Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 1

John Winthrop to Margaret Winthrop1

Winthrop, John Winthrop, Margaret

1624-11-26

My sweet wife,

I blesse the Lorde for his continued blessinge vpon thee and our familye: and I thanke thee for thy kinde Lettres: But I knowe not what to saye for my selfe: I should mende and growe a better husband hauinge the helpe and example of so good a wife, but I growe still worse: I was wonte heertofore, when I was longe absent, to make some supplye with volumes of Lettres but I can scarce afforde thee a fewe lines: well there is no helpe but by enlarginge thy patience, and strengthninge thy good opinion of him, who loues thee as his owne soule, and should count it his 316greatest Affliction to liue without thee: but because thou art so deare to him, he must choose rather to leaue thee for a tyme, than to enioye thee: I am sorrye I must still prolonge thy expectation, for I cannot come forth of London till Tuesdaye at soonest; the Lorde blesse and keepe thee and all ours and sende vs a ioyfull meetinge. So I kisse my sweet wife and rest Thy faithfull husband

Jo: Winthrop

My brother and sister salute thee. my sonne and daughter remember their dutye, the match goeth on fast enough I am like to bring them downe with me.

Thy Syder was so well liked that we must needes haue more as soone as thou canst.

Nou: 26. 1624. 1.

W. Au. 22; L. and L. , I. 197; Twichell, 55–56.

Margaret Winthrop to John Winthrop1

Winthrop, Margaret Winthrop, John

1625

To hir very Louinge husband John Winthrope Esquire theese. DD.

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, and the vnfitnesse of your horsses for trauill, that I must be constrained to for beare sendinge 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 parforme it, my sonne came safe home on fryday, and brought me thy kinde letter, with the nuse of all your welfayres which I desyre the lord longe to continu to his glory and 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 Downing for hir kindenesse to my daughter Mary I pray tel hir I giue hir many thankes for that, and al other fruits of hir loue, and thus with my best respect remembred to thy selfe and all the rest of our frends I desyre the lord to send vs a comfortable meetinge and commit thee to the lord. Your louing and obedient wife

Margaret Winthrope

I have now receiued thy louinge letter by goodman Nutton and reioyce that the time is so near whearin I shall see thee. I am wel per317swaded of thy loue and can see it in a fewe lines as in a hole volem—my daughter Mary and hir welwiler shalbe very welcom to me if you please to bringe them—my sonne Forth and John2 came home on saterday late from theare roueinge, haueinge bin from home to dayes and I haue well chid them for theare paynes, I hope John wil make the more hast. Your good seruant remembers hir seruice and thankes you for hir letter she desyreth to be excused for rightinge haueinge many other letters to right—my sister Fones will tell John whare to haue a pillyon for Mary I thinke she ware best ryde dubble3

W. Au. 20; L. and L. , I. 198–199; Twichell, 57–59.

“The John here mentioned was evidently a servant, not her son; as also was ‘Robt,’ who is named in one or two of the following letters.” L. and L. , I. 198, note.

“I have had some misgivings about inserting Margaret’s first letter here; yet several passages of it seem to be in direct answer to the letter of her husband which immediately precedes it. Her daughter Mary, however, must have been rather young at that time to be the subject of a match, or even of a ‘well-willer.’ She married Rev. Samuel Dudley, seven or eight years afterwards. No record is found of the precise date of her birth; but it could hardly have been before 1610.” Ibid., p. 199, note.