Blessed be the Lord our God for his great mercye still continued to vs and ours O that we could consider aright of his kindnesse that we might knowe our happinesse in beinge the children of such a father, and so tenderly beloued of the Allsufncient but we must needs complaine, oh this flesh, this fraile sinfull flesh, that obscures the beauty and brightnesse of so great glorye and goodnesse! I thanke thee for thy most kinde and sweet Lettre, the stampe of that amiable affection of a most louinge wife: I assure thee, thy Labour of loue (tho, it be very great) shall not be lost, so far as the prayers and endeauours of a faithfull husbande can tende to requitall. but I must limitt the length of my desires to the shortnesse of my leysure, otherwise I should not knowe when to ende. I trust, in the Lorde, the tyme of our wished meetinge wilbe shortly, but my occasions are such as thou must haue pacience till the ende of next weeke, thoughe I shall striue to shorten it, if possibly I maye: and after that, I hope, we shall neuer parte so longe againe, till we parte for a better meetinge in heauen. but where we shall spende the rest of our short tyme I knowe not, the Lorde, I trust, will direct vs in mercye: my comfort is that thou art willinge to be my companion in what place or condition soeuere in weale or in woe, be it what it 101may, if God be with vs, we need not feare, his favour, and the kingdom of heauen wilbe alike and happinesse enough to vs and ours in all places. Henry is in London, but I haue seen him but twice, I knowe not what he doth nor what he intendeth, I mourne for his sinnes and the miserye that he will soone bringe vpon himselfe and his wife.

Our freindes heere are all in health (God be praysed) and desire to be commended to thee, so with my loue and blessinge to our children, salutations to all our freindes my brother and sister Gostlin etc: I commende thee to the good Lorde and kisse my sweet wife and rest thy faithfull husband

I received thy kinde Lettre, and doe blesse our good God that I heare of thy wellfare and of all our familye; myselfe am likewise in health (I prayse the Lorde) and hope to be with thee shortly, with my sister Fones and all her company: We intend (God willinge) to sett forth of London on Wenesdaye next, and so to be at Groton on thursdaye.2 The Lorde directe and prosper all our iorneye. I am so streightened in tyme as I can write no more, but must leave the rest to be supplied when I come; the good Lorde and our most mercifull father blesse and keepe thee and all ours. So with the kinde salutations of all our freinds heer to thee, and mine owne to all our freinds with thee, I kisse my sweet wife and rest Thy faithfull husband