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[fol. 199r] R honorable good L. even att this instant, beyng well ny ij of the clock, I Receved a Tyckett from yow, wherby I perceve that I am fallen into that, which I ever dyd dread, that in doyng of good offics, I might be crusshed bettwen the hamer & the Annevylld: yett I thanck God they are speches of envy & surmise (subject to theme, as mi superyors ar) which I will make appere bothe to your sellf, & to who soever [ deleted: it be] , that shall sinesterly interprete or informe of mi doyngs, to mi discredit with your L./ Thatt I do esteme (as your L. is fryndly instructed) of your favor, or of ani grettnes that I have with yow, it might argue a foolyssh zele & presumptyon in me, thowgh no discretyon, which truly I never dyd. Butt that I joye & take comforte yn the same as becomes me, I denye nott, havyng don it synce I first knew your L. as to a personaige of grett justice & vertew mete to be ymitated, by the grettest, & Reverenced by others: my sellf lykewise deepely bownd unto yow allwayes, for your favors./

Thatt I have dispersed your L. lres into the Cittye abrode (as I tolld yow) is a thing most untruly informed: for never ani went owtt of mi hand, butt on that I shewed Generall Norrys, even att the ynstant, before his departure, thinckyng it necessary so to do (as allso I have used mi discretyon ^in speche^ with other of mi frynds) that he might edeffye the better his company, from whom sondry malyciows & vehement Rumors dyd spryng./ And God he knowes, that I have small plesure, ether to Boste or joye of ani thing: for every other daye, I am browghte to despaire of mi hellthe, & by wekenes of mi stomack, do accompte mi Body as a lost Relaps, unles God rayse it the soner, before Awtomne: havyng byn [ deleted: yest] yesterdaye abrode att a Bathe of herbes, to strengthen and qwycken mi wekenes, wherof followed this daye the contynuall grudgyng of an Agew And yett yf I had knowen of your L. beyng here I wolld have hasarded the wayteng uppon you, [ deleted: with] which I knew nott, before that master Secretoryes man signeffyed the same unto me late yesternight, bryngeng me a pryvy seall for a C li. which your goodnes procured me./ Butt I will deliver mi sellf of these objectyons easely, when ye next com to Towne (yf I be hable to go or ryde) & dare vowche unto your L. that I have don [fol. 199v] yow sincere & modest offics in every degree, & with persons of good qwality, who have travaylled to do the lyke: Besekyng your L. therfore to suspend your Judgement, till ye here me speke, for I will oppose mi sellf to any on this behallf, that shall challenge me with these weke Allmayn qwarrelles, yll conseved & worse uttred. And so very humbly I take mi Leve the 24. of Awgust mi lodging in the afternoone. 1585. your L. humbly bownden W. Herllely.