Winthrop had, in some way or other, entitled himself to a place on the University roll, it was an amusing relief to find, among the old family papers recently discovered, several little quarterly receipts, indorsed ‘Aunt Branch, £10’ ! The receipts are all signed ‘Reynold Branch’; and are given in behalf of his wife Elizabeth, for whom Winthrop held an annuity of forty pounds.” L. and L. , I. 213, note.

The Doctrine of Faith, by John Rogers of Dedham, entered February 19, 1626. Pollard and Redgrave, Short-Title Catalogue, 489.