I receiued thy sweete letter wherby thy loue doeth manifest its true desire and greate diligence to manifest itselfe without the 24omission of the least and sodainest occasion offered to him who needes noe glasse of uerbal expression to make it appeare and shine forth before his eies or put him in remembrance of its former splendor but as he enioyeth the sweetnesse of thy loue being present with the, so recreateth his thoughts with the sweete memory of the same in thy absence: my dere, thou needest not feare but I am fully perswaded of thy loue, nor thought the contrary, although thy clouding of thy loue sometime hath suddenly darkened my mind with greife and sadnes:2 but my deare, let us beare with one an others weaknesses and seeke to cherish loue by al menes, for that wil make our condition sweete houeuer3 Send John Robinson on Monday in the morning or if this letter come not to you till monday, then send him a tuesday morning betimes, to hitcham to mr. Kemtons, and desire them to cause theire tailor to take measure of mrs. Penelope Nanton, for a Gowne, and let him stay there till it be done, and let him bring away the measure with him and doe thou put it vp safe in a letter and send it next wednesday to my aunt Downing. let it be done with out faile for my aunt Downing hath promised my lady Nanton, and I have promised her, to doe it certainly, therfore prethe doe not thou faile to see it done. I hope to be downe my selfe before this letter come to thy hands but if I should not remember my duty to my mother, and my love to my sister winthrop and sister mary tell thim that my cosen Barfoots sonne is deade.

I did expect to have beene with you in person at the court, and to that end I put to sea yesterday and was driven back againe the wind being stiffe against us. And there being no canoe or boat at Sagust I must have beene constrained to goe to Mistick and thence about to Charles town, which at this time I durst not be so bold, my bodie being at this present in an ill condition to wade or take cold, and therefore I desire you to pardon mee. Though otherwise I could have much desired it, by reason of many 25occasions and businesses. There are at Mr. Hewson’s plantations 5 or 6 kine verie ill and in great danger, I feer they will hardlie escape it, whereof twoe are myne and all I have, which are worse than any of the rest. I left myne there this winter to doe Mr. Skelton a pleasure to keep his for him here at Salem, that he might have the benefit of their milk. And I understand by Wincoll that they have been ill tended and he saith almost starved. Beside they have fed on acornes and they cannot digest them, for that they vomitt exceedinglie and are so bound in their bodies that he is faine to rake them and to use all his skill to maintaine life in them. I have willed him to be there till he can bring them to some strength againe if it be possible. And I have given him malt to make them mashes of licoris and annis seedes, and long pepper, and such other things as I had to drench them. I could wish when Manning hath recovered his strength that you would free him; for he will never doe you or Mr. Hewson service, for when he was well he was as negligent as the worst of them. Mr. Skelton, myselfe and the rest of the congregation desire to be thankfull to God and yourselfe for your benevolence to Mr. Haughton’s child. The Lord restore it you. I prevailed with much adoe with Sir Richard for an old debt heere which he thought was desperate, to contribute it, which I hope I shall make good for the child. I think Mr. Skelton hath written to you, whome he thinks stands most in neede of contribution of such provisions as you will be pleased to give amongst us of that which was sent over. The yeele-potts you sent for are made, which I had in my boate, hoping to have brought them with mee. I caused him to make but two for the present, if you like them and his prices (for he worketh for himselfe) you shall have as many as you desire. He selleth them for 4 shillings a pieece. Sir, I desired the rather to have beene at court because I heare I am much complayned on by good-man Dexter, for striking him.2 I acknowledge I was too rash in strikeing him, understanding since that it is not lawfull for a justice of peace to strike. But if you had seene the manner of his carriadge, with such daring of mee with his armes on kembow etc. It would have provoked a very patient man But I will write noe more of it but leave it till we speak before you face to face. Onely thus farre further, that he hath given out if I had a purse he would make mee empty it, and if he cannot have justice here he will doe wonders in England, and if he cannot prevale there, hee will trie it out with mee heere at blowes. Sir, I desire that you will take all into consideration. If it were lawfull to trie it at blowes and hee a fitt man for mee to deale with, you should 26not heare mee complaine; but I hope the Lord hath brought mee off from that course. I thought good further to wryte what my judgment is for the dismissing of the court till corne be sett. It will hinder us that are farre off exceedingly, and not further you there. Mens labour are precious here in corne setting tyme, the plantations being yet so weak. I will be with you, the Lord assisting mee, as soone as conveniently I can. In the meane while I committ you to his protection and safeguard that never failes his children, and rest Your unfeigned loving friend to command