I perceaue the reason why I receaued not answer hitherto from mr. Shepherd was, because he was desirous the answer might be if it were the will of god according to your desire. He delayd not to mooue her in the thinge, and seriouslie to Commend it to her serious thought, and perceauing her inclined aversely from marriage, or the motion therof, he desired she would not presently answer at all. much lesse resolue. But rather take time and Consider therof as a matter of Great moment, and of such Inducements waightie, which before her were praesented. neyther did she returne him Answer till this morning. Which was to this effect: that she did account her selfe greatly bounde to yourselfe who did expresse toward her so great loue, as to make her such an offer. and was very thankfull in that behalfe, but declareth a firme resolution for sundry reasons not to entertayne any thoughts of marriage, nor doth find any inclination to this or any motion, (though Sundry besides this she hath had) as not able to Bury her husband so soone as she Cals it. and she hath written letters to her father whom she expecteth now shortly at lest to heare from him, to whom she hath engaged her selfe by promise, to reserue herselfe wholy to his Counsell and direction in her affaires. And if she had not so written, yet would she thinke her selfe Bound neuer the lesse to walk by that Rule (ther being it seemeth extraordinary dearenes and Tendernes betweene them in him as a father et Contra.) And though It be not mentioned, yet I beleeue what I hinted to you before, that their is some speciall likelihood of Some body or other to Come with or from her father, whom he may Commend to her. So that I neyther see nor gather any probability of further Successe in this Ayme. Wherin I doubt not but you are and will be ready (as in all thinges) to resigne vp your desires to the 347Good pleasure of God, whom as you serue in a good conscience so neyther will he be wanting to you nor yours in any seasonable illegible Vnto whose sweet Grace, and rich reward recommending you, and your honorable yoke-fellowe, I do rest Vnfaynedly at your Service in Christ Jesus

I heartyly thank you for your loving payns in resolving my obiections, which were, some of them I see, ouer curious and needless: I am clearly satisfied in that which was the main occasion of my trouble, and your laying open the grounds and reasons of the particular parts of your Answer makes it clear to me, that your intentions were sincere, without partiallity, and your main ayme, truth and peace for which I bless the Lorde, and crave pardon for my illegible iealousyes; and though I cannot concur with you in every thing yet being satisfied in the main, I can well be silent in the rest. the Lord will clear his own truth in his own tyme. For matter of Temptation, it may be as you suspect, but truly I cannot find wherein the strength of it should lye, for as for the gentleman himself he hath euer been, and still is deare to me, and many friendly affairs have passed between vs, both former and later and so we are like to continue (for aught I know.) For the Office of Councillor I am no more in love with the honor, or power of it, then with an olde friese Coat in a summers daye: therefore, when it was propounded to have the power taken away, I never opposed, but presently drew vp the order for it, and shalbe as ready to doe the like for the abrogation of it, if it be so dissolved. Neither will those speeches I vsed in the Court about the book or the author (if I might be iustly dealt with to be heard before I were censured) argue any indulgent affection in me towards the Office, or disaffection to the Author for I professed my concurrance with those that cleared him; only I differed in this that I would have had it doone in an orderly way. I would have had the book first read and the Court to have determined of the matter of it, before they had medled with the Author but finding the Court to be bent the contrary way I drew vp an order for his clearing as full and safe for him as himself could have drawn. As for any conspiracy against his life or etc. I never heard it (to my best remembrance) so much as propounded by any of the magistrates for that or any other Censure 348but only that he might be questioned for it. The Lord knowes, that that which I write is the truth, whatsoever you have heard to the Contrary: If you discern any Temptation to lye elswhere, I shall take it as one fruit of your love to discover it and help to heal me. So desiring still to enioy your faithfull Counsell and prayers, I heartyly salute you and rest

On the Verso

1: I conceived that verum et sanum were not convertible.

2: That lawfull ordinary power could not be said to be transcendent, only in respect of the Officer to whom the dispensation of it is committed.

3: That though the matter of the scripture be always a Rule to vs, yet not the phrase, for I should not say, that a man who should sleep 40 hours did sleep 3 days and 3 nights; or that he who breakes on of the kings laws breakes all etc.

4: I supposed that an example or similitude if it agreed in the thing intended, was proper, though it agreed not in all parts.

5: That infirmity maintayned with obstinacy may prove wickedness, therefore principiis obstare might be according to prudence in such a Case.

6: That such a dispensation of power as in the Aduice is presented could not be adequate to all the ordinary occasions of the commonwealth.

7: I could finde nothing omitted that might save the authors reputation (being but one and the youngest in authority amongst us) and nothing inserted (more then one worde of ordinary complement) that might vindicate the Credit of that Standing Councell though they be 3 to one, and ancientest in practice of government.

8: I did not conceive that liberty for Advice would have been taken so largely as to be a shelter to all that is in that book, so far as it is applied.

That whatsoever is transcendent is above all Rules, and so torn Transcendent power must be above all Laws and that can be no other but Tiranny.

That such an observation of all the Elders, in so solemn a way would make vs more obnoxious to the peoples Censure, then all that the book can fix upon vs.

That though the Answer should prove so exact, as it might be written vpon (as now it is reformed) in nullo erratum, yet it might have been of vse to have added some such Apologie as might haue prevented the misapprehensions of weaker Judgments.