Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2Note: you've followed an index reference to a note that, due to changes between the print and digital editions, may no longer be on page 250. Please look at all notes at the end of the document or documents on page 250.
1630-04-26
The winde still w: and by S: close weather and scarce any winde.
The 2: shippes which we sawe yesterdaye were bonde for Canada Capt Kirk
1 was aboard the Admirall. they bare vp with vs, and coming
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They tould vs for certaine, that the Kinge of France had sett out six of his owne shippes, to recover the forte from them, About one of the Clocke Capt Lowe sent his skiffe aboard vs, (with a freindly token of his Love to the Governor) to desire our Capt to come aboard his shippe, which he did. and there mett the masters of the other shippes and Capt Kirke, and before night they all returned to their shippes againe, Capt Lowe Kirk cancelled and Lowe written above
The winde now blewe a pretye gale so as our shippes made some waye again, thoughe it were out of our right Course n: w: by n.
In 1629 David Kirke captured Quebec for the Canada Company, which was formed by Sir William Alexander. The Captain Kirke whom Winthrop met was probably David's brother, Louis, Thomas having remained in command of the garrison (C. F. Adams, Ed., New English Canaan, 235, note), who was bringing out stores and reinforcements for the English garrison at Quebec. Horace E. Ware, “An Incident in Winthrop's Voyage,” Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, XII. 101–113 and Henry Kirke, The First English Conquest of Canada (London, 1871), passim. An interesting account of the English at Quebec in 1628 and 1629 is to be found in Francis Parkman, Pioneers of France in the New World (Boston, 1865), 401–415.
1630-04-27
The winde still westerly a stiffe gale, with close weather: we steered w: n: w. about noone some rayne. and all the daye verye Colde. we appointed teusdays and wensdays to Catechize our people, and this day mr. Philips
1 began it.
See supra, page note 2.
1630-04-28
All the night and this daye till noone the winde verye highe at S: w: close weather, and some rayne. betweene 11: and 12: in a shower, the winde came w: n: w: so we tacked about and stoode S: w:
1630-04-29
muche winde all this night at w: and by n: and the sea went verye highe, so as the shippe rolled verye muche, because we sayled but with one Course,1 therefore about 12: our Capt arose, and Caused the fore topsayle to be hoysed, and then the shippe went more steddye. he caused the quartermaster to looke down into the hold to see if the Caske lay fast, and ther with
we had been now 3: weaks at sea, and were not come aboue 300 leagues, beinge about ⅓ parte of our waye. viz: about 46: n: lat: and neere the meridian of the Terceras.2
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This night Capt Kirke Carried the light as one of our Consortes.
Each of the sails attached to the lower yards of a ship.
Terceira, one of the Azores. “The purpose of the navigators of Winthrop's ships,” says H. E. Ware, “appears to have been to reach a position directly to the north of the Azores in the latitude in which they now were, and then to sail due west.” Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, XII. 194.