I received 2: letters from you since I came to Hampton and this is the seconde I have written backe to you. I doe muche reioyce and blesse God, for that goodnesse I finde in you towardes me, and mine. I doe praye and assuredly expecte that the Lorde will rewarde it plentyfully into your bosome: for it is his promise to prolonge their dayes (which in­230cludes all outward prosperity) who give due honor to their parentes:2 trust him (sonne) for he is faithfull: labour to growe into neerer communion and acquaintance with him, and you shall finde him a good God, and a master worthe the servinge, aske of any who have tryed him, and they will iustifie him in his kindnesse and bounty to his servantes. yet we must not look that he should allwayes giue vs what we think might be good for vs, but waite, and let him take his owne waye, and the ende will satisfie our expectation.

our Shippe and the Talbott are now at Yarmouthe, but the Jewell and Ambrose are putt backe vnto the Cowes, we have had verye tempestuous weather, with the winde at S: W: so as some shippes which went out at the needles before vs, are driven backe againe, and we intende not to stirre till we see the winde settled. I would wish woemen and Children not to goe to sea till Aprill, and then to take shipping at London, if we had doone so, it had eased vs of muche trouble and Charge. There lye nowe at Cowes 2: shippes of Holland bound one to the streights and the other to the East Indies, of 100: tons a peece, which putting to sea in february spent their mastes, and with muche difficulty and losse of neere 100: men, are come in hither. there came in lately by vs a shippe from Virginia laden with tobaco: the master came aborde vs, and tould vs, that they want corne there. she was 14: weeks outward, and yet lost but one man. I praye certifie me by the next occasion, what the wine cost for the Common vse, and if you have laid out any more in that kinde, that I may perfecte my Accompt.

I praye prepare mony so soone as you can, that I may be Cleere with mr. Goffe and others: and that my parte in the iointe stocke may be made vp.

Sir Nath: Barnardiston desired to putt in monye into our ioynt stock, remember my love and respecte to him, and if he will putt in 50 li. take it as parte of the 200: which I have putt in allreadye, except you have monye enoughe to supplye more: Yesterdaye we kept a fast aborde our shippe and in the Talbott, mr. Philipps exercised with vs the wholl daye, and gave verye good Content to all the Companye, as he dothe in all his exercises, so as we have muche Cause to blesse God for him.

In the Talbott a woman was lately deliuered of a sonne and bothe like to doe well.

For other things, which Concerne my Affairs at home, I referre them to your Care, and the good providence of the Allmighty.

Comend my love to all our good freindes, as you have occasion. To my daughter Winthrop, your sister and Cosin, and to mr. Leigh, mr. Mott and 231that family, and to all at Castlins, and the rest whom I cante now name and the Lorde blesse directe and prosper you in all your wayes, so farewell my good sonne. your lovinge father

The generall rumour of this solemne Enterprise, wherin our selves with others, through the providence of the Almightie, are ingaged, as it may spare us the labour of imparting our occasion unto you, so it gives us the more incouragement to strengthen our selves by the procurement of the prayers & blessings of the Lords faithfull Servants: For which end wee are bold to have recourse unto you, as those whom God hath placed nearest 232his throne of Mercy; which as it affords you the more opportunitie, so it imposeth the greater bond upon you to intercede for his people in all their straights, we beseech you therefore by the mercies of the Lord Iesvs to consider us as your Brethren, standing in very great need of your helpe, and earnestly imploring it. And howsoever your charitie may have met with some occasion of discouragement through the misreport of our intentions, or through the disaffection, or indiscretion, of some of us, or rather, amongst us: for wee are not of those that dreame of perfection in this world; yet we desire you would be pleased to take notice of the principals, and body of our company, as those who esteeme it our honour, to call the Church of England, from whence wee rise, our deare Mother, and cannot part from our native Country, where she specially resideth, without much sadnes of heart, and many teares in our eyes, ever acknowledging that such hope and part as wee have obtained in the common salvation, we have received in her bosome, and suckt it from her breasts: wee leave it not therfore, as loathing that milk wherewith we were nourished there, but blessing God for the parentage and education, as members of the same body shall alwayes rejoyce in her good, and unfainedly grieve for any sorrow that shall ever betide her, and while we have breath, syncerely desire and indeavour the continuance & abundance of her welfare, with the inlargement of her bounds in the kingdome of Christ Iesvs.

Be pleased therefore Reverend Fathers & Brethren to helpe forward this worke now in hand; which if it prosper, you shall bee the more glorious, howsoever your judgment is with the LORD, and your reward with your GOD. It is an usuall and laudable exercise of your charity to commend to the prayers of your Congregations the necessities and straights of your private neighbours; Doe the like for a Church springing out of your owne bowels. We conceive much hope that this remembrance of us, if it be frequent and fervent, will bee a most prosperous gale in our sailes, and prouide such a passage and welcome for us, from the GOD of the whole earth, as both we which shall finde it, and your selves, with the rest of our friends, who shal heare of it, shall be much inlarged to bring in such daily returnes of Thanks-givings, as the specialties of his Providence and Goodnes may justly challenge at all our hands. You are not ignorant, that the Spirit of God stirred up the Apostle Paul to make continuall mention of the Church of Philippi (which was a Colonie from Rome) let the same Spirit, we beseech you, put you in mind, that are the Lords remembrancers, to pray for us without ceasing (who are a weake Colony from your selves) making continuall request for us to God in all your prayers.

What we intreat of you that are the Ministers of God, that we also crave at the hands of all the rest of our Brethren, that they would at no time forget us in their private solicitations at the throne of Grace.

If any there be, who through want of cleare intelligence of our course, or tendernesse of affection towards us, cannot conceive so well of our way as we could desire, we would intreat such not to despise us, nor to desert us in their prayers & affections, but to consider rather, that they are so much the more bound to expresse the bowels of their compassion towards us, remembring alwaies that both Nature and Grace, doth ever binde us to relieve and rescue with our utmost & speediest power, such as are deare unto us, when wee conceive them to be running uncomfortable hazards.

What goodnes you shall extend to us in this or any other Christian kindnesse, wee your Brethren in Christ Iesvs shall labour to repay in what dutie wee are or shall be able to performe, promising so farre as God shall enable us to give him no rest on your behalfes, wishing our heads and hearts may be as fountaines of teares for your everlasting welfare, when wee shall be in our poore Cottages in the wildernesse, over-shadowed with the spirit of supplication, through the manifold necessities and tribulations which may not altogether unexpectedly, nor, we hope, unprofitably befall us. And so commending you to the grace of God in Christ, wee shall ever rest