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Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 3

Bartholomew Greene to Sir Richard Saltonstall1
Greene, Bartholomew Saltonstall, Richard

1635-12-30

To the Right Worshippfull and his most lovinge Mr. Sur Richard Saltonstall Knight at his house in whitt streete london
Right Worshippfull,

my humbell Serves is remembred. hauinge soe fitt a mesenger I canot but right a word or tow this is to certifie your worshipp this mesenger was at Canaticoatt and can tell you how the case stands for my parte it is a greefe to me but the truth is I canot nor could not do no mor in it I did vse the best consell and did vse wat meayns I could in the busnes for your good but mr. whitt comision was to be one side of the river, mr. stilles one the other2 and after I had vsd meyns when mr. whitt and mr. stills went 218and could not get a man to go by no meayns and as soonne as I hurd the went not forward in the busnes I put myselfe vpon it agayne and at last got a man to go to measur it out at a dear ratte and when he came ther ther was not ground neather for medow nor ariball or pastur gronds that would geue your worshipp content that the men darst not laye it out the shuld a done your worshipp ronge in the same seinge that dorchester men had taken vp the best place befor and plimmoeth men sente a letter3 to discharge our men for medellinge with it sayinge it was ther right: for I conseaue that mr. ludloe was the cheffe man that hinderd it he was the onli man of dochester that sett downe ther I hope that this barer mr. woodcock man4 will sertifie you how it is I haue riten manie letter for this purpose other things I haue bine large in letters I am loath to be tow trobellsome to your worshipp in the lik expresures mr. hooker hath expressd some thinge that waye the lord direct you and advise you for the best and further your ofrings for his glorie and your good and all ours thus with my Serves agayne I commit you to the only wise god and rest your poor Servant to the vtter most of my power to command.

Barth. Greene from watertone this 30 of December 1635

Endorsed by Sir Richard Saltonstall: Md. that this letter be sent to Mr. John Winthropp our Gouernour at Conectacutt with Francis Styles his Relation.

1.

W. 4. 79; 5 Collections , I. 216–217. For Greene, see 5 Collections , I. 216n.; for Saltonstall, see Winthrop Papers, II. 153, n. 2 n. 1 . This letter was presumably sent over to Winthrop by Saltonstall in his letter of February 27, 1635/36. See pages 229–230, below.

2.

Marginal note by Saltonstall: “They were to plant on that syde of the Ryuer New Plymouth trading howse was buylt.”

3.

Marginal note by Saltonstall: “Mr. Brewsters precept to my carpenter Francis Styles.” For Bradford’s account of the controversy, see History of Plymouth, 11. 216–224.

4.

Marginal note by Saltonstall: “Jo: Dauis.”