I received your lovinge Lettre, for which and all other fruits of your Love I kindly thanke you, especially for your prayers, which (I hope) shall not be lost vpon me. mr. Nelson and mr. Carlton have been with me, and I have given them what satisfaction I can for the present: I prayse God, it dothe not greive me to departe with any thinge, to pay my debts. yet there is somethinge troubles me a little, that some of my Christian frends should take advantage of my servants vnfaithfullnesse, to gett suche bargaines, as some of them have (vpon better con­209sideration) been sorrye for, and have released them, and withall holpen to ease my burden, by lendinge me freely: but others call strictly and hastyly for the like, which thoughe I looke at it as an Iniury yet I have not complained of it to any, nor doe I intende to doe, being perswaded that they are suche as doe abhorre all oppressinge practizes, (thoughe a good man may steppe aside that waye vnawares especially in N: E:) and knowinge your wisdome and integritye, I will make you Iudge in the case: it may be you will not meet with the like (all circumstances weyed) and thus it stands: some of them let my servant have monye, without my desire or privitye, till they come to me for their security and they acquaint me with it in suche manner, as I could apprehende no other, but that they lent it freely to doe me a Courtesye; (havinge then no present occasion to make vse of it themselves) so now they have engaged me to requite this kindnesse some other waye, but withall, they privately contracte with my servant, for large interest, and take a bill of him for deliuery of so muche Corne at an vnder rate, but no mention for what Consideration: nor was I ever like to have knowne it either from them or from my servant, had not a stranger (greivinge (as he sayd) to see how my estate went awaye) given me notice thereof, lately, wherevpon I examined my servant, who then confessed it to me: otherwise I had payd interest for mony, and yet been engaged to them for that, which it seemes now they lent for their owne advantage: for why would they not els have acquainted me with the Interest as well as the principall? except they held it either not to be so lawfull, or not of so good reporte to take interest, as to lende monye. thus my Corne that I had provided for the food of my famyly is sould awaye without my privitye (thoughe I was neere enoughe to have been spoken with) some at 2s the bushell vnder the market, some 12d some more some lesse, whereas if they had tould me when they tooke securitye for their mony, that I must have payd suche rates for it, I could have served my occasions otherwise, and could as well have made vse of my frends or other means then for 2 or 300li as I am forced now to doe to paye their principall and vse withall: Now thoughe my purpose be (God inabling me) to satisfie all so fast as I can raise mony and provide Corne, yet I thinke it but reasonable that suche as have bargained for Corne at such vnder rates, should staye till others (whose bargains are more equall) be first satisfied, so I leaue this matter to yourselfe to iudge off. For your owne debt, I suppose you intended me a Courtesye in offeringe to accept a heifer for your 2 Calves and 4li and accordingly I desired mr. Carlton to choose one for you: and I thinke if you value your Calves viz: a Bull and Cowe Calfe of a weeke old at 5 or 6li (which is the most they can be worth) and my heifer 210(as I sould her fellowes before winter) at 13li you will finde yourselfe mistaken, but that is a small matter between yourselfe and me.

I thanke you for your loving letter and doe blesse God for peace and health to you and yours: I am confident you having spent your selfe and estate in this honourable service; that yt will redounde to your greater creditt and honour with God and man, then if you had gayned riches as other Governours doe both in Virginea and elswhere, and yt will rise vp in Judgement against extorting Governours that shalbe sett over the people in succeeding generations, when your selfe shalbe at rest reaping the fruits of your present labours;

The noate that Edr. Dillingham gave you, I never saw yt. I pray therefore take his affidavit. yt had ben done here if wee could haue mett with mr. Endicott, who is much trobled with a Cough and Cold and cannot be at this Court. He remembereth his trew love and service to your selfe and my sister.

I cannot leave my wife now to attend Dillinghams buisines and I feare if I should haue ben there, the tryall would be putt of with one devise or other because I did not serve mr. Saltonstall and his partner to the Court. If he can he will keepe Dillingham from you. I pray keepe the affidavit or send yt me for I can depose he would haue sworne to yt if wee could haue founde mr. Endicott. Yeasterday my wife was in a feavor, this day shee is pretyly well; so with my service to your selfe my sister and all yours I rest Your verie loving brother