It is noe small comefort vnto vs in this time of our sorrow to heare of your welfare, the continuanc wherof we neyther doe nor shall cease to intreate god to grant vnto you: Thanks be to god although time hath not as yet altogether worne out our greife being occasioned by soe greate a losse2 yet it hath in some part asswaged the same and indeede we are the lesse greiued because of the testimonies of his assured comefort which he left behind him: All of vs thinke long for your comeing downe vnto vs Tu enim dominus vir et frater es. in the meane time if my service may 324pleasure you in any thing I am ready to tender it vnto you to the vtmost of my power. Thus intreating you to remember my service to Mr Downing and my love to Mris. Mary and to Mr. Hows I doe and ever shall remaine Yours to be commanded

Sithence my last 3 lettres sent you by mr. Peirce,2 I haue received yours per the French ship dated the 9. of 7ber.

Herewith is sent you a dedimus potestatem to acknowledge an other Fyne of Groton, and a deed to leade the vse thereof, because the Fyne you acknowledged before you went hence was not well drawne nor suffitient for vs to sell your land, and my sister must stay here vntill the dedimus be retorned back, soe that I feare my sister cannot departe hence vntill the spring then following, yet shee is verie willing to haue gone this next spring if this occasion had not hindred hir;

I know not how to expresse my thankfulnes suffitiently for the constant Continewance of your love to me, euerie way soe plentifully expressed, among the rest, for your Care in providing my howse, I shall desire to hasten over soe soone as the lord shall open me the way, which I hope wilbe, ere long,

Our freindes here, yea those of best Iudgement wishe you bestowe not much Cost in building where you are, but doe advise that you doe speedily send about the discouerie of some fitter place more to the South,3 where you may enioye greater Comfort in respect of milder winters and fruitfuller and earlyer harvestes, with more safetye from forreigne Invasions yts Certeynly enformed here that soe litle Sowthward, as the Narraganses, there is farr lesse Cold and snow then where you are, but if yt be trew that mr. Allerton reportes of Hudsons river, there is noe place Comparable to yt for a plantacion and t'will quitt Cost for you to remove thither, though all be 325lost in the place where you are, for he sayth that Hudsons river goes into Canada and those 2 make New England an Iland, if this be trew yts like they meet in the great lake, and soe may Merrymack; I feare the want of provisions haue hindred your discoueries, this yeare, but I hope you shall haue noe such impediment hereafter,

Wee haue peace with Spayne as per the proclamation you shall perceive, which wilbe some advantadge to your plantacion, for you may henceforwards haue wheat for 2 s. the Bushell and all sorts of Cattle (Cheaper then I wrote that Capten Powell would afoard them) from the Terceras Ilandes4 whence I trust you shall receive some verie shortly, whereof I meane God willing to write at lardge in my next lettres, thus with my wives and my love to your selfe Sir Richard, mr. Johnson mr. Dudly mr. Nowell mr. Wilson etc. I leave you to the proteccion of the Almighty and rest your verie loving brother