Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 1
1628-10-06
I hav sent up 200 li. to be paid into the court of wardes which is for the half yeeres rent of the leass as also for the paiment now this half yeer for the wardship of the bodie if ther be any other paiment I will see it descharged at my comming to London which wilbe about the 18 of october, I pray yor directions to this bearer where and when to pay it, Thus ceasing further troubling you at this present with my harty salutacion vnto you I comend you to the almyghty and rest Your feithful frend
Son of Sir Thomas Corbet of Sprowston, co. Norfolk, and Anne, daughter of Edward Barrett, of Belhouse, co. Essex. He was admitted to Lincoln’s Inn, October 19, 1615, became recorder of Great Yarmouth and sat in the Parliaments of 1628 and 1640. He held many appointments in the Civil War and under the Protector, fled to Holland on the Restoration, but was taken by Sir George Downing and sent to England, where he was executed as a regicide, April 19, 1662.
D. N. B.
, XII. 202–203; Records of Lincoln’s Inn, I. 171.
W. 2. 184; 4
Collections
, VI. 576.
At a Parliament of the Inner Temple, held on June 29, 1628, special admissions were granted to “Emmanuel Downyng, one of the attorneys of the Court of Wards; and . . . John Wynthrope, also an attorney of the Court of Wards.” Calendar of Inner Temple Records, II. 169. Special admissions “in the sixteenth century, gave the recipient certain privileges, and exemption from serving the offices and giving the attendances ordinarily enjoined by the orders of the House, but later, they only gave exemption from serving the Vacations while a student.” Ibid., 373. It is to be observed that Winthrop secured admission to the Inner Temple immediately upon learning of his wife’s decision (supra, p. 401) not to remove to London before the following spring. The cancelling of the bargain for a house (supra, p. 403) falls within the same sequence.
1628-10-18
— My duty remembered to your selfe, my mother and grandmother, with my love to my brothers and sister, my uncles and aunts and all our good freinds—may it please you to understand that we arrived at Con409stantinople2 the 13th day of September all in good health (God be thanked,) hoping the same of yourselfe and all our freinds. When I came to this place I found the gentleman3to whome my letter of credit was directed to be absent, beinge gone down to Smyrna, his returne expected now every day, but have been furnished with monyes from his Assignee;—the bill of exchange I shall not send till his returne. I shalbe forced to take up more then willingly I would, by reason of our going to Venice, where we are likely to stay a good parte of the winter, and our long stay heere, and some places we touch at in the way: What I shall pay a dollar I know not yet, but the dollar goeth very high heere by exchange, being worth 5 s. 4 d. English: By the next vessell I shall God willing write againe, and at Venice shall hope to heare from you. If you write thither, it be best to direct it to Capt: Maplesden. The newes heere is of the Taking in of Esrom4 by the Grand Seignior which was kept by a rebell; the grand Seignior’s forces are now in seige of Bagdat, alias Babilon, which the Persian holdeth. Heere have been lately many fires in Constantinople. One burnt downe twelve thousand houses.5 Thus with my duty againe remembered, desiring your prayers and blessing, I rest Your Obedient son
We shall, God willing, depart hence about a fourtnight or 3 weekes hence.
L. and L.
, I. 266–267; 5
Collections
, VIII. II. The original is lost.
George Sandys’ account of a journey from Venice to Constantinople in 1610 is in Purchas his Pilgrimes (ed. of 1905), VIII. 88–248.
John Freeman.
Erzerum, in Armenia.
Sandys notes that the city is subject to “horrible combustions” and gives the reason. Loc. cit., 119.