A website from the Massachusetts Historical Society; founded 1791.

Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2

Thomas Fones to John Winthrop1
Fones, Thomas Winthrop, John

1629-04-02

My good Brother,

I did not write last week being so lame I could not feed my self with any hand nor stir out of my chamber and am still very weak so that though I have much to write I have litle ability of Body or Mind being overwhelmed with trobles and aflictiones on all sydes and Increased exceedingly by those from whom I have deserved better but Memo-ratio beneficiorum est exprobatio2 but yet thus far my desire to keep my Nephew your sonne3 from much expence and rioutous company made me for your sake most and in him as a member of yow to giue him entertaynment to lodge and diet in my howse when I had no small troble with him and such as he brought dayly so that yf he were within my howse was like 79an Inne and I lodged and dieted a man he entertayned a papist till iij dayes since perceaving him to have accese to a priest in newgate I durst give him no longer Intertaynment but will yow know the Issue and the requitall of my kindnes your sonne hath wooed and wonne my daughter Besse4 for a wyfe and they both pretend to have proceeded so far that there is no recalling of yt at least promise of Mariage and all without my knowledg or consent what grief this is to me I leaue yt to your consideracion being no fitt mach for ether of them. I will not multiply argumentes agaynst my Nephew being your sonne but his hart I see is much to bigg for his estates: he hath now made him a skarlet suit and cloke which is lined through with plush which I believe he owes for besydes what more so that I doubt the fiue pownd yow wrote me to deliver him had illegible and therfore I have yet done nothing but paid xx s. my daughter borrowed for him when I could come by no mony my wyfe being not within: for his other affayres I know no certainty of any thing but I think he will write and for publick busines my mind is so Laden with my own and I so bad a writer I cannot Informe yow only I desier yow to receaue my rent of Haxall and yf Gage retorne not mine to London of him likewise and let me heare your Judgment in the matter before written what wee shall do and now being very weary of wrighting and having not heard of yow this weeke I conclude with my harty loue remembred to yow and yours not forgetting my good Mother and shall remayne your Loving brother

Tho: Fones. London, Aprill 2d 1629

I cannot write yow the many trobles of my mind what to do for my Nephew sayes playnly yf he cannot have my good will to have my daughter he will have her without: and though I have entreated him to forbeare my howse a while he will not but comes and stayes at vnfitting howres he lay here till last night: I am sure he is in debt for his owne occasions, I doubt far and I feare engaged for others whose company he vseth and they have had thinges so common betweene them of whom formerly I have given him frendly warning but I am weak and cannot I see now be master in myne owne howse and tis hard medling betweene the barke and the tree for yf he were not so neare allied to me and the sonne of him whom I so respect I could hardly beare such braving oppositions in mine owne howse: but I long to heare from yow for I doubt he will draw hir forth of mine owne howse and soddaynly marry hir without any Scrupules

I have sent your plough for goodman cole payed ij s. viij d.

1.

W. 1. 46.

2.

We find the substance of this proverb in the Andria of Terence, act I, scene I, lines 16–17:

“...commemoratio Quasi exprobatio est immemoris benefici.”
3.

Henry Winthrop, of whose return from Barbados we first learn from this letter.

4.

Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Thomas and Anne (Winthrop) Fones.