I must give a single specimen of it from a
letter whose high moral tone is all the more diverting that it was
written while he was under excommunication for the sin which he
afterwards confessed. It is addressed to Winthrop and Dudley. "Honnored
in the Lord. Youer silenc one more admirse me. I youse chrischan
playnnes. I know you love it. Silenc can not reduce the hart of youer
love'g brother: I would the rightchous would smite me, espeschali youer
slfe & the honnored Depoti to whom I also dereckt this letter together
with youer honnored slfe. Jesos Christ did wayt; & God his Father did dig
and telfe bout the barren figtre before he would cast it of: I would to
God you would tender my soule so as to youse playnnes with me." (As if
anything could be plainer than excommunication and banishment!) "I wrot
to you both, but now [no] answer; & here I am dayli abused by malischous
tongse: John Baker I here hath rot to the honnored depoti how as I was
dronck & like to be cild, & both falc, upon okachon I delt with Wanuerton
for intrushon, & findding them resolutli bent to rout out all gud a mong
us & advanc there superstischous waye, & by boystrous words indeferd to
fritten men to acomplish his end, & he abusing me to my face, dru upon
him with intent to corb his insolent and dasterdli sperrite, but now [no]
danger of my life, although it might hafe bin just with God to hafe
giffen me in the hanse of youer enemise & mine, for they hat the wayse of
the Lord & them that profes them, & therfore layes trapes to cachte the
pore into there deboyst corses, as ister daye on Pickeren their Chorch
Warden caim up to us with intent to mak some of ourse dronc, as is
sospeckted, but the Lord soferd him so to misdemen himslfe as he is likli
to li by the hielse this too month.
Pages:
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399