Yours of the 9th of Nouember, and of the 6th of January last I haue receiued, and haue since sent you two lettres, which I hope will kisse your hands before this. The manie obligations where with you haue tyed me to you being soe pleasant and delightfull, doe constraine me to sue, to be more fast tyed. I cannot discouer into terram incognitam, but I haue had a kenn of it shewed vnto me. the way to it is (for the most parte) horrible 291and fearefull, the daingers none worse, to them that are not destinati filij; somtymes I am trauelling that way but the Lord knowes when I shall gett thither, soe many flattering foes are still in the way to preuent me, and diuerte my course. I thinke I haue spoken with some that haue bin there. I am informed that the land lyeth where the sunn riseth, and extendeth it selfe southward, the northerne people doe account it noe better then a wildernes; and the spies that they haue sent out to discouer and view it, haue reported as much: for they knew it was in vaine to reporte better of it.

Deare frind I desire with all my harte that I might write plainer to you but in discouering the misterie I may diminish its maiestie, and giue occasion to the prophane to abuse it if it should fall into vnworthie hands in many things you haue sympathized with me, and whie not in this? after the hint of a thing, facilius est addere. Let me make a Quere. was the bodie made for the soule, or the soule for the Bodie? was the house made for man or man for the house? doe or did the true louers of wisdome, studie more for the bodie, then the soule? did they not know the man? the bodie is but our seruant, and shall our studies for it take vp our endeuours as for torn is it not spirituall fornication and adulterie to cast the eye of our mind and harte vpon sensualitie, or any sensible good as to lust after it; must not the fiue kings be vanquisht and hung vp, before Israell can enter into the rest of the Lord; which rest I wish vnto you, and rest Yours

I pray let me not be forgotten of any frind, whome you thinke worthie to be put in minde of me; but salute them in my name as if I had named them vnto you.

I haue not seene Dr. E: since last sommer: our frinds at the old house are all well and are no we either at Graves or Groton; your aunt Downing hath bespoken a black marble grauestone for your grandsire and grandmother; there dyed in and about London of the plague this weeke 181. There is great mortallity in our land in diuerse places, and in other places beyond the seas, and in Germanie there is a great famine. Prince Thomas the King of Spaines brother, hath ouer runn all Pykardy and burnt 100 villages in 4 howers. he threatens that his next attempt shalbe vpon Paris it selfe; the commons of France begin to mutinie against the gentrie, and the spaniard where he comes doth reape the Frenches Corne for them, and they themselues in some places haue burnt theire standing corne rather then the Spaniard should haue it. my hartie affections salute you and your best beloued. Vale Christo.

This lettre hauing lyne written a moneth in my hands, I was about to cancell it, because I could not send it, but vpon second thoughts I spared it. The Falcon is safe come to vs, but not one lettre to me in it, as I heare of. I mett with one of Captaine Wiggins seruants that came ouer, whoe told me of such things he knew. I doe much applaud your resolution to plant Conectecut. fortifie the mouth meanely well, but except you can find a place there naturally fortified, in the water as Venice, or on the maine as Douer, bestow not too much cost and paines vpon it; rather goe vp further (leauing a garison belowe). learne by reports and your owne obseruation where (on that Riuer) the natiues haue liued longest and healthfullest and in greatest aboundance, though it be 50, 60, or 70 or more miles vp in the land. if any be there, gett theire good will, if possible you can to sitt downe with them or by them. howesoeuer be as neere as may be, soe it be a place comodious for trade and husbandrie, and not easilie surprized by an enimie. But you may say its easie to sitt vpon a Cushion and direct, but difficult to performe. I doe not speake of ympossibilities, but giue caution for a good begining and foundation, that hereafter it may not be said Pœnitet, or had-I-wist: A busines wel begun is plesant and hopefull The best wilbe therefore to begin with God, which I doe not doubt but you will and seeke his directions, howe and where you may lay a foundation for a Cittie of Peace, to the honor of his great name; in your religious cohabiting together; And soe that you may prepare and prouide conuenient and comfortable dwellings and portions for your future generations, that they may haue cause to blesse God in theire harts, for your labours of loue.

I shall not need to request of you some knowledge of your plantation, and howe farre you haue discouered the riuer, and howe you like it, and what newes of the Lake, and howe farr you are from the Dutch, and from Boston; I am perswaded you will acquaint me with that which you thinke is fittest for me, and reserue for me the rest vntill a seasonable tyme. Only this I would gladly see a Mapp of the longe Iland and the coast from Cap Cod to Riuer Hudson when you haue one to spare. My father and mother salutes you with theire loue, and soe doe my sisters. your Brother Dr.2 was wel lately, he was with me. there dyed this last weeke in and about london of all diseases 855, and of the Plague 536, besides aboue 100 in Westminster and Contrie parishes adioyninge, but howe many 1000 amonge vs are dead in theire sinns I knowe not, yet noe doubt we haue a remnant that haue not bowed theire 293knee to Baal. for my parte I doe as much as in me lyes commend and committ my soule to God in wel-doeing, and ventre my bodie amonge the liuing and dead. But I doubt I haue bin too tedious and troublesome, it’s my loue to you constraineth me to write the more, because we cannot speake together. I hope your remotenes from the Bay will not hinder the entercourse of lettres betweene vs.

I desire to express that thankfulness to you which your continewed kindnesses require of me: with which beeing soe well acquainted though unknowne to your selfe itt may be soe much a stronger engagement, nott onelie to moue me to acknowledg them butt to striue to deserue them wherein I assure you I will nott fayle howsoeuer I may comm shorte, in that which may be worthy of your acceptance:

I haue here inclosed sent somm letters, which I desire you will doe me the fauour by the first conueniencie you cann, to send to my seruants: Sir I shall alwayes continew as I ame exceedinglie engaged Your assured and thankfull friende

I thank you hartely for this your Courtesy of sending these letters and all other your goode Wishes and affections expressed to mee and mine: yett this your letter comes to mee att such a time, as I assure you I am scarse fitt or att leysure to returne you soe decent and fitt an Answer as I would, for though I am I prayse God reasonable well yett att the Instant I am in a Phisicall vndertaking which will not permitt mee hardly this liberty but vtterly denies mee any farther to Enlarge myselfe to you or to our Deere frend 294in N: E: as I desire, touching whome (I perceyue by the hast of this returne now sudden and heeretofore vnknowne to mee), I cannot (as the Case is now with mee) write to him as I would and were most fitt. I shall pray you therefore to lett him know my honest and just Reasons and Excuse heerein written to you, And withall whereas I perceyue hee hath farr beyond that proportion (which by you I did signifie I was Content to bestow on my kinsman)2 disburst neere 20li, but in Certainty I yett know not what, though I confess considering my former disbursments, and soe many charges as I dayly meete with amongst others of his kin dred and mine that must haue releife from mee, I finde my selfe in those charges to haue runne a higher streyne then my owne priuate Cares and necessary Occasion will well allowe. Yett when I know what my goode Freind hath certainly disburst (as I expect by his promise shortly to bee inform’d by a letter from himselfe) I will take order that hee shalbee noe looser for his disbursments past, hoping that (as hee sayth) that debt beeing payd, hee will subsist of himselfe, who I assure you hath Cost mee deepe, And to whome (considering the many more that dayly draw from mee) I am not able to doe more. In the meane time vntill I receyue perticuler Information of what itt is, espetially att this extreame sudden I cannot tell what to send: I haue receyued Mr. Downings receipt of 5li disbursed by you for mee towards the leade, which 5li I send you heare by your seruant reseruing the note of receipt, I should be gladd to see or heere of the receipt of our disbursment in N: E: whether I pray Commend mee most hartely to our Deere and worthy freind, and acquaint him fully with the perticulers of this letter, on my behalfe and excuse for not writing now to him, which is to mee att this time impossible: and pray him to lett mee enjoy his loue and promise to write perticulerly to mee next time, and I shall (if god please) apply my selfe to his satisfaction: forgett not I agen and agen entreate you to signifie these things to him: nor to continue your loue and prayers for and vnto Your faythfull Freind and louing Cosin