Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 3Note: 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 513. Please look at all notes at the end of the document or documents on page 513.

Emmanuel Downing to John Winthrop1

Downing, Emmanuel Wintrhop, John

1637-11-21

To the Honourable his verie loving brother John Winthrop Governour of the Massachusetts in New England

Good brother,

Its noe small Comfort to me that I haue hope ere long to enioy your Companie. I purpose God willing to sett forth hence in the begynning of Aprill at furthest, and to take your sonne hence with me.

For my provision of Corne I purpose to buy yt there. If you feare the rising of the prise, I pray buy some for me and promise payment in money at my Landing. Here hath been great Joy for your great victories, but farr more for vanquishing your erronious opinions then for conquering the Pequoits. Our best and worthyest men doe much mervile you did not banishe Wheelwright and Hutchinsons wife, but suffer them to sowe more sedition among you; Mr. Vanes ill behaviour there hath lost all his reputation here. I heare he is about to travaile into Germanie.

The Nobility, gentry and Comons of Scotland are in Confederatie and combyned soe strong togeather that they will admitt of noe Conformity to our good Bishops orders, they haue throwne out the holy booke of Comon prayer, beaten theire Bishops and torne theire sirplisses of the backs of the Ministers, and manie more outrages in this kinde wee heare of dayly.

The Dutch haue taken in Breda.

In August last mr. Tyndall paid me one hundreth pounds.

I follow your Councell in coming to the bay before I resolve where to pitche. I pray helpe me to hire or buy some howse (soe as I may sell yt againe if I shall remove) in some plantation about the Bay thus for present I take 513leave and rest leaving you and your affayres to the blessed proteccion of the Almighty. Your assured loving brother

Em. Downinge 21 9br 1637

I can give noe answer to my Cosen Winthrops letter yet for his monie from the lords. I pray salute him and all my freinds.

W. 2. 25; 4 Collections , VI. 48–49.

Acknowledgment of Samuel Cole and Others1

Cole, Samuel Hull, Robert Button, John Grosse, Isaac Biggs, John Wardell, Thomas Massachusetts Bay Company, General Court

1637-11-22

Whereas I Joyned in Preferring to the Court a Writing Called a Remonstrance, or Petition, I acknowledge it was ill done, and vnwarrantably, as Transgressing therein the Rule of due honour to Authority, and of Modesty, and Submission in Private Persons, and therefore I desire my name may be Put out of it.

Samuell Cole John+Button Isacke Grosse John+Biggs Thomas Wardell Henry Elkin Robert Hull Hung Gundison2 George Burden Wm.+Wardell Rich. Gridlye3+ Willm.+Townsend Thomas Oliver Oliver Mellowes Richard Fayerbanks John Oliver Thomas Matson John+Davis William Dineley Richard Cooke Zakeus Bosworth Mathias+Fange James Johnson Robert Roys Ca. November 22, 1637 1.

W. 4. 166; 5 Collections , I. 486. The document referred to in this and the following six acknowledgments is the “Remonstrance or Petition” submitted to the Massachusetts General Court in March, 1636/37, in behalf of the Reverend John Wheelwright, who was then on trial on charges of sedition arising out of his Fast-Day Sermon. On November 20, 1637, the General Court ordered that all those who had signed “the seditious libell” and had not hitherto recanted should, before the thirtieth of the month, be disarmed, surrendering “all such guns, pistols, swords, powder, shot, and match as they shalbee owners of, or have in their custody,” unless they should “acknowledg their sinn in subscribing the seditious libell, or do not iustify it, but acknowledg it evill to two magistrates. ...” All those whose acknowledgments are here printed were, with the exception of Ralph Hudson, included among those specifically designated to be disarmed. Records of Massachusetts, I. 211–212. The records of the General Court do not mention these acknowledgments.

The handwriting of this signature appears to be the same as that of Robert Hull, just above. It is unlike that of another Hugh Gunnison signature in the Winthrop manuscripts.

The handwriting of this signature is that of Governor Winthrop.

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