kind loue and affection to you remembered; hauinge not a convenient
opertunety to see and speake w'th you soe oft as I could desier, I
therefore make bold to take opertunety as occassione offers it selfe to
vissit you w'th my letter, desiering y't it may find acceptance w'th
you, as a token of my loue to you; as I can assuer you y't yours have
found from me; for as I came home from you y'e other day, by y'e way I
reseaued your letter from your faithfull messenger w'ch was welcom
vnto me, and for w'ch I kindly thanke you, and do desier y't as it is
y'e first: so y't may not be y'e last, but y't it may be as a seed
w'ch will bring forth more frute: and for your good counsell and
aduise in your letter specified, I doe accept, and do desier y't we may
still command y'e casse to god for direction and cleering vp of your way
as I hope wee haue hitherto done; and y't our long considerations may at
y'e next time bring forth firme concessions, I meane verbally though not
formally. Sweete-harte I have given you a large ensample of patience, I
hope you will learn this instruction from y'e same, namely, to show y'e
like toward me if euer occassion be offered for futuer time, and for
y'e present condesendency vnto my request; thus w'ch my kind loue
remembered to yo'r father and mother and Brothers and sisters w'th
thanks for all their kindness w'ch haue been vndeseruing in me I rest,
leauing both them and vs vnto y'e protection and wise direction of y'e
almighty.

"My mother remembers her love vnto y'or father and mother; as also
vnto your selfe though as it vnknown.

"Yo'rs to command in anything I pleas.

"JOHN CAPEN."

In this connection may very properly be given another letter written at
about the same date. Punkapoag, the summer residence of Thomas Bailey
Aldrich, the poet editor of the Atlantic, was a part of colonial
Dorchester and one of the points where the famous John Eliot began his
missionary labors among the Indians. In the interest of the natives at
that station he wrote the following letter to his friend, Major
Atherton, in 1657:

"Much Honored and Beloved in the Lord:

"Though our poore Indians are molested in most places in their meetings
in way of civilities, yet the Lord hath put it into your hearts to
suffer us to meet quietly at Ponkipog, for w'ch I thank God, and
am thankful to yourselfe and all the good people of Dorchester. And
now that