212 



Wild Darell of Littlecote. 



and serve me in thother, more then willingly I would To yo u my cosin and 

 frinde, I woulde a letell complayne me of Infortunyte, my cosin the lyffe we 

 have in this worldell is shorte, and to the happyest somwhat of Trouble, But to 

 the afflyoted what it is of infelycitie, none but the afflycted can only therin 

 justly speake. To ease the lyffe of man hear, thoughe nothinge cann make it 

 justly pleasant, I fynde that frynds do wourke much therin, And f rinds ar got- 

 ten bound and kepte by bloude or deserte, deserte I take not too for the least. 

 Myself a man much of infortunyte, thoughe to many that ar right good neare 

 in bloode, and som of the better sorte, and to som have also not deserved amisse. 

 And could not have lyved too but to som have bynn right good, yeat have I not 

 receaved that in clearenes at any tyme. of any one that myght justly bynd me, 

 but whether destinye, chaunce, or that that is called fortune, or my devylyshe neg- 

 lygences or and yll deservynge be the cause unto this day, as a man troubled, 

 and therby of noe good judgement I could not deserve, But what a man un- 

 luckye am I. I will therfore at this tyme call to memory the good things I 

 have receved and not requitted, And after I will offer my self as one that certynely 

 hadd ever a mynde to requitt all things to make satisfaction for the same. And 

 so farr therin to pceade, that it serve may hereafter for indifferent frindshipp in 

 things well compounded. And for reasonable favour in reasonable causes that 

 maye be. My Lorde whom yo u serve and I love, and have done before all other, 

 nor any was more glader, not the nearest bloude to him, of his advancement 

 then I was. When he was solicytor he certeynly was, and I may yet seye it, 

 my good frind, and I stonde a barren lover only for it, I receaved many bene- 

 fits of him, I hadd many tyme counsel! and paid nothing, I hadd secreatly ad- 

 vice of him, w ch was more, I hadd many favoures as his letters and requests 

 tendinge to my pfytt, 0 that I might not even heare sey too, that he hadd binn 

 my good Lorde also — But so that I may not be ungrateful for things passed, 

 And if it may be to have him my good and indifferent Lorde, I pray yo u move, 

 and as yo u may lett fall in substaunce this. I have a mannor standinge in good 

 sorte w th me, of the valewe of ccc u by the year, in every condition not to be had. 

 This will I convey to my Lorde and M r Harry that hath maryed my kinswoman, 

 and to his eyers, in suche sorte as I now have it of that valewe, if I dy w th out 

 heyer male of my body begotten. And that this I will do, not sett it downe 

 only in letters, but I will also enter into covenant or be bounde in statute of 

 v m u for the doinge of it, w th this condition added to it more, that if I fortune 

 to have eyer of my body, Then shall my Lord have one M marcs payd him or 

 t0 his w th in three yeares after, or ells shall he or his have soe much payde after 

 my decesse, w th in one year as from a friend. This in choyse. To this what is 

 said and howe it is taken, I would gladly knowe, my health not being good I 

 myght know him for my frind to my comfort, And as yo u ar my cosyn, so do 

 I take to have a portion in yo u , and do make bold of yo u . So I pray yo u to 

 thincke, for so shall yo u fynd it, That in me and myne shall alwayes be a parte 

 for yo u , w th my comendations. I do also pray yo u that as yo u may, I may hear 

 from yo u , at my lodging the xvij th of June 1583. 



" Yo r Loving cosin, 



"and frind, W. Daeell. 

 "To my lovinge cosin and assured frind, Mr. Reynard Scriven gevo thes." 

 Endorsed. "To M r Scriven geve thos." 



