agayne The last Lent saue one it chaunced by reason of the tumult stirred vp in Kente there was so manye prisoners in the Tower that my L. of Canterb. M. Lacimer M. Bradforde and I were put altogether in one prison where we remained still almost to the next easter and then we three Caunterb Latymer and I were sodainly sent a little before Gato Oxford and were suffred to haue nothyng with vs but that we caried vpon vs. About the Whitsontide folowyng was our disputations at Oxford after the which was al taken from vs as penne and ynke c. our owne seruauntes were taken from vs before and euery one had put to him a straunge man and we eche one appointed to be kept in seuerall places as we are vnto this day Blessed be god we three at the writyng hereof were in good health and in god of good cheare We haue loked long ago to haue bene dispatched for we were all three on one daye within a day or two of our disputations of D. Weston beyng the head commissioner condemned for heretykes and synce that tyme we remayne as we were of hym leaft The Lordes will bee fulfilled in vs as I doe not doubte but by his grace it shall be to hys glory and our endles saluation through Iesus Christ our Lord. Likewise the Lord hitherto hath preserued aboue al our expectation our deare brother and in Christes cause a strōg Champion I Bradford He is likewise condemned and is already deliuered vnto the seculer power writtes as we haue heard say geuen oute for hys execution and called in again Thus the lord so long as hys blessed pleasure is preserueth whom he lysteth notwithstandyng the wonderfull ragyng of the world ▪ Many as we heare say haue suffred valiauntly confessyng Christes truth and nothyng yelding to the aduersary yea not for the feare or paynes of death The names of them which I knew haue now suffered are these Farrer the B. of S. Dauids Hoper the B. of Worceter Rogers tuus olim comprebendarius D. Taylor of Hadley M. Saunders and one Tomkyns a weauer and now this last day M. Cardmaker with an other were burnte in Smithfield at Londō many other in Essex kent whose names are writtē in the boke of life whō yet I do not know West your old companion sometime mine officer alas hath relented as I haue heard but the lord hath shortned hys daies This West whē he had relented sayd masse against his conscience shortly after pined away and died for sorow for anone he died and is gone Grimbolde was caught by the heele and cast into the marshalsee but now is at liberty agayne but I feare me he escaped not withoute some beckyng and bowyng alas of hys knee vnto Baal My deare frende Thomas Ridley of the Bulheade in cheape which was to me the most faithful frend that I had in my trouble is departed also vnto god My brother Ship syde that hath maryed my syster hathe bene almoste halfe a yere in pryson for deliueryng as he was accused of certain thynges I weene from me but now thankes be to god he is at liberty agayne but so that the bishop hath taken from hym hys parke Of al vs three cōcaptiues at Oxford I am kept most strait and with least libertie vel quia viro in cuius edibus ego custodior vxordominatur licet modo sit prefectus ciuitatis mulier vetula morosa superstitiosiss quae etiā hoc sibi laudi ducit quod me dicatur arctissime cautissime custodire vir autem ipse Irischius nomine mitis satis est omnibus vxori vero plusquam obsequentiss Licet vxorem vti nosti nunquam habuerim tamen ex hac quotidiana consuetudine quam cum istis coniugibus habeo videor mihi non nihil posse intelligere quà m graue malum intollerabile iugum sit cum mala mulierein coniugio colligari Recte ergo sapiens dixit vxor bona donum Dei iterum mulieris bonae beatus vir Vel haec inquam causa est vel quia a magnis magistratibus nescio quas ob causas illud est vt ita fieret ipsis mādatum id quod illi si quando de meanimia seruitute apud eos conqueror sedulo soepe rursus mihi inculcant At Cambridge as I heare say Omnes studiorū statutorū reformationes nuper factae nunc sunt denuo deformatae deletae omnia sunt in pristinum chaos in antiquum papismum reducta omnes collegiorum prefecti qui synceritati euāgelij fauebāt vel qui coniugati erāt loco moti sunt alij papisticae factionis in eorum loca surrogati quod de socijs collegiorum qui noluerunt flectere genu Baall factū esse audio Nec mirū nā istud passim factū est in vniuerso regno angliae in omnibus Archiepiscopis Episcopis Decanis prebēdarijs Sacerdotibus ecclesiarum in toto clero and to tel you much naughty matter in a few wordes Papismus apud nos vbique in pleno fuo antiquo robore regnat The Lord be merciful and for Christes sake pardon vs our olde vnkindnesse and vnthankefulnesse for when he powred vppon vs the giftes of hys manifolde graces and fauour alas we dyd not serue him nor rendered vnto hym thankes according to the same We pastors many of vs wer to cold and bare to much alas with the wycked world our magistrates did abuse to theyr owne worldlye gayne bothe gods Gospell and the ministers of the same the people in many places was waywarde and vnkynd Thus of euerye syde and of euery sort we haue prouoked Gods anger and wrathe to fall vppon vs but blessed might he be that hathe not suffred hys to continue in those wayes which so wholy haue displeased hys secrate maiesty but hath awaked them by the fatherly correctiō of his own sons crosse vnto his glory and our endles saluation through Iesus Christ our Lord. My daily prayer is as god doth knowe and by gods grace shal be so lōg as I liue in this world for you my deare brethren that are fled out of your own countrey bicause ye wil rather forsake al worldly things thē the truth of gods word It is euen the same that I vse to make to God for all those churches abroad through the world which haue forsakē the kingdō of Antichrist professed opēly the purity of the gospel of Iesus Christ that is that god our eternall father for our sauior christs sake wil daily encrease in you the gratious gift of his heauenly spirit to the true setting forth of his glory of his gospel make you to agre brotherly in the truth of the same that there ryse no rote of bitternes amōg you that may infect that good sede that god hath sowē in your hartes already and finally that your life may be so pure and so honest accordyng to the rule of
Now we suppose the daye doth approche apace for we heare that the Parliamente is dissolued The Burgesses of Oxforde are come home and other newes we beare not but that the kyng is made protector to the prince to be borne And that the bishoppes haue full authoritye Ex officio to enquire of heresies Before the Parliament began it was a rumour here that certayne from the Conuocation house was appoynted yea readye to haue come to Oxford and then there was spyed out one thynge to lacke for want of a law to performe theyr entente Nowe seyng they canne want no law we cannot but looke for them shortly I trust to gods glory let them come when they will c. Brother Bradford I maruayle greatly of good Austine where he is for that I hearde say he promised hys mayster to haue bene here before thys tyme and he had from me that I woulde bee lothe to loose yea to wante when tyme shal be that it myghte doe nay helpe me to do my lord and my maister Christ seruice I meane my scriblynges de abominationibus sedis Romanae pōtificū Romanorū I haue no copye of the same I loke daily to be called in certamen cum antiquo Serpente and so I tolde hym and I weene you also by whose meanes I was more moued to let hym haue them I doubte not of hys fidelitye I praye God he bee in health and at libertye for I haue bene and am carefull for him I haue hearde that maister Grimbolde hathe gotten hys libertye If withoute anye blemishe of Christes glory I am right glad therof My brother in law is wher he was that is in Bocardo the common Iayle of the towne I haue written her a letter to maister Hooper I pray you cause it to be written to him agayne Commend me to all your prison fellowes and our brethren in Christ If Austine were here I would haue had more to say The lorde graunt that all be with him wel who euer preserue you and al that loue our sauiour Christ in synceritie and truth Amen Yours by gods grace in our maister Christs cause vnto the stake thēceforth without al daūger peril for euer and euer I am sure you haue heard of our new apparel I dout not but London will haue their talke of it Syr knowe you that although this semeth to vs in our case muche thankes worthye yet haue we not that apparell that we loke for for thys in time wil weare and that which we loke for ryghtly done on will endure and is called stola immortalitatis N. R. ¶ To maister Bradford OH deare brother seyng the time is now come wherin it pleaseth the heauenly father for Christ oure sauiour hys sake to call vpon you and to byd you to come happy are you that euer ye were borne thus to be awake at the lords callyng Euge serue bone fidelis quia super pauca fuisti fidelis super multa te constituet intrabis in gaudium domini O deare brother what meaneth this that you are sent into your owne natiue countrey The wisdom and policy of the world may meane what they will but I trust god will so order the matter finally by his fatherly prouidence that some greate occasion of Godes gratious goodnesse shal bee plenteouslye powred abroade amongest his our deare brethren in that countrey by this your Martyrdome Where the Martyrs for Christs sake shed their bloud and lost their liues O what wondrous things hath Christ afterward wrought to his glory and confirmation of their doctrine If it be not the place that sanctifi eh the man but the holy man dothe by Christe sanctifye the place Brother Bradford then happy and holy shall be that place wherein thou shalt suffer and shal be with thy ashes in Christs cause sprinkled ouer with all Al thy countrey may reioyce of thee that euer it brought forth such a one whiche woulde render his lyfe agayne in his cause of whom he had receyued it Brother Bradford so long as I shal vnderstand that thou art in thy iorney by gods grace I shall cal vpon our heauenly father for christs sake to set thee safely home and then good brother speak you and pray for the remnaunt that are for to suffer for christs sake according to that thou thē shalt know more clearely We do loke now euery day when we shall be called on blessed be god I went I am the weakest manye wayes of our company and yet I thanke our Lord god and heauenly father by Christ that synce I heard of our deare brother Rogers departing and stout confession of Christ and his truth euen vnto the death my hart blessed be God so reioyced of it that since that tyme I say I neuer felt any lūpish heauines in my heart as I graunt I haue felte sometimes before O good brother blessed be god in thee and blessed be the tyme that euer I knew thee Farewell farewell Your brother in Christ N. R. Brother farewell ¶ To maister Bradford GRatiam pacem c. Althoughe I weene it is not yet iii. days ago synce you heard from me yet hauing suche a messēger so diuersly enforced I cannot but say som thing to you What shal I thāke you for your golden token what meane you man This token was a pece of gold which he sent to relieu◠his brother Shipside prisoner in Bocardo Do you not know that we haue victum amictū e penario regio I was so moued with your tokē that I cōmaunded it straight way to be had to Bocardo which is our cōmon Iayle I am right glad of Austines returne for I was as I told you carefull for him Blessed be God that all is wel I haue sene what he brought from you and shortly surueyed the whole but in such celerity that other also might see the same before Austines returne so that I noted nothyng but a confused some of the matter and as yet what the rest haue done I can tel nothing at al it was at the writing hereof in their handes To your request and Austines earnest demaund of the same I haue aunswered him in a briefe letter He meaneth here Harry Harta froward free wil man who had written a treatise against gods free electiō which Bradford sent to M. Rydley Cranmer and Latymer to pervse desyring M. Rydley to answer the same and yet he hath replyed agayne but he must go without any further aunswer of me for thys tyme. I haue told Austine that I for my part as I can and may for my tarditie and dulnes will thynke of the matter We are so nowe ordered and straitlye watched that scantly our seruantes dare do any thyng for vs so much talk and so many tales as is said are told of vs abroad One of vs cānot easely nor shortly be of knowledge of an others mynd and you know I am yongest many wayes Austines perswasions may do more
therof wyll be so pitifull withoute spedye repentaunce that I tremble and feare to haue it in remembraunce I woulde to God it lay vpon some earthly burden so that fredome of conscience mighte begenen vnto them I write as god knoweth not of presumption but onlye lamentinge they re state whome I thought nowe in thys daungerous time should haue geuen bothe you and me comfortable instructions But alas in stede therof we haue perswasions to follow I lament me to rehearse it superstitions idolatrye yea that worste of all is they will seeke to proue it by the scripture The Lord for his mercy turne theyr hartes Amen Yours N. R. A letter which he wrote as his last farewell to al his true and faythefull frendes in God a little before he suffred with a sharpe admoniton by by the way to the papists the enemies of the truth AT the name of Iesus let euery kne bow both of thyngs in heauen and things in earth and thinges vnder the earth and let euerye tonge confesse that Iesus Christ is the lord vnto the glory of God the father Amen As a man minding to take a farre iourney and to depart from his familiar frendes commenly and naturally hath a desire to byd his frendes farewell before hys departure so likewise now I loking dayly when I shoulde be called for to departe hence from you O al ye my dearely beloued brethren and sisters in oure Sauioure Christe that dwel here in this world hauing a like mind towardes you all also blessed be God of this such time leasure whereof I right hartely thank his heauenly goodnes do byd you all my deare brethren and sisters I say in Christ that dwel vp on the earth after such manner as I can Farewell Farewel my deare Brother George Shypside whome I haue euer found faythfull trusty and louinge in all state and condicions and now in the time of my crosse ouer all other to me most frendly and steadfast that which liked me best ouer all other thinges in Gods cause euer harty Farewell my deare sister Alice his wyfe I am gladde to beare of thee that thou doest take Christes crosse whiche is layed now blessed be God both on thy backe and mine in good parte Thanke thou GOD that hathe geuen thee a godly and a louing husband se thou honor him and obey hym according to Gods lawe Honour thy mother in lawe his mother and loue al those that perteyne vnto hym being ready to do them good as it shall lye in thy power As for thy chyldren I doubte not of thy husbande but that he whyche hathe geuen hym a hearte to loue and feare God and in God them that pertayne vnto hym shall also make hym frendely and benefyciall vnto thy children euen as yf they had bene gotten of hys owne body Farewell my welbeloued brother Iohn Rydley of the Waltowne and you my gentle and louyng Syster Elizabeth whome besydes the naturall league of amitye your tender loue whiche you were sayde euer to beare towardes me aboue the reste of youre brethren dothe bynde me to loue My mynde was to haue acknowledged this youre louyng affection and to haue acquyted it wyth dedes and not wyth woordes alone Youre daughter Elizabeth I byd farewell whom I loue for the meeke and gentle Spiryte that God hath geuen her which is a precious thyng in the syght of God Farewell my beloued Syster of Vnthancke wyth all youre chyldren my nephewes and nices Synce the departure of my Brother Hughe my mynde was to haue beene vnto them in the steade of theyr father but the Lorde god must and will be theyr father if they wil loue hym and feare him and lyue in the trade of hys law Farewell my welbeloued and worshipfull Cosyns maister Nicholas Ridley of Wyllimountswick and your wife and I thanke you for all youre kyndnesse shewed bothe to me and also to all youre owne kynsefolke and myne Good Cosyn as GOD hath sette you in that oure stocke and kyndred not for anye respecte of youre personne but of hys aboundaunte grace and goodnesse to bee as it were the Belweather to order and conducte the reaste and hathe also endued you wyth his manyfold gyftes of grace bothe heauenlye and worldlye aboue others so I praye you good Cosin as my truste and hope is in you continue and increase in the mayntenaunce of truthe honestye rightuousnesse and all true godlynesse and to the vttermost of your power to wythstande falsehode vntruthe vnryghteousnesse and all vngodlynesse whych is forbid and condempned by the word and lawes of God Farewel my yong Cosin Rafe Whitfield Oh your tyme was verye shorte wyth me my mynde was to haue done you good and yet you caughte in that little tyme a losse but I truste it shall bee recompenced as it shall please almighty god Farewell al my whole kyndred and countreymen farewell in Christ altogether The Lorde which is the searcher of secrets knoweth that accordyng to my hartes desire my hope was of late that I should haue come among you and to haue brought wyth me aboundaunce of Christes blessed Gospell accordyng to the duetye of that office and ministerye wherevnto among you I was chosen named and appoincted by the mouth of that our late piereles Prince king Edwarde and so also denounced openly in hys court by his priuye counsayle I warne you all my welbeloued kynsfolke and countreymen that ye be not amased or astonied at the kynde of my departure or dissolution for I ensure you I thynke it the most honour that euer I was called vnto in all my life and therfore I thanke my Lorde GOD hartely for it that it hath pleased hym to cal me of hys great mercye vnto this hyghe honour to suffer deathe wyllynglye for hys sake and in hys cause vnto the which honour he called the holy Prophets hys dearly beloued Apostels and hys blessed chosē martyrs For knowe ye that I doubte no more but that the causes wherefore I am put to deathe are gods causes and the causes of the truthe then I doubte that the Gospell whyche Iohn wrote is the Gospell of Christe or that Paules Epystles are the verye worde of GOD. And to haue a harte wyllyng to abyde and stande in gods cause in Christs quarell euen vnto death I ensure thee O man it is an inestimable and an honourable gyft of GOD geuen onely to the true electes and dearely beloued children of GOD and inheritoures of the kyngdome of heauen For the holye Apostle and also Martyr in Christes cause Sayncte Peter sayeth ◠Pet. 4 yf ye suffer rebuke in the name of Chryste that is in Christes cause and for hys truthes sake then are ye happye and blessed for the glorye of the Spirite of God resteth vppon you If for rebukes sake suffered in Chrystes name a man is pronounced by the mouthe of that holye Apostle blessed and happye howe muche more happye and blessed is he that hathe
it and in the steade of Gods holye worde the true and righte administration of Christes holye Sacramentes as of Baptisme and others they mixte theyr ministerye with mennes folishe fantasies and manye wicked and vngodlye traditions withall In the steade of the Lordes holye table they geue the people with muche solemne disguising a thyng which they call theyr Masse but in dede and in truth it is a verye maskyng and mockerye of the true supper of the Lord or rather I maye cal it a crafty iuglynge whereby these false theeues and iuglers haue bewitched the mindes of the symple people that they haue broughte them from the true worshippe of GOD vnto pernicious idolatry and make them to beleue that to bee Christe oure Lorde and Sauiour which in deede is neyther God nor man nor hathe any life in it selfe but in substance is the creature of breade and wyne and in vse of the lordes table is the Sacramente of Christes bodye and bloude and for thys holy vse for the whych the Lord hath ordeyned them in hys Table to represent vnto vs hys blessed bodye torne vppon the crosse for vs and hys bloud there shedde it pleased hym to call them hys bodye and bloude whych vnderstandyng Christe declareth to bee hys true meaning when he sayeth Luke 22. doe thys in the remembraunce of me And agayn Saincte Paule lykewyse dothe set out the same more plainly speakyng of the same Sacrament after the wordes of the consecration sayâ—ng as often as ye shal eate of thys bread and drynke of thys Cuppe â— Cor. 11. ye shall set forthe he meaneth wyth the same the Lordes deathe vntyll hys commyng agayne And here agayne these theues haue robbed also the people of the Lordes cuppe contrary to the playne wordes of Christ written in hys Gospell Nowe for the commen publique prayers whiche were in the vulgare tongue these theues haue brought in agayne a straunge tongue whereof the people vnderstande not one word Wherein what doe they elles but robbe the people of theyr diuyne Seruice wherein they oughte to praye together wyth the mynyster and to praye in a straunge toungue what is it but as Saincte Paule calleth it barbarousnes chyldishenes vnprofitable follye yea and plaine madnesse For the godly articles of vnity in Religion and for the wholsome Homelies what doe these theeues place in the stead of them but the Popes lawes and decrees lying Legendes and fayned fables and myracles to delude and abuse the symplycitye of the rude people Thus thys robbery and thefte is not onelye committed nay sacrilege and wycked spoyle of heauenlye thynges but also in the stead of the same is brought in and placed the abbominable desolacion of the tyraunte Antiochus of proude Senacheryb of the shameles faced kyng of the Babilonical beaste Vnto thys robberye thys thefte and sacrilege for that I cannot consente nor God wyllyng neuer shall so long as the breath is in my bodye because it is blasphemye againste God hyghe treason vnto Christe our heauenly Kyng lord maister and oure onely Sauiour and redemer it is playne contrarye to Gods worde and to Christes Gospell it is the subuersion of all true godlines and agaynste the euerlastyng saluation of myne owne soule and of all my brethren and systers whome Chryste my Sauioure hathe so dearely boughte wyth no lesse pryce then wyth the effusion and sheddyng forthe of hys moste precious bloude therefore all ye my true louers in GOD my kynsefolke and countreymen for thys cause I say know ye that I am put to deathe whiche by Gods grace I shall wyllynglye take wyth hartye thankes to GOD therefore in certayne hope wythout any doubtyng to receyue at gods hande agayne of his free mercy and grace euerlastyng life Althoughe the cause of the true man slayne of the thefe helpyng hys neyghboure to recouer hys goodes agayne and the cause wherefore I am to bee put to deathe in a generalitye is bothe one as I sayde before yet knowe ye that there is no small difference These theeues against whome I doe stande are muche worse then the robbers and theues of the borders The goodes whiche they steale are much more precious and theyr kindes of fight are farre dyuers These theeues are worse I say for they are more cruelll more wycked more false more deceytfull and craftye for those will but kyll the bodye but these wyll not stycke to kyll bothe bodye and soule Those for the generall thefte and robberye be called and are in deede theues and robbers but these for theyr spirituall kynd of robberye are called Sacrilegi as ye woulde say churche robbers They are more wycked for those goe aboute but to spoyle men of worldlye thynges worldlye ryches gold and syluer and worldlye substaunce these goe aboute in the wayes of the Deuill their ghostlye father to steale from the vniuersall churche and peritcularlye from euerye man all heauenlye treasure true faythe true charitye and hope of saluation in the bloude of oure Sauioure Iesus Christe yea to spoile vs of our Sauiour Christ of hys gospel of hys heauenlye spirite and of the heauenlye heritage of the kingdome of heauen so dearelye purchased vnto vs wyth the deathe of oure Maister and Sauyoure Christe These be the goodes and godlye substaunce whereuppon the Christian before God must lyue and withoute the whiche he cannot lyue these goodes I saye these theues these churche robbers goe aboute to spoyle vs of The whiche goodes as to the man of God they excell and farre passe all worldlye treasure so to wythstande euen vnto the death suche theues as goe aboute to spoyle both vs and the whole churche of such goods is most hyghe honourable seruice done vnto God These churche robbers be also much more false craftye and deceytfull then the theues vpon the borders for these haue not the crafte so to commende theyr thefte that they dare auouche it and therefore as acknowledgyng themselues to be euyll they steale commenlye vppon the nyghte they dare not appeare at iudgements and sessions where iustice is executed when they are taken brought thether they neuer hange any man but they bee ofte tymes hanged for theyr faultes But these Church robbers can so cloke and coloure theyr spiritual robbery that they can make the people to beleue falshed to be truth and truth falshod good to be euel euell good light to be darknesse and darknesse light superstition to be true religion and idolatry to be the true worshyppe of god and that which is in substance the creature of breade and wine to be none other substance but onlye the substance of Christ the liuing Lord both God and man And wyth this their falshed and craft they can so iuggle and bewitch the vnderstaÌ„ding of the simple that they dare auouch it openly in courte and in towne and feare neyther hanging nor hedding as the pore theues of the borders do but stoute and strong like Nembrothe dare condemne to be burned in
and transitorye Happye are we if we departe in the Lorde who graunte vnto you and to all your fellowe prysoners fayth and constancy Commend me to the moste reuerend fathers and holy confessors of Christe D. Cranmer Bishoppe of Caunterburye D. Rydley bishop of London and the good olde father D. Latymer Them and al the rest of the prisoners wyth you for the Lords cause salute in my name and in the name of all my fellowe Ministers the whiche do wyshe vnto you the grace of god and constancye in the truth Concernyng the state of our church it remayneth euen as it was when you departed from vs into your countrey God graunt we may be thankefull to hym and that we doe not onely professe the fayth wyth wordes but also expresse the same effectually wyth good workes to the prayse of our Lord. The worde of god increaseth daily in that part of Italye that is nere vnto vs and in Fraunce In the meane whyle the godly susteyne greuous persecutions and wyth great constancy and glory through torments they go vnto the Lord. I and all my household wyth my sonnes in lawe and kynsmen are in good health in the Lorde They doe all salute you and praye for your constancye beyng sorowfull for you and the rest of the prisoners There came vnto vs Englyshe men studentes both godlye and learned they be receaued of oure Magistrate Tenne of them dwell together the reast remaine here and there with good men Emonges the rest M. Thomas Leuer is deare vnto me and familiar If there be any thing wherin I may do any pleasure to your wife children they shall haue me wholy at cōmaundement Wherof I wil write also to your wife for I vnderstand she abideth at Franckford Be strong and mery in Christ waytyng for hys deliueraunce when and in what sorte it shall seme good vnto hym The Lorde Iesus shew pity vpon the realme of England and illuminate the same wyth his holy spirit to the glory of his name and the saluation of soules The Lorde Iesus preserue you and delyuer you from all euill with all them that call vpon his name Farewell and farewell eternally The 10. of October 1554. From Zurich You know the hand H. B. ⧠Certayne letters of Doctor Taylor parson of Hadley in Suffolke who by his death martyrdom there witnessed and confyrmed that doctrine which he had before most painfully and faithfullye taughte The 9. of February in the yere of our Lord. 1555. ¶ To my deare fathers and brethren D. Cranmer D. Rydley and D. Latymer prisoners in Oxforde for the faythfull testimonye of gods holye Gospell RYght reuerend fathers in the lord I wysh you to enioye continually gods grace and peace throughe Iesus Christ and God bee praysed agayne and agayne for thys your most excellēt promotiō which ye are called vnto at this presēt that is that ye are coūted worthy to be allowed amongest the nūber of Christs recordes and witnesses Many professe god ad ignem exclusiue that is in words outwarde profession but few stick to him ad ignem inclusiue that is in dede and in suffring for his sake England hath had but a few learned bishoppes that would sticke to Christ ad ignem inclusiue Once agayne I thanke God hartely in Christ for your most happy onset most valiant proceding most cōstant suffryng of al such infamyes hyssynges clappyngs taūtes open rebukes losse of lyuyng and liberty for the defence of gods cause truth and glorye I can not vtter wyth penne how I reioyce in my harte for you iij. such captaynes in the foreward vnder Christes crosse banner or standerd in such a cause and skyrmishe when not onely one or ij of our deare redemers strong holdes are besieged but all hys chiefe castels ordeyned for our safegard are trayterously impugned Thys your enterprise in the sight of all that he in heauen of all gods people in earth is most pleasant to behold This is an other manner of nobilitie then to be in the forefronte in worldly warrefares For gods sake praye for vs for we faile not daily to praye for you We are stronger and stronger in the lord hys name be praysed and we doubt not but ye be so in Christe owne sweete schole Heauen is all and wholy of our syde therefore Gaudete in domino semper et iterum gaudete et exultate Your assured in Christ Rowland Taylor ¶ To a frende of his whiche was desyrous to know the talke that was betwixt him and the Quenes commissioners at the tyme of hys examination WHeras you would haue me to wryte the talk betwene the king and Quenes most honourable councel and me on Tuesday the xxij of Ianuar. this so farre as I remēber was the effect therof Fyrst my lord Chaūcellor said you amōg other are at this tyme sent for to enioy the Kynges and Quenes maiesties fauour and mercy if you wyll now ryse agayne with vs from the fall which we generally haue receiued in this Realme from the which god be praysed we are now clearely deliuered miraculously If you will not ryse wyth vs now and receyue mercy now offered you shall haue iudgement accordyng to youre demerites To this I aunswered that so to rise shoulde be the greatest fall that euer I coulde receiue for I shoulde so fall from my deare sauiour Christ to Antichriste For I doe beleue that the Religion set forth in Kyng Edwardes dayes was accordyng to the veyne of the holy Scripture whiche conteineth fully all the rules of our christian religion from the which I do not intende to decline so long as I liue by gods grace Then maister Secretary Bourne sayd whiche of the religions meane you of in kyng Edwardes dais for you know there were dyuers bokes of religion set forth in hys dayes There was a religion set forth in a Cathechisme by my Lord of Caunterburye do you meane that you will sticke to that I aunswered my lord of Caunterbury made a Catechisme to be translated into Englishe whiche booke was not of his owne makyng yet he set it forth in his own name and truely that booke for the tyme dyd much good but there was after that set forth by the most innocent king Edwarde for whō god be praysed euerlastingly the whole churche Seruice set forthe wyth greate deliberation and the aduise of the best learned men of the realme and authorised by the whole Parliament and receiued and published gladly by the whole realme which booke was neuer reformed but once and yet by that one reformation it was so fully perfited accordyng to the rules of our religion in euerye behalfe that no christian conscience coulde be offended with any thyng therin conteyned I meane of that booke refourmed Then my lord Chauncellour saide diddest thou neuer read the booke that I set forthe of the Sacrament I aunaunswered that I had redde it Then he sayde howe likest thou that boke With that one of the Councel whose name I
losse of this life which in dede is neuer founde til it be so loste excepte the graine of wheate fal and be dead it remaineth fruitles You know how that he which was rapte into the third heauen did know what he wrote doth say that as the corne liueth not excepte it bee dead and cast into the earth so truly our bodyes And therefore the crosse should so litle feare vs that euen death it selfe shold altogether be desired of vs as the taylour which putteth of our ragges and arayeth vs with the royall robes of immortalitie incorruptioÌ„ and glory Great shame it should be for vs that al the whole creatures of God should desire yea grone in their kinde for our libertie Rom. 8. we our selues to loth it as doubtles we do if for the crosse yea for death it self we with ioye swallow not vp all sorrow that myght let vs from followyng the Lordes calling and obeying the lords prouidence wherby doubtles all crosses and death it selfe doth come and not by hap or chauÌ„ce In consideratioÌ„ wherof righte deare Mother in that this prouidence stretcheth it self so vnto vs and for vs that euen the heares of our heads are numbred with GOD not one of them to fall to oure hurt surely we declare our selues very faint in faith yf we receiue not such comfort that we can willinglye offer oure selues to the Lord and cast our whole care vpon his backe honouring him wyth this honour that he is euer wyll be carefull for vs and all we haue as for hys deare chyldren Be therfore of good chere euen in the myddest of these miseries be thankefull to the Lorde and prepare your selfe for a further trial which if god send you as I hope so do you beleue that god therin will helpe and comfort you and make you able to beare whatsoeuer shall happen And thus much hauyng this oportunitie I thoughte good to wryte praying god our father to recompence into your bosome all the good that euer you haue done to me especially and to many others bothe in this tyme of trouble and alwaies heretofore Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford To Maystres VVylkinson THe Lorde of mercye in Christe his sonne our Sauiour and only comforter be with you all now and for euer Amen Although preseÌ„tly I haue litle tyme by reason of this bringers short departing lesse occasioÌ„ of necessary mater to write vnto you yet in that it hath pleased god to offer me more liberty to write theÌ„ before I had as this reader can report I thought good to signifye vnto you the same with the acknowledging of the receipt of your tokens for the which I neither can nor wil go about to flatter you with thankes in that I know you loke for none at myne hands god beyng the cause and his word the ende wherfore you dyd so to him I know you woulde haue me thankefull and I beseche you praye that I may so bee and not onelye thankefull for my selfe and his benefites towardes me but also thankefull for you to whome God hath geuen to feare his name and loue his truth The which giftes farre passe the riches of the world for they shal perish and be left we know not vnto whoÌ„ but these gifts of god as they last for euer so they make happy the possessours of the same Go to therfore and pray god to encrease them of hys goodnes as of his mercy he hath beguÌ„ne theÌ„ in you in dede so he wyll For to whome he geueth the earnest of wyllyng to the same he will geue the grace of continuyng yf we reiect not the same as we do when we bee double harred â—4 Reg. 17. and parte our feare and loue as dyd the Samaritanes which feared god and their Adramelech loued gods religion and their olde countrey customes c. If this doublenes come on vs that we feare more the worlde and couple it wyth the feare of God yf we loue the mucke of this molde and couple it wyth the loue of Gods religion then parte we stake then marre we the markette then the spiryte of GOD wyll departe Act. 5. then playe we as Ananias and Saphyra dydde and so sooner or later shall fall to perdition wyth them But as I sayde I thynke no suche thynge of you I thynke of you as of Gods deare chyldren whose hartes are whole wyth the Lorde And therefore I wryte not thys as thoughe you were suche but because it is Gods goodnes you bee not suche because Sathan woulde haue you suche and because manye that were as you nowe bee are suche Therefore to make you as thankeful so carefull to continue but yet so that youre care bee caste all on the Lorde is the onelye cause I write thys and woulde wryte more but that the brynger can not carye And therfore hastely and abruptlye I make an ende besechynge almyghty GOD in our redemer Iesus Christ to bee wyth you and wyth hys holye spiryte comforte you all and helpe my good Syster Maistres W. to bee an happye and a good mother of the chylde of whiche as yet I heare God hathe not deliuered her By your owne to vse in the Lorde for euer Iohn Bradford ¶ To my deare Brother in the Lorde Mayster Rychard Hopkyns and hys wyfe dwellyng in Couentrye and other my faythfull bretherne and Systers professours of gods holye Gospel there and theraboutes THe peace whiche Christe lefte to hys churche and to euerye true member of the same Iohn 14. Rom. 8 the holye spirite the guide of Gods chyldren so engrafte in youre harte and in the harte of youre good wyfe and of all my good bretherne and systers aboute you that vnfaynedlye ye maye in respecte thereof contempne all worldlye peace whyche is contrarye to that peace that I speake of and dryueth it vtterlye oute of the hartes of all those whiche woulde patche them both together For we cannot serue two maisters Math. 6 no man can serue GOD and mammon Christes peace cannot bee kepte with this worldes peace God therfore of hys mercy doe I beseche to geue vnto you his peace whiche passeth all vnderstandyng and so kepe your hartes and mynds phil 4. that they may be pure habitacles and mansions for the holye spirite yea for the blessed trinitie Iohn 14 who hathe promised to come and dwell in all them that loue Chryste and keepe hys sayenges My dearely beloued the tyme is nowe come wherein tryall is made of men that haue professed to loue Chryste and woulde haue beene counted kepers of hys testimonyes But weale awaye the tenthe person perseuereth not the more parte doe parte stakes wythe the papistes and protestantes so that they are become maungye Mongrelles to the infectynge of all that company wyth them and to theyr no smale peryll For they pretend outwardly popery The Mongrels excuse goyng to Masse with the papistes tarying with them personallye at theyr Antichristian and
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 coÌ„fort 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 teÌ„ptation 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 thaÌ„kes Let not therfore the vayne fantasies and dreames of meÌ„ 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 coÌ„gregation 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 slauÌ„der 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 coÌ„science that wheÌ„ 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 innoceÌ„cie of that heaueÌ„ly doctrine or to be ashamed to coÌ„fesse staÌ„d to the defence of the same Mar. 8. seing the christ plaÌ„ted 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 substaÌ„ce 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 coÌ„substantial coeternall the father the sonne the holy ghost I beleue in god the father almighty c. As touching god the father of heaueÌ„ I beleue as much as holy scripture teacheth me to beleue The father is the first person in trinitie Ephesi â— first cause of our saluation which hath blessed vs with al maner of blessings in heaueÌ„ly things by Christ which hath choseÌ„ vs before the fouÌ„dations of the worlde were layd that we should be holy without blame before him who hath predestinate vs ordeyned vs to be his childreÌ„ 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 persoÌ„ inseperable conioyned knyt in one Christ truly god trulye maÌ„ the expresse perfect image of the inuisible god wherin the wil of god the father shineth apparantly wherin maÌ„ as it were in a glasse maye behold what he ought to do that maye please god the father Borne of the virgin Mary â—â—trulye
the present tyme appeareth not pleasaunt but payneful but afterward it rendreth the fruit of ryghtuousnes on them whiche are exercised in it Wherfore let vs be of good chere good brethren and let vs pluck vp our feble members that were fallen or began to fainte harte handes knees and all the rest and let vs walke vprighte and straighte that no lymping nor haultyng bryng vs out of the way Let vs looke not vpon the thinges that be presente but with the eyes of our fayth let vs stedfastlye beholde the thynges that bee euerlastyng in heauen and so choose rather in respect of that which is to come with the chosen members of Christ to beare christes crosse then for this short life time to enioy all the riches honors and pleasures of the broad world Why shoulde we christians ferre death Can death depryue vs of Christ which is all our comforte our ioye and our lyfe Nay forsothe But contrary deathe shall delyuer vs from thys mortall bodye whyche lodeth and beareth downe the Spirite 2. Cor 5. that it can not so well perceyue heauenly thinges in the whiche so long as we dwell we are absent from God Wherfore vnderstandyng oure state in that we be christians that yf our mortall bodye whiche is oure earthlye house were destroyed we haue a building 2. Cor. 5 a house not made wyth handes but euerlastyng in heauen c therefore we are of good cheare and knowe that when we are in the bodye we are absente from God for we walke by faythe and not by cleare syghte Neuerthelesse we are bolde and hadde rather be absent from the bodye and presente wyth God wherfore we stryue whether we be presente at home or absent abroad that we may always please hym And who that hath true faith in our sauiour Christ whereby he knoweth somewhat truly what Christ our Sauiour is that he is the eternal sonne of God lyfe lyght the wisdome of the father all goodnes al rightuousnesse and whatsoeuer is good that hart can desire yea infinite plēty of al these aboue that that mans hart can eyther conceyue or thynke for in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the godhead corporally and also that he is geuen vs of the father and made of God to be our wisdome 1. Cor. 1. our rightuousnes our holines and our redemptiō who I say is he that beleueth this in dede that would not gladly be with his maister Christ Phili. 1. Paule for this knowlege coueted to haue bene losed from the body and to haue bene with Christ for that be counted it much better for himselfe had rather to be losed than to liue Therfore these wordes of Christ to the thiefe on the crosse that asked of him mercy were full of comfort and solace this daye thou shalt be with me in paradise Luke 23. To dye in the defence of Christes gospell it is oure bounded duety to Christ and also to our neyghbor To Christ Rom. 9 1. Iohn 3. for he died for vs rose again the he might be lord ouer all And seyng he dyed for vs we also saieth S. Iohn shoulde ieopard yea geue our lyfe for our bretherne And this kynd of geuyng and losyng is gettyng and wynnyng in deede for he that geueth or loseth his lyfe thus getteth and wynneth it for euermore Apo. 14. Blessed are they therfore that die in the lorde and if they die in the Lordes cause they are most happy of all Let vs not then feare death which can do vs no harme otherwise than for a momēt to make the flesh to smart but that our faith which is surely fastened and fyxed vnto the worde of god telleth vs that we shall be anone after death in peace in the handes of god in ioy in solace and that from the death we shall go straight vnto life For S. Iohn saith Iohn 11. Iohn 5 he that liueth beleueth in me shal neuer dye And in an other place he shall depart from death vnto life And therfore this death of the christian is not to be called death but rather a gate or entraunce into euerlastynge life Therfore Paule calleth it but a dissolution and resolution and both Peter and Paule 2. Pet. 1. 2. Cor. 5 a puttyng of of this Tabernacle or dwelhouse meanyng thereby the mortal body as wherin the soule or spirit doth dwell here in thys world for a smal time Yea this death may be called to the christian an ende of all miseries For so long as we liue here Actes 14. we must passe through manye tribulations before we can enter into the kyngdome of heauen And now after that death hath shot hys bolt al the christian mans enemies haue done what they can and after that they haue no more to do What coulde hurte or harme poore Lazarus that lay at the ryche mans gate hys former penury and pouerty hys miserable beggerye and horryble sores and sycknes For so soone as deathe had stricken hym with his dart so sone came the angels Luke 16. caried him straight vp into Abrahams bosome What loste he by death who frō misery payne is set by the ministery of Aungels in a place both of ioye and solace Farewell deare brethren farewel and let vs comfort our hartes in all troubles and in death with the word of God for heauen and earth shall perishe but the word of the lorde endureth for euer Farewel christes dearely beloued spouse here wandring in this worlde as in a straunge land farre from thyn own countrey and compassed about on euery hande with deadly enemies which cease not to assaulte thee euer seekyng thy destruction Farewell farewell O ye the whole and vniuersall congregation of the chosen of god here lyuyng vpon earth the true churche militant of Christ the true mysticall bodye of Christ the very household and family of god and the sacred temple of the holy ghost Farewell Farewel O thou little flocke of the hygh heauenly pastor Christ Luke 12 for to thee it hath pleased the heauēly father to geue an euerlastyng and eternall kyngdome Farewell Farewell thou spirituall house of god thou holy and roi all priesthode thou chosen generation thou holye nation thou wonne spouse Fare wel Farewell N. R. ¶ This that followeth which he further wrote concerning his cruell handlyng in the scholes at Oxford also of the condēnation of him O. Cranmer M. Latymer c we would not here omitte though in order in should before haue bene placed next after the preface to his disputation Folio 78. KNow gentle Reader that maister Prollocutour dyd promyse me in the disputations publikely that I should see myne aunswers how they were collected and gathered of the Notaries and that I should haue licence to adde or diminishe to alter or chaunge afterwarde as I should thynke best would make for me to the aunsweryng of the propositions He promised moreouer publikely that I shoulde haue both tyme and
true honoryng of God also that can shew you the descente of Christes church from the begynning of it vntyll thys daye that ye maye perceaue by the lyfe of your forefathers these two thynges the one that Chrystes woorde whych sayde that al hys must suffer persecutiō and trouble in the world be true the other that none of all hys before our time escaped trouble then shall ye perceiue that it is but a folly for one that professeth Christe trulye to looke for the loue of the worlde Thus shall ye learne to beare trouble and to exercise youre religion and feele in deede that Chrystes woordes be true in the worlde ye shall suffer persecution Iohn 16 And when ye feele your religion in deede saye yee be no better then youre forefathers but be gladde that ye maye be counted worthye souldioures for thys warre and praye to God when ye come together that he wyll vse and order you and youre doyinges to these thre endes whyche ye muste take heede of the fyrste that ye gloryfye God the nexte that ye edifye the churche and congregation the thyrde that ye profyte your owne soules In all youre doynges beware ye be not deceaued For although thys tyme be not yet bloodye and tyrannous as the time of oure forfathers that coulde not beare the name of Christe wythout daunger of lyfe and goodes yet is oure tyme more perellous both for bodye and soule Therefore of vs Chryst sayde Luke 18. thinke ye when the sonne of manne commeth he shall fynde anye fayth vpon earth He sayde not thynke ye he shal fynde anye man or woman chrystened and in name a christian but he spake of the faythe that saueth the christian man in Chryst and doubtles the scarsitye of faith is now more and wyll I feare increase then it was in the time of the greatest Tyrannes that euer were and no maruell whye Reade yee the syxte chapter of Saynte Iohns Reuelation and ye shall perceyue amonges other thynges that at the opening of the fourthe seale came out a pale horse and he that satte vppon hym was called deathe and hell followed hym Thys horse is the time wherein hypocrites and dissemblers entred into the Churche vnder the precente of true religion as monkers Friers Nonnes massynge priestes wyth suche other that haue killed moe soules wythe heresyes and superstystitiō thē al the Tyrānes that euer were killed bodies with fyre sword or banishement as it appereth by hys name that sitteth vpon the horse who is called death for all soules that leaue Christ and trust to these hipocrytes lyue to the diuil in euerlasting payne as is declared by him that followeth the pale horse which is hel These pretēsed and pale hypocrites haue stirred the earthquakes that is to witte the princes of the world agaynst Christes church and haue also darkned the sonne and made the moone bloody and haue caused the starres to fall from heauen that is to saye haue darkned wyth mistes and daylye doe darken as ye heare by they re sermons the cleare sonne of Gods moste pure woorde the moone whiche be Gods true preachers whiche fetche onelye lyghte at the sonne of Gods woorde are turned into blood prisons and chaines that theyr light can not shine vnto the world as they would Wherupō it cōmeth to passe that the stars that is to say Christian people fal frō heauen that is to witte from Gods moste true word to hypocrisye most deuelyshe superstition and idolatrye Let some learned man shew you al the articles of your belief and monuments of Christian fayth from the time of Christe hetherto and ye shall perceiue that there was neuer mention of such articles as these hypocrites teache God blesse you and praye for me as I do for you Out of the Flete by your brother in Christe Iohn Hoper To all my deare brethren my relieuers and helpers in the City of London THe grace of God bee with you Amen I haue receaued from you dearelye beloued in our sauioure Iesus Christe by the hands of my seruant william Downton your liberality for the which I do most hartly thank you and I prayse god hyghly in you and for you who hathe moued youre heartes to showe this kindnes towardes me prayinge hym to preserue you from all famyne scarcity and lacke of the truth of hys word which is the liuely foode of your soules as you preserue my body from hunger and other necessities which should happē vnto me were it not cared for by the beneuolence and charity of godly people Suche as haue taken all worldlye gooddes and landes from me and spoyled me of all that I had haue emprisoned my bodye and appoynted no one halfepeny to feede or to relieue me wythall But I doe forgeue them and praye for them daylye in my poore prayer vnto God and from my hearte I wyshe their saluation and quietlye and pacientlye beare theyr iniuries wyshyng no farther extremity to bee vsed towardes vs. Yet yf it seeme contrary beste vnto oure heauenlye father I haue made my reckenyng and fullye resolued my selfe to suffer the vttermost that they are able to do against me yea death it selfe by the ayde of Christ Iesu who dyed the moste vyle deathe of the crosse for vs wretches and myserable synners But of thys I am assured that the wycked world with all his force and power shall not touche one of the heares of our heades wythout leaue ad lycence of oure heauenly father whose wyll be done in al thynges If he wyll lyfe lyfe bee it if he wyll deathe deathe be it Onelye we praye that oure wylles maye bee subiecte vnto hys wyll and then althoughe bothe we and all the worlde see none other thynge but deathe yet yf he thynke lyfe best we shall not dye no althoughe the sword be drawen oute ouer oure heades as Abraham thoughte to kyll his sonne Isaac yet when god perceaued that Abraham had surrendred hys wyll to Gods wyll and was contente to kill hys sonne god then saued hys sonne Dearely beloued if we be contented to obeye gods wyll and for hys commaundementes sake to surrender oure goodes and our selues to be at his pleasure it maketh no mater whether we kepe goods and lyfe or loose them Nothing can hurte vs that is taken from vs for Gods cause nor nothyng can at length doe vs good that is preserued contrary vnto Gods commaundemente Lette vs wholye suffer God to vse vs and ours after hys holye wysedome and beware we neyther vse nor gouerne oure selues contrarye to hys wyll by oure owne wisedome for yf we doe oure wisdome wyll at lengthe proue folishnes It is kept to no good purpose that we kepe contrarye vnto his commaundementes It can by no meanes be takē from vs that he would should tary with vs. He is no good christian that ruleth hym selfe and his as worldlye meanes serueth for he that so doth shall haue as many chaunges as chaunceth in the world To daye wyth the
them close after the marchaūts fashion that they be not opened William Dounton my seruant hath the fyrst copy of that I wrote concerning mayster Hales hurt I woulde mayster Bradforde did se it and then the copy to be well kept least anye man of malice should adde any thing to the matter more and worse then I haue made it I passe not of that maye come of it I thanke God and my conscience beareth me recorde that I did it of zeale to the word of God which the byshop of Winchester called the doctryn of desperation Not only my hart but also my mouth my penne and all my power shall be agaynste him euen till death by Gods helpe in this case let god do with the matter as it pleaseth his highe maiestye to whom I commend you 29. April 1554. Yours Iohn Hoper To my dearely beloued frende in Christe mayster Iohn Hal. THe grace of God be with you Amē It was much to my comfort I assure you when I vnderstoode by thys bearer my faithful seruant William Doūton that you and your wife were in health Many times I had occasion to enquire for you before the departure of my poore wife to haue holpē her out of the land from the hands of the cruel but I coulde heare nothing wher you were It was told me you abode in the coūtrey with your wife to whom make my harty commendations and to the rest of al your house that feare God and my trust is you do not forget your duty towardes God in this troublesome worlde See that you tarye with him in one howre of trouble and doubtles he will kepe you for euer with him in the ioyes euerlasting I would write more but this bearer can tel what nede I haue to make hast Fare you well as my self be stronge in Christ for I thanke him for my part I am not ashamed of his gospel neither afeard of the Pope the deuill nor the gates of hel The lordes will be done Written the .4 day of August Anno. 1554. Your poore frend Iohn Hoper ☞ An exhortation to patience sent to his godlye wife Anne Hoper wherby all the true members of Christe may take comforte and courage to suffer trouble and affliction for the profession of his holy Gospell OVr sauiour Iesus Christ derely beloued my godlye wife in S. Mathewes gospell said to his disciples Math. 18. that it was necessary slaūders should come and that thei could not be auoyded he perceiued as well by the condition of those that should perish and be lost for euer in the worlde to come as also by theyr affliction that should be saued For he saw the greatest part of the people would contempne and neglect what soeuer true doctrine or godlye wayes shoulde be shewed vnto them or els receaue it vse it as they thought good to serue theyr pleasures without any profit to their soules at all not caringe whether they liued as they were commaunded by Gods word or not but would thinke it sufficient to be coūted to haue the name of a Christian man with such workes and frutes of his professiō and christianity as his fathers elders after their custome and maner esteme and take to be good frutes faythfull workes will not trye them by the word of God at all These men by the iuste iudgemente of God be deliuered vnto the craft and subteltye of the deuill that they may be kept by one slaunderous stumblinge block or other that they neuer come vnto Christ Math. 2 4 who came to saue those that were lost as ye may see how god deliuereth wicked men vp vnto theyr owne lustes to do one mischief after an other careles vntil they come into a reprobate mind Rom i 1. Thes 2. that forgetteh it selfe and cannot knowe what is expediente to be done or to be left vndone because they close theyr eyes wyl not see the lighte of Gods word offered vnto them and being thus blinded they preferre theyr owne vanities before the truth of Gods word Whereas such corrupt mindes be there is also corrupt election and choise of Gods honour so that the mind of manne taketh falshode for truth supersticion for true religion death for life dampnation for saluatiō hell for heauen and persecution of Christes members for Gods seruice and honoure And as these menne wilfullly and voluntarily reiecte the woorde of God euen so God most iustly deliuereth them into the blyndnes of mynd Iohn 8.9 and hardnes of hart that they cannot vnderstand nor yet consēt to any thing that God would haue preached and setforth to his glory after his owne wil and word wherfore they hate it mortally and of all thinges most derest gods holy worde And as the diuel hath entred into their hartes that they thē selues cannot nor will not come to Christe to be instructed by his holy word euen so can they not abyde any other man to be a christian man and to leade his life after the worde of God but hate him persecute him robbe him imprison him yea kil him whether he be man or woman if God suffre it And so much are those wicked mē blinded that they passe of no lawe whether it be gods or mans but persecute suche as neuer offended yea do euell to those that dayly haue prayed for them and wish thē Gods grace In their Pharaonicall and blinde fury they haue no respecte to nature for the brother persecuteth the brother the father the sonne moste deare frendes in deuelishe slaunder and offence are become most mortall enemyes And no maruayle for whē they haue chosen sundrye maysters the one the deuill the other God th one shall agree with the other as god and the diuell agre betwene thēselues For thys cause that the more parte of the world doth choose to serue the deuil vnder cloked hipocrisy of Gods title Christ sayd it is expedient and necessary that slaunders should come and many means be deuised to kepe the little babes of Christ frō the heauenly father Math. 18. But Christ sayeth wo be vnto him by whome the offence commeth yet is there no remedy man being of such corruption and hatred towardes God but that the euell shal be deceaued and persecute the good and the good shall vnderstande the truthe and suffre persecution for it Gene. 4 Gala. 4 vntill the worldes ende For as he that was borne after the fleshe persecuted in tymes paste hym that was borne after the spiryte euen so it is now Seyng therefore we liue for this life emonges so many greate perils and daūgers we must be well assured by gods word how to beare them and how pacientlye to take them as they be sent to vs from God We must also assure our selues that ther is no other remedy for christians in the time of trouble Luke ij then Christ him self hath appointed vs. In S. Luke he geueth vs this commaundemente ye shall
before you though it be to come as euen now present lyke as you do and wyl your patientes to doe in purgations and other your ministrations to consyder the effecte that wil ensue where through the bitternes and lothesomnes of the purgatiō is so ouercome and the painfulnes in abydyng the workyng of that is mynistred is so eased that it maketh the patient willyngly ioyfully to receiue that is to be receiued although it be neuer so vnpleasaūt so I say set before you the ende of this straite way and thē doutles as Paule saith aeternū pōdus gloriae pariet whiles you loke not on the thyng sene for that is temporal but on the thing which is not sene which is eternall So dothe the husbandman in plowing and tilling set before him the haruest time so doth the fisher consider the draught of his nette rather thē the casting in so doth the merchaunt the returne of his merchaūdise and so shoulde we in these stormy daies set before vs not the losse of our goods liberty very lyfe but the reaping time the comming of our sauiour Christ to iudgement the fire that shall burne the wicked disobediēt to gods gospel the blast of the Trumpe the exceding glory prepared for vs in heauen eternally suche as the eie hathe not sene the eare hath not heard nor the harte of man can conceyue The more we lose here the greater ioye shall wee haue there The more we suffer the greater tryumphe For corruptible drosse we shall fynde incorruptible treasures for golde glorye for syluer solace without ende for ryches robes royall for earthely houses eternall Palaces myrthe wythout measure pleasure wythout payne felicitye endeles Summa we shall haue God the father the sonne and the holy Ghoste Oh happye place oh that thys daye woulde come Then shal the ende of the wicked be lamentable then shall they receiue the iust rewarde of thy vengeaunce then shall they crye woe woe that euer they dyd as they haue done Reade Sapien 2.3.4.5 Reade Mathew 25. Reade 1. Corrinthians 15. 2. Corrinthians 5. and by fayth whiche GOD encrease in vs consyder the thinges there set forth And for your comforte reade Hebrewes 11. to see what faythe hath done alwayes consyderyng the way to heauen to be by many tribulations that all they which wyll lyue godlye in Christe Iesu must suffer persecution You know thys is oure Alphabet he that wyll bee my Disciple sayeth Christ must denye hymselfe and take vppe his crosse and followe me not thys Bishoppe nor that Doctour not thys Emperour nor that Kynge but me sayeth Christe for he that loueth father mother wyfe chyldren or verye lyfe better then me is not worthye of me Remember that the same Lorde sayeth Math. 8. he that wyll saue hys lyfe shall loose it Comforte your selfe wyth thys that as the Deuyls had no power ouer the Porkettes or ouer Iobes goodes wythout Gods leaue so shall they haue none ouer you Remember also that all the heares of your head are numbred wyth GOD. The Deuyll maye make one beeleue he wyll drowne hym as the Sea in hys surges threateneth to the lande but as the Lorde hathe appoynted boundes for the one ouer the whyche he cannot passe so hathe he done for the other On god therfore cast your care loue him serue him after hys worde feare him trust in him hope at his hande for all helpe and alwayes praye lookyng for the crosse and when soeuer it commeth bee assured the Lorde as he is faythfull so he will neuer tempte you further then he will make you able to beare but in the myddest of the tēptation wil make such an euasion as shal be most to his glorye and your eternall comfort God for his mercy in Christe with his holye spirite endue you comforte you vnder the winges of hys mercy shadow you and as his deare childe guide you for euermore To whose merciful tuition as I doe wyth my hartye prayer committe you so I doubte not but you praye for me also and so I beseche you to do stil My brother P. telleth me you would haue the last part of sainct Hieromes workes to haue the vse thereof for a fortenighte I cannot for these .iij. dais wel forbeare it but yet on thursday next I wil send it you if god let me not vse me that I haue as your owne The lorde for his mercy in Christe directe oure wayes to his glory Amen Out of pryson by yours to commaunde Iohn Bradford To Maystres M. H. a godly gentlewoman comfortyng her in that common heauines and godly sorrow which the feeling and sense of sinne worketh in gods children I Humblye and hartelye praye the euerlyuyng good god and father of mercye to blesse and kepe your harte and mynd in the knowledge and loue of his truth of his Christ through the inspiration and workyng of the holy spyryte Amen Although I haue no doubte but that you prosper and go forwardes daily in the way of godlines more and more drawyng towardes perfection and haue no neede of anyethyng that I can wryte yet because my desyre is that you myghte be more feruent and perseuer to the ende I coulde not but wryte somethyng vnto you besechyng you bothe often and diligently to call vnto your mynd as a meane to styrre you hereunto yea as a thyng which god most straitly requireth you to beleue that you are beloued of god that he is your dere father in through and for Christ and his deathes sake This loue tender kyndnes of god towards vs in Christ is aboundātly herein declared in that he hath to the godly worst of creation of this worlde made vs after his image redemed vs beyng lost called vs into his church sealed vs with his marke and signe manuel of Baptisme kept and conserued vs all the dais of our lyfe fed nourished defended and moste fatherlye chastised vs and nowe hath kindled in our hartes the sparcles of hys feare faith loue and knowlege of hys Christ and truth and therfore we lament because we lament no more our vnthankfulnes our frailenes our diffidence and waueryng in things wherin we should be moste certain Al these thyngs we shuld vse as meanes to cōfyrme our faith of this that god is our god and father and to assure vs that he loueth vs as our father in Christ to this end I say we should vse the thynges before touched especially in that of all thinges god requyreth this faith and persuasion of hys fatherly goodnes as hys chiefest seruyce For before he aske any thyng of vs he saieth I am the Lord thy god geuyng hymselfe and then all he hath to vs to be our own And this he doth in respect of hymself of hys owne mercye and truth and not in respect of vs for then were grace no grace In consideration wherof when he saieth Thou shalte haue none other gods but me thou shalt loue me with all thy hart
to God to bee loth to goe vnto hym when he calleth If my dearest frende of a speciall fauoure and tender good will shoulde sende a horse for me to come vnto hym shoulde I bee displeased thereat yea shoulde I not bee willynge and gladde to come vnto hym And halas yet if death the Lordes palfreye the Lordes messenger shoulde come I thynke I should not bee so readye but be fearefull as you foresee your selfe to be Wherethroughe I doubte not but you take occasion to lament the weakenes of youre fayth and seeing your neede to prepare for remedye agaynste the tyme of nede and to begge of GOD hys ayde strength and comforte agaynste that pintche whiche vndoubtedly you shall haue and fynde hys promyse true that in an acceptable tyme he heard your prayer Suche as I am haue no suche foresighte of death and therefore are lesse presentlye dismayde which wil turne to oure greater griefe in the plunge saue that for my part I hope he will neuer tempte me further then he will make me hable to beare Into hys handes I offer my selfe besechyng hym for hys Christes sake to keepe me soule and bodye to hys kyngdome and glorye and to lead me order me and dispose me as he will in all thynges in all places and for euer that at the length I may come whether I wil that is into hys owne blessed presence and fruition of immortalitie with you and hys Sainctes Amen Thus muche I thoughte good to write vnto you for thys presente to occasion you the lesse to feare death which eyther needeth not or boteth not and therefore euen reasonable men muche more spiritual mē labour to striue against the feare of that which they can by no meanes auoyd But of thys hereafter I trust mouth to mouth to speake with you Now as to my soule I praye and wyshe vnto you my most deare sister in the Lord whose grace guyde you and his mercy embrace you on euery side for euer Amen Yours Iohn Bradford To my good frend in God Maister Humphrey Hales AS to my deare frend I wishe vnto you gētle maister Hales health of soule and bodye to Gods glorye and your euerlasting comforte Amen Although it be commonly spoken and as commonly verifyed that seldome seene is soone forgotten yet it is not so commonly seene or experienced amonges them whose frendship is in God the Father throughe Christ as oures is but in those whose frendship is begonne in respect of some earthly commoditie And therfore leste I should incurre thys suspition at your hands which haue so many wayes deserued the cōtrary I thought it my duty to refresh if it nede refreshing the amitie in God begonne betwixt vs which I doubte not shall continue so long as we liue or elles I would be sorie In consideration whereof both mindefull of my promyse made vnto you and careful for your safetye I haue caused a place to be prouided for your wiues deliueraunce where she may so quietly and safely remaine that for the auoyding of the perilles and daungers of these dayes I see none more conueniente I meane it in Hadley at D. Taylours house where I trust there is no peril to you ward nor to any that feareth or regardeth any perill that thereby maye happen And herein of very loue and good wil I am the more familiar and bolde to admonish you not as distrusting you god forbid for I thynke of you as of a very childe of god but as one carefull for you lest you shoulde at length throughe the common infirmitie of our fraile flesh the manifold offēces geuē of the world do exteriourly as the world doth to saue your sleue and maime your arme for euer as those do which for the sauing of their goods ieoperde goodes of bodye and soule in the peril of eternall dampnation If I suspected any such thing in you gentle maister Hales I then would goe aboute to tell you what this life is a smoke a shadow a vapoure c. what the glorye of thys life is grasse haye yea how full of misery it is and hath more allowes then honye Iob. 9. If I suspected any thyng your cōscience I wold thē set before you on the one part the iudgemēt of Christ which shal be most assuredly the terrible sentēce to thē which ar ashamed to confesse his gospell the eternall woe and myserye whiche they shal be cast into that will not obey his gospel here and on the other parte the most pleasant shoute of the Angell to summon all men to come before oure captaine and brother Christ the collectiō and catchyng of vs vp in the cloudes to mete our maister the eternall ioye and felicitie whiche we shall receaue that here confesse hym here suffer wyth hym here lose any thyng for hys sake If I did in any poynte so much as thynke that you would defyle your body in the Antichristian seruice nowe vsed then would I go about to set forth these thinges briefly spoken more at large But as I sayd before I say agayne because I am as wel perswaded of you my derely beloued brother as of any in your profession state I cānot but pray god to make perfect the good which he hath begun in you and desyre you as you haue begon in god so to go forward As your exāple hath done good to many so cast not al down with a type Terrible is that wo which Christ threatneth to them by whome offences do come You know that the way to saluation is straiter then men make it You knowe the soule is to be considered aboue all thyngs Happy is the losse of that bodily lyfe liberty and goods by the which a spiritual life fredome and felicity is purchased What should it profit a man to winne the whole world and to lose hys own soule Who would desire a two yeres mery lyfe for an eternall sorrowe as these masse gospellers doe which yet are vncertaine of two yeres lyfe and god knoweth what woundes their consciences haue Hard is it to recouer health to the conscience and because I am carefull for it to you wardes as to mine own brother and dere frende therfore I wryte thus We are in gods power and not in the power of our enemies he it is that hath all our heares numbred before he saye Amen no man shall once touche you Into hys handes committe your selfe cast your care on hym haue a care to please hym then he wyll care to kepe you You knowe the othe the Athenienses dyd make pugnabo pro sacris solus cum alijs I wyll fyghte for the defence of religion both alone and with others Which saying of the heathen wil be to our condemnation if for his holy worde gospels sake we dare not aduenture the losse of that he hath lent vs kepeth for vs and can when he will take away from vs or vs from it If worldly men dare ieopard a iointe with god rather
idolatrous seruyce but with their haâ—â—s say they and wyth theyr spirites they serue the lorde Math. 8. And so by this meanes as they saue theyr pygges which they would not lose I meane their worldlye pelfe so they would please the protestantes and bee counted wyth them for gospellers Company not with MoÌ„grels yea mary would they But mine owne beloued in the Lord flee from such persones as from men most perilous and pernicious bothe before God and man Mongrels are false both to god and man for they are false to bothe and true to neyther To the magistrates they are false pretendyng one thyng and meanyng cleane contrary God wil haue the whole seruice of soule and body He made both He kepeth both He redemed both To god they are most vntrue geuing him but a peese whych shoulde haue the whole I woulde they woulde tell me who made their bodyes Dyd not GOD as well as theyr sprites and soules And who kepeth bothe Dothe not be still And alas shall not he haue the seruice of the body but it must be geueÌ„ to serue the new found god of Antichristes inuention Dyd not Christe bye both our soules and bodies And wherwith wyth any lesse pryce then wyth hys precious blood Ah wretches theÌ„ that we be if we wyll defyle either parte with the rose coloured whore of Babylons fylthye Masse abhomination Apoc. 18 2. pet 2 Hebr. 6.10 Math. 12 Luke 11 Mongress sinne againste their owne consciences It had ben better for vs neuer to haue bene washed then so to wallow our selues in the fylthy puddle of popery It had bene better neuer to haue knowen the truth then thus to betray it Surely surelye let such men feare that their later ende be not worse then the begynnyng Their owne conscience now accuseth them before god yf so be they haue any conscience that they are but dissemblers and hypocrites to God and man For all the clokes they make they cannot auoyde this but that their going to church and to Masse is of selfe loue The onely cause why Mongrels goe to Masse is to auoyde the crosse 1 Cor. 10. Actes 5 Deut. 12. that is they go thether because they would auoyde the crosse They go thether because they woulde be out of trouble They seke neither the Quenes highnes nor her lawes which in thys poynte cannot bynde the conscience to obey because they are coÌ„trary to gods lawes which bid vs often to flee Idolatrye and worshipping hym after mens deuises they seke neither I say the lawes if there were anye neyther theyr brethernes commoditie for none commeth therby neyther godlines or good example for there can be none found in goyng to Masse c. but horrible offences and woe to them that geue them but they seeke their owne selues their own ease theyr escapyng the crosse c. Math. 15. when they haue made all the excuses they can theyr owne conscience wyll accuse them of this that their goyng to church is onely because they seeke themselues For yf there woulde no trouble ensue for taryeng awaye I appeale to their conscience woulde they come thether Neuer I dare say Therfore as I sayd they seke themselues they would not cary the crosse And hereof their own conscience if they haue any conscience doth accuse them Now if their conscience accuse them at this present what will it doe before the iudgemente seate of Christe who wyl then excuse it when Christ shall appeare in iudgement Luke 9.12 Mark 8. and shall begynne to be ashamed of them then which now here are ashamed of him who then I say wyll excuse these Masse gospellers consciences wyll the quenes hyghnes She shal then haue more to do for her selfe then without harty and spedye repeÌ„tauÌ„ce she can euer be able to aunswer though Peter Paule Marye Iames Iohn the Pope and all hys Prelates take her parte with all the syngyng Syr Iohns that euer were are and shall bee Wyll the Lorde Chauncellour and prelates of the realme excuse them there Nay nay they are like then to smarte for it so sore as I woulde not bee in theyr places for all the whole world Wil the lawes of the realme the nobilitie gentlemen Iustices of peace c. excuse oure gospell Massemongers conscience then Nay God knoweth they can do little there but quake and feare for the heauy vengeaunce of God lyke to fall vppon them Will their goodes landes and possessions the which they by theyr dissemblyng haue saued wyl these serue to excuse them No no god is no merchaunte as our Masse priestes be Will Masses or treÌ„tals such trash serue No verily the haunters of thys geare then shall be horribly ashamed Wyll the Catholike church excuse them Nay it wyll most of all accuse them as will all the good fathers Patriarkes Apostles Prophetes Martyrs coÌ„fessors and saintes with al the good Doctors and good general counsels The most abhominatioÌ„ oâ—â—aeth is the Masse al these alredy condeÌ„ne the Masse al that euer vseth it as it is now beyng of all idoles that euer was the most abhominable and blasphemous to Christ and hys priestehode manhode and sacrifice for it maketh the prieste that sayth Masse the Masse priest is Christes fellow gods fellow and better then Christ for the offerer is alwayes better or equiualent to the thyng offred If therfore the priest take vpon him there to offer vp Christ as they boldly affyrme they do theÌ„ must he nedes be better or equal with Christ Hebr. 5. Oh that they would shew but one iote of the scripture of god calling theÌ„ to this dignitie or of their authority to offer vp Christ for the quicke and dead to apply the benefyt vertue of his death and passion to whom they wyll The Masse priestes frendship is better-then christes Surely if this were true as it is most false and blasphemous prate they at their pleasure to the contrarye then it made no matter at all whether Christe were our frende or no if so be the Masse priest were our frende for he can apply vs Christes merites by his Masse if he wyll and when he wil The Masse priest is aboue god for he can make god Math. 24. and therfore we nede litle to care for Christes frendship They can make hym when they will and where they wyll Loe heare he is there he is saye they but beleue them not saith Christ beleue them not beleue them not sayth he For in hys humane nature and body which was made of the substaunce of the virgins body and not of breade in thys body I say he is sitteth on the right hand of God the father almighty in heauen from whence and not from the pixe shal he come to iudge both the quicke dead Act. 3. Rom. 8 Hebr. 7 Hebr. 9. 1. Thess 5. In the meane season heaueÌ„ saith S. Peter must receiue him And as Paule saith
he prayeth for vs. now is not sene elsewhere or otherwise sene then by fayth there vntil he shal be sene as he is to the saluation of them that loke for hys comming which I trust be not farre of For if the day of the lord drew nere in the Apostles time Luke 21. which is now aboue xv C. yeres past it cannot be I trust long hence now I trust our redemers comming is at hande Apo. 6 Then these Masse sayers and seers shall shake and cry to the hylles hyde vs from the fearce wrathe of the Lambe if they repente not in tyme. Then wyll neither gold nor goodes frendeshippe nor fellowship lordeship nor authoritye power nor pleasure vnity nor antiquity custome nor counsel Iohn 12. Doctours decrees nor any mans deuise serue The woorde whyche the Lorde hathe spoken in that daye shall iudge The worde of god shal be our iudge 1. Cor. x. i. Cor. 6. the worde I say of god in that daye shall iudge And what sayeth it of Idolatrye and idolaters Sayeth it not flee from it And further that they shall bee dampned Oh terrible sentence to all Massemongers and worshippers of thynges made with the handes of Bakers Carpenters c. Heb. 7.9.10 Thys worde of God knoweth no moe oblations or sacrifices for synne but one onely whiche Christe hymselfe offered neuer more to bee reoffered but in remembraunce thereof hys supper to be eaten sacramentallye and spiritually accordyng to Christes institution whyche is so peruerted now that there is nothyng in it symply according to the iudge I meane the worde of God Math. 5. It were good for men to agree with their aduersary the worde of god nowe whyleste they bee in the waye wyth it leste yf they linger it wil deliuer them to the iudge Christe in all thynges harken to the worde of god as dyd the Thes Act. 17. who wyll commytte them to the Taylor and so they shall be cast into pryson and neuer come our thence til they haue payde the vttermost far thyng that is neuer My dearely beloued therfore marke the worde harken to the worde it alloweth no Massyng no suche sacrificyng nor worshyppyng of Christe wyth tapers candels copes canapies c. It allowed no Latyne seruice no images in the Temples no prayeng to Sainctes dead no pray iuge for the deade It alloweth no suche disssmulation as a greate many vse nowe outwardelye Hebr. 20. If anye wythdrawe hym selfe my soule sayeth the holye Ghoste shall haue no pleasure in hym It alloweth not the loue of thys worlde i. Iohn 2. whiche maketh ment to doe many tymes agaynst their consciences for in them that loue the world Math. 12 Apo. 3 3. Reg. 18. Rom. â— Math. 16. Mark 8. Luk. 9.14 phil 2. math 7.20 Rom. 16. Acts. 4.5 Ephesi 5. Iohn 10 the loue of God abydeth not It alloweth not gatherers elsewhere then wythe Chryste but sayeth they scatter abroade It alloweth no luke warme gentlemen but yf God be God then followe hym yf Baal and a peece of breade be GOD then followe it It alloweth not faythe in the harte that hath not confession in the mouthe It alloweth no Disciples that wyl not denye themselues that wyl not take vp theyr crosse and follow Chryst It alloweth not the seeking of our selues or of our owne ease and commodity It alloweth not the more parte but the better part It alloweth not vnity except it be in verity It alloweth no obedience to any which cannot be done without disobedience to GOD. It alloweth no churche that is not the spouse of Chryste and harkeneth not to hys voyce only It alloweth no doctor that speaketh against it It alloweth no generall counsayle that followeth not in all thynges Galat. 1 Summa it alloweth no aungel much more thaÌ„ any such as should teach any other thing theÌ„ Moses the Prophets Christ Iesus and his Apostles haue taught and lefte vs to loke vpon in the writen worde of god the holy bookes of the Byble 1. Timot. 6 Math. 7 Ieremy 8. Rom. 16. but curseth al that teach not only contrary but also any other doctrine It sayth they are fooles vnwise proude that will not consent to the sounde worde and doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and byddeth commaundeth vs to flee from such Therfore obey this commaundement company not wyth theÌ„ specially in their church seruice but flee from theÌ„ for in what thyng consent they to Christs doctrine He biddeth vs praye in a tounge to edify 1. Cor. 14. Math. 6. â—oan 14.15 Math. 26. Luke 22 1. Cor. 12 they commaund contrary He biddeth vs cal vppon hys father in hys name when we pray they bidde vs runne to Mary Peter c. He byddeth vs use his supper in the remembraunce of hys death passion preachyng it out tyll it come whereby he dothe vs to witte that corporally he is not there in the forme of bread therefore sayeth Paule tyll he come He willeth vs to eate of the bread callyng it breade after consecration and drynke of that cup all makyng no exception so that we do it worthely that is take it as the sacrament of his body blood brokeÌ„ shed for our sinnes not as the body it self bloode it selfe wythout bread wythout wyne but as the sacramente of hys bodye and blood The fruites that follow the worthye receiuyng of the Lordes supper whereby he dothe represent and vnto our faythe geue and obsigne vnto vs hymself wholy with all the merites and glory of hys body and bloode But they forbid vtterly the vse of the supper to all but to their shauelinges except it be once in the yeare and then also the cup they take from vs they neuer preach forth the lordes death but in mockes and moes Transubstantiation taketh away the Sacrament They take awaye all the Sacrament by their transubstantion for they take away the element and so the Sacrament To be short they most horribly abuse thys holy ordinaunce of the Lord by adoration reseruation Apoc. 22 Iohn 5. oblation ostentation c. In nothyng they are contented wyth the symplicity of gods word They adde to and take fro at their pleasure and therefore the plagues oâ— God wyll fall vpon them at the lengthe and vpon all that wyll take theyr parte They seke not Christ nor hys glory for you see they vtterly haue cast away his word Ieremy 8. Deut. 4 Apoc. 18. and therefore as the prophet saith there is no wisedome in theÌ„ They follow the strompet church and baudie spouse of Antichrist which they cal the catholike churche whose foundation and pillers is the deuil his daughter the masse with his childreÌ„ the pope his prelates Their lawes are craft crueltie their weapons are lying and murther their end studye is their own glory fame wealth rest possessioÌ„s For if a maÌ„ speake nor do nothing against these thoughe he be a
please it god neuer so much We read not the Iames Iohn Andrew and Simon when they were called put of the tyme tyl they had knowen their fathers frends pleasure but the scripture sayeth they forsoke all and by and by followed Christ Christe lykened the kyngdome of GOD to a precious pearle Mat. 13. the which whosoeuer fyndeth selleth all that he hath for to bye it Yea whosoeuer hath but a litle taste or glimmeryng how precious a treasure the kyngdome of heauen is wyll gladly forgoe both lyfe and goodes for the obtaynyng of it But the moste part now a dayes be lyke to Aesopes cocke which when he hadde founde a precious stone wyshed rather to haue founde a barelye corne So ignoraunte bee they howe precious a iewell the woorde of God is that they choose rather the thynges of thys worlde whiche being compared to it be lesse in value then a barlye corne If I woulde haue geuen place to worldlye reasons these myght haue moued me Fyrste the forgoing of you and my children the consideration of the state of my children being yet tender of age and younge apte and inclinable to vertue and learnyng and so hauynge the more neede of my assistance beinge not altogether destitute of gyftes to helpe them wythall possessions aboue the common sorte of men because I was neuer called to be a preacher or minister and because of my sickenesse feare of death in imprisonment before I shoulde come to my answere and so my death to bee vnprofitable But these and such lyke I thanke my heauenly father which of hys infinite mercy inspyred me wyth his holye ghost for hys sonnes sake my only Sauioure and redemer preuayled not in me but when I had by the wonderfull permission of GOD fallen into their handes at the first sight of the Sherife nature a little abashed yet or euer I came to the pryson by the working of god and through his goodnes feare departed I sayd to the Sherife at his cōmyng vnto me what matter haue you Maister Sherife to charge me withal He answered you shal know when you come before the Maisters And so takyng me with him I loked to haue bene brought before the Maisters to haue heard what they could haue burdened me withal But cōtrary to my expectatiō I was cōmitted fortwith to the Iayle not being called to my answere litle iustice being shewed therin But the lesse iustice a man findeth at their hands the more consolation in conscience shal he fynde from God for whosoeuer is of the world the world will loue hym After I came into prison had reposed my self there a whyle I wept for ioye and gladnesse my belly ful musing much of the great mercies of god and as it were saying to my selfe after thys sorte O Lorde who am I on whom thou shouldest bestowe thus thy great mercy to be numbred among the Saintes that suffer for thy Gospels sake And so beholding and considering on the one side my imperfection vnablenesse sinnefull misery and vnworthynesse and on the other side the greatnesse of Gods mercy to be called to so hygh a promotion was as it were amased and ouercome for a whyle with ioye and gladnesse concluding thus with my self in my hart O Lord thou shewest power in weakenesse wysedome in folishenesse mercye in sinnefulnesse who shall let thee to choose where and whom thou wilte As I haue zelouslye loued the confession of thy worde so euer thoughte I my self to be most vnworthy to be pertaker of the affliction for the same Not long after came vnto me Maister W. Brasbryge Maister C. Phinees Maister N. Hopkins trauelynge wyth me to bee dysmissed vppon bondes to whom my answeare was to my remembraunce after thys sorte For as muche as the Maisters haue imprysonned me hauyng nothynge to burdeine me with all if I shoulde enter into bondes I shoulde in so doinge accuse my selfe And seing they haue no matter to laye to my charge they maye aswell lette me passe wythoute bondes as with bondes Secondarelye if I shall enter bondes couenaunte and promyse to appeare I shall doe nothyng but excuse coloure and cloke theyr wickednesse and endaunger my selfe neuerthelesse beinge bounde by my promyse to appeare They alledged manye worldlye persuasions vnto me to auoyde the presente peryll and also how to auoyd the forfiture if I brake my promyse I sayde vnto them I hadde caste my penyworthe by Gods helpe They vndertoke also to make the bonde easie And when they were somewhat importune I sayd to Maister Hopkins that libertye of conscience was a precious thyng and tooke as it were a pause lifting vppe my harte to God earnestlye for hys ayde and helpe that I mighte doe the thing that mighte please hym And so when they had let their sute fall my harte me thoughte was wonderfullye comforted Maister Dudlye commoned wyth me in lyke manner whom I aunsweared in effecte as I dyd before Afterwarde debatinge the matter with my selfe these considerations came to my head I haue frō tyme to tyme with good cōscience God I take to recorde moued all suche as I hadde conference with all to be no daliers in Gods matters but to shewe them selues after so greate a lyghte and knowledge hartye earnest constante and stable in so manifest a truth and not to geue place one iote contrarye to the same Nowe thoughte I if I shall withdrawe my selfe and make anye shiftes to pull my own necke out of the collor I shall geue great offence to my weake brethren in Christe and aduantage to the enemyes to slaunder Gods woorde It will be sayd he hath bene a greate boldner of others to be earnest feruent to feare no worldly perills or daungers but he him self wil geue no suche example Wherefore I thoughte it my bounden dutye both to God and man being as it were by the greate goodnesse of GOD. maruelouslye called and appoynted hereunto to sette asyde all feare perilles and daungers all worldlye respectes and considerations and lyke as I hadde heretofore accordyng to the measure of my small gifte wythin the cōpasse of my vocation callyng frō the bottome of my hart vnfaynedly moued exhorted persuaded al that professed gods word manfully to persiste in the defence of the same not wyth sword vyolence but wyth sufferyng and losse of life rather then to defyle themselues agayne with the whoryshe abhomination of the Romysh Antichrist so the houre being come wyth my facte and example to ratifye confyrme and proteste the same to the hartes of all true beleuers to this end by the myghtye assistance of Gods holy spirite I resolued my self wyth much peace of conscience willingly to sustayne what soeuer the Romyshe Antichrist should doe agaynste me and the rather because I vnderstoode the Byshoppes comming to be at hande and considered that poore mens consciences shoulde be then sharpely assaulted So remayned I prysoner in Couentrye by the space of .10 or .11 daies being neuer called to
Lordes cause VVilliam Coker A letter of Nicholas Shetterden a faith full Martyr of Iesus Christ written to hys Mother a little before hys death O My good Mother whoÌ„ I loue with reuerence in the Lorde according to my dutye I desire your fauourable blessing and forgeuenesse of all my misdedes towards you Oh my deare Mother in fewe wordes I wyshe you the same saluation whiche I hope my selfe to feele and partly taste of before thys come to you to read and in the resurrection I verely beleue to haue it more perfectlye in bodye and soule ioyned together for euer and in that daye GOD graunte you to see my face with ioye but deare Mother then beware of that greate Idolatrye and blasphemous Masse O let not that be your GOD whiche Mice and wormes can deuoure beholde I call heauen and earth to recorde that it is no GOD yea the fyre that consumeth it and the moystnes that causeth it to moulde And I take Christs Testament to wytnesse that it is none of his ordinaunces but a mere inuention of men and a snare to catche innocentes bloode and nowe that GOD hath shewed it vnto you be warned in tyme. O geue ouer old customes and become new in the truth What state soeuer your fathers be in leaue that to God let vs followe the counsel of his word deare Mother embrace it with hartye affection reade it with obedience let it be your pastime and cast of all carnall affections and loue of worldly thinges so shall we meete in ioye at the last day or els I bid you farewell for euermore Oh farewell my frendes and louers all God graunt me to see your faces in ioye Amen From Westgate the .11 of Iuly .555 Nicholas Shetterden appoynted to be slayne for Christes cause and the mayntenaunce of hys most sounde and true religion A letter wrytttn by the Ladye Iane Gray to her Syster the Lady Katheryne immediatly before she suffered I Haue here sent you good Syster Katherin a booke which although it be not outwardly trymmed with gold This booke was a newe Testament in Greke in the end whereof she had written this letter yet inwardly it is more worth then precious stones It is the booke deare Syster of the law of the Lorde it is his testament and last wyll which he bequethed vnto vs wretches whiche shall lead you to the path of eternall ioy and if you with a good mynd do read it with an earnest purpose follow it it shall bring you to an immortal euerlasting life It wil teach you to liue learne you to die It shal winne you more theÌ„ you shold haue gayned by the possessioÌ„ of your woful fathers lands For as if god had prospered him you should haue in herited his lands so if you apply diligently this boke seking to directe your life after it you shal bee an inheritour of suche riches as neither the couetous shal withdraw from you neither the these shal steale neither yet the mothes corrupte Desire with Dauid good Sister to vnderstand the law of the Lord your god Liue stil to die that you by death may purchase eternal life And trust not that the tendernes of your age shal lengtheÌ„ your life for as sone if God cal goeth the young as the old And labour alwayes to learne to die Defye the world denye the deuil despise the flesh delight your self only in the Lord. Be penitent for your sinnes yet despayre not be strong in faith yet presume not desire with S. Paule to be dissolued to be with christ with whoÌ„ eueÌ„ in death there is lyfe Be lyke the good seruaunt euen at midnight be wakyng lest wheÌ„ death coÌ„meth and stealeth vpon you lyke a thefe in the night you be with the euil seruaunt found slepyng and least for lacke of oyle you be found lyke the fyue folyshe women like hym that had not on the weddynge garmente and so be caste out from the mariage Reioyce in Christ as I prayse God I do Folow the steppes of your maister christ take vp your crosse lay your sinnes on his backe alwais embrace him And as touchyng my deathe reioyce as I do good Sister that I shal be deliuered froÌ„ this corruptioÌ„ and put on incorruption for I am assured that I shal for loosing of a mortal lyfe winne an immortal life The which I pray god graunt you send you of hys grace to lyue in hys feare and to dye in the true christian faith from the which in gods name I exhort you that you neuer swarne neither for hope of life nor for feare of death For if you wil deny his truthe to lengthen your life God wil deny you and yet shorteÌ„ your daies And if you wil cleaue vnto him he wil prolong your dais to your comfort his glorye to the which glory god bring me now and you herafter wheÌ„ it pleaseth him to cal you Fare you wel good Sister and put your only trust in god who only must helpe you Letters of M. George Marshe a godly faythfull and learned pastour in Christes churche put to deathe at VVestchester wyth moste cruell kyndes of tormentes as you may see in the booke of Martyrs fol. 1122 for the constant and faythfull confession of Christes Gospell To the professours of gods worde and true religion in the towne of Langhton GRace be wyth you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of Iesus Christ our Lord Amen I thought it my duty to wryte vnto you my beloued in the lord at Langhton to stirre vp your harts to cal to your remeÌ„brance the words which haue ben told you before and to exhort you as that good man and full of the holy ghost Barnabas dyd the AntiochiaÌ„s that with purpose of hart ye continually cleaue vnto the lord Actes â—â— and that ye stand fast be not moued away from the hope of the gospel wherof God be thanked ye haue had plenteous preaching vnto you by your late pastour M. Saunders other faythful ministers of Iesus Christ Luke 8. Rom. 1 which now when persecution aryseth because of the word do not fall away like shrinking children and forsake the truth being ashamed of the gospell wherof they haue bene preachers but are willing and redy for your sakes which are Christes mistical body to forsake not onely the chiefe principal delites of this lyfe I meane their natiue countreyes frendes liuings c but also to fulfill their ministery vnto the vttermost that is to wyt with theyr paynful imprisonments bloodshedings if nede shal require to confirme and seale christes gospel whereof they haue bene ministers and as S. Paule saith they are ready not onely to be cast into prison Acts. 12 but also to be kylled for the name of the lord Iesu Whether these beyng that good salte of the earth Matth. 5. that is true ministers of gods worde by whose doctrine being
mercy and not sacrifice Reade the 25. chap. of Math. The third is wheÌ„ we make our body a quick sacrfice holy acceptable vnto God that is when we mortify and kil our fleshly concupisâ—nces and carnall lustes so bring our flesh through the helpe of the spirite vnder the obedience of Gods holy law This is a sacrifice to god most acceptable which the apostle calleth our reasonable seruing of God And let vs be sure that vnlesse we doe nowe at thys present take better hede to our selues and vse thankefullye the grace of God offred to vs by the gospell preaching these yeares past wherby we are induced brought to the knowlege of the truth Ephes 3 vnlesse I say we kepe Christ and his holy word dwellyng by faith in the house and teÌ„ple of our harts the same thyng that Christ threatneth vnto the Iewes shal happen vnto vs Math. 14 that is to wytte the vncleane spirite of ignoraunce superstition idolatry and infidelitie or vnbeliefe the mother and head of all vices which by the grace of god was cast out of vs bringyng with him seuen other spirites worse then hymself shal to our vtter destruction returne again into vs so shal we be in a worse case then euer we wer before 1. Pet. 2 For if we after we haue escaped from the fylthines of the world through the knowlege of the lord and sauiour Iesus Christ be yet tangled therin agayne ouercome then is the latter ende worse then the beginning it had bene better for vs not to haue knoweÌ„ the way of ryghteousnes then after we haue knowen it to turne from the holy coÌ„maundemeÌ„t geueÌ„ vnto vs Prouer. 26 for it happeneth theÌ„ vnto vs according to the true prouerbe the dogge is turned to his vomite agayne and the sow that was washed to wallowyng in the myre And thus to continue and perseuer in infidelitie to kicke against the manifest and knowen truth and so to dye without repentaunce and with a dispayre of the mercye of god in Iesu Christ is to sinne agaynst the holy ghost which shal not be forgeuen neither in thys worlde neyther in the world to come Math. 23 Heb. 6 For it is not possible saieth S. Paule that they which were once lighted and haue tasted of the heauenly gyft and were become partakes of the holy ghost haue tasted of the good word of god of the power of the world to come if they fal away should be renued again â–ª by repentaÌ„ce for asmuch as they haue as concernyng themselues crucified the sonne of god againe makynge a mockynge of hym Sainct Paules meaning in this place is that they that beleue truly vnfainedly gods word do continue abide sted fast in the knoweÌ„ truth If any therfore fal away froÌ„ Christ and his word it is a plaine tokeÌ„ that they were but dissembling hypocrites Math. 26 for al their faire faces outwardly neuer beleued truely as Iudas Simon Magus Demas Hymeneus Philetus others wer which al fel away froÌ„ the knowen verity made a mocke af Christ which S. Paule dothe cal here to crucify Christ a newe because that they turning to their old vomit again did most blaspemously tread the benefites of christes death passion vnder their fete They that are such caÌ„ in no wise be cenued by repeÌ„tance for their repeÌ„tance is fleshly as the repeÌ„tance of Caine Saule and Iudas was which being without godly coÌ„fort breedeth desperatioÌ„ vnto death These are not of the nuÌ„ber of thelect as S Iohn doth say they went out froÌ„ vs but they were not of vs 1 Iohn 2. for if they had bene of vs they woulde haue remained with vs vnto the ende Also the apostle saith in an other place Heb. 10 yf we sinne willingly after that we haue receiued the knowlege of the truth ther remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearful loking for iudgemeÌ„t violent fyre which shal deuoure the aduersaries They sinne willingly which of a set malyce and purpose do wthold the truth in vnrighteousnes lying Rom. 1. kyâ—kyng against the manifest open knowen truthe which although they do perfectly know that in all the worlde there is none other sacrifice for sinne but only that omnisufficieÌ„t sacrifice of christes death yet notwithstanding they wyll not commit theÌ„selues wholy vnto it but rather despise it allowyng other sacrifices for synne â—inueÌ„ted by the imaginatioÌ„ of man as we see by daily experience vnto whoÌ„ yf they abide stil in their wickednes and sinne remaineth a most horrible and dreadful iudgement This is that synne vnto death for whych S. Iohn would not that a man should pray Wherfore my derely beloued in Christ 1. Iohn 5 1. Cor. 10 Apoc. 12 Math. 24. Rom. 1 let vs on whoÌ„ the endes of the worlde are come take diligeÌ„t hede vnto our selues that now in these last perilous tymes in the which the Deuil is come doune hath great wrath because he knoweth his time is but short wherof the prophets Christ the apostles haue so much spokeÌ„ geueÌ„ vs so earnest forewarning we wthold not the truth in vnrighteousnes beleuing doing or speaking any thing against out knowlege coÌ„scieÌ„ce or wtout faith For if we do so for what cause soeuer it be Iohn 8. phi .. 2. Math. 3 it is a wilful obstinate infidelity a sinne vnto deathe as our Sauiour Christ saieth if ye beleue not ye shall die in your sinnes For vnlesse we hold fast the word of life both beleuing it also bring forth fruit worthy of repeÌ„tance we shal with that vnprofitable figge tree which did but cuÌ„ber the ground Luke 13 bee cut doune our talent taken froÌ„ vs geuen vnto an other that shal put it to a better vse we through our own vnthaÌ„kfulnes put froÌ„ the mercy of god Matth. 18. shal neuer be able to pay our debts that is to say we shall altogether bee lost and vndone Heb. 6. For the earth that drinketh in the rayne that commeth ofte vppon it and bryngeth foorth herbes meete for them that dresse it receyueth blessing of God But that grounde that beareth thornes and brears is reproued and is nygh vnto cursyng whose ende is to be burned Neuertheles dere frendes we trust to see better of you and such things as accompany saluation and that ye being that ground watered with moistnes of gods word plenteously preached amongs you Luke 8 Iames. 1. wil with a good hart heare the worde of god kepe it bringing forthe fruite with patience and bee none of those forgetfull and hypocritishe hearers whiche althoughe they heare the worde Math. 13 yet the Deuil commeth and catcheth away that which was sowen in the hart eyther hauyng no roote in themselues endure but a season and as sone as tribulation or persecution aryseth because of the worde by and by they are
with pacience in the feare of god that ye others our brethren through our example may be so encouraged and strengthened to followe vs that ye also may leaue example to your weake brethren in the world to followe you Amen Consider what I say the Lord geue vs vnderstandyng in all thinges 2. Tim. 2 3. Cor. 7 1. Iohn 2. Brethren the time is short it remayneth that ye vse this world as though ye vsed it not for the fashion of this world vanysheth away Se that ye loue not the world neither the things that are in the world But set your affectioÌ„ on heaueÌ„ly things where Christ sitteth on the right hand of god Be meke long sufferiÌ„g serue edisy one an other with the gift that god hath geueÌ„ you Beware of strauÌ„ge doctrine lay aside the old coÌ„uersatioÌ„ of gredy lustes walke in a new lyfe Beware of al vncleannes couetousnes folish talking false doctrine dronkennes reioyce be thankful towards god submit your selues one to an other Cease froÌ„ synne spend no more time in vice be sober apt to pray be pacient in trouble loue ech other let the glorye of god profite of your neyghbours be the only marke you shote at in al your doings Repent ye of the life that is past take better hede to your doings hereafter And aboue al things cleaue ye fast to hym who was deliuered to death for our sinnes rose agayne for our iustification To whom with the father the holy ghost be al honour rule for euer more Amen Salute froÌ„ me in Christ al others whiche loue vs in the fayth and at your discretion make them partakers of these letters and praye ye all for me and other in bondes for the gospel that the same god which by his grace hath called vs from wicked papistrye vnto true christianitie and nowe of loue proueth our patience by persecution will of his mercy fauour in the end gloriously deliuer vs eyther by death or by lyfe to hys glory AmeÌ„ At Lancaster the .30 of Aug. 1554. By me an vnprofitable seruaunt and prisoner of Christ George Marshe The copy of a letter wrytten by Steuen Cotton to his brother Iohn cotton declaryng how he was beaten of Bonner BRother in the name of the Lord Iesus I commend me vnto you and I do hartely thanke you for your godlye exhortatioÌ„ and counsel in your last letter declared to me And albeit I do perceiue by your letter you are informed that as we are diuers persons in number so are we of contrary sectes conditions and opinioÌ„s contrary to that good opinion you had of vs at your last being with vs in Newgate be you most assured good brother in the Lord Iesus the we are al of one mind one raith one assured hope in our lord Iesus whome I trust we altogether wyth one spirite one brotherly loue do daily call vpon for mercy and forgeuenes of our sinnes wyth earnest repentance of our former lyues and by whose precious blood hedyng we truste to be saued onely and by no other meanes Wherefore good brother in the name of the lord seyng these impudent people whose mindes are altogether bent to wickednes enuy vncharitablenes euill speakyng doe go aboute to slaunder vs wyth vntruth beleue them not neither let their wycked sayings once enter into your minde And I trust one day to see you again although now I am in gods pryson which is a ioyful schole to them that loue their lord and god and to me beyng a simple scholer most ioyful of al. Good brother once again I do in the name of our lord Iesus exhort you to pray for me that I may fight strongly in the lordes battail to be a good souldiour to my captaine Iesus Christ our lord and desire my Sister also to do the same and do not ye mourne or lamente for me but bee ye glad and ioyfull of thys my trouble For I trust to be losed out of this dongeon shortly and to go to euerlasting ioy which neuer shal haue ende I heard howe ye were wyth the commissioners for me and how ye were suspected to be one of our company I praye you sue no more for me good brother But one thing I shal desire you to be at my departing out of thys lyfe that you may beare witnes with me that I shal die I trust in god a true christian I hope all my coÌ„panions in the lord our God therefore beleue not these euil disposed people who are the authors of all vntruth I praye you prouide for me a longe shirt against the day of our deliueraÌ„ce for the shirt you gaue me last I haue geueÌ„ it to one of my coÌ„panioÌ„s who had more neede then I and as for the money and meate you sent vs the bishops seruantes deliuered none to vs neither he whoÌ„ you had so great trust in Brother there is none of them to trust to for qualis magister talis serâ—us I haue ben twise beateÌ„ and threatened to be beaten againe by the bishop hymselfe I suppose we shal go into the countrey to Fulham to the bishops house and there be araigned I would haue you to harken as much as you can for when we shal go it shal be sodainly done Thus fare ye wel From the Colehouse thys present Friday Your brother Steuen Cotton A letter of Richard Rothe burnte at Islington to certayne condemned at Colchester ready to die for the lordes cause writen with his own blood O Deare brethren and Sisters how much haue you to reioyce in god that he hath geuen you suche fayth to preuail against these bloudthirsty tyrannes thus farre and no doubt he that hath begon that good worke in you will fulfil it vnto the ende O deare hartes in Christ what a crown of glorye shal ye receyue wyth Christe in the kingdome of god Oh that it had bene the good wil of god that I had ben redy to haue gone with you for I lye in my lordes litle ease in the day and in the night I lie in the Colehouse froÌ„ Rafe Allerton or any other And we loke euery day wheÌ„ we shal be condeÌ„ned for he sayd that I shold be burned wythin .x. dais before Easter but I lie styl at the pooles brynke and euery man goeth in before me but we abyde patiently the Lords laysure with many bandes in fetters stockes by the which we haue receyued great ioy in god And now fare you wel dere brethreÌ„ and Sisters in this world but I trust to see you in the heauen face to face O brother Munt with your wyfe my deare Sister Rose oh how blessed are you in the Lord that god hath found you worthy to suffer for hys sake with all the rest of my dere brethern Sisters knowen vnknowen O be ioyful euen vnto death feare it not saith Christ for I haue ouercommen death Oh dere hartes seyng that Iesus Christ
wil be our helpe tary ye the lordes laysure Be strong let your hartes be of good comfort waite you still for the lord He is at hand yea the angel of the lord pitcheth his tent round about theÌ„ that feare him and deliuereth theÌ„ which way he seeth best for our liues are in the lords handes and they can doo nothing vnto vs before God suffer them therefore geue al thankes to god Oh my dere hartes nowe shal you be clothed wyth long white garments vppon the Mount Sion wyth the multitude of Saints and wyth Iesus Christ our sauiour which wil neuer forsake vs. Oh blessed Virgyns ye haue played the wise Virgins part in that ye haue taken oyle in your laÌ„pes that ye may enter with the brydegrome when he commeth into the euerlasting ioy But as for the folysh they shal be shut out because they made not themselues redy to suffer wyth Christ neither go about to take vp hys crosse Oh how precious shall your death be in the syght of the Lord for deare is the death of his saints Farewel mine owne deare harts and praye The grace of our lord Iesus Christ he with you al. AmeÌ„ AmeÌ„ Pray p.p. By me Richard Roth written with myne owne blood The copy of a letter written and cast out of the Castle of Caunterbury by the prisoners there in bandes for gods woâ—â— declaring how the papistes went about to famish the 〈◊〉 death of the which company fyue were famished amongest them already BE it knowen vnto all men that shall rede or heaâ—e redde these oure letters that we the poore prysoners of the Castell of Cauntorbury for gods truth are kept and lye in colde irons and our keper will not suffer any meate to bee brought to vs to comfort vs. And if any man do bryng anye thing as bread butter chese or any other foode the said keper wil charge them that so bring vs any thing except money or raiment to cary it with them againe or els if he do receiue any fode of any for vs he kepeth it for himselfe and he his seruantes do spend it so that we haue nothing therof There were fiue famyshed in that pryson whose names were these Iohn Clarke Dunston Chettenden W. Foster A. Fotkins Iohn Archer And thus the keper withholdeth kepeth away our vitails froÌ„ vs in so muche that there are .iiij. of vs prisoners there for gods truth famished alredy And thus is it his mynd to famishe vs al and we thinke he is apointed of the bishops priests and also of the iustices so to famish vs not only vs of the said Castle but al other prisoners in other prisoÌ„s for the lyke cause to be also famished NotwithstaÌ„ding we write not these our letters to that entent we myght not aforde to be famished for the lord Iesus sake but for this cause and entent that they hauing no law so to famish vs in prison should not do it priuely but that the murtherers harts should be openly knowen to all the world that al men may know of what churche they are who is their father Out of the castell of Caunterbury A letter of that true pastour and worthy Martyr D. Ridley wherin you may see the singular zeale he had to the glory of God and the furtherance of hys Gospell wrytten to Maister Cheke in Kyng Edwardes dayes here placed as it came to our hands MAister Cheke I wish you grace and peace Syr in Gods cause for Gods sake and in his name I besech you of your helpe furtherance towards gods word I did talke with you of late what case I was in concerning my Chaplens I haue gotten the good will graunt to be with me of three preachers men of good learning and as I am perswaded of excellent vertue whiche are able both with life and learning to set forth Gods worde in London and in the whole diocesse of the same where is most nede of al partes in Englande for from thence goeth example as you know into al the rest of the Kings Maiesties whole Realme The mens names be these M Grindall whom you know to be a man of vertue and learning M. Bradforde a man by whom as I am assuredlye enformed God hath and doth woorke wonders in setting forth of hys woorde The thirde is a preacher the whiche for detecting and confuting of the Anabaptistes and papistes in Essex both by his preaching and by his writing is enforced nowe to beare Christes crosse The two first be Scholers in the Vniuersitie The thirde is as poore as either of the other twayne Nowe there is fallen a Prebende in Paules called Cantrelles by the death of one Layton Thys Prebend is an honest mans liuing of .xxxiiij. poundes and better in the Kings bookes I woulde with all my harte geue it vnto M. Grindall and so I should haue hym continuallye with me and in my diocesse to preache But Alas Syr I am letted by the meanes I feare me of suche as do not feare God One M. William Thomas one of the Clarkes to the Counsell hath in tymes past sette the Counsaile vpon me to haue me to graunte that Layton mighte haue alienated the sayde Prebend vnto him and his heires for euer God was mine ayde and defendour that I dyd not consent vnto his vngodly enterprise Yet I was so then handled before the Counsel that I grauÌ„ted that wheÌ„soeuer it should fall I shoulde not geue it before I shoulde make the Kinges Maiestie preuye vnto it and of acknowledge before the collation of it Now Layton is departed and the Prebend is fallen certaine of the Counsell no doubt by this vngodly mans meanes haue writteÌ„ vnto me to stay the collatioÌ„ And where as he dispaireth that euer I would assent that a preachers liuing shoulde be bestowed on hym he hath procured letters vnto me subscribed with certaine of the Counselles hands that now the Kings Maiestie hath determined it vnto the furniture of his highnes stable Alas Syr this is a heauy hearing When papistrye was taught there was nothing too litle for the teachers When the Bishop gaue his benefices vnto idiotes vnlearned vngodlye for kindred for pleasure for seruice other worldly respectes all was then wel allowed Now where a poore liuing is to be geuen vnto an excellent Clarke a maÌ„ knowen tryed to haue both discretioÌ„ also vertue such a one as before god I do not know a man yet vnplaced vnprouided for more meete to set forth gods word in al Englande when a poore liuing I say which is founded for a preacher is to be geueÌ„ vnto such a man that then an vngodly persoÌ„ shal procure in this sorte letters to stoppe lette the same alas M. Cheke this seemeth vnto me to be a ryght heauy hearing Is thys the fruite of the gospel Speake M. Cheke speake for gods sake in gods cause vnto whom soeuer you thinke you may do any good withall And