USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > Thirteen historical discourses, on the completion of two hundred years : from the beginning of the First Church in New Haven, with an appendix > Part 33
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Mr. Pell, they say, reports at Milford that the Dutch governor is słain by Spaniards ; sed ubi, quomodo, quando, quare, nondum constat.
POSTSCRIPT .- Upon a confident report that you was gone to the Bay, Bro. Moulthrop staid; and so my letter, though sealed, was not sent yesterday. Another report said that a pinnace was sent from the Bay to fetch you ; but you could not go, being hindered by sick- ness. This report excited me to speak with our governor that one might be sent speedily ; and I hope Bro. Moulthrop will not be pre- vented to be our messenger. Also it occasioned my opening of my letter again, and adding this postscript, to certify you that I both pray and long to hear of your recovery, and have good hopes through the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, that you shall live to do him much more service in the land of the living. Only let us know how it is with you speedily, and when we shall expect you, and what you will have done about the house and lot; and be assured that you are in our hearts, and in my prayers that your soul may be bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord our God, in Jesus Christ, your Lord and ours, in whom I rest.
This 19th d. of the 2d m. 1655.
To the right worshipful, his worthily honored friend, JOHN WIN- THROP, Esq., these present in PEQUOT.
IV.
Sir,-Joseph Alsop being now returned from the Bay, we have taken the first opportunity of sending him with his vessel, to accom- modate your much desired transportation, with your family, unto us. Be pleased to accept this as a testimony of the reality and fervency of our desire to enjoy your much longed for and worthily much es-
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tecmed presence with us, and to favor us with a suitable answer, in assurance that none can be more welcome here than you and yours, nor can you and they be more welcome to any than to us. Sir, I have received from England almost all the particulars you appointed me to write for, which I desire you may see and dispose of as you shall find best. Salute Mrs. Winthrop and Mrs. Lake affectionately in both our names. My son presents his humble service to you. The good Lord recompense all your labors of love towards me an hundred fold, and make your passage safe and speedy, and comfort- able; in whom I rest,
Sir, yours to honor and serve you in the Lord,
JOHN DAVENPORT.
New Haven, the 6th d. of the 5th m. [July,] 1655.
My wife hath not been well, but weak and feeble spirited this week.
To the right worshipful, his much honored friend, JOHN WIN- THROP, Esq., these present in PEQUOT.
V.
Honored Sir,-By Joseph Alsop we did expect your arrival with your family here, and your abode with us this winter. But instead of yourself I received your lines, whereby I understand that your real purpose of transporting your family, was, contrary to your ex- pectation, utterly disappointed. If you knew how much our hopes of enjoying you with us comforted us, you would easily apprehend how much the frustration of them damped us. And if Mrs. Winthrop knew how welcome she would be unto us, she would neglect what- soever others may suggest to discourage her from coming to us. And because I understood by Joseph Alsop how boisterously some of your plantation opposed your voyage, with your family, to us ward, and intimated that the vessel was rotten and your lives would be en- dangered by the voyage, I signified in a letter which I sent to you by Higby, that on the Lord's day after his departure from Pequot, which was the next day after the date of your letter to me, as I remember, Joseph Alsop gave public thanks in the congregation for his safe and comfortable passage. And that you might know what preparation was made for your comfortable being in your house this winter, I showed in the same letter how careful and active my wife hath been to procure hands to prepare your house, whereby your well is clean- sed, and a new pump set up, and the rooms are made warm, and
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tables, with some chairs, are provided. The twenty loads of wood you mentioned are ready, and some already laid in. The rest wait but for your coming. Also thirty bushels of wheat, and fifty pounds of candles ; which together with other things, I signified that you may see, and Mrs. Winthrop also, how earnestly your coming to us is ex- pected and desired. You will now receive some farther intelligence from Mr. Goodyear, concerning the iron-work, unto which there is a great forwardness among the people generally, which it seems is somewhat checked by your absence at this time. Sir, I thank you for the books you sent me to read, which I am diligently perusing. My wife took care of your apples that they may be kept safe from the frost, that Mrs. Winthrop might have the benefit of them. Now the Lord pave your way to us, and make your journey safe, comfort- able and prosperous ; in whom I rest,
Yours, exceedingly obliged, JOHN DAVENPORT.
New Haven, the last of the 9th, '55, [30th Nov. 1655.]
Sir, I forgat to give you notice, that my wife hath provided for Mrs. Winthrop a cleanly, thrifty maid servant, sister Beckley's daughter, whom she kept from a service at Connecticut, where she was much desired, in expectation of your coming.
To his worthily much honored friend, JOHN WINTHROP, Esq., these present in PEQUOT.
VI.
Honored Sir,-A report that you was gone to the Bay, put me from my purpose of sending the enclosed, till I might certainly know where my letter might find you. I have now received intelligence by John Thomas, that you are at Hartford, and that Mrs. Winthrop hath been very ill and in great danger of her life, but is now, by the mercy of God, recovered. Blessed be his name for this mercy to her and to yourself and yours, in her recovery. But withal he saith that yourself are very ill, and have taken physic this day, and that he staid three hours to understand how it wrought, and is informed that it wrought well. This giveth us some ground of hope that God will graciously bless the means for restoring your health, whose life we account exceeding precious, and a blessing to many. He who hath given you a merciful heart to others in their sickness, hath promised that you also shall obtain mercy. We are not wanting to you in our prayers, since we heard of your state, which was but this night ; nor
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shall we cease from praying for your life and health, till we know that our petition is answered for your good. Be pleased to let us hear from you by the first opportunity, how it is with you. My wife desireth to send something suitable to your present condition, but knoweth not what till she hear further concerning you. At present she sends you a few fresh raisins, and a little liquorice, and your own unicorn's horn, which she hath kept safe for you, since you sent it for Mrs. Eaton. My wife is ashamed to send so few raisins, but she hath no more so good. Were it not I am loth to trouble you with many lines, I should write much more concerning other matters, and particularly to return thanks for your mindfulness of me for a vent for some of my horses, by Mr. Adis, concerning which I hope to have an opportunity of speaking with you ere long. The Lord Jesus be with you, and bless means for your recovery. With presenting my service and my wife's and son's to Mrs. Winthrop and yourself, and our love to yours, I rest, sir,
Your much obliged,
JOHN DAVENPORT.
New Haven, the 20th d. of the 5th m. [July,] 1658.
To the right worshipful JOHN WINTHROP, Esq., these present in HARTFORD.
VII.
Honored Sir,-We have, with longing desires, long expected your return with your family to your own habitation at New Haven, as accounting your dwelling among us a special favor from God, and a common good to all the people, especially in this sickly time, when many are afflictively exercised with gripings, vomitings, fluxes, agues and fevers, though more moderately in this town by the mercy of God, than at Norwalk and Fairfield. Young Mr. Allerton, who lately came from the Dutch, saith they are much more sorely visited there than these parts are. It is said that at Mashpeag, the inhab- itants are generally so ill that they are likely to lose their harvest through want of ability to reap it. Mr. Harbert, of Southold, is so ill at Manhadoes that there is little if any hope of his life. Brother Alsop is come from the Dutch with a purpose to have gone to the Bay before this time; but the afflicting hand of the Lord hath stayed him by great illness, accompanied with a giddiness in his head, and much sleepiness and burning. It comes by fits, every other day. My wife giveth him this day a portion of your powder, whereof the supply that
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you left in her hand is spent. The extremities of the people have caused her to part with what she reserved for our own family, if need should require. It hath pleased the Lord to preserve us hitherto. Yet my wife hath been, divers times this summer, and still is, vale- tudinarious, faint, thirsty, of little appetite, and indisposed sundry times, yet goes about, and is, between times, better and cheerful. * * Edmund is not well, yet goes about. The good Lord pre- pare us for all changes ; that under all changes of providences, we may have suitable changes of spirit, to honor, serve, and please God therein ! Amen.
Sir, I will not hide from you what is here reported; though I can- not easily believe it, because I received no such intelligence at any time from yourself. Timothy Nash saith he cannot understand from yourself, or from Mr. Winthrop, or from the people at Hartford, that you have any purpose of ever returning hither to dwell here. And Nath. Kimberly saith from your own words, that you thought to have come to New Haven, but now you think you shall not see us this year. If it be so, we have cause to be sensible of a great loss to us, who have long comforted ourselves in hopes of enjoying you in a way of dwelling here, not only for the good that many may receive by God's blessing upon your endeavors for their health, but for your company, which for itself is precious and contentful unto us. If you would please to stock your farm, and to give order to have your land at New Haven improved, you might live comfortably upon that which is your own, in this place. The people here also would be ready to serve you with their labors, and to take hold of all good occasions of declaring their thankfulness, really, as they are bound to do, for your large and liberal helpfulness to them,-in distributing whereof my wife is but your hand, who neither receiveth nor expecteth any re- compense for that, but desireth that all acknowledgments and retri- butions may be returned to yourself.
Sir, it pleased you when I was exercised with that swimming diz- ziness, to send me a paper, Feb. 20, '57, containing in it certain portions of powder, which I never opened till this day, because it pleased God to release me from that distemper without it. And in perusing the letter you then sent, I find it commended as also useful for my other distemper in regard of the magisterium of corals which is in it. Hereupon I desire to know whether you will advise me to make use of it for that, though the dizziness, through God's mercy, hath not troubled me, since the spring began, unto this day. Ed-
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ward Preston came lately from Long Island, and saith many Indians there are very sick, and twelve were dead before his coming thence. My wife and son join with me in presenting our service to yourself and Mrs. Winthrop, and our loving salutations to your children. The Lord Jesus dwell with you in peace and loving kindness! In whom I rest, Sir,
Your exceedingly obliged,
JOHN DAVENPORT.
New Haven, the 4th d. of the 6th m. '58. [4th Aug. 1658.]
Sir, my wife desires a word or two of advice from you, what is best to be done for those gripings, and agues and fevers; but she is loath to be too troublesome; yet as the cases are weighty, she de- sires to go upon the surest ground, and to take the safest courses, and knoweth none whose judgment she can so rest in as in yours.
To the right worshipful JOHN WINTHROP, Esq., these present in HARTFORD.
VIII.
Honored Sir,-These few lines are to congratulate your return to your family, as I hope in health, and to give you an account of my negotiation with ours about the iron-work, the issue whereof is ac- cording to your mind, as the enclosed to Capt. Clarke from our gov- ernor will show, which I send enclosed that it may more speedily be conveyed to him by land, than we can expect it will be by sea. The Lord also bless the intended marriage of your eldest daughter to Mr. Newman for many comforts to you both, and to your family, and to themselves! Be pleased to present mine, my wife's, my son's, humble service to Mrs. Winthrop, together with yourself, with many thanks to her for her great kindnesses to us when we were at Hart- ford. In great haste, I must manum de tabulâ. The Lord Jesus dwell with you and yours in peace and loving kindness! In whom I rest,
Yours obliged, JOHN DAVENPORT.
New Haven, the 22d of the 8th, '58. [22d Oct. 1658.]
To the right worshipful, his much honored friend, JOUN WIN- THROP, Esq., these present in HARTFORD.
IX.
Honored Sir,-Though I have, together with the rest entrusted by you, subscribed our common letter, yet I shall add a few lines, as
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mine own letter to yourself, to whom I am so particularly obliged, that I cannot omit to present my respectful salutations to yourself and Mrs. Winthrop, with many thanks for the intelligences I have received from you in several letters, and for the powders you sent to my wife, and for the Almanack, which I had not seen before, though since my receipt of yours, the president of the college sent me one. The author of it is wholly unknown to me, save by his name in the title page. In the next page, speaking of four eclipses this year, he may seem to some willing to be accounted sapientum octavus, utpote qui terram planetarum octavam animo suo fingit, contra communem astronomorum sententiam. For he saith, "Twice shall this planet whereon we live, and its concomitant, the moon, widow each other of their sun-derived luster." Now the place whereon we live is the earth,-the place, I say, not the planet. But he is not willing solus sapere. Therefore for his four propositions he produceth in his last page sundry authors, who, he saith, have answered the objections from Scripture against this opinion. I have not read their answers. But if it be the brief or sum of them which he notes, it will not be found, upon an exact search, to be satisfying. However it be, let him enjoy his opinion ; and I shall rest in what I have learned, till more cogent arguments be produced than I have hitherto met with.
Sir, your notion about letting your house to N. K. &c., came to me wholly beyond my expectation. I did indeed expect (accord- ing to your promise, as I understood it) to hear from you, upon your return from the Bay, the result of your thoughts and purposes, and your resolution, whether to return to inhabit it with your family, and when,-or to sell it to the town; who bought it that they might freely give it to yourself or put it into your power as your own upon what terms you propounded, (seeing you would not accept it upon free gift, because you would preserve your liberty to dwell in it as your occasions would permit.) But what they then did, and others stirred them up unto, I assure you was in respect to the common good which was hoped for and expected by all, from yourself dwelling among us with your family. Nor would they have taken such pay for it from any man in the country but yourself,* which I note that you may see their love to you, and desire of enjoying you among us. There are few houses vacant in the town, that are so fit as that for the enter- tainment of persons of public usefulness. Such men the town wants.
* For an explanation of this allusion, see p. 326.
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If yourself and yours dwell in it, it will satisfy all ; none will desire any other, and myself and mine will most rejoice therein. But if your other occasions will not permit that, this way of letting it unto such men will not be for your profit, nor for the town's satisfaction. Your house and lot hath suffered much hurt already, and will more, in this way ; and this town will lose their end, for they would never have let it pass out of their hands but in hope of enjoying yourself, which if they cannot obtain, I perceive it will in the next place, best satisfy them if you please to give them leave to buy it of you. I thought it my duty to signify thus much to yourself; and shall add only this to prevent misinterpretations, that as your house is your own, so all do grant that it is in your own power to do with it as you please. If you please to let it to N. K. &c. you may, only you may be pleased to remind that this is not that use of the house which will answer the townsmen's ends, and the town's expectation and neces- sities. With mine, my wife's, and my son's respectful and affec- tionate salutations and service, presented to yourself, and Mrs. Win- throp, and your branches, I rest, Sir,
Yours, obliged, JOHN DAVENPORT.
New Haven, the 18th d. of the 1st m. 1658-9. [18 Mar. 1659.]
To his honored friend, JOHN WINTHROP, Esq., these present in HARTFORD.
X.
Honored Sir,-I received yours, both of the 24th of the 1st m. called March, and of the 8th of the 2d, called April, and have com- municated them both with the honored governor, &c., entrusted by you, and with the townsmen. All consent for returning many thanks to you for your love to us all, and to the town, so fully expressed therein, especially by your declaration of your unwillingness, yea, very unwillingness, to be separated from us, who have much more cause, and are really as unwilling to be deprived of your much de- sired residence among us with your family, at least sometimes as your occasions will permit, according to that liberty you was pleased to reserve unto yourself when you bought the house. The conclu- sion of our last conference was, that matters should stand in the state they are in, all resolution about disposing of the house should be suspended, till we might speak with yourself, which I am told, will be shortly. The sooner the better ; for we long to see you, and
4S
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to speak with you mouth to mouth; and some say that your house and orchard have suffered much by your so long absence. We hear that N. K. doth improve some of your land already; so that there will be no inconvenience to yourself by this delay. We shall be glad if it may produce in yourself and Mrs. Winthrop, a resolution to possess and enjoy it yourselves, that so we may enjoy you. But of these things we shall speak more when we meet. In the mean time, and ever, the Lord Jesus delight over you and yours, to do you good ! In whom I rest, Sir,
Your much obliged,
JOHN DAVENPORT.
Myself, wife, and son, present our humble services, with most af- fectionate salutations to yourself, Mrs. Winthrop, and your children.
New Haven, the 15th day of the 2d m., 1659.
To the right worshipful and much honored, JOHN WINTHROP, Esq., these present in HARTFORD.
XI.
Honored Sir,-Your quick departure from Hartford, after my son's return home from thence, denied me an opportunity of express- ing our due thanks for your loving entertainment of so bold a visiter, whereof he speaketh much, and yet is not satisfied with what he hath spoken, thinking it falls short of what he should speak, to express your and Mrs. Winthrop's kindness to him. Sir, you know that the affections of parents are apt to sympathize with their children, and to take contentment in what they find to be justly pleasing and com- fortable to them. Hence it is that I desire to take this first overture for conveyance of these few lines in way of thankfulness from us, both to yourself (as I have already done to Mrs. Winthrop, by J. La- timer) for the same ; and to let you know that I have received a large letter from Mr. Blinman, dated Aug. 22, whereby I understand that God hath brought him to Newfoundland, in safety and health, and maketh his ministry acceptable to all the people there except some Quakers, and much desired and flocked unto. He hath made choice of a ship for Barnstable to his content, the master being godly. After these passages, and his notifying to me the lady Kirk's respect- ful and loving mention of me, whom, she saith, she hath heard in London, he addeth to what I had heard from England, that a fine of 5l. is put upon any that shall name the last protector. 2. That
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the Lord Henry is sent for out of Ireland, and out of his place. 3. That four are sent from England, and four from France, and four from the States, to see whether they can compose matters between Swede and Dane. 4. That 30,000l. is demanded for the old pro- tector's funeral, which the parliament refused to pay. Some urged that those that had the mourning clothes should pay for them, that the commons might not be charged. 5. That the last protector was like to be apprehended for the debt, but withdrew; whereupon the parliament gave him six month's liberty to come to terms with credi- tors. 6. That Mr. Hugh Peters is distracted, and under sore hor- rors of conscience, crying out of himself as damned, and confessing heinous actings. He concludes, "For the truth hereof, sit fides pe- nes auctorem." 7. That there is an ambassador gone for Spain. Lastly, That the fleet in the West Indies have taken an almost in- credible mass of treasure in some Spanish towns there. Reported by a ship in the harbor where Mr. Blinman lies, that met a frigate at sea, going home for. I shall not add at present, but my desires for your safe journey to the Bay and speedy return to your family, and then to New Haven,-and my wife's, with our son's respectful and most affectionate salutations and humble service.
Yours, exceedingly obliged, JOHN DAVENPORT.
New Haven, the 28th d. of the 7th m. [28th Sept.] 1659.
To. the honored JOHN WINTHROP, Esq., governor of Connecticut colony, these present in NEW LONDON.
XII.
Honored Sir,-John Palmer is not yet gone, whereby I have lib- erty to add a postscript to my former letter upon new intelligence from Nichols of Boston, from Virginia, which I received after the enclosed was sealed. He saith that he came from Virginia the 23d of January, that there were 70* ships from England, which raiseth the price of tobacco to 12d. per pound ; that a few days before he came thence, there arrived some ships from England which came from thence six weeks before, that is, in the beginning of December. These ships bring word that the parliament was then sitting, and
* The MS. being torn in this place, I will not be responsible for the cor- rectness of this incredible reading, though I can make nothing else of it.
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matters in Scotland were in peace. There is some confirmation of the report of the lord Lambert's going forth with 20,000, to meet General Monk, from Scotland, with 20,000. The story runs thus in Sir Henry Moody's report, sent in his letter from Virginia to an Englishman, a captain, at Manhadoes. The Presbyterians, in Scot- land and England, flock much to General Monk, who now engageth himself for them and their interest, and is come forth upon that ac- count with the forenoted army as far as Worcester, whither General Lambert is gone with his army, to stop his proceedings. General Montague, it is said, is come to London, and complieth well with the parliament. Farewell.
This afternoon the captain hath been with the governor, to excuse his not appearing at the court of magistrates, by his former illness in body, having a looseness and vomiting blood ; and his not sending his attorney, by his want of one. His surgeon would not. Philip Scot would not. But he conceals that he who took the prize was in his ship, who was most fit to have been sent to the court ; and forgets to excuse his refusal to yield to a sequestration of Mr. Raymond's goods till the cause were tried, though the governor sent the marshal to him with a warrant, for that end, and sundry other things. The governor is almost overcome with his fair words. But he speaks not a word of submitting his cause to their trial, yet seems willing to leave Mr. Raymond's vessel and goods in the court's hands, for part of security, and to bind his twelfth part in the ship for the other part of security, (which is as none, because it is not standing security,) that he will have it tried in England within twelve months, if Mr. Raymond will be bound and give security to prosecute against him. What the issue will be, a little time will shew. In the mean time, his spirit is somewhat lower in show than it was .* Again, farewell.
The 22d d. of the 12th m. '59. [22 Feb. 1660.]
To the right worshipful JOHN WINTHROP, Esq., governor of Con- necticut, these present in HARTFORD.
* The story of Capt. John Penny and the Roebuck, and his seizing the Black Eagle, a vessel belonging to Mr. Richard Raymond of Salem, and the trial of the question before the court of magistrates ; and how Capt. Penny was compelled to make proper acknowledgments for " the affronts he had offered the government here,"-may be seen at large in the colony re- cords.
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