Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2
1629-01-30
It is my daylye care to commende you to the Lorde, that he would please to putt his true feare into your heart and the faythe of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you may be saved, and that your wayes may be pleasinge in his sight: I wishe also your outward prosperitye, so farre as may be for your good. I have been sicke, these 7: or 8: weekes neere vnto deathe, but the Lorde hathe had mercye on me, to restore me, yet I am not able to goe abroad: I sent you by Capt. Powell2 a Lettre and in 67it a note of suche thinges as I likewise sent you by him, in a Cheste with 2 lockes, whereof the keyes were deliuered to his Brother who went master of the shippe:3 the thinges cost me about 35 li. but as yet I have received nothinge towardes it. I sent diverse tymes to Capt. Powell about your Tobacko, but my man could never see it, but had answeare I should have it, or mony for it: but there was 10: pounde of it by your appointment to be deliuered to one, and the worthe of 4 li. to another, which made me, that I knew not what course to take: besides I founde, by the rolles you sent to me and to your vnckles, that it was verye ill conditioned, fowle, full of stalkes and evill coloured, and your vnckle Fones takinge the Judgment of divers Grocers, none of them would give five shillinges a pounde for it: I desired Capt. Powell (cominge one daye to see me) that he would helpe me with monye for it, which he promised to doe, but as yet I heare not from him. I would have sent you some other thinges by Mr. Randall, but in truethe I have no monye, and I am so farre in debt allreadye to bothe your vnckles, as I am ashamed to borrowe any more. I have disbursed a great deale of monye for you more then my estate will beare: I payde for your debtes since you went aboue 30 li. besides 4: li. 10 s. to Annett and Dixon, and now 35 li. except you sende commoditye to rayse monye I can supplye you no further: I have many other children that are vnprovided, and I see my life is vncertain. I mervaile at your great vndertakinges, havinge no meanes, and knowinge how muche I am in debt allreadye. Salomon saythe he who hasteth to be rich shall surely come to pouerty: it had been more wisdome, and better becomminge your youthe, to have conteined your selfe in a moderate course, for your 3: yeares, and by that tyme, by your owne gettinges and my helpe, you might have been able to have doone somewhat, but this hathe been allwayes the fruit of your vaine overreachinge minde, which wilbe your overthrowe, if you attaine not more discreation and moderation with your yeares: I doe wonder vpon what grounde you should be ledd into so grosse an error, as to thinke, that I could provide 10: such men as you write for and disburse a matter of 200 li. (when I owe more allreadye, then I am able to paye, without sale of my lande) and to 68doe this at some 2: or 3: monthes warninge: well I will write no more of these thinges: I praye God make you more wise and sober, and bringe you home in peace in his due tyme. If I receive mony for your Tobacco before mr. Randall goe, I will sende you somethinge els, otherwise you must be content to staye till I can. If you sende over any more Tobacco, take order it may be deliuered to me, and if you will have any to have shares out of it, let me have the disposinge of it, for this last course of yours makes me iealous of your intent, as I can be no lesse, when you gave me suche particular direction for the best improvement of it, and yet vnderhand appoint another to dispose of a good parte of it: well, enough of this:4 your brother (as I wrote to you) hath been in the Levant aboue this halfe yeare, and I looke not for him before a yeare more, your freindes heere are all in healthe: your vnckles and Auntes commende them to you, but they will take none of your Tobacko: onely your vnckle Tindale and Aunt (whom you write your kinswoman vpon the outside of your Tobacco) thanke you for their.5 I sent you allso 2: boyes (for men I could gett none) suche as Capt. Powell carried over, but I knewe not what to doe for their bindinge, beinge not able then either to walke or write, and they beinge but youthes. For newes heere is litle, but what (I suppose) this bearer can tell you: we shall have peace with France:6 The Dutche have taken from the Spaniard, in the W: Indyes, a verye greate prize of silver gold etc: and have brought it safe home:7 The k
W. 7 A. 24; Savage (1825), I. 354–356; (1853), I. 423–425; N. Darnell Davis, The Cavaliers and Roundheads of Barbados (Georgetown, British Guiana, 1887), 34–36. Henry Winthrop must have returned to England before receiving this letter. The letter of Thomas Fones of April 2, 1629, printed below, shows that at that date he had already been in London for some time.
Captain John Powell the elder. He first claimed Barbados for England in 1625, and carried thither the second body of emigrants in 1627 in the Peter, following the earlier party in the William and John, including Henry Winthrop, who arrived at the island February 17, 1627, under his brother Captain Henry Powell. V. T. Harlow, A History of Barbados (Oxford, 1926), 4, 6; Acts of the Privy Council of England, Colonial Series, I. 114, no. 185, April 5, 1627.
Captain Henry Powell, mentioned in Vol. I. December 17, 1628, a letter of marque was issued to him and others, owners of the Peter, of London, 120 tons, Henry Powell, master. Calendar of State Papers, Domestic, 1628–1629, 441. February 26, 1628–29, he arrived at Barbados and restored for the time the authority of the interests headed by Sir William Courteen, the merchant prince, as against the claims of James Hay, Earl of Carlisle, a spendthrift favorite of the Stuarts. On the struggle between the opposing parties, see Harlow, Barbados, 3–14.
Savage in his editions omits “If you sende . . . well, enough of this.”
MS. “theires” cancelled, “their” interlined.
Concluded at Susa, April 24, 1629.
The Dutch admiral, Piet Heyn, who as a captive had served four years in the Spanish galleys, took the treasure fleet at Matanzas Bay, east of Havana, September 8, 1628, and reached Holland with his prizes in November. The gold, silver, indigo, sugar, and logwood were sold in the Netherlands for 15,000,000 guilders. C. H. Haring, Trade and Navigation between Spain and the Indies in the Time of the Hapsburgs (Cambridge, Mass., 1918), 237–239.
According to the official record sent to England, King Frederick and Frederick Henry were returning from their visit to the fleet, January 7 (new style, 17), 1629, when their vessel came into collision with a much larger one and immediately sank, all on board perishing except the king, who was saved by a sailor. After “Kinge” Winthrop first wrote “swamme to shore, but it is reported he is dead since,” then crossed it out. See Vol. I. note 7note 3
Elizabeth, Electress Palatine and Queen of Bohemia (London, 1909), 266–268, with, references.
note 30note 2
Proceedings
, IV. 123–182.
infra, pp. 203–206. Visitation of Suffolke, J. J. Howard, Ed., I. 192, 202; Visitations of Suffolk, W. C. Metcalfe, Ed., 167–168.
“On January 2 [1627–28] orders had been given that the prison doors should be opened to those who had been confined for their refusal to pay the loan. Seventy-six persons in all, some imprisoned, some in banishment in different counties, were permitted to return home, but we may be certain that not one of the whole number felt the slightest gratitude for the word which had unbarred the doors closed upon them by the decree of arbitrary power.” S. R. Gardiner, History of England, VI. 225–226.
Sir Francis Barrington, baronet, friend of Winthrop and stanch opposer of arbitrary government, died July 3, 1628. He married Joan Cromwell, aunt of Oliver Cromwell, the Protector. Joan Altham, his granddaughter, was one of Winthrop's clients. Vol. I. 337, note 9note 3
Son of Sir Thomas and Alice (Winthrop) Mildmay of Barnes, Springfield, co. Essex, and cousin of John Winthrop. Numerous references in Vol. I.
Brampton Gurdon of Assington, on whom see references in Vol. I. particularly page 64.