35 - 12 Sept. To Viscount Scudamore

Summary

Mye verye good Lord.

I receaved bye your former Letres the saddest Newes that ever I heard in mye life. Yett I must and doe hartelye thanke you for wrightinge soe lovinglye to me. For if you had not written as you did I had bine left to the wildnes of the manye reports which spredd over the citye. And I knowe your pen writt those Letres from a hart full of sorowe for that great loss, and in speciall for the Barbarous and damnable manner of it. I purpose not to wright these, ether to declaime in his commendations which soe fewe would beleeve. Or to express my greefe which as fewe would pitye. But onlye to lett your Lordship knowe that though I have passed a great deale of heavines yett I have cause to expect more to come. And the Benefitt of thiss will be, that I shall for ever less esteeme what the Malice of the worlde can laye upon me. Under which If any fall (as much is threatned) I thanke you hartelye for your second Leters that you will appeare, what I have ever hoped, a frend in the tyme when frends fall of. And I hope you thinke I shall in mye waye be redye ever to serve your Lordship.

I Crave pardon of you that I answeared not your Leters sooner. For to the first I was able to give noe answeare, mye greefe had soe oppressd me. And the second bye Mr Brownes absence out of Towne came not to mye hands till the Carrier was gone. I was not with his Maiesty since thiss Execrable fact was committed till nowe that he came to Windsore, but stayd in London to give the best comfort I could to the Ladye Duches, whoe good Ladye hath bine in great Extremitye. Nowe the Court seemes newe to me, and I meane to turne a new leafe in it, for all those things which ar chaungable. For the rest I must be the same I was, and patientlye both Expect and abyde what God shall be pleased to laye upon me: To whose gracious providence I leave you and my selfe, and shall ever rest

your Lordships very lovinge frend and servant

Guil: London:

I praye remember mye service to your Ladye.