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Most Gracious and dread Soveraigne,
Small benefits and favors can speake and give thanks, but
such as are high, and unvaleweable cause astonishment and
silence. I am obliged unto your Majesty for the later in such
a measure as reflecting upon my weaknesse and want .of merit
I know not what to say. God Almighty knows who is the
searcher of hearts how myne earnes to sacrifice my self for
your Majesty's service, if I did but know how to employ my
endevors worthy of that great goodnesse and benignity which
your Majesty is pleased to extend towards me upon all occa-
sions, not only by reaching your Gracious and Royall hand to
my assistance in lending me a faire shipp (for which upon my
knees I render your Majesty most humble thankes) but by
protecting me also against calumny and malice which hath
already sought to make me seeme fowle in your Majesty's
eyes. Whereas I am so much the more confident of God's
blessing upon my labours in these plantations (notwithstanding
the many crosses and disasters I have found hitherto) in that a
Prince so eminently virtuous hath vouchsafed to take it into
the armes of his protection, and that those who go about to
supplant and destroy me are persons notoriously lewd and
wicked. Such a one is that audacious man who being banished
the Colony for his misdeeds did the last wynter (as I under-
stand) raise a false and slanderous report of me at Plymouth,
which comming from thence to your Majesty's knowledge, you
were pleased to referre to some of my Lords of the Councell,
by whose honorable hands (for avoyding the ill manners of
drawing this letter to too much length) I have presumed to
returne my just and true Apologies to your Majesty.
But as these rubbs have beene layd to stumble me there,
(which discourage me not because I am confident of your
Majesty's singular judgement and justice, so have I mett with
greater difficultyes and encumbrances here which in this place
are no longer to be resisted, but enforce me presently to quitt
my residence, and to shift to some other warmer climate of this
new world, where the wynters be shorter and lesse rigorous.
For here, your Majesty may please to understand that T have
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