A website from the Massachusetts Historical Society; founded 1791.

Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 4

John Tinker to John Winthrop1
Tinker, John JW

1640-05-28

To the Right Worshippffull and his much honnered Mr. Jno. Winthropp Esqr. Governour of the Matachuses thesse deliver At Bostone in New England
Right Worshippffull,

To whome I must euer acknowledg my selfe deeply ingaged for your greate kindnesse and respect vouchsaffed me, and for whome I shall reioyce to doe any servis acording to my poore power 250and it is my greife I canot doe that servis which suts my desires and your worshipps occations. I am very sory to heare of that great vnfaithfullnesse of Goodman Luxford, whome I doe confesse I did feare for a great while agoe, though I did not declare my thoughtes or was I inquisatiue to finde the truth least I should be iudged an intruder into other mens ocasions: but the lord knows my hart had I forsene the extent of such a disaster beffalling your worshipp I should neuer haue departed from you: neither doe I yett thinke any strenth or abillity the lord hath afforded mee to much to doe your worshipp servis: I haue received your letters with your orders for the payment of 800li to seuerall men, which I was to take vpp of Mr. Tindall if the Land weare sould: or if not to borowe of such gentlemen as ware your Frends, as Mr. Gurdon Dockter Wright etc: I was with Mr. Tindall, and the land is sould: yett he standing ingaged as a Fefee in trust for the stateing of my mistress and the chilldren in the meanes at the time appoynted, will not disburce any more then may stand with his security vntil he haue a releace from my mistris and the chilldren: Mr. Stephen being at age he hath sent a release for him to signe to: and vppon the returning of it will part with more. he hath now paide Mr. Cradock and Mr. Jno. Dodd 50li per peece and will pay to Mr. Cradock 80li more and to Mr. Meclethweit per my strong perswation 50li more: for I doe perceiue it should haue beene paide in aboute michaltide last and the forbearance of it is a great rong to him: I haue allso spake often with Mr. Gurden and Docter Wright about the borowing of monyes and because your worshipp did not request them to it possatiuely: they doe require some securyty and are willing to lend 100li apece as allsoe Sir Nathaniell Bramstone which is 300li. I writ to Mr. Tindall to know his minde aboute it, and he was vnwilling to doe thatt of all other things. Dockter Wright allsoe propounded to me this that I should goe to those gentlemen seuerally to whome these somes of monys are to be paid, and bring them to some Composition: but I finde the debts are not directly from yourselfe to them: soe they seeke not imediatly to you but to those whoe are indebted to them and therfore it is not proper to propound it to them: and since this time I haue not binn with them: only Mr. Gurden hath sent your worshipp 10li for a token the which I receiued as allsoe 50li of Mr. Tindall for your vse and for want of time to disburce it for your proper vse, I would intreat your worshipp to take what goods of mine you please to that quantyty of 60li and pay only what consideracion vppon them you please, for the Fraite Customs and all other charges vppon them: It hath pleased God to disapoint me in the throw effecting of my businesse so that I could not come with Mr. Clay in the Susan and Hellin of which I haue a 251part in vndertakeing for the setting of her forth: yett I haue sent in her diuers servants and goods to the value of 560li. I would intreat your worshipp to doe me all the Fauour you cann in the assisting of my servants and Frends in the manageing of my affayres by your Councell and advice: my businesse I haue declared at large and directed to your worshipp in a booke to the end you might see what it is: howsoeuer it should please God to deale with mee befor I come to you or thay whome I betrust in the manageing of my businesse should cary themselues, it being a matter of great Consequence my credit being great and my estate but smalle: I would intreat your worshipp soe sone as my servants and other Passengers that I am allied vnto are landed to lett one of your servands prouide some lodging for them at some of the Neighbours houses and I shall giue good satisfaccion: vntill such time as they shalbe dispossed of according to my direccion in my boke. If any of my Agents in my busines should stand in neede of any mony for a small quantyty just at theire ariuall as I sopose they will: I would intreat your worshipp to lend them some, to the vallue of 5 or 6li, and they shall pay it againe: I am very sory I haue Failed of sending such tokens as I had prepared for your worshipp and my mistris and some other, but I hope the Lord will bring me safe to the place of my desires againe: I haue sent all my leters by a yong marchant whose Father viz: Mr. Duchfeild is parte honer of the Susan and hellin: I would intreat your worshipp to shew him respect partly in regard of his Father and partly in Respect of his courtyous cariage toward me: I shall not faile Good willing to doe what I can in your worshipps busines to know fully what wilbe done in it before I come: It is a very greate greiuanc and generall Complainte among all the Merchants and dealers to New England that they can haue noe Returnes, and theire bills are very naught insomuch that if there be not some Course taken for beter payments of our Creditors our tradeing will vtterly cease: thesse bills from James Luxford and Mr. Nathaniell Eaton, charged falcely one men heare, haue done a great deale of hurt and ocationed a great deale of slacknesse of men about London for sending of goods this yeare: I pray God saintyfy his dealing toward vs and fitt vs for any Condicion. I haue soe intangled my selfe in businesse depending vppon some whoe disapoynted me, that I canot come away till the next shipps, but the times are desperatly dangerous in all respects: I shall but truble your worshipp to relate any news I rather reffer you to discorce with Mr. Duchfeild whoe I suposse wilbe a good Intelligencer and therfore I craue your worshipps pardon for my bouldnesse and with my humble servis to you and to my mistris I leaue you to the lord and to the power of his grace for a returne of all your kindnesse in your bossome 252many fould and rest: Your worshipps euer obleiged in any servis to my poore power

John Tinker From the Downes the 28th of May 1640
1.

W. 3. 60; 4 Collections , VII. 225–228.

James Luxford to John Winthrop1
Luxford, James JW

1640-06

Right Worshipful,

I did vnderstand by goodman Brackett, after I came to my lodginge, that your worship had sent to speake with mee but it was then to late to trouble your worship this morninge I came downe and perceiuinge your worship to be busie with soombody in the hall and soe durst not attempt to coome in, but if your worships will be to speake with mee I shall attend your worship in the eueninge, or at your best leasure. otherwise if my coominge be offensiue to any if your worship please to write a woord or two of your mind I shall accordinge therto so doe as god shall helpe mee whether to answer any obiection: or if it be to hasten my departure. I am determyned suddenly to depart by gods helpe; thought yet I know not which way to turne my foote, I doe resolue god willing not to offend that way. I was not well and thoroughly whole which was the reason I went noe sooner,2 and soe the Lord your god foreuer be with you and yours, and send you such as may be accordinge to his hart and yours to follow all your occasions, who alsoe in his time, I am confident, will shew not only your worship but other of his servants, that I am cleare in the thinge wherof I am accused to wronge your worship if not it is my coomfort that the Lord knoweth it and this I leaue as the last woord for ought I know, that euer I shall speake or write to your worship (it is in gods brest what shall bee) that besied my owne conscyence god which is much greter, bearinge mee witnesse, that my father was neuer more deare to mee then your worship That I haue beene as faithfull to your worship in all my Improouements, as euer seruant was to his master thought I erred in the way, yett this is a truth whether you will beleeue mee or not, that neither my selfe nor any for mee to my knowledge hath perloyned any thinge from you and as I goe with an emty purse soe I thanke my god on my knees day and night that in that 253my conscience is cleare and my poore compannyon that was I know hath that to coomfort hir, whose labors together with mine, which soe much looue and faithfullnesse imployed, will speak when wee sleepe in the dust. Now agayne the God of all consolation and coomfort be with you and yours, and thought I might not labor with my hands for your worship yet with my whole hart shall I labor with god in prayer for your worship till I dy: Soomtime your worship's belooued seruant but till death yours vnfeynedly louinge, poore desolate disconsolate

James Luxford Ca. June, 1640
1.

W. 4. 53; 5 Collections , I. 140–141.

2.

At the General Court on May 13, 1639, “James Luxford, for his forgery, lying, and other foule offences, was censured to bee bound to the whiping poast till the lecture from the first bell, and after the lecture to have his eares cut of; and so hee had liberty to depart out of our iurisdiction.” Records of Massachusetts, I. 295.