My purpose is to be plaine,Propositiō. and in honest and dutifull sort to expostulate with your L. wherein I finde my selfe greeued, and vpon what ground this my complaint is framed. I therfore most humblie beseech your L. for Gods sake and your owne, to pardon this presumption, and to admit me fauourable and indifferent construction, of what I shall here vnfolde vnto you by writing.
I exclaime of wrong passed, I vrge my miserie present, and I complaine of you to your selfe, and so doe make you iudge of all that shall be hereafter enformed.
Your L. did once knowe, and hath still some cause to remember, that of all such lande and liuings as my father at his death was possessed, one onelie poore farme fall to my share.
I my selfe doe knowe, and shall neuer easilie forget, that after the same was thrust into my handes, I neuer inioyed it without much vnquietnesse, quarrell and vexation, nor without the continuall malice and molestation of my vnnaturall Vncle, and such his associates, as by setting him on, vnderhande, did afterwardes finde meanes to fasten in the same.
This poore liuing (once in maner lost, afterwards recouered, and yet still fearefullie kept, the rather by meane of a newe trouble, moued vnto me by maister B.) I was in fine driuen to offer for a little, but to sell for lesse. Now here begins my iust cause of complaint. For vpon firme hope of your L. fauour towards me, and that you would according to your honourable promises haue done me an expected good: I was content to yeeld my interest for eleuen hundred and three score pounds, where sixteene hundred pounds had beene before offered by my kinsman, and so I then told you.
This offer of mine, your L. for the time accepted, yeelding with some difficultie to paie the odde eight score poundes, where I ought it. Howe be it afterwardes, hauing gotten the Lease into your hands, and beeing possessed of the bargaine, and none nowe daring to take the same from you, you quarrelled with the Lease as before you had done with the title, and made mee a fresh abatement of the odde eight score poundes, affirming it to bee no part of your charge to paie my debts.
To salue this mischiefe, and to saue my eight score poundes (your Lordship hauing reported the former bargaine to your most aduauntage) I laboured without auaile, to helpe your memorie therein. Protesting (and that most trulie) that vpon mine earnest and humble petition vnto your L. to leaue mee woorth a thousand pounds, and to paie my debts, and in regarde also of the great abatement of what I might haue had else where, your Lordshippe had condiscended in the former conference to discharge the same. And thereupon willed me, at my next returne to bring a note of my debts, with the names of my creditors.
This tale I well remember with more trueth then good successe vttred (speciallie the often touch of what my kinsman had offered me) did greatlie mislike you. Whereupon growing in heate (yet with some regard of honour) you swore that if anie other bought the same at my handes then your selfe, you would haue it for lesse then fiue hundred pounds, yea, for nothing, or else it should go hard. Marie keeping it my selfe, you said you would stand my friend: which hote or colde conclusion, I protest did so appale, as with feare of further losse, with griefe and discontentment I grewe sicke, and thereupon resolued to take what you would giue me.
Your Lordship hauing thus, what with countenaunce and choler dismayed mee, and finding by such peremptorinesse my sense to bee ouercome, you ranne on still with this wresting course, and vpon authoritie without cause or colour, cut me yet thirtie pound shorter. So as in place of one thousand sixe hundred pound offered mee by my kinsman in the Countrey, your Lordship gaue mee nine hundred and seuentie pound, leauing me out of this to pay a hundred and sixtie pound debt.
By these meanes (right Honourable) was I then halfe impouerished, and am now altogither vndone, hauing neither skill to vse that little you gaue, nor will to raise my selfe after my fall, which I thought impossible.