Accordingly when the noble design of carrying a colony of chosen people into an American wilderness was by some eminent persons undertaken, this eminent person was, by the consent of all, chosen for the Moses who must be the leader of so great an undertaking. And indeed nothing but a Mosaic spirit could have carried him through the temptations to which either his farewell to his own land or his travel in a strange land must needs expose a gentleman of his education. Wherefore having sold a fair estate of six or seven hundred [_pounds_] a year, he transported himself with the effects of it into New England in the year 1630, where he spent it upon the service of a famous plantation founded and formed for the seat of the most reformed Christianity.... But at the same time his liberality unto the needy was even beyond measure generous.... ’Twas his custom also to send some of his family upon errands unto the houses of the poor about their meal time on purpose to spy whether they wanted; and if it were found that they wanted, he would make that the opportunity of sending supplies unto them. And there was one passage of his charity that was perhaps a little unusual. In an hard and long winter, when wood was very scarce at Boston, a man gave him a private information that a needy person in the neighborhood stole wood sometimes from his pile; whereupon the Governor in a seeming anger did reply, “Does he so? I’ll take a course with him; go, call that man to me; I’ll warrant you I’ll cure him of stealing!” When the man came, the Governor, considering that if he had stolen, it was more out of necessity than disposition, said unto him: “Friend, it is a severe winter, and I doubt you are but meanly provided for wood; wherefore I would have you supply yourself at my woodpile till this cold season be over.” And he then merrily asked his friends whether he had not effectually cured this man of stealing his wood?... There was a time when he received a very sharp letter from a gentleman who was a member of the court, but he delivered back the letter unto the messengers that brought it with such a Christian speech as this: “I am not willing to keep such a matter of provocation by me!” Afterwards the same gentleman was compelled by the scarcity of provisions to send unto him that he would sell him some of his cattle; whereupon the Governor prayed him to accept what he had sent for as a token of his good will; but the gentleman returned him this answer: “Sir, your overcoming of yourself hath overcome me.” THE FIRST LETTER: BEFORE LEAVING ENGLAND