I Wrote vnto you as one yt longed more to heare of your healthe,* 1.1 then of all worldly treasure, willing you to en∣treate Esau the elder brother by nature gently, geuing to him his own, yea, and offer him one of the droues, and say they be Iacobs, and are sent for a present to my Lorde E∣sau, but he wil not take it. &c. Now my beloued ye knowe the blessing of oure father is, that the elder shall serue the younger, & wisedom our mother hath taught vs the same, and I know ye do complaine of your * 1.2 seruaunt the flesh, that he is rebellious, diobedient, and vntoward: vnruely and crookedly ye thinke he doth his seruice: but yet behold, how shall ye plead your cause before an indifferent iudge: for if it be true that his seruice be not according to hys due∣tie, as it is many times found in seruaunts: yet (I say) can you shewe your cause to no indifferent iudge, but hee shall obiect against you that he is not kept like a seruant, but he lacketh both meat and drinke, and other necessaries meete and due for a seruaunt: so shall ye take more shame of your own complaint, then remedy or vantage against your ser∣uant, and it shalbe a cloke for him to hide all his rebellion and vntoward seruice, because ye haue misused him.
And therefore my sentence is, that yee paciently beare with him in small faultes, and amende your owne greate faultes, as oppression, crueltie and couetousnes, requiring more then a seruaunt can do, specially being tired wyth la∣bour, famined wyth hunger, and lamed with stripes. And these things amended, if hee doe hys seruice negligently, (as no doubt sometime he wil) yet then ye may boldly cor∣rect him with discretion, & sometime if he do not hys taske, ye may make hym go to bed supperlesse: but yet beate hym not with durable strokes, neither withholde hys meate in due time, and pinche him not by the belly continually, but * 1.3 let him haue some thing to ioy in: onely watch hym, and keepe him from doing of harm. Though he be but a stran∣ger in the life that is in God: yet be good to straungers for we are all straungers in darkenesse, and captiues in sinne, as well soule and spirite, being in Egypt, as now the flesh is yet vnbaptised with the terrible red Sea of deathe, and remember that one lawe abideth for the stranger, I meane one reward abideth both bodye and soule in the lande of e∣uerlasting rest. And therefore intreat him gently, and deale with him iustly now: * 1.4 for the time will come that the yoke of bondage shall be taken from his necke, and he shall be a fellow heire with your yonger brother.
Circumcise him therefore, but doe not misuse hym, nor keepe him from hys owne, but deale mercifully wyth the straunger, that he may saye: Oh of what vnderstanding heart is this people, who hath God? Or where is God so nigh as to these? God make you wise and politike in hart, victorious in fielde of this world, to rule the nations with a rodde: but kill not the Gabaonites wyth whome peace is taken: but lette them drawe water, and hew woode,* 1.5 but geue them their meate and drinke due for labourers, and be glad because your disease is so remedied: for it is better and easier for a thirstie labouring man to drinke, then for a dronken man to tell a sober tale. Yea, it is a token that yee haue earnestly followed your labour, and not kepte com∣panie with dronkardes and belly Gods: and therefore be glad I say, yea and glad againe: for great is your rewarde in heauen: yea blessed shall they be, that in this your zeale shall meete you, and withdrawe your hande from reuen∣ging your selfe vppon that churlish Naball: which thing I hope to doe nowe with these sweete reasons, and frailes of Figges, I being of one house with your seruaunt Na∣ball. I dare say to you, that churlishnesse is hys name: but reuenge not, for the Lorde shal do it in his due time. Fare∣well mine owne heart.
Yours in bondes at Westgate. Nicholas Shetterden.
The next day after the condemnation of these foresayd, which was the 26. day of Iulye, were also condemned for the same Articles W. Coker, W. Hopper of Cambroke, Henry Laurence, Richarde Wright of Ashforde, W. Stere of Ashforde. But because the execution of these Martyrs pertaineth not to thys moneth, more shall be sayde (the Lorde willing) of them, when we come to the moneth fo∣lowing of August.