A website from the Massachusetts Historical Society; founded 1791.

Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 4

Richard Andrews to John Winthrop1
Andrews, Richard JW

1639-07-08

To the Right Worshipfull and his much respected good frind mr. Winthrop Esquire theas deliver
London this 8th of July 1639 Right Worshipfull,

Sir my service remembred and your health and prosperitie in the Lord desired. although vnknowen I did by my letter of the 10th of Aprill laste per your servant John Tynker make bould to intreat your Worships Favor in receavinge of some parte of satisfaction from mr. William Bradford of Plymoth Gouernour and mr. Edward Winslowe with some others for 5 or 6 Hundred pounds principall money, besides Forberance therof and as much more allsoe for many yeares due to me as I then writt,2 and thearwith to provide heyfores about 2 or 3 yeares ould or yonger, and them to deliver forth one a peece soe farre as they would reach vnto godly poore men whoe have none of theire owne, and cannot procure such a kindenesse from frinds, that they might keepe them for me for halfe the increase for 4 5 or 6 yeares as might bee conceaved moste meett, and at the tyme aforesaid to receive backe the stocke with halfe the increase, and to dispose of the said stocke againe with all the increase of the yonge Heyfores which maye falle to me at the devition vnto other the like godly poore in the severall Townes and villadges theare. and for the steares and steare calves which maye falle to me at the said tyme I doe freely give the one halfe of them vnto such poore mynnesters theare as have moste need, and the other halfe of the steares for such publike good vse and disposal as shalbe con­130ceaved moste needfull and fitt, and if your Worship please to excuse my said former bouldnes thearin, I maye hope of the like favore the second tyme. soe presuminge of your Worships readines to further a small kindenesse to the poore, I have lately sould some comoditie vnto mr. John Beachamp3 of London which amounteth vnto the some of 384li 06s 00d one Condition to take satisfaction in New England either for the whoale or ellse for so much thearof as mr. William Bradford mr. Edward Winslowe or some other or others of them shall either paie or secure to paie vnto your Worship to content, at or before the 20th daye of June next which shalbe in the yeare of our Lord 1640 in parte of moneys they owe and are indebted vnto mr. Jo: Bechamp one account between him and them, and vnto me in parte or in full of the said some of 384 06 00 which mr. Jo: Beachamp oweth me for the foresaid comoditie sould him. And so much of the said some of 384li 06 00 as they shall not have paied or secured to paie vnto me theare for him before or vppon the 20th daye of June nexte, mr. Jo: Bechamp hath covenanted to paie me heare vppon the 24th day of June nexte in full of the said some of 384li 06 00. And if your Worship or asseignes doe receive the said some of 384li 6 0, or what parte therof shalbe received to content, either in heyfores worth the Rates, or in any good comoditie worth the price to sell, or wher-with Heyfores may bee had in exchange at indifferent rates as they are sould, or so much as good men of Plymoth doe secure soe to satisfie vnto your Worship for me to content, and for so much thearof as shall at any tyme bee received in comoditie, I desire that yonge Heyfores about 2 or 3 yeares ould or vnder may bee thearwith bought, and that all of them may bee disposed of and distributed to and amonge the godly poore in the severall townes and villadges in America: one a peece vnto svch as have not any before and have moste need, to bee kept for mee for halfe the increase, for 4 5 or 6 yeares as shalbe conceaved moste meett, and after, in all things to bee disposed of with theire increase at the tyme of devition accordinge to thoase before mentioned which are to bee provided with what may bee received of mr. Bradford mr. Winslowe and the reste vppon my owne account and in parte of the said Fyve or Sixe Hundred pounds principall money they doe owe me besides Forberance, boath which said somes the former and the latter are due to me from them as somuch redy money lent for theire Trade and suply, although the latter bee now for comoditie sould mr. Bechamp, and thearfore they have good reason to give verry good content in the satisfactions they deliver for boath the one as well as the other. I ame 131ashamed to bee soe troublesome vnto your Worship as I feare this bussines is like to bee, yeat seinge I intend more the good of the poore herin then any to my particuler, I hope your Worship will excuse my bouldnesse herin, but if our frinds at Plymoth cannot satisfie the whoale in one yeare lett them doe it in 2 yeares, and if they cannot doe it in 2 years lett them doe it in 3 years yearly, soe that they would perfect accounts with vs, either as parteners, or allowinge our principall disbursements for them with so much For-berance for the same as shall indifferently bee thought meett, that I might knowe how much to expect from them, and soe humbly takinge leave doe eand and reste Yours in humble servis to bee comaunded

Richard Andrewes
1.

W. 4. 96; 5 Collections , I. 271–274. For Andrews, one of the adventurers for New Plymouth, see 5 Collections , I. 271n.

2.

Cf. Journal, II. 70; also printed in D.J.W. at 402 ; Bradford, History of Plymouth, II. 288–293.

3.

Beauchamp, like Andrews, was one of the adventurers for New Plymouth.