Though my desire to meet you is strong, and the need of those petitioning through me is great, my illness makes this impossible. Therefore I am bold enough to put my appeal in writing. Show respect for our gray hair, which you have already often honored through good actions. Show respect also for my illness, which my labors for God have partly caused—if I may boast a little. For this reason, spare the citizens who look to me because I speak to you with some freedom. And spare also the others who are under my care. Public affairs will suffer no harm through mercy, since you can accomplish more through fear than others can through punishment. May you, as your reward for this, find such a Judge as you show yourself to be toward those petitioning you and toward me, their intercessor.
Though my desire to meet you is warm, and the need of your petitioners is great, yet my illness is invincible. Therefore I am bold to commit my intercession to writing. Have respect to our gray hair, which you have already often reverenced by good actions. Have respect also to my infirmity, to which my labours for God have in part contributed, if I may swagger a little. For this cause spare the citizens who look to me because I use some freedom of speech with you. And spare also the others who are under my care. For public affairs will suffer no damage through mercy, since you can do more by fear than others by punishment. May you, as your reward for this, obtain such a Judge as you show yourself to your petitioners and to me their intercessor.