A website from the Massachusetts Historical Society; founded 1791.

Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2

249
Wensday Apr: 21.
Winthrop, John

1630-04-21

Thicke raynye weather, muche winde at S: W:

Our Capt ouer night had invited his Consortes to have dyned with him this daye, but it was suche foule weather as they could not come aboard vs.

Thursday Apr: 22.
Winthrop, John

1630-04-22

The winde still w: and b: S: faire weather, then w: n: w: This daye at noone we founde our selues in 47: degrees and 48 a cancel here:foure foure minites, and havinge a stiffe gale we steered S: w: about 4: leages a watche all this daye and all the night followinge.

Fryday 23.
Winthrop, John

1630-04-23

The winde still w: n: w a smale gale with faire weather, our Capt putt forthe his Auncient1 in the poope, and heaved out his skiffe, and lowred his topsayles to give sign to his Consortes that they should come a board vs to dinner, for they were bothe a good waye a sterne of vs, and our viceAdmirall was not yet seene of vs since the storme thoughe we sent to the toppe everye daye to descrye her.

About 11: of the Clocke our Capt sent his skiffe, and fetched aboard vs the masters of the other 2: shippes, and mr. Pincheon, and they dined with vs, in the rounde house, for the Lady and gentle women dyned in the great Cabbin.

This daye and the night followinge we had litle winde, so as the sea was verye smoothe, and the shippe made litle waye.

1.

Ancient, or ensign.

Saterdaye 24.
Winthrop, John

1630-04-24

The winde still w and by n: faire weather and Calme, all that day and night heere we made observation again and founde we were in 45: deg. n. lat 20: m: no: latt.

Sunday 25.
Winthrop, John

1630-04-25

The winde northerly faire weather, but still calme, we stood w: and b: S and sawe 2 shippes a head of vs, as farre as we could descrye in the afternoone the winde came w. and b: S: but Calme still, about 5 of the Clocke the reereadmirall and the Jewell had fetched vp the 2 shippes, and by their salutinge eache other we perceived they were freindes (for they were so farre to windward of vs, as we could onely see the smoake of their peeces, but could not heare them) about 9: of the Clocke they bothe fell backe towardes vs again, and we steered n: n: w: now the weather begins to be warme:

munday 26.
Winthrop, John

1630-04-26

The winde still w: and by S: close weather and scarce any winde.

The 2: shippes which we sawe yesterdaye were bonde for Canada Capt Kirk 1 was aboard the Admirall. they bare vp with vs, and coming 250 falling Aprill closse vnder our Lee, we saluted eache other, and conferred togither, so beinge till his viceadmirall was becalmed by our sayles, and we were foule one of another, but there beinge litle winde, and the sea Calme we kept them asunder with oares etc: till they heaved out their boat, and so towed their shippe awaye.

They tould vs for certaine, that the Kinge of France had sett out six of his owne shippes, to recover the forte from them, About one of the Clocke Capt Lowe sent his skiffe aboard vs, (with a freindly token of his Love to the Governor) to desire our Capt to come aboard his shippe, which he did. and there mett the masters of the other shippes and Capt Kirke, and before night they all returned to their shippes againe, Capt Lowe Kirk cancelled and Lowe written above bestowinge some shott vpon them for their wellcome.

The winde now blewe a pretye gale so as our shippes made some waye again, thoughe it were out of our right Course n: w: by n.

1.

In 1629 David Kirke captured Quebec for the Canada Company, which was formed by Sir William Alexander. The Captain Kirke whom Winthrop met was probably David's brother, Louis, Thomas having remained in command of the garrison (C. F. Adams, Ed., New English Canaan, 235, note), who was bringing out stores and reinforcements for the English garrison at Quebec. Horace E. Ware, β€œAn Incident in Winthrop's Voyage,” Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, XII. 101–113 and Henry Kirke, The First English Conquest of Canada (London, 1871), passim. An interesting account of the English at Quebec in 1628 and 1629 is to be found in Francis Parkman, Pioneers of France in the New World (Boston, 1865), 401–415.