Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2
1629-06-05
Thou mayest meruaile that thou haddest no lettre from me by my sonne,2 but I knowe thou wilt not impute it to any decaye of loue, or neglect of thee; who art more pretious to me then any other thinge in this worlde; but the vncertainty of his iournye, and the dislike of his ill course, which made me estrange my selfe towardes him. I prayse God I came safe hether, and am in good health as all our friendes heere are (who desire to be kindely remembered to thee) I hope my sonne hath putt awaye his man, for he promised he would, and that he would amende his life: I beseech the Lord to giue him grace so to doe: otherwise he will soone be vndone. I am still more confirmed in that Course which I propounded to thee,3 and so are my brother and sister D
I receiued a lettre from Forthes Tutor,4 wherein he complaynes of his longe absence, which he findes doth him much hurte, both in his learninge and manners, and wisheth me to sende him speedylye for he sayeth he hath prouided him a chamber in the Colledge. I praye thee speake with him, and doe as may be fittest, for if he intendes not the ministerye, I haue no great minde to sende him any more; if he doth, let him goe so soone as he can. I haue now receiued thy sweet lettre, which I heartyly thanke thee for, and doe with all thankfullnesse acknowledge the goodnesse of the Lord towardes vs in his blessinge vpon thee and all ours, which I shall labour the continuance of to the best of my power, and so farr as my poore prayers can giue furtherance. I am sorye I cannot write to thee as I desire, but thou wilt beare with me, the rather for that I thinke my office5 is gone, so as I shall not wronge thee so much with my absence as I haue done. I will sende thee some pepper in my sonnes boxe, and so with my blessinge to my sonnes and daughters, salutations to all our good friendes, and my most intire Affections to thy selfe, I Commend thee to the grace and blessinge of the Lord and rest, Thy faithfull husband
thou shalt receiue in the boxe a booke of the newes this weeke.6
my sister Fones and her children wilbe with thee after the Terme.
sende me no linnen for I haue enough heere.
W. 1. 49;
L. and L.
, I. 297–298; Twichell, Puritan Love-Letters
, 107–109.
Henry.
Winthrop was writing on Friday, June 5, the first day of Trinity term. He had returned to London a day or two earlier, after a brief vacation at home. This passage indicates that during his tarry at Groton he had discussed with his wife the advisability of emigration to New England, an idea foreshadowed in his letter of May 15.
At Cambridge.
As one of the attorneys of the Court of Wards and Liveries. See letter of
ca. June 19, infra, pp. 99–100.
The first Currant of generall newes, the beginning of British journalism, was dated May 14, 1622. The early news pamphlets consisted usually of three sheets, twenty-four pages, and appear to have been sold at fourpence each. The issues were irregular, and from 1632 to 1638 the publication of news from foreign parts — the staple of the “corantos” — was forbidden altogether by the Court of Star Chamber. See J. G. Muddiman's account of “corantos,” in his History of English Journalism (London, 1908), 11–29.