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Epist. 42. (Book 42)
Most honored Cosin.
I haue sent a letter to the post for you. And since my doing so, I haue receaued that which you haue don me the honour of writing me on thursday, your 7 of this month. I am infinitely oblidged to you for the frendly care you are pleased so nobly, and so charitably to take of my interests. And am ashamed of the troubles I so continually cause you. But I see your goodnesse is not to be wearied out.
I concur with you in all that you say in this letter, and professe my self to haue the same sentiments you so ju∣diciously express. So that your writing this to one as sup∣posing me to be of a different opinion, and consequently, your endeavouring to persvade me hereby (for my good) to be of yours, sheweth I haue not in my former letters clearly expressed my selfe: And therefore I will make bold to say a little now imediatly and directly to what is the subiect of this letter of yours. My other letter of this morning seemeth vnto me to say somwhat to this tenor: and I think that most of my former ones do continualy inculcate the vnhappiness of my condition, that to saue me and children from staruing, did cast me vpon courses and imployments which I forsaw would cause exceptions against me. This I would haue prevented, If I could but haue had means otherwise to liue. But being thrown vpon these rockes, I could not auoyde a. 1.1 hearing some-times things that went much against my Nature, and saying others that being malevolently interpreted myght cause ill odor of me, & complying for outward decency with persons whose ends I no ways concurred with. For all these things I humbly beg a fauourable construction. And do beseech those who shall looke vpon my life and actions, to consider the main bulke of them, and the actiue part of them, and what effects haue resulted out of them; And by