A website from the Massachusetts Historical Society; founded 1791.

Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2

Forth Winthrop to John Winthrop1
Winthrop, Forth Winthrop, John

1629-11-17

Most louinge Father,

The consideration of that saying literae non erubescunt, hath moued me to cause you to vnderstand that by lettres, which bashfullnesse would not suffer me to vtter, but sealed vp my mouth in silence. The heathen could say Tu nihil Invitâ dices, faciesve Myneruâ;2 I would be loath soe far to violate the lawes of Nature or infringe the praecepts of nurture, and education, as to vndertake any enterprize of moment without your leaue, knowledg, consent, and licence: that therefore I may haue your councell, and direction I desire that from me you may vnderstand, that I doe beare affection in such sort as God may approue, and with your agreement may in time blesse with his holy ordinance of Mariage to my cosen Vrsula,3 my aunt Fones her daughter, yet haue I made noe mention of any such thing, nor till I shall knowe your will, pleasure and advice here 171in will I. to your wisdome therefore doe I most humblye submitte my selfe, and earnestly desiring your prayers, that God may direct me for the best, I shall awaite the expectation of your councell, instruction, and direction, what best you in your wisdome shall see most fittinge for me to be done or lefte vndone, and soe committing this to you and you to the protection of the allmighty with my most humble duty remembred to your selfe, my vncle and aunt Downing, with my loue to my cosens I rest and remaine

your obedient sonne Forth Winthrop: From Groton Nouem: 17 1629:
1.

W. 1. 65; L. and L. , I. 362; 5 Collections , VIII. 195–196.

2.

Horace, Ars Poetica, 385.

3.

Ursula Sherman, daughter of Priscilla Fones by her first husband, Bezaleel Sherman of Ipswich. Muskett, 87.

Agreements for Bread and Meat1
Massachusetts Bay Company Winthrop, John Keene, Thomas Stretton, Mr. London, Novemb: 19: 1629.

It was agreed betweene the persons heervnder named beinge of the Companye of the massachusetes in Newe England, and Thomas Keene of St. Olaves in Southwark Baker as followethe viz:

1: The said mr. Keene is to provide for the said Companye 15000 of Biskett of the Courser sorte, and whereof 300 to be of the white Biskett, and 5000: of the white Biskett bothe of sweet and good wheate, well baked and accordinge to the patternes deliuered to the said Companye.2

2: He is to provide for the said Companye so muche white Ruske as will fill two Hoggesheades.

3: He is to putt vp all these in Caske to be brought to his house, and he is to kepe it safe till the Shippe be readye.

4: He is to have all these readye by the last of Januarye.

5: He is to have of the said Companye for the Browne Biskett 14 s. the C: 1000: and for the white 18 s. the 1000 cancelled and C written in above C and for the Ruske by the dozen, 13: to the dozen of penye bread accordinge to the Cytye weight, and to have for the dryinge.

6: He is to have 50 li. in hande and the rest when he hathe deliuered his ware.

Two lines blank.

172
Nov: 18:

It was Agreed betweene the persons herevnder named beinge of the Companye of the Massachusetes in N: E: and Stretton of East-cheap London butcher as followinge viz.

1: The said mr. Stretton is to provide for the said Companye so muche Beife, as will fill 30: Hoggesheades, and Pork for 6: hoggesheades and 200: neates tounges:

2: This beife is to be of the best steere beife of betweene 5, and 600: weight the 4: quarters, the Pork to be of sound and fatt hogges of betweene the Carcasse. the tounges to be of the best and largest.

3: He is to give the said Company convenient notice when he is to kill, and to provide for the Cuttinge out the beife and Pork, and to be assisted for the puttinge them vp accordinge to the Common vse in such Cases.

4: He is to have 19 s. the C: for his beife and 20 d. a stone for his pork and 14 d. a peece for his neates tounges, and 2 s. 8 d. a stone for the suett which he deliuers vs before Christyde.

5: He is to have his monye as he deliuers his meate.

1.

From the Waterston Collection in the Massachusetts Historical Society. In the hand of John Winthrop. See Savage (1826), II. 339–340; (1853), II. 415–416, and infra, pages 274–275.

2.

The order for the 5,000 white biscuits may have been an afterthought — in which case the Company actually received 14,700 brown biscuits and 5,300 white biscuits.