Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2

208

Bill of John Tolly1

Tolly, John Winthrop, John

1630-02-13

To the Worshipfull Master Winthropp: the 13: of February 1629–30.

	li.	s.	d.
For 57: yardes halfe of tike for 9: beads. and boulster at 10 d: the yards:	02:	08:	00
for making the nine beads and boulsters	00:	06:	00
for 64 lb: of whight flockes for 3. of them at 9 d	03:	08:	00
for 112 lb: of coloured flockes at 5 d: the pound	02:	10:	10
for 20: ruges at 8 s: 6 d: apeice	08:	10:	00
for 12: Cushings fringed	01:	02:	00
for A Closstoole and pan	00:	09:	00
for A bead pan	00:	05:	06
for Sackcloth to pack your things in	00:	04:	00
for A French Beadstead couered with dornix with rods and cups and matt and cord and all things	02:	12:	00
for matts and cords to pack vp all	00:	03:	04
	21:	18:	08

Rec. this 3 of march 1629 in Full of this bill the somme of Twenty one pound Eighten shills I say in Full . . . 21 li. 18

By me John Tolly 1.

W. 1. 75. For other bills, see pages 215–218, and 278.

John Winthrop to Margaret Winthrop1

Winthrop, John Winthrop, Margaret

1630-02-14

To M: W:—the Elder at grot:2

My sweet wife,

The opportunitye of so fitt a messinger, and my deepe engagement of Affection to thee, makes me write at this tyme, though I hope to followe soone after. The Lorde our God hath ofte brought vs togither with comfort, when we haue been longe absent, and if it be good for vs, he will doe so still: when I was in Irelande he brought vs togither againe: when I was sicke heer at London, he restored vs togither againe: 209how many dangers neer death hast thou been in thy selfe and yet the Lorde hath granted me to inioye thee still: if he did not watch ouer vs, we need not goe ouer sea to seeke death or miserye, we should meet it at euery steppe, in euerye iournye: and is not he a God abroad as well as at home? is not his power and prouidence the same in New England that it hath been in old England if our wayes please him he can commande deliuerance and safetye in all places, and can make the stones of the feild, and the beastes yea, the raginge seas and our verye enemies, to be in league with vs.3 but if we sinn against him, he can rayse vp euill against vs out of our owne bowells, howses, estates etc. my good wife, trust in the Lorde, whom thou hast found faithfull, he wilbe better to thee then any husband: and will restore thee thy husband with aduantage: but I must ende: with all our salutations with which I haue laden this bearer, that he may be the more kindly wellcome: So I kisse my sweet wife and blesse thee and all ours, and rest Thyne euer

Jo: Winthrop London, Feb: 14: 1629–30.

thou must be my valentine, for none hath challenged me.

W. 7 A. 35; Savage (1825), I. 364–365; (1853), I. 437–438; L. and L. , I. 376; Twichell, Puritan Love-Letters , 140–141.

In this letter, as in many others, the original superscription is lacking. Robert Charles Winthrop remarks that the addresses “seem to have been torn off for the sake of the paper; probably on this side of the ocean, owing to the scarcity of the commodity in New England in the early days of the Colony.” L. and L. , I. 201, note. In several letters, this among others, the address thus sacrificed was copied on the margin of the letter, usually in abbreviated form, apparently at the time the amputation was made. These copies are in a single hand, of early date, not unlike that of Elizabeth (Glover) Winthrop, who married Adam Winthrop the fourth in 1642 and died in 1648.

In the margin, opposite “vs,” is written “Job: 5.23.”