To the Ryght war-/ shipfull Sir Jhon/ Leveson knyght fore/ thys with speed at hal]/lyng/
Mr Ballard that he can / make no ordinance and/ ys not able to travayle. and he hath no/ fornace but a forge to beat/ iron bares/
[end first page]
[second page]
Ryght warshipfull I recievyd your letter datyd/ the viijth day of thys present october the xjth of/ the same/ and for answere thereof I doo assure/ you I have no Iron Forn[a]ce in any plase in Ingland/ only an Iron fordge to make out Cast of Iron// nor I/ did never own thyr any Iron fornaces// I had taken mr/ anthonie Coolpepper forn[a]ce wherfor I dyd never/ use but have past it over to one Jhon Darnoll/ of lamberhurst and thys I assur you is true/ [illegible] my [illegible] and where you requyer me to repayer/ to your house on thursday next I would then wayt/ on you if I were able to travell so farre but I/ assur you I have not durst to travell so farre/ thys too [illegible] nor am not yet in Cause to doo// and/ thys being true as I informe you havyng no forn[a]ces/ to Cast any goons. I trust I made not put in/ bonde// and so besechyng your woorship for the/ causes befor allgyd to p[ar]don my comyng to you/ at thys tyme I humbly Comyt you to the/ tuicion of thalmyghty God from Wadhurst the xj of october a[nn]o 1590/
Yours to Comand to hys {illegible]/ pouer/
Rychar Ballard/
[end second page, end of document]
(with permission of South Staffordshire County Council)
D593/S/4/28/11
Richard Ballard