
 <? 
 
 ^ ,.-, ...SSTf" Un'»er8lty Library 
 F 67 .W788A5 1894 
 
 Some old Puritan love-letters — 
 
 3 1924 025 962 949 
 
 >fj=^^ 
 
 s 
 
 ^ 
 
 ■f^^^ 
 
 l\i{{ vMikdwi'a'w^ — 
 
 ■((|^^^=i= 
 
 
 N-m^l^^ 
 
 
 ^m^^*^^^^ 
 
 
 ^H 
 
 
 ^^s 
 
 
 
 =^^^^^^^^^^s 
 
 
 ^^^^B 
 
 
 ^W:,:: '■■■■* 
 
 
 
 Ellintt (gIriffiH. m.' 
 
 .9.n..> 
 
 Ulttiwjsitg 1 
 
 THE GIFT OF 
 
 v^...S.....^n^|j^... 
 
 ptatg 
 
 
 1 
 
 A-^a.iaai 
 
 V ■ 
 
 M=-I.ii:.. 
 

Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/cletails/cu31924025962949 
 
SOME Old Puritan 
 LOVE-LETTERS- 
 JOHN AND MARGARET 
 WINTHROP 1618-1638 
 
 Edited by 
 Joseph Hopkins Twichell 
 
 New York . . Dodd, Mead 
 and Company . . . 1894 
 
A.K,0| \c^c^7 
 
 Copyright, 189S, 
 By Dodd, Mead and Company. 
 
 JSnibersttj ^mbs : 
 
 John Wilson and Son, Cambridge, U.S.A. 
 
TO 
 
 MARGARET TYNDAL WINTHROP, 
 
 OF BOSTON, 
 
 A DESCENDANT IN THE EIGHTH GENERATION OF GOVERNOR 
 JOHN WINTHROP OF MASSACHUSETTS, 
 
 ^ts toolumc is insciibeli. 
 
 In memory of the name she is privileged to bear, which will 
 ever be associated with all that constitutes the grace of 
 
 CHRISTIAN WOMANHOOD. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP, the first Governor 
 J of Massachusetts, born Jan. 22, 1588, 
 was a native of Suffolk, England, He was 
 lord of Groton Manor in that county, and a 
 lawyer by profession. As foremost leader 
 of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, he came, 
 in the summer of 1630, to New England, 
 where, after nineteen years of consecrated 
 devotion to the task of planting a new state 
 on new soil, he died, worn out with cares 
 and labours, at Boston, March 26, 1649, '^^ 
 his sixty-second year. Margaret Tyndal, 
 the daughter of Sir John Tyndal, of Essex, 
 was his third wife. They were married in 
 16 18. She joined him in New England the 
 year after his arrival, and was ever his good 
 angel of courage and cheer in all the trials 
 
viii Introduction. 
 
 he there sustained, till her death, June 14, 
 1647, at the age of fifty-six. 
 
 She was the mother of four of his eight 
 children who reached maturity. 
 
 The extant correspondence of this hus- 
 band and wife is chiefly a memorial of their 
 life in England ; by far the greater part of it 
 antedating their emigration. It was not a 
 leisurely correspondence, but was penned in 
 the intervals of pressing household and pro^ 
 fessional duties. Its most common occasion 
 was Winthrop's absence from home in Lon- 
 don, whither he regularly went on his legal 
 ^ business. There was no mail between Groton 
 and London in those days. As a rule, each 
 wrote when there was a chance to send, and 
 ^usually in more or less haste. Mrs. Win- 
 throp's letters are infrequently dated, and the 
 place of many of them has to be assigned 
 by conjecture. Except, indeed, in the case 
 of Winthrop's two copious and elaborate 
 ante-nuptial efforts, the correspondence 
 throughout shows, on neither side, the 
 marks of particular care. It is not, then, a 
 
Introduction. ix 
 
 monument of the epistolary art. It is bare 
 of literary reference. It contains only casual 
 mention of contemporary public events. It 
 is simply a correspondence of domesticity • 
 and affection in the atmosphere of religion. 
 As such it is, by those familiar with it, ; 
 esteemed one of the most pleasing relics in 
 its kind, of the Puritan age. 
 
 The earliest publication of any portion of 
 it was in 1825, when twenty-seven letters 
 were printed in the appendix to the first 
 volume of Governor Winthrop's Journal 
 (or History of New England), edited by 
 the distinguished colonial antiquarian, James 
 Savage. It was subsequently incorporated 
 entire in the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop's 
 "Life and Letters of John Winthrop," the 
 first volume of which appeared in 1864, and 
 the second in 1867. 
 
 For the following memorandum recapitu- 
 lating the circumstances of the preservation 
 through two hundred years of the celebrated 
 Winthrop Papers, including this correspond- 
 ence, readers and the editor are indebted to 
 
Introduction. 
 
 Robert C. Winthrop, Jr., of Boston, who 
 most kindly consented to its insertion here, 
 though it had not originally been designed 
 for such use. 
 
 Major-General Wait Winthrop, chief-justice, of 
 Massachusetts, died in Boston in 17 17, aged seventy- 
 five, leaving a mass of papers consisting not merely 
 of his own correspondence, but also much of the 
 correspondence of his elder brother. Governor 
 Fitz-John Winthrop ; of his father, Governor John 
 Winthrop the younger; and of his grandfather, 
 Governor John Winthrop the elder ; together with 
 earlier family papers brought from England at the 
 foundation of the Massachusetts Colony. 
 
 Wait Winthrop had inherited landed property 
 in both Massachusetts and Connecticut, and 
 besides his house in Boston had one in New 
 London, where at the time of his death his only 
 son, generally distinguished as " John Winthrop, 
 F. R.S.," had been for some years residing in 
 order to improve his father's estate in that neigh- 
 bourhood. The said John Winthrop, F.R.S., then 
 decided to content himself with occasional visits to 
 Boston, and to make his home at New London, 
 whither he removed most of his father's movables, 
 including the MSS. above mentioned ; and though 
 he subsequently went to England and resided 
 
Introduction. xi 
 
 there some twenty years, he did not break up his 
 New London establishment, and the papers were 
 not disturbed. It is clear, however, that even at 
 that period the collection was a fragmentary one, 
 as in one of his common-place books John 
 Winthrop, F.R.S., mentions that many papers of 
 his grandfather and great-grandfather had disap- 
 peared, and that some had long before been 
 accidentally burned. 
 
 John Winthrop, F.R.S., died in England in 1747. 
 The papers then passed to his elder son, John Still 
 Winthrop, and were long preserved in a large 
 house built by him, and still standing at the head 
 of Winthrop's Cove, New London, where in 1770 
 Governor Jonathan Trumbull was allowed to make 
 a partial examination of a portion of those relating 
 to Connecticut history, to take away some originals, 
 and to make copies of others. (Governor Trum- 
 bull's papers eventually came into the possession 
 of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and in 
 Vol. IX. of the Fifth Series of that Society's Collec- 
 tions are printed selections from the papers then 
 obtained by him.) 
 
 John Still Winthrop died at New London in 
 1776, leaving a very numerous family. The papers 
 first passed to his eldest son, John, who graduated 
 at Harvard in 1770, but died unmarried in 1780. 
 They then became the property of his next brother, 
 
xii Introduction. 
 
 Francis Bayard Winthrop, a merchant of New 
 York, who eventually sold the New London house, 
 retaining as a summer residence the neighbouring 
 property of Fisher's Island. He owned the papers 
 thirty-seven years, in the course of which time he 
 caused them to be partially examined and classified, 
 retaining the larger portion in his own possession, 
 but giving away many to his younger brother, Hon. 
 Thomas Lindall Winthrop, of Boston; others to 
 his second son, Francis Bayard Winthrop, Jr., of 
 New Haven ; and a few to various relatives. 
 
 Francis Bayard Winthrop (senior) died in New 
 York in 1817. In the division of his movables, 
 his family papers of the colonial and provincial 
 periods were assigned to his third son, William 
 Henry Winthrop, who also inherited Fisher's 
 Island and resided chiefly in New London. He 
 was a man of retired habits and poor health, who 
 became annoyed by repeated requests for permis- 
 sion to examine the MSS., and who ended by 
 refusing access to them even to members of his 
 own family. As he owned them forty-three years, 
 their existence was gradually forgotten save by a 
 few persons, among whom was Hon. Robert C. 
 Winthrop, of Boston, who contemplated writing a 
 life of Governor John Winthrop, and was extremely 
 anxious to obtain copies of any MSS. in possession 
 of his cousin in New London which might relate 
 
Introduction. xiii 
 
 to this subject. Mr. William Henry Winthrop died 
 in 1 860 ; and by invitation of his sons Hon. Robert 
 C. Winthrop went to New London to consult with 
 them as to the most appropriate disposition of the 
 MSS., the heirs being entirely willing they should 
 be used for the benefit of students of New Eng- 
 land history. Mr. Winthrop was dismayed to find 
 the collection not merely in great disorder, but 
 much injured by damp and even mice. Some 
 valuable letters crumbled to pieces on being 
 opened, and the greatest caution had to be ob- 
 served in making even a cursory and partial 
 examination. It was accordingly arranged that 
 the heirs should convey to him the entire collec- 
 tion for a sum much below its apparent value, he 
 agreeing to have it put in thorough order, and to 
 have selections from it printed from time to time 
 either by himself or by the Massachusetts Histor- 
 ical Society, or by some similar institution. In 
 December, i860, it was removed to Boston and 
 re-united to that portion of it which (as already 
 mentioned) had long before been given by Francis 
 Bayard Winthrop (senior) to Hon. Thomas Lindall 
 Winthrop, and subsequently been inherited by 
 Hon. R. C. Winthrop. 
 
 Mr. Winthrop fully expected the New London 
 papers would prove of great interest, but he was 
 quite unprepared for their exceeding richness. 
 
xiv Introduction. 
 
 variety, and extent, as developed by gradual exam- 
 ination; and it became evident that they consti- 
 tuted not merely an unrivalled collection of early 
 New England autographs, but also an unsuspected 
 mine of information for students. 
 
 To call the correspondence of John and 
 Margaret Winthrop to fresh notice, and, if 
 may be, to extend acquaintance with it by 
 producing it in a new and convenient shape, 
 is the design of the present volume. 
 
 Regarding the execution of it two ques- 
 tions arose. First, whether it should 
 include the whole. What raised this ques- 
 tion was the fact that of the ninety-five 
 separate pieces comprised in the correspond- 
 ence, a considerable share are almost exclu- 
 sively occupied, as would naturally happen 
 under the circumstances, with the minor 
 order of passing household and business 
 affairs, often obscurely indicated. As these 
 were likely to be of not much interest to 
 the generality of readers, it was concluded 
 that, considering the object in view, it was 
 advisable to omit the majority of them. In 
 
Introduction. xv 
 
 some cases postscripts have been omitted 
 on the same ground. 
 
 The other question concerned the orthog- 
 raphy to be used. Writing in the seven- 
 teenth century, before our orthographic 
 liberties were lost, the Winthrops were in 
 divers points of literary practice, — punc- 
 tuation, abbreviation, employment of cap- 
 itals, but particularly spelling, — a law unto 
 themselves. 
 
 The letters published by Mr. Savage in 
 1825 — obtained from that portion of the 
 Winthrop Papers referred to in Mr. Win- 
 throp's memorandum as given by Francis 
 Bayard Winthrop, Sr., to his son — were 
 modernized by the copyist. In the later 
 " Life and Letters of John Winthrop " by 
 the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, these letters 
 were continued in that form, while all the 
 rest were allowed to retain essentially the 
 form in which they had been written. 
 
 It was obviously proper that in such 
 a publication as the present they should 
 appear in a uniform orthography. For 
 
xvi Introduction. 
 
 what seemed a clear preponderance of rea- 
 sons, the old was preferred. Accordingly 
 those of the modernized letters embraced in 
 this collection have, with the slight changes 
 only required to make them readable, been 
 recopied from the originals, — except let- 
 ters xxvi., xxxvi., and xlvi., the originals 
 of which are missing. For the facili- 
 ties necessary to this purpose courteously 
 afforded, the editor is under obligation to 
 the Massachusetts Historical Society, and 
 particularly to Dr. S. A. Green, its librarian. 
 Also to the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop for 
 his free consent to the use at will of the 
 additional larger portion of the correspond- 
 ence, by him laboriously rescued from obli- 
 vion, as found in his " Life and Letters 
 of John Winthrop." 
 
 Joseph Hopkins Twichell. 
 
 Hartford, 1893. 
 
PRELUDE. 
 
 ADAM WINTHROP TO MARGARET TYNDAL. 
 
 [The editor is confident that no reader will judge it other- 
 wise than fitting that he inserts here, by way of prologue or 
 prelude, the epistle of benediction which John Winthrop's 
 aged father sent, with a gift, to Margaret Tyndal, when he 
 learned of her betrothal to his son.] 
 
 I AM, I assure you, (Gentle Mistress Margaret) 
 alredy inflamed v/" a fatherly Love and affection 
 towardes you : the lif" at the first, the only report 
 of your modest behaviour, and mielde nature, did 
 breede in my heart ; but nowe throughe the mani- 
 fest tokens of your true love, & constant minde, 
 It/* I perceyve to be setteled in you towardes my 
 soonne, the same is exceedingly increased in mee. 
 So that I cannot abstaine from expressinge it unto 
 you by my pen in absence, rmf' my tounge and 
 mouthe I hope shal shortely declare unto you in 
 presence. And then I doute not, but I shal have 
 just cause to prayse God for you, and to thincke 
 my selfe happy, that in my olde age T shal injoye 
 the familiar company of so virtuous and loving a 
 daughter ; and passe the residue of my dales in 
 
xviii Prelude. 
 
 peace and quietnes. For J have hetherto had 
 greate cause to magnifie his holy name for his 
 loving kindenes & mercy shewed unto mee in my 
 children, and in those to whom they have been 
 maried ; that bothe I have alwaies deerly loved 
 and affected them, and they also most lovinglye 
 and dutifully have used mee. And therefore I 
 assure you (good Mistress Margaret) that whatso- 
 ever love and kindenes you shal vouchsafe to shewe 
 heereafter unto m.ee, I wil not only requite it it/" 
 the like, but also to the utter most of my power 
 redouble the same. And for that I woulde fayne 
 make it a little parte of your fayth to beleeve, that 
 you shal be happye in matchinge w** my soonne, 
 I doe heere faithfully promise for him (in the 
 presence of almighty God,) that he will alwaies be 
 a most kinde and lovinge husbande unto you, and 
 a provident stuarde for you and yours during his 
 lyfe, and also after his deathe. Thus w"^ my harty 
 comendacions to your selfe, and to the good Lady 
 your deere mother, confirminge my true Love and 
 promise unto you, by a token of a smale value, 
 but of a pure substance, lif* I sende you by this 
 trusty bearer, T doe leave you to f protection of 
 the most mighty Trinitye. this last of Marche 
 1618. 
 
 Your assured frende 
 
 Adaut Winthrop. 
 
SOME 
 OLD PURITAN LOVE-LETTERS. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO MARGARET TYNDAL. 
 
 [The end of the original of this letter is torn off; so 
 that the signature and the date are wanting. But it must 
 probably have been written early in the spring of 1618.] 
 
 To my dearest freind &> most heartyly 
 
 beloved M" Marg' Tyndall. 
 
 Havinge seariously considered of that 
 unequall conflicte-' w* for my sake thou 
 didst lately sustaine, & wherein yet, (although 
 the odds were great), God beinge on thy 
 side, thou gatest the victorye, I have had 
 from hence a large provocatio to acknowl- 
 edge Gods providence & speciall favour 
 towards me, & to give him thankes for so 
 
 1 Occasioned, as appears further on, by opposition of 
 Margaret's friends (or some of them) on the score of "out- 
 ward respects," including the lover's inequality to the match 
 in point of fortune, if nothing more. 
 
20 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 great experience as hathe been offred me 
 heerby of thy godlinesse, love, wisdome, & 
 inviolable constancie; — w* as in itselfe it 
 deserves all approbatio, so in me it is of 
 suche vertue as the more I thinke of it, the 
 more it drawes & knitts my heart unto thee, 
 and hathe setled that estimatio of thy love 
 therein, as (I am truely persuaded) nothinge 
 but deathe shall abolishe or diminishe it. 
 Such an invincible resolutio could not have 
 been founde in a poore fraile woman, had 
 not thine armes been strengthned by the 
 mightie God of Jacob. He it was w'''' gave 
 an other spirit to thyselfe & that good Lady 
 thy mother, w"* Caleb & Josuah, constantly 
 to followe the Lord against all the discour- 
 agements of the greater parte, — yea when 
 my selfe, too cowardly & unkindly ioyned 
 armes w* thine opposers against thee: But 
 nowe doe I knowe that thou lovest me, & 
 heerby we may bothe be fully assured that 
 this thinge comethe of the Lorde: There- 
 fore it is my desire to confirme thy heart in 
 this resolutio ; not that I feare any change 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 2 1 
 
 (farre be suche a thought from me) but for 
 that I wishe thee a large additiS of . comfort 
 to thy constancie, w'='' may molifie & heale 
 up the scarres of such wounds as may yet 
 remaine of thy late conflicte. And now I 
 will take lib"* to deale freely w* thee since 
 there is no need of persuasio, nor any feare 
 of suspitio of flaterye ; & let me tell thee 
 that as thou hast doone worthyly & Chris- 
 tianly, so thou hast doone no otherwise than 
 became thee being one professinge to feare 
 God & beleeve in him : for (what so ever I 
 am or may be, yet) beinge, in thy accompt, 
 a servant of God & one that thou mightest 
 well hope to be furthered to heaven by 
 (Amen I say), & beinge offred unto thee by 
 God, & thy selfe beinge as warrantably called 
 to embrace the opportunitye as a woman 
 might be, I see not how thou couldst have 
 had peace to thine owne heart if thou hadst 
 refused it ; but thou mightest iustly have ■ 
 feared least, for w'Mrawinge thy heart from 
 God & leaninge to thine owne reason, he 
 should have given thee over to some suche 
 
22 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 matche as should have proved a plauge to 
 
 thy soule all thy dayes : Let worldly minds 
 
 that savour not the things of God, & that 
 
 indeed have no parte or portion in the least 
 
 of Gods promises, bende all their care & 
 
 studye to secure themselves of an earthly 
 
 happinesse; let them make sure of great 
 
 portions w* their wives & large loyntures 
 
 from their husbands: they doe but their 
 
 kinde, & I confesse it concernes them very 
 
 muche to looke especially to suche things, 
 
 for there is nothing else w* they can have 
 
 comfort or happinesse in, havinge no parte in 
 
 , Christ & beinge strangers from the covenant 
 
 of grace; & therefore if they should be 
 
 barred of their great hopes in these outward 
 
 things, their God, their heaven, their ioye & 
 
 all, were gone, their heart would dye w*Mn 
 
 them like Naball : Therefore God letts suche 
 
 many tymes catch e what they can scramble 
 
 for, he fills their bellies w"- his hidd treasure, 
 
 they live in ease & pleasure, they nourishe 
 
 their hearts as in a daye of slaughter, but he 
 
 sends leannesse into their soules, & in the 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 23 
 
 ende when they are called to a reconinge, what 
 fruit can they shewe forthe of all their labour, 
 care, etc., but vanitye & vexati5 of spirit? 
 And so they dye under a secure, or tor- 
 mented conscience, w""* followes them to their 
 owne place. But you, whom God hathe 
 ordayned to a better ende, he lookes you 
 should be guided by an other rule ; he tell'es 
 you that you are a pilgrime & stranger in 
 this life, that you have no abidinge cytye 
 heere but must looke for one to come : He 
 w* is your Kinge telles you that his king- 
 dome is not of this world, if you desire to 
 reigne w"" him in his kingdome you must be 
 content to be an underlinge w* him in the 
 world's kingdome, & must looke for afflictio 
 heere, for the servant must not looke to be 
 above the master : He telles you that the first 
 worke in his service is to denye y" selfe ; he 
 bidds you never to cheapen about the pearle 
 except you be resolved to sell all for it, & 
 never to thinke to gett him & his love except 
 you can be content for his sake to leave, yea 
 to hate father, mother, friends, goods, & yo' 
 
24 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 owne life : for he telles you plainly that you 
 can not serve 2 masters ; so as if you love 
 the world, the love of the Father canot be 
 in you : If you would knowe of him, who 
 are the blessed, looke at that 5 of Math : & 
 amongst all those 8 beatitudes you shall 
 finde never a worde of riches, or honor, or 
 ease, etc., but when the scripture speakes of 
 suche things it setts a caveat upon them, as 
 temptations, snares, riches of iniquitye, the 
 choakes of the hopes of salvatio, branded 
 w"" these 2 speciall observations by Christ & 
 his Apostles — ' But the cares of the world 
 & the deceitfulnesse of Riches & the Lusts 
 of other thinges enter in & choake the 
 worde, &c : ' And ' w'*" while some have 
 lusted after, they have erred from the faithe 
 & have pierced themselves through w* many 
 sorrowes.' — And tell me then what it will 
 profite a man to winne the worlde & to loose 
 his soule? It is the dearest purchase that 
 must cost a man the losse of his soule. Who 
 would take Demas his bargaine ? And yet (no 
 doubt) he was of the opinio that our comon 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 25 
 
 protestants are of in these dayes (who in 
 the depthe of their devise wilbe wiser than 
 Christ & his Apostles,) he thought he had 
 founde an easyer waye to heaven than other 
 men, he thought to save his soule & yet 
 keepe & love the world too : But he was 
 deceived, & so shall they also, for the mouthe 
 of the Lord hathe spoken it ; let them please 
 themselves never so muche w* their owne 
 conceits in the meane tyme. Nowe for thee, 
 I dare bouldly saye to thee that thou hast 
 doone wisely in seekinge first the kingdome 
 of heaven, & making sure for the better 
 parte w'^'' shall not be taken from thee : for 
 if it be a Rule of policie amongst the men 
 of this world, to adventure upon the least 
 hope of vertue in suche matches where there 
 is assurance of a great portion, so as dayly 
 examples of the contrarye ill event cannot 
 drive such partyes from that grounde: how 
 muche more commendable is it in thee (& 
 woorthy of thy profession, w'"" esteemes God- 
 linesse as the greatest gaine) when havinge 
 mett w* (at least in thy persuasion) suffi- 
 
26 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 cient assurance of holynesse, thou canst be 
 content to conceive hope of outward happi- 
 nesse even from doubtfujl conditions : And 
 heerin thou canst want no incouragement 
 for hope of good successe, amongst so many 
 promises & examples as make for thy cause : 
 Looke upon the blessinge of Salomons 
 choyse ; he sought onely wisdome, & God 
 added all outward prosperitye : Consider 
 Ruthes choyse, who for the love of the God 
 of Israeli forsooke hir owne countrye & 
 friends to partake w**" the povertye of a deso- 
 late widowe : but how did God recompense 
 her in the ende ? You may see the like in 
 Moses, who if he had had the counsell of 
 the wisdome of our tymes might have looked 
 to have kept his greatnesse in the Court, & 
 yet not have hindred his salvati5, nor wanted 
 Gods favour. I need instance no more, for 
 the Scriptures & our owne tymes afiforde 
 many examples, w"'' all consent in this, to 
 persuade suche as beleeve God & have their 
 treasure in heaven, to make sure for salvatio, 
 & to cast the care of their present, incertaine. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 2 7 
 
 transitorye conditio upon the love & wisdome 
 of him that is their father & God all-sufiScient, 
 who hathe undertaken to care for them. And 
 heerin I am persuaded (notwithstandinge call- 
 inge for a diligent & faithfull use of all good 
 meanes) that a Christian cannot too boldly 
 relye upon God whilst he yields himselfe in 
 obedience to his will : for it dothe so fittly 
 agree to the nature of a young childe, where- 
 unto we must be like if ever we shall come 
 in heaven : it is so called for, in all places of 
 Scripture, as Psal: 37. 5. Rolle thy way 
 upon the Lord, trust in him & he shall 
 bringe it to passe : the whole Psalme is 
 excellent to this purpose : So Phil : 4 : 6. 7 : 
 Be carefull for nothinge, but in every thinge 
 by prayer & supplicatio, etc. But especially 
 that in Luke, 12: 22, &c : Take no thought 
 what you shall eate, &c : And observe how 
 Christ urgeth that exhortatiS by the examples 
 of the Lillies & Ravens, whence he gathers 
 an unanswerable argument, verse 28 : If God 
 so clothe the grasse, &c : will he not clothe 
 you ? &c : The too frequent & cumbersome 
 
28 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 cares, feares, doubtings, etc, that the minds 
 & mouthes of most Christians are taken up 
 w"" in these dayes, doe plainly discover that 
 men live not by faithe ; & that heaven is not 
 their home, when they sett so muche store 
 by the things of this worlde. Men are not 
 satisfied w"" such competencie as God allowes 
 them, but hunt as eagerly after risings & 
 increasings, as if it were the onely ende of 
 their life : when yet we are exhorted to have 
 our conversatio w*out covetousnesse, & to 
 be content w* what we have, for he hath 
 promised that he will not faile us nor forsake 
 us, &c : And Salomon in all his wisdome & 
 experience tells us that it is the blessinge of 
 God that makes riche w^out addinge sor- 
 rowe : But the tymes seem nowe to be 
 changed, & the prises of Salomons mer- 
 chandice to be muche abated, as if you reade 
 the 3 of the Proverbes from the 13 verse to 
 the ende of the iS* you will thinke as I 
 saye. But I forgett myselfe in runninge so 
 farre in this argument : but I take the more 
 lib''° (as I sayd at first) because I would 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 29 
 
 confirme that in thy heart whereunto God 
 hathe allreadye persuaded thee ; & God of 
 his mercye persuade us bothe to a constant 
 followinge of the hope of salvatio w'*' is layd 
 up for us in Christ, & so shedd abroad his 
 love in our hearts by that spirit of Adoption, 
 as beinge assured that our names are written 
 in the booke of life, we may reioyce w**" ioye 
 unspeakable & glorious. Amen. 
 
 By this w''*' I have allreadye written I may 
 seeme to confirme those obiections w'** thy 
 freinds have moved, & to grant that there 
 should be great causes of discouragement 
 offered thee in outward respects : But I trust 
 I shall make it appeare that thou shalt have 
 no wronge or disparagement by matchinge 
 w"" me, all things beinge indifferently con- 
 sidered : I confesse it is possible that I may 
 die verye soone, & then thy maintenance for 
 a while may be some what lesse then con- 
 venient ; but it is more likely that I may live 
 a fewe yeares w* thee, w'^'" will certainly better 
 thy conditio. But whether I live longer or 
 lesse while, I can lett thee see how, w* a little 
 
30 Some Old Puritan L ove-Letters. 
 
 patience, thy meanes may be better than 
 So"" a yeare; yet can I promise no more 
 for present certaintye then I have formerly 
 acquainted thy freinds w"" ; neither would I 
 that thou shouldest make this knowne to 
 them. I had rather that they should finde it 
 then expecte it. Whatsover shall be want- 
 inge of that w"''' thy love deserves, my kindest 
 affection shall endeavour to supplie, whilst I 
 live, & what I leave unsatisfied (as I never 
 hope to be out of thy debt) I will sett over 
 to Him who is able, & will recompense thee 
 to the full : & for the present, I wish thee to 
 followe the prophets exhortatio Psal : 27. 14. 
 Waite on the Lord, be of good courage, & 
 he shall strengthen thyne heart ; Waite I say 
 on the Lorde. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 31 
 11. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO MARGARET TYNDAL. 
 
 To my best beloved M" Margaret Tyndall 
 
 at Great Maplested, Essex. 
 
 Grace mercie &' peace, &^c : 
 
 My onely beloved Spouse, my most sweet 
 freind, & faithfull companion of my pilgrim- 
 age, the happye & hopefull supplie (next 
 Christ Jesus) of my greatest losses, I wishe 
 thee a most plentifull increase of all true 
 comfort in the love of Christ, w"" a large & 
 prosperous addition of whatsoever happy- 
 nesse the sweet estate of holy wedlocke, in 
 the kindest societye of a lovinge husbande, 
 may afford thee. Beinge filled w* the ioye 
 of thy love, & wantinge opportunitye of more 
 familiar comunion w* thee, w"*" my heart 
 fervently desires, I am constrained to ease 
 the burthen of my minde by this poore helpe 
 of my scriblinge penne, beinge sufficiently 
 assured that, although my presence is that 
 w'"" thou desirest, yet in the want thereof. 
 
32 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 these lines shall not be unfruitfull of comfort 
 unto thee. And now, my sweet Love, lett 
 me a whyle solace my selfe in the remem- 
 brance of our love, of w* this springe tyme 
 of o! acquaintance can putt forthe as yet no 
 more but the leaves & blossomes, whilest. the 
 fruit lyes wrapped up in the tender budde of 
 hope ; a little more patience will disclose this 
 good fruit, & bringe it to some maturitye : 
 let it be o' care & labour to preserve these 
 hopefuU budds from the beasts of the fielde, 
 & from frosts & other iniuryes of the ayre, 
 least or fruit fall off ere it be ripe, or lose 
 ought in the beautye & pleasantnesse of it: 
 Lett us pluck up suche nettles & thornes as 
 would defraud or plants of their due nour- 
 ishment ; let us pruine off superfluous 
 branches; let us not sticke at some labour in 
 wateringe & manuringe them : — the plentye 
 & goodnesse of oT fruit shall recompense us 
 abundantly : Ol trees are planted in a fruit- 
 full soyle ; the grounde, & patterne of or love, 
 is no other but that betweene Christe & his 
 deare spouse, of whom she speakes as she 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 33 
 
 finds him, My welbeloved is mine & I am 
 his : Love was their banquetting house, love 
 was their wine, love was their ensigne; cant:2. 
 love was his invitinges, love was hir faynt- 
 inges ; love was his apples, love was hir 
 comforts ; love was his embracinges, love 
 was hir refreshinge : love made him see hir, 
 love made hir seeke him : love made him ^^^:li 
 wedde hir, love made hir followe him : love 
 made him hir saviour, love makes hir his 
 servant. Love bredd or fellowshippe, let ]^^y\ '«■ 
 love continue it, & love shall increase it, '°'"* 
 untill deathe dissolve it. The prime fruit 
 of the Spirit is love; truethe of Spirit & Gai:5:22. 
 true love : abounde w* the spirit, & abounde 
 w* love : continue in the spirit & continue 
 in love : Christ in his love so fill o! hearts 
 w* holy hunger & true appetite, to eate & 
 drinke w'** him & of him in this his sweet 
 Love feast,^ w*^** we are now preparinge unto, 
 that when o\ love feast shall come, Christ 
 
 1 Referring to the sacrament of the Holy Communion 
 which it was then the custom to administer to the bride and 
 bridegroom at their marriage. 
 
 3 
 
34 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 Jesus himselfe may come in unto us, & 
 suppe w* us, & we w* him : so shall we be 
 merrye indeed. (O my sweet Spouse) can 
 we esteeme cache others love, as worthy the 
 recompence of oT best mutuall affections, & 
 can we not discerne so muche of Christs 
 exceedinge & undeserved love, as may cheer- 
 fully allure us to love him above all ? He 
 loved us & gave himselfe for us ; & to helpe 
 the weaknesse of the eyes & hande & mouthe 
 of oT faithe, w* must seeke him in heaven 
 where he is, he offers himselfe to the eyes, 
 hands & mouthe of oT bodye, heere on earthe 
 where he once was. The Lord increace 
 or faithe. 
 
 Nowe my deare heart let me parlye a 
 little w"" thee about trifles, for when I am 
 present w"' thee my speeche is preiudiced by 
 thy presence, w* drawes my minde from it 
 selfe : I suppose nowe, upon thy unkle's 
 cominge, there wilbe advisinge & counsell- 
 inge of all hands ; & amongst many I knowe 
 there wilbe some, that wilbe provokinge thee, 
 in these indifferent , things, as matter of 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 35 
 
 apparell, fashions & other circumstances, 
 rather to give contente to their vaine minds 
 savouringe too muche of the fleshe &c, then 
 to be guided by the rule of Gods worde, 
 vv?"! must be the light & the Rule ; for all- 
 thoughe I doe easyly grant that the Kingdome 
 of heaven is not meat & drinke, apparell &c, 
 but Righteousnesse, peace &c ; yet beinge 
 forbidden to fashion o'selves like unto this 
 world, & to avoyde not onely evill but all 
 appearance of it must be avoyded, & allso 
 what soever may breed offence to the weake 
 (for w'='' I praye thee reade for thy direction 
 the xiiij"" to the Rom :) & for that Christians 
 are rather to seeke to edifie then to please, 
 I hould it a rule of Christian wisdome in 
 all these things to followe the soberest 
 examples : I confesse that there be some 
 ornaments vfy^. for Virgins & Knights daugh- 
 ters, &c, may be comly & toUerable, w''^ yet 
 in so great a change as thine is, may well 
 admitt a change also : I will medle w* no 
 particulars, neither doe I thinke it shalbe 
 needf ull ; thine owne wisdome & godlinesse 
 shall teache thee sufficiently what to doe in 
 
36 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 suche things : & the good assurance w'*" I 
 have of thy unfained love towards me, makes 
 me perswaded that thou wilt have care of my 
 contentment, seeing it must be a cheife staye 
 to thy comfort : & w^all the great & sincere 
 desire w'''' I have that there might be no 
 discouragement to daunt the edge of my 
 affections, whyle they are truly labouring to 
 settle & repose themselves in thee, makes 
 me thus watchfull & iealous of the least 
 occasion that Sathan might stirre up to 
 o' discomfort. He that is faithfull in the 
 least wilbe faithfull in the greatest, but I am 
 too fearfull I doe thee wronge, I knowe thou 
 wilt not grieve me for trifles. Let me intreat 
 thee (my sweet Love) to take all in good 
 parte, for it is all of my love to thee, & in 
 my love I shall requite thee : I acknowledge, 
 indeed, thou maist iustly say to me as Christ 
 to the Pharisies, Hypocrite, first cast out the 
 beame that is in thine owne eye &c, for what- 
 soever I may be in thy opinion, yet mine 
 owne guiltie heart tells me of farre greater 
 things to be reformed in my selfe, & yet I 
 feare there is muche more than in mine 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 37 
 
 owne partiall iudgment I can discerne ; iust 
 cause I have to complaine of my pride, unbe- 
 leefe, hardnesse of heart & impenitencie, 
 vanitye of minde, unrulinesse of my affec- 
 tions, stubbornesse of my will, ingratitude, & 
 unfaithfuUnesse in the Covenant of my God, 
 &c. therefore (by Gods assistance) I will 
 endeavour that in myselfe, w'=f' I will allso 
 desire in thee. Let us search & trye ol hearts 
 & turne to the Lord : for this is o' safetye, 
 not o' owne innocencye, but his mercie : If 
 when we were enemies he loved us to recon- 
 ciliatio ; much more, beinge reconciled will 
 he save us from destructio. 
 
 Lastly for my farewell (for thou seest my 
 lothenesse to parte w*"" thee makes me to be 
 teadious) take courage unto thee, & cheare 
 up thy heart in the Lorde, for thou knowest 
 that Christ thy best husbande can never faile 
 thee: he never dies, so as there can be no 
 greife at partinge ; he never changes, so as 
 once beloved & ever the same: his abilitye 
 is ever infinite, so as the dowrye & inheri- 
 tance of his sonnes & daughters can never 
 be diminished. As for me a poore worme, 
 
38 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 dust & ashes, a man full of infirmityes, sub- 
 iect to all sinnes, changes & chances, w* 
 befall the sonnes of men, how should I 
 promise thee any thinge of my selfe, or if 
 I should, what credence couldst thou give 
 thereto, seeinge God only is true & every 
 man a lyar. Yet so farre as a man may pre- 
 sume upon some experience, I may tell thee, 
 that my hope is, that suche cbmfort as thou 
 hast allreadye conceived of my love towards 
 thee, shall (throughe Gods blessinge) be hap- 
 pily continued; his grace shalbe sufficient 
 for me, & his power shalbe made perfect in 
 my greatest weaknesse : onely let thy godly, 
 kinde, & sweet carriage towards me, be as 
 fuell to the fire, to minister a constant sup- 
 plie of meet matter to the confirminge & 
 quickninge of my dull affections : This is 
 one ende why I write so muche unto thee, 
 that if there should be any decaye in kind- 
 nesse &c, throughe my default & slacknesse 
 heerafter, thou mightest have some patternes 
 of of first love by thee, to helpe the recov- 
 erye of suche diseases: yet let o' trust be 
 wholly in God, & let us constantlye foUowe 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 39 
 
 him by o' prayers, complaininge & moaninge 
 unto him o' owne povertye, imperfections 
 & unworthynesse, untill his fatherly affectio 
 breake forthe upon us, & he speake kindly 
 to the hearts of his poore servant & hand- 
 mayd, for the full assurance of Grace & 
 peace through Christ Jesus, to whom I nowe 
 leave thee (my sweet Spouse & onely beloved). 
 God send us a safe & comfortable meetinge 
 on Mondaye morninge. Farewell. Remem- 
 ber my love & dutye to my Ladye thy good 
 mother, w* all kinde & due salutations to 
 thy unkle E : & all thy brothers & sisters. 
 Thy husband by promise 
 
 John Winthrop. 
 
 Groton where I wish thee. ApriU 4. 1618. 
 
 My father & mother salute thee heartyly 
 w* my Lady & the rest. 
 
 If I had thought my lettre would have 
 runne to halfe this lengthe I would have 
 mayde choyce of a larger paper. 
 
40 Some Old Puritan Love-Letiers. 
 III. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [Margaret is away from home attending on her mother 
 in her last sickness.] 
 
 To my lovinge friende M" Winthrop at Chelmsey 
 
 House in Great Maplested, Essex. 
 
 My deare wife, — I beseeche the Lorde 
 o- good God to blesse thee & thy little babe* 
 w* all spirituall blessings in heavenly things, 
 & w* a comfortable supplye of all things 
 needful for this present life, w* such a por- 
 tion of the true wisdome as may cause us 
 allwayes to discerne of the worthe & excel- 
 lencie of Ch* Jesus, to take him as o' onely 
 portion, & to love him w* all of heart, as 
 or best thanke offeringe for his unspeakea- 
 ble love & mercie in redeeminge us from 
 or sinnes by his owne death, & adoptinge us 
 into the right of the inheritance of his fathers 
 Kingdome. To him be glory & prayse for 
 ever, Amen. 
 
 ^ Adam. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 41 
 
 Albeit I caiiot conveniently come to 
 thee yet, I could not but sende to knowe 
 how thou doest, & in what state thy good 
 mother continueth, w* the rest of of freinds: 
 That w"='' we nowe foresee & feare in hir, we 
 must looke to come to of selves, & then 
 neither freinds nor goods, pleasure nor 
 honor, will stande us in any stead, onely a 
 good conscience sprinkled w* the blood of 
 Ch.' shall give us peace w* God & of owne 
 sowles. 
 
 We are all heer in good health (I prayse 
 God) yet not well contented untill thou re- 
 turnest to Groton, but I will not hasten to 
 abridge thy deare mother of that comfort 
 w""** she may receive in thy companie. My 
 sweet spouse, let us delight in the love of 
 cache other as the chiefe of all earthly com- 
 forts: & labour to increase therein by the 
 constant experience of cache others faithful- 
 nesse & sinceritye of affection, formed into 
 the similitude of the Love of Chf & his 
 Churche. Looke for me on thursday or friday 
 (if God will) & remember me to thy good 
 
42 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 mother & all y? rest as thou knowest my 
 
 dutye & desires, etc. My parents salute 
 
 thee ; many kisses of Love I ' sende thee : 
 
 farewell. 
 
 John Winthrop. 
 July 12. 162a 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 43 
 
 IV. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 To my verye lovinge wife Mrs. Winthrop 
 
 at Groton in Suffolk. 
 
 My truely beloved & deare wife, — 
 I salute thee heartylye, giving thankes to 
 God who bestowed thee upon me, & hath 
 continued thee unto me, the chiefest of all 
 comforts under the hope of Salvation, which 
 hope cannot be valued : I pray God that 
 these earthly blessings of mariage, healthe, 
 friendship, etc, may increase our estimation 
 of our better & onely ever duringe happi- 
 nesse in heaven, & may quicken up our 
 appetite thereunto accordinge to the worth 
 thereof: O my sweet wife, let us rather 
 hearken to the advise of our lovinge Lord 
 who calles upon us first to seeke the king- 
 dom of God, & tells us that one thinge is 
 needfull, & so as without it the gaine of the 
 whole world is nothinge : rather then to looke 
 at the frothye wisdome of this worlde & the 
 
44 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 foolishnesse of such examples as propounde 
 outwarde prosperitye for true felicitye. — 
 God keepe us that we never swallowe this 
 baite of Sathan : but let us looke unto the 
 worde of God & cleave fast unto it, & so 
 shall we be safe. 
 
 I know you have heard before this of my 
 coming to London : I thank God we had a 
 prosperous journye & found all well where 
 we came : I doubt not but thy desire wilbe 
 now to heare of my returne, which (to deale 
 truely with thee) I fear will not be untill the 
 middest of next weeke : for the Pari' is putt 
 off for a week; & I have many friends to 
 visit in a short tyme : but my heart is all- 
 ready with thee & thy little lambes,^ so as I 
 will hasten home with what convenient speed 
 I may: In the meane tyme, I will not be 
 unmindfuU of you all : but commend you 
 dayly to the blessinge & protection of our 
 heavenly Father. 
 
 The newes from Bohemia is very badd, 
 
 ^ Stephen and Adam. Stephen became a colonel in the 
 civil wars, and a member of one of Cromwell's Parliaments. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 45 
 
 * as that there is a generall defection from the 
 Kinge of Bohemia &c : Secretary Nanton ^ 
 is commanded to keepe his howse : the King 
 is gone to Theobalds & many wilbe idle untill 
 he returne. 
 
 Remember my dutye to my father & 
 mother, my love to Mr. Sands'^ & all the rest 
 of my true freinds that shall ask of me, & 
 my blessing to our Children ; & so giving 
 thee commission to conceive more of my 
 Love then I can write, I rest 
 
 Thy faythf ull husbande 
 
 John Winthrop. 
 
 My brother salutes you all. 
 Jan. 23. 1620 [1621].* 
 
 My brother Tindair& my sister wilbe at 
 Groton before Lente (if God will), there 
 would be some fowles provided & some 
 Ale, etc. 
 
 1 Sir Robert Naunton, Secretary of State. 
 
 2 Rector of Groton. 
 
 » The dating of these letters is after the Old Style, by 
 which the new year came in March 25. Where the New Style 
 would change the number of the year, it is indicated, as in 
 this instance. 
 
46 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 V. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [This and the following, from London, were written, 
 it will be observed, on successive days.] 
 
 To my most lovinge 6f deare wife 
 
 M" Marg' Winthrop at Groton in Suffolk. 
 
 My dearly beloved Wife, — the bless- 
 inge of oT heavenly father be upon thee '& 
 all o" : & he who hath preserved & prospered 
 us hitherto, w^out o' meritts of his free 
 goodnesse, continue us in his favour, & the 
 comfort of each others Love, unto of last & 
 most happie change. I trust by the bless- 
 inge of God to be restored safe to thee on 
 Saturdaye next : for my heart is at home, & 
 specially w* thee my best beloved, yet the 
 businesse I came for is come to no passe, & 
 there is cause to feare lest it will not be 
 effected this week: therefore be not over 
 confident of my returne untill tuesdaye next 
 weeke: but I hope I shall write to thee 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 47 
 
 againe if I be likely to staye. 0\ freinds 
 heere are all in healthe : I am much streight- 
 ened in tyme, & therefore canot satisfye my 
 selfe in writinge as I desire, gather the rest 
 out of thyne owne faithfull assurance of my 
 Love : so w* the sweetest kisses, & pure 
 imbracinges of my kindest affection I rest 
 Thine 
 
 John Winthrop. 
 
 Remember my dutye to parents & love- 
 inge salutations to suche good freinds as 
 thou knowest I desire, etc. 
 
 London. May 9:1621. 
 
48 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 VI. 
 
 Most deare & lovinge Wife, — I wrote 
 unto thee by of neighbo' Cole, beinge then 
 iincertaine of my returne, yet I hoped to 
 have been w"* thee on Saterday but it so 
 fallethe out, that I am inforcei to staye ex- 
 cept I should leave my sister Goldinge ^ des- 
 titute, & the businesse I came for w*out 
 effecte, w'^'' I cannot now faile w* comforte 
 & good reporte. Therefore I must intreat 
 thy gentle patience untill this businesse be 
 dispatched, w'''' I hope wilbe betymes the 
 next weeke. In the meane tyme thou art 
 well persuaded that my heart is w* thee, as 
 (I know) thine is w* him to whom thou hast 
 given thyselfe, a faithful! & lovinge yokefel- 
 lowe: who truely prising this g^fte as the 
 greatest earthly blessing, provokes thy Love 
 to abounde in those fruits of mutuall kind- 
 
 1 No sister or sister-in-law of the name known at this 
 day. Probably so called in the Christian sense ; perhaps a 
 client. 
 
Some Old Puritan L ove-Letters. 49 
 
 nesse, etc, that may adde a daylye increase 
 of comfort & sweet content in this happi- 
 nesse. I would willingly offer a request unto 
 thee, w'*" yet I will not urge (not knowing 
 what inconveniences may lye in the waye) 
 but it would be very grateful! to me to meet 
 thee at Maplested on Wensday next, but be 
 it as God shall guide thy heart & the oppor- 
 tunitye. It is now neere XI of the clocke 
 & tyme to sleepe, therefore I must ende. 
 The Lord of heavenly father bless & keepe 
 thee & all o'^ & let this salutation serve for 
 all, for I know not how safe a messinger I 
 shall have for these. Remember my dutye 
 & Love as thou knowest how to bestowe 
 them, farewell, 
 
 Thine 
 
 John Winthrop. 
 
 I send thee divers things by Wells in a 
 trusse.^ 
 
 Mai 10: 1621. 
 
 1 Parcel. 
 
50 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 VIL 
 
 [Winthrop is absent from Groton as guest at the wed- 
 ding of his sister Lucy, who is to be married the next 
 day to Emanuel Downing. George Downing, the eldest 
 son of this marriage, was of the first class which matricu- 
 lated at Harvard College. He was the Sir George Down- 
 ing who subsequently acted so important and honourable 
 a part in the English Revolution, and from whom Downing 
 Street in London took its name.] 
 
 My Deare Wife, — I prayse God, we are 
 come safe to Londo, where we finde all well. 
 We are now at Redrife at a kinsmans of my 
 brother Downings, where we are most kindly 
 entertained: we have ofte wished thee with 
 us, but wishes are vaine: I trust, God will 
 give us to meet againe shortlye in peace & 
 sweet comfort, in the fruition of of mutuall 
 /Love; in the meane tyme let this staye of 
 hearts, that no distance of place or space of 
 tyme can sever us, in respect of or true & 
 fervent affections to each other; whereof 
 every occasiS shall give us more assurance. 
 I am too much streightened in tyme to write 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 5 1 
 
 to hir whom I love so dearly (it beinge now 
 XI of the clock this tuesday night); thy 
 kind heart must gather a great deale of 
 matter from a fewe scribled lines. I will 
 adde no more, but beseech the Lo : to blesse 
 thee & all o\ younge ones, & send us a 
 ioj^ull meetinge. Remember my dutye to 
 parents & Love to all whom thou shalt think 
 fitt : my brother Downing & sister salute thee 
 most kindly etc. farewell my sweet wife, 
 farewell. 
 
 Thy faithfuU lovinge husband 
 
 John Winthrop. 
 
 Rederife, AprU 9. 1622. 
 
52 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 VIII. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 My deare Wife, — Thy sweet Lettres 
 (w^out date) how welcome they were to me 
 I canot expresse : both in regard of the con- 
 tinuance of thy health & thy little ones, my 
 mother & o' whole familye, for w'^'' I humbly 
 blesse & prayse o' good God & Heavenly 
 father, & doe heartyly begge of him & trust 
 in him for the continuance of the same 
 mercie to thyselfe & all the rest : as also 
 - in respect of the manifestation of the con- 
 • stancie & increase of thy true love wherein 
 (I seariously professe) I doe more reioyce then 
 in any earthly ble^singe : O how I prize the 
 sweet societye of so modest & faithfuU a 
 spouse ! O that I could be wise to be thank- 
 full & improve it, accordinge to that esteeme 
 w"** I have of it when I want it! I am heere 
 where I have all outward content, most kinde 
 entertainment, good companye & good fare, 
 
77f 
 
 urn 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 f: 
 
 
 
 
 .n 
 
 v^ 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 k 
 
 f«' .,-''«-x«ti^iH,ii 
 
 „^,;j,:^,;«¥'"^^ «*.!fe/^w,aitfi^t«*'-!r.iii.,i .-x'.«#- 
 
Some Old Puritan Love- Letters. 53 
 
 &c : onely the want of thy presence & amia- 
 ble society makes me weary of all other ac- 
 complem'", so deare is thy love to me, & so 
 confident am I of the like entertainem* my 
 true affection findes w* thee: O that the 
 consideration of these things could make us 
 raise up o' spirits to a like comformitye of 
 sinceritye & fervencie in the Love of Christ 
 o' Lord & heavenly husband ; that we could 
 delight in him as we doe in each other, & 
 that his absence were like greivous to us : 
 But the Love of this present world, how it 
 bewitcheth us & steales away our hearts from 
 him who is o"^ onely life & felicitye; but I 
 must break off this discourse. The blessed 
 protection & favour of the Lord be still w* 
 thee & all o' familye, & bring us togither 
 againe in peace : thou & the rest are kindly 
 remembered of all heere ; remember my duty 
 to my mother & my love to all thou knowest 
 I wish it. My brother Fones^ is gotten 
 abroad againe, my sister is as she useth to 
 
 1 Brother-in-law Thomas Fones. Anna Winthrop had 
 been his first wife. 
 
54 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 be, the rest of us are all in health (I prayse 
 God). Our businesse goeth on, tho' slowlye 
 as matters use to do at Court. My brother 
 sends Richard home this daye & meanes to 
 stay awhile himselfe, to see further successe. 
 Let Sam : come up on monday & bring my 
 horse, for I will leave my brother heare 
 awhile ; let him be heere on teusdaye be- 
 tymes, for I would goe out of London the 
 same daye. Heere is no newes but of the 
 Princes ^ beinge at sea, where he hath bin 
 wind bound a great while : Thus embracinge 
 thee in the true affection of a faithfull hus- 
 band, I will so remain 
 
 Thine 
 
 John Winthrop. 
 
 ^ I have nothinge to send thee but my love, 
 neither shall I bringe thee anythinge but my 
 selfe, w"'' I knowe wilbe best welcome. 
 
 London, Octob 3. 1623. 
 
 1 Prince Charles (afterwards Charles I.), on the fruitless 
 enterprise of. promoting the scheme of a Spanish alliance 
 by contracting marriage with the Infanta. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 55 
 IX. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 My sweet Wife, — I blesse the Lorde 
 for his continued blessings upon thee and 
 o' familye: & I thanke thee for thy kinde 
 lettres: But I knowe not what to saye for 
 myselfe : I should mende & growe a better 
 husband, havinge the helpe & example of so 
 good a wife, but I growe still worse : I was 
 wonte heertofore, when I was longe absent, 
 to make some supplye w* volumes of Let- 
 tres; but I can scarce afforde thee a few 
 lines : Well, there is no helpe but by enlarg- 
 inge thy patience, & strengtheninge thy good 
 opinion of him, who loves thee as his owne 
 soule, & should count it his greatest AfHicti5 
 to live without thee : but because thou art so 
 deare to him, he must choose rather to leave 
 thee for a tyme, than to enioye thee : I am 
 sorye I must still prolonge thy expectatio, 
 for I canot come forth of London till Tues- 
 
56 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 daye at soonest ; the Lorde blesse & keepe 
 thee & all o'^ & sende us a ioyfull meetinge. 
 So I kisse my sweet wife & rest 
 Thy faithfuU husband 
 
 Jo: WiNTHROP. 
 
 My brother & sister^ salute thee. My 
 Sonne & daughter'^ remember their dutye; 
 the match * goeth on fast enough, I am like 
 to bring them downe w* me. 
 
 Thy Syder was so well liked that we must 
 needs have more as soone as thou canst. 
 
 Nov: 26. 1624. 
 
 ^ The Downings. 
 
 " John and Mary, children of Winthrop's first wife, Maiy 
 Forth. 
 
 * See next letter. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 57 
 X. 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 
 [Here Margaret enters the correspondence. Other 
 " sweet Lettres " she had written (see letter viii.), and 
 certainly a good many in the six years since her 
 betrothal, which one would much like to see, particu- 
 larly her answers to i. and ii. But this is the first that 
 is preserved. It is without date, — an omission frequent 
 with her. Of the internal evidence that assigns it to this 
 place the most distinct point is her mention in the post- 
 script of her step-daughter Mary and ", hir welwiler," in 
 apparent response to a reference in the letter foregoing. 
 Mary was about fourteen years old at this time. But the 
 Puritans mated early. Winthrop himself was married 
 when only a little past seventeen. The " match," how- 
 ever, in this instance, was a transient affair. It was not 
 till several years later that Mary became the wife of 
 Thomas Dudley's son in New England.] 
 
 To hir very Lovinge husband 
 
 John Winthrope, Esq. theese. 
 
 My deare husband, — I am sory it faleth 
 out so that I coulde not send for thee at the 
 time appoynted, by reson of my mans beinge 
 from home, & the unfitnesse of your horsses 
 for travill, that I must be constrained to for- 
 
58 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 beare sending for thee till I can get meanes, 
 though it be with a great deale of greefe to 
 me : I hope you will not impute or take it ill 
 at my hands, for theare wants no will in me, 
 but that I wanted abilyty to performe it. My 
 Sonne came safe home on fryday, and brought 
 me thy kinde letter, with the nuse of all your 
 welfayres w** I desyre the lord longe to con- 
 tinue to his glory & for the good of many 
 others. I shall thinke the tyme very longe 
 before I see thee ; I pray make hast for thou 
 shalt be very welcome : I am much indetted 
 to my sister D. for hir kindenesse to my 
 daughter M. I pray tel hir I give hir 
 many thankes for that, & al other fruits of 
 hir love, and thus with my best respect 
 remembered to thy selfe & all the rest of our 
 friends, I desyre the lord to send us a com- 
 fortable meetinge and commit thee to the 
 
 lord. 
 
 Your loving and obedient wife, 
 
 Margaret Winthrope. 
 
 I have now received thy lovinge letter by 
 goodman N. and rejoyce that the time is so 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 59 
 
 near whearein I shall see thee. I am wel "^ 
 perswaded of thy love and can see it in a 
 fewe lines as in a whole volem — my daugh- 
 ter M & hir welwiler shall be very welcome 
 to me if you pleas to bring them — My sonne 
 F.^ and John ^ came home on Saterday late 
 from theare roveinge, haveinge bin from 
 home two dayes & I have well chid them for 
 theare paynes ; I hope John will make the 
 more hast. Your good servant remembers 
 hir service and thankes you for hir letter, she 
 desyreth to be excused from rightinge, have- 
 inge many other letters to right : my sister 
 F. wil tel John whare to have a pillyon for 
 M. I thinke she ware best ryde dubble. 
 
 1 step-son Forth. 
 
 2 Not step-son John ; who was in London. 
 
6o Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 XI. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [Margaret is at her father's house in Essex ; Winthrop 
 at Sudbury on business, or on the road between Groton 
 and London, going or coming. Theyearis i626ori627.J 
 
 To my verye lovinge wife M" Winthrop 
 
 at Ckemsye house in G' Maplested. 
 
 My SWEET WIFE, — The grace & blessing 
 of the Lorde be w* thee ever, & w* us bothe, 
 for the continuance & increase of o' mutuall 
 love in all truethe & holinesse; whereunto 
 
 'let us strive by prayer & stirringe up each 
 other, that we may have full assurance of 
 o' beinge in Christ, by o"" livelynesse in Chris- 
 tianitye ; that we may live that life of faithe, 
 w'^'' Onely affords true peace, comfort, & 
 
 I contentati5 : & if by this meanes the world 
 shall disclaime us as none of hirs, & shall 
 refuse to hould out to us suche full breasts 
 as she dothe to others, this shall not need to 
 trouble us, but rather may give us- matter of 
 ioye in that beinge strangers heere, we may 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 6 1 
 
 looke for o' inheritance in a better life. I 
 
 feared thou shouldst take could & therefore 
 
 I have sent thee another garment. I knowe 
 
 not certainely when I shall come for thee, 
 
 but as soone as conveniently I can: in the 
 
 meane tyme, be sure, my heart is w"' thee, & 
 
 so I comende thee againe to the protection, 
 
 blessinge & direction of o' heavenly father, 
 
 farewell — 
 
 Thine &c : 
 
 John Winthrop. 
 
 from SuDBURYE, Sept: 26. 
 
 Remember my dutye & love to all as thou 
 knowest I owe them. 
 
62 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 XII. 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 
 [The " lovinge and longe letters " Margaret acknowl- 
 edges are missing. Those that remain of their correspond- 
 ence at about this time (1626-1627) are mostly hers.J 
 
 To my very lovinge Husband 
 
 yohn Winthrope Esquire, these &'c. 
 
 Most deare husband, — I did thinke 
 to have ritten no more to you, hopeinge to 
 see you shortly; and yet I am so much 
 indebtted to you for your lovinge and longe 
 letters, that I must nedes rite a word or two 
 to show my thankfulnesse and kind except- 
 ance of them, allthoughe I can doe nothinge 
 to equall them or to requit your love ; and so 
 I thinke I had better doe a littell then not at 
 all, that I may shew my willingnesse to doe 
 it thoughe I am ashamed I can doe no better. 
 And now I shall longe for that happy hour 
 when I shall see you and injoy my sweet and 
 deare husband ; the Lord send us a comfort- 
 able meetinge. I am sory the wether is so 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 63 
 
 bad. I pray be as careful! as you can of 
 takeinge colde. — I send up by John a pece 
 of plate, and a turkey for my brother Fones. 
 I pray remember my love to my brothers and 
 sisters and my sonne John, and thus with my 
 dfarest and best affections to my beloved 
 husband, desireinge the Lord to send you a 
 ^afe and prosperous journey, I commit you 
 to the protection of almyty God who is onely 
 able to keepe you. 
 
 Your lovinge and obedient wife 
 
 Margaret Winthrope. 
 
 February 13. 
 
 I pray if you doe not think this peece 
 of plate which I have sent up good enufe, 
 that you would make choyce of a better 
 your selfe when you come home ; you shall 
 have it with a very good will. 
 
64 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 margaret winthrop to her husband. 
 
 Most deare and lovinge Husband, — 
 I receved your most kinde and comforttable 
 letters and the things you sent, for w* I 
 hartyly thanke you. I prayse God for the 
 continuanc of y" helth and all the rest of 
 our frends. I am glad to heare that my 
 sonne Henrys voyage ^ is like to be for his 
 good. I pray God goe out with him and 
 send him a safe returne that wee may have 
 cause to blesse God for him. My good hus- 
 ban I thanke you for putinge me in minde 
 to be chereful, and to put my trust in my 
 good God who hath never fayled me in 
 time of nede. I beseech him to continue 
 his mercy stil to me and grant that my 
 sinnes may not provoke his anger against 
 me: for he is a just God and will punish 
 offenders. The lord give me grace to make 
 
 • To the Barbadoes. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Leiters. 65 
 
 my peace with him in Jesus Christ our lord 
 and onely Saviour, who siteth at the right 
 hand of God a mediator for us. I did send 
 Mr. Weny the little boxe uppon Wensday 
 night, but he sayd it came to late ; he should 
 have had it in the morning, I have not yet 
 receved any monye to paye Gage but as 
 soune as I have I will paye him ; Chot was 
 with me for monye and had a little ; I knew 
 not his want and thought I had better let 
 him have sume then drive him to steal and 
 offend God. My mother will come up the 
 next weake if the wether be any thinnge 
 warme (or elce not) and bringe little Luse 
 and James ; ^ she sayth that she shall use 
 y" horses, and so my brother Jennye^ can 
 not have any ; she sayth that John shall 
 nede goe no further then Witham, for ther 
 she will meete Ipswich Coach. I pray tell 
 my good sonne John that I thanke him for 
 my Booke and for my boyes tokens, and thus 
 with my mothers and my owne true love 
 
 1 The Downing children. 
 
 * Winthrop's brother-in-law by his second marriage. 
 S 
 
66 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 remembred to you all in the best maner we 
 
 can expresse, and so intreating you to be 
 
 mindful! of me and myne in y" prayers I 
 
 commit you to the lord our good God and 
 
 rest 
 
 Your obedient wife allways 
 
 Margaret Winthrope. 
 Apuril 17. 
 
 Heare was with me Thomas Axden ^ and 
 brought a letter from Forth w'="' I send you ; 
 he did aske me if you sayd nothinge to me 
 about his tutors quarterage and I told him 
 I would right to you about it ; he came over 
 to see Thomas Calewe and is returned back 
 againe. We are all heare in helth I prayse 
 God, my brother Goslinge^ and sister remem- 
 ber thear love to you all, he cometh up with 
 my mother. 
 
 1 Thomas Archisden; Forth Winthrop's chum at Cam- 
 bridge. 
 
 ^ Thomas Gostlin, husband of Winthrop's sister Jane. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 67 
 
 XIV. 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 (1626-1627.) 
 
 To my very lovinge Husband John Winthrope 
 
 Esquire at M" Downinge house infleete 
 
 strete neere the coundite these del''. 
 
 My most kinde & lovinge Husband, — 
 I did receve your most sweet Letter by my 
 brother Goslinge, and doe prayse God for 
 the continuance of your health, and the rest 
 of our frends. I thanke the Lorde wee are 
 also in health, and thinke longe for your com- 
 ing home. My good husband y" love to me 
 doeth dayly give me cause of comfort, and 
 doeth much increce my love to you, for love 
 liveth by love. I ware worse then a brute 
 beast if I should not love and be faythfull 
 to thee, who hath deserved so well at my 
 hands. I am ashamed and greved with my 
 selfe that I have no thinge within or without 
 worthy of thee, and yet it pleaseth thee to 
 
68 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 except of both and to rest contented. I had 
 need to amend my life and pray to God for 
 more grace that I may not deceve you of 
 those good hopes which you have of me, — 
 a sinfull woman, full of infirmyties, continu- 
 ally fayleinge of what I desire and what I 
 ought to performe to the Lorde and thy selfe. 
 I hope in God wee shall now shortly meet 
 with comfort, for which I shall pray. — Your 
 horse shal be at London upon Saterday and 
 we shall see you I hope on tuesday. I will 
 send you up by John that you did rite for, 
 and if you thinke good you may change it 
 for a nue one, but doe as you thinke best ; 
 if I have any thinge that may plesure you at 
 any time you shall willingly have it, and if 
 the carier doe call heere this weeke I will 
 send my sister Downinge some puddings to 
 make hir some part of amense, because hir 
 share was so small in the last. My mother 
 and my selfe and brother and sister Goslinge 
 remember our love to you and all the rest 
 of our frends ; my brother Jenney remembers 
 his love to you and woulde intreate you to 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-L eiters. 69 
 
 deliver this letter heare inclosed; and thus 
 with my love and best affections even with 
 a love incresinge I take my leave and com- 
 mit you to the Lord, who is alsoficient and 
 able to preserve you from all danger and 
 send you safe home. 
 
 Your lovinge and obedient wife 
 
 Margaret Winthrope. 
 
 I pray remember my blesinge and love to 
 my sonne John. 
 
70 Some Old Puritan L ove-Letters. 
 
 XV. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 My most deare & sweet Spouse, — I 
 received thy kinde Lettre, the true Image of 
 thy most lovinge heart, ''breathinge out the 
 faithful! desires of thy sweet sowle, towards 
 him that prizeth thee above all thinges in 
 the world : & blessed be o' good God & 
 heavenly father, who of his rich mercye is 
 pleased still to afEorde us matter of ioy & 
 thankfullnesse in the good newes of each 
 others wellfare, & of those w'^"' are neere & 
 deare unto us : our onely care must be how 
 to be answearable in o' thankfullnesse & 
 walkinge worthy his great mercies. We 
 continue all in health, I prayse God : I had 
 a Lettre w^in these 2 dayes from my sonne 
 John who hath been out at sea in verye 
 stormy weather, but is returned safe to Ports- 
 mouth : Heer is no newes ; the Duke is 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 71 
 
 gone to Portsmo*/ & 2 or 3 Londoners 
 
 comitted about the Loane.^ Thus hoping in 
 
 God that we shall meet on teusdaye or 
 
 Wensdaye next, I comende thee & all ours 
 
 to the grace & blessings of the Lorde, & w* 
 
 my duty to my good mother, & all o' lov- 
 
 inge salutations to thy selfe, my blessings to 
 
 o' children, & salutations to all o"' friends, I 
 
 kisse my sweet wife & rest 
 
 Thine as his owne 
 
 J: W: 
 
 LoNDO June 15 1627. 
 
 1 Buckingham's expedition for the relief of Rochelle 
 sailed June 27th. John Winthrop, Jr. (the younger Win- 
 throp ; subsequently Governor of Connecticut), accompanied 
 it in the capacity of secretary to one of its captains. 
 
 2 Forced loan by Charles I. to support the war with 
 France. 
 
72 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 XVI. 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 (1627.) 
 
 Most deare and loveinge Husband, — 
 I can not expres my love to you as I desire, 
 in these poore livelesse lines, but I doe 
 hartily wish you did see my harte how true 
 and faythfuU it is to you, and how much I 
 doe desire to be allwayes with you. to injoy 
 the sweet comfort of your presence, and 
 those helps from you in sperituall and tem- 
 perall dutyes w'"'' I am so unfite to performe 
 without you. It makes me to see the want 
 of you and wish my selfe with you, but I 
 desire wee may be gided by God in all our 
 wayes who is able to derect us for the best 
 and so I will wayt upon him with pacience 
 who is all sufficient for me. I shall not need 
 to right much to you at this time. My 
 brother Goslinge can tel you any thinge by 
 word of mouth, I prayse God we are all 
 

 '"'^i^ ^ 
 
 /■ /?■";«■/ ^ 
 
 
 i 
 
 ■^ .-^ .1, "^ ■- ^ 
 
 ?>*. -S ■» 5 
 
 ^.- i a ^ ' ., -~^ r • 1 - 3 ".i • -' 
 
 't/ 
 
 
 ," 3 «^ "3 
 
 
 '■"^^ 
 
 'M J 
 * 4 
 
 v^ 
 
 't , 'i 
 
 ^ ^ 
 
 i.~% r 
 
 .? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ ^"* -^w * ^ \ , 
 
 i ;> ♦-•ii •'- -r**^, -^ ■/ '<^. y^ ^ 
 
 
 ^£b3cp4^M^^vf'^.v^JS&LLW^ /. ^^^^ 
 
 ■^/I 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 73 
 
 heare in health as you left us, and are glad to 
 heare the same of you and all the rest of our 
 trends at London. My mother and my selfe 
 remember our best love to you and all the 
 rest, our children remember theare duty to 
 you. and thus desirnge to be remembred in 
 your prayers I bid my good Husband god- 
 night, littell SamerwelP thinkes it is time 
 for me to goe to bed, and so I beseech the 
 Lord to keepe you in safety and us all heare. 
 Farwell, my sweete husband. 
 
 Your obediente wife 
 
 Margaret Winthrope. 
 
 1 Samuel, her fourth son, now a few months old. 
 
74 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 XVII. 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 (1627.) 
 
 My most Sweet Husband, — how dearely 
 welcome thy kinde letter was to me I am not 
 able to expresse. The sweetnesse of it did 
 much refresh me. What can be more pleas- 
 inge to a wife, then to heare of the welfayre 
 of hir best beloved, and how he is pleassed 
 with hir pore endevours,^ blush to heare my 
 selfe commended, knowinge my owne wants ; 
 but it is your love that conceaves the best 
 and makes all thinges seme better then thay 
 are. I wish that I may be allwayes pleasinge 
 to thee, and that those comforts we have in 
 each other may be dayly increaced as far as 
 thay be pleasing to God. I will use that 
 speach to thee that Abygal did to David, I 
 will be a servant to wash the feete of my 
 Lord. I will doe any service whearein I may 
 please my good Husband. I confes I cannot 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 75 
 
 doe ynough for thee, but thou art pleased 
 to accept the will for the deede and rest 
 contented. — 
 
 I have many resons to make me love thee 
 whearof I will name two ; first because thou 
 lovest God, and secondly because that thou 
 lovest me. If these to ware wantinge all the 
 rest would be eclipsed. But I must leave 
 this discorse and goe about my houshold 
 afifayers, ^I am a bad huswife to be so longe 
 from them ; but I must needs borowe a little 
 time to talke with thee my sweet hart. The 
 terme is more then halfe done. I hope thy 
 businesse drawes to an end. It will be but 2 
 or 3 weekes before I see thee, though thay 
 be longe ones. God wil bringe us together 
 in his good time for w"'"' time I shall pray. I 
 thanke the Lord we are all in health. Wee 
 are very glad to heare so good Nuse of our 
 Sonne Henry.^ The Lord make us thanke 
 full for al his mercyes to ous and ours. And 
 thus with my mother's and my owne best 
 love to your selfe and all the rest I shal leave 
 
 > In the Barbadoes. 
 
76 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 scriblinge. The wether being colde makes 
 me make hast. Farwel my good Husband ; 
 the Lord kepe thee 
 
 Your obedyent wife 
 
 Margaret Winthrope. 
 
 November 22 Groton. 
 
 I have not yet receved the box but I will 
 send for it I send up a turkey and some 
 chese. I pray send my sonne Foorth such a 
 knife as mine is. M" Hugen would pray you 
 to by a cake for the boyes. I did dyne at 
 Grotton hall yesterday thay are in helth and 
 remember thear love wee did wish you theare 
 but that would not bringe you and I coulde 
 not be merry with out thee. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. TJ 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 
 (1627.) 
 
 To my very loving Husband yohn Winthrope Esquire 
 at M'. Downing s house in Fleet strete, 
 neare the Cundit these deliver. 
 
 My good and lovinge Husband, — I did 
 receave your kinde and loveinge letter for 
 w'*" I most hartily thanke you. I prayse God 
 for the continuance of your health and am 
 very sory for the bad sucsese of the Duke.^ 
 The nuse came to us before y" letters and 
 put us in great feare. I am glad that theare is 
 hope that John is safe. I shall thinke longe 
 to heare more of him. The Lord fit and 
 prepare us for what soever it shall please him 
 to send to us to humble us with and to make 
 us seeke to him who is onely able to helpe 
 and deliver in all times of truble, of what 
 kinde soever it be. The Lord is mercyf ul : 
 if we can put our trust in him he will not 
 
 1 See XV. 
 
78 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 fayle us nor forsake us. I rejoyce to thinke 
 the time draweth neare of y" cominge home 
 that I may see my best beloved. I pray 
 make hast. I hope you will not defir y" 
 cominge longer than must needes. I expect 
 to heare when you will have 5^'' horses sent 
 up this weeke. I thanke God we are all 
 heare in health. I have bin yesterday and 
 to day with Goodwife Cole who is now 
 safely delivered of a daughter. And now 
 fearinge the carier will call for my letter 
 before I have done, I have made more hast 
 than otherwise I woulde in testifiinge my 
 love to you, to whome I doe owe more than 
 I am able to express. And thus with my 
 mothers and my own best love remembred 
 to you and the rest of our frends, beinge in 
 hast I take my leave till some other oper- 
 tunity. My brother Goslinge and sister 
 remember thear love to you. Farewell my 
 deare Husband, the Lorde keepe you and 
 send you safe home. 
 
 Your loveinge and obedient wife, 
 
 M. W. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 79 
 
 Goodman Cole woulde intreat you to 
 by him a pound of such tobackco as you 
 by for y"selfe. You shall receave by the 
 carier two runlets of sider, the carage is 
 payed for. 
 
8o Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 XIX. 
 (1627.) 
 
 To my deare and very lovinge Husband ^ohn 
 
 Winthrope Esquire at Mr. Downings house in 
 Fleet Street right over agaynst the Counduit 
 these deliver, — London. 
 
 My beloved and good Husband, — I 
 must craue pardon for my not righting to 
 you the last weeke. Your letter came so 
 late to my hands upon Tuesday that I coulde 
 not right that night, and hearinge of no other 
 mesenger I have bin constrayned to let it 
 alone till this weeke, and so have had the more 
 time to consider of it. I doe ioyne with you 
 in beseechinge the Lorde to direct our wayes 
 and thoughts aright hearein, and that wee 
 may submit unto his holy will in this and 
 all other thinges, to doe that may be for his 
 glory and the comfort of ourselues and 
 others. I doe see yours and the rest of my 
 frends great love and care of me and of all 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 8 1 
 
 ours, in that you are so mindful! of our good, 
 w"'' doeth more and more knet my affections 
 to you. I pray God I may walke so as I 
 may be worthy of all your loves. For the 
 matter of which you right about, of takeinge 
 a house at Thiselworth,^ I like well in some 
 respect, in regard of the good Minister and 
 good people and teachinge for our children. 
 But I must aledge one thinge, that I feare 
 in your cominge to and fro, lest if you should 
 be ventrus upon the water, if your passage 
 be by water w'='' I know not, it may be dan- 
 gerous for you in the winter time, the wether 
 beinge colde and the waters perilous. And 
 so I shoulde be in continuall feare of you 
 lest you should take any hurt. I did confir 
 with my mother about it and she thinkes 
 you had better take a house in the City, and 
 so come home to your own table and fami- 
 lye ; and I am of the same minde, but I shall 
 allwayes submit to what you shal thinke fit. 
 
 1 Now known as Isleworth ; on the Thames, nearly oppo- 
 site Richmond. Winthrop has some thought of removing 
 from Groton thither for convenience of his business. 
 
 6 
 
82 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 Upon the best consideration I can take, I 
 have resolved to stay heare this winter, in 
 regard that my littel one is very yonge and 
 the wayes very bad to remove such things 
 as wee shall stande in nede of, and we shal 
 leave things very unsetled, and to keepe two 
 famylies will be very chargable to us. And 
 so I thinke it will be our best corce to re- 
 move in the springe, and in the meane time 
 commend it to God. It is allredy reported 
 about the countrye that we shal remove and 
 so it will be the lesse strange to them, because 
 they loke for it all ready, and you are to be so 
 much from home. 
 
 I have received y" kinde letter by my 
 brother Goslinge for w'^'' I hartily thanke you 
 and for my good sermon w'*" you sent with 
 it. You doe dayly manyfeast y" love to me 
 and care for my spirituall good, as well as 
 temperall, w*^"" is besj: of all. I desire of God 
 I may chuse the better part w* cannot be 
 taken from me, w* will stand me in stead 
 when all other things fayle me. For our 
 condishion here wee have yet M' Leys helpe 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 83 
 
 in our famylye, but he is to remove very 
 spedily, his house beinge all-most finished, 
 and then we shall want helpe for good exer- 
 cises. The Lord in mercy upholde us and 
 strenkthen us by his holy spirit. I cannot 
 but with greefe beare y" longe abcence, but 
 I hope that this will be the last time we shall 
 be so long asunder, w"** doeth sumwhat stay 
 and comfort me. The Lord grant I may 
 find sweetnesse in Christ Jesus my spirituall 
 Husband, who is alwayes with me and never 
 fayleth me in time of neede, nor will fayle 
 me unto the end of my life or the life to 
 come. My good mother commends hir love 
 to you all and thankes you for hir tobacko. 
 She would pray you to be carefull of y" selfe 
 that you take no colde. I desire to have my 
 love very kindely remembred to my brother 
 Downinge and sister, my brother Foones and 
 sister, and all my cosins. I prayse God we 
 continue stil in helth: our children at home 
 remember thear duty to you. I thinke very 
 longe to heare of our sonpes at sea. I pray 
 God send us good nuse of them. And thus 
 
84 Some Old Puritan Love-Letiers. 
 
 with my best afifection remembred to my 
 deare Husband I take my leave and commit 
 you to God. 
 
 Your faythfull and obedient wife 
 
 Margaret Winthrope. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 85 
 XX. 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 LOVINGE AND MOST DEARE HuSBAND, 
 
 Now in this solytary and uncomfortable tim6 
 of your longe absence, I have no other meanes 
 to shew my love but in theese poore fruts 
 of my pen, with w*^*" I am not able to expresse 
 my love as I desire, but I shall endeavor 
 allwaies to make my duty knowne to you in 
 some measure though not answearable to 
 your deserts and love. Although it pleseth 
 God to part us for a time, I hope he will 
 bringe us together againe and so provide that 
 we may not be often asunder, if it may be for 
 our good and his glory; and now I thinke 
 longe to heare of thee and of your safe 
 cominge to London. I will not looke for 
 any longe letters this terme because I pitty 
 y" poore hande ; Mf I had it heere I would 
 
 1 Winthrop is suffering from a sore or hurt in his right 
 hand. 
 
86 Some Old Puritan Love-Letiers. 
 
 make more of it than ever I did, and bynde 
 
 it up very softly for fear of hurting it. But 
 
 I doubt not but you have better helps. I 
 
 thanke God we are all heare in health, onely 
 
 little Sam, who hath bin very sick, but I hope 
 
 he will doe well againne. I am glad I did 
 
 not weane him for he will now take nothing 
 
 but the brest, ' ''Thus it pleaseth the Lord to 
 
 exercise us with one affliction after another 
 
 in love ; lest we should forget our selves and 
 
 love this world too much, and not set our 
 
 affections on heaven wheare all true happy- 
 
 ness is for ever. I thinke to right to thee 
 
 the latter end of this weeke by M' Brand, and 
 
 so I will now rite the lesse. I receved a 
 
 letter from my sonne John, I pray tel him I 
 
 thanke him hartyly for it and will take some 
 
 other time to rite to him though I cannot 
 
 now. Joseph Cole is come home, & thus 
 
 with my mothers and my owne best love to 
 
 you and the rest of our frends, I commit you 
 
 to the Lord and rest 
 
 Your Obedient Wife 
 
 Margaret Winthrop. 
 May 1, 1628. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 87 
 
 I did receave a speach of S' John Elliott * 
 w^ I thinke M' Borros sent you, so I have 
 not sent it up, thinkinge you may meet with 
 the same at London. Forth and Mary and 
 the rest of our children remember theare 
 duty to you, and theare love to theare brother 
 John and all thear cosins. 
 
 1 In Parliament no doubt, where the battle between King 
 and Commons over the question of Tonnage and Poundage 
 is at this time going on. 
 
88 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 XXI. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 (1628.) 
 
 [In an extant journal of Winthrop, styled " Experi- 
 encia," he records under date of December, 1628 : "At 
 London in the ende of mich. terme, I fell into a danger- 
 ous hote malign' feaver, wherein the Lord shewed me 
 exceeding much mercye," — with details added which 
 identify the place of this letter and the next.J 
 
 My sweet Wife, — I can now no longer 
 dissemble w"" thee, & I blesse o' most gratious 
 & heavenly father, in o' most holy Lo : Jesus 
 Christ, that I may yet rather tell thee how I 
 have been, than to have feared thee w* the 
 relation of my condition, when it was uncer- 
 taine what the issue would be: I have had 
 an ague these 8 : or 9: dayes. I caiiot saye 
 it is quite gone, but I prayse God it is so well 
 abated, as I hope to be abroad againe over a 
 fewe dayes (if God will). I am heere amonge 
 such lovinge freinds, as will suffer me to 
 want nothinge, especially the Lord beinge 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 89 
 
 pleased to be w* me allso in the favo' & light 
 of his countenance ; yet were it not winter, I 
 could want thee ; but (my sweet wife) have a 
 little more patience & God will restore me to 
 thee soone : I must persuade, & chardge thee, 
 not to thinke of cominge up, for, if it should 
 befall thee other wise than well, it would be 
 worse to me than all this, & much more. 
 Writing is now wearinesse ; I leave thee to 
 supply all duty, love etc. Praye for me ; the 
 Lord blesse thee & all o". I kisse thee — 
 farewell. 
 
 This THURSDAY EVENINGE. 
 
go Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 XXII. 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 (1628.) 
 
 [Margaret was an obedient wife, but in spite of the 
 injunction laid upon her in the letter foregoing, she had 
 set out at once for London, though it was winter. Her 
 return home was, perhaps, hastened by word of the sick- 
 ness of her oldest boy referred to in the following.) 
 
 To my very loving Husband yohn Winthrop Esq. 
 
 at Mr. Downings. 
 
 My most deare and loveinge Husband : 
 I doe blesse and prayse God for the con- 
 tinuance of your health, and for the safe 
 delivery of my good sister Downinge ; it was 
 Very welcom Nuse to us. I thanke the Lord 
 wee are all heare reasonably well. My pore 
 Stephen is up to day. Amye' hath had a 
 very sore ague but is well againe. I hope 
 the Lord will heare our prayers and be 
 pleased to stay his hand in this visitation, 
 
 1 The maid-servant who had accompanied her to London ; 
 taken ill on the journey back to Groton. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 91 
 
 w* if he please to doe we shall have great 
 cause of thankfulnesse : but I desire in this 
 and all other things to submit unto his holy 
 will ; it is the Lord, let him doe what semeth 
 good in his owne eyse. He will doe nothinge 
 but that shall be for our good if we had harts 
 to trust in him, & all shall be for the best 
 what so ever it shall please him to exercise 
 us withall. He wounds & he can heale. He 
 hath never fayled to doe us good, & now he 
 will not shake us off, but continue the same 
 God still that he hath bin heare to fore. The 
 Lord sanctify unto us what soever it shall 
 please him to send unto us, that we may be 
 the better for it & furthered in our corce to 
 heaven. I am sorye for the hard condishtion 
 of Rochell : the Lord helpe them & fite for 
 them & then none shall prevayle against 
 them or overcome them. In vaine they fite 
 that fite against the Lorde, who is a myty 
 god & will destroye all his enimyes. And 
 now my deare husband I have nothinge but 
 my dearest affections to send thee — with 
 many thankes for thy kinde letters, prayinge 
 
92 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 you to except a little for a great deale : my 
 will is good but that I want abilite how to 
 show & expresse it to thee as I desire. I 
 pray remember me to my brothers & sisters, 
 & tel my brother Foones I thanke him for 
 the thinges he sent, & so I bid my good 
 husband farewell & commite him to God. 
 Your loveinge & obedient wife, 
 
 Margaret Winthrope. 
 
 I send up a turkey & 2 capons & a cheese : 
 the carier is payde. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 93 
 XXIII. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 My deare Wife, — I received thy most 
 lovinge & wellcome Lettre, & doe heartyly 
 reioyce & blesse o' heavenly father, acknowl- 
 edging his most gratious providence, & great 
 love towards us, as in all other thinges, so in 
 this mercy, in bringing thee home in saftye, 
 & preservinge all o' family in peace to thy 
 cominge : we see how faithful! & true he is 
 in all his promises. O that we could make 
 use of all o' experience to relye more upon 
 him, & cast o"^ owne cares upon him, caringe 
 onely to please & serve him : I am sorrye 
 for Amye her sicknesse, but praysed be God, 
 who hath disposed so well of it, that the 
 trouble is fallen in o' owne house, for it 
 would have been far more burdensome & 
 inconvenient if it had fallen heer: I doubt 
 not of thy care of her, that she may want 
 neither meanes nor attendance, & I trust the 
 Lord will restore her againe in due tyme. 
 I prayse the Lord, I am now growne indif- 
 
94 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 ferent well, & doe gather strength daylye, & 
 doe hope (through his mercy) we shall have 
 a happy meetinge erelonge, for w'^'', & for the 
 continuance of all other blessinges (espe- 
 cially those w"*" concerne the good of o"' 
 soules), let us be constant in prayer, & in a 
 carefuU endeav' to walke in all well pleasinge 
 before him. Remember my duty to my good 
 mother, my blessinge to all o' children, & 
 kinde Salut' to all o' freinds particularly at 
 Groton Hall & to M' Leigh ; thanke him for 
 his kind & Christian Lettre : O' freinds heer 
 are all in health & desire to be remembered 
 to you all : for newes I referre you to my 
 neighbo"^ Newton : we have received all the 
 thinges you sent, my sister & my selfe thanke 
 thee for them. I will foUowe thy Counsell, 
 & rest in thy Jove for as kinde acceptance of 
 these, as thy pretye sweet short Lettre had 
 w* me, so I kisse my sweet wife & comend 
 thee & all o" to o' most mercifull Lord & 
 heavenly father in Christ; so I kisse my 
 sweet wife & rest 
 
 Thy faithfull husband Jo : Winthrop. 
 
 JAN'Y 22, 1628 [1629]. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 95 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 My good wife, — Although I wrote to 
 thee last week by the Carrier of Hadlygh 
 yet havinge so fitt opportunyty I must needs 
 write to thee againe, for I doe esteeme one 
 litle sweet shorte Lre of thine (such as the 
 last was) to be well worthy 2 : or 3 : from 
 me. How it is w* us these bearers can in- 
 forme thee, so as I may write the lesse. 
 They^ were married on Saterday last: & 
 intende to staye w"" thee till towarde the 
 ende of the Terme ; for it wilbe yet 6 weekes 
 before they can take their voyage. Labour 
 to keepe my sonne at home as much as thou 
 canst especially from Hadleigh. I beganne 
 this Lre to thee yesterdaye at 2 : of the clocke 
 thinkinge to have been large, but was so 
 taken up by companye & businesse as I could 
 gett but hither by this morninge. It greives 
 
 1 Son Henry and his cousin Elisabeth Fones. 
 
96 Some Old Puritan L ove-Leiters. 
 
 •'me that I have not libtye to make better 
 expression of my Love to thee, who art more 
 deare to me than all earthly thinges, but I 
 will endeavour that my prayers may supply 
 the defect of my pen, w"='' wilbe of best use 
 to us both, in as much as the favour & bless- 
 inge of of God is better then all thinges 
 besides. My trust is in his mercye, that 
 upon the faith of his gratious promise, & 
 the experience of his fatherly goodness, he 
 wilbe or God to the ende, to carrye us alonge 
 through this course of of pilgrimage, in the 
 peace of a good conscience, & that in the 
 ende of or race, we shall safely arive at the 
 haven of eternall happinesse. We see how 
 frayle & vaine all earthly good thinges are. 
 There is no meanes to avoide the losse of 
 them in death, nor the bitternesse w'^'' accom- 
 panieth them in the cares & troubles of this 
 life; onely the fruition of Jesus Christ, & 
 the hope of heaven can give us true com- 
 fort & rest, the Lord teach us wisdome, to 
 prepare for o! change, & to lay up of trea- 
 sure there, where of abidinge must be for 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 97 
 
 ever. I know thou lookest for troubles heer, 
 & when one Affliction is over, to meete w* 
 another, but remember what of Saivo' tells 
 us. Be of good comforte i have overcome 
 THE WORLD. See his goodnesse, he hath 
 conquered of enemies before hande, & by 
 Faith in him, we shall assuredly prevaile 
 over them all. Therefore (my sweet wife) 
 rayse up thy heart, & be not dismayed at the 
 crosses thou meetest w* in familye affairs, or 
 otherwise, but still flye to him, who will take 
 up thy burden for thee. Goe thou on cheer- 
 fully in obedience to his holy will, in the 
 course he hath sett thee. Peace shall come. 
 Thou shalt rest as in thy bedd, — & in the 
 meane tyme he will not faile nor forsake 
 thee. But my tyme is past, I must leave 
 thee. So I comende thee and all thine to 
 the gratious protection & blessinge of the 
 Lord, all of freinds heere salute thee, salute 
 thou ours from me. Farewell my good wife. 
 I kisse & love thee w* the kindest affection 
 & rest Thy faithfull husbande 
 
 Jo: WiNTHROP 
 April: 28, 1629. 
 
gS Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 XXV. 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 (1629.) 
 
 To my very loving Husband, 
 
 yohn Winthrope Esquire, theese deliver. 
 
 Most lovinge and good Husband, — I 
 have receved your letters, the true tokens of 
 your love and care of my good now in your 
 absence as well as when you are present. It 
 makes me thinke that sayinge falce out of 
 sight out of minde. I am sure my hart and 
 thoughts are all wayes neere you to doe you 
 good and not evill all the dayse of my 
 life ... I hope through Gods blessinge 
 y" paynes will not be all together lost w'"= 
 you bestow upon me in rightinge. Those 
 serious thoughts of your owne w*"" you sent 
 me did make a very good supply in stead of 
 a sarmon. I shall often reade therin and 
 desyre to be of God's famyle, to whom so 
 many blessinges belonge, and pray that I 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 99 
 
 may not be one separated from God, whose 
 concience is alwayes accusinge them. I 
 shall not neede to righte to you of any thing 
 this weke. My sonne and brother Goslinge 
 can tell you how we are. And I shall thinke 
 longe for y" cominge home. And thus, with 
 my best love to you, I beseech the Lord to 
 send us a comfortable meetinge in his good 
 time. I commit you to the Lord 
 
 Your lovinge and obedient wife 
 
 Margaret Winthrope 
 
lOo Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 XXVI. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [The following is one of the letters spoken of in the 
 preface, of which the originals are lost. It is therefore 
 reproduced in the modernized, and also incomplete, form 
 in which, as there explained, it was printed in 1825.] 
 
 The largeness and truth of my love to 
 thee makes me always mindful of thy welfare, 
 and sets me on work to begin to write before 
 I hear from thee. The very thought of thee 
 affords me many a kind refreshing : What 
 will then the enjoying of thy sweet society, 
 which I prize above all worldly comforts "i 
 
 Yet, such is the folly and misery of man, 
 as he is easily brought to contemn the true 
 good he enjoys, and to neglect the best 
 things, which he holds only in hope, and 
 both upon an ungrounded desire of some 
 seeming good, which he promiseth to him- 
 self. And if it be thus with us, that are 
 Christians, who have a sure word to direct 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. loi 
 
 us, and the holy faith to live by, what is the 
 madness and bondage of those who are out 
 of Christ ? Oh ! the riches of Christ ! Oh ! 
 the sweetness of the word of grace! It 
 ravisheth my soul in the thought hereof, so 
 as, when I apprehend but a glimpse of the 
 dignity and felicity of a Christian, I can 
 hardly persuade my heart to hope for so 
 great happiness. Let men talk what they 
 will of riches, honors, pleasures, etc. ; let us 
 have Christ crucified, and let them take all 
 besides. For, indeed, he who hath Christ, 
 hath all things with him; for he enjoyeth an 
 all-sufficiency, which makes him abundantly 
 rich in poverty, honorable in the lowest 
 abasements, full of joy and consolation in 
 the sharpest afflictions, living in death, and 
 possessing eternity in this vale of misery. 
 Therefore bless we God for his free and 
 infinite mercy, in bestowing Christ upon us. 
 Let us entertain and love him with our 
 whole hearts ; let us trust in him, and cleave 
 to him with denial of ourselves, and all 
 things besides, and account our portion the 
 
I02 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 best in the world; that so, being strength- 
 ened and comforted in his love, we may put 
 forth ourselves to improve our life and means 
 to do him service. There are very few hours 
 left of this day of our labor : then comes the 
 night, when we shall take our rest. In the 
 morning we shall awake unto glory and 
 immortality, when we shall have no more 
 work to do ; no more pains or grief to 
 endure ; no more care, fear, want, reproach, 
 or infirmity ; no more sin, corruption, or 
 temptation. 
 
 I am forced to patch up my letters, here 
 a piece and there another. I have now 
 received thine, the kindly fruits of thy most 
 sweet affections. Blessed be the Lord for 
 the welfare of thyself and all our family. 
 
 I received letters from my two sons with 
 thee. Remember my love and blessing to 
 them, and to my daughter Winthrop, for 
 whose safety I give the Lord thanks. I 
 have so many letters to write, as I cannot 
 write to them now. Our friends here are in 
 reasonable health, and desire to be kindly 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 103 
 
 remembered to you all. Commend me to all 
 my good friends, my loving neighbors good- 
 man Cole and his wife, to whom we are 
 always much beholden. I will remember 
 M her gown and petticoat, and the chil- 
 dren's girdles. So, with my most affectionate 
 desires of thy welfare, and my blessing to 
 all our children, I kiss my sweet wife, and 
 commend thee and all ours to the gracious 
 protection of our heavenly Father, and rest 
 Thy faithful husband, 
 still present with thee in his most unkind 
 absence, 
 
 Jo. WiNTHROP. 
 
 May 8, 1629. 
 
I04 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 XXVII. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [The period of the Puritan emigration to Massachu- 
 setts, of which Winthrop will be the foremost leader, is 
 now not far off; but though he is forced to think of 
 quitting unhappy England, there is, as yet, nothing to 
 show that his eye is turning to America.] 
 
 My good Wife, — I prayse the Lord for 
 the wished newes of thy welfare & of the rest 
 of our companye, & for the continuance of 
 ours heer : it is a great favour, that we may 
 enjoye so much comfort & peace in these so 
 evill & declining tymes, & when the increas- 
 inge of our sinnes gives us so great cause 
 to looke for some heavye scourge & Judg- 
 ment to be cominge upon us: The Lorde 
 hath admonished, threatened, corrected, & 
 astonished us, yet we growe worse & worse, 
 so as his Spirit will not allwayes strive with 
 us, he must needs give waye to his furye at 
 last : He hath smitten all the other Churches 
 before our eyes, & hath made them to drinke 
 of the bitter cuppe of tribulatio, even unto 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 105 
 
 death. We sawe this, & humbled not our- 
 selves, to turne from our evill wayes, but 
 have provoked him more than all the nations 
 rounde about us: therefore he is turninge 
 the Cuppe towards us also, & because we are 
 the last, our portion must be, to drinke the 
 verye dreggs which remaine : My dear wife, 
 I am veryly persuaded, God will bringe some 
 heavye Affliction upon this lande, & that 
 speedylye : but be of good comfort, the hard- 
 est that can come shall be a meanes to mortifiie 
 this bodye of corruption, which is a thousand 
 tymes more dangerous to us then any out- 
 ward tribulation, & to bring us into nearer 
 comunion with our Lord Jesus Christ, & 
 more assurance of his kingdome. If the 
 Lord seeth it wilbe good for us, he will pro- 
 vide a shelter & a hidinge place for us & 
 others, as a Zoar for Lott, Sarephtah for his 
 prophet, &c : if not, yet he will not forsake 
 us : though he correct us with the roddes of 
 men, yet if he take not his mercye & lovinge 
 kindnesse from us we shalbe safe. He onely 
 is allsufficient ; if we have him, we have all 
 
io6 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 things : if he seeth it not good to cutt our 
 portion, in these thinges belowe, equall to 
 the largenesse of our desires, yet if he please 
 to frame our mindes to the portion he allotts 
 us, it wilbe as well for us. 
 
 I thanke thee for thy kinde letter. I am 
 going to Westminster, & must heere breake 
 
 off. I would have my sonne H ^ to be 
 
 heere on teusdaye that I may goe out of 
 towne on Wensdaye or thursdaye next. If 
 Marye her gowne be made I will send it 
 downe by Smith this weeke, or els next, with 
 other thinges: all our freinds heer are in- 
 different well, & desire to be comended to 
 thee, so with my hearty salut^ to all our 
 freinds with thee, my love & blessinge to 
 my sonnes & daughters, in very much hast, 
 I ende & comende thee & all ours to the 
 gratious protectio & blessinge of the Lorde 
 — so I kisse my sweet wife, & thinke longe 
 till I see thee — farewell. 
 
 Thine Jo: Winthrop. 
 
 I thanke thee for our Turkye. 
 
 May 15. 1629. 
 
 ' Henry, lately returned from Barbadoes. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 107 
 XXVIII. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 To my verye lovinge wife Mrs. Winthrop 
 
 at Groton in Suffk. 
 
 Thou mayest mervaile that thou haddest 
 no Letter from me by my Sonne, but I knowe 
 thou wilt not impute it to any decaye of love, 
 or neglect of thee ; who art more pretious 
 to me than any other thinge in this worlde ; 
 but the uncertainty of his io'nye, & the dis- 
 like of his ill course, which made me estrange 
 my selfe towards him. I prayse God I came 
 safe hither, & am in good health as all our 
 friends heere are (who desire tP be kindly 
 remembered to thee). I hope my sonne^ 
 hath putt awaye his man, for he promised he 
 would, & that he would amende his life: I 
 beseech the Lorde to give him grace so to 
 doe ; otherwise he will soone be undone. I 
 am still more confirmed in that course w* 
 
 1 Henry, the wayward boy of the family. 
 
io8 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 I propounded to thee, & so are my brother & 
 Sister D:^ the good Lo: direct & blesse us 
 in it. 
 
 I received a lettre from Forthes Tutor,^ 
 wherein he complaynes of his longer absence, 
 w'^'' he findes doth him much hurte both in 
 his learninge & manners, & wisheth me to 
 sende him speedylie, for he sayth he hath 
 provided him a chamber in the Colledge. I 
 praye thee speake with him, & doe as may 
 be fittest, for if he intendes not the ministerye, 
 I have no great minde to sende him any 
 more; if he doth, let him goe so soone as 
 he can. I have now received thy sweet lettre, 
 w'^'' I heartyly thanke thee for, & doe with all 
 thankfuUnesse acknowledge the goodnesse 
 of the Lord towards us in his blessinge upon 
 thee & all ours, which I shall labour the con- 
 tinuance of to the best of my power, & so 
 farr as my poore prayers can give further- 
 ance. I am sorye I cannot write to thee as 
 I desire, but thou wilt beare with me the 
 
 ^ Downing. 
 
 2 Forth is an undergraduate of Emanuel College, Cam- 
 bridge. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 109 
 
 rather for that I thinke my OfiGce 1 is gone, 
 so as I shall not wronge thee so much with 
 my absence as I have done. I will send thee 
 some pepper in my sonnes boxe, & so with 
 my blessinge to my sonnes & daughters, salu- 
 tations to all our good friendes, & my most 
 intire Affections to thy selfe, I comend 
 thee to the grace & blessinge of the Lord 
 
 & rest 
 
 Thy faithfuU husband 
 
 Jo : WiNTHROP. 
 
 Thou shalt receive in the boxe a book of 
 the newes this weeke. 
 
 My sister Fones & her children will be 
 with thee after the Terme. 
 
 June s- 1629. 
 
 Sende me no linnen for I have enough 
 heere. 
 
 ^ The office of Attorney of the Court of Wards and 
 Liveries, held by Winthrop since about 1623. 
 
no Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 XXIX. 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 
 To hir very lovinge Husban yohn Winthrope Esf 
 
 these deliver. 
 
 My DEARE Husband, — Havinge so fit 
 opertunity I cannot omit it, but rite a word 
 or two to thee that you may understand of 
 our healths. I prayse God we are all well, 
 and I think very longe for y" returne home. 
 I hope to hear this weeke when you will 
 come home. I have received y" sweet letter, 
 and thanke thee for it. My sonne ^ will be 
 at London before the end of the terme : he 
 and his wife purpose to goe to my brothers 
 Tyndall some time this weeke and I thinke 
 he will goe from thence to London. I may 
 chance to goe alonge with them, my daughter 
 beinge a stranger thear : if I go I shall not 
 right ainy more this weeke without I can send 
 from thence. Thou seast how bold I am to 
 take leave to goe abrode in thy abcence, but 
 
 ' step-son Henry again. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 1 1 1 
 
 I presume upon thy love and concent, or elce 
 I wolde not doe it. I hope I shall take order 
 that all thinges shalbe wel looked to for the 
 time I stay. I will not trouble thee with relat- 
 inge any thinge to thee, but leave all maters till 
 I see thee. I loth to be thus short in rightinge 
 to thee, but that it is night and I must send 
 awaye my letter, and part with my beloved 
 and good Husban, and have nothinge but 
 my best love and all due respect to send him 
 which my pen can not exprese or my tounge 
 utter, but I will endevor to shew it as well as 
 I can to thee, and to all that love thee. I 
 pray remember my love to brother and sister 
 Downinge, sister Fones. I hope I shall see 
 them all heare this sommer, and thus I must 
 leave thee and bid my sweet Husban good 
 night and commit him to God. 
 
 Your faythful and obedient wife 
 
 Margaret Winthrope. 
 
112 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 XXX. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [As in letter xxvii., the probable departure from 
 England soon is assumed, but whither is imcertain still.] 
 
 My good Wife, — Blessed be the Lord 
 o"^ God for his great mercye still continued 
 to us & o". O that we could consider aright 
 of his kindnesse, that we might knowe o' hap- 
 pinesse in being the children of such a father, 
 & so tenderly beloved of the All sufficient, 
 but we must needs complaine. Oh this flesh, 
 this fraile sinfull flesh, that obscures the 
 beauty & brightnesse of so great glorye & 
 goodnesse ! I thanke thee for thy most 
 kinde & sweet Lettre, the stampe of that 
 amiable affection of a most lovinge wife : I 
 assure thee, thy labour of love (tho' it be 
 very great) shall not be lost, so far as the 
 prayers & endeavours of a faithfull husbande 
 can tende to requitall. But I must limitt the 
 length of my desires to the shortnesse of my 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 113 
 
 leysure, otherwise I should not knowe when 
 to ende. I trust, in the Lorde, the tyme of o' 
 wished meetinge wilbe shortly, but my occa- 
 sions are such as thou must have pacience 
 till the ende of next weeke, thoughe I shall 
 strive to shorten it, if possible I maye : and 
 after that, I hope, we shall never parte so 
 longe againe, till we parte for a better meet- 
 inge in heaven. But where we shall spende 
 the rest of o' short tyme I knowe not : the 
 Lorde, I trust, will direct us in mercye ; my 
 comfort is that thou art willinge to be my 
 companion in what place or conditi5 soevere, 
 in weale or in woe. Be it what it may, if 
 God be w* us, we need not feare ; his favour, 
 & the kingdome of heaven wilbe alike & 
 happinesse enough to us & o" in all places. 
 
 ^ is in London, but I have seen him 
 
 but twice, I knowe not what he doth nor what 
 he intendeth, I mourne for his sinnes & the 
 miserye that he will soone bringe upon him- 
 
 * The original is torn here and the name lost ; but if, as 
 one must guess, it is the perverse Henry, the strain of refer- 
 ence to him will henceforth be less unpleasant. 
 
 8 
 
1 14 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 selfe & his wife. Our freinds here are all 
 in health (God be praysed) & desire to be 
 comended to" thee, so w* my love & blessinge 
 to o' children, salutatio to all o' freinds, my 
 brother & sister Gostlin &c, I comende thee 
 to the good Lorde & kisse my sweet wife & 
 rest 
 
 Thy faithfull husband 
 
 Jo: WiNTHROP. 
 June 22. 1629. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 1 1 5 
 
 XXXI. 
 
 JOHN WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [Since the last letter circumstances have determined 
 Winthrop to join the Massachusetts Colony enterprise.] 
 
 OcTOB. 9 : 1629. 
 
 My Sweet Wife, — We heare yet of no 
 lettres from Groton, w** makes us to mervaile, 
 & we shall longe to heare how you all doe. 
 I prayse God we are all heere in health, but 
 we are not like to gett out of towne before 
 mundaye senight : I wish my sonne John 
 were heere before but that it wilbe verye 
 chargeable to keepe horses so longe in 
 towne; but if he can light upon any good 
 company, he maye come on mundaye or 
 teusday next, & John may bringe up the 
 other horses on Saterdaye. 
 
 " I sende thee herew"* some papers con- 
 cerninge N : E : when thou lookest upon 
 them, thou wilt beare w* the brevitye of my 
 lettres : I would have Forth reade the booke 
 
ii6 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 to thee : for the loose papers let him write 
 them out better, & then reade them. I would 
 have him copye out so much of that in the 
 booke, as is from the hande in the \blanti\ 
 leafe to the ende, & shewe it to Mr. Mott, 
 my neighbo' Childe & others that have a 
 minde to N : E : especially that gratious let- 
 tre in the ende : -^ w* I wish thee & the rest 
 to reade seariously over. 
 
 " This morninge I received thy sweet let- 
 tre ; I heartyly blesse o' good God for the 
 wellfare of thy selfe & all o' familye, & doe 
 much reioyce in thy love : I shalbe as loth 
 to leave my kinde wife behinde me, as she 
 wilbe to staye ; but we must leave all to the 
 Lords good providence. I send downe by 
 Jervais two peeces of Lokerum, 26 : elles of 
 one peece, & 18 : of the other, cloth for a 
 sute & Cloake for Forth : & for a night 
 gowne for thy selfe, w* bookes for the chil- 
 dren. Lett me knowe wha,t triminge I shall 
 sende for thy gowne. 
 
 1 A letter, it is probable, of the Rev. Francis Higginson, 
 who had reached Salem, Mass., the previous June, with a 
 reinforcement for Endicott's settlement there. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 117 
 
 My Sonne Hen : wilbe at Groton soone ; 
 
 he is like to putt of his business in Bar- 
 
 bethe' & staye to goe to N : E : the occasio 
 
 comes from my sonne John, as by this lettre 
 
 I send you may appeare. The good Lo : 
 
 dispose all for the best in his rich mercye. 
 
 The Lord blesse thee (my sweet wife) & all 
 
 o' children & familye. My brother & sister 
 
 salute thee, & all thy Companye. Farewell 
 
 my good wife. 
 
 Thy faithfull husband 
 
 J: W: 
 
1 1 8 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 XXXII. 
 
 [1629.] 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 
 My DEARE Husband, — I received thy 
 sweet and most welcome letter very late this 
 munday night, and doe blesse God for thy 
 helth and welfayre. I have hearde reade the 
 Nuse from N : E : and much reioyce in it. 
 The good Lord still continue his mercy to 
 that plantation, and blesse us in our intended 
 purpose that way. We see how the Lord 
 giveth us his warent and daly incoragement 
 that way ; wee may I hope trust him for a 
 blessinge upon us and ours : For my sonne 
 H. his stay from Barbatus, if his pretence be 
 good, it had bin pittye he should have gon to 
 have indangered the good of his soule, by 
 beinge partaker of the sines of the rest of 
 that wicked Company : the Lord I hope hath 
 rowght some good worke in him, which I 
 beseech him to confirme in his due tyme. I 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 119 
 
 have read my daughters good letter to him, 
 
 and shall love hir the better whilst I live. 
 
 It is now late and bed time and I must bid 
 
 thee good night before I am wilinge, for I 
 
 could finde in my hart to sit and talke with 
 
 thee all night. Though I am a bad wacher, 
 
 I could wel spare a nights sleepe to doe any 
 
 thinge for thee. I wish my sister F. ware at 
 
 home, for Mary is sick and I feare it will 
 
 prove the smale poxe or mesels or such like ; 
 
 if she should doe otherwise then well in hir 
 
 mothers abcence, it would be a great grefe 
 
 to me, but I leave to y" decrecion whether 
 
 you will tell hir of it or no, and so I bid thee 
 
 farewell : the Lord keepe thee 
 
 thy unworthy wife 
 
 M. W. 
 
 I have not yet received the things you 
 sent, when I see the cloth \ will send word 
 what triminge will serve. I hope you shall 
 not nede to tell my sister Fones of M. sick- 
 nesse, it will prove but the meseles at the 
 most. 
 
1 20 Some Old Puritan Love-L etters. 
 XXXIII. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 My deare Wife, — I am verye sorye that 
 I am forced to feed thee w* lettres, when my 
 presence is thy due, & so much desired : but 
 my trust is, that he who hath so disposed of 
 it, will supply thee w* patience, & better com- 
 forte in the want of him whom thou so much 
 desirest : The Lord is able to doe this, & 
 thou mayst expect it, for he hath promised 
 it. Seeinge he calls me into his worke, he 
 will have care of thee & all o"^ & o' affaires 
 in my absence : therefore I must sende thee 
 to him, for all thou lackest : goe boldly (sweet 
 wife) to the throne of Grace; if anythinge 
 trouble thee, acquainte the Lord w* it; tell 
 him, he hath taken thy husband from thee, 
 pray him to be a husband to thee, a father to 
 thy children, a master to thy householde, thou 
 shall finde him faithfull : thou art not guilty 
 of my departure, thou hast not driven me 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 121 
 
 awaye by any unkindnesse, or want of dutye, 
 therefore thou mayst challenge protection & 
 blessinge of him. 
 - I prayse the Lorde I am in health & 
 cheerfull in my course, wherein I find God 
 gratiously present, so as we expect, he wilbe 
 pleased to direct & prosper us. We have 
 great advantage because we have many 
 prayers. 
 
 Bee not discouraged (deare heart) though 
 I sett thee no tyme of my returne ; I hope it 
 shall not be longe, & I will make no more 
 staye then I needs must. 
 
 So it is that it hath pleased the Lorde to 
 call me to a further trust in this businesse of 
 the Plantation, then either I expected or 
 finde myselfe fitt for, (beinge chosen by the 
 Company to be their Governor). The onely^ 
 thinge that I have comforte of in it is, that ■ 
 heerby I have assurance that my charge is of 
 the Lorde & that he hath called me to this 
 worke : O that he would give me an heart 
 now to answeare his goodnesse to me, & the 
 expectation of his people ! I never had more 
 
122 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 need of prayers, helpe me (deare wife) & lett 
 us sett o' hearts to seeke the Lorde, & cleave 
 to him sincearly. 
 
 My brother & sisters salute you all', my 
 Sonne remembers his dutye to thee, & saluta- 
 tions to all the rest. Comende me kindly 
 to all o' freinds at Groton hall, & to M' Leigh 
 & his wife, my neighbo' Cole & his wife, o' 
 freinds at Castleins & all that love us. So 
 the Lorde blesse thee & all o' children & 
 companye. So I kisse my sweet wife & rest 
 thy faithful! husband 
 
 Jo : WiNTHROPi 
 Octob: 20 1629. 
 
 I would faine knowe if thou shalt be like 
 to goe w* me, for thou shalt never have so 
 good opportunity. Let John enq' out 2 : or 
 3: Carpenters: & knowe how many of o' 
 neighbo" will goe, that we may provide shipps 
 for them. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 123 
 
 XXXIV. 
 
 [1630.] 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 
 My deare Husband, — I knowe not how 
 to expresse my love to thee or my desyres of 
 thy wished welfayre, but my hart is well 
 knowne to thee, which will make relation of 
 my affections though they be smalle in ap- 
 perance : my thoughts are nowe on our great 
 change and alteration of our corce heare, 
 which I beseech the Lord to blesse us in, & 
 my good Husband cheare up thy hart in the 
 expectacion of Gods goodnesse to us, & let 
 nothinge dismay or discorage thee; if the 
 Lord be with us who can be against us : my 
 grefe is the feare of stayinge behinde thee, 
 but I must leave all to the good providence 
 of God. I thank the Lord wee are all heare 
 in reasonable good health, I receved a letter 
 since you went from my sonne John, w^'' 
 brout good Nuse from Nue E : I pray thanke 
 
1 24 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 him for it, I wil rite to him if I have time, 
 & thus with my best respect to thy selfe, 
 brother & sister D: I commit you to God 
 and rest 
 
 Your faythfull wife 
 
 Margaret Winthrope. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-L etters. 125 
 XXXV. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 To my verye lovinge Wife M" Winthrop the elder 
 
 at Groton, Suff^. 
 
 My Deare Wife, my chiefe ioye in this 
 WORLD, — Blessed be the Lord or good God 
 that still keepeth us in of absence & maketh 
 it an occasion of the trueth & fervencye of our 
 affections each to other: He that is pleased 
 so gratiously to manifest himselfe to us in 
 o' preparatios to the worke in hande, will 
 not faile to be w"* us in it, & to take care of 
 ours while we shalbe absent from them. Be 
 of good comfort, (my sweet Love), he is thy 
 God, he hath sealed thee for his owne, & will 
 not forsake thee : He made us for his ser- 
 vice, & if he will make us [in] any part in- 
 strum'^ for his glorye, it matters not what we 
 may suffer: the kingdome of Heaven will 
 make amendes for all. I propose (God will- 
 inge) to be w* thee on Saturdaye : till then 
 
1 26 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 farewell. We all salute thee & o' good sister 
 Fones & the rest. Comende my love & 
 blessings to all o' children & cosins. Tell 
 my 2 sonnes I received their 1"' & thank 
 them for their care of me. So I kisse my 
 sweet wife & rest 
 
 Thy faithful! husband 
 
 Jo : WiNTHROP. 
 
 JANJ 22 
 
 1629 [1630]. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 127 
 
 XXXVI. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [The second of the three letters, which, for the reason 
 given in the preface, cannot be reproduced in the old 
 orthography.] 
 
 My dear Wife, — I praise God, we came 
 safe to London, and continue in health, and 
 found all well here. Thus it pleaseth the 
 Lord to follow us with his blessings, that we 
 might love him again. I find here so much 
 to do, as I doubt I shall not come down 
 these three weeks ; but, thou mayest be sure, 
 I will stay no longer than my occasions shall 
 enforce me. 
 
 I must now begin to prepare thee for our 
 long parting, which grows very near. I know 
 not how to deal with thee by arguments; 
 for if thou wert as wise and patient as ever 
 woman was, yet it must needs be a great trial 
 to thee, and the greater, because I am so 
 dear to thee. That which I must chiefly 
 
128 Some Old Puritan Love-L etters. 
 
 look at in thee, for a ground of content- 
 ment, is thy godliness. If now the Lord be 
 thy God, thou must show it by trusting in 
 him, and resigning thyself quietly to his good 
 pleasure. If now Christ be thy Husband, thou 
 must show what sure and sweet intercourse 
 is between him and thy soul, when it shall 
 be no hard thing for thee to part with an 
 earthly, mortal, infirm husband for his sake. 
 The enlargement of thy comfort in the com- 
 munion of the love and sweet familiarity of 
 thy most holy, heavenly, and undefiled Lord 
 and Husband, will abundantly recompense 
 whatsoever want or inconvenience may come 
 by the absence of the other. The best 
 course is to turn all our reasons and dis- 
 course into prayers ; for he only can help, 
 who is Lord of sea and land, and hath sole 
 power of life and death. 
 
 It is now near eleven of the clock, and I 
 shall write again ere long (if God will). The 
 good Lord bless thee and all thy company. 
 My broth, and sister salute you all. Com- 
 mend my hearty love to my good sister F. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 129 
 
 and all the rest. Tell her I wrote to Mr. 
 Dummer so soon as I came to town ; and, if 
 I can, I will speak with him, before John go 
 down. So I kiss my sweet wife, and rest 
 Thy frail, yet faithful husband, 
 
 Jo. WiNTHROP. 
 January 31, 1629 [1630]. 
 
1 30 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 XXXVII. 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 
 My most deare Husband, — I should 
 not now omite any opertunity of rightinge to 
 thee, concideringe I shall not longe have thee 
 to right unto. But by reson of my unfit- 
 nesse at this time I must intreat thee to 
 except of a fewe lines from me and not to 
 imput it to any want of love or neglect of 
 my duty to thee to whome I owe more than 
 I shall ever be able to expresse. My request 
 nowe shalbe to the Lord to prosper thee in 
 thy voyage and inable thee and fit thee for 
 it, and give all graces and giufts for such 
 imploym*^ as he shall call thee to. I trust 
 God will once more bring us together before 
 you goe that we may see each, other with 
 gladnesse, and take sollem leave, till wee 
 through the goodnesse of our God shall 
 meete in N : E : which wilbe a joyfuU day to 
 us. I send thee here inclosed letters from 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Leiiers. 131 
 
 Mf P.^ My good sister F. remembers hir 
 love to you — and it semeth hath ritten so 
 earnestly to M' P. not to come that he doth 
 for beare to come till he heare more. I 
 thinke she would have you send him word 
 to come as sone as he can beinge desyrus to 
 speake with him before you goe ; but it must 
 not come from hir selfe for she wil right to 
 him to stay still. She sayth that he shall not 
 neede to provide any thinge but a house for 
 she will furnish it hir selfe. And thus with 
 my best wishes to God for thy health and 
 welfayre I take my leave and rest 
 
 thy faythful and obedient wife 
 
 Margaret Winthrope 
 
 Jenuary the last [1630] 
 
 1 The Rev. Henry Painter, subsequently member of the 
 Westminster Assembly of Divines, who is making overtures 
 of marriage — destined to succeed, not, as appears, by his 
 unaided efforts — to Mistress Priscilla Fones, second wife, 
 and now widow, of Winthrop's brother-in-law Fones. 
 
1 32 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 XXXVIII. 
 
 (1630.) 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 
 To hir very lovinge and deare Husban, 
 
 yohn Winthrope Es^ at M'. Downings house 
 
 in Fleet strete neere the Condite these deliver. 
 
 My deare Husband, — I knowe thou 
 art desyrus to heere often from us w* makes 
 me take plesure in rightinge to thee, and in 
 relatinge my true affections to thee and 
 desyers of your wished welfayer. The good 
 Lord be ever with thee and prosper all thy 
 afFayres [in] this great and waytty business 
 w* is now in hand, that it may be for the 
 glory of his most holy name & furtherance of 
 his gospell. But I must part with my most 
 deare Husban, w* is a very hard tryall for 
 me to undergoe. If the Lord doe not sup- 
 porte and healpe me in it, I shalbe unable to 
 beare it. I have now received thy kinde 
 letter w* I cannot reade without sheding a 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 133 
 
 great many teares, but I will resine thee and 
 give thee into the hands of the almyti God, 
 who is allsoficient for thee, whome I trust 
 will keepe thee and prosper thee in the way 
 thou art to goe. If thou walke before him 
 in truth and uprightnesse of hart, he will 
 never fayle of his promise to thee. There- 
 fore my good Husban chere up thy hart in 
 God and in the expectation of his favors and 
 blessings in this thy change, with asurance 
 of his love in Christ Jesus our Lord for our 
 change heareafter, when we shall live with 
 him in glory for ever. As for me his most 
 unworthy servant I will cleave to my Hus- 
 band Christ as neere as I can ; though my 
 infirmytyes be great, he is able to heale them 
 and wil not forsake me in the time of neede. 
 I know I shall have thy prayers to God for 
 me that what is wanting in thy presence may 
 be supplyed by the comfort of God's spirit. 
 I am now full of passion, haveinge nuly 
 received thy letter & not able to right much. 
 My Sonne F, will right about other busines. 
 I beginne to fear I shall see thee no more 
 
1 34 Some Old Puritan L ove-Letters. 
 
 before thou goest, w* I should be very sory 
 for and earnestly intreat thee that thou wilt 
 com once more downe if it be possible. And 
 thus with my due respect to thyselfe, brother 
 and sister D., thankes for my linnens to my 
 sister, my love to my sonnes, I commit thee 
 to God and rest 
 
 Your faythful and obedient wife 
 
 Margaret Winthrope. 
 
 My good sister F. remembers hir love. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 135 
 XXXIX. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 To my very lovinge Wife M" Winthrop the elder 
 
 at Groton, in Suffk. 
 
 My sweet wife, — Thy love is such to 
 me, & so great is the bonde betweene us, that 
 I should neglect all others to hold corre- 
 spondencye of lettres w* thee : but I knowe 
 thou art willinge to dispense w* somewhat 
 of thine owne right, to give me lib*^ to satisfie 
 my other occasions for the present, w'*" call 
 me to much writinge this eveninge. Other- 
 wise I would have returned a larger answeare 
 to thy sweet lettre. I prayse God we are all 
 in health, & we goe on cheerfully in o' busi- 
 nesse : I purpose (if God will) to be with 
 thee upon Thursdaye come senight, & then 
 I must take my Farewell of thee, for a 
 Sumers daye & a winters daye. The Lorde 
 o' good God will (I hope) sende us a happye 
 meetinge againe in his good tyme: Amen. 
 
136 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 Comende me kindly to my good sister F : I 
 would have written to her, but I canot, hav- 
 inge 6 : Lettres to write. I wrote to M' P. 
 Tell my sister that her mother is brought in 
 bedd & the child dead, & she in great dan- 
 ger. Among other thinges let the brassen 
 quart in the Larder howse be putt up ; & 
 my gray cloake & the coate w"** was my 
 brother Fones: & let this warrant inclosed 
 be sent to Colchester to M' Sam" Borrowes 
 by the next tyme the carte goes. The Lord 
 blesse thee my sweet wife w* all o' children : 
 my brother & sister salute you all : my sonnes 
 remember their love & dutye : comend my 
 love to all, farewell. 
 
 Thy faithfuU husband, 
 
 Jo: WiNTHROP. 
 
 Lett M' Dudleys thinges be sent up next 
 week. 
 
 Feb; 5. 1629 [1630]. 
 
 Remember to putt me up some Cardons 
 & Card"' seed. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 137 
 
 Beinge now ready to send away my Let- 
 tres, I received thine ;^ the readinge of it 
 has dissolved my head into tears. I can write 
 no more. If I live I will see thee ere I goe. 
 I shall parte from thee with sorrowe enough ; 
 be comfortable my most sweet wife. O' God 
 wilbe w* thee. Farewell. 
 
 1 The next preceding. 
 
1 38 Some Old Puritan Love-L etters. 
 
 XL. 
 
 (1630.) 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 
 My deare Husband, — I received thy 
 sweet letter, and doe blesse God for all his 
 mercyes to us, in the continuance of thy 
 health and welfayre, and the rest of us heare. 
 I am glad to heere you wil come home this 
 weike, for I desire to enioy thy sweete pres- 
 ence as ofte as I can, before that longe 
 partinge come w'''' I desyre the Lord to fit 
 us for, and give me fayth and pacience to 
 submite unto his will in all thinges w"** he 
 requires at my hands. I trust he wil sanctify 
 it to me and give me a right use of it, that I 
 may theareby learn the more to depend upon 
 him ; when other comforters fayle me, I hope, 
 he will supply by the comfort of his holy 
 spirit in the assurance of his love in Jesus 
 Christ our Lord and Savior. I see thy love 
 to me and mine, my good Husband, is more 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 1 39 
 
 than I can deserve, and thou art more willing 
 to grant than I forward to desyre : the good 
 Lord requit thee all thy kindnesse to me, but 
 I will say no more of this till you come home. 
 I beseech the Lord to send us a comforttable 
 meetinge, and thus with my best love to thy 
 selfe, my brother and sister Downinge, & all 
 the rest of our frends, I desyre the Lord to 
 send thee a good end of al thy troubles and 
 inable thee to goe through them cherefuUy, 
 as I trust he will not fayle thee, into whose 
 hands I commit thee and rest 
 
 thy faithful and obedyent wife 
 
 Margaret Winthrope. 
 
140 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 XLI. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 My sweet wife, — The opportunitye of 
 so fitt a messinger, & my deepe engagement 
 of Affection to thee, makes me write at this 
 tyme though I hope to followe soone after. 
 The Lorde o"^ God hath ofte brought us to- 
 gither w* comfort when we have been longe 
 absent, & if it be good for us, he will doe so 
 still. When I was in Irelande he brought 
 us togither againe. When I was sicke heer 
 at London, he restored us togither againe. 
 How many dangers neere death hast thou 
 been in thy selfe & yet the Lorde hath 
 granted me to injoye thee still. If he did 
 not watch over us, we need not goe over sea 
 to seeke death or miserye ; we should meet 
 it at every steppe in everye jo'nye : & is not 
 he a God abroad as well as at home? Is 
 not his power & providence the same in 
 N : E : that it hath been in old E. If o' 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 141 
 
 wayes please him he can comande deliverance 
 
 & safetye in all places & can make the stones job: 5. 
 
 of the field, & the beasts, yea, the raginge 
 
 seas & o' verye enemies to be in leage w* 
 
 us. But if we sinn ag' him, he can rayse up 
 
 evill ag' vs out of o' owne bowells, howses, 
 
 estate, &c. 
 
 My good wife ; trust in the Lorde, whom 
 thou has found faithfull. He wilbe better to 
 thee then any husband : & will restore thee 
 thy husband w* advantage. But I must 
 ende, w* all o' salut. w* w'*" I have laden this 
 bearer, that he may be the more kindly well- 
 come, so I kisse my sweet wife & blesse 
 thee & all d^ & rest. Thyne ever. 
 
 Jo: WiNTHROP 
 Feb: 14: 1629: 
 
 Thou must be my valentine f' none hath 
 challenged me. 
 
142 Some Old Puritan Love- Letters. 
 XLIL 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [The Governor has been home to Groton to say fare- 
 well, and is now back in London completing his prepara- 
 tions to sail for New England.] 
 
 London March 2, 1629 [1630]. 
 
 Mine owne deare heart, — I must con- 
 fesse thou hast overcome me w* thy exceed- 
 inge great Love, & those abundant expressions 
 of it in thy sweet Lres, w"** savour of more 
 then an ordinary spirit of Love & pietye. 
 Blessed be the Lord o"" God that gives 
 strength & comfort to thee to undergoe this 
 great tryall, w'^'' I must confesse, would be 
 too heavye for thee if the Lord did not put 
 under his hande in so gratious a measure. 
 Let this experience of his faithfullnesse to 
 thee in this first tryall, be a grounde to estab- 
 lish thy heart to beleeve & expect his help 
 in all that maye followe. It greiveth me 
 much, that I want tyme & freedome of 
 minde to discourse w* thee (my faithfuU yoak 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 143 
 
 fellowe) in those things w'"* thy sweet Lres 
 offer me so plentifull occasio for. I beseech 
 the Lorde I may have Libtye to supplye it, 
 ere I departe, for I canot thus leave thee. 
 Our 2 : boyes & Ja : Dowinge, Jo : Sam- 
 ford & Mary M : & most of my servants are 
 gone this daye towards S : Hampton. The 
 good Lord be w* them & us all. Goodman 
 Hawes was w* me, & verye kindly offerrs to 
 bringe his wife to Groton about the begin- 
 ninge of Aprill & so staye till thy selfe & my 
 daughter ^ be in bedde ; so as thou shalt not 
 need take care for a midwife. 
 
 Ah, my most kinde & deare wife, how 
 sweet is thy love to me. The Lorde blesse 
 thee & thine, w* the blessinges from above : 
 & from beneath, of the right hande & the 
 lefte, w* plentye of favour & peace heere & 
 eternall glorye heerafter: All heer are in 
 health (I prayse God) & salute thee : reme- 
 ber my love & blessg to o' children & my 
 salut? to all as thou knowest. So I kisse 
 & embrace thee & rest thyne ever. 
 
 Jo : WINTHROP. 
 1 Henry's wife. 
 
144 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 XLIII. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 To my verye loving Wife Mrs. Winthrop the 
 
 elder at Groton, Suffolk. 
 
 London March lo: 1629 [1630]. 
 
 Mine owne, mine onely, my best be- 
 loved, — Methinkes it is verye longe since I 
 sawe or heard from my beloved, & I misse 
 allreadye the sweet comfort of thy most de- 
 sired presence : but the rich mercye & good- 
 nesse of my God makes supplye of all wants : 
 Blessed be his great & holy name. Ah my 
 good wife, we now finde what blessinge is 
 stored up in the favour of the Lorde; he 
 only sweetens all conditions to us, he takes 
 our cares & feares from us, he supports us in 
 our dangers, he disposeth all our affaires for 
 us, he will guide us by his counsell in our 
 pilgrimage, & after will bringe us to glorye. 
 
 John is returned from S: Hampton, where 
 he lefte our boyes well & merrye : & this morn- 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 145 
 
 inge we are ridinge thither, & from thence I 
 shall take my last farewell of thee till we 
 meet in new E: or till midsomer that it 
 please God our shipps returne. My deare 
 wife be of good courage, it shall goe well 
 with thee & us, the hairs of thy head are 
 numbred, he who gave his onely beloved to 
 dye for thee, will give his Angells charge 
 over thee: therefore rayse up thy thoughts, 
 & be merrye in the Lorde, labour to live by 
 thy Faith ; if thou meet with troubles or dif- 
 ficultyes, be not dismayed ; God doth use to 
 bringe his children into the streights of the 
 redd sea &c, that he may shew his power & 
 mercye in makinge a waye for them: All 
 his courses towards us, are but to make us 
 knowe him & love him ; the more thy heart 
 drawes towards him in this, the freer shall thy 
 condition be from the evill of Affliction. 
 
 Our friends heer are all in health (blessed 
 be God) & desire to be heartyly comended 
 to thee. I am exceedingly beholdinge to my 
 good brother & sister D, I can fasten no 
 recompence upon them for all the chardge 
 
146 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 my selfe & my company have putt them to. 
 I have received much kindnesse also from 
 my Lady Mildmay^ & from others, whereof 
 some have been meer strangers to me, the 
 Lord reward them: It doth much incourage 
 us to see, how the eyes & hearts of all good 
 people are upon us, breathinge many sweet 
 prayers & blessings after us. Comende 
 my hearty love to all our friends, I cannot 
 now name them, but thou knowest whom I 
 meane. Nowe I beseech the Lord & father 
 of mercye to blesse thee & all thy companye, 
 my daughter W: Ma: Mat: Sam: Deane, & 
 the little one unknowne, Tho : Am : ^ & the 
 rest : Tell Am : I am very much beholdinge 
 to her brother, desire her to give him thanks 
 for me : tell my n : Culproke ^ I am beholdinge 
 to his Sonne in lawe for oysters he sent me, 
 but could not see him to give him thankes. 
 My deare wife farewell, once againe let us 
 kisse & imbrace, so in teares of great Affec- 
 tion I rest Thine ever 
 
 Jo: WiNTHROP. 
 
 ' A kinswoman. ^ Thomas and Amy, servants. 
 
 ' Neighbor Culproke, no doubt. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 147 
 
 XLIV. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [The Governor has repaired to Southampton, whence 
 his colony, except a shipload each from Plymouth and 
 from Bristol, is to sail.] 
 
 Myne onely best beloved, — I now sa- 
 lute thee from S : Hampton, where by the 
 Lords mercye, we are all safe ; but the windes 
 have been such as o' shippes are not yet come. 
 We waite upon God, hopinge that he will dis- 
 pose all for the best unto us. I supposed I 
 should have founde leysure to have written 
 more fully to thee by this bearer, but heer I 
 meet w* so much company & businesse as 
 I am forced to borrowe of my sleep for this. 
 I purpose, to redeeme this losse before I goe 
 hence, & to write to diverse of my friends. 
 I must intreate thee to supply this defect 
 by remembringe me in the kindest maner 
 to them all. And now (my deare wife) what 
 shall I say to thee } I am full of matter & 
 
148 Some Old Puritan Love- Letters. 
 
 Affection towardes thee, but want tyme to 
 expresse it. I beseech the good Lord to take 
 care of thee & thine; to seale up his lov- 
 inge kindnesse to thy soule ; to fill thee wi^ 
 the sweet comfort of his presence that may 
 upholde thee in this tyme of tryall, & grant 
 us this mercye, that we may see the faces of 
 each other againe in the tyme expected. So 
 lovinge thee truely, & tender of thy wellfare, 
 studyenge to bestowe thee safe, where I may 
 have thee againe I leave thee in the Armes 
 of the Lo : Jes : o' sweet Savio', & w* many 
 kisses & embracinges, I rest 
 
 Thyne onely & ever thine 
 
 Jo: WINTHROP 
 S. Hampton March 14. 1629 [1630].' 
 
 The good Lord blesse o' children & all 
 thy company. Doe thou blesse these heer, 
 & pray, praye for us. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 149 
 XLV. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [The emigrant fleet is detained by adverse winds, at 
 Cowes, Isle of Wight, and will continue to be, there and 
 at Yarmouth, for nearly a fortnight, to the enrichment of 
 this correspondence.] 
 
 My deare wife, — I wrote to thee when 
 I wente from S. Hampton & now I must 
 salute thee & take leave togither from the 
 shipp. God be blessed the winde is come 
 verye f aire & we are all in health. C children ^ 
 remember their dutyes & desire thy blessing. 
 Comende me to all o' good friends as I wrote 
 in my former Lre & be comfortable & trust 
 in the Lord. My deare wife, praye, praye. 
 He is o' God & father ; we are in covenant 
 w* him & he will not cast us off. So this 
 once more I kisse & embrace thee, & all my 
 children, etc., etc. 
 
 Thy faithfuU husband 
 
 Jo; WiNTHROP 
 
 From aboard the Arbella ridinge at the Cowes, 
 March 22. 1629 [1630]. 
 
 ^ His sons, Henry, Stephen, and Adam. 
 
1 50 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 XLVI. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [The remaining letter of the three which the loss of 
 the original — though in this instance a fragment sur- 
 vives in facsimile — makes it necessary to present in 
 modern dress.J 
 
 To Mrs. Marg. Winthrop, the elder, at Groton. 
 
 My faithful and dear Wife, — It pleas- 
 eth God, that thou shouldst once again hear 
 from me before our departure, and I hope 
 this shall come safe to thy hands. I know 
 it will be a great refreshing to thee. And 
 blessed be his mercy, that I can write thee 
 so good news, that we are all in very good 
 health, and, having tried our ship's entertain- 
 ment now more than a week, we find it agree 
 very well with us. Our boys are well and 
 cheerful, and have no mind of home. They 
 lie both with me, and sleep as soundly in a 
 rug (for we use no sheets here) as ever they 
 did at Groton ; and so I do myself, (I praise 
 God). The wind hath been against us this 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 151 
 
 week and more ; but this day it is come fair 
 to the north, so as we are preparing (by 
 God's assistance) to set sail in the morning. 
 We have only four ships ready, and some 
 two or three Hollanders go along with us. 
 The rest of our fleet (being seven ships) will 
 not be ready this sennight. We have spent 
 now two Sabbaths on shipboard very com- 
 fortably, (God be praised,) and are daily 
 more and more encouraged to look for the 
 Lord's presence to go along with us. Henry 
 Kingsbury hath a child or two in the Talbot 
 sick of the measles, but like to do well. One 
 of my men had them at Hampton, but he 
 was soon well again. We are, in all our 
 eleven ships, about seven hundred persons,, 
 passengers, and two hundred and forty cows, 
 and about sixty horses. The ship, which 
 went from Plimouth, carried about one hun- 
 dred and forty persons, and the ship, which 
 goes from Bristowe, carrieth about eighty 
 persons. And now (my sweet soul) I must 
 once again take my last farewell of thee in 
 Old England. It goeth very near to my 
 
152 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 heart to leave thee ; but I know to whom I 
 have committed thee, even to him who loves 
 thee much better than any husband can, who 
 hath taken account of the hairs of thy head, 
 and puts all thy tears in his bottle, who can, 
 and (if it be for his glory) will bring us 
 together again with peace and comfort. Oh, 
 how it refresheth my heart, to think, that I 
 shall yet again see thy sweet face in the land 
 of the living ! — that lovely countenance, 
 that I have so much delighted in, and beheld 
 with so great content ! I have hitherto been 
 so taken up with business, as I could seldom 
 look back to my former happiness ; but now, 
 when I shall be at some leisure, I shall not 
 avoid the remembrance of thee, nor the grief 
 for thy absence. Thou hast thy share with 
 me, but I hope the course we have agreed 
 upon will be some ease to us both. Mondays 
 and Fridays, at five of the clock at night, we 
 shall meet in spirit till we meet in person. 
 Yet, if all these hopes should fail, blessed be 
 our God, that we are assured we shall meet 
 one day, if not as husband and wife, yet in a 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 153 
 
 better condition. Let that stay and comfort 
 thy heart. Neither can the sea drown thy 
 husband, nor enemies destroy, nor any adver- 
 sity deprive thee of thy husband or children. 
 Therefore I will only take thee now and my 
 sweet children in mine arms, and kiss and 
 embrace you all, and so leave you with my 
 God. Farewell, farewell. I bless you all in 
 the name of the Lord Jesus. I salute my 
 daughter Winth. Matt. Nan. and the rest, and 
 all my good neighbors and friends. Pray 
 all for us. Farewell. Commend my bless- 
 ing to my son John. I cannot now write to 
 him ; but tell him I have committed thee and 
 thine to him. Labor to draw him yet nearer 
 to God, and he will be the surer staff of com- 
 fort to thee. I cannot name the rest of my 
 good friends, but thou canst supply it. I 
 wrote, a week since, to thee and Mr. Leigh, 
 and divers others. 
 
 Thine wheresoever, 
 
 Jo. WlNTHROP. 
 
 From aboard the Arbella, riding at the Cowes, 
 March 28, 1630. 
 
154 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 I would have written to my brother and 
 sister Gostling, but it is near midnight. Let 
 this excuse ; and commend my love to them 
 and all theirs. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 155 
 
 XLVII. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 To my verye loving wife M" Winthrop the Elder 
 
 at Groton in Suffolk. 
 
 MY LOVE, MY JOY, MY FAITHFULL ONE, — 
 
 I suppose thou didest not expecte to have 
 any more Lres from me till the returne of o' 
 shippes ; but so is the good pleasure of God. 
 that the windes should not serve yet to carrye 
 us hence. He will doe all thinges in his own 
 tyme & that shalbe for the best in the ende. 
 We acknowledge it a great mercye to us, 
 that we went not out to sea on mondaye 
 when the winde was fair for one daye, for 
 we had been exposed ever since to sore tem- 
 pestes & contrarye windes : I prayse God, 
 we are all in good health, & want nothinge. 
 For my self e I was never at more liberty of 
 bodye & minde these many yeares. The Lord 
 make me thankfull & wise to improve his 
 blessinges for the furtherance of his owne 
 
156 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 worke. I desire to resigne my selfe wholly 
 to his gratious disposinge. O, that I had an 
 heart so to doe, & to trust perfectly in him, for 
 his assistance in all 0' wayes. We finde him 
 still goeinge alonge w"" us. He hath brought 
 in the heart of the master of o' shippe to 
 afforde us all good respect, & to joyne w"" us 
 in everye good action. Yesterday he caused 
 his seamen to keepe a fast with us, wherein 
 the Lorde assisted us & o' minister very 
 comfortably; & when 5: of the clocke came, 
 I had respitt to remember thee, (it being fry- 
 daye) & to parlye w* thee, & to meet thee 
 in spiritt before the Lord. After supper we 
 discovered some notorious lewd psons of o' 
 owne company, who in tyme of or fast had 
 comitted thefte, & done other vilanies, for 
 w'='' we have caused them to be severely 
 punished. 
 
 I am uncertaine whither I shall have 
 opportunitye to sende these to thee ; for, if 
 the winde turne we shall soone be gone. 
 Therefore I will not write much. I knowe 
 it wilbe sufficient for thy present comfort to 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letiers. 157 
 
 heare of o' wellfare ; & this is the third Ire 
 I have written to thee since I came to Hamp- 
 ton, in requitall of those 2 : I received from 
 thee, w'*' I doe often read w* much delight, 
 apprehen'^g so much love & sweet Affection 
 in them, as I am never satisfied w* readinge, 
 nor can reade them w* out teares ; but 
 whither they proceed from joy sorrowe or 
 desire, or from that consent of Affection w'^'' 
 I allwayes holde w* thee, I canot conceive. 
 Ah, my deare heart, I ever holde thee in 
 high esteeme as thy Love & goodnesse 
 hath well deserved ; but (if it be possible) I 
 shall yet prize thy vertue at a greater rate, & 
 longe more to enjoye thy sweet society then 
 ever before. I am sure thou art not shorte 
 of me in this desire. Let us pray harde & 
 pray in faith, & o' God, in his good tyme will 
 accomplish o' desire. O, how loth am I to 
 bedd thee farewell, but since it must be, fare- 
 well, my sweet Love, farewell. Farewell my 
 deare children & familye. The Lord blesse 
 you all, & grant me to see y*^ faces once 
 againe. Come (my deare) take him & let 
 
■■ '.5»5» * 
 
 158 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 him rest in thine armes, who will ever 
 remaine 
 
 Thy faithful! husband 
 
 Jo : WiNTHROP 
 
 From abord the Arbella ryding before 
 Yarmouth in the Isle of Wight. 
 
 Aprill 3. 1630. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-JLetters. 159 
 XLVIII. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [The first letter from New England. The "many 
 sadd and discomfortable thinges " of which it speaks are 
 insufficient lodging, and shortness of provision due to 
 the failure, through a general and fearfully mortal sick- 
 ness, of the advance guard of the colony at Salem to 
 prepare for its coming ; whereby it was immediately in 
 distress, and forced to " plant dispersedly," the Governor 
 joining himself to the company that settled at Charles- 
 town. To his affliction from this cause was added the 
 private grief of the loss of his son Henry by drowning 
 the day after his landing.] 
 
 To my verye lovnge wife M" Winthrop the elder 
 
 at Groton in Suff neere Sudbury. 
 
 Charleton in N : England. July 16. 1630. 
 
 My deare wife, — Blessed be the Lord 
 o' good God & mercifull father, that yet hath 
 preserved me in life & health to salute thee, 
 & to comforte thy longe longinge heart, w* 
 the joyfull newes of my wellfare, & the well- 
 fare of thy beloved children. 
 
 We had a longe & troublesome passage, 
 
i6o Some Old Puritan Love-Lettsrs. 
 
 but the Lord made it safe & easye to us: 
 & though we have mett w* many & great 
 troubles (as this bearer^ can certifie thee) yet 
 he hath pleased to uphold us, & to give us 
 hope of a happye issue. 
 
 I am so overpressed w* businesse, as I 
 have no tyme for these or other mine owne 
 private occasions. I onely write now, that 
 thou mayest knowe that yet I live & am 
 mindfull of thee, in all my affairs. The larger 
 discourse of all thinges thou shalt receive 
 from my brother Dowinge, w"^'' I must sende 
 by some of the last shippes. We have mett 
 w"" many sadd & discomfortable thinges, as 
 thou shalt heare after : & the Lords hande 
 hath been heavy upon my selfe in some verye 
 neare to me : My sonne Henry, my sonne 
 Henrye, ah, poore childe ! Yet it greives me 
 much more for my deare daughter.^ The 
 Lord strengthen & comfort her heart, to 
 beare this crosse patiently. I knowe thou 
 
 I Margaret's brother, Arthur Tyndal, retreating home. See 
 next letter. 
 
 * Henry's wife. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. i6i 
 
 wilt not be wanting to her in this distresse : 
 yet for all these thinges (I prayse my God) I 
 am not discouraged, nor doe I see cause to 
 repent, or dispaire of those good dayes here, 
 w* will make amends for all. 
 
 I shall expect thee next somer (if the 
 Lord please) & by that tyme I hope to be 
 provided for thy comfortable entertainment. 
 My most sweet wife, be not disheartened ; 
 trust in the Lord, & thou shalt see his 
 faithfullnesse. 
 
 Comraende me heartyly to all o' kinde 
 friends, at Castleins, Groton hall, M' Leigh 
 & his wife, my neighb' Cole & all the rest 
 of my neighb'^ & their wives, both rich & 
 poore. 
 
 Rember me to them at Assington hall & 
 Codenham hall, M' Brande M' Alston M' 
 Mott & their wives, Goodm Ponde, Charles 
 Neale &c etc. The good Lord be w* thee & 
 blesse thee & all o"" children & servants. 
 
 Comend my Love to them all, I kisse 
 
 & embrace thee, my deare wife, & all my 
 
 children, & leave thee in his armes who is 
 
 II 
 
1 62 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 able to preserve you all, & to fulfill o' joye 
 in o' happye meeting in his good tyrae. 
 Amen, 
 
 Thy faithfull husband 
 
 Jo: WiNTHROP 
 
 I shall write to my sonne John by 
 London. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 163 
 
 XLIX. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 My deare Wife, — I wrote to thee by 
 my brother Arthur, but I durst write no 
 more ; then I need not care though it mis- 
 carried, for I found him the olde man^ still ; 
 yet I would have kept him to ease my brother, 
 but that his owne desire to returne, & the 
 scarcitye of provisions heer, yielded the 
 stronger reason to let him goe. Now (my 
 good wife) let us ioyne in praysinge o*^ mer- 
 ciful! God, that (howsoever he hath afflicted 
 us, both generally & particularly mine owne 
 family in his stroke upon my sonne Henry) 
 yet myselfe & the rest of o' children & 
 familye are safe & in health, & that he 
 upholds o' hearts that we fainte not in all o' 
 troubles, but can yet waite for a good issue. 
 And howsoever our fare be but coarse in 
 respect of what we formerly had, (pease, 
 
 * Evidently not a compliment. 
 
164 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 puddings & fish, beinge o"' ordinary diet,) yet 
 he makes it sweet & wholesome to us, that I 
 may truely say I desire no better: Besides 
 in this, that he beginnes w* us thus in afflic- 
 tion, it is the greater argument to us of his 
 love, & of the goodnesse of the worke w"*" we 
 are about ; for Sathan bends his forces against 
 us, & stirres up his instruments to all kinde 
 of mischief, so that I thinke heere are some 
 persons who never shewed so much wicked- 
 nesse in England as they have doone heer. 
 Therefore be not discouraged (my deare 
 Wife) by anythinge thou shalt heare from 
 hence, for I see no cause to repente of o' 
 coming hether, & thou seest (by o' experience) 
 that God can bringe safe hether even the ten- 
 derest women & the youngest children (as 
 he did many in diverse shippes, though the 
 voyage were more teadious than formerly hath 
 been knowne in this season.) Be sure to be 
 warme clothed, & to have store of fresh pro- 
 visions, meale, eggs putt up in salt or grounde 
 mault, butter, ote meale, pease, & fruits, & a 
 large stronge chest or 2: well locked, to 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 165 
 
 keepe these provisions in ; & be sure they be 
 bestowed in the shippe where they may be 
 readyly come by, (w'^'' the boatswaine will see 
 to & the quartermasters, if they be rewarded 
 beforehande,) but for these thinges my sonne 
 will take care. Be sure to have ready at sea 
 2 : or 3 : skilletts of severall syzes, a large 
 fryinge panne, a small stewinge panne, & a 
 case to boyle a pudding in ; store of linnen 
 for use at sea, & sacke to bestowe among the 
 saylers : some drinkinge vessells, & peuter & 
 other vessells : & for phisick you shall need 
 no other but a pound of Doctor Wright's 
 Electuariu lenitivu, & his direction to use it, 
 a gallon of scirvy grasse to drinke a litle 5 : 
 or 6 : morninges togither, w* some saltpeter 
 dissolved in it, & a little grated or sliced 
 nutmege. 
 
 Thou must be sure to bringe no more 
 companye than so many as shall have full 
 provisio for a yeare & halfe, for though the 
 earth heere be very fertile yet there must be 
 tyme & meanes to rayse it ; if we have corne 
 enough we may live plentifully. Yet all 
 
1 66 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 these are but the meanes w* God hath 
 ordayned to doe us good by: o' eyes must 
 be towards him, who as he can w^hould 
 blessings from the strongest meanes, so he 
 can give sufficient vertue to the weakest. I 
 am so streightened w"" much businesse, as 
 can no waye satisfie myselfe in wrightinge to 
 thee. The Lorde will in due tyme lett us 
 see the faces of each other againe to o'' great 
 comforte : Now the Lord in mercye blesse, 
 guide & supporte thee : I kisse & embrace 
 thee my deare wife. I kisse & blesse you all 
 my deare children, Forth, Mary, Deane, Sam, 
 & the other: the Lorde keepe you all & 
 worke his true feare in yo' hearts. The bless- 
 ing of the Lorde be upon all my servants, 
 whom salute from me, Jo : Samford, Amy 
 &c, Goldston, Pease, Chote &c: my good 
 freinds at Castlins & all my good neighbo", 
 goodman Cole & his good wife, & all the 
 rest: 
 
 Remember to come well furnished w"" lin- 
 nen, woollen, some more beddinge, brasse, 
 peuter, leather bottells, drinkinge homes &c : 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 167 
 
 let my sonne provide 1 2 : axes of severall 
 sorts of the Braintree Smithe, or some other 
 prime workman, whatever they coste, & some 
 Augers great & smale, & many other neces- 
 saryes w'^'' I cant now thinke of, as candles, 
 sope, & store of beife suett, &c ; once againe 
 farewell my deare wife. 
 
 Thy faithfull husband 
 
 Jo : WiNTHROP. 
 Charlton in N : England July 23 : 1630. 
 
1 68 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 L. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [At the writing of this letter the shadow of the 
 Colony's dark day is deepening. Hunger and disease 
 are fast thinning its ranks. The Lady Arbella Johnson, 
 daughter of the Earl of Lincoln, the gentlewoman of the 
 emigration, is dead; the beloved Francis Higginson, 
 also, and many another whose loss is the saddest be- 
 reavement. These circumstances are a sufficient com- 
 ment on the spirit the Governor revpals.J 
 
 My deare wife, — The blessinge of God 
 allsufificient be upon thee & all my deare 
 ones w*** thee for ever. 
 
 I prayse the Good Lord, though we see 
 much mortalitye sicknesse & trouble, yet 
 (such is his mercye) my selfe & children, 
 w"" most of my family are yet livinge & in 
 health & enjoye prosperity enough, if the 
 Affliction of o"^ brethren did not hold under 
 the comfort of it. The Lady Arbella is 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 1 69 
 
 dead, & good M' Higginson, my servant 
 old Waters of Neyland & many others. 
 Thus the Lord is pleased still to humble 
 us, yet he mixes so many mercyes w* his 
 corrections, as we are perswaded he will 
 not cast us off, but in his due tyme will doe 
 us good, accordinge to the measure of o' 
 Afflictions. He stayes but till he hath 
 purged o' corruptions, & healed the hard- 
 nesse & error of o' hearts, & stripped us 
 of o' vaine confidence in this arme of flesh, 
 that he may have us relye wholly upon him- 
 selfe. The French shippe ^ so longe expected, 
 & given up for lost, is now come safe to us, 
 about a fortnight since, havinge been 1 2 : 
 weekes at sea, & yet her passengers (beinge 
 but fewe) all safe & well, but one : & her goats, 
 but 6 : livinge of 18 : so as now we are 
 somewhat refreshed w* such goods & pro- 
 visions as she brought, though much 
 thereof hath received damage by wett. 
 
 1 Of this ship nothing is known beyond what is here told, 
 except that the Governor's journal says she was called " The 
 Gift." 
 
1 70 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 I prayse God, we have many occasions of 
 comfort heer, & doe hope, that o' dayes 
 of Affliction will soone have an ende, & 
 that the Lord will doe us more good in the 
 ende, then we could have expected, that 
 will abundantly recompense for all the 
 trouble we have endured. Yet we may not 
 looke at great thinges heer. It is enough 
 that we shall have heaven though we should 
 passe through hell to it. We heer enjoye 
 God & Jesus Christ. Is not -this enough ? 
 What would we have more .? I thanke God, 
 I like so well to be heer, as I do not repent 
 my cominge : & if I were to come againe 
 I would not have altered my course, though 
 I had foreseen all these Afflictions : I never 
 fared better in my life, never slept better, 
 never had more content of minde, w"*" comes 
 meerly of the Lord's good hande, for we 
 have not the like meanes of these com- 
 forts heer w"*" we had in England. But 
 the Lord is all sufficient, blessed be his 
 holy name. If he please, he can still up- 
 holde us in this estate; but if he shall 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 171 
 
 see good to make us partakers w* others 
 in more Affliction, his will be done. He 
 is o' God, & may dispose of us as he 
 sees good. 
 
 I am sorrye to parte w* thee so soone, 
 seeing we meet so seldome & my much 
 businesse hath made me too ofte forgett 
 mundayes & frydayes.^ I longe for the 
 tyme, when I may see thy sweet face againe 
 & the faces of my deare children. But I 
 must breake off. & desire thee to comende 
 me kindly to all my good friends & excuse 
 my not writinge at this tyme. If God please 
 once to settle me I shall make amends. I 
 will name nowe but such as are nearest to 
 thee, my broth : & sister Gostlin : m' Leigh, 
 etc., Castleins, my neigh : Cole & his good 
 wife, w* the rest of my goode neighbors 
 tenants & servants. The good Lord blesso 
 thee, & all o' children & famyle. so I kisse 
 my sweet wife & my deare children & rest 
 thy faithful! husband 
 
 Jo. WiNTHROP 
 1 See letter xlvi. 
 
172 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 I would have written to Maplested if I 
 had tyme. Thou must excuse me & rememr 
 ber me kindly to them all. 
 
 This is the 3'^ Ire I have written to thee 
 from n. england. 
 
 Sept. 9. 1630 
 
 ^ The second, alas, we have not. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 1 73 
 
 LI. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [Since his last letter the Governor and those with him 
 at Charlestown, in hope of bettering their condition, 
 have crossed Charles River to the Shawmut peninsula, 
 and have named the spot on which they are there erect- 
 ing their winter quarters, " Boston."] 
 
 To Mar : Win ; the Elder at Groton. 
 
 My sweet wife, — The blessinge of the 
 Almighty be upon thee & thine for ever. 
 
 There is a shipp arrived at PHmouth, 
 some 30 : miles from us, w"** came from 
 London the 10* of August, & was 12 
 weekes at sea in such tempests as she 
 spent all her mastes ; yet of 60 : passin- 
 gers she lost but one. All the rest (through 
 the Lords great mercy) are safe & in health. 
 Edy of Boxted, who came in her tould me 
 a fortnight since that he had many Lres 
 in the shippe for me, but I heer not yet 
 of them, w^*" makes me now (havinge oppor- 
 
174 Some Old Puritan Love-L etiers. 
 
 tunity to send to Plimouth) to write these 
 fewe lines to thee, least the shippe should 
 be gone before I have received my Lres, 
 & can returne answeare to them. Thou 
 shalt understand by this how it is w* us 
 since I wrote last (for this the 3 : or 4"* Lre 
 I have written to thee since I came hether) 
 that thou maiest see the goodnesse of the 
 Lord towarde me, that, when so many have 
 dyed, & many yet languish, my selfe & my 
 children are yet livinge & in health. Yet 
 I have lost 12 : of my family, viz. Walters 
 & his wife & 2 : of his children : m' Gager & 
 his man: Smith of Buxall & his wife & 2 : 
 children : the wife of Taylor of Haverill & 
 their child? : my sonne H : makes the 1 2. 
 Ig^by^^yg And, — besides many other of lesse note as 
 Jeff : Ruggle of Sudbury & divers others of 
 that towne (about 20 :) the Lord hath stripped 
 us of some principale persons : M' Johnson 
 & his Lady, M' Rossiter, M"^ Philips & 
 others unknowne to thee. We conceive that 
 this disease grew from ill diet at sea, & 
 proved infectious. I write not this to dis- 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 1 75 
 
 courage thee, but to warne thee & others 
 to provide well for the sea & by Gods helpe 
 the passage wilbe safe & easy how longe 
 so ever. Be carefuU (I intreate thee) to 
 observe the directions in my former Lres, & I 
 trust that that God, who hath so gratiously 
 preserved & blessed us hetherto, will bringe 
 us to see the faces of each other w* abun- 
 dance of joye. My deare wife, we are heer 
 in a paradise.i Though we have not beef 
 & mutton etc., yet (God be praysed) we want 
 them not ; o' Indian Corne answears for all. 
 Yet heer is fowle & fish in great plenty. 
 I will heer breake off, because I hope to 
 receive Lres, from thee soone, & to have 
 opportunyty of writinge more Largly, I 
 will say nothinge of my Love to thee, & of 
 my Longinge desires towards thee. Thou 
 knowest my heart. Neither can I mention 
 salutations to my good friends, other than 
 in gen'. In my next I hope to supply all. 
 Now the Lord o' good God, be w"" thee & 
 all my children, & company w* thee. Grace 
 
 ' A potential paradise, surely. 
 
1 76 Some Old Puritan Love-Leiters. 
 
 & peace be w* you all. So I kisse my 
 sweet wife, & all my deare children, & blesse 
 you in the Lord. Farewell. 
 
 Thy faithfull husband 
 
 Jo : WiNTHROP 
 
 Boston in Mattachusets 
 Nov : 29. 1630 
 
 Thou must excuse my not writing to my 
 Sonne Jo : & other of my friends at this 
 tyme, for I deferre it till I receive my Lres. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 177 
 
 LII. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [The doleful winter, the sufferings of which had been 
 only in a measure relieved by the arrival of a ship load 
 of supplies in February, is now past, and the Governor 
 cheers his heart with the gladdest anticipations.] 
 
 My deare wife, — I have small hope that 
 this should come to thy hands, in regard 
 of the longe staye of the shippe heer, so 
 as thou maiest be well onward of thy waye 
 hether before these can come to England. 
 Therefore I write little to thy selfe & my 
 Sonne & those whom I expect to see heer 
 shortly, if it shall so please the Lorde. And 
 blessed be his holy & glorious name that 
 he hath so far magnified his mercy towards 
 us, that when so many have been layd in 
 their graves since we parted, yet he hath 
 pleased to preserve us unto this hope of 
 a joyfuU meetinge, that we may see the faces 
 
 12 
 
178 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 of each other againe, the faces of o' children 
 & sweet babes. These thinges I durst scarce 
 thinke off heertofore, but now I embrace 
 them ofte & delight my heart in them, 
 because I trust, that the Lord o"" God, who 
 hath kept me & so many of my Company in 
 health & safety amonge so many dead corps, 
 through the heat of the sumer & the cold 
 of winter & hath also preserved thee in the 
 perill of childbirth, & upheld thy heart in 
 the midst of so many discouragements, w"* 
 the life of ,all thy companye, will of his owne 
 goodnesse & free mercye preserve us & ours 
 still that we shall meet in joye & peace, w'** 
 I dayly pray for, & shall expect in the Lords 
 good tyme : who still continue his favour 
 & blessinge upon thee & o' sweet babes & 
 all thy company. For o' little daughter, 
 doe as thou thinkest best, the Lord direct 
 thee in it. If thou bringest her,* she wilbe 
 more trouble to thee in the shipp then all 
 the rest. I knowe my sister wilbe tender 
 
 1 Margaret would not leave her babe behind, but it died 
 and was buried at sea on the way over. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 179 
 
 of her till I may send for her. Bring Amy 
 & Anne Goslin w* thee if thou canst. If 
 they come not, they will much wronge them- 
 selves. They need feare no want heer, if 
 they wilbe guided by Gods word : otherwise 
 they can looke to prosper no where. I prayse 
 God I want nothinge but thee & the rest 
 of my family : Commend my Love & bless- 
 inge to them all : & to all my neighbo'' 
 & frends, but I have desired my brother 
 Gostlin to performe that. Remember to 
 bringe juice of lemons to sea w* thee, for 
 thee & thy company to eate w* yo' meate as 
 sauce. But of these thinges my sonne hath 
 direct'o" : so again I Kisse thee my sweet 
 wife & commend thee & all o" to the Lord, 
 & rest, thine, 
 
 Jo: WiNTHROP 
 March 28 163 1 
 
1 80 Some Old Puritan Love-Letiers. 
 
 LIII. 
 
 MARGARET WINTHROP TO HER HUSBAND. 
 
 [Early in November, 1631, the Governor and Margaret 
 were reunited in Massachusetts. Thence onward, till 
 her death in 1647, their separations were brief. Six 
 notes only — two of them mere greetings, unsigned and 
 undated — are the sole relics remaining of whatever cor- 
 respondence may have passed between them in thoSe 
 years. They are all included because they are the last, 
 and because, even in the slightest of them, the abiding 
 sway of the conjugal sentiment revealed in the inter- 
 changes of former periods is betokened. The first was 
 written while Winthrop — then Deputy-Governor, but 
 shortly to be Governor again — was absent from Boston 
 in Newtown [Cambridge], attending the annual General 
 Court of Elections convened there for reasons — hinted 
 in Margaret's reference to the "troubles amonge us," 
 and her expression, " &</ Boston " — growing out of the 
 unhappy Antinomian Controversy.] 
 
 To hir Honered husban these be delivered. 
 
 Deare in my thoughts, — I blush to 
 thinke howe much I have neclected the 
 opertunytye of presenting my love to you. 
 Sad thoughts posses my sperits, and I cannot 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. i8i 
 
 repulce them w** makes me unfit for any 
 thinge wondringe what the Lord meanes 
 by all these troubles amonge us — shure I 
 am that all shall worke to the best, to them 
 that love God, or rather are loved of hime, 
 I know he will bring light out of obcuritye, 
 and make his rituusnesse shine forth, as clere 
 as the noune daye, yet I finde in my selfe 
 an aferce ^ spiret, and a tremblinge hart not 
 so wilinge to submit, to the will of God, as 
 i desyre. Thear is a time to plant and a time 
 to pul up that w* is planted, w* I could 
 desyre mite not be yet, but the Lord know- 
 eth what is best and his wilbe done, but 
 i will rite no more, hopeinge to see thee 
 to morrow my best affections being com- 
 mended to your selfe, the rest of our frends 
 at Nuetone, I commit thee to God. 
 Your lovinge wife 
 
 Margaret W 
 
 Sad Boston 1637 
 
 1 So reads the original, — meaning, apparently, some- 
 thing like " fearsome." 
 
1 82 Some Old Puritun Love-Letters. 
 
 LIV. 
 
 DEPUTY-GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [Probably in response to the preceding.] 
 
 For Mrs. Winthrop at Boston. 
 
 Deare \torn\, — I am still detayned from 
 thee, but it is by the Lord, who hath a greater 
 interest in me than thy selfe, when his worke 
 is donne he will restore me to thee againe to 
 o' mutuall comfort: Amen. I thanke thee 
 for thy sweet Lre : my heart was w"* thee to 
 have written to thee everye daye, but busi- 
 nesse would not permitt me. I suppose thou 
 hearest much newes from hence : it may be, 
 some grievous to thee : but be not troubled, 
 I assure thee thinges goe well, & they must 
 needs doe so, for God is w"" us & thou shalt 
 see a happy issue. I hope to be w* thee 
 to morrowe & a frende or 2 : I suppose. 
 So I kisse my sweet wife & rest 
 
 Thine Jo : Winthrop. 
 
 This 6 : daye. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 183 
 
 LV. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [From Newtown, it is likely, where the autumnal 
 session of the General Court is drawing to a close.j 
 
 For Mrs. Winthrop at her house in Boston. 
 
 Sweet Heart, — I was unwillingly hin- 
 derd from cominge to thee, nor am I like 
 to see thee before the last daye of this weeke : 
 therefore I shall want a band or 2 : & cuffes. 
 I pray thee also send me 6 : or 7 : leaves 
 of Tobacco dried & powdred. Have care of 
 thy selfe this colde weather, & speak to the 
 folkes to keepe the goates well out of the 
 Garden ; & if my brother Peter hath not 
 fetched away the sheep ramme, let them 
 looke him up & give him meate, the green 
 pease in the Garden &c are good for him i 
 If any lettres be come for me send them by 
 this bearer. I will trouble thee no further, 
 the Lorde blesse & keepe thee my sweet wife 
 
184 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 & all oT familye : & send us a comfortable 
 meetinge, so I kisse thee & love thee ever 
 & rest 
 
 Thy faithfuU husband, 
 
 Jo : WiNTHROP 
 This 6* of the 9'h, 1637. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 185 
 
 LVI. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 For Mrs. Winthrop at Boston. 
 
 My sweet Wife, — I prayse God I am in 
 good health, peace be to thee & o' familye, 
 so I kisse thee, & hope shortly to see thee : 
 farewell. 
 
 Hasten the sendinge awaye Skarlett, & 
 gatheringe the Turnips. 
 
1 86 Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 
 
 LVII. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 My sweet Wife, — So fitt an occasio 
 must not passe w^out a token to thee. I 
 prayse God I am well : the Lo : blesse thee 
 & all o", so I kisse thee the second tyme, 
 farewell. 
 
Some Old Puritan Love-Letters. 187 
 
 LVIII. 
 
 GOVERNOR WINTHROP TO HIS WIFE. 
 
 [The Governor is on a visit of state to the most remote 
 plantation of his colony .J 
 
 To my Deare . Wife, Mrs. Winthrop at Boston. 
 
 My Deare, — I prayse God we came 
 safe to Salem, thoughe we had very stormy 
 windes. We found all well. I doubt I shall 
 not returne before the 2 : daye next weeke, 
 & then my broth : P : will come w* me. 
 The Lo : blesse thee & all o' familye, & send 
 us a happy meetinge. I kisse thee & rest 
 thy faithfull husband, 
 
 J: W: 
 
 Salem: gber : 8^ I638. 
 
 THE END.