This is to let you understand how J haue beene in service to god & to the King & his Commissionᵉʳˢ in New England: My message for the Lord was to beare witnesse to his Truth against those persecuting people who fled from the Bishops because they would not suffer; And now in New England are become greater Persecuters then the Bishops were, both in fining imprisoning, Banishing, whipping & hanging some of those that came out of England, for vagabond Quakers, who cald their owne Country people vagabonds: And when the King sent his Commissioners amongst them J was in that Countrey, & oft had beene Jmprisoned, oft whipt, oft driven into the Wildernesse among the wild beasts in the night; yet did god preserve me, though J had many miles in it to goe amongst the wild beasts and many great waters; Now the Kings Commissionᵉʳˢ comming thither they would not receaue them soe freely as our friends did; & therefore they durst not trust their lives with them as they did with our friends. And moreover they made a decree against them, to rise in foure & Twenty houres against them, to fight with them; & when J heard that, J went among severall of their Church-members, & warnd them to take heed what they did, for if they did fight against them they would destroy themselues, for there were enough that would take the Kings Commissioners parts; And J said to them you had better (as we haue such an example) to suffer rather then fight, or else conforme as some of your brethren in old England doe; But if you doe fight you will destroy your Country.