Dr. Allestry's Letter: (Which I should not Publish, but that even in Oxford, and elsewhere among the Clergy, the Report yet goeth on.)
SIR,
I Must profess sincerely, That I cannot recollect I ever said such Words of you to Mr. Humphrey, as it seems he does affirm I did: But yet I cannot but acknowledge, it is very possible, that I related, (and may be, to Him) That I had heard, you killed a Man in cold Blood: Since I very well remember, that above Thirty Years since, at the End of the War, I heard that publicly ⟨p. 4⟩spoken before Company; and with this farther Circumstance, that it was a Soldier, who had been a Prisoner some Hours. Now this Report relating to the Wars, in which (I fear) such Things were no great Rarities, and from my very tender Youth, I having not had the least Converse with you, nor likely-of any for the future, did not therefore apprehend, at present, any Concern or Occasion of inquiring, whether it were true; of which, upon that confident Asseveration, I did make no doubt. And I took so little thought of laying up the Relation, that I protest to you, as in the Presence of Almighty God, it is impossible for me to recover, who made up that Company in which I heard it, or from whom I heard it: And I wonder, how it came into my Mind, to say that I had heard it, so long after. But however, though it be some Ease to me, to believe the late Discourses of it, do not come from my relating so long since that I heard it, neither are likely to receive any Confirmation from it, unless it be made more Public than I have made it; yet I do profess, it is a great Affliction to me, to have spoken that, though but as a Report, which (it seems) was a Slander, (for so I believe it, upon your Asseveration) and not having endeavoured to know whether it were true. And, as I have begged God's Forgiveness of it; so I heartily desire, You will forgive me: And if I could direct my self to any other way of Satisfaction, I would give it. This is the whole Account I can give of this Matter; to which I shall only add, That I am,
SIR, Your very Affectionate Servant, Richard Allestry. Eaton-Coll. Dec. 13. 1679.
Dr. Allestry's Letter: (Which I should not Publish, but that even in Oxford, and elsewhere among the Clergy, the Report yet goeth on.)
SIR,
I Must profess sincerely, That I cannot recollect I ever said such Words of you to Mr. Humfrey, as it seems he does affirm I did: But yet I cannot but acknowledge, it is very possible, that I related, (and may be, to Him) That I had heard, you kill'd a Man in cold Blood: Since I very well remember, that above Thirty Years since, at the End of the War, I heard that publickly ⟨p. 4⟩spoken before Company; and with this farther Circumstance, that it was a Souldier, who had been a Prisoner some Hours. Now this Report relating to the Wars, in which (I fear) such Things were no great Rarities, and from my very tender Youth, I having not had the least Converse with you, nor likely-of any for the future, did not therefore apprehend, at present, any Concern or Occasion of inquiring, whether it were true; of which, upon that confident Asseveration, I did make no doubt. And I took so little thought of laying up the Relation, that I protest to you, as in the Presence of Almighty God, it is impossible for me to recover, who made up that Company in which I heard it, or from whom I heard it: And I wonder, how it came into my Mind, to say that I had heard it, so long after. But however, though it be some Ease to me, to believe the late Discourses of it, do not come from my relating so long since that I heard it, neither are likely to receive any Confirmation from it, unless it be made more Publick than I have made it; yet I do profess, it is a great Affliction to me, to have spoken that, though but as a Report, which (it seems) was a Slander, (for so I believe it, upon your Asseveration) and not having endeavoured to know whether it were true. And, as I have beg'd God's Forgiveness of it; so I heartily desire, You will forgive me: And if I could direct my self to any other way of Satisfaction, I would give it. This is the whole Account I can give of this Matter; to which I shall only add, That I am,
SIR, Your very Affectionate Servant, Richard Allestry. Eaton-Coll. Dec. 13. 1679.
