To the Worshipful Master Richard Stapar, one of
the Worshipful Company of Merchants Adventurers
of this honourable city of London, trading to Turkey
and the Eastern Kingdoms.
Your Worship's faithful well-willer W[illlam] Barley
wisheth all fortunate and happy success in all your
enterprises, with increase of worldly worship;
and, after death, the joys unspeakable.
WOrshipful sir. The many reports of your rare virtues generally spoken of all honest travellers who hath tasted the benefit of your bounty: not only in our home born country where you have your residence; but in those far countries where your honest Factors trade. By whose worshipful and express command given [to] them, and the good they daily do for all men which seek them; your Worship is accounted and called the Pattern of Bounty: especially of such as are, in their travail [here meaning labours as well as journeys] distressed with want; which with money are relieved, as well as [with] other great cost [that] their [the Factors'] favour or friendship can procure. So that not only the poor and needy are pleasured thereby; but those that swim in most abundance. All proceeding of your most kind and courteous disposition.
The remembrance of which [having] moved a longing desire in me, in some sort, to explain your worthiness and fame, by your bounty gained: it had never such opportunity until this time when, perusing my store of Papers and Writings of sundry men's labours, I chanced on this pamphlet; which importeth the troublesome travails of our near neighbour, born at Braintree in Essex, named Richard Hasleton. Whose miseries as they were many (being in the hands both of Christian and heathen enemies, for GOD and our country's cause; and his escapes from death so often, and so wonderful); with the constant enduring of the same: his preservation; and safe return to England, where his longing desire so often wished him.
All which considered, with your Worship's love to all travellers, emboldened me the rather under your Worship's patronage to publish the same; especial zeal procuring me thereunto. And partly in regard of your many favours to the said Hasleton in his miseries extended; [and partly] that your Worship's good ensample may lighten others to such good actions.