Sir

 I received your letter and have taken course to give Sir Roland St. John satisfaction if it may be, If it cannot I must undergoe that which is brought upon me unexpectedly, and I may adde undeservedly for I did nothing against him, nor did I intend (If my private letter be excepted against) yet those should be made publique, which I only sent to a friend for satisfaction, clearing my selfe from consenting to packing away the Constable, and freeing him if fairly it might be rather then to accuse any other, But that letter I meane to tacke no notice of, but only of my certificate upon the Lords Order, which I am sure trencheth not at him. If he will charge the other, I will answer and a voide aswell as I can, I am sure he is not specified in it. And soe I referr the further accompt of that busines till the next opportunity. In the meane time I pray you helpe the poore man who suffers.

Qux venit inerito paena ferinda venit

Qux venit imerito paena dolenda venit.

Which way soever it is heavie to him, and I pray you be a meanes to ease it soe soone as you can; it may teach him more witt, and temper; I would his adversary would not macke a contrary use of it.

As concerning the Qualificacion, If you cannot finde it, I would you would be pleased to find me a draught of another, Or a letter to the Bishop to seale another, (And I will get it drawne,) for Mr Birde, for I shall  have occasion to waite upon him shortly, about a comission of charitable uses for Thingdon, wherein I am named a comissioner, and the Bishop hath promised his presence and then wilbe a very convenient time to perfect that busines. I sent you certaine Noates concerning a neighbour of mine, & a Curate, on the other side who would have made two menn called Goddards Rouges, (because musitions) pretending them to be vagrants, ffor the clearing of which point I sent you the copie of a certificate from the best of Brackley, for their behaviour whilst they were there, which you was pleased to wright that you would keepe safe and have some care of the busines; I now send you the copie of another certificate from the best of the Inhabitants of Bradway, where they lived from their infancy, till they came to Brackley; I beseech you lay that with the rest, and keepe them in a readines,and at your leasure harken if any occasion be for use of the Originalls, for I doubt he who sayd that he tooke what I had done for an affront to him, & that he would complaine of it, may have given some underhand unjust informacion, which these on this side being now offended as you see, may be willing enough to second if they can, & I may be injured by a (clanctulary?) complaint, without ever being called or admitted, to any answer. I beseech you therefore have an eare open after it, and an eye upon it, to prevent such practises, as I perceive some would be willing to put in execucion and perhaps may esteeme this to be their fittest time, from whom, & which I trust God will deliver me, but I know he worketh by meanes.

Soe with my prayers for you and Cozen Barbaras health I rest.

At your service

Rob: Sybthorpe

FOOTNOTE:

I pray you find Mr Beck that abbreviated certificate for the Constable which now there will be noe use of.

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