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Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 3

Ephraim Child to John Winthrop1
Child, Ephraim Wintrhop, John

1634

To the right Worshipful Mr. Wintrop at Boaston these be delivered
Right Worshipful and much respected,

being carefull least by any miscareag of mine I should torn procure your dislike, I thought it not 144amisse to comit vnto your consideration the present ocasion, that may breed some dislike in you off me.

the last night late goodman pease sent your seruant henry Kingsbury for a payre of bullocks. I went this morning with him to looke them but could not find them, so he went without them. I perceiuing that there was a purpose not only for present to vse them but altogether to take them and the rest home, your worship, hauing in time past fatherly intimated to doe me good, which in a larg measure you haue don, but further in this particular putting me forward apon this corse of plowing, and I now hauing indeauored my selfe vnto the period of preparation of the thing intended, as in furnishing my selfe with a maire necessarie for such a corse with all other impliments necessary vnto such ocasions, as plow cart with yoakes and cheynes and Iron workes vnto the disburstment of much monie, doe conceiue that it canot but tend to much disaduantag and losse, besides taking me off cleane from my former intended corse, which I haue this 12 months been ploding apon doe therefore humbly desire your worship, that I may not at the pleasure of any belonging vnto you except your selfe, be at such comand as apon an instant to breake off my practises of this nature, which howeuer as yet you may conceiue it to be an vnprofitable corse for your worship to part with your cattle for so litell benifitt. yet I doubt not but that in a short time both your selfe and others shall comend off it not only to be good in generall, but such cattle as of yours are in mine hand shall be as benificiall as you can espect, and thus desirous to exscuse myselfe of not coming being busily imployed apon necessarie ocasions, I doe humbly craue a word or two for answer vnto my request which is, that what I shall doe in this case, and for either going to help in any imployment for carting or plowing with our draft at your apoyntment at your farme, I will be willing at all times, or otherwise to giue you a part of the thing I shall doe acording to your content. only vntil such times as I can furnish my selfe with a plow teame, let me not be weakened noe more then your loue toward me will afford, and that your cattle may not be required at the wills of such as may hapily fayle in care towards me. Yours in all humble respect

Ephraim Child Ca. 1634
1.

W. 4. 57; 5 Collections , I. 165–166. For Ephraim Child, see 5 Collections , I. 165n