A website from the Massachusetts Historical Society; founded 1791.

Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 3

386
Brampton Gurdon to John Winthrop1
Gurdon, Brampton Wintrhop, John

1637-04-11

To my muche honored frend Jhon Wenthrop Esquer geu thes at Boston in N. E.
My worthy good frend,

The last leter that I haue resayued from yow being 24 of Jeuen 1636, I was then glad thearby to hear of your good helthe with all yowers, and so I hope god still continue the same to his glorry. I would I could writ you anithing licke to geue coumfort to eny honest engleshe myend for good to churche or comonwelthe. the hed is scicke and all the memburs out of frame, we haue a trayter a naybur discouerred, the eldest sonn of the Lorde Skinner of Lanham parck, a papest if anithing, a notorious swagerer. when he was in an alhous with Tom Dande Sir Gorge Waldegraus lat clarck (Sir Gorg dyed the sabothe before our twelff scessyons) he eused this spech I haue spent my forteunes and I will goo to Romm but I would doo sommwhot that I mought be spocke of after we are ded and after this he expressed his desyer to kile the king. he had the licke speche to Harry Copenger the dockters brother, and thes 2 are his sceuerrall acceusers. I will now informe yow of 3 of our new conformetans in this dyesses. thear is won Briges ceurat to Mr. Legat at Barnam Brome near Norwich, he had begot his moters mayed with child who descouerring so muche and bewayleng her selff to him, he aduised her to be content and scylent, and to met him next morning in a feld which it seem is within the libertis of the scitte. she prepared to do as he dyrected her, but agenst his direccyon she tould a sister that she was to goo she knew not whether, the sister desyred to goo with her till she should tacke hors. the currat comming and seeing 2 wemen he would not rid to them but returned, and indeuerred in the euneng to speacke with her blameng her that she had acquayented any with her Jurny she exceused and sayed it was to her scister. then he charged her not to speacke a word to any but to met him the next morning, and that fore none she was found ded in the plas and as is judgged strangled with her apern string the which lay a rod from her body, it is sayed a shepperd ded see them thear together yet he deny the murther but confes he got her with child, it is sayed that soumbody had had the eues of her a litele before or after her stranglin. we had won parson Fockes of Erles Some and another parrishe thear near, he had scet vp a fram of a hous vpon ground he pretended right vnto but his aduersary Starling hired won to disquiet his buldeng who with a hachet endeuerred to beat out the vnder bearrens. the parson hearring him he and his man cam feuryously the on 387with a pichforcke and the man with a hege stack mad him to run thay purseued him and ouertocke him he strocke him aboue the forhed with the pichforcke which forsed out part of his brayens and after coum the man and gaue him a blou with the stacke but not so mortale. the crouners quest found this manslauter, and hear vpon thay had thear tryale, and allthoughe thear apered muche males befor yet thay wear conuict only of manslauter. this tryall was this lent assyses before Justes Crock, and thear atended our 2 reuerent docters Godde and Warren, the parson was tried withought the gayele the master had his preuileg of presthod and thearfore had no clargy tendred to him so escaped burning, the man now leget but repryued for his pardon. This man at his tryall tocke the fact vpon him in hop as was thought that his master would purchas his pardon.

The 3 mongst haue ben this Mr. Daulton minester at Woluerston being this somer won of the 60 reuerent men he and Mr. Stansby depryved the other suspended as you shall hear. Bishop Wren perceued won Cole the ceurat at St. Mary Kye in Ipswich vnder Mr. Sameuell Ward and as is knouen he the cheff persceceuter of him in hye commicyon for recompens of his sceruis he ingenryously proceured him into this liueng, this Cole bearryeng muche mallis to Mr. Dalton and to all his family who had built him a smale houes heartofore near his parsonag Mr. Daltons kow would breacke into the glebe whear she had formerly had intertayenment, his mayed seeing her masters cow in the glebe ran to feche her ought. Cole seeing her he rid to her and with a krabtre cogele beat her so as for a month all thought she would not have eskaped with lyeff. our tyem plesing clargy grow exscedeng bould thay haue wind and tyed with them, and littele or no gras to stay thear rage. God in mersy stay thear rage. Sir as conscearning my sonn Edmund I neuer ment he should be burddensoum to yow, and so I writ to yow and I gaue that order to my sonn and dafter Saltonstall I mad account when thay went that I had monis coumming to me for clothe that I scent by Mr. Dellingan. I must tele you I ded maruell when it was furst writ to me that yow had vndertaken him and that yow wear to haue the profit of his 2 bullockes which wear licke to yeld no profet but charg till the spring followeng, only I hoped yow ded geue him soum Imployment to helpe toward his charg. good Sir so son as I resayued your letter gaue order to pay 20li to Mr. Douneng as the letter dyrected me, and shall wellingly yeld you whot more yow desyer, and so I haue geuen order to my sonn Saltonstall. I haue had a purpos of haueng the boy to returne only in this regard, he haue a copyhould tenement houlden of Do. Warrens passonage at Melford. the boy shall if he liu to mid 7bur be 21 years of age I would haue him scele it and then returne if God 388will in the spring I should be glad to fyend him met to maneg the stocke that I desyer to bestow vpon him, it may be 5 or 600li I shall be glad to be aduised for the best conscedring his weack capasyte for the orderring of it. We are scorry to hear of your and Mrs. Wenthropes late callamyte, but we hope God will restore yow dobule coumfort and thus with the remembrans of my wiffes and my treu loue to yow your wiffe and to all the branchis I pray God to kep vs, resteng Your euer asseured louing frend

Brampton Gurdon

Thear is a howes in Boxford now shut vp for the infeccyon of the plage.

I latly doo hear that your aunt Winthrop who liued in Suthworck is latly dede. I had allmost forgot to let yow vnderstand that on teuesday the 28 of marche I met at Beury Sir W. Spring he asked how to scend a letter to yow. He promised to scend me a letter by 8 next morning but ded not. he then as allso at our assyses desyred me to desyer you from him to stay your hand in yeldeng so muche to his kinsman as heartofore. I fyend his desyer is to cut of his yearly mayentenans, aleggeng whot he haue don for him and other licke charges that he in other plases goo thorou with. He haue ben in a great scickenes, that haue muche wasted his body, he haue latly marryed his sonn to Sir Hamund Stranges dafter.

Aprele 11th 1637
1.

W. 2. 182; 4 Collections , VI. 561–566.