New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-02
IN PURITAN DAYS.
SOCIAL CUSTOMS AND RELIGIOUS oBsERV-
ANCFs OF NEw-ENGI.AND.
MARGARET WINTHROP. BY Alice Morse Earle.
lamo Charles Scribner's Sons.

That worthy gentleman. Mr.. Johh "'"'0 p
Governor OF the Massachusetts BAY No'o"s'
left. as all good Americans KNOW some en-
tremelv valuable records Of his experiences on
these shores as we'll ZONE OF his ola love
letters Using these md other writings OF MS
,.r,oa English and Colonial, Mrs. Earle has
succeeded in putting together an interesting
r,c.ure NJ domestic life In the old and new
Enelands of the seventeenth century There
could not be found many definite details OF the
youth Of Winthrop's sweetheart and wife. MS
"nost heartily beloved Mrs Margaret Iyh-
DAP. hut those OF her letters 10 her huspaho
which have been preserved give attractive
gl,mpses of her character, and other coh'enhpo
rary documents furnish the necessary se''i"e
of manners and customs
Margaret Tyndal was the daughter OIL az
English country family OF some oien''s' ""N
was a quiet and industrious maiden OF twenty
seven when she was wooed by Johh "in'i 0i
Puritan lawyer IN London, and squire /" gu
folk She was his third wite-a 1act VIM"
somewhat lessons the readers snare III "
Earle's enthusiasm over the love s'ors Vi nv
pair Master Winthrops letters 10 'he iau'
are affectionate and pous. taxing ai'e' '
puritan fashion material for lovers phrases
from the Song of Solomon. One OF these ep'S'es
"a curious mixture of sentiment goodness ana
trothed to come to him sober and not 100 eN-
,ersive appsrc with all the great and sincere
desire which have" he says. that there might
he no discoura cement to daunt the edge or my az
fections whyle they are truly labouring 10 settle
and repose themselves in thee makes NEE mus
vatchfull and Jealous OF the least occasion
that Sathan might stir up TO our dlscoihlor''
Sathan found little TO do. for Margaret proved
TO be a most saving. tudicious and submissive
wife-so encouraging, in short. TO her ioro
affections that he moved, al her death' 10
take unto himself a fourth spouse
Margaret was. as he upon occasion remarked
n gracious woman OF sweet countenance, tehoer
OF heart and strong N character "hhe ne
pursued his legal practice in LONDON she 'ooN
care of his children and household in the coun'i!
and wrote to him very pretty letters "ha'
were without doubt. her housewifeiy ways MIS-.
Earle has studied in the available RECORDS VI
the century. drawing therefrom a story Of provi-
dent toll which confirms Winthrops Chains III
regard TO his wires wisdom and goodness.
housekeeping for the mistress OF manor-house
IN the seventeenth century meant incessant ef-
fcr.: II men demanded fewer luXures thah TO-
day. necessities were harder TO procure and pre-
mare The simplest daily food and drink and
dress and doctor,ng involved for the housewife
long hours Of work and planning that sharpened
the wits and wore out the body.
When Winthrop determined TO enigrate 10
Massachusetts as Governor Of the Colony Mar
Caret was left behind in England; and when she
followed him after year or two II was 10 rene"
IN a six-roomed house in Boston the cares OF
her home in Groton. She had propapiy niue
beer to brew. for the Governors theories Oh per
sonal liberty were not connected with that oeVer-
age: and Mrs Earle thankfully mentions tha'
the spinning and weaving were omitted oecause
there were no available materials IN the coioiiS
But there were few methods Of household ighl-
ing In those early Boston days and II Is proo-
able that Margaret made candles out OF the
fragrant barberry wax and spun the wicks from
the silk Of the milkweed pod.
There was In 1881 enough TO eat and to spare
though only short time before the colohis's
were near starvation. But absolute privation was
over by the time the Governors wife arrived ana
life II toilsome, was on the whole happy for the
loving woman and devout Puritan Everything
that was entertaining in little Boston came to her
house. the MAGISTRATES met there, Indian ambas-
sailors and visitors from abroad were received
there all the news OF the Plantation first found
hearing there. The society. If not brilliant, was
IN a sense Intellectual. for there were many uni
yersity men I'm the town. and some or them mao
clever English wives. What were Mrs. " IN
throp's occupations during her sixteen years OF
life in this country. and who were her friends' We
learn by inference derived from chronicles WINCH
do not directly concern her. surviving detaiis
concerning her are of the slightest and her BIZ
ogranher has shown much ingenuity in padding
her narrative with accounts of the people whom
Margaret must have seen and known. ana WIFI
descriptions of various phases OF Boston lie Which
were probably familiar to her. The most amusing
cd
struggles with the servant question of Mrs Win
,hrop's stepdaughter. Mary Dudley. Writing
from Cambridge to her "deare mother" in Boston
Mrs. Dudley piteously says:
After nv bounden duty l still continue to bt
a troublesome suter to You. in the pehaiie Oh
mayd. | should hardly have made so boid &c
sterate my request but such is my necesslt!
that | am forced to crave your help hereih d.
eneedjly as nave be- my mayd being TO gof
away vpon May Day and am Ike To be alto
gether destitute. ! cannot get her 10 stay
month longer. and am soc i'll and weak that
am like to be put TO great straits II ! canno,
ret one by your neanes. do not DOUBT OF
Your care herein. but yet make bold TO pu
YOU in mind. lest you should conceive my neec
TO be Jesse than il Is My husband IS willing I,
stand to what you shall think meet 10 give.
desire to have my duty and thankfunesse pre-
eented 10 my father for The wheat ne sent me
by the pinace. have not yet received II, but by
my letter perceive there is some for me. | in
treat you would be pleased to send those Things
holiness in this and other requests. but the
constant experience Of your love and boundt1
TO me makes still presume on your favor
desire the mayd that you provide me may bt
one that hath been vsed to ali kind Of worn
and must refuse none. II she have skill in the
dayrie ] shall be the gladder. My children are
well and my husband who desires TO have his
duty and service presented TO my father anc
YOU Thus intreating your acceptance of these
scrIbbled lines. humbly take my leave, youl
dutiful daughter, MARY DUDLEY.
O... - thts ,pcornforfa HE Stia tiOn moor Mrs
Dudley fell into an even more evil case. as he,
second letter shows;
Deare Mother:
nv humble dutie remembered to YOU. I, re
1oyceth me TO heare Of your recOverie out o
your dangerous sickness. and should be glad e
heare how your health is continued to you by
letter from yourself. for have not heard from
WOW long tine. which troubleth me, though