Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 4Note: you've followed an index reference to a note that, due to changes between the print and digital editions, may no longer be on page 11. Please look at all notes at the end of the document or documents on page 11.

John Winthrop to John Winthrop, Jr.1

JW Winthrop, John, Jr.

1638-01-31

To my lovinge sonne Mr. Jo: Winthrop at his howse in Ipswich deliver

Deare sonne,

I wrote to you last weeke by Robert torn and therewith sent you 2 warrants for the general Court the 12 of the first month, one for your Towne and the other for Newberye. I desire to knowe whether they came to you, because otherwise, I would sende newe. Mr. Endecott and my brother Peter are now with vs. we are all in health, I prayse God, and hope to hear the like of you and yours: and shall long to heare of our good daughters safe delivery which we seriously commende to the Lord. Salute all our good friends with you, and particularly your Reverend ministers, and desire them all from me, to be verye carefull in admission of members, for there be 11some of these newe opinions, that will simulare and dissimulare beyond expectation, to gett into our churches: and when they are once in, then will they goe to worke, thoughe they never stirred before: I hope the sad experience of the effects of such spiritts in other churches wilbe caution enoughe to them and others, to beware and knowe men well ere they admitt them; but enough of this. we salute you and yours and your brother Deane and sister are well. Your loving father

Jo: Winthop XIth 31: 1637/38

I sende you torn.

Essex Institute; L. and L. , II. 418.

Samuel Symonds to John Winthrop, Jr.1

Symonds, Samuel Winthrop, John, Jr.

1638-02

To the Right Worshipfull his much honored Brother John Wenthrop of Ipswich Esqr: speed this I pray

Good Sir,

I have received your lettre I thanke you for it; it hath bin my earnest desire to have had an oportunity longe 'ere this to have bene with you againe But was hindered by the weather, and still my desire lasts but now I cannot by reason that my wife her tyme draweth very neare. Concerneinge the Bargaine that I have made with you for Argilla,2 my wife is well content, and it seemes that my father Peter hath imparted it to the Governer who (he tells me) approoves of it very well alsoe. Soe I hope I shall now meete with noe rub in that businesse; but goe on comfortablely accordeing as I have and daily doe dispose my affaires for Ipswich. Concerneinge the frame of the howse I thanke you kindely for your love and care to further my busines. I could be well content to leave much of the contrivance to your owne liberty vpon what we have talked together about it already. I am indiferent whether it be 30 foote or 35 foote longe 16 or 18 foote broade. I would have wood chimnyes at each end, the frames of the chimnyes to be stronger then ordinary to beare good heavy load of clay for security against fire. you may let the chimnyes be all the breadth of the howse, if you thinke good, the 2 lower dores to be in the middle of the howse one opposite to the other. be sure that all the dorewaies in every place be soe high that any man may goe vpright vnder. the staiers I thinke had best 12be placed close by the dore. it makes noe great matter though there be noe particion vpon the first flore if there be, make one biger then the other. for windowes let them not be over large in any roome, and as few as conveniently may be. let all have current shutting draw-windowes, haveing respect both to present and future vse. I thinke to make it a girt howse will make it more chargeable then neede. however, the side bearers for the second story being to be loaden with corne etc. must not be pinned on but rather eyther lett in to the studds, or borne vp with false studds and soe tenented in at the ends; I leave it to you, and the Carpenters. In this story over the first, I would have a particion, whether in the middest or over the particion vnder I leave it; In the garrett noe particion, but let there be one or two lucome windowes, if two, both on one side. I desire to have the sparrs reach downe pritty deep at the eves to preserve the walls the better from the wether. I would have it Sellered all over, and soe the frame of the howse accordengly from the bottom. I would have the howse stronge in timber though plaine and well brased. I would have it covered with very good oake-hart inch board for the present, to be tacked on onely for the present as you tould me; let the frame begin from the bottom of the Seller, and soe in the ordinary way vpright for I can hereafter (to save the timber within grounde) run vp a thin brickworke without. I thinke it best to have the walls without to be all clapboarded besides the clay walls. It were not amisse to leave a dore-way or two within the Seller that soe hereafter one may make comings in from without, and let them be both vpon that side which the lucome window or windowes be.

I desire to have the howse in your bargaineing to be as compleatly mentioned in particulars as may be, at least soe far as you bargaine for, and as speedily done alsoe as you can. I thinke it not best to have too much timber felled neare the howse place westward, etc. Here are as many remembrances as come to minde. I desire you to be in my stead herein, and what ever you doe shall please me.

I desire you would talke with Mr. Boreman and with his helpe, buy for me a matter of 40 bushells of good indian corne of him or of some honest man to be paidd for now in ready mony, and to be delivered at any tyme in the sumer as I please to vse it. I would deale with such a man as will not repent if corne rise, as I will not if it fall. Thus acknowledging my bouldnes I desire to present our respectfull love to you my sister and your litle one, not forgetting my daughter. I cease committing you to him that is mercy and wisdome it selfe, and soe rest Yours ever

S. Symonds Ca. February, 1637/38 13

My wife desires her speciall love to be remembered to you both and to let you vnderstand that she is very glad that she shalbe your neighbour at Ipswich.

I have herewith sent you inclosed 50li for yourselfe in part of payment as my father Peter willed me from you to doe, and twenty pounds more to be disposed in Corne, and to workemen as you please and for the payment for the rest as you are willing to let my father Peter set downe the tyme soe am I.

My wife and I desire to be kindely remembered to your good neighbours Mr. Boreman and his wife and the rest of our frends. I could have wished he had written one word by Mr. Tuttell how those 3 bullocks be disposed of. our desire now is to hasten to Ipswich as fast as we can, at least our servants.

I heare that your Church hath setled the choyce of your ministers in their offices and that now things are likely to goe on very well and comfortablely, which ministers matter of great ioy to all that love Jesus Christ.3 And truely the peace of any Church (because pretious) is soe difficult to preserve in respect of the subtilty and mallice of the Common enymy that it requires answerable cautelousnes on all hands, every one waighing well that one sentence of the Apostle let every one esteeme an other better then him selfe, and studdy the vally-way to rise to true honour.

Essex Institute; 4 Collections , VII. 118–121. For Symonds, see 4 Collections , VII. 118n.

Symonds bought Argilla Farm from John Winthrop, Jr., February 8, 1637/38. Thomas F. Waters, Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, I (Ipswich, 1905), 19.

Nathaniel Rogers was ordained as pastor and John Norton as teacher of the church in Ipswich on February 20, 1637/38.