Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 3
1631-01
your letter was exceeding wellcome to me, for I longed to heare whether my letters and the monyes I sent came to your hand or noe, and whether imployed to the vse of those poore distressed creatures our good Brethren and sisters in New England:2 And now I heare that my desire is fullfilled, I give you most harty thanks: you haue indebted me much to you, and I hope you haue ere this, or will shortly make some glad harts of those that haue felt much hardnes. The Lord in mercy blesse it to them. God hath bene pleased vntimely (as we may say) to take your 2 Brothers3 out of this life, for which I haue bene much grieved: I blesse his name that hath yet reserved you to be a comfort to your Fathers hart over all his heavy crosses, and to be a Blessing to the place whither you are intending. I pray be so good as send me word when you heare of any shipp that is to goe next, for I would write by any meanes: yea if I have fitt meanes I would send over a Cow or Bullock or 2. If I were able to travell I had seen your mother and bene with you once and twise ere this. But I have not bene a mile out of Towne since 9my lamenes now this halfe yeer allmost, yet I am forced tomorow to adventure to Assington to see my weak sonne. I pray God enable me to hold out the Journey. my loue hartily remembred (good Sir) I hartily take my leaue and commend you to the grace of God. Your w
W. 4. 71; 5
Collections
, I. 197. For the Reverend John Rogers of Dedham, Essex, father of the Reverend Nathaniel Rogers of Ipswich, Massachusetts, see
D.N.B.
See Rogers’s earlier letter to Winthrop, Winthrop Papers, II. 316–317.
Henry Winthrop, who was drowned at Salem on July 2, 1630, and Forth Winthrop, who was buried at Groton on November 28, 1630.
1631-02-06
I knowe your loue to be such one to another that you will not take it amis that I now kindly sallut you both in on letter giueing you both harty thankes for your louing letters and for your grat loue shewed to your pore sister in this time of her grat affliction which I take as to my selfe and shall euer be riddy to requit it to the utmost of my power I should be right glad to se you once againe before your departuer which if it plase the lord to giue me life and helth I trist I shall this summer in the meane time I intrate your prayers for me as also the continuance of your loue to your pore sister to whom I pray giue your best aduise ether for her comming to me or staying with you which you shall thinke will give her most content and so with the remembrance of my loue to her and to my worthy sonne your littel one and all with you I command you both to the goodnes of god and rest Your louing mother till death
W. Au. 45. Priscilla Paynter, wife of the Reverend Henry Paynter, had as her first husband Bezaleel Sherman and as her second husband Thomas Fones, whose first wife was Anne Winthrop, Governor Winthrop’s sister. Elizabeth Winthrop, the widow of Henry Winthrop, and Martha Fones, who two days subsequent to the writing of this letter married John Winthrop, Jr., were daughters of Fones by his first marriage. The sister referred to in this letter is Ursula Sherman, Mrs. Paynter’s daughter by her first marriage, who had been engaged to Forth Winthrop at the time of his death in November, 1630.