us with the Sin & folly of hiding Our Talent in a Napkin.

4. Whether it would not be proper to Encourage the Natural Disposition of the people which seems to be mightily set upon Trade & merchandize.

51. Whether a flourishing trade would not verry much contribute to the peopling our Colony, & the Improvement of our Lands, Good Marketts being universally allowed to be the Greatest Encouragements to husbandry and agriculture. These things I most humbly propose, and do assure your Honour that I have No End in giving your Honour this trouble, further than to let your Honour know that I speak the Mind of Abundance of the Good people of this Colony.

I am in all Duty, your Honour's
Most Dutyfull

Most affectionate

& most humble Servant,

GROTON, May 7th, 1733.

To the Honble GOVERNOUR

JAMES PACKER.

OF CONNECTTICUT COLONY.

GOVERNOR BELCHER TO GOVERNOR TALCOTT.* Honoble Sir,

This accompanies my Son And going to take an Inspection of my Lands & other Concerns in your Colony, and I have order'd him to pay his Duty to your Honour, and shall much esteem your Favour & advice in any Thing, wherein he may have occasion therefor, and I shall always be ready to return it in

*From the original in the possession of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

Andrew Belcher, the Governor's oldest son, was born Nov. 17, 1706; Harvard College, 1724; lived at Milton; a member of the Council; died at Milton, Jan. 24, 1771.- Hist.-Gen. Register, XXVII. 241.

any acceptable Services you may ask of me Here,

COL. ADAM WINTHROP* TO GOVERNOR TALCOTT. Honble Sir: Your favour of the 8th of March last came to my hand not long since. I have communicated the same to the Commissioners, to whom it proves very acceptable, and they are ready to give all proper encouragement to the Indians therein mention'd. As to the Youth of eighteen years old, who is of such an exemplary Conversation, they desire you will please to send for him and to discourse him, and if he inclines to be bro't up to Grammar, and even Colledge Learning, with a resolution to become a Minister to the Indians, the Commissioners will be at the charge of it, and in that case, if you will order him to be furnished with Homespun Coat, Jacket, and Breeches, two Shirts, Stockings, Shoes and Hat, after the English Fashion, and send me a Bill of the cost, and it shall be answered, and we desire you to send us his name the next opportunity.

I shall send some Blankets according to your proposal, for the encouragement of the Indian Lads or Girls, and the Commissioners desire the School Master of Farmington or some School Dame to instruct as

* Col. Adam Winthrop was born March 3, 1676; Harvard College, 1694; he was colonel of the Boston Regiment; captain of Castle William; long a member of the Massachusetts Council; Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and some time Chief Justice; also treasurer in New England of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in New England, etc. He died Oct. 2, 1743. — Drake's History of Boston, 72. MS. Letter from R. C. Winthrop, Jr., Oct. 25, 1890.

many of either sex as desire to learn, and upon a cer-
tificate from Mr Whitman, the Minister of the Town,
of the number he instructs, and the time he teaches
'em, he shall be paid for each of them in the same
proportion that he has for an English Scholar, and if
he instructs the promising Indian Lad in Grammar
learning, he shall have a suitable consideration for it.
Hoping you will please to inform me in a short time
what steps are taken herein, I subscribe,

Y' Honour's most Humble and Obedient Servant,
ADAM WINTHROP.

BOSTON, May 17, 1733.

If the Indian Youth does not desire to be bro't up to Learning and be a Minister, he is not then to be Clothed in the English Fashion, but only to have the largest Blanket.

The Hone JOSEPH TALCOT, Esq.

GOVERNOR TALCOTT TO FRANCIS WILKS.

HARTFORD, June 5th, 1733

Sir I hope that long before now you have come to hand mine of June 7th, 1732, as also the silver and gold sent you p' John Edwards of Boston, p' acct and on the risque of this Colony, shipt on board the ship Union, John Homans Master, who sail'd from Boston, November, 1732.* Also, mine of February 12th, 1732/3, with Mr John Edwards' of Boston Letter inclosed in it; containing in it what silver and gold was sent p Cap' John Homans aforesaid. Sir, I have not received one line from you for a long time, none in answer to any of the forementioned; only one from you of Octob* 9th, 1732, and one of Octob" 28th, 1733 [sic], and not any other since.

I am to inform you that our Gen" Assembly in *See page 267.

May last have granted your Salary of £100, our Bills of Credit. If you would appoint some friend of yours in Boston to receive it, so far as your Salary, at least, as hath been the constant usage of all our agents from the beginning: and indeed all other payments due to our former agents, for their services and disbursements for this Colony, done in England, hath always been ordered and delivered to Gentlemen the agents have ordered in Boston to receive it for them, altho' the latter may be more justly demandable in England, where the debt is contracted or made; yet if it might be paid in Boston it would be an ease to us, and it's possible no damage to you. And, Sir, as hope deferred makes the heart sick: so I am in long expectation of your answers, and have had none to any one of the foregoing, and particularly of that p' Capt John Homans. However, I have sent these lines, and hope you'l send an answer to this and the rest, p' the first opportunity, in the doing of which you'l oblige, Sir, Your humble Servant,

J: TALCOTT.

P. S. I hope if any Acts of Parliament are passed that reach the Plantation, you'l send copies, and charge us with the cost.

JOHN EDWARDS TO GOVERNOR TALCOTT.

BOSTON, June the 22, 1733.

S': Yours of the 6th Instant I reed with the enclosed Letter for Francis Wilks, Esq', which I purpose to send pr Cap' Samuel Cary, who says he shall sail on Wednesday or Thursday next. I have carefully enquired for your Letters from London, but have not yet heard of any. I have Reed a Letter from Mr Wilks, which gives me an acet of the Silvr and gold I sent to

him, being short I have hereunder inserted a Copy thereof. I am S with all due Respects,

Your Hon's humble Serv

Mr JOHN EDWARDS.

JOHN EDWARDS.

LONDON, 8 Feb", 1732/3.

S': I am favd with yours of the 21st of October, inclosing a Bill of Lading for some Silvr and Gold pr Cap' Homans, pr order of the Honble Govr Talcott, which I have Recd in Safety, and shall apply the same as directed, if in anything can be serviceable to you here, please to Command

*

Shipped by the Grace of GOD, in good Order and well Conditioned, by John Edwards, on the ace and risque of the Colony of Connecticut, in and upon the good Ship called the Union, whereof is Master under GOD for this present Voyage, John Homans, and now Riding at Anchor in the Harbor of Boston, and by God's Grace bound for London To say, seven Moidores, Three French and one Spanish pistoles, and one hundred Ninety-Seven Ounces and an half of French and Spanish Silvr money, Troy weight, in a Bag Being Marked and Numbered as in the Margent, and are to be delivered in the like good Order and well Conditioned, at the aforesaid Port of London, (the Danger of the Seas only excepted), unto Francis Wilks, Esq', or to his Assigns, he or they paying Freight for the said Goods, two lb' with Primage and Average accustomed. In witness whereof the Master or Purser of the said Ship hath affirmed to three Bills of Lading, all of this Tenor and Date, One of which three Bills being Accomplished, the other two to stand Void. And so GOD send the good Ship to her desired Port in safety, Amen. Dated in Boston in New England, October the 21st, 1732.

*No C C 1.

Jo HOMANS.