Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2

315

Forth Winthrop to Martha Fones1

Winthrop, Forth Fones, Martha

1630-09-25

Louing Sister,

You draw in the same yoake with vs, you laboure vnder the same burthen, and are afflicted with the same crosse, be it therefore your wisdome (as I know it is) to let your demeanour soe clearly shine through this cloudy tempest as our distressed sister2 may read comfort in your eyes and consolation in your speeches: We are all well here (blessed be God) though very sorowfull. my Aunt Paynter is with child. My cozen Vrsula remembers her affectionate loue to you. I hope shortly to see you, in the meane time with my true loue to you I rest your truely louing brother

Forth Winthrop: Exon: Septem. 25 1630:

remember my loue to my sister Mary, cozen Anne, the maydes etc.

remember me to all at my vncle Gostlinges and to Sir Arkisden.

W. 1. 82; L. and L. , II. 80–81; 5 Collections , VIII. 198. This was written on hearing that his brother Henry had been drowned. Robert Charles Winthrop supposed that the letter was written to Mary Winthrop. This can not be, since the recipient is asked to give Mary Winthrop a message. The letter is to Martha Fones, addressed, after the fashion of the day, as “sister” because her sister, Elizabeth Winthrop, was Forth Winthrop's sister-in-law.

Elizabeth Winthrop.

John Cotton to Herbert Pelham1

Cotton, John Pelham, Herbert

1630-10-03

Mr. Pelham; 2

I pray you, let me intreate you, with these 3 pieces of Gold, to buy an Hogshead of Meale, or what else you can most conveniently 316gett, and send it to Mr. William Coddington3 in New England, for the vse I have specifyed in his lettre, and in my lettre to Elizabeth Mason, etc. I take leave, and rest, Your Worships in the Lord

John Cotton. Boston. Oct. 3. 1630. 1.

W. Au. 41; 5 Collections , I. 195.

Herbert Pelham (1600–73) was eldest son of Herbert Pelham and Penelope, a younger daughter of Thomas West, second Lord De la Warr. One uncle, Thomas Pelham, was a member of the Virginia Company; another, the third Baron De la Warr, was the energetic early governor of Virginia. Herbert appears as a member of the Massachusetts Company in 1629, and seemingly intended to sail with Winthrop in the Arbella, but he did not actually come over until later, possibly in 1635. He took part in the settlement of Sudbury, but his chief residence was in Cambridge, where he and his family narrowly escaped being burned to death in their house “in the dead of the night,” December, 1640. He was chosen the first treasurer of Harvard College, December 27, 1643, and was annually elected an Assistant of the Colony, 1645–1649, notwithstanding the fact that in 1647 he returned to England, residing for some years at Bures in Essex, and later in Suffolk, where he died July 1, 1673, leaving property in Lincolnshire, Ireland, and Massachusetts. His first wife, Jemima, daughter of Thomas Waldegrave, died before his emigration. He married in New England, in 1638, Elizabeth, daughter of Godfrey Basseville or Bosvile of Gunthwaite, co. York, widow of Roger Harlakenden. By each marriage he had five children. His daughter Penelope married Josiah Winslow; his sister Penelope married Governor Richard Bellingham. D. N. B. , Savage, Genealogical Dictionary, III. 385. A number of his letters will be printed later in this series.

Coddington came over in the emigration of 1630. He was treasurer of Massachusetts for some years and afterwards governor of Rhode Island. A number of his letters will be printed later in this series.