By the Mev. W. Gilchrist Clark, M.A. 301 



" The man is yong and of intolerable elation of mynde. As concernyng his 

 raking I think it excesseve in many things first for the election of the P'o r of 

 Coveutrie he toke xv ]i , for the election lately at Bevall the Charterhouse xx n 

 besides his costes vj 1 '. At Vale Eoyall xv 1; beside his costes vj u and his rewarde 

 unknowen to me. And at Tarrent for the election xx 1 ' beside his costes iiij 1 '. 

 And because I knowe there by one Fissker that was sollicito r in that matier that 

 yo r plesure was he shulde have no lesse for Tarrent I thought he toke the other 

 but according to yo r pleasure. And surely he asketh no lesse for every election 

 than xx h as of duetie which in myne opinion is to moche and above any dutie 

 that ever was taken by any directo r heretofor. 



" Also in his visitations he refuseth many tymes his rewarde though it be 

 competent, for that they offer hym so litle and maketh theym to sende after hym 

 suche rewardesas may pleas hym, for surely religious men were never so affrayed. 

 of Docto 1 ' Alen as they be of h} 7 m, he useth such rough fasshion with theym. 

 Also he hath xij men wayting on hym in a ly verey beside his owne brother which 

 must be rewarded specially beside his other servants and that I thinke to grete a 

 trayne to come to small houses withall. Howe moche he tofce at every house I 

 am not p'vey but of fewe. And as for any licenses that he gave sen he cam 

 foorth laste he gave none but to thabbot of Woborne untill he might come to 

 you, and obteigne of j-ou a licence to go abrode. And in some things I suppose 

 that he foloweth not yo 1 ' instructions. As where I toke it that ye wolde have all 

 those both men and women that were xxij yere olde and betwene that and xxiiij 

 they shulde choyse whether they woll tarye or goo abrode. And he setts but 

 religieuse men onlye at that libertie. 



" Also he setteth a clause in his Iniunctions that all they that woll of what age 

 soever they be maye goo abrode which I harde not of yo r instructions. 



" Of his doing hereafter and of all other things that I shall reken worthie 

 thadvertisement I shall adcertayne your M'ship of as I shall see cause nowe that 

 ye commaunde me so to doo. And as for myne owne dealing and behavio 1 ' I truste 

 ye shall here no iuste cause of complainte ageinst me. One thing humblie desiring 

 yo r M'ship that ye geve no light credence till the matier be proved and my 

 defense harde. And if it had not ben for troubling of you I wolde have so 

 declared unto you the circumstance of my firste accusation and thoccasion therof 

 that ye shulde have ben well persuaded that all the same proceded of a greate 

 and a long conceyved malice ageinst me and of no matier of trouthe or worthie 

 correction. And being so sodenlie taken and you so long before incensed by the 

 meanes of myne adversaries I was so abasshed that I had not those things in my 

 remembraunce that was for my defense. And praye you moste humblie to persuade 

 yo'self that havyng so many and so greate benefites at yo r hande, and hanging 

 onlye upon yo 1 ' good successe can not, but yf I were the most unnaturall person 

 in the worlde, doo or suffer to be doon to my power any thing that might be any 

 impechiment of yo 1 ' honor or worship. Which I praye God evenso to preserve as 

 I wolde myne owne liff. And thus Allmightie God have yo 1 ' M'ship in his 

 blessed keping. 



" From Wardon Abbey e this xvj th of Octobre. 



" Your moste bounden servant John Ar Rice. 



It seems, however, to have struck Ap Kice, after despatching this 



