Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2

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John Wilson to John Winthrop

3 February 1628

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Deed of John Winthrop and John Winthrop, Jr.

4 May 1628

Margaret Winthrop to John Winthrop1

Winthrop, Margaret Winthrop, John

1628-02-04

To my very loving Husband John Winthrop Esquire at Mr. Downinges. dd

Ca. February 4, 1627–28. 2 My most deare and loueinge Husband

I doe blesse and prayse god for the continuance of your health, and for the safe deliuery of my good sister Downinge,3 it was very welcom Nuse to us. I thanke the lord wee are all heare resonably well my pore Stephen is vp to day. Ame hath had a very sore Ague but is well againe. I hope the lorde will heare our prayers and be pleased to stay his hand in this visitasion which if he please to doe we shall haue great cause of thankfulnesse. but I desire in this and all other things to submit vnto his holy will, it is the lord let him doe what semeth good in his owne eyse. he will doe nothinge but that shall be for our good if we had harts to thust sic in him, and all shall be for the best what soeuer it shall please him to excersise vs with all. he wounds and he can heale. he hath neuer fayled to doe vs good, and now he will not shake vs of but continue the same god still that he hath bin heare to fore the lorde santify vnto 59vs what soeuer it shall please him to send vnto vs that we may be the better for it and furthered in our corce to heauen. I am sorye for the hard condishtion of Rochell. the lord helpe them and fite for them and then none shall preuayle against them or ouercome them, in vaine thay fite that fite against the lorde who is a myty god and will destroye all his enimyes and now my deare husband I haue nothinge but my dearest affections to send thee with many thankes for my sic kinde letters prayinge you to except a little for a great deale my will is good but that I want abilite how to show and expresse it to thee as I desire I pray remember me to my brothers and sisters and tel my brother Foones I thanke him for the thinges he sent, and so I bid my good husband farwell and commite him to god Your loueinge and obedient wife

Margaret Winthrope

I send vp a turkeye and 2 capons and a cheese the carier is payde

W. Au. 34; L. and L. , I. 281–282; Twichell, Puritan Love-Letters , 90–92.

Robert Charles Winthrop placed this letter a year later, no doubt because of the reference to the illness of Amy the servant (Vol. I. 413). Such a time, however, would be inconsistent with the reference to “the continuance of your health”; while the date is fixed pretty definitely by a baptismal entry in the Register of St. Bride's, Fleet Street: “3 Feb. 1627/8. Joshua sonn to Emmanuell Downing Gent: wyef Luce.” It is reasonable to assume that the birth was during the week preceding the Sunday baptism, and that Margaret's answer to her husband's letter was written not far from the succeeding Monday, February 4. The reference to La Rochelle is also decisive, since that town capitulated October 28, 1628, after a siege of fifteen months.

See the preceding note.