My chefest hope consisting in your Honor's favor, which makes me persevere in importuning your Lordship when now my misfortune encreases, mine adversaries (whereof some that entered into condicions to me) doethe endeavour to have me kept until my life be lost in this close prison, where I was wrought divers times, and now last upon John Mathew's his offer of libertie unto me for money, for the which (where no offence nor matter can be made thereof) my punishment hathe been very great, being kept close here above a yeare; which brought me so extreme sick the last winter, as I was never well since, nor have no other hope but to end my life shortly, if I continue thus after my long troble, which hathe altogether worne me both in body and mind; whereunto I was brought for no cause or matter that could ever appeare these seven or eight yeares past that I have been restrained, when all the most suspected persons of Ireland, both for Rebellion and foraine practices, were here at libertie, and are freely in their countries; Although your Lordship acknowledged (when I was sent over) that I did well in the rebellion time, and that I refused then before your Lordship the benefit of my pardon if ever I helped or aided the rebels, or meddled with anie foraine nacion, yet I am not only restrained ever since without being called to answer, or charged for anie thing, but alsoe my life is sought by way of close imprisonment, when neither the late Queene's pardon that I have, nor the king's gracious clemencie that helped the chefest offenders of Ireland, nor the benefit of lawe avayles me, but that my long restraint these seven or eight yeares, without anie matter to be had against me, cannot but give your Lordship sufficient light and knowledge of my cause; and that my being so often wrought hither, where now I have been kept close these four yeares alreadie, with all the miseries that I sustained, will move (to commiserate my unfortunate life) your Lordship, unto whom I have been long known, and much bound, by whose honorable favour I was maintained and dispatched when I was a suitor; and my life was preserved since my troble; for when there was order to bring me back from the Marshalsea, your Lordship upon my petition furthered me to a warrant for my staying there, without which I had not lived; and since my coming hither it hathe pleased your Lordship (upon my petition by my son) to write for my good usage, and of the permitting of some to me, which was my best helpe to preserve all the life that is left me in this close and solitarie calamitie; where (knowing your Lordship's just and honorable inclinacion and disposition) I lived in hope that time would bring your Lordship to the true knowledge of my cause; until the long continuance of my close restraint brought me so diseased and distempered, and so weak and melancholick as I doe not hope to live: And now I doe not desire libertie, or that your Lordship should be trobled to deal or speake therein; My humble request being onlie that it will pleasure your Lordship to extend your Honorable favour for the preservation of my life, by furthering my removing to some other prison, where I may live among men, in hope that my health may be recovered, and my life preserved.97