A website from the Massachusetts Historical Society; founded 1791.

Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 3

William Hilton to John Winthrop, Jr.1
Hilton, William Winthrop, John, Jr.
To the worthy and his much respeckted Frend mr. John Winthrop gouernor at aguawam giue these
Ser,

my duty and respeckt remembred to you and to mrs. Winthrope These are to serteyfie you that after a short yet sumthing a teadeous Jorny it pleased the lord that I ariued at my habetatyon the saterday after my departure From you I praise the lord I am in good health with mr. Leueridge and the rest of our good Frends with vs Ser I must remaine your debter For that kindenes I reseaued From you I pray you remember my dutyfull respect to 121your good Father I am amoungst other his loue and kindnes to mee much bound to him For his louing counsell to mee in his last letter For the which I most humbly thanke him Ser presuming vpon the goodnes of your loving and kind disposison make bould to serteyfie you of that which I aprehend may stand with the good of you and your neighbors with you seeing the extreordenary conuenience that your plantatyon hath aboue any in this land that I haue seene For the keeping of Swine I inquired what quantety of swine were kept there it was answered mee but a smaule quantety and that it was determened that there shuld not many bee kept there intemating that it was thought that the plumes and clames might proue a greter beenefit which cannot bee nor any way the 100 part so benefisiall this winter I haue had the benefit of 10 hoges eauery hog worth 7 or 8 pounds beauer I was constrayned the winter was twelue moneth to Feed them all winter yet it was with such meate as was not any way costly beeing’but huskes of indean corne now the maner of ordering them John maning is able to serteyfie you now For the preseruing of your Corne From them vntill you can Fense your grounds aboute your houses you may set your corne very conuenetly on the oposit side of the riuer and you shall Find that if you pracktis the breeding of swine with the beenefit of the Iland you may with a smaule charge in short time raise sum hundered of pounds yerely by them as you may gather by the preportyon of my stocke in that behalfe whoe haue not any such coueinecy as you haue Ser I pray you pardon my bouldnes herein For my eror herein is out of loue in that I desigre the good of you all both For speretuall and temporall things I knowe that mens labors cannot bee had at easie rats vntill corne and porke with the like prouison bee plenty if I were with you I thinke I could answere all your obiecktyons and showe you a way that you might keepe them at an easie rate I am affred I haue bin teadeous vnto you and therefore desighring the lord to blese you and yours I humbly rest Your worship’s Asurd to command

William Hilton Ca. May 1, 1633

Ser mr. Leueridge desigreth to be remembred to you though vnknowne.

1.

W. 1. 101; 2 Proceedings , X. 361–362.