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Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2

Edward Howes to John Winthrop, Jr.1
Howes, Edward Winthrop, John, Jr.

1630-04-16

To his very louinge frind Mr. John Winthrop at Groton these dd. in Suff.
Monsier

all health and saffety to your habitation. I send you many thanks for the receipt, your sister2 should haue had thanks, had she sent it, she may haue loue, but her charitie was but little; I thanke God I am recouered. doth she nowe thretten me for my kindnes; be it her pleasure, I will not pertake thereof; I pray you with frindly greeting present my vnchainged frindship to her, and acquaint her howe I deliuered your letter to mr. Clarke, whoe saith he had the watch a while, since it was mended, and it went not right, soe the watchmaker hath it againe. he saith I shall haue it next weeke to send it downe, it will cost about 15 or 16 shillings mendinge, send me word whether Mr. Clarke shall lay out the monie, or I; had it bin done tyme enough it should haue binn sent to your brother to southampton. I heare he is not yet gone; there are The Arabella. The Talbott. The The 4* shipps gone on wensday senight (God speede them) you shall receiue here inclosed a lettre from Mr. Hewson with whome I was this morne he tells me the name of the ship is the 297Thomas and William,3 of about 200 tunn she hath some 16 peices. The master William Bunduck of Wapping is a man of very good reporte, she falls downe to graues end about teussday come senight, it willbe about tomorrowe fortnight ere she will leaue the Thames, she hastens awaye the sooner because of diuerse Turkey Marchants companie and assistance, if you knowe of any sturdie youths that will goe seruants for 6 or 7 yeare, they may nowe haue entertainement of Mr. Hewson, or any other that will goe at theire owne charge, there is roome in this ship for 20 and yet they will not carrie aboue 60 passengers, whereas the Talbott carries about 200. conceiue my inferrence. As for hens the ship master will carrie them, if you prouide them, and theire meate and send them aborde; but he will not stand to the Hazard of them. Mr. Hewson tells me he hath a frind in towne whoe nowe goes ouer and whose wife is in N: E. at salem and hath store of hens, he saith you may haue as many as you will there for 2 s. and 6 d. a peice; but Mr. Hewson saith if you will haue any of this man, he will buy them as for himselfe, and he hopes much cheaper, and your father shall haue them, as he payes; he saith it is as troblesome to carrie ouer Turkeys as Goats; but if you will send them or rabbetts with meate for them the master offers to doe his best to deliuer them safe, but not warrant them. Here dyed 11 this weeke of the sicknes there is 6 parishes infected I pray god make vs all alwayes readie for our dissolution. Thus with prayers for you as for my selfe, desiringe you there in to assist me your louinge frinde.

E. Howes. Peterborough Court in Fleete streete the 16th of Aprill 1630

direct your lettres to mr. Tho. Hewson at London Stone and it is sufficient he sayth.

1.

W. 2. 162; 4 Collections , VI. 469–471. The undated letter of Howes printed in Vol. I. 375–376, may have been written about this time.

2.

Elizabeth (Fones) Winthrop.

3.

The Thomas and William may be the unnamed ship “set out by a private merchant” of the list given by Dudley and Prince. She may also be the ship that arrived at Charlestown July 31, “with cattle, and more passengers.” “Governour Bradford's Letter Book,” 1 Collections , III. 76. See infra, pages 309–310: on August 19 she had not yet begun her return voyage.