A website from the Massachusetts Historical Society; founded 1791.

Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 3

116
Francis Kirby to John Winthrop, Jr.1
Kirby, Francis Winthrop, John, Jr.

1633-03-26

To his very lovinge and much respected frend mr. John Winthrop iunior this deliver at Boston in New England
Laus deo in London 26° Martij 1633 Most Louing frend,

Yours of the 24 Octob: per mr. Peirce I receiued but it hauinge suffered shipwrack on the Coast of Virginia it was hardly legible. I am very glad to hear of your welfare with the recouery of your second selfe from her late sharp fit of sicknes. I vnderstand how you haue dealt with mr. Pinchen for the Cloth which bargain is not amisse, but may produce reasonable profit if he deall well with you in the Condicion of the beauer that he shall deliver to you, which you shall easily discerne if you remember my instructions in those letters to you per mr. Peirce. for the shooes your father wrote to my brother Downeinge that they ar most of them Calues lether, sure I am that I paid for neats leather and they were waranted to mee for such and still he doth stand to Justifie the same still and saith if I can procure a certificate vnder the hands of mr. Cottington and mr. Nowell that they were not all neats lether I shall haue recompence to my Content, therfore I pray let them be veiwed by some that haue skill. his name of whom I bought them is mr. Jo: Rodson in Gracechurch street. I hope ere this time you receiud the 2 great glasses per Mr. Hatherly in the William who went hence in Decemb: I receiud the 4li 12s of Ed: Howes, also now 5li of mr. Gosslyn I receiud none of my brother Downeinge for you, neither had I any occasion for it seinge I can not find all the things you wrote for. sope ashes ar not to be had for ther ar none come of late yeares out of the east, they beinge now out of vse with the sope-boylers who vse only potashes. I haue sent in a paper a little potashes for a paterne. for old musket barrels I can find none that will be sold by waight vnles it be some very smal and short peeces and of that ther is no quantity to be had for other that ar past vse they peece them vp againe and make them saleable and will not sell them by waight.

I haue enquired concerninge ruffe barils vnbored. musket bore ruffe vnbored may be had for 8s per barill 4 foot longe of 2 inche bore 4 foot longe ruffe and vnbored 16s or thereabout I perceiue it is not vsuall with them to forge any so big which causeth to aske so dear, for they muste make or alter some tooles for the purpose and so must be paid extraordinary vnles they make a great many; I pray if you send for any write me iustly what lenght 117and in euery respect your mind very playne, least I do you a displeasure against my will. I pray excuse me if I haue mistaken any things in this your comission for the incke is washed of in many places of your letter, so that I do but guesse at your meaninge, and if I haue erred in buyinge what you intended not it is error amoris, non amor erroris. I hear ther is one at Wappinge that can forge barils of 2 inch bore but I haue not yet spoken with him; and he forgeth small ordnance. I haue sent you heer inclosed the Catalogue of the Autumnall mart 1632. all the former I haue sent before. I haue no newes to write you. ther hath not been any great exploits done in Germany since the death of the Kinge of Sweden. how it fareth with our republique and of the occurrents in Court and Contry is safer to be related by those that come to you then to be committed to paper. your frends heer who ar members of your plantacion haue had much to do to answer the vniust complaints made to the Kinge and counsell of your gouernment there. I vnderstand that you ar an assistant and so haue a voice in the weighty affaires of that Comonwealth. I know I shall not need to aduise you that the prayeinge for our kinge be not neglected in any of your publique meetings, and I desire that you differ no more from vs in Church gouernment, then you shall find that we differ from the prescript rule of gods word, and further I meddle not. I haue sent you (in this ship wherin my cosen Mary Downeinge and Susan and mr. Codington ar) all the things you wrote for except old musket barils and sope ashes, if I be not mistaken in readinge your letter. the particulars you shall find on the other page. they ar packed with other goods which I bought for your father at my brother Downeings instance, in one great long Chist and one little barrill also ther ar directed to your father 2 tronkes and a little trusse which my Cosen Mary Downeinge knoweth how to dispose of. mr peirce will be redy about the last of may, as I suppose per whom I entend to write although I haue no buisines more then si vales bene valeo. I desire to be remembred to your second selfe, your father, mother, brethren and sister, also to Mrs. Feake and thus for this present I commit you to the almighty his protection and shall euer rest your assured loving frend

Fra: Kirby
li s d
Sandiuer 2 li. and Soda 8 li. 0 5 6
stone blewinge 14 li. 0 10 0
brimstone 1 C waight 1 3 4
118
Copper ¼ C 1 10 4
Tin ¼ C 1 8 0
Canarie seeds 3 pintes 0 0 9
4 17 11
paid before for the glasses and the Charge of packing them and for 3 Catalogues of bookes 1 18 5
6 16 4
receiud in all 9 12 0
paid in all 6 16 4
I rest indebted to you 2 15 8

You shall receiue for your father in the same Chist and barrell which my brother Downeinge will put to his account 2 dosen Howes, 20 li. white Coperas, 6 shorlinge sheep skins, 30 lamb skins, 1 dosen sithes, 1 hatchell for hemp with 2 other little tooles of iron vsed about the streiteninge of the teeth when they ar bowed and driueinge them out. other tooles ar none vsed about dressinge hemp vnles some beetles of wood or such like which to send from hence wer but to Charge you with vnnecessary freight. euery Contry houswife can direct your Carpenter to make them.

1 hachell for flaxe with 2 brushes, 6 felling axes, 20 sutes of Canuas, 20 suites of Cotton, 10 dosen Irish stockings.

Endorsed by John Winthrop, Jr.: mr. Kerby received June per mr. Rose his ship. mony to mr. Howes. otter skinnes.

1.

W. 1. 100; 3 Collections , IX. 258–260.