Master Gargrave to the Lord Davers.

MY very good Lord, I have heretofore many times both sent and written to you touching the insupportable burden of wrong which hath many years laine upon my shoulders, but you were not plea∣sed to returne me any answer for my satisfaction therein: my opinion at the first, was, that it was meerly the respect of some, whom you would not, or might not offend, that you suffered your name to be used by others to wound and afflict me in my estate: to which so fair an opi∣nion, I was induced partly by ancient Judgment of your honourable disposition, partly and much rather by the privity of my heart, which ever constantly affected a good correspondency with you every way. But since now this oppression which I suffer, hath had its continuance so many years without relaxation, in which I smart beyond all exam∣ple, and the admiration of the world hath concurred with my sense of so great a bitternesse from so neere Allies; I cannot but to my griefe and wonder observe your too much either consent or connivency to these my harms, which before I have not easily suffered my thoughts to admit; wherein if I have not mistaken your Lordships interest, I have yet conceived hope, that although you had in the beginning a just ground to make the feele the weight of your displeasure and alie∣nation from me, yet that the sufferance of so many years, and such a sufferance under pretence of Justice, as can hardly be parallell'd, might yet at the last, have satiated a very deeply intended revenge, much more satisfied a moderate mind possessed with Honour or Religion, as I conceive your Lordships to be. Herein, after a various agitation in my selfe, I am enforced to honour the wonderful providence of God, who hath pleased to convert the affinity which I affected with your Noble house, for my comfort and assistance, to my ruine; and that in the bosome of our neerest and dearest friendship, should breed so in∣testine a hatred, as should tend to the overthrow of my credit, wealth, lands, liberty, house, wife, and children, and all those comforts which should either support or sweeten the life of man.

Wherefore I have adventure after so long silence, to minde your Lordship of this my unfortunate estate, wherein I rather die then live, whereunto I have been so long since precipitated by your Lord∣ships countenance, as I hope, pretended only by the instruments of my mischiefe to proceede from you; that if now your Lordship shall think i• enough that I have so many years, so many waies endured Page  254the crosses of so high a nature, and can be induced to affect a repara∣tion, or at least a determination of those injuries which undeservedly have been heaped upon me, I may yet at length conclude this Tragedy of my life past with some comfortable fruit of that love and kindnesse which at the first I aimed at in seek•ng your Lordships Alliance, and which I endeavoured to deserve for the continuance, and which after so long intermission, I shall think my self happy to enjoy, if so be your Lordship shall out of your charitable consideration think my motion to concur with my desire▪ that I may not be inforced to advance my complaint further, which I wish may be prevented by this my Expo∣stulation, springing from the sense of so great and intolerable a misery wherein I languish every day.