TO HIS WORSHIPFVL, WOR∣thy and singular good friend Master T. I. these faithfull com∣mendations.

SIr, a farre greater happines then I of late haue had, either leisure to hope for, or means to expect; I commend to your good selfe, & the frends of our acquain∣tance. Being certified by my affection, that your gentle nature, doth commi∣serat the misfortunes hath befalne me, and therein as a friend, doth share with mee in sorrow: I shall as soone as occasion will suffer me, make hast to London, to bee counselled by your aduise, touching those things in particular, that mainly concerne my estate: Nor make I any doubt, but before the receipt hereof, you haue heard of my mishap, from the report of some of my men who I hope, are ariued by passage, by the way of Holland: therefore I omit herein to trouble you with the maner of my first taking by the Turkes, whose gouernours, I meane Masters & Pilates, are all Englishmen, not onely Pirates, but mearely reprobates, and whose successe at Seas is so great, that it is most lamentable to report, how many Ships of London, and other parts of England haue beene taken and made prey vnto them: without the help of which English, the Turks by no means could haue go∣uerned and conducted them through their vnskilfulnes and insufficiencie in the art of Nauigation: yet of late to my wofull experience, I can witnes, they haue beene so readied by the instruction of our apostate countrimen, [I meane of Ward and others, who haue beene their commanders] to tackle their Ships, to man and man∣nage a fight, that if it doe not please God to moue the heart of his Maiestie, and other Christian Princes, and Page  [unnumbered] states, to ioyne together for their speedy suppression, and the disiointing of their late strengthned forces, which continually encreaseth by the Ships of England, and Holland, which they daily surprise, It will be disco∣modious to the state, and so dangerous to the common wealth, in succeeding times, that Christendome must expect no Trafficke at Sea: for they are alreadie grown to the number of fifteene saile of great ships belonging to Tunis, some bearing 40. some 30. and some 20. pecces of ordinance, with men accordingly, as 300. 250. and 200. men at the least, in euery Ship, so that I doubt, and the cause it selfe may breed a generall feare, that if ex∣pedition be not hastened against them, the state may heareafter share a part in that sorrow, which wee poore Sea-faring men haue already suffered. I haue sent you a note by Leanard Crowder, of diuerse ships, both English and Dutch, that haue been taken since Ianuary last, which although it be a businesse not much pertinent to gentle∣men of your profession; yet I doe assure my selfe, that you are so faithfull a wel-willer to the good estate and prosperitie of the common-wealth, of which the Mer∣chant and Marriners are not the least members, that in pitie of our losses sustained, with vs you could wish, and expect a reformation, since the infinite wealth that our nation hath suffered ruine of, by the Turks this last yeer it were without doubt, incredible to report, since hap∣pily you haue heard, and I doubt not to prooue that Londons losses hath amounted to aboue 200000. pound. Thus hauing presented you at this time, but with a re∣lish and taste of that which heereafter shall bee stored to your expectation in a more ample and fuller feast, I be∣seech you receiue this with my loue, in good part.