I am sory I can not2 right to thee so cherefully as I should if god had not visited vs with this stroke of my sonnes death,3 the thoughts of him doe so take vp my minde, that I am not fit for other imployment. but it is the lord that hath done it, and we must submit to his will. I did not expect the ende of his dayse had bine so neere, if I had I would haue sent for you, to haue taken your last leaue of him. I thanke the lord he dyed very comfortablely, and was all the time of his sicknes very well affected, and did vse many good speaches to my selfe and others, that gaue vs assurance that he was the child of god, and that god had fitted him for him selfe, he told me the onely cause that he did desyre life for was that he mite gloryfy god, and spend those giufts which god had giuen him to better vse then formerly he had done, with many promyses that if god did spare his life he would neuer folloe the vanytyes of this world. the day before he dyed he sayd that sathan was busy with him to laye some sines to his charge, but the lord gaue him poure against him, so as he told me not many owres before his death, that his fayth was stedfast in god through Jesus Christ for his saluation. I wil not saye any more of him at this tyme, the lord giue vs grace to make good vse of this afflicktion. I receiued thy louing letter by my brother Goslinge and the things you sent this weeke, and I haue nothinge but my thanks to returne to thee. I blesse god for the good nuse from n: e: I send vp mr. Nuttall bond by this bearer. my mother Clopton4 would intreate you that if you sell your brothers land hir cosin Hubbart may helpe you with a chapman for it, or if you let it he desyres to hire some part of it. I thinke longe to heere of my sister Downings recouery. I pray remember my loue to them both, and all my cosins, and thus with my loue and blessinge to thy selfe, desyringe the Lord to keepe thee I rest Your assured louinge mother

I receaued your kind letter, bearing date xijth of August, for which I hartily thancke you, that in the midst of your great trobles (the which I assure my self are verie many,) you will let your penn loose to declare to your Freinds that they are not forgotten. But since the arrival of your letter I haue herd of your heavienes,2 for which with you I bare my share, but I trust that that wilbe an occasion of our seeing you heere in old England the sooner. Sir, ther is litle or nothing that is worthie of newes, but that all things are as you left them, and rather worser then any whit amended. the Gent:3 are still in prison, and tossed from the Kings Bench to the gate howse in Westminster, and from thence to the K. Bench againe: all this since Midsomer last. Vppon Sabboth day last the Articles of Peace with Spaine weare sworne to in great state (as I am informed of) in the Chappell at Whitle-Hall sic, the which at this presente I cannot send, in that they are kept soe close:4 and ther was a verie great feast 323made for the Ambessadour, which cost 7000 li., but instead of cupbords of plate, which it was vsuallie to be set forth at such tymes, ther weare cupbords of glasses for them, etc.

Yesterday, the Earle of Castle-Haven5 was committed to the gatehowse, close prisoner, (whoe is Jesuitted,) for fowle offences, as I am informed; for noe lesse then buggerie, and for comanding his owne dafter and his ladie for to prostrate themselues to his owne favorite, (one Mr. Henry Skipwith) whoe is likewise committed to the King's Bench, and all these and far worser practises came to be made knowne to the king, by the peticion of his daughters husband. Thus with a harty desire for a blessing on all your enterprises, at this tyme doe take my leave, remayneing