On ys day, I did discovere yt my library hath been destroyed, and many of ye books et drawings I did treasure for their smallness were utterly ruined, for not only did ye place where I had stored those things burn, so also were those copies I most diligently prepared destroyed at ye hand of mischance, and thus the work of years is lost. So it was yt when ye missive sent by my good cozin, who doth take the play name of Broom, did arrive, I could not set my hand to answer, distraught as I am over the loss of ye travelling libraries. I pray vnto ye Lord that some fair chance may yet show some portion of ys work safe.