To the contesses his letter of the 25th of September 1595.
Right honorable/ I doe not knowe howe your Ladyshipp hathe bene enformed by your officers, of the valew of those Lordshipps which they have taken surwaye of. and of the abylitie of the man to whom I especiallie committed yat service in truste: or of. my owne inclynation bothe for the sale of them, and in yeeldinge vnto your honour the refusall of them before all others/ But what reporte soever. or estimat they have delivered vnto yow, this farre of my poore credit I will assure yow. yat they doe either make a verie vnequall rate of. these landes, or els they are meerly ignourant of the worth of dunsby, for neyther in contynent of land, meade, pasture, ore woodes yat dothe come neere yt, by 3000 acres at the least, nor is of equall valew, by 6000li I dare warrant yow. ffor my man yf he made any offence, yt ys vnexcusable, for I knowe him able & well armed for yat purpos, & to yat ende I did only appointe him. ffor my self and my owne resolution I best knowe, & therefore yf they have made any other report of me, then yowr Ladyshipp ys privie vnto by my self, they have done me great wronnge, for I remaine the same man and of the same mynd still irremovable, yf yt will please your honour to accepte of yt. Although there have bene & be verie great persons and men of good accoumpt and abylitye yat are verie importenat suters for the preferment of them & I have refused verie great offers of divers & I am sorie to saie yat which I may Iustly protest, that there is not the like quantyty of land of the like commoditie and goodnes, by any on man in Nottes Sheere to be sould at this daie which yf yt would please your honour to accept in morgage beinge at the least the treble valewe of the money, I should take my self muche bound: for by yat meanes, I should be well able to paie my debtes and performe my wief a Ionyter in Convenient tyme. which by meanes of that Covenant which Percivall hathe Conyngly tyed me vnto in Master Sutton. & in my Lady Arbella there assurannces, I shalbe driven to great extreamyties to effect. I doe not thinke there can be a more honorable parte then to delyver me my dewe which in equity and conscience I may require, and to ryght him yat is vnnaturallie wronnged by those of whom he hathe best deserved as your Ladyshipp is not ignorant of. Good madam yeeld me soe muche favour at the least as to grant me a coppie of the assurance, or a note of suche covenanntes as doe imparte me. yat my reposed. trust in them (which made me secure) be not the cause of my overthrow, ffor the which your Ladyshipp I hope will not be made the instrumennt, Especiallie beinge your poore kinsman yat hathe ever honored yow. & on yat will endevour iustlie & kindly to repay all your dewes and desertes which I have receaved from yow in as readie and full measure as I shalbe any waie able to discharge it And thus relyinge my self of your honour’s refuge & patronage as vpon the suer ancor & harbor of my hoped good, wishinge to your honour the prorogation of many happie yeare, and a fortunat accesse of deserved honor I humbly take my leave Wollaton this xxvjth of September/ 1595.

To the Right honourable my verie good Lady the countesse of Shreusburie these be delivered


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