's
frendes to see if they will stir in it: for you must kno' your Honner,
as how he lived in the Batirton family at the time, and could be a good
evidense, and all that.

I hope it was not so verry bad as Titus says it was; for he ses as
how there was a rape in the case betwixt you at furste, and plese your
Honner; and my cuzzen Titus is a very honist younge man as ever brocke
bred. This is his carackter; and this made me willinger to owne him for
my relation, when we came to talck.

If there should be danger of your Honner's life, I hope your Honner will
not be hanged like as one of us common men; only have your hedd cut off,
or so: and yet it is pit such a hedd should be lossed: but if as how
it should be prossekutid to that furr, which God forbid, be plesed
natheless to thinck of youre fethful Joseph Leman, before your hedd be
condemned; for after condemnation, as I have been told, all will be the
king's or the shreeve's.

I thote as how it was best to acquent you Honner of this; and for you
to let me kno' if I could do any think to sarve your Honner, and prevent
mischief with my cuzzen Titus, on his coming back from Nottingam, before
he mackes his reporte.

I have gin him a hint already: for what, as I sed to him, cuzzen Titus,
signifies stirring up the coles and macking of strife, to make rich
gentilfolkes live at varience, and to be cutting of throtes, and
such-like?

Very trewe, sed little Titus. And this, and plese your Honner, gis
me hopes of him, if so be your Honner gis me direction; sen', as God
kno'es, I have a poor, a verry poor invenshon; only a willing mind to
prevent mischief, that is the chief of my aim, and always was, I bless
my God!--Els I could have made much mischief in my time; as indeed
any sarvant may. Your Honner nathaless praises my invenshon every
now-and-then: Alas! and plese your Honner, what invenshon should such a
plane man as I have?--But when your Honner sets me agoing by your fine
invenshon, I can do well enuff. And I am sure I have a hearty good will
to deserve your Honner's faver, if I mought.

Two days, as I may say, off and on, have I been writing this long
letter. And yet I have not sed all I would say. For, be it knone unto
your Honner, as how I do not like that Captain Singleton, which I told
you of in my last two letters. He is always laying his hedd and my young
master's hedd together; and I suspect much if so be some mischief is not
going on between them: and still t