I Reced your loving letter for the which I thanke you and likewise for your good Counsell which I desire of God grace to followe I am hartely gladd to heare of your well being and your hopefull procedings and earnestly desire of god to goe alonge with you and direct you in all your enterprises that you may doe nothing but what may tend to gods glory and the good of the plantation which per gods appoyntement you haue bin Called vnto that when ther shall be a period putt to your dayes you may inioy the happines which is laide vp for gods servants. Remember my kinde love to my Ante Winthrop and to all my Cosens in generall I shold be verry gladd of some good Occation to come to Newe England that I might inioy your sweete sosiety which once I did but then was not Capable of but as yett I am in soe good imployment and in so hopefull a waye that I shold be much blameable if I shold thrust my selfe oute of it I shold be verry glad to Receive a letter from you if you wold doe so much as wright to me and send it per mr. Midleton for I Know he will Conveye it to me onely Direct it to Ben: Gostlin Aborde the shipp Henry Bonadventure at Leghorne or elce where I haue a Jarr or 2 of good Oyle which I doe intende to send per James Brocke which is all that I haue for you at presant yett I wold intreate you to accept as my love I am now bownde for Rushia and from thence to Leghorne I haue bin at home these six months for trading haue bin verry dead and is still I thinke that ther will be but fewe passengers Come ouer this yeare being in hope of soome good vent of this parliament which is now towards which I desire god may not be frustrated but if this shold not take effect to my Knowledg ther will come Abondance the next Spring. Ald 217Some and mr. Craddocke2 are Chosen Burgesses for the City I know not as yett whoe is Chosen for Suffolke but I thinke Sir Nathaniell Bampston3 will be one I haue nothing elce worth trobling you with all I bles god we are all in good helth and thus in hast I Comitt you to the protection of the Almighty desiring you to Remember me in your Prayers your trewe Loving Nephewe

Robert Penoyre sayd that Wm. Bartlett was lame and not able to doe any thinge for about 6 weeks, but after that he did goe forth and helpe to work but could not doe as formerly: and further he sayth that his brother did helpe him with some diet, as a cheese of about 20 li. and some Biskett, because he might not eate of the full diett of the famylye.

I receaued two letters from you the last returne: at that tyme it pleased the Lord to visit me with a great and long sicknes, to the great hasard of my life, but it pleased the Father of Mercies and God of all Consolations to heare prayres, and to rayse me from the gates of the graue, and to lend me (most vnworthy) sume longer tyme the better to fitt my selfe for Hym, and to try how farr that correction would worke my vnruly and poluted hart to better obedience, and frame it to improue the remaining talant of my tyme in the glorifiing of Hys name, and advancement of His Honor, for which I euer desyre I may acknowledg 218with all thankfullnes, and bless and prayse His abundant free grace and goodnes to me, and provocke all that know and affect me to ioyne in assisting and helping me in the same, which I humbly craue of you with confidence and assurance. And now the Lord hath put me vpon a tryall, by caling of me, with Sir Phillip Parker, (alltogether vnsought for) to serue for my countrey in the Parlament which is to begin the 13th of Aprill next. I haue nothing to supporte me in this great busines, being contious to my self of my most vnfitnes euery way, but the allsuffitience of Hym that caled me cann inable me, who deliteth to manifest His powre by contemtable and weake meanes. His couenant and cale is the only supporter of my fayth hear in. Help, I beseech you, Sir, with all the might and force you can make, this great work; which if it suckseed not well, is like to proue exeding perrelous and dangerous to this church and kingdome. Now we see and feele how much we are weakned by the loss of those that are gonn from vs, who should haue stood in the gapp, and haue wrought and wrasled mightely in this great busines. My neighbor Mr. Pepis desyreth me to present his loue to you. We both thanke you for your loue to his sonnes. I know not yet how the Lord will dispose of me. This parlament will beget a resolution in vs, but I fear; I could wish sume of you wear hear before it endeth. Mr. Waldegraue soiorneth with me. I forget not you in your apoynted tyme. I doubt not but you doe the like for vs. The Lord hath made me a grandfather by my daughter. My son is yet a single man. I often consceaue in my sleep that I am with you. My self and wife salute you and Mrs. Wintrope with our best affectiones, beseeching the Lord to prosper you all in all your vndertakinges to His glorey. Salut in the Lord all our dear frindes with you, as if I named them in perticular. So resteth Your most assured loving frend and brother