Nothing exists in the way of evidence as to the moment when Child made the acquaintance of the younger John Winthrop. Their friendship may have begun in England when Winthrop was there in 1634 and 1635, or even as early as 1631, the year of his first embarka tion for America; but Winslow's language suggests that Child was a stranger to the New Englanders until he presented letters of intro duction.l After all, it is a question of idle curiosity; for, if they had not met before, they certainly became intimate when Child visited the Bay the first time.