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Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 3

Edward Howes to John Winthrop, Jr.1
Howes, Edward Winthrop, John, Jr.

1632-03-26

To my much esteemed frind Mr. John Winthrop the yonger these deliver at Boston in New England
Worthy Sir,

Vpon the 23th of march last past with greate Joye I opened your letter, but with sorrowe and greife read the same, consideringe the affliction God had layed vpon you. Your letters all I my selfe disperst into the contrie, and deliuered the rest according to the superscriptions, only Dr. Ayleworth I cannot as yet find out; The receipt of morter you shall here receiue, vizt. One man he buylt with this mixture; 2 loads of wast soapashes, one loade of lyme, one loade of loame, and one loade of Woolwich sand, tempered together. An other man vsed only loame and soape ashes tempered together instead of morter, whereby he layed the foundations chimnies and theire tunells etc. of aboue threescore howses in london and the suburbs. I am about to procure all Platts workes to be reprinted, or else I would haue sent you my Jewell house of Arte and nature.2 I am crediblie informed that Clay, otherwise called loame and horse or Cow dunge tempered together will make an exceeding stronge bindinge morter; I conceiue the manner of buyldinge in Ireland, vizt. to frame the howse and reare it, then with loame and strawe tempered together, to daube both outside and inside to a foot thicknes or more, to be very stronge and warme; I was lately tolde that in Italy men vse to temper ox blood and claye together, with which they make floores or walles smooth and glisteringe, and with all that it is very stronge and bindinge; I like well the old English and still Irish buyldinge where the roome is large and the chimney or herth, in the middest. certainely thereby ill vapour and gnatts are kept out, lesse firinge will serue the turne, and men had then more lusty and able bodies then they haue nowe. I will relate vnto you a pretty and plesant Jest of a fellowe in Suffolke, whoe hauinge a shrewish wife made as though he were a wearie of his like; and went away from her. It was coniectured by all, that he had made away with himselfe for he could not be found nor heard of in almost a whole winter, and where thinke you this fellowe was all this while, he had made him a howse in his woodstack and buylt it soe artificially with bavins, that it was a farre better and warmer cabin than Diogines Tubb. it seemes he had plotted the busines before hand, and had conveyed there in provision before hand, or else he had some boy or servant of his councell whoe conveyed provision vnto him, for the waye in was 74at the topp, and so artificially archt ouer and hollowed vnder, that it was hard for either wind, frost, snowe, or could to trouble him; Nowe if one man could make this shift of his owne invention, surely some amonge you if they haue neede, may vse of the like or some other better, for I heare you haue wood enough; methinks the southerne or westerne side of a hill, might with small charge be made an habitable place for good people, like the boothes against the Tennis court at Whitehall, especially if it be a Rockie and steepe hill. I hearinge of a ship redie to set forward for your coast could not but ymparte my minde vnto you concerninge this busines Thus with my wonted loue and louinge salutations to you and all the rest of my friends I rest Your

E. Howes 26° March 1632

My letters by Mr. Dudley and Mr. Winslowe are more large, and the sodaine departure of this ship euen tomorowe, causeth me thus to break of abruptly. Vale in Christo.

I have sent you by this ship the oyle of vitrioll, that you left behind you. It is directed to your father because of the more safe conveyance thereof. it is in a litle double voyall, bound vp in 2 or three course papers.

This afternoone I receiued a letter from John Samford, wherein I vnderstand there is greate hopes of Jo: Sagamore, to be civilized and a Christian; I conceiue it were very good, to bestowe respect and honor vnto such as he (petty kings) by giuing them a scarlet coate I meane a red coate to weare; or some other vestment in token of his place and dignitie, which other Sachems (of greater command then he) hearinge and seeinge, may thereby be allured to loue and respect the English in hope and expectation of the like, or in theire conceite more glorious clothinge and soe you may thereby discouer further into the land haue more frinds and allies, and by the blessinge of god, it may be a greate meanes of civillizinge the meaner sorte; and after, the revealinge Christ vnto them; for it is a rule in warre, to aime to surprise and captiuate greate ones, and the lesse will soone come vnder, soe winn the hartes of the Sachems and you win all. The wise man saith; guifts blinde the wise; howe much more them that are ignorante and simple, as I thinke all the natiues are. The more loue and respect you shewe to the Sagamores and Sachems the more loue and feare shall you gaine from the common natiues. I could wonderfully enlarge my selfe vpon this and the like subiect, but that tyme and tide tarrieth for noe man. I haue one thing more to ymparte and then I shall conclude.

75 A receipt of a wholsome and savorie drinkefor such as are sick, weak, or cannot drinke water

℞ 5 or 6 gallons, or quantum placet of water, put to euery gallon a pinte of white wyne and a pretty quantitie of potatoe Rootes, which I suppose you haue good store of, and after 2 or 3 dayes standinge, drinke out halfe, and fill it vp againe with fresh water, and the second drinke wilbe better then the first. Probat Mr. Thomson.

This drinke Capt. Drake vsed very often to drinke of in his voyage about the world, and one of the voyage lately told it to me, with the manner as afforesaid.

E. H.

Endorsed by John Winthrop, Jr.: Ed: Howes Jun: 1632.

1.

W. 2. 163; 4 Collections , vi. 474–475.

2.

Sir Hugh Platt, The Jewell House of Art and Nature (London, 1594).