my humble service presented vnto yow etc.; these are to let your worship vnderstand how it hath pleased god wonderfully to provide for vs and to preserve and keepe vs all alive, and in good health vntill this present, blessed bee his name for it, but how long it may be thus continued I know not, but this I am sure our sinns have long agoe cried lowd, for bitternes woe and desolation, but he who is pleased many tymes to be found of those which seeke him not, and made manifest vnto those which never enquired after him, may of his grace be pleased through his grace in his owne good time, to exspell those clowdy mists of gloomy darkeness; and let in the soonne shine of his love vpon the soules of all his elect in Christ, and that in his owne good time, and at his owne good will and pleasure. It hath pleased god of his owne free grace, in some measure to make mee the vnworthiest of all creatures less then the least of all his mercyes (sensible) not only of the want which wee are now in for provisions and sustenance for the outward man, but also of the want, yea and inevidable and irrecoverable pitt which euery soule is ready euery moment to fall into, that hath not their sines pardoned their persons accepted and freely iustefied and that in and through and by the blood of the lord Jesus, who will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whome he will he hardens,2 so that it is out of thes riches of his free grace, and out of the abundant compassion pitty and good will vnto any pore soule that he is pleased to call whome vnto himselfe acording to that in the 16 of Ezekell, 28behold whilest thow wast in thy blood and no eye pitied (I said) vnto thy sowle live, which as it hath pleased the lord to give mee some poore weake vnderstanding I conceive it thus. If there is nothing in heaven nor nothing on earth that can speake lyfe vnto any poore soule who lyes wallowing in the blood and mire and clay of his sinns and corruptions, but only the lord Jesus Christ takeing of the soule vnto him selfe, and that while it is in its blood when no eye pittyes it, then he out of the riches of his free grace towards the soules of his elect, is pleased to redeme them from death to lyfe and that by the shedding of his pretious blood vpon the Cross once shed for all his elect, and so by his stripes wee are healed, yea even by the death of him who came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; As for this Iland vpon which wee are; as I conceiue it may in some measure be compared to Philadelphia; though it is not subiect to earthquakes, yet it is somtimes so shaken with stormes of wind and seas that one would wonder, and so various for alterations and changes of winds and weather that I stand amazed somtimes to see it. I will not trooble your worship with any further intelligence of the Iland, because our Comander Lieftenant Morris can certefie your worshipp of all things how they stand, and in what a condition we are now in, and what short allowance wee are brought too, our provisions being almost spent, and had not god wonderfully provided for us above and beyond our exspectations for ought I know, wee might have bin many of us dead ere now, for want of food. Sir I should request your worshipp yf yow thinke meete, after the 10 monthes are exspired, for to give me that remainder of my time that I am to serve your worship which is till michalmes day it being the 29th as I take it of September. I should be very thankefull to your worship for it; I should likewise desire your worship to send mee some shirts and some other cloathes I have a desire to stay a while longer vpon the Iland yf there bee any probability of doeing good vpon the horse,3 which I question it not, only I desire to have your worships advise in the thinge and yf I have any letters come from any of my freinds I should desire your worship would be pleased to send them mee James Yelke remembers his humble service to your worship, and Daniell Hendrick. James is vnwilling to stay any longer then till the 10 months be exspired. thus with our harty prayers to the lord for yow and yours I rest Your humble servant to his power

The severall reports of your sick condition since I came home have bene so divers that I cannot tell wether my feares or my hopes of your recovery have been the greatest.2 Though when I came from you, your phisick had wrought so kindly made mee scarce to doubt of the best effects. My truest love makes mee feare what my best hopes would willinglye carry mee through, especially when I consider the further imployment the Lord hath yet for you heere amongest his people. When the worst tidings come I am yet comforted in this that hee that giveth both health and salvation to his people, heareth in heaven, and is overcome by his poore wrestlers here on Earth. Such thoughts I have had of Gods dealings with you, and with us all in visiting you at present, and what his meaning might be therein; But his thoughts are aboue our thoughts, and hee is onely wise. Sure I am he will doe that which shall be for the glory of his owne name, the true comfort 30and the good of his people. We have had many former experiences of Gods great mercies unto us in divers great deliverances since we came over, and why might we not expect that mercy also, even your deliverance from death. Surely it was not our worthynes that procured the former, and I still hope that our unworthiness (though it might Justly) shall not bereaue us of this latter: Hee that raised up Lazarus can (why shall I not say will?) also restore you unto us: Meethincks when I loock upon all things as they now are amongst us, I might be confident herein, witch the Lord in mercie graunt if it stand with his good pleasure.

I longe to see you, and would 'er this have bene with you, could I have conceaved myself to be any way usefull to you, and would how ever had not Mr. Peters illness onely detayned mee, for hee hath bene very ill. But I hope the worst is past, though hee be as sick in his thoughts as ever. We both resolve the begininge of the weeke to visitt you. In the meane while I commend and commit you into the armes of our deare and loving father the God of all our consolation, health and salvation beseeching him to make your Bed for you in your sickness, to comfort you in your greatest trialls and anguishes, to strengthen you in your greatest weakenesses; to stand by you as longe as you live, that you may live longe amongest us, if it be his bleassed will, to his praise, and at length to rest with him for ever in glorie, for the Lord Jesus Christ his sake amen amen. Yours truelie whiles I live