Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2

159

John Winthrop to Margaret Winthrop1

Winthrop, John Winthrop, Margaret

1629-10-15

To his verye louinge wife Mrs. Winthrop the elder at Groton Suff. dd.

My deare wife,

I receiued thy sweet lettres, which were most welcome to me, and I doe heartyly blesse the Lorde for thy wellfare. I am so exceedingly streightened in tyme, as I cannot write to thee with any content; I haue been all this daye till 8: of the clocke this eueninge abroad about businesse, and yet haue dispatched but litle:2 therefore let not John come vp with the horses till saterday next, for it wilbe mundaye senight before I can come out of towne, or my sister Fones: she is well with the rest of our freinds and company heere, who all desire to be remembered to thee and the rest of our companye. the good Lorde blesse and keepe thee and all ours: so with my best Affections to my most sweet wife, my loue to my daughter, my blessinge to all our children and salutations to the rest and to all our freindes, I commende thee to the Lord and rest Thy faithfull husband

Jo: Winthrop. London, Octob: 15. 1629.

We received the Boxe etc: for which we thanke thee.

W. 1. 62; L. and L. , I. 338–339.

A General Court of the Company was held this day at the house of Thomas Goffe, the deputy governor, “to consider and resolue of the setling the trade in New England, (now vpon transferring the gouernment thither,) for th' incouragment aswell of the adventurers in the ioynt stock heere, as of those who already are, and of others who intend to goe over in person to be planters there.” Records of Massachusetts, I. 55. Winthrop now appears for the first time in the list of those present at a meeting. This, however, is not conclusive evidence that he had been at no previous meeting, for the attendance was sometimes only partially recorded. Winthrop also attended the General Courts on October 16, 19, and 20.

Election of John Winthrop as Governor1

Massachusetts Bay Company

1629-10-20

A Generall Court holden at Mr. Goff the Deputyes House, on Tewsday, the 20th of Octo., 1629.

. . . Mr. Gouernour acquainted those present, that the espetiall occasion of summoninge this Court was for the eleccion of a new Gouernour, Deputie, 160and Assistants, the gouernment being to bee transferred into New England, according to the former order and resolucion of the Company. . . .

And now the Court, proceeding to the eleccion of a new Gouernour, Deputie, and Assistants, which, vpon serious deliberacion, hath bin and is conceived to bee for the espetiall good and advancement of their affaires, and having received extraordinary great commendacions of Mr. John Wynthrop, both for his integritie and sufficiencie, as being one every way well fitted and accomplished for the place of Gouernour, did putt in nomination for that place the said Mr. John Winthrop, Sir R: Saltonstall, Mr. Is: Johnson, and Mr. John Humfry; and the said Mr. Winthrop was, with a generall vote and full consent of this Court, by ereccion of hands, chosen to bee Gouernour for the ensuing yeare, to begin on this present day; who was pleased to accept therof, and thervpon tooke the oath to that place appertaineing. In like manner, and with like free and full consent, Mr. John Humfry was chosen Deputie Gouernour,

and Sir R: Saltonstall,

Mr. Is: Johnson,

Mr. Tho: Dudley,

Mr. Jo: Endecott,

Mr. Increase Noell,

Mr. William Vassall,

Mr. William Pinchon,

Mr. Sam: Sharpe,

Mr. Edw: Rossiter,

Mr. Thomas Sharpe,

Mr. John Revell,

Mr. Matt: Cradock,

Mr. Thomas Goff,

Mr. Samuel Aldersey,

Mr. John Venn,

Mr. Nath: Wright,

Mr. Theoph: Eaton, and

Mr. Tho: Addams,

were chosen to bee Assistants; which said Deputie, and the greatest part of the said Assistants, being present, tooke the oaths to their said places appertaining respectively.

Records of Massachusetts, I. 58–60. See Robert Charles Winthrop's discussion of the election, L. and L. , I. 349–352, and Thomas Dudley's “Letter to the Countess of Lincoln,” dated Boston, March 12, 1630–31: “Mr. Winthrop, of Suffolk, (who was well known in his own country, and well approved here for his piety, liberality, wisdom, and gravity,) coming in to us, we came to such resolution, that in April, 1630, we set sail from Old England with four good ships. And in May following eight more followed,” — by which, R. C. Winthrop remarks, Dudley seems to imply that Winthrop's “coming in” on this occasion “was the very hinge of the great Massachusetts movement.”