I receiued your moste kinde letter dated in Octo. and your dayntie fruits wich indeed wear as good as ould eng. it selfe affords in theer kinde: but coming from new eng: and from your selfe, they wear rarities indeed: and wee then beinge att graces, I sent for them thither and sir hary and my lady wear much taken with them: sir hary profest it did much satisfie him, that things did prosper so well with you. nowe to giue you acount of our proceedings since my last to you: wee wear in progres from present after midsomer till part of Januarie, half of wich time wee wear at graces: and in the other half att groton, ason, shrubland, maplested, cowne: and whear not: and blessed be god for it in all those places wee both found all well in health, and wear well all of vs, all that time: exsept James a few ague fits: since my cominge home my self and mayds haue had agues: but I bless God for it: it hath leeft me againe and god hath hitherto moste gratiouslie preserued our famylie from the arrow of pestilence: or any other such sad disasters, as for our sins might moste deseruedlie haue imbitterd our liues, or depriued vs of life, and all comfort ere this: and on the contrary, hath he blest vs with many contents: now I know you wish vs noe less good then that thes cords of loue maye vnite vs to the fountaine of loue: in the firmest bands: but for the great cause, moste suddaine and sad is the change in so short a time: I confess a hart very dead might haue bine much rapt with the gratious light in those parts all that time: and in a way of admiration: god graunt that it may proue a gleeme before a storm, rather then a lightinge before the night of death, in this relation, might I spend more time and spirits then my condition will nowe permit, but I may spare: ill newes selldome wants messingers (in our climat) and what was then put in execution in those parts is at this instant calld apon in essex and but a month limetted for answeer: wich answeer its feard will proue a very fearfull sillence: thes are dayes of tryall. pray that our fayth fayle not nowe: I confess could a wish transport me to you, I think as big as I am, I should rather wish to bring an Indyan then a coknye into the world, but I cannot see that god 368hath yet freed vs for that Journie: yet I doupt not but if he call vs to it, wee shall discern prouidence clearlie thearin: and I see more proballitie of the concurrence of things that waye nowe, then formerlie I euer did, both for generalls and perticullers, if god pleas to speare our liues: but maye itt not be more sesonable for one in my condition to breathe my gratefullnes to so faythfull a brother as your selfe for all your surpasinge affections, both to me and myne, and to desire the continuance of your brotherly care of theer best education, wich is a very importunate suit of myne to you, whether I Hue or dye, but especiallie if god should preuent my indeuors theerin. george and his father complye moste cordyally for new eng: but poor boy, I fear the Journie would not be so prosperous for him, as I could wish, in respect you haue yet noe sosieties nor means in that kinde for the education of youths in learninge: and I bless god for it he is yet resonable hopefull in that waye: and it would I thinke as wee saye greue me in my graue, to know that his mynde should be withdrawne from his booke by other sports or imployments, for that weer but the way to make him good att nothinge: its true the collegdes hear are much corruptted, yet not so, I hope, but good frinds maye yet finde a fittinge tutor for him: and If it maye be with any hopes of his well doeinge hear, knowinge your preualency with my husband, and the hazard the boy is in by reson both of his fathers and his owne stronge inclination to the plantation sports: I am bould to present this sollisitous suit of myne, with all earnestnes to you and my nephew winthrop: that you will not condecend to his goeinge ouer, till he hath either attayned to perfection in the arts hear: or that theer be sufficient means for to perfect him theerin with you: wich I should be moste glad to hear of: it would make me goe far nimbler to new eng: if god should call me to it, then otherwise I should: and I beleeu a collegd would put noe small life into the plantation: as things are nowe ellswhear wear my scribship answeerable to my desiers of discourse with you I should be as tedious to you, as I am to my selfe, but in good maners I forbear your further trouble att present: and desireinge your prosperity, and prayers for me and myne, and a hapy meetinge either in this or a better life Your sister to commaund

good newes I haue none to present you with, all our comfort is, wee haue a god that brings good out of ill: and for ill newes I beinge very weary allready, I will forbear relations of it: I haue indeuord to prouide your thinges with the best care I could, but paynes I could take none: theerfore I shoud be very glad they be to your likeinge. I pray god bless my neec with her nurcery: and send you both comfort, in your posteritie, and in all your labours. I shoulde be very glad to hear of your good sucses in your salt work: we will indeuor to prouide a stoke to share with you, if you pleas to acsept vs: I thank you for all your loue: wishinge opertunitie to doe you seruis. I knowe you wishe vs with you, and wee some times doe the like, but I see it must cost more paynes then so, ere wee meet: mrs. peters is yet in hollan and James downinge with her, but we now daylie expect them I pray present my seruis to him. mrs. peters and James are now come safe to vs: god of heauen bless you, and send vs a hapy meetinge either in this or a better place your ant that moste truly loues you

Yours of the 29 of June, the 4 of August, and the 24 of 8ber I haue received this yeare, and paide all your bills except mr. Harts who is dead, and his executours haue not yet demaunded the monie. mr. Lucy who imployed mr. Hart sent to me for the monie. my answeare was that if mr. Lucy would give me his bond to dischardge you from Harts executours I would 370then pay yt to him. the messenger said, I should haue yt, but I never heard more of him; I haue hereinclosed sent your account, whereas you write that you entend to sell of my oxen and some other male catle, I pray sell what you please and pay your selfe for my childrens being with you;

My Ant Branch is lately dead.

I hartilye thank you for your lardge Information of the state of the plantation; I was thother day with Secretarie Coke who told me that there hath not ben a word of your plantacion at Councell board these manie moneths past;

the 4th of 9ber last at night here was great thunder and lightning with soe terrible a storme that manie steeples and Churches were beaten downe and verie manie howses and trees blowne vp by the rootes, in divers parts of this kingdome;

The Archbishops officers are now in visitation in Essex, on Friday last they began at Brentwood, where yt was declared to the ministers that eurie on must reade the Kings declaration concerning the Saboth days recreations, or, at the moneths end, be deprived.

The Lord Maior sent his officers to most of the cheife familyes of the Citty to give them warning to kepe the Fasts, Lent Ember weeks, and the vigills;

I was at mr. Rogers of Dedham his funerall, where there were more people than 3 such Churches could hold; the gallery was soe over loaden with people that yt sunck and crackt and in the midle where yt was Joynted the tymbers gaped and parted on from an other soe that there was a great Cry in the Church; they vnder the gallery fearing to be smothered, those that were vpon yt hasted of, some one way some an other and some leaped downe among the people into the Church; those in the body of the Church seing the tymbers gape were sore afrighted, but yt pleased God to honour that good man departed with a miracle at his death, for the gallerie stood and the people went on againe, though not so manie as before; had yt fain as blackfryars did vnder the popishe assembly, yt would haue ben a great wound to our religion. Our freinds in Suffolke Essex and London are all in health.

The name of a Colledge in your plantation would much advantadge yt considering the present distast against our vniversityes. you need not stay till you haue Colledges to lodge schollars, for if you could but make a Combination of some few able men, ministers, or others to read certeyne lectures, and that yt were knowne here amongst honest men, you would soone haue students, hence, and Incouradgement to proceed further therein; what great burthen would yt be to a Minister for the present (till you haue meanes and be better supplyed with schollars) once a week for a moneth in eurie quarter to reade a logick, greke or hebrew lecture or the like.

thus with my love to your selfe my sister and all yours etc. of my freinds in the plantation, with my dayly prayers for you and yours with the prosperity of the wholl plantation I rest your assured loving brother