John Dowland to Sir Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury 1590s

Then, in time passing, one Mr. Johnson died and I became an humble suitor for his place, thinking myself most worthiest, but I saw that I was like to go without it, and that any might have preferment but I. Whereby I began to sound the cause, and guessed that my religion was my hindrance. Whereupon, my mind being troubled, I desired to get beyond the seas.