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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19465	Certain most godly, fruitful, and comfortable letters of such true saintes and holy martyrs of God, as in the late bloodye persecution here within this realme, gaue their lyues for the defence of Christes holy gospel written in the tyme of their affliction and cruell imprysonment.	Coverdale, Miles, 1488-1568.; Bradford, John, 1510?-1555, Exhortacion to the carienge of Chrystes crosse. Selections.; Cranmer, Thomas, 1489-1556. Copy of certain lettres sent to the Quene, and also to doctour Martin and doctour Storye. Selections.; Hooper, John, d. 1555. Soveraigne cordial for a Christian conscience.; Hooper, John, d. 1555. Whether Christian faith maye be kepte secret in the heart, without confession therof openly to the worlde as occasion shal serve.; Ridley, Nicholas, 1500?-1555. Frendly farewel.	1564 (1564)	STC 5886; ESTC S108888	571,783	726

amend it as I thought good The which though both the bishop of Gloucester and also the kyng and Quenes proctors promised me yet haue they altogether broken promise with me and haue not permitted me to correct my sayde aunsweres accordinge to my request and yet notwithstandyng haue as I vnderstande regestred the same as actes formally done in place of iudgemente Finallye forasmuch as all thys my trouble commeth vpon my departinge from the byshop of Rome and from the popishe religion so that nowe the quarel is betwixte the Pope himselfe and me and no man can be a lawfull and indifferente iudge in his owne cause it seemeth me thinke good reason that I should be suffered to appeale to some generall counsell in thys matter speciallye seinge the lawe of nature as they saye denyeth no man the remedye of appeale in such cases Now since it is very requisite that this matter shoulde be kepte as close as mayē be if perhappes for lack of perfect skill herein you shall haue nede of further aduise then I beseche you euen for the fidelity and loue you beare to me in Christ that you wyl open to no creature aliue whose the case is And forasmuch as the time is now at hand and the matter requireth great expeditiō let me obteine thys much of you I beseche you that layng a side all other your studies and busines for the time you wyll applye thys my matter onlye tyll you haue broughte it to passe The chiefeste cause in very deede to tell you the truth of thys myne appeale is that I myghte gayne time if it shall so please God to lyue vntill I haue finished myne aunswere againste Marcus Antonius Constantius which I haue now in hand This Constantius was Steuen Gardiner as constant in dede as a wether cock who thus named him selfe writing against thys good father But if the aduersaryes of the truthe wil not admyt myne appeale as I feare they will not Gods wyl be done I passe not vpon it so that God may therein be glorified be it by my life or by my death For it is muche better for me to dye in Christes quarell to raigne wyth hym then here to be shutte vp kept in the pryson of thys body vnlesse it were to continue yet stil a whyle in this warrefare for the commodity and profite of my Brethren and to the further aduauncyng of Gods glorye to whome be all glorye for euermore Amen There is also yet an other cause whye I thynke good to appeale that where as I am cited to goe to Rome to aunswere there for my selfe I am notwythstandyng kepte her faste in prison that I cannot there appeare at the tyme appoynted And moreouerforasmuch as the state I stande in is a matter of lyfe and death so that I haue greate neede of learned counsel for my defence in thys behalfe yet when I made my earnest request for the same all manner of coūsell and helpe of proctors aduocates and lawers was vtterlye denyed me Your louing frende T.C. To maistres Wilkinson a godlye matrone exhorting her to flye in the time of persecution and to seke her dwellyng where she might serue God accordinge to hys word THe true comforter in all distresse is only God thorow his sonne Iesus Christ and who soeuer hath him hath cōpany enough although he were in a wildernes al alone and he that hath xx thousand in hys company if god be absent is in a miserable wildernes and desolation In hym is all comfort and with out him is none Wherefore I besech you seeke your dwelling there as you may truly and rightly serue God and dwell in hym and haue him euer dwelling in you What can be so heuy a burden as an vnquiet conscience to be in such a place as a mā can not be suffred to serue God in Chrysts true religiō If ye be loth to depart from your kin frendes remember that Christe calleth them hys mother suffers brothers that do his fathers wil. Math. 3. Wher we find therfore god truly honored accordyng to his wyl there we can lack neither frend nor kin If you be loth to departe for slaunderyng of gods worde remember that Christ when his howre was not yet come departed out of hys coūtrey into Samaria Iohn 4. Mat. 5 to auoyde the malice of the scribes and phariseis and commaunded hys Apostles that if they were pursued in one place they should flye to an other And was not Paule let downe by a basket out at a window to auoid the persecution of Areta 2. Corin. 2. And what wisdō policye he vsed frō time to time to escape the malice of hys enemies the acts of the Apostles do declare And after the same sort did the other Apostles albeit whē it came to such a poynt that they could no longer escape daunger of the persecutours of gods true religiō thā they shewed thē selues that theyr flyeng before came not of feare but of Godlye wisdome to doe more good and that they woulde not rashelye without vrgente necessitye offer themselues to death which had bene but a tēptation of god Yea when they were apprehended and coulde no longer auoyde then they stode boldly to the profession of Christ thē they shewed how litle they passed of death how much they feared god more then men howe much they loued and preferred the eternal lyfe to come aboue this short miserable life Wherfore I exhort you aswell by Christs commaundemēt as by the example of him and his Apostles to withdraw your selfe from the malice of your and gods enemies into some place where god is most purely serued which is no slaunderyng of the truthe but a preseruing of your selfe to god and the truth and to the societie and comfort of Christes litle flocke And that you will doe do it with spede leaste by your owne follye you fall into the persecutors handes and the Lord sende hys holy spirite to leade and guide you where soeuer you go and all that be godly will say Amen T. C ❧ Letters of Doctor Rydley late Byshop of London who afterlonge imprisonment was spitefully and cruellye martyred in Oxford for the constante confession of godes true religion In the yeare of oure Lorde God .1555 the xvi day of October ☜ Ad fratres in captiuitate carnis per varios carceres dispersos sed in vnitate spiritus atque sacrosanctae religionis in visceribus Iesu Christi conglutinatos GRatia vobis pax ac misericordia multiplicetur Quam gratiarū actionem pro vobis fratres red dere possumus domino super omni consolatione quam de vobis concepimus in domino qui Sathana saeuiente peromnia fallaciarum genera mundo imponere studente regnum suum iampridem collabascere ruinamque minitari incipiens erigere atque denuo instaurare sedulo satagente tanquam in Petra firmissime fundati permanetis immobiles Iamque licet Sathan per suos satellites ac

other men but he that knoweth howe preiudiciall and iniurious the power and autoritye which he chalengeth euery where is to the crown lawes and customes of thys realm and yet wil allow the same I cannot se in any wyse how he can kepe hys due allegeaunce fydelity and truth to the crowne and state of this realme An other cause I alleged The thyrde cause why he could not allow the Pope why I could not allow the autoritye of the pope whyche is thys That by hys authoritye he subuerteth not only the lawe 〈…〉 realme but also the lawes of God The popes religion is agaynst Christs religion so that whosoeuer be vnder hys authority he suffereth them not to be vnder Christes religion purely as Christ did commaunde And for one example I brought forth that wheras by Gods lawes al christiā people be boundē diligently to learne hys word that they may know how to beleue and liue accordingly for that purpose he ordayned holy daies when they ought leauyng apart all other busines Why latin seruice oughte not to be restored in Englande to geue themselues wholy to knowe serue God Therfore Gods wyll and commaundement is that when the people be gathered together the ministers shuld vse such language as the people maye vnderstand and take profite therby or els hold theyr peace For as an harpe or lute if it geue no certaine sound that men may know what is striken who can daunce after it for all the sounde is in vayne so is it vayne and profiteth nothyng sayeth almighty god by the mouth of S. Paule if the priest speake to the people in a language which they knowe not for els he may profite hymselfe but profiteth not the people sayeth S. Paule But herein I was answered thus that S. Paul spake only of preachyng that the preacher should speake in a tongue which the people did know or els hys preachyng auayleth nothing But yf the preachyng auayleth nothing being spoken in a language which the people vnderstande not how should any other seruice auayle them beyng spoken in the same language And that yet S. Paule ment not only of preachyng it appeareth plainly by his own words for he speaketh by name expressely of praying singyng laudyng and thankyng of God and of al other thynges which the Priestes say in the churches wherunto the people saye Amen which they vsed not in preaching but in other diuine seruice that whether the Priestes rehearse the wonderfull workes of god or the great benefites of god vnto mankind aboue all other creatures or geue thāks vnto god or make open profession of theyr faith or humble confession of theyr synnes wyth earnest requeste of mercy and forgeuenes or make sute or request vnto god for any thyng then al the people vnderstandyng what the Priestes say myght ioyne theyr myndes and voyces wyth them and say Amen that is to saye allowe what the Priestes saye that the rehersall of Gods vniuersall workes and benefites the geuyng of thankes the profession of faith the confession of synnes and the requestes and petitions of the Priestes and the people might ascend vp into the eares of god altogether and be as a swete sauour odour and incense in hys nose thus was it vsed many hundred yerrs after Christes ascension But the aforesayde thynges cannot be done when the priestes speake to the people in a language not knowen and so they or theyr clarke in theyr name say Amen but they cannot tell wherunto where as saint Paule saith how can the people say Amen to thy well saying when they vnderstand not what thou saiest And thus was S. Paule vnderstanded of all interpretours both the Grekes and Latines olde and new scholeautors and others that I haue redde vntyll about xxx yeres past at which time one Eckius with other of hys sort began to deuyse a new expositiō vnderstanding S. Paule of preachyng only But when a good number of the best learned men reputed wythin thys realme some fauouryng the old some the new learnyng as they terme it where in dede that which they call the old is the newe and that which they call the new is in dede the old but when a great number of such learned men of both sortes were gathered together at wynsor for the reformatiō of the seruice of the Churche It was agreed by bothe wythout controuersie not one sayeng contrary that the Seruyce of the Church ought to be in the mother tongue and that Sainct Paule in the .14 chapter to the Corynthians was so to bee vnderstanded And so is sainct Paule to be vnderstanded in the ciuil law more then a thousand yeres past where Instinianus amoste godly Emperour in a synode writeth on thys maner Iubemus vt omnes episcopi pariter praesbyterî non tacito modo sed clara voce quae a fideli populo exaudiātur sacram oblationem preces in sacro baptismate adhibitas celebrēt quo maiori exinde deuotione in depromendis Domini Dei laudibus audientium animi efferantur Ita enim Diuus Paulus docet in epistola ad Corinth Si solummodo benedicat spiritus quomodo is qui priuati locum tenet dicet ad gratiarum actionem tuam Amen quandoquidem quid dicas non videt Tu quidem pulchre gratias agis alter autem non aedificatur That is to say we commaund that all byshops and Priests celebrate the holy oblation and praiers vsed in holy baptisme not after a stil close maner but wyth a cleare loud voyce that they may be plainly heard of the faithful people so as the hearers mindes may be lifted vp therby with the greater deuotion in vtteryng the prayses of the Lord God For so Paule teacheth also in the epistle to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 14. Yf the spirit doe onely blesse or say wel howe shall he that occupieth the place of a priuate person say Amen to thy thankes geuyng for he perceiueth not what thou saiest Thou doest geue thākes wel but the other is not edified And not onely the ciuile lawe al other writers a thousand fyue hundreth yeres continually together haue expoūded S. Paule not of preaching onely but of other Seruice saide in the churche but reason also geueth the same that if men bee commaunded to heare any thyng it must be spoken in a language whiche the hearers vnderstand or els as S. Paule sayth what auayleth it to beare So that the Pope geuyng a contrary commaundement The Pope cōmaūdeth ●oth against God natural reasō The sacramēt oughte to be receaued in both kinds of all christians that the people comming to the churche shall heare they wot not what and answer they know not wherto taketh vpon him to commaund not only against reason but also directly against god And againe I said wheras our sauiour Christ ordained the Sacrament of his most precious body and bloud to be receaued of all christian people vnder the formes both of

the grace to suffer death also Wherfore al ye that be my true louers frends reioice and reioyce with me agayne and render wyth me hartye thankes to God oure heauenly father that for hys sonnes sake my Sauioure and redemer Christ he hathe vouchsafed to cal me beyng elles without hys gratious goodnes in my selfe but a synnefull and a vyle wretche to call me I say vnto this hygh dygnitye of hys true Prophetes of hys faythfull Apostles and of hys holye electe and chosen Martyrs that is to die and to spende thys temporall lyfe in the defence mayntenāce of hys eternal and euerlastyng truth Ye knowe that be my Countreymen dwellyng vpon the borders where alas the true man suffreth oftentimes muche wronge at the theues hande if it chaunce a man to be slaine of a theefe as it oft chaunceth there whiche wente oute with his neyghbour to helpe hym to rescue hys goods agayne that the more cruelly he be slayne and the more stedfastly he stooke by his neyghboure in the fighte agaynst the face of the theefe the more fauoure and frendeship shall all hys posteritie haue for the slayne mans sake of al them that be true as long as the memorye of his facte and his posteritye dothe endure euen so ye that be my kynsefolke and countreyemen knowe ye howe soeuer the blynde ignoraunt and wycked world hereafter shall rayle vppon my death which thyng they can not do worse then their fathers did of the death of Christ our sauiour of his holy prophets Apostles and Martyrs Knowe ye I say that both before God and all them that be godly and that truely know and followe the lawes of God ye haue and shal haue by goddes grace euer cause to reioyce and to thanke God highlye and to thinke good of it and in god to reioyce of me your flesh blood whome God of his gratious goodnes hath vouchsafed to associate vnto the blessed company of hys holy martyrs in heauē I dout not in the infinite goodnes of my lord god nor in the faithful felowship of his elect chosē people but at both theyr hands in my cause ye shal rather fynd the more fauour grace for the Lord sayeth that he wil be both to them and theyrs that loue hym the more louyng agayne in a thousande generations Deut. 7. Iohn 15. the Lorde is so full of mercye to them I saye and theyrs which doe loue hym in deede And Christe sayeth agayne that no man can shewe more loue then to geue hys lyfe for his frende Now also know ye all my true louers in god my kynsfolk and countreymen that the cause wherfore I am put to death is euen after the same sort and conditiō but touchyng more nere gods cause and in more weighty matters but in the general kynd al one for both is Gods cause both is in the mainteināce of right both for the commē welth and both for the weale also of the christiā brother although yet there is in these two no smal difference both concernyng the enemyes the goods stollen and the manner of the fighte For knowe ye all that lyke as there when the poore true man is robbed by the theefe of hys owne goodes truely gotten whereupon he and hys household should lyue he is greatly wronged and the theefe in stealyng and robbyng with violence the poore mans Goods dothe offende god doth trāsgresse hys lawe and is iniurious bothe to the poore man and to the commen wealth so I saye know ye all that euen here in the cause of my death it is with the church of englād I meane the congregatiō of the true chosen chyldren of god in this realme of england which I knowlege not only to be my neighbors but rather the congregatiō of my spirituall brethren and Sisters in Christe yea members of one body wherein by goddes grace I am and haue beene grafted in Chryste Thys Churche of Englande had of late of the infinite goodnesse and aboundaunte grace of almighty God greate substaunce greate ryches of heauenlye treasure greate plentye of gods true and syncere woorde the true and wholesome administration of Christes holye Sacramentes the whole profession of Christes religion truelye and playnelye sette forthe in Baptisme the playne declaration and vnderstandyng of the same taughte in the holye Cathechisme to haue beene learned of all true Christians This churche hadde also a true and syncere forme and manner of the Lordes Supper wherein accordyng to Iesus Christes owne ordinaunce and holy institution Christes commaundements were executed and done For vpon the bread and wyne set vpon the Lords table thanks were geuen the commemoration of the Lordes death was had the bread in the remembraunce of christes bodye torne vpon the crosse was broken and the Cuppe in the remembraunce of Christes bloud shedde was distributed and both communicated vnto all that were presente and woulde receyue them and also they were exhorted of the minister so to doe All was done openlye in the vulgare toungue so that euerye thyng myghte be bothe easely heard and plainlye vnderstande of all the people to Gods hygh glory and the edification of the whole churche Thys churche had of late the whole Diuyne seruice all common and publique prayers ordeyned to be sayde heard in the cōmē congregation not onely framed and fashioned to the true vayne of holye Scripture but also all thynges so set forthe accordyng to the commaundemente of the Lorde and Sayncte Paules doctryne for the peoples edification in theyr vulgare toungue It had also holye and wholsome Homelies in commendation of the principall vertues which are commended in Scripture and lykewyse other Homelies agaynste the moste pernitious and capitall vyces that vseth alas to raygne in thys Realme of Englande Thys churche had in matters of controuersye articles so penned and framed after the holye Scripture and grounded vpon the true vnderstandyng of Gods worde that in short tyme yf they hadde bene vniuersally receyued they should haue beene able to haue sette in Christes churche muche concorde and vnitye in Christes true Religion and to haue expelled manye false erroures and heresyes wherewyth thys churche alas was almoste ouergone But alas of late into thys spyrytuall possession of the heauenly treasure of these godlye ryches are entred in theues that haue robbed and spoyled all thys heauenlye treasure awaye I maye well complayne on these theues and crye oute vppon them wyth the Prophete saying Deus venerunt gentes in haereditatem tuam c. Psalme 79. O Lord GOD the Gentiles heathen nations are come into thy heritage they haue defyled thy holye Temple and made Ierusalem an heape of stones that is they haue broken and beate downe to the grounde thy holye citye This hethenyshe generation these theeues of Samaria these Sabei and Caldei these robbers haue rushed out of their dennes and haue robbed the Churche of Englande of all the foresayd holy treasure of god they haue caried it away and ouerthrowne

countrey being otherwise at gods cōmaundement For though father and mother and other frendes are deare and nere yet none are so derely and nerely ioyned together Ephe. 5. Heb. 13. as mā and wife in matrimony which must nedes be holy for that it is a fygure and similitude of Christ hys church They know that S. Paule geueth a great prayse to matrimony calling it honourable and that not to among many but to and among al men without exception whosoeuer haue nede of that Gods remedy for mans and womās infirmitie They know that if there were any sinne in matrimony it were chiefly to be thought to be in the bedcompanye but S. Paule sayth that the bed company is vndefyled Gene. 18. Exod. 18. Genes 25. Gene. 31. 2. Reg. 7. Math 1. They know that the hauing of a wife was not an impediment for Abraham Moyses Isaac Iacob Dauid c. to talke with God neither to the Leuites bishops priestes office in the tyme of the olde Testamente or the newe They know that Christ would not be conceaued or borne of the blessed mother the Virgine Mary before she was espoused in mariage his own ordinance They know by S. Ciprian and S. Austine that a vowe is not an impediment sufficient to let matrimony or to diuorce the same They knowe that S. Chrisostome sayth it is heresie to affyrme that a Byshop may not haue a wife They know that S. Ambrose wil haue no cōmaundement but counsell only to be geuen touchyng the obseruing of virginitie They know that Christ with his blessed mother and Apostles were at a mariage Iohn 2. beautifyed honoured the same with his presence and fyrst miracle To be short they know that al that I haue here written touching the mariage of priestes is true and they know that the papistes thēselues do not obserue touching that matter theyr own lawes canons and yet they continue marked in consciēce with an hote iron as detestable heretikes in this behalf The lord geue thē grace to repēt if it be his good wil Amē My second cause why I was cōdemned as an heretike is that I denied the transubstantiation concomitation two iugling words of the papistes by the which they do beleue and wil cōpel al other to beleue that Christs natural body is made of bread that the godheade by by is ioyned therunto so that immediatly after the words called the wordes of consecration there is no more bread and wine in the sacramēt but the substance only of the body and bloud of Christ together with his godhead so that the same being now Christ both god man ought to be worshipped with godly honour to be offred to god both for the quicke and the dead as a sacrifice propitiatory and satisfactory for the same This matter was not long debated in words but bycause I denyed the foresaid papistical doctrine yea rather plainly most wicked Idolatry blasphemy and heresye I was iudged an heretike I dyd also affyrme the pope to be Antichrist poperye Antichristianitie and I cōfessed the doctrine of the Bible to be a sufficiēt doctrine touching al singular matters of Christian religion and of saluation I also alledged that the othe against the Supremacy of the byshop of Rome was a lawful othe and so was the othe made by vs all touchyng the kings or Queenes preeminence For Chrisostome saieth that Apostles Euangelistes and all men in euery Realme were euer ought to be euer touching both body goods in subiectiō to the Kingly authority who hath the sweard in his hand as gods principall officer gouernour in euery Realme I desired the Bishops to repent for bringing the Realme frō Christ to Antichrist frō light to darkenes from verity to vanitie Thus you know a sūme of my last examination condemnation Pray for me I wil pray for you God be praysed since my condemnation I was neuer affraid to die Gods wil be done If I shrinke frō gods truth I am sure of an other māner of death thē had iudge Hales But God be praysed euen frō the bottome of my heart I am vnmoueably setled vpō the rocke nothing douting but that my dere god wil performe and finish the worke that he hath begon in me other To him be al honour both nowe and euer through Christ our only whole Sauiour Amen R. T. A letter which he sent to his wife and children and other of his frends in Hadley as his farewel and last testament I Say to my wife to my children the Lord gaue you vnto me the Lord hath taken me from you and you frō me blessed be the name of the Lord. I beleue that they are blessed which die in the Lord. Apoc. i4 Luke 12. God careth for sparowes and for the heares of our heades I haue euer found him more faythfull and fauourable then any father or husband Trust ye therfore in him by the meanes of our deare Sauiour Christes merites beleue loue feare and obey him pray to him for he hath promised to helpe Count me not dead for I shal certainly liue and neuer die I go before ye shall followe after to our long home I go to the rest of my childrē Susan George Ellē Robert and Zacharie I haue bequethed you to the only omnipotent I say to you my deare frēds of Hadley to al other which haue heard me preach that I depart hence with a quiet conscience as touching my doctrine for the which I pray you thanke god with me for I haue after my litle talent declared to other those lessons that I gathered out of gods boke the blessed Bible Therfore if I or any Angel from heauen should preach to you any other gospel Gala. 1 then that ye haue receaued Gods great curse vpon that preacher Beware for Gods sake that ye denie not God neither decline from the word of fayth least god decline from you and so ye do euerlastingly perish For gods sake beware of popery for though it appeare to haue in it vnitie yet the same is in vanity and Antichristianitie and not in Christes fayth and veritie Beware of the sinne against the holy ghost now after such a light opened so playnly and simply truly throughly and generally to al England The Lord graunt all men his good holy spirit encrease of his wisedome encrease of contempning the wicked worlde encrease of desiring hartely to bee with God and the heauenly company through Iesus Christ our only mediatour aduocate ryghteousnesse lyfe sanctification and hope Amen Amen Pray Pray ¶ Rowland Taylour departing hence in sure hope without all doubting of eternal saluation I thanke god my heauenly father through Iesus Christ my certayne sauiour Amen 5. Februarye Anno. 1555. ❧ Letters of Maister Laurence Saunders parson of Alhollowes in Bredstrete in London who after faythfull testimonye of hys doctrine by long imprisonment was condemned to the fyre

vp their crosse marke they must take it vp follow him not the multitude custome vse Cōsider for gods sake that if we gather not with Christ we scatter abroade What should it profite a mā to winne the whole world and lose his own soule We must not forget that this life is a wildernes and not a paradyse here is not oure home we are nowe in warfare we muste nedes fight or els be taken prisoners Of al things we haue in this life we shal cary nothing with vs. If Christ be our captain we must folow hī as good souldiers If we kepe cōpany with him in afflittion we shal be sure of his societie in glory If we forsake not him he wil neuer for sake vs. If we cōfesse him he wil cōfesse vs but if we deny him he wil deny vs. If we be ashamed of him he wil be ashamed of vs. Wherefore as he forsoke father heauen and al things to come to vs so let vs forsake all thinges to come to him being sure moste certayne that we shal not lose therby Your children shal finde feele it double yea treble what soeuer ye lose for the Lords sake and ye shal finde and fele peace of conscience frendeship with god which is more worth then al the goods of the world My dearly beloued therfore for the Lordes sake cōsider these thynges which I now write vnto you of loue for my Vale and laste farewell for euer in thys present life Turne to the Lorde repente ye your euill and vnthankeful life declare repentaunce by the fruites take time whyles you haue it come to the Lorde whiles he calleth you runne into his lappe whiles his armes be opē to embrase you seeke him whiles he may be found cal vpon him whiles time is conueniente forsake and flye from all euill both in religion and in the rest of your life and conuersation let your lighte so shine before men that they may see your good woorkes and prayse god in the day of his visitation Oh come again come againe ye straunge children I wil receaue you sayth the Lord. Conuert and turne to me and I will turne vnto you Why wil ye nedes perishe As sure as I liue swereth the Lord I wil not your death tourne therefore vnto me Can a woman forget the child of her wombe If she should yet wil not I forget you sayth the lord your god I am he I am he which putteth awaye your sinnes for mine owne sake Oh then deare frends turne I say vnto your dearest father Cast not these his sweete and louing woordes to the grounde and at your tayle for the Lorde watcheth on hys worde to performe it which is in two sortes to them that lay it vp in their hartes and beleue it will he pay all and eternall ioye and comforte But to them that caste it at their backes and wilfully forget it to them I say wil he poure out indignation and eternal shame Wherfore I hartely yet once more besech and pray you and euery of you not to contemne this poore and simple exhortation which now out of prison I make vnto you or rather the Lord by me Loth would I be to be a witnes against you in the last day as of truth I must be if ye repent not if ye loue not gods gospel yea if ye lyue it not Therfore to conclude repent loue gods gospell lyue it in all your conuersation so shall gods name be praysed his plagues mitigated his people comforted his enemies ashamed Graunt all thys thou gracious Lord god to euery of vs for thy deare sonnes sake oure Sauiour Iesus Christ To whom with thee and the holy ghost be eternall glory for euer and euer Amen The 12. of Febr. 1555. By the bondman of the Lord your afflicted poore brother Iohn Bradford To the honourable lord Russell nowe Earle of Bedford being then in trouble for the veritye of gods Gospell THe euerlasting and most gracious god father of our sauioure Iesu Christ blesse your good Lordship with al manner of heauenly blessinges in the same Christ our onely comfort and hope Amen Praysed be god our father which hath vouched you worthy as of fayth in his Christ so of his crosse for the same Magnified be his holy name who as he hath deliuered you from one crosse so he hath made you willinge I trust and ready to beare an other when he shal see his time to lay it vpon you for these are the most singular giftes of God geuē as to fewe so to none els but to those few which are most deare in his sight Faith is reckened and worthely among the greatest giftes of god yea it is the greatest it self that we enioy for by it as we be iustifyed made gods childrē so are we temples possessours of the holy spirit yea of Christ also Eph. 4. and of the father him self Iohn 14. By fayth we driue the deuil away 1. Pet. 5. We ouercome the world 1. Ioh. and are already citizens of heauen and fellowes with gods deare saints But who is able to recken the riches that thys fayth bringeth with her vnto the soule shee sitteth vpō No man nor Angell And therfore as I sayd of al gods giftes she may be set in the toppe haue the vppermost feare The which thing if men considered in that she commeth alonely frō gods own mercy seate by the hearing not of Masse or Mattyns Diriges or such draffe but of the word of God in such a tong as we can and do vnderstand as they would be diligent and take great heede for doing or seing any thyng which might caste her down for thē they fal also so would they with no lesse care read and heare Gods holy woorde ioyning therto moste earnest and often prayer aswel for the more and better vnderstanding as for the louyng liuing confessing of the same maugre the head of the deuil the world our flesh reason goods possessions carnall frendes wyfe children and very life here if they shoulde pulle vs barke to harken to their voyce and counsell for more quiet sure and longer vse of them Now notwithstanding this excellency of fayth in that we read the Apostle to match therewith yea as it were to preferre suffering persecution for Christes sake Philip. 1. I trowe no man will be so fonde as to thinke otherwise but that I and all gods children haue cause to glorifie prayse god which hath vouched you worthy so great a blessing For though the reason or wisedome of the world thinke of the crosse according to their reach and according to their present sense therefore flyeth from it as from a most great ignominie shame yet Gods scholers haue learned otherwise to thinke of the crosse that it is the frame house in the which god frameth his children like to his sonne Christe the fornace that fyneth gods golde the highe waye to heauen the Sute and

of mercye in Christe blesse you both kepe you both and sende you both aswell to do as I wishe to my dearest and best beloued frendes and brethren in the Lorde I praye you continue to praye for me as I doubte not you doe and so geue thankes to God for me for he is good and hys mercye endureth foreuer The daye will come when we shall meere together and neuer departe God send it shortly Amen Iohn Bradforde To the worshipfull Syr VVilliam Fitzwilliams then being Knyghte Marshall of the Kinges Benche THe peace of god proper to his people the holy ghost worke daily and depely in your hart through Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen I thanke my Lorde and God throughe hys Sonne our mediatour and sauioure for hys mercyes and graces geuen to your Mastership the whiche I beseche hys goodnesse to encrease in you continuallye to youre euerlastyng comforte in hym By hys mercyes towardes you I meane not in your landes possessions offices naturall wysedome rychts healthe forme c. whiche in deede be giftes of God geuen to you of hys mercye withoute your desertes and therefore shoulde he bee daylye of you praysed for the same as I doubte not but he is for elles your ingratitude woulde prouoke hym to punyshe you in them and by them if he loue you but I meane hys mercyes towardes you in the knowledge and loue of hys truthe in religion The whiche benefite in that you amongest the not manye of youre estate and condition 1. Co. 1 as Sainte Paule witnesseth haue receaued as a verye testimoniall of youre election in Christ I woulde bee sorye that you shoulde neede anye suche as I am to moue you to thankefulnesse for I am not in a mammerynge whether you be thankful to god for thys great mercy which is much more to be estemed thē al that euer you haue I hūbly besech God in hys Christ to encrease the same in you to the very end And that by me he myght doe the same in some part I thought it good and also my bounden dutie deepely deserued on your behalfe towardes me for the whiche I beseche the Lord to reward you to send to you thys treatise of the doings of Maister Ridley at Oxford concernyng hys disputation about the Sacrament This treatyse of M. Ridleyes disputation which he sent to hym you shal read in the booke of Martyrs Fol. 963. I know that there hath gone diuerse copies abroade but none of them were as I knowe thys is for I haue translated it out of that copye in Latten which was corrected with hys owne hand whiche came vnto me not without hys own consente and therfore dare I be bolde to saye that thys hath not before beene seene on thys sorte In readyng whereof you shall well see thys I speake to be most true and also that whiche causeth me to suppresse commendations of the thyng the excellencye and worthines therof I meane because I thinke I cānot speake any thing so worthely as vndoubtedly these hys doings do deserue Vnto your Maistership I sende them as a token of my dutie towardes you thereby to declare that as you deserue muche of me so I woulde shewe my selfe willynge to recompence the same if I coulde but in that I can not and also youre doinge is simplye in respecte of GOD and hys cause I wyll accordyng to your expectation leaue the recompence vnto hym in the meane season prayinge hym that of hys goodnes he would as encrease the knowledge and loue of hys truth in you so strenghen you after your vocation both purelye to walke and manfullye to confesse hys Gospel if he shall thynke it needeful to call you to that honoure for surelye of all honours it is the greatest to suffer any thyng for Christes sake Most happye maye that man thynke hymselfe that hath any thyng for hys cause to lose As he shall bee sure to fynde for hys owne parte eternall felicitie and honoure endles so shall hys posteritye euen temporallye proue thys to be moste true For gods sake therefore ryghte worshipful Syr consider well thys geare and waye it not as the worlde and your mother witte wyll moue you to do but as the word of God doth teach you there shal you see thys I speake of to bee matter of much myrth ioye and glory though to the world it seme cleane contrary Gods good spirite alwayes guide you to hys glorye geue you the spirit of prayer continually to praye that God neuer further tempt you then he will make you able to beare Amen In that thys copie is not so fayre written as I wishe and woulde haue had it I shall desire you to consider where I am and how I can not haue thinges so done as I woulde and therefore you haue it as maye bee when it may not be as I woulde it were and shoulde be From the Kinges Benche Your humble Iohn Bradforde To my good brother Maister Coker at Maldon in Essex ALthoughe I haue presentlye both litle tyme and lesse oportunitie otherwyse to write as I would yet as I maye I thoughte better to write somethynge thē vtterlye to be silente For if I shoulde not so do hauing so conuenient a messenger as I mighte towardes you incurre the suspision of ingratitude and forgetfulnesse so might I not satisfye the desire of thys my poore brother and frende Iohn Searchfield which cōmeth vnto you for helpe and comforte in this troublesome time Thys dare I say that the man feareth God and for Gods sake and conscience towardes hym susteyneth both losse and labour For our common fathers sake therefore in Christ helpe him to some hole to hyde him selfe in for a litle time if conueniently you may and remember that he that receaueth one of Christes litle ones receaueth Christe as he him selfe in the last day will acknowledge Which laste daye let vs often loke on and set before vs as the thing which most maketh to our comfort Nowe we sorrowe and sighe to see the sea swell and rage on this sort as it doth And to confesse the truth we haue double cause as wel because we haue deserued this sower sauce by reasō of our vnthankfulnes and many sinnes which the Lord pardon as because gods glory is troden vnder foote But thys comfort we haue that as God our good father will not the death of a sinner so wyll he order this geare most to his glory and our ioye and comforte if we repent now and hartely lament our euilles vse earnest humble and often yea continuall prayer and caste our selues wholy on hym and hys goodnes still labouring to lothe thys life and longing for the life to come for the which we shoulde accompte thys as it is a very vale of miserye much to be mourned in because the time of our habitation herein and exile is prolonged God graunte vs hys holy spirite to strengthen vs in his truth professed that we may perseuer to the end in the

them they harken vnto me and to no straungers and I geue them euerlastyng lyfe Iohn 10 for they shall not be loste nor no man shall plucke them out of my handes no nor yet this flatte ryng world wyth al his vayne pleasures nor any Tyranne wyth his great threates and stoute bragges can once moue them out of the way of eternall lyfe What consolation and cōfort may we haue more pleasaunt and effectuous then this God is on our side and fighteth for vs he suffereth he smarteth is afflicted with vs. As the world can do nothing against his might Esay 4 neither in takyng away or diminishing of hys glory nor putting him from his celestial throne so can it not harme nor hurte any one of his chyldren without his good wyll Ephesi 5 for we are members of hys bodye out of his flesh and of his bones and as deare to him as the apple of his eye Let vs therfore with an earnest fayth set fast hold and sure feeling vpon the promises of God in the gospel and let vs not be sundred from the same by any tēptation tribulation or persecution Let vs consider the verity of god to be inuincible inuiolable and immutable promising and geuing vs his faythfull souldiours life eternall It is he onely that hath deserued it for vs it is his only benefite and of his only mere mercy vnto hym only must we render thākes Let not therfore the vayne fantasies and dreames of mē the folish gauds and toyes of the world nor the crafty delusions of the deuil driue separate vs from our hope of the crown of righteousnes that is laid vppe in store for vs against the last day Oh that happy and mery last day I meane to the faythfull when Christ by hys couenaunt shall graunte and geue vnto them that ouercome and kepe hys wordes to the ende that they maye ascende and sit in seate with him as he hath ascended and sitteth on throne wyth hys father The same body and soule that is now wyth Christ afflicted shal then be wyth Christ glorified nowe in the butchers handes as shepe appointed to die 2. Timo. 2. then sitting at gods table wyth Christ in hys kyngdom as gods honourable and dere childerne where we shall haue for earthly pouerty heauenlye riches for hunger and thirst saturitye of the pleasaunt presence of the glory of God Psalm 16. for sorrowes troubles and colde irons celestial ioyes and the company of Aungels and for a bodely death lyfe eternall Oh happy soules oh precious death and euermore blessed righte deare in the eyes of god to you the spring of the Lord shall euer be florishyng Then as sayth Esay the redemed shall returne come againe into Sion praysing the Lord and eternall mercyes shal be ouer their heades they shall obtaine myrthe and solace sorrowe and woe shall be vtterly vanquished yea I am euen he sayeth the Lord that in all things geueth you euerlastyng consolation To whom with the Father and the holy ghost be glory and prayse for euer Amen Robert Samuell An other letter written to the Christian cōgregation called the fayth of Robert Samuell The beliefe of the hart iustifyeth and to knowledge with the mouth maketh a man safe Rom. 10. Feare not the curse of men be not afrayde of theyr blasphemies and reuilinges for wormes and mothes shall eate them vppe lyke cloth and woll but my ryghteousnesse shall endure for euer and my sauing healthe from generation to generation Esay 51. COnsidering with my self these perillous times 2. Timo. 3. perishing daies the vnconstant and miserable state of man the decay of our fayth the sinister reporte false slaūder of gods most holy word these vrgent causes in coscience do constrayne me to confesse acknowledge my fayth and meanyng in Christes holy religion as S. Peter teacheth me saying 1. pet 3 be readye alwayes to geue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you and that with mekenes feare hauing a good cōscience that whē they backbite you as euill doers they may be ashamed for asmuche as they haue falselye accused your good conuersation in Christe As touching my doctrine for that litle talent that god hath geuen me god I take to recorde mine own conscience mine auditorie knoweth that I neither in doctrine nor maners willinglye taughte any other thing then I receaued of the holy Patriarckes Prophets Christ hys Apostles For it were not only sinne but also the very part of a cursed miscreant to deny to belye or betray the innocēcie of that heauēly doctrine or to be ashamed to cōfesse stād to the defence of the same Mar. 8. seing the christ plāted it with his most precious blood and all good men haue more estemed the true infallible word of god then al this transitorye worlde or their own mortal liues And I beleue this doctrine of the Patriarkes Prophets Christ hys Apostles to be sufficient absolutely perfect to enstruct teach me al the holy church of oure duties towards god the magistrates our neighbours Fyrst principally I do assuredly beleue wtout any douting that there is one deitie or diuine essence infinite substāce which is both called is in dede god euerlasting vnbodely vnpartable vnmeasurable in power wisdome goodnesse the maker preseruer of al things as wel visible as inuisible yet there be three distinct persons al of one godhead or diuine being of al one power coequal cōsubstantial coeternall the father the sonne the holy ghost I beleue in god the father almighty c. As touching god the father of heauē I beleue as much as holy scripture teacheth me to beleue The father is the first person in trinitie Ephesi ● first cause of our saluation which hath blessed vs with al maner of blessings in heauēly things by Christ which hath chosē vs before the foūdations of the worlde were layd that we should be holy without blame before him who hath predestinate vs ordeyned vs to be his childrē of adoption through Christ Iesu Act. 17. Psal 176. In him as it is sayd we liue we moue haue our being he nourisheth feedeth geueth meate to euery creature And in Iesus Christ hys onely sonne oure lord I beleue that the word that is the sonne of god the second person in trinitie did take mans nature in the wombe of the most blessed virgin Mary Heb. 1. So that there be in hym .ii. natures a diuine nature an humaine nature in the vnitie of persō inseperable conioyned knyt in one Christ truly god trulye mā the expresse perfect image of the inuisible god wherin the wil of god the father shineth apparantly wherin mā as it were in a glasse maye behold what he ought to do that maye please god the father Borne of the virgin Mary ●●trulye

Marke 6 Matth. 10. Apo 5. God wyl not be mocked naye they that dissemble with him deceiue themselues Such shal the lord deny and caste oute at the laste daye such I say as beare two faces in one hoode such as play on both handes such as deny the knowen truth such as obstinately rebel agaynst hym All such with theyr partakers shall the lord destroy God defend you from al such and make you perfecte vnto the ende Iohn 16. Your sorow shall be turned into ioy A letter sent to a frende of hys THe eternall God kepe you in hys feare I haue me hartely commended vnto you your husband besechyng almighty god to preserue you in well doyng and in perfect knowledge of hys Christ that you may be soūd fautles in the day of the Lord. I haue heard say that my frend is geuē ouer to vanity It breaketh my hart not only to heare that he so dothe but also teacheth other that it is vnhurtfull to go to all abhominations whyche now stande in the Idoles temples Neuerthelesse deare frend be not moued to followe synners for they haue no inheritaunce wyth GOD and Christe But looke that by goyng into the Idoles temple you defyle not the temple of God for lyghte hath no fellowshyp wyth darkenes but looke what the Lord hath commaunded that doe For yf not goyng to church were wythout persecution they woulde not learne you that lesson But all thing that is swete to the flesh is allowed of the fleshly The Lord shal rewarde euery man accordyng to hys works he that leadeth into captiuity shal go into captiuity and he that by the fleshly man is led in the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption The lord Iesu geue you hys holy spirit Amen Seke peace and ensue it Feare god loue god with al your hart wyth al your soule and wyth all your strength Your frend and all mens in Christ Iesus R. Smith Scribled in hast from Newgate the .12 of May. To hys VVyfe THe God and father eternal which brought againe frō death our Lord Iesus Christ kepe thee deare wyfe nowe and for euer wyth thy Parentes and all thy frendes Amen I prayse God for hys mercye I am in the same state that you lefte me in rather better then worse lokyng daylye for the lyuyng GOD before whome I hunger full sore to appeare and receyue the glorye of whyche I trust thou art wyllyng to be a partaker I geue GOD most harty thankes therefore desyryng thee of all loues to stande faste in that fayth which thou hast receyued and let no man take awaye the seede that almighty god hath sowē in thee but lay hands of euerlastyng lyfe which shal euer abide whē both the earth al earthly frends shal peryshe desyryng them also to receiue thankfully our trouble which is momentane light as S. Paule saith not worthy of the things which shal be shewed on vs that we patiētly carying our crosse may attayne to the place whether our Sauiour Christ is gone before to the which I besech god of his mercy bring vs spedely I haue bene much troubled about your deliueraūce fearyng much the persuasions of worldlings haue found a frend which wil I trust find a meane for you if you be not alredy prouided desiring you in any case to abide suche order as that my frende shall appoint in god And bear wel in mind the words which I spake at our departīg that as god hath chosē vs made vs worthy to suffer with him we may endeuour our selues to folow vprightly in thys our vocation desiryng you to present my hartye commendations to all our frendes and especiallye to your Parentes kepyng youre matter close in anye wyse Geue moste hartye thankes to my frende whiche onelye for our cause is come to Windsor Continue in prayer Do wel Be fautles in al thyngs Beware of abhominations Keepe you cleane from synne Praye for me as I doe for you I haue sente you a piece of golde for a token and moste entierlye desire you to sende me worde yf you lacke any thyng The lord Iesu preserue you and yours Amen From Newgate the .15 of Apryll Yf you wyll mete wyth me agayn Forsake not Christ for any payne By your faithfull husband Robert Smyth ❧ Letters of Maister Bartelet Grene a gentleman and professour of the Lawe who for gods cause and the mayntenaunce of hys holy Gospel suffred martyrdome the .13 of Ianuarye In the yere of our Lord. 1556. To hys dearely beloued in the lord Mystres Elizabeth C. WOuld God if it were hys pleasure that with this letter I might send you my hart mind and whatsoeuer there is in me elles that pertaineth vnto god So should I thynke it the best message happiest letter that euer I could wryte But though I obtaine not my desyre yet shal I not cease with continual praier to labour for you desiring almighty god to encrease that which he hath long sith begon in you of sober life earnest zeale towards his religiō In faith as saith S. Paule she that is a true widow frēdles putteth her trust in god i. Cor 7 cōtinuing day and nyght in supplication and prayer but she that liueth in pleasure is dead euen yet alyue And verely a true widowe is she that hathe maried Christ forsakyng the vanities of the world and lust of the fleshe For as the maried woman careth how to loue please and serue her husband i. Tim 5 so ought the widowe to geue all her harte and soule thoughtes and wordes studies and labours faythfully to loue god vertuously to bring vp her children and householde and diligentlye to prouide for the poore and oppressed Therfore Sainte Paule firste instructeth a widowe howe to behaue her selfe that is to beginne wher Paule leaueth not to lyue in pleasure then to watch vnto prayer as the onely meanes to obtaine al our desires stedfastly laying vp all our trust in God as Salomō ryght well saith psalm 34. Luk. 2. first escheue euill then do good Of Anna the praise is wrytten that she neuer went out of the temple but serued God wyth fastyng and prayer nyght and daye so well had she espoused Christ Iudith 8. Iudith ware a smocke of heare contynuyng in fastyng and had good reporte of al men The next care that belongeth vnto a wydow is that she bring vp her chrildrē and household godly Ephes 6. in the nourture and informacion of the Lord. Wherof Sainct Paule sayth if any widow haue chyldren or Nephewes 1. Tym 5. let them learne firste to rule theyr owne house godlye and to recompence theyr elders The incontinency coueteousnes of Phynees and O phny not corrected by Ely their father ● Reg. 2 prouoked gods vēgeaūce vpō him all his kynred The ouer tender loue of Absolon expelled Dauyd from his kyngdom 2. Regū 15 The vnrebuked sinnes of Ammon encouraged Absolon to