ill iiiii 11 ^^ "Tin :=0 f^ l['6YxM\\0/ ■.v.^LlLlKAKi -MV ZJIV IVOMEN OF COLONIAL AND REyOLUTlONARY TIMES ^ WOMEN OF COLONIAL AND REVOLU TIONAR Y TIMES ^S MARGARET IVINTHROP BY ALICE MORSE EARLE WITH FACSIMILE REPRODUCTION ® CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS NEW YORK MCMltl 3U9J? Copyright, /Spy, hy Charles Scribner's Sons V r n^O TWO NEIGHBORS OF MARGARET WINTHROP MY FAR-AWAY GRANDMOTHERS MARGARET MORSE OF DEDHAM, ESSEX COUNTY, ENG- LAND, AND JOANNA HOAR OF BRAINTREE, NORFOLK COUNTY MASSACHUSETTS CONTENTS I— A PURITAN WOOING Margaret Tyndal's Home in England — Her Family — John Winthrop's Love-letters — Puritan Methods of Courtship in the Days of King James — One of Serjeant Earle's Love-letters I II— MARGARET WINTHROP'S HOME Groton Manor — Suffolk County Manners and Cus- toms — Puritan Influences Surrounding the Win- throp Household — Tolling the Passing-Bell — Mar- garet's Letters to Her Husband— English Town and Country Life IQ III-THE PURITAN HOUSEWIFE Domestic Arrangements in Margaret Winthrop's Household — The Duties of the Maids — The Mak- ing of Malt — Cooking — How Linen and Woollen Homespun were Made — A Young Lady's School Expenses in 1646 — Women's Dress — Court Cos- tumes of the Day 53 11^— CONCLUSIONS FOR NEW ENG- LAND A Famous Tract — Its Influence in Turning Men to New England — Its Authorship Attributed to Win- throp — The Cambridge Agreement — Why the Puri- tans were Driven to Emigrate — Social, Political and Religious Questions — Winthrop Sails on the Ar- bella 100 l^—SEPARA TION AND REUNION Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony — A Gloomy .Jew England Winter — Winthrop's Daily Life as Told in His Journal — Curious History of the Original of this Journal — The Governor's Let- ters to His Wife — She Joins Her Husband in 1631 . 138 y I— HOME LIFE IN BOSTON The Boston of Margaret Winthrop's Day — An In- ventory of the Estate of Governor Winthrop Taken in 1649 — Its Value as Illustrating the Social and Domestic Condition of the Colonists — The Gov- ernor's Bequest of Books to Harvard College — The Winthrop House in Boston — Margaret's Daily Life — Household Matters 171 y II— SOCIAL LIFE IN BOSTON Influence of English University Men — Margaret Winthrop's House a Center of Social and Political Activity — Hawthorne's Picture of Colonial Boston — Distinguished Visitors — Amusing and Adventur- ous Characters — The Indians 19S yill—iVOMAN FRIENDS AND NEIGH- BORS Lucy Downing, the Governor's Sister, a Distinct Personality — Her Letters to Margaret and to Gov- ernor Winthrop — Her Sense of Humor — Mary Dudley's Letters — Her Experience with an Insolent Servant— Penelope Pelham, Joanna Hoar and Others — Match-making 221 IX— RELIGIOUS LIFE IN BOSTON Winthrop's Religious Fervor — Margaret's Connec- tion with the First Church of Boston — The Service — Influence of John Cotton— Church Government and Administration — Manner of Public Worship , 255 X— MISTRESS ANNE HUTCHINSON Her Part in a Famous Religious Controversy — Winthrop's Share in Her Banishment— Her Con- verts—Her Relations with Margaret Winthrop . 269 XI— ACADIA AND NEW ENG- LAND Visits of La Tour, D' Aulnay and of Madam La Tour to Boston — Winthrop's Account of their Mis- sions — A Show of Bravery in Honor of the Gallic Ambassadors — An Amusing Occurrence — Their Pate 288 XII— PUBLIC EVENTS AND CLOS- ING DAYS How the Massachusetts Charter was Protected — Winthrop's Attitude Towards Witchcraft — The Impeachment of Winthrop — Death of Margaret Winthrop in 1647 — Her Husband's Entry m His Journal — Her Children and Her Descendants — Her Character 309 I ^ -I t i ^ 1 ^ ^ Q Z < c/} D 1 c i u * X ^ i h g a. a K 2 X ^ ^- 1^ 2 ° /r ytnA. lUti-iLi-.aKj Ytiytnji I'Mat ■ttd'^td tejca-Jee'^ '//•«? l,aj^-.ie tMO. 4«e Jttaiy. that /muti ru'Jtf rile a urmlinr a I'lat '•ly ikmf/tJUuf' ata 'ri^u ytui l^ue.v-I^'f tliifcit fitm- nUte dx ih^l! tiUK wttiMl-.A/eJ^nuy aiuC MiD-f jSdi- ItKfiJc:- Jut lu^fy tuif wdeif-^/HJlJei ym amiinwl nf jitit vid Jauv /iu^-aU t^s Led /tad bs a unt/eelaeJ^ m.vieir^^vK l,rrtluattktBjii!^-fjn'^'i^wt0''y'"'*>'^i'^''^'^ - rtmenice nty^uf A >H,yii«{hta and 'Ulrtr tuU itvfJ'Mii ^hn mmd. tnd tiiM vUh My'titarJ? iUtd Lt/i a^ttio-is b> my Ulnud ku^iud d^jirrmye til urd b ■!>Jyrua^K/-i aiulvixf^rcus KMrnc^- -fa>ity>ieyt„ 4 van(^lm^''"f'-VxkJinfmrfj:i'ate Jour l„Me gHtl ^JimlV/}^ j q FOREIVORD My knowledge of the events of Margaret Winthrop' 8 life has been gained largely through the printed collections of the Massachusetts His- torical Society, chiefly in those volumes known as the Winthrop Papers. For cordial permis- sion to use extracts from those papers in this biography , I here express my thanks to the offi- cers of that Society. The Life of John Win- throp, hy Mr. Robert C. Winthrojy, has also been free for purposes of quotation ; to the author's son, Mr. Robert C. Winthrop, Jr., of Boston, I give sincere thanks for this courtesy. The Journal of John Winthrop, known as Win- throp's History of Neiv England, is invaluable to every student of early times in that colony ; I have used its statements and tvords to as large an extent as possible. Those vast and interest- ing volumes known as the Memorial History of Boston have been fidl of suggestions to me. The work of the Historical Manuscripts Com- mission of Great Britain has furnished me FOREWORD ivith historical facts ; and hundreds of letters^ diaries^ and tracts, written during the first half of the seventeenth century, have been carefully read and noted, and have all hel'ped to afford the details of customs and 7nanners during those years, I have not aimed to give any extended history of public or political events, but have simply referred to such succession of public occurrences as had ascendency over the influ- ences, or bearing upon the circumstances, of Margaret Winthrop' s life. In drawing the picture of her life in Eng- land, I have heeded little the records of the court and of fashionable town-life, or of the pompous routine of vast estates, but have gath- ered ivholly from the existing records of the life of the families of English country gentle- men, lords of the manor. And as far as possible I have given the words and thoughts of Puritan diary-writers and authors, believing that in methods of living and thought these ivriters would be closely in touch ivith the life of John and Margaret Winthrop. I have also limited my authorities largely to those of the counties of Suffolk and Essex, — the homes of Margaret Winthrop ; for in that day different counties of Emgland were like different eoun- FOREWORD trieSy and the recounting of the manners and customs of residents of Northumberland, Devon, or Yorkshire could never he a true portrayal of ivays of living in Crroton Manor in Suf- folk. The researches for these facts of manor- life in Essex and Suffolk have been of special interest and facility to me, for they have been among my own forbears and kinsfolk; and I trust my affection and respect for their memory, and possibly the power of heredity, have given to me a clearer insight into the lives and motives of these Puritan gentlemen and gentle- women. ALICE MORSE EARLE. Brooklyn Heights, May, 1895. MAEGARET WINTHROP A PURITAN WOOING Down the narrow byways and lanes between the green hop-fields and hedgerows of sunny Essex, along the sedgy fens and lily-pulks on the banks of the river Stour, through the shad- owy bridle-paths of the forests of Suffolk, there rode one September day, over two centuries and a half ago, an English gentleman a-courting. He was not a gay and gallant cavalier, but a grave Puritan lawyer and country squire, sober by nature, and now, though but thirty-one years of age, saddened more deeply by the death of his two gentle English wives, and the thought of his four little motherless children. The third wife, whom he was now seeking, was no longer young, as the age of women was regarded in those days : she was twenty-seven, and she too was acquainted with grief ; so this choice of John Winthrop's was one of prudence 1 1 MARGARET WINTHROP and good sense and compatibility, as well as of affection. Margaret Tyndal's home, to which John Win- throp rode, was in Great Maplestead in Essex County, — a fine manor-house called Chelmshey House. This mansion had been built by her father, Sir John Tyndal, to please her mother, Lady Anne Tyndal, who wished to live near the splendid home of her son by a former marriage, Sir John Deane. The Deanes and Tyndals were folk of much dignity and influence in the county. Sir John Tyndal was Master in Chan- cery, and lost his life through an adverse deci- sion given in his Court. Walter Yonge, in a contemporary diary, gives this account of his assassination : — *' Sir John Tyndal, one of the masters of Chan- cery, was shot with a dagge by one Mr Bertram, an old gentleman of seventy years of age, for mak- ing divers reports against him in Chancery to the overthrow of Bertram, his wife and children." The decision which provoked this groundless murder involved only a petty sum, — scarce two hundred pounds. The murderer was at once thrown into prison, and in six days hanged himself in his cell. Sir Thomas Bacon, Attor- ney-General to the Crown, examined the case, and wrote to the King's favorite " Steenie," the 2 A PURITAN WOOING Duke of Buckingham : " Sir John Tyndal as to his cause is a kind of martyr ; for if ever he made a just report in his life, this was it." Margaret's brother, Arthur Tyndal, wrote thus on 22d November, 1616, to his widowed mother, of his father's vindication in character : — " God hath wrought wonderously already in stop- ping the mouthes of malicious and naughtie people. Por the vilde wretch that had pretended a wrongs donne to him by my father and labouring to main- tains it, God not suffering the blood of his saints to lye too longe unrevenged, delivered this caitiffe over to Sathan, in a most marvellous sort dispair- inge of Gods mercie. All the grave examiners of that business proclaime my fathers integritie and say if it had been theire case they must have been subject to tlie pistol too, for they would have done as he did." The widowed Lady Anne Tyndal looked with much favor on John Wintlirop's courtship of her daughter Margaret ; for his uprightness of life and his earnest religious convictions made him a suitor welcome to any tender and thought- ful mother, and his beauty of cliaractcr and his affectionate nature made him equally welcome as a lover to any high-minded and loving woman. We know well how this sober but eager Puri- tan lover looked, what manner of man he was; 3 MARGARET WINTIIROP for several good portraits of him still exist, — ■ portraits showing him in rich but sad-colored garments, not wearing the plain, straight fall- ing-band beloved of the Puritans, but with the more ornamental, more worldly neck-ruff. The set plaits and flaring width of this broad neck- ruff help to aid in his likenesses his general resemblance to what has been termed the Eliza- bethan type of features, — a dignified, refined, intellectual expression, common to portraits of the time of Elizabeth, and which, as shown in the countenance of Winthrop, makes him seem almost of genetic likeness to Shakespeare, Raleigh, Bacon, and other well-known faces of the sixteenth century. His flowing locks and sober beard, his thoughtful forehead and clear- cut features, combine to make a picture which, even at first glance, is unmistakably that of a sincere and kindly English gentleman. Though John Wintlirop might be deemed Elizabethan in expression and bearing, we know, from the testimony of his life, his journal, his letters, that he was not Elizabethan in nature and temper. For he was ever orderly, never capricious ; he had an intense domestic tender- ness, rather than the broad geniality of the Elizabethan age ; he was just, rather than sym- pathetic ; his pulse beat with an equable and firm force, never with the bounding delight 4 A PURITAN WOOING which marked the Elizabethan temperament. He had a Christian courteoiisness rather than a cavalier courtliness ; he was reflective, self-restrained, and dignified, but always kind. John Milton has been held by many to be the noblest type of a Puritan. I think that John Winthrop, as seen both in his public career and his domestic life, in deeds as well as words, is a far nobler personification of the essential spirit and flower of Puritanism. Early in the progress of this courtship by this noble Puritan wooer, a love-letter was written, which fortunately still exists. It is a love-letter to Margaret Tyndal, but it was not written to her by her lover, but by her lover's father, Adam Winthrop. It is so quaint in expression, so tender in sentiment, so winning, that it certainly occupies a unique position, showing us what a delightful, inter- esting old courtier a Puritan father-in-law could be. It shall be given, deservedly, a first place among the love-letters in this account of ^largaret Winthrop's courting. It is written in Adam Winthrop's most careful and largest hand, and evidently with a new pen, in honor to the "faire ladye. " It is as follows: — I am, I assure you (Gentle Mistress Margaret) alrerly inflamed with a fatherly Love and affection MARGARET WINTHROP towardes you; the w'^'' at the first the only re- port of your modest behaviour, and mielde nature, did breede in my hearte; but iiowe throughe the manifest tokens of your true love & con- stant minde w"'' I perceyve to be settled in you towards my soonne, the same is exceedingly in- creased in mee. So that I cannot abstaine from expressinge it unto you by my pen in my absence, w"^ my tounge and mouthe I hoj^e shal shortely declare unto you in presence. And then I doute not, but I shal have juste cause to prayse God for you, and to thincke myselfe happy, that in my olds age I shal iujoye the familiar company of so vir- tuous and loveing a daughter; and pass the residue of my dales in peace and quietnes. For I have hetherto had greate cause to magnifie his holy name for his loving kindenes & mercy shewed unto mee in my children, and in those to whom they have been maried; that bothe I have alwaies deerly loved and affected them, and they also most lovinglye and dutifully have used mee. And therefore I assure you (good Mistress Margaret) that whatsoever love and kindenes you shal vouch- safe to shewe hereafter unto mee, I will not only requite it with tTie like, but also to the utter most of my power redouble the same. And for that I would fayne make it a little parte of your fayth to beleeve, that you shal be happye in matchinge w*** my soonne. I doe heere faithfully promise for him (in the presence of almighty God) that he will alwaies be a most kinde and lovinge husbande unto you and a provident stuarde for you and yours dur- 6 A PURITAN WOOING ing his lyfe, and also after his deathe. Thus with my harty comendacions to your selfe, and to the good Lady your deere mother, confirminge my true Love and promise unto you, by a token of a smale value, but of a pure substance w*^"" I sende you by this trusty bearer, I doe leave you to ye protection of the most mighty Trinitye, this last of March 1618. Your assured frende, Adam Winthrop. This solemn and confident assurance of Adam Winthrop for his son was faithfully fuiniled. John Winthrop was indeed a " most kinde and lovinge husbande;" and Margaret Winthrop was truly "happye in match inge " with him. There also still exist two of John Winthrop's love-letters to his "dearest friend and most heartily beloved Mrs Margaret Tyndal. " The}'' arc very long, too long to be given here in full ; but portions of thom must be quoted to show their remarkable Biblical wording, which was so characteristic of the man and the times. The Puritan was a "Scripturist with all his heart. " He took from Scripture his faith, his laws, his language, often even his names. The historian Green says the Englishman of that day wns a man of one book, and that book the Bildc. The influence of this con- stant reading and study of the Bible was 7 MARGARET WINTIIROP plainly shown both in the Puritan's composi- tion and his forms of speech. Our ordinary conversation to-day is full of unconscious quotation from modern popular authors, — Dickens, Thackeray, Scott, and from Shake- speare, Pope, and Dryden; but John Winthrop and his friends used the figures of speech — the very words — of their only universal book, the book of their hearts, the Bible; and this familiar adoption of Bible imagery and poetic expression, especially as shown in the Apoc- alypse and the Prophets, gave a certain nobility of form and ardour of wording, par- ticularly in matters of sentiment or deep feel- ing, which may to-day seem sometimes stilted or over-forcible and occasionally scarcely cognate, but never trivial or commonplace. John Winthrop was evidently a deep student and lover of the books of the Hagio- grapha, especially of the Song of Solomon; and in his Christian Experience, — a curious and touching record of his inmost spiritual thoughts, — and in many of his letters to his friends, he adopts the analogies and compari- sons of that book, where they scarcely seem so well adapted as in his love-letters. The Song of Solomon was at that time termed in the sacred calendar the Canticle of Canticles, and the text reference in the letter, " Cant ; 8 A PURITAN WOOING 2," is to that title. His first love-letter begins thus : — " Grace mercie & peace, «S:c; "My onely beloved Spouse, my most sweet friend, & faithfull companion of my pilgrimage, the happye & hopefuU supplie (next Christ Jesus) of my greatest losses, I wishe thee a most plentifull increase of all true comfort in the love of Christ, w"' a large & prosperous addition of whatsoever happynesse the sweet estate of holy wedlocke, in the kindest societye of a lovinge husbande, may afford thee. Beinge filled w"^ the joye of thy love, & wantinge opportunitye of more familiar comunion w*'' thee, w"'^ my heart fervently de- sires, I am constrained to ease the burthen of my minde by this poore helpe of my scriblinge penne, beinge sufficiently assured that, although my presence is that w*^'' thou desirest, yet in the want thereof, these lines shall not be unfruitfull of comfort unto thee. And now, my sweet Love, lett me a whyle solace my selfe in the remembrance of our love, of w*^*^ this springe tyme of acquaint- ance can putt forthe as yet no more but the leaves & blossomes, whilest the fruit lyes wrapped up in the tender budd of hope; a little more patience will disclose this good fruit, & bringe it to some maturitye; let it be o"^ care & labour to preserve these hopefull budds from the beasts of the fielde, & from frosts & other injuryes of the ayre, least o*" fruit fall off ere it be ripe, or lose ought in the beautye & pleasantnesse of it; Lett us pluck up 9 MARGARET WINTHROP suche nettles & thorns as would defraud o'' plants of their due nourishment; let us pruine off super- fluous branches; let us not sticke at some labour in wateringe & manuringe them; the plentye & good- nesse of o' fruit shall recompense us abundantly; o"" trees are planted in afruitfull soyle; the grounde, & patterne of o' love, is no other but that between Christe & his dear spouse, of whom she speakes as she finds him. My welbeloved is mine & I am his; Love was their banqueting house, love was their wine, love was their ensigne; (Cant; 2.) love was his invitinges, love was hir fayntinges; love was his apples, love was hir comforts; love was his embracings, love was hir refreshinge; love made him see hir, love made hir seeke him; (Jer; 2. 2. Ezek; 16.) love made him wedd hir, love made her followe him; love made him his saviour, love makes hir his servant. (Jo; 3. 16. Deut; 10. 12.) Love bred o'' fellowshippe, let love continue it, & love shall increase it, until deathe dissolve it. The prime fruit of the spirit is love; (Gal; 5. 22.) truethe of Spirit & true love: abound w*** the spirit, & abounde w''^ love; continue in the spirit & continue in love; Christ in his love so fill o"' hearts w'^ holy hunger & true appetite, to eate & drinke w*^ him & of him in this his sweet Love feast, w*^** we are now preparing unto, that when o"^ love feast shall come, Christ Jesus himselfe may come in unto us, & suppe w*^ us, & we w'*" him; so shall we be merrye indeed. (0 my sweet Spouse) can we esteeme eache others love, as worthy the recompense of o"' best mutuall affections, & can 10 A PURITAN WOOING we not discerne so muclie of Christs exceedinge & undeserved love, as may cheerfully allure us to love him above all? He loved us & gave himself for us; & to helpe the weaknesse of the eyes & hande & mouthe of o'' faithe, ■vv'^'* must seeke him in heaven where he is, he offers himselfe to the eyes, hands & mouthe of o"" bodye, heere on earthe where he once was. The Lord increace o'^ faithe." Margaret Winthrop did not say of this, as of a later letter, that it served as a sermon to her, but she might well have done so, I select two paragraphs from a second letter to show that some opposition was made to the marriage by Margaret Tyndal's relatives, — not because it was an unequal match, but sim- ply because Adam Winthrop was still Lord of the Manor, and John Winthrop's income was consequently small, and his power of settle- ment of money upon a wife was very limited. John Winthrop was, therefore, without fortune or fame, and he was also burdened with the expense of a family of four children. "By this w*^*^ I have allreadye written I may seeme to confirrae those objections w'='' thy friends have moved, & to grant that there should be great causes of discouragement offered thee in outward respects; But I trust I shall make it appeare that thou shalt have no wronge or disparagement by matchinge w"* mo, all things beingo indifferently II MAEGARET WINTIIROP considered; I confesse it is possible that I may die verye soone, «& then thy maintenance for a while may be somewhat lesse then convenient; but it is more likely that I may live a fewe yeares w'*' thee, w'^'' will certainly better thy conditio. But whether I live longer or lesse while, I can lett thee see how, w"" a little patience, thy meanes may be better than 80"* a 3'eare ; yet can I promise no more for present certaintye then I have formerly acquainted thy friends w""; neither would I that thou shouldest make this knowne to them. I had rather that they should finde it then expecte it. Whatsoever shall be wantinge of that w"*^ thy love deserves, my kindest affection shall endeavour to supplie, whilst I live, & what I leave unsatisfied (as I never hope to be out of thy debt) I will sett over to Him who is able, & will recompence thee to the full; & for the present, I wish thee to followe the prophets exhortatio Psal; 27, 14. Waite on the Lord, be of good courage, & he shall strengthen thyne heart; Waite I say on the Lorde. . . . " Havinge seariously considered of that unequall conflicte w*^** for my sake thou didst lately sustaine, & wherein yet, (although the odds were great), God beinge on thy side, thou gatest the victorye, I have had from hence a large provocatio to acknowledge Gods providence & speciall favour towards me, & to give him thankes for so great experience as hathe been offred me heerby of thy godlinesse, love, wis- dome, «& inviolable constancie ; — w*^** as in itselfe it deserves all approbatio, so in me it is of suche vertue as the more I thinke of it, the more it drawes 12 A PURITAN WOOINCf & knitts my heart unto thee, and hathe setled that estimatio of thy love therein, as (I am truly persuaded) nothinge but deathe shall aholishe or diminishe it. Such an invincible resolutio could not have been founds in a poore fraile woman, had not thine amies been strengthened by the mightie God of Jacob. He it was w*^** gave an other spirit to thj^selfe & that good Lady thy mother, w*^ Caleb &, Josuah, constantly to followe the Lord against all the discouragements of the greater parte, — yea when my selfe, too cowardly & un- kindly ioyned amies w"' thine opposers against thee ; But nowe doe I knowe that thou lovest me,