To Mr. George Walker, peace of conscience, by true zeal with Sobriety and Charity.
SIR, if you have any true desire of my good, especially testified by prayer to God for me, the Lord requite your love, and uphold me in the continuance of the like duty for you now and ever. But I must plainly profess, that I can hardly be persuaded of the truth of your protestation: because I find your present Letters, being the first that ever I received from you, so full of bitterness. Yet could I have been contented to have made some Answer to them, but that I see it would be to small or no purpose. For a great part of your vehement accusation concerns other men, and not me: who am not (in any equity) to be charged with their faults, (if any have so faulted) [Greek or Hebrew]. The things, which touch my self, are all, either utterly untrue, or misreported by you. And to what purpose were it, for me to deny, and you to affirm; and so as it were out-vie one another's credit? Concerning the offer you make of putting the points in question, whether first you do justly charge me with heresy and blasphemy; and whether secondly, my writings do not show me to be a Socinian; I could happily have yielded thereunto, without excepting against any one whom you name, if you had not so violently sought it, by frighting me (as you imagined) with complaining, to my L. of Canterbury his Grace and the Commission, of me, if I refused. Good M Walker do not think me so childish or foolish, that I can be scared with such terrors and menacings. I am so throughly resolved of the truth I hold, differing immane quantum from Socinus blasphemy, and so well persuaded of my Lords soundness in judgement, and the equal hearing I shall have in that Court, that I am not afraid to put the matter ⟨p. 24⟩there to trial. Wherefore use your discretion, either in this, or in any other course, that shall best please you: I will always be ready to maintain the truth I know, and to acknowledge that, I yet know not, whensoever it shall be discovered to me by the Word of God. To whose gracious blessing I commend the pardoning and reforming of this and all other wrongs you have done me, and rest,
Tower Hill, May 5. 1614. Yours as it becomes a Christian to be ANTONY WOTTON.
Postscript.
To Mr. George Walker, peace of conscience, by true zeale with Sobriety and Charity.
SIR, if you have any true d•sire of my good, especially testified by prayer to God for me, the Lord requite your love, and uphold me in the continuance of the like duty for you now and ever. But I must plainly professe, that I can hardly be perswaded of the truth of your protestation: because I finde your present Letters, being the first that ever I received from you, so full of bitternesse. Yet could I have been contented to have made some Answer to them, but that I see it would be to small or no purpose. For a great part of your vehement accusation concerns other men, and not me: who am not (in any equity) to be charged with their faults, (if any have so faulted) 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. The things, which touch my selfe, are all, either utterly untrue, or misreported by you. And to what purpose were it, for me to deny, and you to affirme; and so as it were out-vy one anothers credit? Concerning the offer you make of putting the points in question, whether first you doe justly charge me with heresie and blasphemy; and whether secondly, my writings do not shew me to be a Socinian; I could happily have yeelded thereunto, without excepting against any one whom you name, if you had not so violently sought it, by frighting me (as you imagined) with complaining, to my L. of Canterbury his Grace and the Commission, of me, if I refused. Good M Walker do not think me so childish or foolish, that I can be scared with such terrours and menacings. I am so throughly resolved of the truth I hold, differing immane quantum from Socinus blasphemy, and so well perswaded of my Lords soundnesse in judgement, and the equall hearing I shall have in that Court, that I am not afraid to put the matter ⟨p. 24⟩there to triall. Wherefore use your discretion, either in this, or in any other course, that shall best please you: I will alwaies be ready to maintaine the truth I know, and to acknowledge that, I yet know not, whensoever it shall be discovered to me by the Word of God. To whose gracious blessing I commend the pardoning and reforming of this and all other wrongs you have done me, and rest,
Towerhill, May 5. 1614. Yours as it becomes a Christian to be ANTONY WOTTON.
Postscript.