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Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2

Introduction

Anno Domini 1630: March 29: mundaye.

29 March 1630
238
Notes at the Beginning of the First Manuscript Volume of the Journal
Winthrop, John

On the first leaf, recto, of the first manuscript volume of the Journal, are two notes (the second so faded as to be practically undecipherable), to which Savage called attention in a prefatory note to "Addenda,” The History of New England, II, 415. Such words as can still be transcribed are printed below.

To make a stronge boat good cheape 24: foote in lengthe, and 6 foote broad

Joyne 2: trees togither of oke or elme, 6: foot in length and 3: in bredthe then hollowe them, and fashion them to the forme of the head of an Indian Canoe: then ioyne 2: other of 4 or 5 foote or 6: fo: and fashion them like a sterne. then take younge oaks of 6: inches square or lesse and putt them in the middest, then cutt the out side of the heade and sterne with a rabitt of the thicknesse of the sillegible mes and nayle them to bothe with tymber nayles one word illegiblee and there one word illegible in everye 2: foote space a tye one word illegible to fasten the one word illegible togither: so this brillegible togither and need litle okum or pitche one word illegible

For 20: or 30: head; if the Cabine be 2: fillegible and then round, it wilbe the stiffer1

To Cover a howse and make a Copeing on the outside where Time is wanting

make the frames of small trees, and one word illegible 8: inches one word illegible stande two words illegible them on one word illegible in the middest two words illegible with two words illegible vpe or aparte three words illegible of eache steep the middest three words illegible planke of one word illegible thicke end wayes two words illegible longe and ½ three lines illegible.

1.

As to the building of boats and ships in Massachusetts, Governor Winthrop launched his bark, the Blessing of the Bay, at Mistick, July 4, 1631 (Journal, also printed in D.J.W. ), but as early as May 28, 1629, the Governor and Deputy of the Company, in their “Second General Letter” to Endecott at Salem, wrote from London: “And if yow send the shipps to fish at the banck, and expect them not to returne againe to the plantacion, that then yow send our barke, that is already built in the country, to bring back our Fishermen and such provisions as they had for fishing . . .” Records of Massachusetts, I. 404.