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[fol. 129v] Dere Sir, you have so not, even now preventyd me, as, heretofore by sondreye wayes bownd me: for, notwithstandyng, I promysed Mr Jhonson, long er thys, to have wrytten; thys sondaye 23 april I recevyd your lre; which, acusethe me of slowthe, and condempned me of ingratytud: but, I confes the fault, and hope to amend. You salute me, so, as becomes a good man; for in christ, ys the cheefe band: and I esteme you more, then modestye wyls me to speake / [ ... ] ys, I dyd marvel of your long staye, and often, inquired of your ^short^ retorne, but, now your lre hath fullye satisfied me / I knowe my dett, you now then comend dewties; but since, you wylbe satysfied, with slender payment; tyl fytter tyme, I wyl answer your comand / I cannott furnyshe my self, with master Stevens instruction, for, I have not sene hym of long at the court / I am not [stored] [ deleted: not anywayes furnyshed] with newer things, to lend you; nor yett, how ys not: for our world dothe muse, at the frenche, and their causes: theyr came to London, on frydaye last, recevyed, wth great triumphe and intertaynyd, with great cost, as ever you knewe, or hard / The Cardinal grandeville ys imbasador in fraunche, and a great man from the Emperor. I had newes the other daye from naples, how Ceser, and Philipp wyl in person be in the lowe countries thys somer: and, for that cause the souldiers that were in portingale, ys kept to [gretter] [styll] The Turke armes 200 galies, som feere Candie/

I heare, the quene contenewes her mynd, to answer this mayi the turkes lres; and you were named.

Scottland ys quiett, & som of or souldiers from the [frontiers] dysmyssed: nor, the king in religion, ys not revoltyd: but, danbrye rules, beyond all reache / That arche knave, Campion, ys not hard of: but, I [preferd] as great a matter on ester daye, to the consale / Captayne Drake, ys knyghtyd, som thynks he goes agayne the lowe contryes ys no changlyng: for, the earthe ys fattyd styl, with human blode: for Cotton, and Rowland yorke, for privatt cause, in privatt fight, hath moystned, that grownd, with ending, theire owne lyf. for the rest of [the countryes] I saye nothing, tyl I knowe my self: & thus I end, with all dewtyful comendacons

I am presently within 15 dayes, to go to Venice, er which tyme, I meane god wylling, once to wryte you, though I cannot se you. Sir, the hast of your messenger, makes me shorter then I would be: but, I knowe, you wyll esteme my good meanyng. And so god bles you, for ever / London 24 aprill 1581 Yours ever in christ [raryfied] Ja: Barrow