I received thy sweet letter, and doe blesse God for all his mercyes to us, in the continuance of thy health and welfayre, and the rest of us heare. I am glad to heere you wil come home this weike, for I desire to enioy thy sweete presence as ofte as I can, before that longe partinge come which I desyre the Lord to fit us for, and give me fayth and pacience to submite unto his will in all thinges which he requires at my hands. I trust he wil sanctify it to me and give me a right use of it, that I may theareby learn the more to depend upon him; when other comforters fayle me, I hope, he will supply by the comfort of his holy spirit in the assurance of his love in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. I see thy love to me and mine, my good Husband, is more then I can deserve, and thou art more willing to grant then I forward to desyre: the good Lord requit thee all thy kindnesse to me, but I will say no more of this till you come home. I beseech the Lord to send us a comforttable meetinge, and thus with 210my best love to thy selfe, my brother and sister Downinge, and all the rest of our frends, I desyre the Lord to send thee a good end of al thy troubles and inable thee to goe through them cherefully, as I trust he will not fayle thee, into whose hands I commit thee and rest thy faithful and obedyent wife

Georgius2 providentia divina Cantuariensis Archiepiscopus totius Anglie Primas et Metropolitanus Dilectis nobis in Christo Johanni Winthrope Juniori de Groaton in Comitatu Suffolcie generoso et Marthe Fones de Groaton predicto puelle, Salutem et gratiam. Cum vos (vti asseritur) ad solemnizacionem matrimonii veri et legitimi de et cum consensu parentum et gubernatorum vestrorum et vtriusque vestrum procedere decreueritis Illudque in facie ecclesie cum ea qua fieri poterit matura celeritate solemnizari facere et obtinere magnopere desideretis Nos volentes vt honesta haec vestra desideria debitum celerius consequantur effectum vt igitur matrimonium huiusmodi in ecclesia parochiali siue de Groaton predicto siue Sancti Laurentij in Gipwico per Rectorem Vicarium siue Curatum eiusdem ecclesie absque aliquibus bannis matrimonialibus editis et proclamatis quocunque anni tempore libere et licite solemnizari facere et obtinere possitis et valeatis post caucionem interpositam dummodo vobis racione consanguinitatis affinitatis precontractus vel alterius cause cuiuscunque nullum legitimum in ea parte obstiterit impedimentum Nec vlla lis controuersia seu querela mota sit vel pendeat coram aliquo Judice ecclesiastico vel ciuili de matrimonio aliquo contracto vel allegato cum alterutro vestrum ac modo matrimonij huiusmodi celebracio publice in ecclesia predicta fiat inter horas octavam et duodecimam ante meridiem absque tamen preiudicio ministri ecclesie ubi dicta mulier parochiana existit licenciam et facultatem tam vobis contrahentibus quam Rectori Vicario siue Curato ecclesie predicte designate matrimonium huiusmodi inter vos solemnizandi sub modo et 211forma superius specificatis iuxta ritus libri publicarum precum auctoritate Parliamenti in ea parte editi ex racionibus legitimis benigne concedimus Proviso semper quod si alteruter vestrum clarioris aut illustrioris condicionis sit quam nobis suggestum est et quam ex cognomine et additamento in his literis insertis colligi facile potest aut si aliqua fraus in hac parte imposterum appareat vel falsitatis nobis suggeste, vel suppresse veritatis tempore huius licencie obtente tunc haec licencia nostra irrita sit ad omnem Juris effectum et si3 omnino concessa non fuisset et eo casu inhibemus quibusvis ministris modo premissorum aliquod eis innotuerit ne ad celebracionem dicti matrimonii procedant nisi nobis aut Vicario nostro in spiritualibus generali prius consultis Data sub sigillo quo in hac parte vtimur vicesimo die mensis Februarij Anno Domini 1629–30 4 Et nostre Translationis5 Anno decimo nono.