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

My humble duty remembred vnto you, may you please to vnderstand that since my last to you by mr. Peirce I received yours of the 9th of Septem: by the Guift: they came to my handes about the first of this month, youres to mr. Gooffe were broken open by the purser and maister aboard the ship and read, as I am informed by such passingers as were eye witnesses: by my last I wrote you concerning the sale of your land, that we were to finish it the last terme, and that you should expect vs the next spring, but it hath pleased God otherwise to dispose, for by reason of some defect in the fine, which was acknowledged by you before you went over, for by that the feoffees had power to convey only the mannour, which by the wrightinges apeares to be little above one hundred acres, because all that which hath beene laid out in ioynter, is severed from the Mannour, and cannot now passe by the name of Manerium, besides the royalties were 326omitted in the fine this mr. Gurdons2 counsell had not found out till the end of the terme, when they were ready to have sealed the wrightinges. our agrement now is that the feoffees shall give possession of the whole, and he is to pay downe 1000 li. before next terme, and 1000 li. more at our Lady, and to retaine 1800 li., till the returne of a fine to be acknowledged by you there, and after by my mother and vs heere. by reason of this I say I have beene both disapointed of monies, for the payment of debtes and making any provitions, as I was determined, and also our Journey is of necessity protracted till we heare from you againe, and receive the dedimus potestatem and concordance,3 and Indenture, executed there by you, for till you have acknowledged the fine, my mothers will not be accepted, therfore for the more certeinty herof, we have taken out 3 dedimus Potestatem, to send to you by three severall passages one wherof together with a Concordance, and an Indenture to lead the vses, I send you together with these, the other shalbe sent as God shall give opertunity: our Councelles direction for the execution of them, which they desire you to observe is this. first, that the Indenture to leade the vses be first sealed, and delivered by you, before you doe acknowledge the fine (mr. Gurdon desireth that mr. Ludlow and goodman Kingsbury of Asington be 2 of the witnesses to it) secondly that the Commissioners that shall there execute the Dedimus, doe deliver it into many of the passingers handes or sailers, ioyntly, that one may be living to make affidavit of it heere if the other should die: and such as may come to London for that purpose. you may please to send it to my vncle Downinges, and besides give notice by some other letter to me or some other by what ship, and what person it is sent, also what persons there be that may make affidavit, thirdly that if all the thre dedimus come to your handes that you acknowledge them all, and first seale, and deliver their Indentures. the first that commeth to our handes will serve, the other we shall cancell. we have now peace with spaine, which I conceive may be a great helpe to the plantation, in our freer passing to and fro, and vent for fish and helping vs with Cattell at easier rates, and I hope store of Corne too which I shall, certify you of further heerafter. I have but short notice of this occation, and hope to have another suddenly. so for present desiring you sic praiers and blessing I rest your obedient sonne