Dover, with the Tide, smells of fish, smoked and fresh; forges; tar; a creaking, like unto the forests, of the ships riding at anchor, of their swaying masts. The Docks a great hive and buzz. The Fleet for Parliament; Warwick named the High Admiral. Wise; a my lord Warwick having shewn himself a man of great vigour in his disruptions, seizings, etc of the treasure fleets of the Spaniard and as I cannot forget no matter how much I might pray it be stricken from my memory the promotion of the plantations in New-England with my lords Saye and Brooke.

Everywhere men are armed, everywhere armed. There is news of Ireland, of the Papists  plundering lonely farms, and hanging families in their tilled fields or burned alive in their homes; that in Portadown women and children were drowned; that they were thrown from a bridge named Shrule in Galway; that all on the Isle Magee were promised safe passage, then murdered most cruelly: women raped and gutted, children spitted and roasted i must strike this because I cannot bear to read it again. The numbers murdered are said one hundred thousand; that is probably incorrect, as tragedy and fear counts each death twice, is one twentieth that number, in somewhat more tolerable?

These methods of murder by the bloody-minded Irish rebels: I know them, have seen them, when savages are whipped to frenzy by priests.  As my ship beat toward shore two nights ago, the sunset making a fire of Dover’s cliffs, like the burning of that foul squat of wigwams in that swamp; I thought then how the designs are Providence are often to mock trample under foot overturn those of man; that westward bound 12 years ago I thought to never see England again, or engage as a soldier, in the trade of my father and my forebears, that with Sarah I would labor in the building of that great city described by Mr Winthrop, in the Canaan of America. Yet that was not, and what is, is this; I am in England and will be soon under arms it seems.

I would know that my Redeemer liveth; rather, that of His life I will partake, as does she. A skirt,  a lock escaping a bonnet, a smile: all conspire to condemn, as do my prayers, when my mind wanders, to limbs and the bed of pine in the forest where it must not. I am damned I know but must needs It It will be my work now that He hath brought me to this place, to join in this work.

LATER: Have hired a mount, and will ride to Huntington, via London; I will see my sister, and her husband.