CLI. George Thorpe. A Letter to John Smyth
December 19, 1620
Smyth of Nibley Papers, Smyth, 33
Document in New York Public Library. Autograph Letter, Signed
List of Records No. 221
Sr I hope you shall receaue this letter by Tho. Partridge by whose relation
I must intreat you to satisfie yoũ selfe in any thinge wherein I shalbe
wantinge att this time wee beinge nowe in the busines of examininge
wittnesses concerninge Captaine Argoll wherein wee sit comonly till mid-
night and beside I did not expect that this would haue departed soe
sodainelye and I doe intend God-willinge to write to you and the rest of
or Aduenturers by the next against wch time I hope Captaine woodleefes
Tobacco wilbe ready and therefore I praie you excuse mee to them till
then. x x x x Notwthstandinge Sr that you will heare many strainge
reportℯ both of the death of or owne people and of other others yeat bee
not discoraged therein for I thanke God I neuer had my health better in
my life then I haue had since my cominge into this Countrey and I coulde
saie the like of diuers others and am p̱swaded that more doe die here of the
disease of theire minde then of theire body by hauinge this countrey victuallℯ
ouer-praised vnto them in England & by not knowinge they shall drinke
water here although god-bethanked this countrey meandℯ in plentie of vict-
uall euerie daie (as I shall make appeare in or p̱ticular by wrytinge) and wee
haue found a waie to make soe good drinke of Indian corne as I p̳test I haue
diuers times refused to drinke good stronge Englishe beare and chosen to
drinke that. Sr I speake it as a frend (wch is a heigh com̄ndation) I find the
Countrey to bee such as that you maie wth a great deale of thankefullnes
to God of Comfort to yoũ self resolue to place yoũ seconde sonne here
and account him as Good a man of Lyuinge (euerie waie) as his elder brother
only if you furnishe him wth a competent number of servantℯ and wth a
reasonable stocke of catle wch I hope you maie doe of yoũ owne by that
time, if or aduenturers take but any reasonable course in the meane time,
I beseche you Sr bee carefull of my poore wife & children vnto whom I
haue written to come ouer hither I praie further her in what you maie I
will send her by the next a note of what is fitt for her to bringe for her
Jorney and for this countrey wch nowe I cannot doe the shipp beinge already
gone downe w
ch drives mee in hast to end yet not w
thout an earnest desier
to bee remembred to all that will vouchsafe to bee my frendℯ and am S
r
Yoũ most assured Louinge ffrinde to searue you
Geo. Thorpe.
Southampton Hund. this 19th of December 1620
[Addressed:] To the Ri: worll͠ my verie Louinge frend John Smith Esquier
att North nybley giue these.
[Indorsed:] Mr Thorps ɫre .19. Dec. 1620. 18 Jac. brought by Thomas
P̱tridge.
