John Rolfe's letter to Dale explaining his marriage
Nor am I ignorant of the heavy displeasure which Almighty God Conceyved against the Sonnes of Leuie and Israell for marrienge of straunge wyves, nor of the inconvenyences which maye thereby arrise, with other the lyke good mocions: which made me looke aboute warely and with circumspection, into the groundes and principall agitacions which thus shoulde provoke me to be in love with one, whose education hath byn rude, her manners barbarous, her generacion Cursed, and soe discrepant in all nutriture from my selfe, that often tymes with feare and tremblinge I haue ended my pryvate Controversie with this, Surely theise are wicked instigations hatched by him whoe seeketh and delighteth in mans distraction, And soe with fervent prayers to be ever preserved from such diabolicall assaultes I have taken some rest. Thus when I haue thought, I have obteyned my peace and quyetnes: beholde, an other but more gratious temptation hath made breaches into my holiest and strongest meditacions; with which I have byn putt to a newe tryall, in the stricter manner then the former. For (besides the many passions and sufferinges which I have daylie, howerly, yea in my sleepe endured even awakeinge me to astonishment, taxinge me with remissnes and Carelessnes refusinge and neglectinge to performe, the duety of a good Christian, pullinge me by the eare, and cryenge why doest not thowe endeavour to make her a Christian; and these haue happened to my greater wonder, even when shee hath byn farthest seperated from me, which in Common reason (were it not an vndoubted woorke of god) might breede a forgettfullnes of a farre more woorthy Creature) besides this I saye, the holy Spiritt of God hath often demaunded of me, why I was Created? if not for transitory pleasures and worldly vanyties, but to labour in the Lordes vyneyard there to sowe and plant, to nourishe and encrease the Fruytes thereof, daylie addinge with the good husband of the Gospell somewhat to the Tallent: that in the ende the Fruytes may be reaped to the Comfort of {the} Labourer in this lyfe, and {his salvation}in the worlde to comme, And yf this {be}, as vndoubtedly This is {,}the service Iesus Christ requyreth of his best servantes: And woe to him that hath theise Instrumentes of pietye offered and putt into his handes, and willfully dispise to woorke with them. Lykewyse addinge heerevnto her greate apparance of love to me, her desyre to be taught and instructed in the knowledge of God: her Capablenes of vnderstanding{,}her aptnes and willingnes to receyve any good impression, and also the spiricuall besides her owne incytementes stirringe me vpp herevnto. What shoulde I doe? shall I be of soe an vntoward a disposicion to refuse to leade the blynde into the right waye? shall I be soe vnnaturall not to gyve breade to the hungry, or soe vncharitable not to Cover the naked? shall I dispise to actuate theise pious duetyes of a Christian? shall the base feare of displeasinge the worlde overpower and withholde me from revealinge to man theise spirituall woorkes of the Lorde, which in my medytacions and my prayers I have daylie made knowne vnto him.
God forbidd: I assuredly trust he hath thus dealt with me for my eternall felicitye, {and}for his glory, and I hope soe to be guyded by his heavenly Grace.