[Address Leaf: Notes]
The Copie of my lettre to
my wief the xxiijth of
October 1585
§
my wief the xxiijth of
October 1585
§
[Letter Text: Notes]
They offences & faltes that you haue committed against me wch noe good
wief would would doe, wher admonitions sufficient to all
men to be advised in their mariage, & though you desire to be
chardged pticulerlie to thende you maie knowe your faltes
I nede not to expresse them they are manifest to the worlde
and yf I would hidd theim your behaviour and conditions hath
laid theim open. ther can not be anie wief more forgetfull
of her dutie & lese carfull to please her husbande than you
haue bene, nor anie more bounden nor haue receiued greatr
benefittes by her husbande then you. the particuleres I will
not expresse but doe leave them to the time till that god
will send you his grace to mak you confesse them in that I loued
you & did manie good thinges for you and was loth that the world
should see your behavioure it maie be Iudged thus I woulde
still so haue continued if you had not sought all meanes
both at home & abroade to offend me ther nedes not manie
wordes, I haue sene throwlie into your devises & desires
your vnsatiable gredie appetite did bewraye you. your owne
living at my handes could not content you, nor yet a great
part of mine, wch for my quietnes I could haue bene contented
to haue gaven you but this was short of the mark you shott at
& yet do. your faire wordes are mo bete for me, they haue
they showe & trust they haue none had though the appeare
butifull yet they are mixed wth a hidden poison. but assure
yorselfe I will avoide so near as I can my owne harme. I am &
wilbe pleased wth hir Mates ordre (though it semed harde)
for you best knowe that your living was never ment to
your children during my lief, but seing it fals out so, you
must be likewise contented wth that for your mantenance
& pament of your debtes that her Matie hath assigned
wch is a great portion & none of your callinge hath the
like. You chardg me wth an vntruthe that I doe enter into
your livinge meaninge your childrens to it semethe. I content
my self wth her Mats order & intendeth to holde th[deletion] vCli
lande by yeare during our lives. you wer euer in miserie
but yet sufficientlie furnished to buy landes for your
children. Marie you nowe wantes the helpe & so shall do
that you had to paie for it I in force not yor children
to sell land but yt yor wilfulnes & their pride be
such as cannot be mainteyned what wthout salle of your
lande. I do not reioyse in it nor assuredlie I am not
sore for it /./ /
to be wth me. you can not forget ther was bookes drawen by our
counsell and about the agrement I did met yor children
before the L Chancellour & the L of leiceter and all
your griefes were their recited, aswell the release of
my sutes commensed against yor Children & sheruntes for
my goodes & sclanderous Rumors spred by them of me
in divers partes of this realme, for whom noe good wif
would once opon her mouth. as for our cohabitacon wth
having all your living at my disposition during the
same and divers other thinges as by the bookes appereth
th to wch I answered them as I will answere you, that
if ever I thinke good to tak you againe (for you went awaie
voluntarilie not turned awaie by me as you saie, (and
when I sent for you, you said I should send twise for you,
or you would come,) I will haue both together wth out any
exceptid either of significacon of your part or of mine,
But herof you make noe recitall in your lettres lettres that
you are contented that I shall haue the disposition of
your lyvinge. but assure your self the one wthout
theother I will neuer haue. they Malicious mindes that
your children doe beare to me I cannot awaie wthall
it can not be but you must favoure your children, therfor
howe dangerous it wher of me to be compassear about wth
you & theim when after me you shall leape into my seate,
the most ignorant maie Iudge and here I ende protesting
before the Almightie god that I doe not this for anie
malice to you or anie partie, but that in my ould age,
I do fear my securitie & quietnes & would not haue it ~
troubled during my lief./ Sheffeld this xxiijth of october
1585
wief would would doe, wher admonitions sufficient to all
men to be advised in their mariage, & though you desire to be
chardged pticulerlie to thende you maie knowe your faltes
I nede not to expresse them they are manifest to the worlde
and yf I would hidd theim your behaviour and conditions hath
laid theim open. ther can not be anie wief more forgetfull
of her dutie & lese carfull to please her husbande than you
haue bene, nor anie more bounden nor haue receiued greatr
benefittes by her husbande then you. the particuleres I will
not expresse but doe leave them to the time till that god
will send you his grace to mak you confesse them in that I loued
you & did manie good thinges for you and was loth that the world
should see your behavioure it maie be Iudged thus I woulde
still so haue continued if you had not sought all meanes
both at home & abroade to offend me ther nedes not manie
wordes, I haue sene throwlie into your devises & desires
your vnsatiable gredie appetite did bewraye you. your owne
living at my handes could not content you, nor yet a great
part of mine, wch for my quietnes I could haue bene contented
to haue gaven you but this was short of the mark you shott at
& yet do. your faire wordes are mo bete for me, they haue
they showe & trust they haue none had though the appeare
butifull yet they are mixed wth a hidden poison. but assure
yorselfe I will avoide so near as I can my owne harme. I am &
wilbe pleased wth hir Mates ordre (though it semed harde)
for you best knowe that your living was never ment to
your children during my lief, but seing it fals out so, you
must be likewise contented wth that for your mantenance
& pament of your debtes that her Matie hath assigned
wch is a great portion & none of your callinge hath the
like. You chardg me wth an vntruthe that I doe enter into
your livinge meaninge your childrens to it semethe. I content
my self wth her Mats order & intendeth to holde th[deletion] vCli
lande by yeare during our lives. you wer euer in miserie
but yet sufficientlie furnished to buy landes for your
children. Marie you nowe wantes the helpe & so shall do
that you had to paie for it I in force not yor children
to sell land but yt yor wilfulnes & their pride be
such as cannot be mainteyned what wthout salle of your
lande. I do not reioyse in it nor assuredlie I am not
sore for it /./ /
[page break]
I mervll to see your earnestnes, as you pretend by you lettresto be wth me. you can not forget ther was bookes drawen by our
counsell and about the agrement I did met yor children
before the L Chancellour & the L of leiceter and all
your griefes were their recited, aswell the release of
my sutes commensed against yor Children & sheruntes for
my goodes & sclanderous Rumors spred by them of me
in divers partes of this realme, for whom noe good wif
would once opon her mouth. as for our cohabitacon wth
having all your living at my disposition during the
same and divers other thinges as by the bookes appereth
th to wch I answered them as I will answere you, that
if ever I thinke good to tak you againe (for you went awaie
voluntarilie not turned awaie by me as you saie, (and
when I sent for you, you said I should send twise for you,
or you would come,) I will haue both together wth out any
exceptid either of significacon of your part or of mine,
But herof you make noe recitall in your lettres lettres that
you are contented that I shall haue the disposition of
your lyvinge. but assure your self the one wthout
theother I will neuer haue. they Malicious mindes that
your children doe beare to me I cannot awaie wthall
it can not be but you must favoure your children, therfor
howe dangerous it wher of me to be compassear about wth
you & theim when after me you shall leape into my seate,
the most ignorant maie Iudge and here I ende protesting
before the Almightie god that I doe not this for anie
malice to you or anie partie, but that in my ould age,
I do fear my securitie & quietnes & would not haue it ~
troubled during my lief./ Sheffeld this xxiijth of october
1585
[Overleaf: Notes]
