hauinge considdered the messenger that brought your louinge summons I thought good to avoyde superfluous wordes, by expressinge my minde vnto your Worship in a fewe lines as followeth. I hearde onely by one partye of some Aspertions cast on mee by this woemane. hauing noe other proofe I coulde make noe slaunder of it, yet dide I write a letter to her husbande that if such thinges wear spoken, soe far as I could obtayne I should expeckt Sattisfactione. In the meane time, 302this Reporte came to one of our towne, betwixt whome and I, Difference had bine to longe and to greate, whoe amongst many other Bitter words, proffest hee woulde worke my Disgrace, as far as it laye in his powr, and forth with this woemane was sent for, with a messadge of Incouradgment, that shee shoulde not feare but stande firmlye to the matter, though in the manner shee did Accknowledg her faulte. shee beinge come Resorted to that parte, but of her Comming or beinge in the Baye I knew not of till Accedentallye I sawe her, yea and then shee indeauorde to conceale her selfe as much as shee coulde, till after Inquirye beinge informde shee was att her Fathers Howse, I went thether and offerd to goe with her, and her Father, to the Elders, or before whome shee pleasd if shee had ought to obieckt agaynst mee. But deserninge noe willingenes then in her to goe before witnes, I thought it noe wisdome to force my owne Name vppon the stadge seeinge by testimonny god gaue mee noe callinge thervnto, neither haue I hearde anny thinge moore of it this date that coulde be a wittnes, saue that one man, whoe is nowe in Plimmouth pattent; which Partye towlde mee, shee had sayd, and vnsayde, the words, and that hee coulde proue shee had serued others in the same Nature in there towne. Butt indeed if my owne testymonny woulde serue, I am certayne I coulde sattisfie your worship fully of the Abuse of this woemans Chardge. Howe soe euer Right honnord Sir As a Father to this Common wealth I thinke my selfe Happy that I maye open my greeuance vnto you, knowinge that in Respeckt of your selfe, I shall not be vnderstoode to desire the least fauour in anny sinfull practise proued. sir the Casse is thus, I finde as a practise to common (to moore deservinge then my selfe) Those whoe prossecute moore Bitterlye agaynst mee, then to my Knowledg I haue deserued at there handes, yet knowinge nothinge nothinge cann be but through gods leaue. I desire and through his mercye have fownde some benefite from the same; I haue sufferred much allreadye, that little means which by suruayinge I was growne into is stopt; Boasts are made to this purpose, I haue vncaptaynde him, and vnhorst him, hee is out of the Gouernors Fauour, hee is nowe pretty lowe, and indeed they saye true, for if god Rayse not vp some frinds I see noe end of ther farther pressinge mee lower still. Therfore doe I beseech you sir soe far as Justise will permitt lett mee begg what I noe wayes haue deserued, eaunen as much Fauour as your Christiane Charrety cann Afforde in such a Casse. But not to be Tedious vnto your Worship, As I knowe by this woemane I am wrondged, soe doe I knowe you are nott Ignorante, howe fare such Reports woulde creep in eauen amongst Maiesty and Minnistrye, if Godlye wisdome should not chill them in the hatchinge; and as I see ther wisdomes, whoe att anny time haue had to doe in that kinde, 303nottwithstandinge noe proff coulde be brought, Rather chuse to pass by much then publikely opose a slaunderous tounge, which neuer soe vniustlye cast out, yett neuer fayles to leaue some spots in the Aprehentions of some behinde. I therfore beseech your worship to considder that poynt in anny thinge that concernes mee vnfaynedlye desiringe noe other Judg then your selfe vnto whose Voyce I shall Attende, and willingly submit if I knowe myne owen harte as Readylye as to the Courte, if you finde anny defeckt in mee. This I made boulde to offer to your Christiane Considderratione, not Questioninge but god will Dereckt you in all his wayes. I rest your worships Readely to my powr to Commaunde