sayd in the time of the rebellion that you liked wel the doings and proceedings of the sayde rebelles and traitors and sayde that the couetousnes of the gentlemen gaue occasion to the common people to rise sayinge also that better it were for the Commons to die then pearish for lacke of liuing 16 Also you saide that the Lordes of the parlamente were loth to encline themselues to reformatioÌ„ of enclosures and other things therfore the people had good cause to reforme the things them selues 17 Also you after the reporte and declaration of the defaultes and lackes reported to you by suche as did suruey Bulleine and the Peeces there woulde neuer amende the same defaultes 18 Also you would not suffer the kings peeces beyoÌ„d the seas called Newhauen Blacknest to be furnished wyth men and vitailes although you were aduertised of the defaults therin by the captaines of the same peeces others were thereto aduertised by the kings Counsaile wherby the French king being the kings open enemy was encouraged and comforted to inuade and win the sayd peeces to the kings great losse and dishonor of his realme 19 Also you declared and published vntruely as well to the kings maiestie and other the young Lordes attendant vpon his graces persone that the Lordes of the Counsaile at London minded to destroy the king you required the king neuer to forget it but to reuenge it and likewise you required the yong Lordes to put the king in remembrance therof to the entent to make sedition and discord betwene the king and his Lordes 20 Also where the kinges Maiesties priuie Counsaile of their loue and zeale that they did beare vnto the king his Realme did consulte at London to haue communed wyth you to the entent to mooue you charitablie to amend your doings and misgouernment you hearing of their sayd assembly did cause to be declared by letters in diuers places the said Lordes to be high traitors to the king to the great disturbance of the realme And thus muche hitherto concerning the first trouble of the Lorde Protectoure Duke of Somersette The mercifull working of the Lord for the Lord Protector wyth the crimes and articles obiected against him with his prisonment also in the Tower and the terrible proclamatioÌ„ geuen out against hym All which purposes of man thoughe they seemed fully entended to no lesse but to the spilling of his life yet the Lorde aboue the onely disposer of all mens purposes The Lord Protectour deliuered out of the tower so ordered the matter by the meanes of the kinge labouring for his Uncle that in short while after hee was lette out of the Tower and the Proclamation whyche before had made hym a traitor wythin three dayes was called in agayne a Domino factum est istud wyth commaundement geuen none of them to be solde And so the Duke of Somerset gratiously escaping thys aduersitie was againe restored though not to his former office yet vnto libertie wherein he continued the space of two yeares and two dayes After the which time of respite being expired the sayde Duke of Somerset was apprehended committed againe to the Tower The second trouble of the Duke of Somerset and wyth him also Sir Michaell Stanhop sir Raufe Uane sir Miles Partrige other c. At length the time being come of his arrainment the foresayde good Duke being conueied from the Tower was brought thorow London with the axe of the tower before him wyth great preparance of bils halbardes pikes and polaxes in most forcible wise a watch also sette and appoynted before euery mans doore through the hie streat of London The Duke of Somerset agayne brâ—ught to the toweâ— and so was he brought into Westminster hal where the Lords of the counsaile sitting as his iudges in the middle of the hal vpon a newe scaffolde he was there before them arrayned and charged both with treason and felonie In the whiche iudgement I passe ouer the vnseemely speach the vile taunts and despiteful rebukes without all modesty or honesty The vile tauntes of certayne Iustices and others sitting in iudgement against the good Duke of Somerset vsed by certaine of the Sergeants and Iustices and some other sitting there Al which notwythstanding he patiently quietly did suffer neither storming inwardly in stomacke nor reuiling them with woordes againe but like a lambe folowing the true lambe example of all meekenes was conteÌ„ted to take al things at their handes and with no lesse patience to beare now theyr vngentle and cruell railings The great patieÌ„ce of the Duke of Somerset in taking rebukes then hee did before their glauering wordes and flatterings in time of his high estate and prosperitie And as the patience of this good Duke was marueilous in forbearing his ennemies so also was his discretion and temperance no lesse seene in answearing for himself to the articles to him obiected wherunto he wisely and substantially replied The discrete behauiour of the Duke in aunswering for himselfe putting himselfe in the ende to be tried by his Peeres Who then at length after consultation had did frame and temper their verdicte thus that as concerning y e case of treason wherewith he was charged they discharged him but they accounted him guiltie of fellonie When the people which were there present to a great noÌ„ber hearde the Lordes say Not guiltie meaning by the case of treason supposing no lesse but y t he had bene clearly acquited by these woordes The harty affection of the people toward the Duke of Somerset and especially seeing the Axe of the Tower to be carried away for great ioy and gladnesse made an outcrie well declaring theyr louing affection and hearty fauour vnto the Duke whose life they greatly desired But thys opinion of the people was deceiued and the innocent Duke condemned to die for fellonie Which act of fellonie had bene made a litle before against the rebels and vnlawfull assembles suche as shoulde seeke or procure the death of any Counsailour The Duke of Somerset condemned of felony so that euery suche attempt and procurement according to the act should be iudged felony By the vertue of whych Act the Duke being accused with certaine other hys complices to intende and purpose the death of the Duke of Northumberlande and of certayne beside Statut. an 5. Reg. Edw 6. was therfore caste and condemned of felonie and so was returned toward the Tower againe At whose passage throughe the Citie greate exclamations and outcries were made againe of the people The Duke of Somerset accused for seeking the death of the Duke of Northumberland some reioycing y t hee was acquited some bewayling that hee was condemned Thus the good Duke passing through a great parte of the Citie landinge at the Crane of the Uinetrie was conueyed vnto the Tower where hee endured till the 22. of Ianuary Upon the which day at the comminge downe of the
where he shoulde take horse where was a certayne Gentleman a straunger who drinkyng to him in a cup of wine desired hym to haue pity vpon him selfe and if he would not fauour his life yet that he would fauour his owne soule To whome sayd Austen after he had thanked hym for his good will what care I haue sayd he of my soule you may see by this that I had rather geue my body to be burned then to do that thing that were agaynst my conscience WheÌ„ he was come to the towne of Bellimont where he should be burned the same day there was a great buriall of the Duke Ariscotus his sonne which was slayne a litle before as is before touched by the occasion whereof many nobles and gentlemen were there present The death and martyrdome of Austen which hearing of this Austen came to him and talked with him When the day came of hys martyrdome the people being offended at his coÌ„stancy cryed out to haue him drawne at an horse tayle to the place of burning but the Lord would not suffer that In fine being tyed to the stake and fire set vnto him hartely he prayed to the Lord so in the fire paciently departed Ex Crisp. alijs The names of the persecutours be not expressed in the story Ex Ioan Sled lib. â—2 A certayne woman of Auspurge At Auspurge An. 1550. At Auspurge a certayne woman there dwelling seeing a priest to cary the hoste to a sicke person wyth Taper lyght as the maner is asked hym what he meant so to goe with candle lyght at noone daye For thys shee was apprehended and in great daunger had it not bene for the earnest sute and prayer of the women of that City and at the intercession of Mary the Emperours sister Ex Ioan Sled lib. 22.  Two Virgins In the Dioces of Bamberge An. 1551. In the Dyoces of Bamberge 2. maydes were ledde out to slaughter Two Virgins Martyrs whych they susteyned wyth patient hartes and cheereful couÌ„tenauÌ„ces They had garlands of straw putte on theyr heades Whereupon one comforting the other going to theyr martyrdome seing Christ sayd she for vs bare a Crowne of thorne why shoulde wee sticke to beare a Crowne of straw No doubt but the lorde wil render to vs agayne better then Crownes of golde some sayd that they were Anabaptistes And it might be sayd Melanct that they had some fond opinion admixed withal yet they did hold sayth he the foundation of the Articles of our fayth and they dyed blessedly in a good conscience and knowledge of the sonne of God Fewe doe liue without errors Flatter not your selues thinking your selues so cleere that you can not erre Haec Philip. Melancth The names of the persecutors appeare not in the story The Christian City of Magdeburge An. 1551. When Charles the emperour had almost gotte all his purpose in Germany Constancie to be noted in the citie of Magdeburge in obtruding hys Religion of Interim into all places which was receiued of the most part of all the chiefe Princes and Cittyes onely the Citty of Magdeburge continuing in the constancy of their doctrine reformed refused to admit the same Wherefore warre was raysed agaynst them theyr City besieged and great violence vsed so that many honest and religious Citizens for the Gospels cause susteyned great perils and daunger of death At last when they had manfully and constantly endured such great distresse and calamity the space of a whole yere thorow the blessed prouideÌ„ce of almighty God who about the same time sent warre betwene the French king and the Emperour honest reconciliation was made betwene them and the Emperor whereby they were receiued into fauor and suffered to enioy theyr former religion quietly Ex Ioan. Sled lib. 23. Iames Hesselius ChaÌ„berlayne of Gaunt and the Friers there Hostius other wise called George At Gaunt An. 1555. This Hostius borne at Gaunt Hostius martyr was cunning in grauing in armour and in steele He first was in the French Church here in England during the reigne of King Edward After the comminge of Queene Mary he weÌ„t to Norden in Friseland wyth hys Wyfe and Children From thence hauing businesse hee came to Gaunt where after a certayne space that hee hadde there continued instructing diuers of hys friendes he heard that there was a blacke Fryer which vsed to preach good doctrine to the people Wherefore he being desirous to heare came to hys Sermon where the Frier contrarye to his expectation preached in defence of transubstantiation At the hearing whereof his hart was so full that he had muche a doe to refrayne while the Sermon was finished As soone as the Frier was come downe he braste out and charged him with false doctrine persuadyng the people as well as he could be heard by the scriptures that the bread was but a Sacrament onelye of the Lordes body The Fryer not willing to heare him made signes vnto him to depart Also the throÌ„g of the people was such that it caryed hym out of the dores He had not gone far but Hesselius the Chamberlaine ouertooke him caried him to prison Then were Doctours and other Friers as Pistorius and Bunderius brought to reason with him of the Sacrament of Inuocation of Saintes and Purgatory He euer stood to the triall onely of the scripture whiche they refused Then was it agreed that he shoulde declare his mind in writing which he did He wrote also to his wyfe at Emden comforting her and requiring her to take care for Samuel and Sara hys children When he was condemned he was coÌ„mauÌ„ded not to speake to the people Hesselius the Officer made great hast to haue him dispatched Wherfore he myldely like a lambe praying for his enemyes gaue him selfe to bee bounde paciently taking that they would doe agaynst him whom first they strangled then consumed his body being dead wyth fire And this was the Martyrdome of Hostius Ex Lud. Rabo lib. 6.  Iohn Frisius Abbot Ioan. Frisius Abbot In Bauaria An. 1554. Ioanne Sled Lib. 25. maketh recorde of one Ioan. Frisius Abbotte of Newstat within the Dioces of the B. Herbipolensis in Bauaria who being suspected of Lutheranisme was called to accompt of his fayth and stroÌ„gly persisting in his assertions and defeÌ„ding the same by the scriptures he was therefore displaced and remooued from all hys iurisdictions .25 of Iune an 1554. Ex Sled The Bayliffe of Hennegow The pittious martirdome of Bertrand le Blas gouernour of the towne and Castle of Dornic Peter De uentiere LieuetenauÌ„t to the sayd Bayliffe Philip de Cordis chiefe couÌ„sellour in criminall causes Nic. Chambree Pet. Rachelier Iames de Clerke Nicholas of Fernague M. Hermes of Wingles one of the counsell for the sayd Baliwicke Bertrand le Blas At Dornic An. 1555. The Story of Bertrand is lamentable his tormentes vncredible the tyrannye shewed vnto him horrible the constancye of the Martyr admyrable This Bertrand beyng a Sylkeweauer
token of his death shortly to follow After y t he was examined with tormēts One of y e head presidents came to him shaking hym by the beard bad him tell what fellowes he had of his Religion To whō he answered saying that he had no other fellowes but suche as knew and did the will of God his father whether they were nobles marchantes husbandmen or of what degree so euer they were In these torments he endured ii or iij. houres beyng but of a weake body with these wordes comforting himselfe This body sayd hee once must dye but the spirit shal liue the kingdom of God abideth for euer Tormentes In the time of his tormenting he swoūded Afterward comming to himselfe agayne he sayd O Lord Lord why hast thou forsaken me To whome the president Nay wicked Lutheran said he Thou hast forsaken God Then sayd Aymondus Alas good maysters why do you thus miserably torment me O Lord I beseech thee forgeue them they know not what they do See sayd the President this Caytife how he prayeth for vs neuertheles so constant washe in his paynes y t they could not force hym to vtter one mans name saying vnto thē y t he thought to haue founde more mercy with men Wherefore he praied God that that he might find mercy with him On the next Saterday following sentence of condemnation was geuen agaynst hym Then certayne Fryers were appoynted to heare his confession Whō he refused chusing to him one of his owne order the parish priest of S. Christophers bidding the Friers depart from hym for he would confesse hys sinnes to y e Lord. Do you not see sayd he how I am troubled enough with men will ye yet trouble me more Other haue had my body will you also take from me my soule Away from me I pray you At last when he could not be suffered to haue the parish priest he then tooke a certayne Carmelite bidding y e rest to depart with whom he hauing long talke at last did conuert him vnto the truth Shortly after y t came vnto him the Iudges Cassagnes and Longa with other counsailers moe vnto whome the saide Aymondus began to preach and declare his minde touching the Lordes supper But Longa interrupting him demaunded of him thus The Iudge Purgrtory First declare vnto vs your minde what you thinke of Purgatory The Martyr In Scripture all these are one to purge to clense to wash Whereof wee reade in Esay in the Epistle of S. Paule Hebr. 9. 1. Pet. 1. and of S. Peter He hath washed you in hys bloud Ye are redeemed not with golde but with the bloud of Christ. c. And how often doe we read in the Epistles of S. Paule That we are clensed by the bloud of Christ from our sinnes c. The Iudge Those Epistles are knowne to euery child The Martyr To euery child Nay I feare you haue scarse read them your selfe A Fryer M. Aymond with one word you may satisfie them if you will say that there is place where the soules be purged after this life The Martyr That I leaue for you to saye if you please What would you haue me damne mine owne soule and to say that which I know not The Iudge Doest not thou think that when thou art dead thou shalt go to purgatory And he that dyeth in veniall sinne that he shall passe streight into Paradise The Martyr Such trust I haue in my God that the same daye when I shall dye I shall enter into Paradise An other Iudge Where is Paradise The Martyr There where the maiestie and glory of God is The Iudge The Canons doe make mention of Purgatory and you in your sermons haue vsed alwayes muche to pray for the poore This Fryer taketh praying for the poore which be aliue and those that be dead to be all one The Martyr I haue preached the word of God not the Canōs The Iudge Doest thou beleue in the Churche The Martyr I beleue as the Church regenerated by the bloud of Christ and founded in hys word hath appoynted The Church The Iudge What Church is that The Martyr The Church is a Greeke word signifiyng as muche as a congregation or assemble and so I say y t when so euer the faythfull doe congregate together to the honour of God and the amplifying of Christian religion the holy ghost is verily with them The Iudge By this it should follow that there be many Churches And where as any rusticall clownes do assemble together there must be a Church The Martyr It is no absurde thinge to say that there be manye Churches or congregations among the Christians And so speaketh S. Paule Galat. 1. To all the Churches whiche are in Gallatia c. And yet all these congregations make but one Churche The Iudge The Church wherein thou beleeuest is it not the same Churche whiche our Creede doth call the holy Church The Martyr I beleue the same The Iudge And who should be the head of that Churche The head of the Church The Martyr Iesus Christ. The Iudge And not the Pope The Martyr No. The Iudge And what is he then The Martyr A Minister if he be a good man as other Byshops be of whom S. Paule thus writeth 1. Cor. 4. Let a man so esteeme of vs as Ministers and dispensers of the secrets of God c. The Iudge What then doest not thou beleue the Pope The Martyr I know not what he is The Pope what he is The Iudge Doest thou not beleue that he is the successour of Peter The Martyr If he be like to Peter and be grounded with Peter vpon the true rocke Christ Iesus so I beleue his workes and ordinaunces to be good Then the Iudges leauing hym with y e Friers departed frō hym coūting as a daned creature Notw tstanding Aymundus putting his trust in God was full of comfort saying with Saint Paule Who shall separate me from the loue of God Shall the sword hunger or nakednes No nothing shall pluck me from hym But rather I haue pittie of you sayd he and so they departed Not lōg after he was brought to the place of execution singing by the waye the Psalme In exitu Israell de Aegipto c. Psalm 114. And as he passed by the place where he before had bene imprisoned he called to hys prison fellowes exhorting them to put theyr confidence in the Lorde and tolde them that he had spoken for them and declared theyr miseryes vnto the President He thanked moreouer the keeper Aymond speaketh for his pryson fellowes and desired hym to be good to hys pore prysoners And so taking his leaue of them and desiring them to praye for hym also geuyng thankes to the maistresse keeper for her gentlenes shewed to hym he proceeded forward toward hys execution As he came agaynst the Churche of Sainct Andrew they willed hym to aske mercy of God and of blessed S. Mary and
hym Being in prison at Uenice he wrote an Epistle to the afflicted Saintes whiche for the notable sweetnes most wonderfull consolation conteined in the same in shewing forth the mighty operatiō of gods holy power working in hys afflicted Sayntes that suffer for hys sake I haue thought good and expedient to communicate as a principall monument amōgst al other Martyrs letters not onely with y e other letters which shal be inserted hereafter y e Lord willing in the end of the booke but also in this present place to be read to y e entent that both they which be or shal be hereafter in affliction may take consolation also and also that they whiche yet followe the trade of this present world in comparing the ioyes cōmodities therof with these ioyes here expressed may learne and consider with themselues what difference there is betwene them both and therby may learne to dispose themselues in such sort as maye be to theyr edification and perpetuall felicitie of theyr soules The copy of the letter first written in Latine we haue translated into English the tenour wherof here vnder ensueth ¶ A comfortable letter of Pomponius Algerius an Italian Martyr ¶ To his most dearly beloued brethren and fellow seruauntes in Christ which are departed out of Babylon into Mount Sion Crace peace and health from GOD our Father by Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour TO mitigate your sorrowe whiche you take for me I cannot but impart vnto you some portion of my delectations and ioyes which I feele and finde to the intent you with me may reioyce and sing before the Lord geuing thanks vnto him I shal vtter that which no man will beleue when I shall declare it I haue found a nest of hony and hony combe in the entrals of a Lyon Who will euer beleue that I shall say or what man wil euer think in the deepe darcke doungeon to finde a Paradise of pleasure in the place of sorrow and death to dwell in tranquillitie and hope of lyfe in a caue infernall to be found ioy of soule and where other men doe weepe there to be reioysing where other do shake and tremble theyr strength and boldnesse to be plenty Who will euer thinke or who will beleue thys in suche a woefull state suche delectation in a place so desolate such societye of good men in straite bandes and cold yrons such rest to be had Al these thinges the sweete hand of the Lorde my sweet brethren doth minister vnto me Behold he that was once farre from me now is present with me Whome once scarse I could feele now I see more apparantly whome once I saw a farre of now I beholde neare at hand whome once I hungered for the same nowe approcheth and reacheth his hand vnto me He doth comfort mee and heapeth me vp with gladnes he driueth away all bitternes hee ministreth strength and courage he healeth me refresheth aduanceth and comforteth me O how good is the Lord whiche suffereth not his seruauntes to be tempted aboue theyr strength O how easie and sweete is his yoke Is there any like vnto the hyest who receaueth the afflicted healeth the wounded and nourisheth them Is there any like vnto hym Learne ye welbeloued howe amiable the Lord is how meeke and mercifull he is whiche visiteth his seruauntes in tentations neither disdayneth he to keepe company with vs in such vile and stincking caues Will the blynd and incredulous worlde thinke you beleeue this or rather will it not say thus No thou wilt neuer be able to abide long the burning heate the cold snow and the pinching hardnes of that place the manifold miseries and other greuaunces innumerable the rebukes and frowning faces of men howe wilt thou suffer Doest thou not consider and reuolue in thy minde thy pleasaunt Country the riches of the world thy kinsfolke the dellicate pleasures and honours of this lyfe Doest thou forget the sollace of thy sciences and fruite of all thy laboures Wilt thou thus loose all thy labours which thou hast hitherto susteined so many nightes watched thy paynfull trauailes and all thy laudable enterprises wherin thou hast ben exercised continually euen from thy childhood Finally fearest thou not death which hangeth ouer thee and that for no crime committed O what a foole art thou which for one word speaking mayest salue all this and wilt not What a rude vnmanerly thing is this not to be intreated at the instant petitions and desires of suche so many and so mighty so iust so vertuous so prudent and gratious Senatoures and suche noble personages c. But now to aunswere let this blinde world harken to this againe What heate can there be more burning then that fire whiche is prepared for thee hereafter And likewise what snowe can be more colde then thy hart whiche is in darckenes and hath no light What thyng is more hard and sharpe or crooked then thys present lyfe which heare we leade What thing more odious and hatefull then this world here present And let these wordly men here aunswere me what country can we haue more sweete then the heauenly countrey aboue what treasures more riche or precious then euerlasting lyfe And who be our kinsmen but they which heare the word of God where be greater riches or dignities more honorable then in heauen And as touching the sciences let this foolish world consider be they not ordayned to learn to know God whom vnles we do know all our laboures oure night watchinges our studyes and all our enterprises serue to no vse or purpose all is but labour lost Furthermore let the miserable worldly man answere me what remedy or safe refuge cā there be vnto him if he lacke God who is the life and medicine of all men And howe can he be sayd to flye from death when he hymselfe is already dead in sinne If Christ be the way veritie and lyfe how can there be any lyfe then without Christ The sooly heate of the prison to me is coldnes the colde winter to me is a freshe spring time in the Lorde He that feareth not to be burned in the fire how will he feare the heate of weather or what careth hee for the pinching frost which burneth with the loue of the Lord the place is sharpe and tedious to them that be giltye but to the innocent and giltles it is mellifluous Here droppeth the delectable dewe here floweth the pleasaunt Nectar here runneth the sweete milke here is plenty of al good thinges And although the place it selfe be deserte and barren yet to mee it seemeth a large walke and a valley of pleasure here to me is the better and more noble part of the world Let the miserable worldling say and confesse if there be anye plot pastor or medowe so delightfull to the mind of man as here Here I see kinges princes Citties and people here I see warres where some be ouerthrown some be victors some thrust downe some lifted vp Here
to haue the Rats excommunicate Whereupon it was ordeined decreed by the sayd Officiall after he had heard the plaintife of the Procurator fiscall that before he would proceede to excommunication they should haue admonition and warning accordyng to the order of iustice For this cause it was ordeined that by the sound of a trūpet open proclamation made throughout all y e streetes of the towne of Authun the Rats should be cited to appeare within three dayes and if they did not appeare then to proceede agaynst them The three dayes were passed the Procurator came into the Court agaynst the rats for lacke of appearaūce obteyned default by vertue whereof he required that they would proceede to the excōmunication Wherupon it was iudicially acknowledged that the said Rats beyng absent should haue their Aduocate appointed them to heare their defence for somuch as y e question was for y e whole destructiō banishyng of the sayd Rats The President Chassane chosen Aduocat for the Rattes And you my Lord Presidēt beyng at that tyme the kynges Aduocate at Authun were then chosen to be the Aduocate to defend the Rattes And hauyng takē the charge vpō you in pleadyng y e matter it was by you there declared that the citatiō was of no effect for certaine causes reasons by you there alledged Then was it decreed that the sayd Rats should be once againe cited throughout the Parishes whereas they were Then after the citatiōs were duely serued the Procurator came agayne into the Court as before there it was alledged by you my Lord President how that y e terme of appearaunce geuen vnto the Rats was to short that there were so many Cats in euery Towne and Uillage as they should passe through that they had iust cause to be absent The perswation of the Lord of Alenc to Chassane to returne his army from Merindoll Wherfore my Lord Presidēt you ought not so lightly to proceede agaynst these poore mē but you ought to looke vpon the holy Scriptures and there you shall finde how you ought to proceede in this matter and you my Lord haue alleged many places of the Scripture concerning the same as appeareth more at large in your sayd booke and by this plea of a matter which seemeth to be but of small importance you haue obteined great fame and honour for the vpright declaration of the maner forme how iudges ought grauely to proceede in criminall causes Then my Lord President you which haue taught others will you not also learne by your owne bookes the which will manifestly condemne you if you proceede any further to the destruction of these poore men of Merindoll For are not they Christian men and ought you not as well to minister right and iustice vnto them as you haue done vnto the Rattes By these and such like demonstrations the President was persuaded and immediately called backe his commission which he had geuen out and caused the army to retire the which was already come neere vnto Merindoll euen within one mile and a halfe Then the Merindolians vnderstanding that the army was retired gaue thankes vnto God comforting one another with admonition and exhortation alwaies to haue y e feare of God before their eies to be obediēt vnto his holy commandements The Lords prouidence for the Merindolians subiect to his most holy wil and euery man to submit himselfe vnto his prouidence paciently attending and looking for the hope of the blessed that is to say the true life and the euerlasting riches hauing alwaies before their eies for example our Lord Iesu Christ the very sonne of God who hath entred into his glory by many tribulations Thus the Merindolians prepared themselues to endure and abide all the afflictions that it should please God to lay vpon them and such was their answere to all those that either pitied or else sought their destructiō Wherupon the brute and noise was so great as well of the Arrest Fraunces the French kyng sēdeth Mounsieur Langeay to enquire better of the Merindolians as of the enterprise of the execution and also of the pacience and constancie of the Merindolians that it was not hidden or kepte secrete from King Fraunces a Kyng of noble courage and great iudgement Who gaue cōmandement vnto the noble and vertuous Lorde Mounsieur de Langeay which then was his Lieutenant in Thurin a Citie in Piemont that he should diligently enquire and search out the truth of all this matter Whereupon the sayd Mounsieur de Langeay sent vnto Prouince two men of fame and estimation geuing them in charge to bring vnto him the copie of the Arrest and diligently to enquire out all that followed and ensued thereupon and likewise to make diligent inquisition of the life and maners of the said Merindolians and others which were persecuted in the countrey of Prouince These deputies brought the copie of the Arrest and of all that happened thereupon vnto the sayd Mounsieur de Langeay declaring vnto him the great iniuries polings extorcions exactions tirannies cruelties which y e Iudges A testimonie in the commenda-of the Merindolians as well secular as Ecclesiasticall vsed agaynst them of Merindoll and others As touching the behauiour and disposition of those which were persecuted they reported that the most part of the men of Prouince affirmed them to be men geuen to great labour and trauaile and that about 200. yeares passed as it is reported they came out of the countrey of Piemont to dwell in Prouince and tooke to tillage and to inhabite many hamlets villages destroyed by the warres and other desert and waste places which they had so well occupied that now there was great store of wynes The godly conuersation of the Merindolians oyles hony and cattell wherewith straungers were greatly relieued and holpē Besides that before they came into the countrey to dwell the place of Merindoll was taxed but at foure crownes which before the last destruction payed yearely vnto the Lord for taxes and tallages aboue 350. crownes beside other charges The like was also reported of Lormarin and diuers other places of Prouince whereas there was nothyng but robberie before they came to inhabite there so that none coulde passe that way but in great daunger Moreouer they of the countrey of Prouince affirmed that the inhabitaunts of Merindoll and the other that were persecuted were peaceable quiet people beloued of all their neighbours men of good behauiour cōstant in keeping of their promise and paieng of their debtes without trauersing or pleading of the law That they were also charitable men geuing of almes releeuing the poore and suffered none amongst them to lacke or be in necessitie Also they gaue almes to strangers and to y e poore passengers harbouring nourishing and helping them in all their necessities according to their power Moreouer that they were knowne by this throughout all y e countrey of Prouince that they would not
together by those whyche kepte the passages The enemies againe driuen backe Whereuppon hee sent hys whole armie whome they valiauntly withstoode from the morning till nighte Then they of Luserne sent newe aide During thys combate an ambushment of souldiours descended from the toppe of the mountaine by a place so harde to passe by that no manne would haue suspected it The poore Christians rūne through the pickes The poore people seeing themselues so enuironed of their enemies saued them selues some running through the middes of their ennemies and other some into the rockes The ennemies being entred into Rosa consumed all with fire and swoorde The Angroniās with their yoūg infantes flie into the mountaines The residue of the people fledde by a secrete way leading to the Ualley of Luserne and wandred al that night vppon the mountaines full of snowe loden with their stuffe carrying their litle infantes in theyr armes and leadinge the other by the handes wyth greate paine and trauail When they of the valley saw them they ranne vnto them praising God for their deliueraunce for they thought they had beene all slaine All be it thys poore people were heere in suche great extremitie yet they were ioyfull and comforted them selues wythout any lamentation or mourning excepte the little poore infantes whych cried out for colde A fewe dayes after the Lorde of Trinitie entred into the Ualley of Luserne by three seuerall wayes that is to say by Rosa by the plaine and by the sides of Tailleret They which kept the passages at the first resisted their ennemies valiauntly but perceiuing that they were assailed on euery side they retired to Uillars The Waldoys agayne assaulted by the Lorde of Trinity and there defended them selues a while But because they sawe that their enemies hadde already passed the Plaine and gotten aboue Uillars towardes Boby they gaue ouer and leafte Uillars and fled into the mountaines The souldiours beyng entred burned houses and slew all that they coulde finde The poore people which were fled to the mountaines seeing the village on fire praised God and gaue him thanks that had made them worthy to suffer for his name and for his cause and also they were glad to see the village on fire least that their enemies should encampe there themselues Then the souldiours in great rage mounted the hilles on euery side pursuing this poore people in great furie but a few of them after they had ardently called vpon God toke courage and beate backe theyr ennemies to Uillars This done the armie retired Fewe dayes after the medowe of Tour was assaulted by three seuerall wayes on the East side The combate dured a long season where diuers of the enemies were hurt and many slaine but none of this poore people were slaine that day onely two were hurt which were soone healed againe But to declare the conflictes assaultes skirmishes and alarmes which were at Angrongne and other places therabout it were too long for breuities sake it shall be sufficient to touch the most principall those which are most worthy of memorie On Saterday which was the fourteenthe day of Februarye the people which were in the vppermost parte of the Medowe of Toure perceiued that a company of souldiours were ascended vp the hill to Angrongne and burning y e rest of the houses there They doubted that it was a pollicie of theyr ennemies to drawe them thether and in the meane time to sette on them behynde and so to winne the Medowe of Tour from them Therefore they sent onely sixe harquebushes against those souldiours the whych hauing the higher grounde and not espied of theyr ennemies discharged their gunnes altogether Whereuppon incontinent the souldiers fledde The wicked flyeth when no man pursueth hym albeit no man pursued them Whether they fledde of pollicie or for feare it was not knowen Shortly after they of the warde of the Medowe of Tour whiche were in the watche on the top of the mountaine because euery morning there was a sermone made whereunto the people resorted and they mighte see a farre of rounde about them espied a troupe of souldiours marching on that side of the hill which is betweene the Easte and the Northe and soone after that discouered an other companye whyche marched on the North side towardes the sayde troupe The firste were ascended an houre before the other and fought on the toppe of the mountayne called Melese but they were soone discomfited The persecutors pursued and because they coulde not runne faste by meanes of the deepe snowe and difficulty of the waies in fleeing they fell often downe vpon the grounde Whiles they that pursued them were earnest in the chase and had taken from them theyr drumme beholde there came certaine vnto them cryinge out that the other troupe was entred into the medowe of Toure by meanes wherof they gaue ouer the chase or els not one of their enemies had escaped Gods people fight with prayer as they whych were there reported for a trueth Not one of Angrongne were slayne or hurt The other troupe which came by the North side tooke a high hil in the top of the mountaine the whych seemed to be almost inaccessible by reason of the snow and ice which was there The chiefest of this company were Lodouicke of Monteil which had bene before master of the campe in the kings warres and Charles Truchet When they wer come to the toppe of the hill they caused seuen souldiours to goe downe the hill and to viewe the waye and to see whether the troupe might descende that way or no. These 7. went downe almost to the houses They sent also other to occupie the rest of the high places which were neare to the foote of the hill and the rockes In the meane time the ministers and the people which were in the middes of the valley of the medowe sawe al this and were much discouraged therwith wherfore they fell to prayer called vpon God ardently not without great sighes lamentation and teares euen vntill night The seuen spies whiche came downe to discouer the wayes cried vnto their captaine Truchet Come downe come downe Seignior Charles this day Angrongne shal be taken The other cried to them againe ascend ascend returne or els ye shall be slaine euery one of you Immediately issued out fiue against these spies and tooke certaine and chased the rest The first of the fiue which set vpō them cast two of them downe vppon the grounde with a forke of fire Soone after eight of Angrongne issued out agaynste the whole troupe which was wonderfull to see them goe with suche courage and boldnesse to assaile suche a multitude and it seemed that they should haue ben all destroyed and hewen in pieces The firste of the eight went a good way before the other to discouer the enemies and caryed a great staffe The courage of Gods people against their enemies which they call a Rancon and is somewhat bigger then
watching all the redemption of Masses and pardons being done wythout trust in Christe which onely saueth his people from theyr sinnes these I say I learned to be nothing else but euen as S. Augustin saith a hasty and swift running out of the right way Al the trauaileâ— of men without Christ are but an hastie running out of the right way or els much like to the vesture made of fig leaues wherwithall Adam and Eue went about in vayne to couer theyr priuities and could neuer before obteyne quietnes and rest vntill they beleued in the promise of God that Christ the seede of the woman should tread vpon the serpentes head Neither could I be releued or eased of the sharpe stings and bitings of my sinnes before that I was taught of God that lesson which Christ speaketh of M. Bilney looking vp to the Brasen serpent Iohn 3. in the third chapiter of Iohn Euen as Moyses exalted the serpent in the desert so shall the sonne of man be exalted that all which beleue on him should not perish but haue life euerlasting As soone as according to the mesure of grace geuen vnto me of God I began to tast sauour of this heauenly lesson whiche no man can teache but onely God which reueled the same vnto Peter I desired y e Lord to encrease my faith and at last I desired nothing more then that I being so comforted by him mighte bee strengthened by his holy spirit and grace from aboue The wayes of the Lord be mercy and truth that I mighte teache the wicked his wayes which are mercy and truth and that y e wicked might be conuerted vnto him by me which somtime was also wicked whiche thing whilest that with all my power I did endeuour before my Lord Cardinall and your fatherhoode Christ was blasphemed in me and this is my onely comforte in these my afflictions whome with my whole power I do teach and set forth 1. Cor. 1. being made for vs by God his father our wisedome righteousnes sanctification redemption and finally our satisfaction 2. Cor. 5. Who was made sinne for vs that is to say a sacrifice for sinne that we through him should be made the righteousnes of God Gal. 2. Math 9. Who became accursed for vs to redeeme vs from the curse of the law Who also came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentaunce The righteous I saye which falsely iudge and thinke themselues soe to bee for all men haue sinned and lacke the glorye of God Rom. 3. wherby he freely forgeueth sinnes vnro all beleuers through redemption which is in Christ Iesu because that all mankinde was greuouslye wounded in hym whiche fell amongest theeues betweene Ierusalem and Ierico And therfore with all my whole power I teach that all men should first acknowledge theyr sinnes and condemne them The summe of all M. Bilneys teaching and afterward hunger and thirst for that righteousnesse wherof Saint Paul speaketh The righteousnes of God by faith in Iesus Christ is vpon all them which Beleue in him Rom. 3. for there is no difference all haue sinned and lacke the glory of God and are iustified freely thoroughe his grace by the redemption which is in Iesus Christ. The which who so euer dothe huÌ„ger or thirst for without doubte they shall at the lengthe so be satisfied that they shall not hunger thirst for euer But forsomuch as this hunger and thirst was wont to be quenched with the fulnes of mans righteousnes A difference betwene mans righteousnes and the rightâ—ousnes of God Voluntary deuotions spoke against Deut. 4.12 which is wrought through the faith of our owne electe and chosen workes as pilgrimages buying of pardoÌ„s offring of candles electe and chosen fastes and oftentimes supersticious finally all kinde of voluÌ„tary deuotions as they call theÌ„ against the which gods word speaketh plainely in y e fourth of Deut. and in the 12. saying Thou shalte not doe that which seemeth good vnto thy selfe but that whiche I commaunde thee for to doe that do thou neither adding to neither diminishing any thing from it therefore I say oftentimes I haue spoken of those woorkes not condemning them as God I take to my witnesse but reprouing theyr abuse making the law full vse of them manifest euen vnto children exhorting all men not so to cleaue vnto them that they being satisfyed therewith should loath or waxe weary of Christ as many do In whom I bidde your Fatherhood most prosperously well to fare And this is the whole somme If you will appoynt me to dilate more at large the things here touched I will not refuse to do it so that you will graunt me time For to doe it out of hand I am not able for the weakenes of my body being redy alwayes if I haue erred in any thing to be better instructed An other letter or epistle of M. Bilney to Cuthbert Tonstall B of London ALbeit I do not remeÌ„ber reuereÌ„t father in Christ whether I haue either spoken or written An other letter of M. Bilney that the Gospell hath not bene sincerely preached now of long time which your Lordshippe seemeth to haue gathered eyther by some Momes and sinister hearers of my Sermons who lyke Malchus hauing theyr right eare cut off onely bring theyr left eare to Sermons Malchuâ— hearing of Sermons or els by some wordes or writinges of mine which haue rashly passed me rather then vppon any euill intent yet for so much as in this behalfe your reuerence doth commaund me and that of a good minde I trust for how can I thinke in Tonstal any craft or doublenes to dwell I wil briefly declare vnto you what I haue learned of God through Christ in the Scriptures howe that the Doctors euen of great name renowme haue not taught the same of late in theyr sermoÌ„s referring or rather submitting all things vnto your fatherly iudgemeÌ„t Notes and differences betwene the true and false church which is more quicke and sharpe then that it can by any meanes be blinded and so sincere that it will not in any point seek slaunder or discord Therfore I do confesse that I haue ofteÌ„ ben afraid that Christ hath not bene purely preached now a long time For who hath bene now a long season offeÌ„ded through him Who hath now this many yeares suffered any persecution for the Gospels sake Where is the swoord which he came to send vpon the earth And finally where are the rest of the sincere and vncorrupt fruites of the Gospell which because we haue not a long time seene is it not to be feared that the tree which bringeth forth those fruites hath now a long time bene wanting in our region or couÌ„trey much lesse is it to be beleued that it hath bene nourished amongest vs. Haue we not sene all thinges quiet and peaceable a long time Esay 38. Iere. 6.8 Luke 11. But what sayth
y e realm and establishment of the kings succession to haue an English Queene and Prince that were meere English so that in conclusion the kings affection the more it was diminished from the late married Anne of Cleue the lesse fauour he bare vnto Cromwell Besides this Gardiner there lacked not other backe friends also and ilwillers in the court about the king which little made for Cromwell both for his religion which they maligned and for other priuate grudges also incident by the way Ouer and besides all which it is moreouer supposed that some part of displeasure might ryse agaynst hym by reason of a certaine talke which happened a little before at Lambeth at what tyme the king after the makyng of the vi Articles sent the sayd Lord Cromwell his Uicegerēt with the two Dukes of Northfolke Suffolke with all the Lordes of the Parliament to Lambeth to dyne with the Archbishop who mightily had disputed and alledged in the Parliament agaynst the said Articles to cheare and comfort his daunted spirits agayne There the said Cromwell with the other noble Lordes sitting with the Archbishop at his table in talke The talke betwene the L. Cromwel certeine of the Lordes at Lambeth as euerie lord brought forth his sentence in commendation of Cranmer to signifie what good will both the kyng they bare vnto him among the rest one of the company entring into a comparison betweene the sayd Thomas Cranmer and Thomas Wolsey late Cardinall of Yorke declared in his iudgement that Cranmer was much to bee preferred for his myld and gentle nature where as the Cardinall was a stubburne and a churlish prelate and one that could neuer abide any noble man and that sayd he knowe you well enough my Lord Cromwell for he was your Maister c. At these wordes the Lord Cromwell beyng somewhat touched to heare the Cardinals seruice cast in hys teeth inferred agayne saying that he could not deny but he was seruant sometyme to Cardinall Wolsey neyther did repent the same for he receiued of hym both fee meate and drinke and other commodities but yet he was neuer so farre in loue with hym as to haue wayted vpon him to Rome if he had bene chosen Pope as he vnderstoode that he would haue done if the case had so fallen out Whiche when the other had denied to be true Cromwell still persisted affirmyng the same and shewyng moreouer what number of Florens he should haue receyued to be his Admirall and to haue safe conducted hym to Rome in case he had bene elected Bishop of Rome The partie not a little mooued with these wordes told hym he lyed The other agayne affirmed it to be true Upon this great and hygh wordes rose betwene them Which contention although it was through intreatie of the Archbishop and other nobles somewhat pacified for the tyme yet it might be that some bitter roote of grudge remayned behynd which afterward grew vnto him to some displeasure And this was an 1540. in the moneth of Iuly Ex testimonio Secretarij Cantuar. After this the next yeare followyng which was 1541. in the month of Aprill was holden a Parliament Anno 1541. which after diuers prorogations was continued till the moneth of Iuly the sayd yeare A Parliament In the which month of Iuly the Lord Cromwell beyng in the counsaile chamber was sodenly apprehended and committed to the tower of London Whereat as many good men which knewe nothyng but truth by him did lament The Lord Cromwell apprehēded and prayed hartily for him so moe there were on the contrary side that reioyced especially of the religious sort and of the clergy such as had bene in some dignitie before in the Churche and nowe by hys meanes were put from it For in deed such was hys nature that in all his doyngs he could not abyde any kynde of Poperie nor of false religion creepyng vnder hypocrisie and lesse could abyde the ambitious pryde of Popishe Prelacie which professing all humilitie was so elated in pride that kinges coulde not rule in their owne Realmes for them These snuffing Prelates as he could neuer abide so they agayne hated him as much whiche was the cause of shortnyng his dayes and to bryng him to his ende So that the xix day of the moneth aforesaid he was attainted by Parliament In the which Atteinder diuers and sondry crimes surmises obiections and accusations were brought against hym but chiefly and aboue all other Crimes and accusatiōs brought agaynst the L. Cromwell he was charged and accused of heresie for that he was a supporter of them whō they recounted for heretikes as Barnes Clarke and many other whom he by his authoritie and letters written to Shiriffes and Iustices in diuers Shires rescued and discharged out of prison Also that he did euulgate disperse abroad amongst the Kings subiects great numbers of bookes conteming as they said manifest matter of much heresie diffidence and misbeliefe Item that he caused to be translated into our English tongue bookes comprising matter expresly against the Sacrament of the aulter that after the translation thereof he commended and mainteyned the same for good and christian doctrine· Ouer and besides all this they brought in certaine witnesses what they were the atteinder expresseth not which most especially pressed or rather oppressed him with heinous wordes spoken agaynst the king in the Church of s. Peter the poore in the moneth of March in the xxx yeare of the kings raigne Which wordes if they be true as the Atteinder doth purport three things I haue here much to meruaile at First if his aduersaries had so sure holde and matter against hym Witnesses agaynst Cromwell suspected then what would mooue thē to make such hastie speede in all post haste to haue him dispatched and rid out of the way and in no case could abyde hym to come to his purgation Which if he might haue done it is not otherwise to be thought but he would easily haue clered himselfe thereof Secondly this I maruell What mischiefe malicious make-bates make in a commō wealth that if the wordes had bene so hainous against the kyng as his enemies did pretend why then did those witnesses which heard those words in S. Peters Church in the xxx yeare of the kyngs raigne conceale the sayd wordes of such treason so long the space almost of ij yeares Examples of mē falsely accused wrongfully iudged and now vttered the same in the xxxij yeare of the kings reigne in the moneth of Iuly Thirdly here is agayne to be marueled if the king had known or beleued these words to be true and that Cromwell had bene in deede such a traytour to his person why then did the kyng so shortly after lamēt his death wishing to haue his Cromwell aliue agayne What Prince will wish the lyfe of hym whom he suspecteth vndoubtedly to be a traitor to his life and person wherby it may appeare what
y e same The 〈◊〉 hereof were Rich. GraftoÌ„ and Whyt-church And in like maner at the same time the said king wrote vnto his ambassadour who then was Edmund Boner Bishop of Herford lying in Paris that he should ayde and assist the doers thereof in all their reasonable sutes The which Bishop outwardly shewed great friendship to y e merchants that were the imprinters of the same and moreouer did diuers and sundrie times call and commande the said persons to be in maner daily at his table both dinner and supper Edmund Boner a great furtherer in printing the Bibles in Engliâ—he and so much reioyced in the workemanship of the said Bible that he himselfe would visite the imprinters house where the same bibles were printed also would take part of such dinners as the Englishmen there had and that to his cost which as it seemed he little wayed And further the sayd Boner was so feruent that he caused the said Englishmen to put in print a new testament in english latine The new testament in Englishe Latine put in print by Boner Edmund Boner made Byshop of London and himselfe took a great many of them and payd for them gaue them to his friends And it chaunced the meane time while the said Bible was in printing the king Henry the 8. preferred the said Boner from the said bishopricke of Herford to be bishop of LondoÌ„ at which time y e said Boner according to the statute law of England tooke his othe to the king knowledging his supremacie and called one of y e aforesaid Englishmen that printed y e bible whom he then loued although afterward vppon the change of the worlde he did hate him as much whose name was Richard Grafton to whom the said Boner saide when he tooke his othe maister Grafton so it is that the kings most excellent maiestie hath by his gracious gift presented me to the Bishopricke of London Boners wordes to Grafton when he toooke his othe to the king for the which I am sory for if it would haue pleased his grace I could haue bene well content to haue kept mine old bishopricke of Herford Then said Grafton I am right glad to heare of it and so I am sure will bee a great number of the Citie of London for though they yet know you not yet they haue heard so much goodnes of you froÌ„ hence Boner reproueth Stokesley for his persecuting as no doubt they wil hartily reioyce of your placing Then said Boner I pray God I may doe that may content them and to tel you M. Grafton Before god for that was commonly his othe the greatest fault that I euer found in Stokesley was for vexing and troubling of poore men as Lobley the bookebinder and other for hauing the scripture in english and God willing he did not so much hinder it but I wil as much further it and I wil haue of your Bibles set vp in the Church of Paules at the least in sundrie places sixe of them Boners promise to set forth the Scriptuâ—e in Englishe and I will pay you honestly for them and giue you hartie thankes Which wordes hee then spake in the hearing of diuers credible persons as Edmund Stile Grocer and other But now M Grafton at this time I haue specially called you to be a witnes with me that vpon this translation of Bishops Sees I must according to the statute take an othe vnto the kings maiestie knowledging his Supremacie which before God I take with my heart and so thinke him to be Boner sweareth hartely to the kinges supremacy Myles Couerdale corrector in printing the Bible of the large volume and beseech almightie God to saue him and long to prosper his grace holde the booke sirah and reade you the oth said he to one of his chapleins he layd his hand on the booke and so he tooke his othe And after this he shewed great friendship to the saide Grafton and to his partener Edward Whitchurch but specially to Myles Couerdail who was the corrector of the great Bible Now after that the foresaid letters were deliuered the French kyng gaue very good wordes and was well content to permit the doing therof And so the printer went forward and printed forth the booke euen to the last part and then was the quarell picked to the printer and he was sent for to the inquisitors of the fayth The printing of the Bible stayed at Paris thorough the 〈◊〉 of Englishe Bishopâ— and there charged with certaine articles of heresie Then were sent for the Englishmen that were at the cost and charge thereof and also such as had the correction of the same which was Myles Couerdale but hauing some warning what would folow the said EnglishmeÌ„ posted away as fast they could to saue themselues leauing behynd them all their Bibles which were to the number of 2500. called the Bibles of the great volume and neuer recouered any of them sauing that the Lieftenaunt criminal hauing them deliuered vnto hym to burne in a place of Paris like Smithfield called Mauibert place was somewhat mooued with couetousnes English Bibles burnt at Paris and sold 4. great dry fattes of them to a Haberdasher to lap in caps and those were bought againe but the rest were burned to the great and importunate losse of those that bare the charge of them But notwithstandyng the sayd losse after they had recouered some part of the foresayde bookes and were comforted and encouraged by the Lord Cromwell the said Englishmen went agayne to Paris there got the presses letters and seruants of the aforesayd Printer and brought them to London and there they became printers themselues which before they neuer entended and printed out the said Bible in London How Grafton Whitchurch became printers and after that printed sundry impressions of them but yet not without great trouble and losse for the hatred of the bishops namely Steuen Gardiner and his fellowes who mightily did stomacke and maligne the printing thereof Here by the way for the more direction to the story thou hast louyng Reader to note and vnderstand that in those daies there were ij sundry Bibles in English printed and set forth bearing diuers titles and printed in diuers places The first was called Thomas Mathews Bible printed at Hambrough about the yeare of our Lord 1532. the corrector of which print was then Iohn Rogers of whom ye shall heare more Christ willing hereafter The Printers were Richard Grafton and Whitchurch In the translation of this Bible the greatest doer was in deede William Tyndall who with the helpe of Miles Coueâ—â—ale had translated all the bookes thereof except onely the Apocrypha and certaine notes in the margent which were added after But because the said William Tyndall in the meane tyme was apprehended before this Bible was fully perfected Tho. Mathewes Bible by whom and how it was thought good to theÌ„
knowe These wordes of Fachel as euery man sayd were the cause of Marbeckes casting that day Then went the Iury vp to the chamber ouer the place where the iudges sate and in the meane time went all the Knights and gentlemen abroade Manbecke cast by the Iurye sauing the Byshop Syr William Essex and Fachell which three sate still vpon the Benche till all was done The knightes gentlemē refuse to be at their condemnation And when the Iurie hadde bene togethers aboue in the chamber about the space of a quarter of an houre vp goeth Symons of hys owne brayne vnto them and taried there a prety while and came down againe After that came one of the Iury downe to the byshop and talked wyth hym and the other twaine a good while whereby manye coniectured that the Iurie coulde not agree of Marbecke But whether it were so or no it was not long after his going vp again ere that they came downe to geue their verdit Hyde a Farmer of Windsore Colledge a persecuter And being required according to the forme of the law to say their minds one called Hyde dwelling beside Abyngton in a lordshyp belonging to the Colledge of Wyndsore speaking in the mouthe of the rest sayd they were all giltie Then the Iudges beholding the prisoners a good while some wyth watery eyes made curtesie who should geue iudgement Fachel requiring the byshop to doe it he sayde he might not the other also being required said they wold not Then said Fachel it must be done one must do it Fachell geueth iudgement agaynst them and if no man will then will I. And so Fachell being lowest of al the bench gaue iudgement Then Marbeck being y e last vpon whom sentence was geuen cried to the bish saying Ah my Lorde you tolde me otherwise when I was before you and the other two bishops You said then that I was in better case then any of my fellowes and is your sayinge come to this Ah my L. you haue deceiued me Then the B. casting vp his hand sayd he could not do withall Person Testwood Filmer and Marbecke condemned for heretickes Now the prisoners being condemned and had away prepared themselues to die on the morow comforting one an other in the deathe and passion of theyr maister Christe who had ledde the way before them trusting that the same lord which had made them worthy to suffer so farre for hys sake would not nowe withdraw his strength from them but geue them stedfast faith power to ouercome those firie torments and of his free mercy and goodnes wythout theyr desertes for hys promise sake receiue theyr soules Thus lay they all the night long til very dead sleepe tooke them calling to God for hys aide and strength and praying for their persecuters whiche of blinde zeale and ignoraunce had done they wist not what that God of hys mercifull goodnes would forgeue them The godly prayers of the condemned Martirs almost all the night and turne theyr hearts to the loue and knowledge of his blessed and holy worde Yea such heauenly talke was among them that night that the hearers watching the prison without wherof the Shiriffe hymselfe was one with diuers gentlemen moe were constrained to shed out plēty of teares as they themselues confessed On the next morow which was Friday as the prysoners were all preparing themselues to go to suffer worde was brought them that they should not dye that day The cause was this The Byshop of Sarum and they among them had sent a letter by one of the Shiriffes Gentlemen A letter sent by certayne of the Commissioners to Gardyner for Marbecke called M. Frost to the bishop of Winchester the Court being then at Oking in the fauour of Marbecke At the sight of whych letter the bishop straight way went to the kyng and obtained hys pardon Which being graunted he caused a warrante to be made out of hande for the sheriffes discharge deliuering the same to the messenger who with speede returned wyth great ioy for the loue he bare to the partie bringing good newes to the towne Marbeckes pardon obteyned of Marbeckes pardon wherat many reioysed Of this pardon were diuers coniectures made Some said it was by the sute of the good Shriffe syr William Barington and syr Humffray Foster with other Gentlemen moe that fauoured Marbeck to the B. of Sarum and the other Commissioners that the letter was sent Some sayde againe that it came of the Byshop of Sarum and Fachels first motion Diuers iudgementes why Marbecke was pardoned being pricked in conscience for that they had so slēderly cast him away Other thought againe that it was a policie purposed afore by the Byshop of Winchester of Sarum and of D. London because they would seeme to be mercifull Which coniecture rose vppon thys occasion There was one Sadocke dwellynge in the towne which was greate with D. London and Symons and he shoulde say 4. dayes before the sessions began that the prisoners should be all cast and condemned but Marbecke should haue hys pardon Other there were that thought the foresayde Byshops with D. London had done it for this purpose that he now hauing his life would rather vtter such mē as they would haue him to do then to come in like daunger again Which coniecture rose vpon thys Symons meeting wyth Marbeckes wife said thus vnto her your husband may thanke God good frendes my Lord of Winchester is good Lord vnto him which hath got his pardon But shall I tel you quoth he Marbecke reserued to vtter others his pardon wil be to none effect except he tell the truth of things to my Lord other of the counsel when he shal be demaunded for vnto that purpose onely is he reserued Alas sir quoth she what can he tel Well womā quoth Symons I tell thee plaine if he doe not so neuer looke to haue thy husband out of prisone and so departed from her The like meaning did M. Arche make to Marbecke him selfe on the saterday in y e morning that the men shoulde be brent when he came to cōfesse them I haue nothing quoth he to saye vnto you Marbecke at this time but heereafter you must be cōtent to do as shal be enioyned you meaning he should be forced to do some vnlawful thing or els to lie in perpetuall prisone The pestilent intent of the Bishops And thys was moste likely to haue beene attempted if they hadde proceeded in their purpose whose intent was to haue gone thorow the whole realme in the lyke sorte as they had begonne at Wyndsore as the Byshop of Sarum confessed openly and sayde that he trusted ere Christmasse daye following to visite and cleanse a good part thereof But moste commonly God sendeth a shrewed Cowe short hornes or else manye a thousande in England had smarted On saterday in the morning that the prisoners shoulde go to execution came into the
to deathe and that by an Assise for violatinge as was alleaged the Acte of Parliament in reasoning and conferrynge vppon Scriptures for eating flesh vppon dayes forbidden for interrupting the holy frier in the pulpitte for dishonouryng of Images and blaspheming of the virgine Mary as they alleaged After sentence geuen theyr handes were bounde and the men cruelly entreated Which thing the woman beholding desired likewise to be bounde by the sergeantes with her husband for Christes sake There was great intercession made by the Towne in the meane season for the lifâ— of these persones aforenamed to the Gouernour who of him self was willing so to haue done that they myght haue bene deliuered But the Gouernour was so subiect to the appetite of the cruel priestes that he could not do that which he would Yea they manaced to assist his ennemies and to depose him except he assisted their crueltie There were certaine priestes in the Citie who did eate and drinke before in these honest mens houses to whoÌ„ the priestes were much bounden These priestes were earnestly desired to entreate for their hostesse at the Cardinalles handes but they altogether refused desiring rather theyr death then preseruation So cruell are these beastes from the lowest to the highest Then after they were caried by a great band of armed men for they feared rebellion in the towne except they had theyr men of warre to the place of execution whych was common to all theeues that to make their cause appeare more odious to the people Robert Lambe at the gallowes foote made his exhortation to the people desiring them to feare God and leaue the leauen of Papisticall abominations The Marâ—tyrdome 〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉 manifestly there prophesyed of the ruine and plague whych came vpon the Cardinall thereafter So euerye one comforting an other and assuring them selues to sup together in the kingdome of heauen that night commended themselues to God and died constantly in the Lord. The woman desired earnestly to die with her husband but shee was not suffered yet folowing him to the place of execution shee gaue him comfort exhorting hym to perseueraunce and pacience for Christes sake and parting from him with a kisse sayd on this maner Husband reioyce for we haue liued together many ioyful dayes but this day in which we must die ought to be most ioyfull to vs both because we must haue ioy for euer Therefore I will not bid you good night for we shall sodainely meete with ioy in the kingdome of heauen The woman after was taken to a place to be drowned and albeit she had a child sucking on her brest yet this moued nothing the vnmercifull hearts of the enemies So after she had commended her children to the neighbors of the towne for Gods sake and the sucking barne was geuen to the nurse she sealed vp the truth by her death Ex Registris instrumentis à Scotia missis * The condemnation of M. George Wiseheart Gentleman who suffered Martyrdome for the faith of Christ Iesus at saint Andrewes in Scotland An. 1546. Marche 1. wyth the Articles obiected againste him and his answeares to the same WIth most tender affection and vnfained heart consider gentle Reader the vncharitable manner of y e accusation of M. George Wiseheart Anno 1546 made by y e bloudy enemies of Christs faith Note also the articles whereof he was accused by order digested and hys meeke answeares The exaâ—â—ation of George 〈◊〉 so farre as he had leaue and leisure to speake Finally ponder with no dissembling spirite the furious rage and tragicall cruelnes of the malignant Church in persecuting of thys blessed man of God and of the contrary hys humble pacient and most godly answeres made to them sodainly without all feare not hauing respect to their glorious manasings and boysterous threats but charitably and wythout stop answearing not moouing his countenaunce nor changing his visage as in his accusation hereafter folowing manifestly shall appeare But before I enter into his Articles I thoughte it not impertinent somewhat to touche concerning the life and conuersation of this godlye man according as of late came to my handes certified in wryting by a certaine scholler of hys sometime named Emerey Tylney whose wordes of testimoniall as he wrote them to me here folow Aboute the yeare of oure Lorde a thousande fiue hundreth fortie and thre there was in the vniuersitie of Cambridge one maister George Wiseheart commonlye called maister George of Bennettes Colledge who was a man of talle stature polled headed and on the same a rounde Frenche cappe of the best Iudged of Melancholye complexion by his Phisiognomie blacke heared long â—earded comelye of personnage well spoken after his countrey of ScotlaÌ„d courteous lowly louely glad to teach desirous to learn was wel traueled hauing on him for his habit or clothing neuer but a mantell friese gowne to the showes a blacke Millian fustian dowblet and plaine blacke hosen course newe canuesse for his Shirtes and whyte fallinge Bandes and Cuffes at the handes All the whych Apparell hee gaue to the poore some weekelye some monethly some quarterlye as hee liked sauing hys Frenche cappe whyche hee kepte the whole yeare of my being with hym Hee was a manne modest temperate fearinge God hatinge Couetousnesse For his Charitie had neuer ende nyghte noone nor daye hee forbare one meale in three one daye in foure for the moste parte except somethyng to comforte nature Hee lay harde vppon a pouffe of straw course newe canuesse Sheetes whyche when hee chaunged hee gaue awaye hee hadde commonly by his beddes side a tubbe of water In the whyche hys people being in hedde the candell puâ—te out and all quiet he vsed to bathe hymselfe as I being very yong being assured often heard him and in one light nighte descerned hym hee loued mee tenderly and I him for my age as effectually He taught wyth great modestie and grauitie so that some of his people thought hym seuere and woulde haue slaine hym but the Lorde was hys defence And hee after due correction for their malice by good exhortation amended them and he went hys way O that the Lord hadde left hym to me his poore boye that hee might haue finished that he hadde begonne For in his Religion he was as you see heere in the rest of hys life when he went into Scotland with diuers of the Nobilitie that came for a treatie to kinge Henry the eighte Hys learning no lesse sufficient then his desire alwayes prest and readye to doe good in that hee was able bothe in the house priuately and in the Schoole publikely professing and reading diners authours If I shoulde declare hys loue to mee and all menne hys Charitie to the poore in geuinge relieuinge caringe helpinge prouidinge yea infinitelye studyinge howe to doe good vnto all and hurte to none I shoulde sooner wante woordes then iuste cause to commende All thys I testifie wyth my whole heart and trueth of thys Godly manne
might y t the spirite of Christ and efficacye of our fayth can doe in these our writinges if ye shall persist so still in your fury we condemne you together with this Bull all the Decretall we geue you to Sathan to the destruction of flesh y t your spirite in the day of our Lord may be deliuered in the name whiche you persecute of Iesu Christ our Lord. Amen For our Lord Iesus Christ yet liueth and raygneth in whom I do nothing doubt who I firmly trust wil shortly come and slay with the spirite of his mouth and destroy with the brightnes of his comming this man of sinne and sonne of perditioÌ„ for asmuch as I cannot deny The Pope the true Antichrist if the pope be the author and doer of these mishapen and monstruous doinges but he is the true finall most wicked and that famous Antichrist that subuerteth the whole worlde by the operation of his delusions as we see it in all places fulfilled and accomplished But whether doth the burning zeale of charity cary me Neither am I as yet fully perswaded this to be the popes Bull but to proceede from his wicked Apostle Eckius who with his fathers Eccius fariously gaping at me like a gulfe would swallow me cleane vppe â—inging wyth the wicked thus Let vs swallow him vp quicke and whole like hell and like one descending downe into the pitte For little careth this furious maâ—braine Prouerb 1. howe the veritie of God be extinguished ye he would count that for a lucre so he might â—ill his malicious desire with the bloude 〈◊〉 his brother O miserable state of the Churche at this time worthy to be bewailed w t teares oâ— bloude But who heareth our gronings or who comforteth our weepings The furie of the Lorde seemeth to be inoxorable against vs. Ouer and besides what a ridiculous toye or pretie figment haue they inuented wherby belike to sport theÌ„selues with some merye matter amongest their earnest businesse wryting that besides other great frendshippe whych they haue shewed vnto me they haue also offered to support me with mony The Pope lyeth in his Bull where he saith that he offered money to Luther to come to Rome and to beare my charges with theyr liberality in my iourney to Rome Wil ye see what a charity is newly come vpon the Citie of Rome which after it hath pilled and polled the whole world of their money and hath consumed wasted the same by intolerable tyranny nowe coÌ„meth and to me onely offereth money But this impudent lye I know with whose hoÌ„mer it was coined Caietanus the Cardinall a man borne and formed to lie for the whetstone after his worshipfull Legacie depeached in Germanie comming home to Rome there he forged fained that he promised me mony wheras he being at Anspurge was there in such miserable penury so pinching in his house that it was thought he woulde haue famished his familye But thus it becommeth the Bull to be verè Bulla that is a thing of nought voide of all trueth and wit And so these great iudges condemners after all thys yet haue authority to commaund vs to beleeue them to say truth when they do nothing but lie and that they are good Catholickes when they be starke heretickes and that they are true Christians The Pope by the vertue of this vniuersall Quodcunque ligaueris can do all thinges wheÌ„ they play the very Antichrist and all by the vertue of this vniuersall Quodcunque ligaueris c. i. Whatsoeuer thing thou bindest c. So that where nothing is excepted they thinke they may do all things Who not only do lie most loudly and manifestly but also which passeth all impudencie do vaunt and commend their liberalitye before y e people to bring me more in hatred making men falsly to beleue that they offered frendship and money vnto me Whereas these tyrantes of Rome if they had had any trueth goodnesse or godlinesse in them shoulde haue taken some better hede in their doing and speaking so that no aduersarye might conceiue any suspition of euil against them But now if there were no other matter els to bring this Bull out of credite onely this grosse foolish lie were sufficient to declare how light vaine and false this Bul is What would Rome thinke yee offer money to mee And how then commeth thys which I knowe to be moste certaine that out of the banke as they call it two or three huÌ„dreth crownes were assigned in Germanye to be disposed and geuen to ruffians and catchpoles Men hyred by the Papistes to kill Luther to murder Luther for these be the reasons arguments whereby nowe fighteth raigneth and triumpheth the holy Apostolicke sea the mistres of faith mother of al churches y t which long since should haue bene prooued to be the very â—eate of Antichrist and manifold waies hereticall if shee had fought wyth the sword of the spirit which is the word of God whereof she her self is nothing ignorant therefore because she would not be brought to that issue thus shee fareth and taketh on like as she were madde in the Churche of Christ confounding and consuming all thinges wyth warres The Popes Church flyeth the tryall of the Scripture murthers bloudshed death and destruction and yet for all thys they must nedes be counted most holy fathers in God vicars of Christ and Pastors of his flocke But goe to that I may also dally with them a while let them yet send me the money they speake of for as touching their promise safeconduct because I will not ouercharge them that I gladly resigne to them againe seeing I haue no great nede therof so that y e moni may come to my haÌ„ds But heere I must require so muche as may suffice mee to wit that I may be furnished with fifty thousand footemen and ten thousande horsemen to conducte me safe to Rome and so for any other promise of safe conduct I wil not trouble them And this I requier because of the daunger that is in Rome What safe conducte M. Luther requireth of the Pope whych deuoureth vp her inhabitauntes neyther keepeth nor euer did keepe promise wyth any Where these most holy fathers do slay their beloued children in the charitie of God and brethren destroy their brethren to doe seruice to Christe as the manner is and stile of Rome In the meane time I will keepe my selfe free and saâ—â— from the Citation of this most reuerend Bull. O ye miserable varlets which are so coÌ„founded with the truth and with your own conscience that neither ye can lie handsomely neither dare ye speake the truth and yet neither ca ye so kepe your selues quiet to your perpetuall ignominie and confusion Furthermore here in this Bull is brought in a straunge fashion of stile not heard of before For where Augustine would haue sayd that he would not beleue the Gospel
Queene Mary and her childe turned out of Latin into Englishe and ineuitable malediction and hast enioyned them that they should conceiue in sinne and beyng conceiued should be subiect to many and grieuous tormentes and finally be deliuered with the danger and ieopardy of their lyfe We beseech thee for thine exceeding great goodnes and bottomlesse mercy to mittigate the straightnes of that law Asswage thine anger for a while and cherish in the bosome of thy fauour and mercye our most gracious Queene Mary beyng now at the poynt of her deliuerance So helpe her that without danger of her lyfe she may ouercome the sorow and in due season bring forth a chyld in body beautifull and comely in mynd noble and valiant So that afterward she forgetting the trouble may with ioy laude prayse the bountifulnesse of thy mercy Anno 1554. Ianuary and together with vs praise and blesse both thee and thy holy name world withouten ende This Oh Lord we desire thee we beseeche thee and most hartily craue of thee Heare vs oh Lord and graunt vs our petition Let not the enemies of thy faith and of thy Church say Where is theyr God ¶ A solemne prayer made for king Phillip and Queene Maries childe that it may be a male chylde welfauoured and wittie c. A deuout prayer made by the Catholickes for Q Mary being great quicke with childe O Most mighty Lord God which regardest the prayer of the humble and despisest not their request bowe downe from thine high habitation of the heauens the eies of thy mercy vnto vs wretched sinners bowing y e knees of our hartes and with many and deepe sighes bewayling oure sinnes offences humbly with eyes intent hands displayed praying beseeching thee with the shield of thy protection to defend Mary thy seruant and our Queene who hath none other helper but thee and whom through thy grace thou hast willed to be conceiued with chyld and at the time of her trauaile graciously with the helpe of thy right hand deliuer her and from all danger with the child in her conceiued mercifully preserue It hath seemed good in thy sight mercifull Father by thy seruaunt Mary to worke these woÌ„ders that is to say in her hands to vanquish and ouerthrow the stout enemy to deliuer vs thy people out of the hands of * The Papistes call the Protestantes hereticks and enemies to the crosse of Christ euen as Achab called Elias the disturber of â—sraell when he was onely the disturber himselfe heretikes Infidels enemies to thee and to the crosse of thy beloued sonne Iesus Christ that of thy seruaunt thou mightest speake in farre countreys Therefore for these wonderfull workes which thou doest to thy seruaunts thou art magnified Lord God for euer and we thy people blesse thee the God of heauen which hast wrought vpon vs this great mercy and hast excluded from vs the heretike the enemy of truth the persecuter of thy church We know we know that we haue grieuously Lord sinned that we haue bene deceiued by vanitie and that we haue forsaken thee our God Our iniquities be multiplied on our head and our sinnes be increased vp to heauen and we our selues haue offended and our princes our priests for these our sinnes haue deserued an hypocrite to our prince our sinnes haue deserued a Tyrant to our Gouernour that should bryng our lyfe to bitternes We be not worthy to haue so gentle and mercifull a Queene so godly a ruler finally so vertuous a prince at the very beginning of whose raigne a new light as it were of Gods religion seemed to vs for to spring rise Q. Mary compared of the Papistes to Q. Iudith The Iews did blesse y e widow Iudith with one voice saying Thou art the glory of Ierusalem thou art the ioy of Israell thou art the honor of our people for that thou hast loued chastity and thou shalt be blessed for euer And we the English people with one agreeable consent do cry Make how forgetting his prayer he falleth to the praysing of Q Mary Thou Mary art the glory of England our ioy the honour of thy people for that thou hast embraced chastitie thine heart is strengthened for the hand of our Lord hath comforted thee and therfore thou shalt be blessed for euer But bow downe O most mercifull Father thine eare and open thine eyes and behold our affliction and our humble confession Thou knowest Lord that against Phillip not by humane but by thy ordinaunce our king and against thy seruaunt Mary by thy prouidence our Queene the restorers and maintainers of thy Testament of the faith most constaÌ„t defenders of thy church thou knowest I say that against these our two gouernors the enimies of thy holy * The TestameÌ„t setteth vp onely the glory of Christ. Testament of the Church thy spouse be most ranke Rebels and spitefull murmurers walking after their lustes whose mouth speaketh wordes of pride to the end they may set vp the kingdome of heretikes schismatikes By the power of their handes they would * If the chaunging of Gods promises destroying his inheritance stopping the mouthes of Gods people if contentions warres and schismes be tokens of heretickes who so great heretickes as the papists be chaunge thy promises and destroy thine inheritaunce and stop and shut vp the mouthes of them y t praise thee and extinguish the glory of thy catholike Church and aultar It is manifest and plaine how many contentioÌ„s how many conspiracies and seditions how great wars what tumults how many how great troublesome vexations how many heresies schismes for these be the most ready deuises and euident tokens of heretickes for our sinnes do hang ouer vs if thy seruant be taken from this life for we acknowledge that our Lord is omnipotent who hath pitched his dwellyng place in the midst of his people to y e intent to deliuer vs out of y e hands of our enemies Turne therfore thy countenance vnto vs shew vnto vs O Lord thy face Punish vs for our sinnes according to thy will pleasure onely now deliuer vs. We bowing the knees of our hart beseech thee that thou wilt not reserue vnto vs punishment for euer we shall prayse thee all the days of our life Heare our cry and the praier of thy people open to them the treasure of thy mercy thy gracious sauour the spring of liuely water Thou that hast begon make in the hand of the seruaunt a perfect worke Suffer not we pray thee the * Cry 〈◊〉 lowder 〈◊〉 Priest◠〈…〉 your God a sleepe The Lordâ— gaue a 〈◊〉 to Sâ—â—ra 〈◊〉 Eliâ—zabeth so did he noâ— to Q Maâ—â— faythlesse rebels to say of thy seruaunt and her Counsellours that they haue deuised matters which they cannot performe And graunt vnto thy seruant an happy and an easie trauail For it is not impossible to thy power nor indecent to thy
bene maruelously mooued with great affections and passions as well of myrth and gladnes as of heauines sorrow Of gladnes in this that I perceyued how ye be bent geuen to prayer and inuocation of gods helpe in these darke wicked proceedings of men agaynst Gods glory I haue bene sory to perceiue the malice and wickednes of men to be so cruel diuelish tyrannicall to persecute the people of God for seruyng of God saying hearing of the holy Psalmes and the word of eternall life These cruell doings do declare that the Papistes Church is more bloudy and tyrannicall then euer was the sword of the Ethnikes and Gentiles When I heard of your taking and what ye were doing wherfore and by whom ye were takeÌ„ I remembred how the Christians in the Primatiue Church were vsed by the crueltie of vnchristened heathens in the tyme of Traiane the Emperour about 77. yeares after Christes ascension into heauen Of this persecution 〈◊〉 before and how the Christians were persecuted very sore as though they had bene traytors and moouers of sedition Wherupon the gentle Emperor Traiane required to know the true cause of Christian mens trouble A great learned man called Plinius wrote vnto him said it was because the Christians said certaine psalmes before day The Pope 〈◊〉 then Traians the Heaâ—â—â— Emperour vnto one called Christ whoÌ„ they worshipped for god When Traiane the Emperour vnderstood it was for nothyng but for conscience religion he caused by hys commaundements euery where that no man should be persecuted for seruing of God But the Pope his church hath cast you into prison beyng taken euen doyng the worke of God and one of the excellents workes that is required of Christian men that is to wit whiles ye were in praier not in such wicked superstitious prayers as the papists vse but in the same prayer that Christ hath taught you to pray And in his name onely ye gaue God thanks for that ye haue receiued and for his sake ye asked for such thyngs as ye want O glad may ye be that euer ye were borne to be apprehended whilest ye were so vertuously occupied Blessed be they that suffer for righteousnesse sake For if God had suffred them that tooke your bodies then to haue taken your life also now had ye bene following the Lamb in perpetual ioyes away from the company and assembly of wicked men But the Lord would not haue you sodainly so to depart but reserueth you gloriously to speake and maintaine his truth to the world Be ye not careful what ye shall say for God will go out in with you and will be present in your harts in your mouthes to speake his wisedome although it seemeth foolishnes to the world He that hath begun this good worke in you continue you in the same vnto the end pray vnto him that ye may feare him only that hath power to kill both body soule and to cast them into hel fire Be of good comfort All the haires of your hed are numbred and there is not one of them can perish Math. 10. 〈◊〉 12. except your heauenly father suffer it to perish Now ye be in the field placed in y e forefront of Christs battel Doubtles it is a singuler fauour of God a special loue of him towards you to geue you this foreward preeminence a signe that he trusteth you before others of his people The first onset of this persecution geuen in Bowchurchyarde Wherfore deare brethren and sisters continually fight this fight of the Lord. Your cause is most iust and godly ye stand for the true Christ who is after the flesh in heauen for his true religion and honor which is amply fully sufficiently and abundantly conteyned in the holy Testament sealed with Christes owne bloud How much be ye bound to God to put you in trust with so holy and iust a cause Remember what lookers vpon you haue to see behold you in your sight God all his Angels who be ready alway to take you vp into heauen if ye be slaine in his fight Also you haue standing at your backes all the multitude of the faithfull who shal take courage strength 1. Iohn 4. and desire to follow such noble valiant Christians as you be Be not afraid of your aduersaries for he that is in you is stronger then he that is in them Shrinke not although it be payne to you your paynes be not now so great as here after your ioyes shall be Read the comfortable chapiters to the Romans 8.10.15 Heb. 11.12 Comfort taken out of Scriptures And vpon your knees thanke God that euer ye were accompted worthy to suffer any thing for his names sake Read the 2. chap. of s. Lukes gospell there you shal see how the shepeherds that watched vpon their sheep all night as soone as they heard that Christ was borne at Bethlem True obedience putteth no doubtes by and by they went to see him They did not reason nor debate with theÌ„selues who should keepe the Wolfe from the sheep in the meane time but did as they were commanded committed their sheep vnto him whose pleasure they obeyed So let vs do now we be called commit all other thinges to him that calleth vs. He will take heed that all things shall be well He wil helpe the husband he will comfort the wyfe he will guide the seruaunts he will keepe the house All carefulnes to be cast vpon the Lorde he will preserue the goods yea rather then it should be vndone he will wash the dishes and rocke the cradle Cast therfore all your care vpon God for he careth for you Besides this you may perceiue by your imprisonment that your aduersaries weapons against you be nothyng but flesh bloud and tyrannie For if they were able All the streÌ„gth of the Popes religioÌ„ standeth in outward force they would maintaine their wicked religion by Gods worde but for lacke of that they would violently compell such as they cannot by holy Scripture perswade because the holy word of God and all Christes doyngs be contrary vnto them I pray you pray for me I will pray for you And although we be asunder after the world yet in Christ I trust for euer ioyning in the spirite and so shall meete in the pallace of the heauenly ioyes after this short and transitorie lyfe is ended Gods peace be with you Amen The 14 of Ianuary 1554. Upon the Friday after this following being the 18. of Ianuary all the Counsaile went vnto the Tower there the same day discharged and set at libertie all the prisoners of the Tower or the most part of them namely Ianuary 18. Gentlemen deliuered out of the Tower by the Queens pardon the late duke of Northumberlands sonnes Ambrose Robert and Henry sir Andrew Dudley sir Iohn Rogers sir Iames Crofts sir Nich. Throgmorton sir
Then gaue he himselfe wholy to the study of the holy scripture to furnish himselfe to the office of a Preacher In study he was diligent and paynefull in godly life he declared the fruites of a well exercised conscience he prayed often and with great feruour and in his praiers as also at other times hee had hys parte of spirituall exercises which his harty sighing to God declared In which when any speciall assaulte did come by prayer he felt presente reliefe then was his company marueilous comfortable For as his exercises were speciall teachinges so in the ende they proued singular consolations wherein he became so expert that within short space he was able to comforte other which were in any affliction by the coÌ„solation wherwith the Lord did comfort him Thus continued he in the Uniuersitie till he proceeded Maister of Arte and a long space after In the beginning of K. Edwards raigne when Gods true religion was begon to be restored M. Saunders reader in the Colledge of Fothringa after licence obteined he began to preach and was so well liked of them which then had authoritie that they appointed him to read a Diuinitie lecture in the Colledge at Fothringa where by doctrine and life he edified the godly drew many ignoraunt to Gods true knowledge and stopped the mouth of the aduersaries Saunders after reader at Lichfield He marryed about that time and in the marryed estate led a life vnblameable before all men The Colledge of Fothringa being dissolued he was placed to be reader in the Minster at Lichefield where he so behaued himselfe in teaching and liuing that the very aduersaries did geue him a full report as well of learning as of much godlines After a certaine space he departed from Lichfield to a benefice in Leicester shyre called Churchlangton wherupon he keeping residence taught diligently and kept a liberall house From thence he was orderly called to take a benefice in the Citie of London named Alhallowes in Breadstreete Then minded he to geue ouer his Cure in the Countrey and therefore after he had taken possession of his benefice in London he departed from London into the Countrey clearely to discharge hymselfe thereof And euen at that time began the broyle aboute the clayme that Queene Mary made to the Crowne by reason whereof he could not accomplish his purpose In thys trouble and euen among the begynners of it suche I meane as were for the Queene he preached at Northampton The constaÌ„t 〈…〉 Saâ—ders nothing medling with the estate but boldly vttered his conscience against Popish doctrine and Antichrists damnable errours which were like to spring vp agayne in England as a iust plague for the little loue which the English nation did beare to the blessed word of God which had bene so plentifully offred vnto them The Queenes men which were there and heard him were highly displeased with him for his Sermon and for it kept him among them as prisoner But partly for loue of hys brethren frends which were chiefe doers for the Quene among them partly because there was no lawe broken by his preaching they dismissed him He seeing the dreadfull dayes at hand inflamed with the fire of godly zeale preached with diligence at both those benefices as tyme coulde serue him seeing he could resigne neither of them now but into the hand of a Papist Thus passed he to and fro in preaching vntill that proclamation was put forth of which mention is made in the beginning At which tyme he was at his benefice in the countrey where he notwithstanding the proclamation aforesayd taught diligently Gods truth confirming y e people therin and arming them against false doctrine vntill he was not only commaunded to cease but also with force resisted â— Saunders 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the â—ealâ—e so that he could not proceede there in preaching Some of his frends perceiuing such fearefull manassings counseled him to flie out of the realme which he refused to do But seing he was with violence kept from doing good in that place he returned towardes London to vysite the flocke of which he had there the charge On Saterday the 14. of October as he was comming nigh to the Citie of London Sir Iohn Mordant a CouÌ„sellour to Queene Mary did ouertake him asked him whether he went I haue sayd Saunders a cure in London and now I go to instruct my people according to my duety If you wil follow my councell quoth M. Mordant let them alone and come not at them To this Saunders aunswered how shall I then be discharged before God if any be sick and desire consolation if any want good counsell neede instruction or if any should slipp into errour receaue false doctrine Did not you quoth MordaÌ„t preach such a day and named the day in Breadstreet in London Yes verely sayd Saunders that same is my cure M. Mordant disswadeth Laurence Saunders from preaching I heard you my self quoth M. Mordant and will you preach now there agayne If it please you sayde Saunders to morow you may heare me agayne in that same place where I wil confirme by the authoritie of Gods worde all that I sayd then and whatsoeuer before that time I taught them I would counsell you quoth the other not to preache If you can and will forbid me by lawfull authoritie then must I obey sayde Saunders Nay quoth hee I will not forbid you but I doe geue you counsell And thus entred they both the Cittie departed eche from other M. Mordant of an vncharitable minde went to geue warning to Boner Bishop of London y t Saunders woulde preach in his Cure the next day Saunders resorted to his lodging w t a minde bent to doe his duety Where because he seemed to be somewhat troubled M. Saunders 〈◊〉 prison till he was in prison one which was there about him asked him how he did In very deede sayth hee I am in prison till I be in prison meaning that his minde was vnquiet vntill he had preached and that then hee shoulde haue quietnes of minde though he were put in prison The next day whiche was Sonday in the forenone he made a sermon in his parish M. Saunders sermon at Alhallowes 2. Cor. 11. entreating that place whiche Paule writeth to the Corinthians I haue coupled you to one man that ye shoulde make your selues a chast Virgine vnto Christ. But I feare lest it come to passe that as the Serpent beguiled Eue euen so your wittes should be corrupt from the singlenes which ye had towardes Christ. He recited a summe of that true Christian doctrine through whiche they were coupled to Christ to receiue of him free iustification thorough fayth in his bloud The Papisticall doctrine hee compared to the Serpentes deceiuing and lest they shuld be deceiued by it he made a comparison betweene y e voice of God and the voice of the Popish Serpent descending to more particular declaratioÌ„ therof as
not after Christ c. And thus much out of M. Sanders letter so much as remained thereof The residue because it was rent away I could not adioine hereunto NotwithstaÌ„ding by this alredy expressed it is sufficient to vnderstand how good was y e cause estate of this blessed child of god being prisoner for Christes cause Ann. 1555. February For y e defence wherof he wholy bestowed resigned himself in such sort as he forbad his wife to sue for his deliuery wheÌ„ other of his friends had by suite almost obtained it he discouraged them so that they did not folow their suite as by this letter following may appeare ¶ A letter of M. Saunders to his wife GRace mercy and peace in Iesus Christ our Lord. Entirely beloued wife euen as vnto mine owne soule and body so do I dayly in my harty prayer wish vnto you for I doo dayly twise at the least in this sort remember you And I do not doubt deare wife but that both I and you as we be written in the booke of life so we shall together enioy the same euerlastingly through the grace and mercy of God our deare father in hys sonne our Christ. And for this present life let vs wholy appoynt our selues to the will of our good God to glorifie him either by life or by death and euen that same mercifull Lord make vs worthy to honour him either way as pleaseth him Amen I am mery I thanke my God and my Christ 1. Tim. 4. in whome and through whome I shall I knowe be able to fight a good fight and finishe a good course and then receiue the crowne which is layde vp in store for me and all the true Soldiours of Christ. Wherefore wife let vs in the name of our God fight lustely to ouercome the flesh the deuil and the world What our harnesse and weapons be in this kind of fight looke the 6. vnto the Ephesians and pray pray pray I would that you make no suite for me in any wise M Saunders would haue no suite made for him Thanke you knowe whome for her most sweete and comfortable putting me in remembrance of my iourney whether I am passing God send vs all good speede and a ioyfull meeting I haue too fewe suche frends to further me in that iourney which is in deede the greatest friendship The blessing of God be with you all Amen A prisoner in the Lord Laurence Saunders This his constancie is sufficiently commended and declared by his valiant buckling with two mighty enemies Antichrist and death two enemies Antichrist and death To neither of these did he geue place but by suffering their malice got y e victory ouer them both One of the conflictes which he had with Antichrist hys members I haue gathered out of a letter of his own hand writing It was with Doctour Weston a man whome though I should prayse yet would all good and godly meÌ„ worthely disprayse Of this the said Laurence Saunders thus writeth in a letter which he sent to one of his frends which wrote to him to knowe what Doct. Weston dyd at the Marshalsey whereunto he thus aunswereth M. Weston came to conferre with M. Grimoald What he hath coÌ„cluded with him This Doct. Weston and M. Griâ—moald dyed both about the Coronation of Q. Elizabeth I know not I wish it may be to Gods glory Amen Amen M. Weston of his gentlenes visited me ofâ—red me frendship in his worldly wily sort c. I had not so much good maner as to take it at his haÌ„d for I said that I was well inough and ready cherefully to abide the extremity to keepe thereby a good coÌ„science You be a sleepe in sin said he I would awake quoth I and do not forget Vigilate orate i. Watch pray What church was there The church goeth not alwayes by number said he 30. yeres past What church was there quoth I in Helias time Ioane of Kent sayd he was of youre Church No quoth I we did coÌ„demne her as an heretick Who was of your Church sayd he 30. yeares past Such quoth I as that Romish Antichrist and his rabble haue reputed and condemned as heretickes Wicklife sayd he Thorpe Old castle c. Yea quoth I with many moe as storyes do tell The B. of Rome hath sayd he long tyme played a part in your tayling sermons but now be ye sure he must play another maner of part The more pitie quoth I and yet some coÌ„fort it is to see how that the best learned Winchesters booke De Vera Obedientia wisest holiest of you all haue heeretofore had him to play a part likewise in your sermoÌ„s writings though now to please the world you do turne with the weathercocke Did you euer said he heare me preach against the Bishop of Rome No quoth I for I neuer heard you preach But I trowe you haue ben no wiser then other c. with more about the Sacrament Pray pray God keepe your family blesse it What a blessed taste thys good man had of Gods holy spirit by diuers and sondry his letters may right wel appeare to him that is disposed to peruse the same What a blessed taste of M. Sanders had of christes comforts whereof certayne we haue here thought good the Lord willing to expresse first beginning with that whiche he wrote out of the Marshalsey to D. Cranmer Ridley and Latimer prisoners for the like cause of Christ in Oxford To the Archbishop Cranmer Bish. Ridley and M. Latimer being prisoned in Oxford IN my most humble wise I salute you most reuerend fathers in Christ Iesus our Lord M. Saunders writeth to D. Cranmer Ridley c. Coloss. 1. Immortall thanks and euerlasting prayses be geuen vnto that our father of mercies Whiche hath made vs meete to be pertakers of the inheritaunce of Saintes in light whiche hath deliuered vs from the power of darckenes and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his beloued Sonne by whome we haue redemption through his bloud c O most happy estate that in an vnspeakable wise our life is hid with Christ in God Coloss. 3. But whensoeuer Christ which is our life shall shew himselfe then shall we also appeare with him in glory In y e meane season as our sight is but in a glasse euen in a darcke speaking 1. Cor. 13. so wee walke in fayth not after outward appearaunce the which fayth although for want of outward appearaunce reason reputeth but as vaine yea the chosen of God do know the effect thereof to bring a more substanciall taste and liuely fruition of very felicitie and perfect blessednes then reason can reach or sences receaue By this fayth we haue in our profession all good thinges yea euen them whiche the eye hath not seene and the eare hath not heard neither hath entred the hart of man c. Esay 54. 1. Cor. 2. Then
that saueth the Christian man in Christe and doubtlesse the scarcitie of Faith is nowe more and will I feare encrease then it was in the time of the greatest tyrannes that euer were and no marueil why Faith more scarser now then in the old time vnder Tyrauntes Read ye the 6. chap. of s. Iohns Reuelation and ye shall perceiue amongest other thinges y t at the opening of the fourth Seale came out a pale horse and hee that sate vpon him was called death and hell followed hym This horse is the time wherin hipocrites and dissemblers entred into the Churche vnder the pretence of true Religion The pale horse in the Apocalips chap. 6. what it meaneth Mo soules slaine by Monkes and Fryers c. then bodyes by Tytantes as Monkes Friers Nounes Massing Priestes wyth suche other that haue killed moe soules with heresie and superstition then all the tyrannes that euer were killed bodies w t fire sword or banishment as it appeareth by hys name that sitteth vpon y e horse who is called death for all soules that leaue Christe and trust to these hypocrites liue to the deuill in euerlasting paine as is declared by him that foloweth the pale horse which is hell These pretensed and pale hypocrites haue stirred the earthquakes The 6. chapt of the Apocalips opened that is to witte the Princes of the worlde against Christes church haue also darkened the Sunne and made the Moone bloudy and haue caused the Starres to fal from heauen that is to say haue darkned with mists and daily doe darken as ye heare by theyr Sermons the cleare sunne of Gods most pure worde the Moone which be Gods true Preachers whych fetche onely lighte at the Sunne of Gods word are turned into bloud prisons and chaines that theyr light can not shine vnto the worlde as they woulde whereuppon it commeth to passe that the Starres that is to say Christian people fall from heauen that is to wit from Gods most true woorde to hypocrisie most deuilish superstition and Idolatrie Let some learned man shew you al the articles of your beliefe monuments of Christian faith from the time of Christ hitherto and yee shall perceiue that there was neuer mention of suche articles as these hypocrites teach God blesse you and pray for me as I do for you Out of the Fleete by your brother in Christ Iohn Hooper To maister Ferrar Bishop of S. Dauies D. Tailor M. Bradford and M. Philpot prisonners in the kings benche in Southwarke THe grace of God be with you Amen I am aduertised by diuers An other letter of M. Hooper as well such as loue the truthe as also by suche as yet be not come vnto it that ye and I shal be caried shortly to Cābridge there to dispute in the faith and for the religion of Christ which is most true that we haue and doe professe I am as I doubt not ye be in Christ readie not only to goe to Cambridge but also to suffer by Gods helpe Commission geuen out for M. Hooper and other to dispute at Cambridge death it selfe in the maintenaunce thereof Weston and his complices haue obtained foorth the commission already and spedily most like he wil put it in execution Wherfore deare brethren I doe aduertise you of the thing before for diuers causes The one to comfort you in the Lorde that the tyme draweth nigh and is at hand that we shall testifie before Gods enemies Gods truth The next that ye shoulde prepare your selues the better for it The third to shew you what wayes I think were best to vse our selues in this matter and also to hear of euery one of you your better aduise if mine be not good Ye knowe such as shall be Censors and Iudges ouer vs breath and thirst our bloud and whether we by Gods help ouercome after the word of God or by force and subtiltie of our aduersaries be ouercome this will be the conclusion our aduersaries wil say they ouercome and ye perceiue howe they reporte of those great learned men and godly personages at Oxforde Wherefore I minde neuer to aunsweare them except I haue bookes present The counsell of M. Hooper how and vpon what cautions to dispute with the aduersaries because they vse not onely false allegation of the Doctors but also a peece of the Doctors against the whole course of the Doctors minde The next that we may haue sworne Notaries to take things spoken indifferently which will be very harde to haue for the aduersaries will haue the ouersight of all thinges and then make theirs better then it was our worse then it was Then if we see that two or three or more will speake together or with scoffes and tauntes illude and mocke vs I suppose it were best to appeale to be hearde before the Queene and the whole Counsaile and that would much set foorth the glory of God For many of them knowe already the truthe many of them erre rather of zeale then malice and the others that be indurate shoulde be aunsweared fully to their shame I doubte not althoughe to oure smart and bloudshedding For of this I am assured that the Commissioners appoynted to heare vs and iudge vs meane nothynge lesse then to heare the cause indifferently for they be ennemies vnto vs vnto our cause and be at a poynt already to geue sentēce against vs so that if it were possible with S. Stephen to speak so that they could not resist vs or to vse suche silence pacience as Christ did they will proceede to reuenging Wherefore my deare brethren in the mercy of Iesus Christe I would be glad to knowe your aduise this day or to morowe for shortly we shall be gone and I verily suppose that we shall not cōpanie together but be kept one abroade from an other They will denie our appeale yet let vs chalenge the appeale and take witnesse thereof of suche as be present and require for indifferencie of hearing and iudgement to be heard either before the Queene and the Counsaile or els before all the Parliament as they were vsed in king Edwardes dayes Further for my part I will require both bookes and time to answere Wee haue bene prisoners now three quarters of a yeare and haue lacked oure bookes and oure memorie by close keeping and ingratitude of their partes be not as present and quicke as theirs be I trust God will be with vs yea I doubt not but he will and teache vs to doe all thinges in hys cause godly and cōstantly If our aduersaries that shal be our iudges may haue their purpose we shall dispute one day be condemned the next day and suffer the third day Note how◠the Papist◠proceed agaynst all order and law And yet is there no law to condemne vs as farre as I knowe and so one of the Conuocation house sayde this weeke to Doct. Weston To whome Weston made this answere It forceth not quoth
our selues and say our soules serue him whatsoeuer our bodoyes doe the contrary for ciuill order and pollicy But alas I know by my selfe what troubleth you that is the great daunger of the worlde that will reuenge ye thinke your seruice to God with sword and fire with losse of goodes and landes But deare brethren way of the other side that your enemies and Gods enemies shal not do so much as they would but as much as God shall suffer them who can trap them in their own counsels Gods enemies can do no more then he geâ—eth them leaue Math. 20. and destroy them in the midst of their furies Remember ye be the workemen of the Lord and called into his Uineyard there to labour till euening tide that ye may receaue your peny which is more worth then al the kinges of the earth But he that calleth vs into hys vineyard hath not told vs how sore and how feruently the sunne shall trouble vs in our labour But hath bid vs labour and committe the bitternes thereof vnto him who can and will so moderate al afflictions that no man shall haue more layd vppon him then in Christ hee shall be able to beare Unto whose mercifull tuition and defence I commend both your soules and bodyes 2. September 1554. Yours with my poore prayer Iohn Hooper To a Marchant of London by whose meanes he had receaued much comfort in his great necessitie in the Fleete GRace mercy and peace in Christ Iesus our Lorde I thanke God and you for the great helpe and consolation I haue receaued in the time of aduersity by your charitable meanes but most reioice that you be not altered from trueth An other letter of M. Hooper to a helper of his although falshoode cruelly seeketh to distayne her Iudge not my brother truth by outward appearaunee for truth now worse appeareth and more vilely is reiected then falshoode Leaue the outwarde shewe and see by the worde of God what truth is Truth is not to be esteemed by outward appearaunce and accept truth and dislike her not though man call her falshoode As it is now so hath it bene heretofore the truth reiected and falshode receaued Such as haue professed truth for truth haue smarted and the frendes of falshode laughed them to scorne The tryall of both hath bene by contrary successe the one hauing the coÌ„mendation of truth by man but the condemnation of falshode by God flourishing for a tyme with endles destruction the other afflicted a little season but ending with immortall ioyes Wherfore deare brother aske and demaund of your book the Testament of Iesus Christ in these woefull and wretched dayes what you should thinke and what you should stay vpon for a certayne truth and whatsoeuer you heare taught try it by your booke whether it be true or false The dayes be dangerous and full of perill not only for the world and worldly things but for heauen and heauenly things It is a trouble to lose the treasures of this life but yet a very payne if they be kept with the offence of God Cry call pray and in Christ dayly require helpe succour mercy wisedome grace and defence that the wickednes of thys world preuayle not against vs. We began well God preserue vs vntill the end I would write more often vnto you but I do perceaue you be at so much charges with me that I feare you would thinke when I write I craue Send me nothing till I send to you for it and so tell the good men your partners and when I neede I will be bold of you 3. December 1554. Yours with my prayer Iohn Hooper ¶ To Maistres Wilkinson a woman harty in Gods cause and comfortable to his afflicted members THe grace of God and the comforte of his holy spirit be with you Amen This Misteries WilkinsoÌ„ afterward â—yed in Exile at Franckford I am very glad to heare of your health and do thanke you for your louing tokens But I am a great deale more glad to heare how Christianly you auoyd Idolatry prepare your selfe to suffer y e extremity of the world rather theÌ„ to endaunger your selfe to God You doe as you ought to do in this behalfe and in suffering of traÌ„sitory paynes you shall auoyd permanent tormeÌ„ts in the world to come Use your life Gaynes with Gods displeasure is beggary and keepe it with as much quietnes as you can so that you offende not God The ease that commeth wyth his displeasure turneth at length to vnspeakeable paynes and the gaynes of the world with the losse of his fauour is beggery and wretchednes Reason is to be amended in this cause of Religion For it will choose and follow an errour with the multitude if it may be allowed rather then turne to faith and folow the truth with the people of God Moyses found the same fault in himselfe and did amende it choosing rather to be afflicted with the people of God then to vse the libertie of the kings daughter that accounted him as her sonne Heb. 11. Math. 5. Pray for contentation and peace of the spirit and reioyce in such troubles as shall happen vnto you for the truthes sake for in that part Christ saith you be happy Pray also for me I pray you that I may do in all things the will of our heauenly father to whose tuition and defence I commend you * To my deere frendes in God Mayster Iohn Hall and his wyfe THe grace of God be with you Amen I thanke you for your louing and gentle frendship at all times An other letter exhorting to stand fast in the truth praying God to shew vnto you such fauour that whatsoeuer trouble and aduersitie happen yâ— go not backe from him These dayes be daungerous and full of perill but yet let vs comfort our selues in calling to remembrance the dayes of our forefathers vpon whom the Lord sent such troubles that many hundrethes yea many thousandes dyed for the testimonie of Iesus Christ both men and women suffering with patience and constancie as much cruelty as Tyrants could deuise and so departed out of this miserable world to the blisse euerlasting where as now they remaine for euer lookyng alwayes for the end of this sinfull world when they shall receiue their bodies againe in immortalitie and see the number of the elects associated with them in full and consummate ioyes Heb. 11. And as vertuous men suffering Martyrdome and tarying a little whyle in this world with paynes by and by rested in ioyes euerlastyng and as their paynes ended their sorowes and began ease Consolation taken by the example of the ancient martyrs so dyd their constancie and stedfastnes animate and confirme all good people in the truth and gaue them encouragement and lust to suffer the like rather then to fall with the world to consent vnto wickednes and Idolatry Wherefore my deare frends seeing God of his part hath illuminated you with the
I most hartely thanke you for that ye haue so tender a care ouer me And although I knowe that there is neither iustice nor truth to be looked for at my aduersaries handes but rather imprisonment and cruell death yet know I my cause to be so good and righteous and the truth so strong vpon my side that I will by Gods grace go and appeare before them and to their beardes resist their false doings Then sayd his frendes M. Doctour we thinke it not best so to do You haue sufficieÌ„tly done your duety and testified the truth both by your godly Sermons and also in resisting the Parson of Aldam with other that came hytherto bring in againe the popish Masse And for as much as our Sauiour Christ willeth and biddeth vs that when they persecute vs in one City we should flie into another Math. 10. we thinke in flying at this time ye should do best keeping your selfe against another time wheÌ„ the Church shall haue great neede of such diligent teachers and godly Pastors Oh quoth Doct. Taylour what will ye haue me to do I am now olde and haue already liued too long to see these terrible and most wicked dayes Flye you and do as your conscience leadeth you D. Taylour reâ—â—â—eth to â—ye I am fully determined with Gods grace to go to the Bishop to his beard to tell him that he doth nought God shall well hereafter raise vp teachers of his people whiche shall with much more diligence and fruite teach them then I haue done For God will not forsake his Church though now for a time he trieth and correcteth vs and not without a iust cause As for me I beleeue before God I shall neuer be able to do God so good seruice as I may do now nor I shall neuer haue so glorious a calling as I now haue nor so great mercy of God profered me as is now at this present For what Christian man woulde not gladly dye against the Pope and his adherents I know that the Papacie is the kingdome of Antichrist altogether full of lyes altogether full of falsehode so that all their doctrine euen from Christes Crosse be my speede and S. Nicholas The Papacy a â—ingdome 〈◊〉 lyes vnto the end of their Apocalyps is nothing but Idolatry superstition errours hypocrisie and lyes Wherefore I beseech you and all other my frendes to pray for me I doubt not but God will geue me streÌ„gth and his holy spirit y t all mine aduersaries shal haue shame of their doings When his frends saw him so constaunt and fully determined to go they with weeping eyes commended him vnto God and he within a day or two prepared himselfe to his iourney leauing his cure with a godly olde Priest named Syr Richard Yeoman who afterward for Gods truth was burnt at Norwich Syr Rich. Yeoman D. Taylours Curate and Martir of Christ Iohn Alcocke of Hadley trobled for Gods truth and dyed in prison D. Taylours iourney There was also in Hadley one Alcocke a very godly man well learned in the holy Scriptures who after Sir Richard Yeoman was driuen away vsed dayly to reade a chapter and to say the English Letany in Hadley Church But him they fet vp to London and cast him in prison in Newgate where after a yeare imprisonment he died But let vs returne to Doctour Taylour agayne who being accompanied with a seruaunt of his owne named Iohn Hull tooke his iourney towardes London By the way this Iohn Hull laboured to counsell and perswade him very earnestly to flie and not to come to the Byshop and profered himselfe to go with him to serue him and in all perils to venter his liâ—e for him and with him Iohn Hull a faythfull seruaunt to D. Taylour But in no wise would Doctour Taylour consent or agree thereunto but sayd Oh Iohn shall I geue place to this thy counsell worldly perswasion and leaue my flock in this daunger Remember the good shepeheard Christ whiche not alonely fed his flocke but also died for hys flocke Him must I follow and with Gods grace will do Therefore good Iohn pray for me and if thou seest me weake at any time D. Taylour agayne adâ—â—ed to flye but he refused so to do The first meeting betweene Winchest and D. Tailour A great abuse in Englande and 3. mischiefes comming thereof The first mischiefe The second mischiefe comfort me and discourage me not in this my godly enterprise and purpose Thus they came vp to London and shortly after Doctour Taylour presented himselfe to the Bishop of Winchester Steuen Gardiner then Lord Chauncellour of England For this hath bene one great abuse in Englande these many yeares that such offices as haue ben of most importance and waight haue commonly bene committed to Bishops and other spirituall men whereby three diuelish mischiefes and inconueniences haue happened in this Realme to the great dishonour of God and vtter neglecting of the flocke of Christ the which three be these First they haue had small leysure to attende to theyr pastorall cures which thereby haue bene vtterly neglected and left vndone Secondly it hath also puft vp many Byshops and other spirituall persons into such hautines and pryde that they haue thought no noble man in the Realme worthy to be their equall and fellow Thirdly where they by this meanes knew the very secretes of Princes The third mischiefe they being in such high offices haue caused the same to be knowne in Rome afore the kings could accomplish and bring their ententes to passe in England By this meanes hath the Papacy bene so maintained and things ordered after their wils and pleasures that much mischiefe hath happened in this Realme and others sometime to the destruction of Princes and sometime to the vtter vndoing of many common wealthes Now when Gardiner saw Doctour Taylour he according to his common custome all â—o reuiled him calling him knaue Traytor hereticke with many other villanous reproches which all Doctour Taylour heard patiently and at the last sayd vnto him D. Taylours patience and â—agnaniâ—itie My Lord quoth he I am neither Traytour nor hereticke but a true subiect and a faithfull Christian man and am come according to your coÌ„mandement to know what is the cause that your Lordship hath sent for me Then sayde the Bishop art thou come thou villaine How darest thou looke me in the face for shame Knowest thou not who I am Yes quoth Doctor Taylor I knowe who yee are Steuen Gardiners Lordly lookes Ye are Doctor Steuen Gardinar Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chauncellour yet but a mortall man I trow But if I shoulde be afrayde of your Lordly lookes why feare you not God the Lord of vs all Howe dare yee for shame looke any Christian man in the face The notable answere of Doctor Taylour to the Bishop of Winchester seeing ye haue forsaken the trueth denyed our sauioure Christ and hys word done
Hunter led to the place of Matirdome The Shriffes sonne geueth comfortable wordes to W. Hunter and embraced him in his right arme saying William be not afraid of these men which are here present with bowes bils weapons ready prepared to bring you to the place where you shall be burned To whom William aunswered I thanke God I am not afraide for I haue cast my coumpt what it wil cost me already Then the sheriffes sonne could speake no more to him for weeping Then William Hunter plucked vp his gowne stepped ouer the Parlour grounsel and went forward chearefully the sheriffes seruaunt taking him by the arme and I his brother by an other and thus going in the way met w t his father according to his dreame he spake to his sonne W. Hunters dreame verefied weeping and saying God be with thee sonne William and William sayd God be with you father be of a good comfort for I hope we shall meete againe when we shal be mery His father said I hope so William and so departed His wordes to his father So W. went to the place where the stake stoode euen according to hys dreame whereas all thinges were very vnready Then William tooke a wet broome fagot kneeled downe thereon and red the 51. Psalme till he came to these words the sacrifice of God is a contrite spirite a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Then sayd M. Tirrel of the Beaches called W. Tirel thou lyest sayd he thou readest false M. William Tyrell of the Beaches carpeth where he hath no cause for the wordes are an humble spirit But W. said the translation sayth a contrite heart Yea quoth M. Tirel the translation is fals ye translate bokes as ye list your selues like hereticks Wel quoth William there is no great difference in those words Then sayd the sheriffe heere is a letter from the Queene If thou wilt recant thou shalt liue if not thou shalt be burned No W. Hunter refuseth the Quenes pardon quoth W. I will not recante God willing Then W. roase and went to the stake and stoode vpright to it Then came one Richard Ponde a Bailiffe and made fast the chaine about William The burning of William Hunter Martyr Then sayde M. Browne here is not woode enough to burne a legge of him Then said William good people pray for me and make speede and dispatch quickly and pray for me while ye see me aliue good people and I praye for you likewise Now quoth M. Browne pray for thee A dogged saying of M. Browne I will pray no more for thee then I wil pray for a dogge To whom William aunsweared M. Browne now you haue that whych you sought for I pray God it be not laid to your charge in the last day howbeit I forgeue you Then sayde maister Browne I aske no forgeuenes of thee Wel sayd William if God forgeue you not I shall require my bloude at your handes Then sayd William Sonne of God shine vppon mee and immediately the sunne in the element shone oute of a darke cloude so full in his face that he was constrayned to looke an other way whereat the people mused because it was so darke a little time afore An externall shew of Chriâ—â—s â—auour vpon W. Hunter Williamâ— dreamâ— verified Then William tooke vppe a fagot of broome and embraced it in his armes Then this Priest which William dreamed of came to his brother Robert with a popish booke to carye to William that he might recant which booke his brother woulde not meddle withall Then William seeing the priest and perceiuing how he woulde haue shewed hym the booke sayd away Hunters wordes to a Popish Priest thou false prophet Beware of them good people come awaye from their abominatioÌ„s lest y t you be partakers of their plagues Then quoth the Priest looke howe thou burnest heere so shalt thou burne in hel William answered thou liest thou false prophet away thou false prophet away Then was there a Gentleman whiche sayde I praye God haue mercy vpon his soule The people sayd Amen Amen Immediatly fire was made Then William cast his Psalter right into his brothers hande Hunter comforted by his brother Robert who sayde William thinke on the holy Passion of Christ and be not afraid of death And William aunsweared I am not afraid Then lifte he vp his handes to heauen and sayd Lorde Lorde Lord receiue my spirit and casting downe hys head againe into the smothering smoke he yeelded vp his life for the truthe sealing it with hys bloud to the praise of God Nowe by and by after M. Browne commaunded one old Hunt to take his brother Robert Hunter lay him in the stockes till he returned from the burning of Higbed at Hornden on the hill Rob. Hunter set â—n â—he stocks Rob. Hunter had before M. Browne the same day Which thing olde Hunt did Then maister Browne when Robert Hunter came before him asked if he would doe as his brother had done But Robert Hunter answered if I do as my brother hath done I shall haue as he hath had Mary quoth M. Browne thou mayest be sure of it Then M. Browne sayde I maruell that thy brother stoode so to hys tackling and moreouer asked Robert if Williams Maister of London were not at hys burnynge Rob. Hunter by Gods prouideÌ„ce deliuered But Roberte sayde that hee was not there but Mayster Browne bare hym in hande that his master was there and howe that he did see him there but Robert denied it Then master Browne commaunded the Constable and Robert Hunter to goe theyr wayes home and so had no further talke wyth them Here followeth the hystorie of master Higbed and master Causton two worthy Gentlemen of Essex which for the syncere confession of theyr faith vnder Boner B. of London were Martyred and burned in Essex An. 1555. Marche 26. ALthough the coÌ„demnation of maister Higbed and master Causton followed after the condemning of those other Martyrs Marke 26. The story of M. Higbed and M. Causton Martirs which were condemned with Tomkyns and Hunter aboue mentioned yet because the time of their execution was before the burning of the foresaid four martyrs for so muche as they suffered the same day that William Hunter did which was the 26. of Marche I thoughte therefore next after the storie of the sayde William Hunter folowing the order of time here to place the same This maister Higbed and maister Causton two worshipfull Gentlemen in the Countie of Essex the one at Hornden of the hill the other of the parishe of Thunderst being zealous and religious in the true seruice of God as they could not dissemble with the Lord their God nor flatter with the world so in time of blind superstition wretched idolatrie they could not long lie hidde and obscure in such a number of malignant aduersaries accusers and seruaunts of thys worlde
if ye loue not Gods Gospell yea if ye loue it not Therefore to conclude repent loue Gods Gospell liue in it all your conuersation so shall Gods name be praysed his plagues be mitigated his people comforted and his enemies ashamed GrauÌ„t all this thou gracious lord god to euery one of vs for thy deare sonnes sake our Sauiour Iesus Christ To whome with thee and the holy Ghost be eternal glory for euer and euer Amen The 12. of February 1555. By the bondman of the Lord and your afflicted poore brother Iohn Bradford * To my louing brethren B. C. c. their Wiues and whole families I. Bradford I Beseech the euerliuing God to graunt you all my good brethren and sisters An other letter of M. Bradford to certayne frendes of his whom for danger of that time he would not name the comfort of the holy spirit and the continuall sense of his mercy in Christ our Lord now and for euer amen The world my brethren semeth to haue the vpper hand iniquity ouerfloweth the trueth and verity seemeth to bee suppressed and they which take parte therewith are vniustly entreated as they which loue the trueth lament to see and heare as they doe The cause of all this is Gods anger and mercy his anger because we haue greuously sinned agaynst him his mercy because he here punisheth vs and as a Father nourtereth vs. Wee haue beene vnthankefull for his word We haue contemned his kyndenesse Gods anger and mercy both together vpon his Church The contempt of God and his Gospell punished Wee haue bene negligent in prayer We haue bene so carnall couetous licencious c. We haue not hastened to heauen warde but rather to hellwarde We were fallen almost into an open contempt of God and all his good ordinaunces so that of his iustice he coulde no longer forbeare but make vs feele his anger as now he hath done in taking his worde and true seruice from vs and permitted Sathan to serue vs with Antichristian religion and that in such sort that if we will not yelde to it and seeme to allow in deede an outwarde facte our bodyes are like to be layed in prison and our goodes geuen we can not tell to whom This should we looke vpon as a signe of Gods anger procured by our sinnes which my good brethren euery of vs should now call to our memories oftentymes so particularly as we can that wee might hartely lament them Exhortâ—â— to repâ—â—â—tance 〈…〉 repent them hate them aske earnestly mercy for them and submit our selues to beare in this liâ—e any kinde of punishment which God will lay vpon vs for them This should we do in consideration of Gods anger in this time Now his mercy in this time of wrath is seene and should be sene in vs my dearely beloued in this that God doth vouchsafe to punish vs in this present life If he should not haue punished vs Gods 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 why we punished here do not you thinke that we would haue continued in the euilles we were in Yes verely we woulde haue bene worse and haue gone forwardes in hardenyng our hartes by impenitency and negligence of God true godlines And then if death had come should not we haue perished both soule and body into eternall fire and perdition Alas what misery shoulde we haue fallen into if God shoulde haue suffered vs to haue gone on forwarde in our euils No greater signe of damnatioÌ„ there is then to lie in euill and sinne vnpunished of God as now the Papistes my dearely beloued are cast into Iezabels bed of security which of all plagues is the grieuousest plague that can be They are bastards and not sonnes for they are not vnder Gods rod of correction A great mercy it is therefore that GOD doth punish vs For if he loued vs not he would not punish vs. Iesabeâ— bed of 〈◊〉 Apoc. â— Heb. 1â— 1. Cor. â— 1. Pet. â— The 〈…〉 God 's 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 in thâ—â— world Phillip â— Now doth he chastice vs that we shoulde not be damned with the worlde Nowe doeth he nourtour vs because he fauoureth vs. Now may we thinke our selues Gods house and children because he beginneth his chastising at vs Now calleth he vs to remember our sinnes past Wherefore that we might repent and aske mercy And why That he might forgeue vs pardon vs iustifye vs and make vs his children and so begin to make vs here lyke vnto Christ that we might be lyke vnto hym elswhere euen in heauen where already wee are sette by fayth with Christ and at his comming in very deede we shall then most ioyfully enioy when our sinnefull and vile bodyes shall be made like to Christes glorious body accordynge to the power whereby he is able to make all thinges subiect to himselfe Therefore my brethren let vs in respect hereof not lament but land God not to be sory but be mery not weep but reioyce and be gladde that God doth vochsafe to offer vs his Crosse Rom. â— thereby to come to him to endlesse ioyes and comfortes For if we suffer we shall raigne 2. Tim. â— if we confesse him before men he will confesse vs before his father in heauen if we be not ashamed of his Gospell now Math. â—â— he wyll not be ashamed of vs in the last day but will be glorifyed in vs crowning vs with crownes of glorye and endlesse felicitye Math. â— For blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theyrs is the kingdome of heauen Be glad sayâ—h Peter for the spirite of God resteth vpon you After that you are a litle afflicted God will comforte 1. 〈…〉 strengthen and confirme you 1. 〈…〉 And therefore my good brethren be not discouraged for Crosse for prison or losse of goodes for confession of Christes Gospell and truth He 〈…〉 to takâ— comforâ— the 〈◊〉 Math. â— whiche ye haue beleued and liuely was taught amongest you in the dayes of our late good Kyng and most holy Prince Kyng Edward This is most certayne if you loose any thing for Christes fake and for contemning the Antichristian seruice set vppe agayne amongst vs as you for your partes euen in prison shall finde Gods great and riche mercy farre passing all worldly wealth so shall your wiues and children in this present life finde and feele Gods prouidence more plentifully then tongue can tell For he will shew mercifull kindenesse on thowsands of them that loue hym Psalm â— The good mannes seed shall not goe a begging his bread You are good men so many as suffer for Christes sake I truste you all my dearelye beloued Gods 〈◊〉 seene 〈◊〉 Crosse. wyll consyder this geare with your selues in the crosse see Gods mercy which is more sweete and to be set by then life it selfe muche more then anye Mucke or Pelfe of this worlde This mercy of God shoulde make you merye and chearefull for the afflictions of
this life Rom â— are not to bee compared to the ioyes of the lyfe prepared for you You knowe the way to heauen is not the wide way of the worlde Math. â— whiche windeth to the deuill but it is a strayte waye which fewe walke in For fewe liue Godlye in Christ Iesu 2. Tim â— 2. Cor. â— Math. â— fewe regarde the lyfe to come fewe remember the daye of iudgement few remember howe Christ will denye them before his father that do deny him here few consider that Christ will be ashamed of them in the last day whiche are ashamed of his truth and true seruice few cast their accountes what wil be layed to theyr charge in the day of vengeance few regard the condemnation of theyr owne consciences in doing that which inwardly they disalow few loue god better then theyr goodes But I trust yet you are of this fewe my dearely beloued I trust you be of that little flocke which shall enherite the kingdome of heaueÌ„ I trust you are the mourners and lamenters 〈◊〉 10. which shal be comforted with comfort whyche neuer shall be taken from you if you nowe repent your former euilles if nowe you striue agaynst the euilles that are in you if now you continue to call vpon God if nowe you defile not your bodyes with any Idolatrous seruice 〈◊〉 4. vsed in the Antichristian Churches if you molest not the good spirite of God which is geuen you as a gage of eternall redemption a counseller and Mayster to lead you into all trueth whiche good spirite I beseeche the Father of mercye to geue to vs all for his deare sonnes sake Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome I commend you all and to the worde of his grace Actes 10. which is able to helpe you all and saue you all that beleue it folow it and serue GOD therafter And of this I would ye were all certayne that all the heares of your heads are numbred Math. 10. Math. spanâ— 1. Psalm 1â—4 Psalm 31. Pet. 5. so that not one of them shall perishe neither shall any man or deuill be able to attempt any thing much lesse to do any thing to you or any of you before your heauenly father which loueth you most tenderly shall geue them leaue and when he hath geuen them leaue they shall go no further then he will nor keepe you in trouble any longer then he will Therefore cast on him all your care for he is carefull for you Onely study to please hym and to keepe your consciences cleane your bodyes pure from the Idolatrous seruice whiche nowe euery where is vsed and GOD will maruellouslye and mercifully defend and comfort you which thing he doe for his holy names sake in Christ our Lord. Amen * To his dearely beloued in Christ Erkinalde Rawlins and his wife GOd our deare and moste mercyfull Father thorough Christ be with you my good Brother and Sister as with his children for euer and in all thinges so guide you with his holy spirite the leader of his people as may bee to his glory and your owne euerlasting ioy and comfort in him Amen Because I haue oftentimes receiued from either of you comfort corporall for the which I beseeche the Lorde as to make me thankefull so to recompence you both now eternally I can not but goe about Lord help hereto for thy mercyes sake to write some thing for your comfort spiritually My dearely beloued looke not vppon these dayes and the afflictions of the same here with vs 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 godly 〈◊〉 ioyfull the 〈…〉 simplye as they seeme vnto you that is as dismall dayes and dayes of Gods vengeaunce but rather as lucky dayes and dayes of Gods fatherlye kindenesse towardes you and suche as you be that is toward such as repent theyr sinnes and euill life paste and earnestly purpose to amende walking not after the will of the world and most part of men for the preseruation of theyr pelfe whiche will they nill they they shall leaue sooner or later and to whome or howe it shall be vsed they know not In deede to suche as walke in theyr wickednesse and winde on with the worlde this tyme is a tyme of wrath and vengeaunce and theyr beginning of sorrowe is but nowe because they contemne the Phisicke of theyr father whiche by this purging time and cleansing dayes would worke theyr weale whiche they will nor Clensing dayes and because they will not haue Gods blessing which both wayes he hath offered vnto them by prosperity and aduersity Gods 〈◊〉 not to 〈◊〉 refused therefore it shall be kepte farre enough from them As when the sicke man will no kinde of Phisicke at the handes of the Phisition he is lefte alone and so the malady encreaseth and destroyeth him at the length To such men in deed these dayes are and should be dolefull dayes dayes of woe and weeping because theyr damnation draweth nigh But vnto such as be penitent and are desirous to liue after the Lordes wil among whom I do not onely count you but as far as a man may iudge I know ye are vnto such I say 〈…〉 receaâ—ed with 〈◊〉 this time is and should be comfortable For first now your father chastiseth you and me for our sinnes for the which if he would haue destroyed vs then woulde hee haue letten vs alone and left vs to our selues in nothyng to take to hart his fatherly visitation which here it pleaseth him to worke presently because else where he wyll not remember our transgressions as Paule writeth He chastiseth vs in this world least with the world we should perishe Therefore my deare hartes call to minde your sinnes to lament them God punisheth not twise for one thing and to aske mercye for them in hys sight and withall vndoubtedly beleue to obteyne pardon and assured forgeuenesse of the same for twise the Lord punisheth not for one thing So that I saye first wee haue cause to reioyce for these dayes because our father suffereth vs not to lye in Iesabels bed sleeping in our owne sinnes and security but as mindefull on vs doth correct vs as his children Whereby we may be certayne that we be no bastardes but children for he chastiseth euery childe whom he receiueth Difference betweene bastards and children So that they which are not partakers of his chastising or that contemne it declare themselues to be bastardes and not children as I know ye are which as ye are chastised so do ye take it to hart accordingly And therefore be glad my deare hartes and folkes knowing certaynelye euen by these visitatioÌ„s of the Lord that ye are his deare elect children whose faultes your father doth visite with the rodde of correction but his mercy will he neuer take away from vs. Amen Secondly ye haue cause to reioyce for these dayes because they are dayes of triall wherein not onely ye your selues but also the worlde shall
done you Certainely I dare say you thinke not so of your selfe as though God were bound to preferre you or had neede of you but rather attribute this as all good thinges vnto his free mercy in Christ. Agayne I dare say that you being a wise man doe iudge of thinges wisely that is concerning this your Crosse The worlde people and wordly wisedome are euill iudges of things spirituall you iudge of it not after y e world and people which is magnus erroâ—is magister nor after the iudgement of reason and worldly wisedome which is foolishnesse to faythe nor after the present sense to the which non videtur gaudij sed molestiâ—e i. it seemeth not to bee ioyous but greeuous as Paule writeth but after the worde of God which reacheth youre Crosse to be in respecte of your selfe betweene God and you Heb. 12. Gods chastising and your fathers correction nurture schoole tryall patheway to heauen Prayse of the Crosse. glory and felicitie and the furnace to coÌ„sume the drosse and mortify the relikes of old Adam whiche yet remayne yea euen the framehouse to fashyon you like to the dearest sayntes of God here yea Christ to the Sonne of GOD that elswhere you might be like vnto him Now concerning your crosse in respecte of the worlde betweene the world and you The Crosse maketh vs witnesses to God wherein and in what thinges Gods word teacheth it to be a testimonial of Gods truth of hys prouidence of his power of his iustice of his wisedome of his anger agaynst sinne of his goodnes of his iudgement of your faith and religion so that by it you are to the world a witnes of god one of his testes that hee is true he ruleth all thinges hee is iuste wise and at the length will iudge the worlde and cast the wicked into perdition but the godly he wil take receiue into his eternall habitation I know you iudge of thinges after faythes fetche and the effectes or endes of thinges and so you see aeternum pondus gloriae i. An eterweight of glorye whiche this Crosse shall bryng vnto you dum non spectas ea quae videntur 1. Cor. 4. sed ea quae non videntur i. While you looke not on thinges which are seene but on the thinges which are not seene Let the worldlinges way thinges Subscribing to K. Edwardes will and looke vpon the affayres of men with theyr worldly and corporall eyes as did many in subscription of the kinges last will and therefore they did that for the whiche they beshrewed themselues but let vs looke on thinges with other maner of eyes as God be praysed you did in not doyng that which you were desired and driueÌ„ at to haue done You then behelde thinges not as a man but as a man of God and so you do now in Religion at y e least hetherto you haue done and that you might do so stil I humbly beseeche and pray you say with Dauid Defecerunt oculi mei in eloquium tuum Psalm 119. quando consolaberis me i. Myne eyes fayle for thy word saying when wilt thou coÌ„fort me Though you be as vter in fumo i. like a bottell in the smoke for I heare you want health yet ne obliuiscaris iustificationes Dei i. Do not forget the statutes of y e Lord but cry out quot sunt dies serui tuiâ— quando facies de persequeÌ„tibus me iudicium i. Howe many are the dayes oâ— thy seruaunt when wilt thou execute iudgement on them that persecute me And bee certayne quòd Dominus veniens veniet non tardabit Aba 2. Psalm 30. Si moram fecerit expecta illum i. The Lord will surely come and not stay though he tary wayt for him for he is but ad momentum in ira sua vita in voluntate eius Ad vesperam demorabitur fletus ad matutinum laetitia i. He is but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life weepyng may abide at euening but ioye commeth in y e morning Follow therfore Esayes counsayl Abscondere ad modicum Esay 26. ad momentum donec pertranseat indignatio eius i. Hide thy selfe for a very little while vntil the indignation passe ouer which is not indignatio in deede but to our sense and therfore in the 26. chapiter of Esay God saith of his Churche and people Esay 26. that as hee keepeth night and day so non est indignatio mihi i. There is no anger in me sayth he The mother sometime beateth the childe but yet her hart melteth vppon it euen in the very beating Gods loue in our corrections and therefore she casteth the rodde into the fire and culleth the child geueth it an apple and dandleth it most motherly And to say the trueth the loue of mothers to their children is but a trace to trayne vs to beholde the loue of God towardes vs Esay 49. and therefore sayth he can a mother forget the chylde of her wombe As who say no but if she should so do yet will not I forget thee sayth the Lorde of hostes Ah comfortable saying I will not forget thee sayth the Lord. In deede the children of God think oftentimes that God hath forgotten them and therefore they cry Ne abscondas faciem tuam â me c. i. Hide not thy face from me c. Ne deâ—elinquas me Domine c i. Leaue me not O Lorde c. Whereas in very trueth it is not so but to their present sense Psalm 25. and therefore Dauid sayd Ego dixi in excessu meo proiectus sum â facie tua i. I sayd in my agony I was cleane cast away from thy face But was it so Naye verely Reade his Psalme and you shall see Psalm 90 98.37 â—â— Psalm 31. Psalm â—2 So writeth he also in other places very often especially in the person of Christ as when he sayth Deus meus Deus meus vt quid derequisti me i. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me he sayth not vt quid derelinquis i. Why doest thou forsake me or derelinques i. Why wilt thou forsake me but vt quid dereliquisti Why hast thou forsaken me Where in deede God had not lefte hym but that it was so to hys sense that thys Psalme telleth full well which Psalme I pray you now and then reade it is the 22. and thereto ioyne the 30. and the 116. with diuers other The same we read in the Prophet Esay in his 40. chapiter where hee reprooueth Israell for saying God had forgotten them Nunquid nescis sayth hee i. Knowest thou not An non audiuisti c. i. Hast thou not heard c. Esay 40. Qui sperant in Domino mutabunt fortitudineÌ„ i. They that trust in the Lord shall renue theyr strength And in his 54. chapiter Noli timere c. Ad punctum enim in modico dereliqui te in
miserationibus magnis congregabo te In momento indignationis obscondi faciem meam parumper â te in miserecordia sempiterna misertus sum tui di xit redemptor tuus dominus Nam istud erit mihi sicut aquae Noe. Vt enim iuraui ne porro aquae Noe pertransirent terram sic iuraui vt non irascar tibi non increpem te Montes enim comouebuntur colles contremiscent miserecordia autem mea non recedet à te foedus pacis meae non mouebitur dixit miserator tuus Dominus i. Feare not c. For a little while I haue forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee For a moment in mine anger I hyd my face from thee for a little season but in euerlastyng mercy haue I had compassion on thee sayth the Lorde thy redeemer For this is vnto me as the waters of Noe. For as I haue sworne that the waters of Noe should no more goe ouer the earth so haue I sworne that I would not be angry w t thee nor rebuke thee For the mountaynes shal remoue and hilles shall fall downe but my mercye shall not departe from thee neyther shall the couenaunte of my peace fall awaye sayth the Lorde that hath compassion on thee But the scriptures are full of suche sweete places to them that will portare iram domini expectare salutem auxilium eius i. Beare the wrathe of the Lorde Math. â— and waye for his health and helpe As of all temptations this is the greatest that God hathe forgotten or will not helpe vs through the pykes as they say so of all seruices of God this liketh hym y e best to hope assuredly on him for hys helpe alwayes whiche is adiutor in tribulationibus i. An helper in tribulations 1. Cor. â—â— Psalm 1â— and doth more gloriously shew his power by suche as be weake and feele themselues so For quo infirmiores sumus eo sumus in illo robustiores Sic oculi domini i. The weaker we are the more stronge we are in hym Thus the eyes of the Lord be on them that tremble and feare Voluntatem eorum faciet i. hee will accomplishe their desire he is with them in their trouble hee will deliuer them Antequam clamauerint exaudit eos i. before they cry he heareth them as all the scriptures teach vs. To the reading whereof and hartye prayer I hartily commend you beseechyng almighty God that of his eternall mercies hee woulde make perfecte the good hee hathe begunne in you and strengthen you to the ende that you might haue no lesse hope but much more of hys helpe to your comforte nowe agaynst your enemies then already he hathe geuen you agaynst N. for not subscrybing to the kinges will Be certayne be certayne good M. Hales that all the heares of your head your deare father hath numbred so that one of them shall not pearishe your name is written in the booke of lyfe Therefore vpon God cast all your care whiche will comforte you with his eternall consolations and make you able to goe through the fire if neede bee whiche is nothing to be compared to the fire where into our enemies shall fall and lye for euer from the whiche the Lorde deliuer vs though it be through temporall fire which must be construed according to the ende and profite that commeth after it so shall it then not muche deare vs to suffer it for our mayster Christes cause the whiche the Lord graunt for his mercies sake Amen From the kings Bench. Your humble Iohn Bradford ⧠To my very friend in the Lord Doctor Hyll Phisition THe God of mercy and father of all comforte at this present and for euer engraffe in your harte the sense of his mercy in Christ â—etter to 〈◊〉 Hill 〈◊〉 and for the continuaunce of hys consolation whiche cannnot but enable you to carrye wyth ioye whatsoeuer crosse he shall lay vpon you Amen Hetherto I coulde haue no suche libertye as to wryte vnto you as I thynke you knowe but nowe in that throughe Gods prouidence I haue no suche restraynte I cannot but somthing write as well to purge me of this suspicion of vnthankfulnes towardes you as also to signifie my carefulnes for you in these perilous dayes least you should waxe colde in Gods cause whiche God forbid or suffer the light of the Lord once kindled in your harte to be quenched and so become as you were before after the example of the worlde and of many othere whiche woulde haue bene accompted otherwise in our dayes and yet still beguile themselues still would be so accompted although by their outward lyfe they declare the contrary in that they thinke it inough to keepe the harte pure notwythstandynge that the outward man doth curry fauour In whiche doyng as they deny God to be ielous and therefore requireth the whole man as well body as soule being bothe create as to immortalitie and societye wyth hym so redeemed by the bloud of Iesus Christ and now sanctified by the holy spirite to be the temple of GOD and member of hys sonne as I say by their parting stake to geue God the harte â—â—rting 〈◊〉 bâ—â—wene God and the world 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 church and the world the body they deny God to be ielous for els they woulde geue hym both as the wyfe would doe to her husband whether he be ielous or noe if shee bee honest so they playe the dissemblers with the Churche of GOD by theyr facte offendyng the godlye whome eyther they prouoke to fall wyth them or make more carelesse and consciencelesse if they be fallen and occasionyng the wicked and obstinate to tryumphe against God and the more vehemently to prosecute theyr malyce agaynst suche as will not defile themselues in bodye or soule with the Romyshe ragges now reuiued amongest vs. Because of thys I meane least you my deare Mayster and brother in the Lorde shoulde doe as many of our Gospellers doe for feare of man whose breathe is in hys nostrels and hathe power but of the body Gospell 〈◊〉 â—say 2. not fearyng the Lord which hath power both of soule and body and that not onely temporallye but also eternally I could not but write something vnto you aswell because duety deserueth it for many benefites I haue receiued of God by your handes for the whiche hee rewarde you for I cannot as also because charitie and loue compelleth me not that I thinke you haue anye neede for as I may rather learne of you so I doubt not but you haue hetherto kept your selfe vpright from haltyng but that I might both quyet my conscience callyng vppon me hereabout â— Hill M. â—radfordes â—hisition Maiâ—eâ—s Sortes of â—biectes Wayes Kingâ—â—mes and signifie vnto you by some thynge my carefulnes for your soule as payneful and often you haue done for my body Therefore I praye you call to minde that there bee but two maysters two kindes of
sort I say you must pray and vse your cogitations when Satan would haue you to doubte of saluation He doth all he can to preuayle herein Hope beyond hope Faith goeth before feeling Do you al you can to preuayle herein agaynst hym Though you feel not as you wold yet doubt not but hope beyond all hope as Abraham did For alwayes as I sayd goeth fayth before feelyng As certayne as God is almighty as certayne as God is mercifull as certayne as God is true as certayn as Iesus Christe was crucified is risen and sitteth on the right hand of the Father as certayne as this is GODS commaundement I am the Lord thy God c. so certayne ought you to be that God is your father As you are bouÌ„d to haue no other Gods but hym so are ye no lesse bound to beleue that God is your God What profite shoulde 〈◊〉 be to you to beleue this to be true I am the Lord thy God to others if you shoulde not beleue that this is true to youre selfe The deuill beleeueth on this sorte And whatsoeuer it be that woulde moue you to doubte of this Doubting commeth of the deuill whether God be your God through Christ that same coÌ„meth vndoubtedly of the deuill Wherefore did God make you but because he loued you Might not he haue made you blind dumbe deafe lame frantike c. Might not hee haue made you a Iew a Turke a Papist c And why hath hee not done so verily because hee loued youe And why dyd hee loue you What was ther in you to moue him to loue you Surely nothing moued him to loue you and therefore to make you and so hitherto to keep you but his own goodnes in Christ. Eccle. 1. Nowe then in that his goodnes in Chryste still remayneth as much as it was that is euen as great as hymself for it cannot be lessoned how shuld it be but y t he is your God and father Beleue this beleeue this my good sister for God is no chaungeling them whome hee loueth he loueth to the end Cast therefore your selfe wholly vpon him and think without all wauering that you are Gods child that you are a citizen of heauen that you are the daughter of God the temple of the holy Ghost c. If hereof you be assured as you ought to be then shall your conscience be quieted then shall you lament more more that you want manye thinges which God loueth Fayth assured hope of Gods sauour is the fountaine of all well doing then shal you labour to be holy in soule and bodye then shall you go about that Gods glory may shyne in all your wordes and works then shal you not be afrayd what man can doe vnto you then shall you haue such wisedome to answere your aduersaries as shall serue to their shame and your comfort then shal you be certayn y t no man can touch one heare of your head further then shall please your good father to your euerlasting ioye then shall you be moste certayne that God as youre good father will be more carefull for your Children and make better prouision for them if all you haue were gone then you can then shall you being assured I say of gods fauour towardes you geue ouer your selfe wholy to help and care for others that be in neede then shall you contemne this life and desire to be at home with youre good and sweete father then shall you laboure to mortifie all thinges that would spot eyther soule or bodye All these thinges spryng out of thys certaine perswasion and faith that God is our father and we are his children by Christ Iesus All thinges should help our fayth herein but Sathan goeth about in all thinges to hinder vs. Therefore let vs vse earnest and hartye prayer let vs often remember thys couenaunt I am the Lord thy God let vs looke vpon Christ and hys precious bloud shed for the obsignation and confirmation of his couenaunt Consideration of Gods promises and benefites let vs remember all the free promises of the Gospell let vs set before vs Gods benefites generally in making this worlde in ruling it in gouerning it in callyng and keepyng hys Churche c. let vs set before vs Gods benefites particularly howe hee hath made his creatures after his image howe hee made vs of perfecte lymmes forme beautye memory c. how he hath made vs as Christians and geuen vs a right iudgement in his religion how he hath euer sithen we were bâ—rne blessed kept nourished and defended vs how he hath often beaten chastised and fatherly corrected vs how he hath spared vs doth now spare vs geuing vs tyme space place grace This if you doe vse earnest prayer and so flee from al things which might wound your conscience geuing your selfe to diligence in your vocation you shall finde at the length that whiche God graunt to me with you a sure certayntie of saluation without all suche doubte as may trouble the peace of conscience to your eternall ioye and comforte Amen Amen Yours to vse in Christ Iohn Bradford ¶ An other letter full of Godly comfort written to the same person THe good spirite of God whiche guideth hys children be with you my good sister in the Lorde for euer Amen Although as I to you so you vnto me in person are vnknowen yet to hym whome we desire to please wee are not onelye in persons but also in hartes knowne and thorowly seene and therefore as for hys sake you woulde by that you sent of me bee perceiued how that in God you beare to me a good will so that I to you might be seene in God to beare you the lyke I seÌ„d to you these fewe wordes in writing wishing that in all your doinges and speache yea euen in your very thoughtes you woulde labour to feele that they are all present and open before the sight of God be they good or bad This cogitation often had in mind and prayer made to God for the working of his spirite therby as a meane you shall at the length feele more comforte and commoditie then any man can knowe but such as be exercised ther in Howbeit this is to be added that in thinking youre selfe all that you haue and doe to be in the sight of God this I say is to be added that you thinke hys sight is the fight not onely of a Lorde but rather of a father which tendereth more your infirmities then you can tender the infirmities of any your Children Yea when in your self you see a motherly affection to your little one that is weake let the same be vnto you a trace to trayn you to see the vnspeakable kinde affection of God your father towardes you And therfore vpon the consideration of your infirmities and naturall euils which continually cleaue vnto vs take occasion to goe to God as your father through Christe and
before hys mercifull harte laye open your infirmities and euilles with desire of pardon and helpe after hys good will and pleasure but in hys time and not when you will and by what meanes he will not by that waye you woulde in the meane season hange on hope of his fatherly goodnes and surely you shall neuer be ashamed For if a woman that is naturall cannot finally forget the Childe of her wombe be â—ure God whiche is a father supernaturall Esay â—9 cannot nor will not forget you Yea if a woman coulde be so forgetfull yet God hymselfe sayth he will not be so This opinion yea rather certayne perswasion of God our father through Christe see that you cherishe and by all meanes as well by dilligent consideration of his benefites as of his louing corrections whether they be inward or outwarde see that you nourishe knowyng for certayne that as the deuill goeth about nothing so muche as to bring you in a doubte whether yee be Gods childe or no so what soeuer shall moue you to admitte that dubitation be assured the same to come from the Deuill If you feele in your selfe not onely the want of good thinges but also plentye of euill do not therefore doubte whether you be Gods childe in Christ or no. For if for your goodnes or ilnesse sake which you feel or feele not ye should beleue or doubte then shoulde you make Christe Iesus for whose sake onely God is your father either nothyng or els but halfe Christ. But rather take occasion of your wants in good and of your plenty in euill to goe to God as to your father and to praye to him that in asmuch as he commaundeth you to beleue that he is your God and father so he would geue you his good spirite that you might feele the same and liue as hys childe to hys glorye and cease not vpon such prayers to look for comfort Gods good tyme still hoping the best and reiecting all dubitation and so all euill workes words and cogitations as the Lord shal enable you by hys good spirite and grace which I beseeche hym to geue vnto you my good sister for euer And further I pray you that as hee hath made you to be an helper vnto your husband so you would endeuour your selfe therein to shewe the same as well in soule as body and begge grace of God that your indeuour may be effectual to both your comfortes in Christ. Amen Iohn Bradford To my welbeloued in the Lord VV. P. GRace and peace from God the father through our Lorde Iesus Chryste Amen Deare brother God most iustly hath cast me downe into a dungeon but much better then I deserue wherein I see no man but my keeper nor can see any except they borne to me Soâ—ething in the earth my lodgyng is which as an example and memoriall of my earthly affections which God I trust will mortifie and of my sepulchre whereunto I trust my Lord God will bryng me in peace in hys good time In the meane season hee geue me pacience liuely hope and his good spirite I pray you praye for me for the prayer of the godly if it be effectuall This disease was a rewme with a feblenes of stomacke wherewith he was much troubled whiles he was at libertye worketh muche with God I thanke God my common disease doth lesse trouble me then when I was abroad which doth teache me the merciful prouidence of God towardes me Vse true and harty prayer and you shall perceiue GOD at length will declare himselfe to see where now many thinke he sleepeth Out of the Tower by the Lordes prisoner Iohn Bradford A letter whiche he wrote to a faythfull woman in her heauines and trouble most comfortable for all those to read that are afflicted and broken harted for their sinnes GOd oure good father for hys mercies sake in Christe with his eternall consolation so comforte you A letter of M. Bradford to a faythfull womaÌ„ inwardly afflicted as I desire to be comforted of him in my moste neede Yea he will comfort you my deare sister onely caste your care vppon hym and he neuer can nor will forsake you For his calling and giftes be suche that he can neuer repente hym of them Whome he loueth he loueth to the end none of his chosen can perishe Romans 11. Of whiche number I knowe you are my dearely beloued sister God increase the fayth thereof dayly more and more in you hee geue vnto you to hange wholy on hym and on his prouidence and protection For who so dwelleth vnder * * Gods prouidence and protection Psalm 31.90 Gene. 19. that secret thing and help of the Lord he shall be cocke sure for euermore He that dwelleth I say for if we be flitters and not dwellers as was Loth a flitter from Segor where God promised hym protection if hee had dwelled there still wee shall remoue to oure losse as he did into the mountaynes Dwell therefore that is truste and that finally vnto the ende in the Lorde my deare sister and you shal be as Mount Syon As Mountaynes compasse Ierusalem so dooth the Lorde all hys people How then can hee forget you whiche are as y e apple of hys eye for his dear sonnes sake Ah deare heart that I were now but one half houre with you to be a Symon to helpe to cary your crosse with you God sende you some good Symon to bee with you and helpe you You complayne in your letters of the blyndenesse of your minde and the troubles you feele My dearely beloued God make you thankefull for that whiche God hathe geuen vnto you he open your eyes to see what and howe great benefites you haue receiued that you may be lesse couetous or rather impacient for so I feare me it should be called and more thankefull Haue not you receiued at his handes sight to see your blindnesse and thereto a desirous and seeking heart to see where he lyeth in the mydday as his deare Spouse speaketh of her selfe in the Canticles Oh Ioyce my good Ioyce what a gifte is thys Many haue some sight but none this sobbing and sighing none this seeking whiche you haue I knowe but such as he hath marryed vnto hym in his mercies You are not content to kisse hys feete w t the Magdalen but you would be kissed euen with the kisse of his mouthe Cant. 1. You would see his face with Moses forgetting how he biddeth vs seeke hys face Psalme 27. yea and that for euer psalm 105. which signifieth no such sight as you desire to bee in this present life which would see God nowe face to face where as he cannot be seene but couered vnder something yea sometyme in that whiche is as you would say cleane contrary to God as to see his mercye in hys anger In bringing vs to hell fayth seethe hym bryng vs to heauen in darkenesse it beholdeth brightnesse God cannot be seene
with coâ—â—rage Cast you selues on Christ who careth for you Kepe company with him now stil to the ende he is faithfull and wil neuer leaue you nor tempt you further then hee will make you able to beare yea in the middest of the temptation hee will make an outscape Nowe pray vnto him heartely be thankefull of his indignation reioyce in hope of the health you shall receiue and be mindefull of vs whych are in the vawarde and by Gods grace trust in Christ to be made able to breake the Ise before you that you followynge may finde the way more easie God graunte it may so be Amen Amen Out of prison by your brother in Christ Iohn Bradford To Maistresse Wilkenson ALmighty God our most louing father increase in your heart my good mother deare maistresse in the Lord his true knowledge and loue in Christe A letter M. Bradfâ—â—â— to 〈◊〉 Wilkinsâ—â— to y e encouraging and comforting of your faith in these stormy dayes as necessary vnto vs so profitable if we perâ—iste vnto the ende which thing God graunt to vs. Amen My righte dearely beloued I knowe not what other thing to wryte vnto you then to desire you to be thankfull vnto the Lord in that amongst thee not many of your calling and state it pleaseth him to geue you his rare blessing I meane to keepe you from all the filthe wherewyth onâ—e Countrey is horribly defiled Thys blessing assuredly is rare as you see But nowe if he shall blesse you with an other blessing which is more rare I meane to cal you foorth as a Martyr and a witnesse against this filth I hope you will become double thankefull For a greater token commonly we haue not to iudge of our election and saluation next to Christe and faith in him then the crosse especiallye when it is so glorious as on this sorte to suffer any thing The 〈◊〉 a great of Electâ—â—â— but chiefly losse of this life which in deede is neuer founde til it be so lost except the graine of wheate fall and be dead it remaineth fruitlesse You know how that he which was rapt into the third heauen and did knowe what he wrote doeth say That as the corne liueth not except it be dead and cast into the earth 1. Cor. â—â— so truely oure bodies And therefore the crosse shoulde so little feare vs that euen death it selfe shoulde altogether be desired of vs as the Tailour which putteth off oure ragges and araieth vs with the Royall Roabes of immortalitie incorruption and glory Great shame it shoulde be for vs â—om 8. that all the whole creatures of God shoulde desire yea grone in their kinde for our libertie and wee our selues to loath it as doubtlesse we doe if for the crosse yea for death it selfe we with ioy swallow not vp all sorrow that might let vs from following the Lordes calling and obtaining the Lordes prouidence whereby doubtles all crosses and death it selfe doth come and not by hap or chance In consideration whereof right deare Mother that this prouidence stretcheth it selfe so vnto vs and for vs that eueÌ„ the hair of our heads are numbred with God not one of them to fall to our hurte surely we declare our selues very faint in faith if we receiue not such comfort that we can willingly offer our selues to the Lord and cast our whole care vpon his backe honouring him with this honour that he is and euer will be carefull for vs and all we haue as for hys deare children Be therfore of good cheare euen in the middest of these miseries be thankful to the Lord and prepare your selfe for a further triall which if God sende you as I hope so do you beleeue that God therein wil help comfort you and make you able to bear whatsoeuer shall happen And thus much hauing 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 mee especially and to many others both in this time of trouble and alwaies heeretofore Your owne in the Lord Iohn Bradford An other letter wrytten to certaine godly persons encouraging them to prepare them selues with pacience to the crosse GRatious God and moste mercifull Father for Iesus Christes sake thy dearely beloued sonne graunte vs thy mercy grace wisedome and holy spirite to counsaile comforte and guide vs in al our cogitations woordes and woorkes to thy glorye and our euerlasting ioy and peace for euer Amen In my last letter you might perceiue my coniecturing to be no lesse towards you then now I haue learned But my dearely beloued I haue learned none other thyng then before I haue told you would come to passe if ye cast not away that which ye haue learned I do appeale to both your consciences whether herein I speake trueth as well of my telling though not so often as I might and should God forgeue mee as also of your learning Nowe God will trie you to make others to learne by you that whych ye haue learned by others and by them which suffred thys day ye might learne if already yee had not learned that life and honour is not to be set by more then Gods commandement They in no poynt for all y t euer their ghostly fathers could do hauing doctour Death to take their part would consent or seeme to consent to the popish masse and papisticall God otherwise then in y e daies of our late king they had receiued And this their faith they haue confessed with their deathes to their great glorye and all our comfortes if we follow them but to our confusion if we starre backe from the same Wherfore I beseeche you to consider it as well to praise God for them as to goe the same way with them if God so will Consider not the things of this life whyche is a verye prison to all Gods children but the things of euerlasting life which is our very home But to the beholding of thys geare â—â—ample of 〈…〉 goe with 〈…〉 ye must open the eyes of your mind of faith I shuld haue sayde as Moses did which set more by trouble wyth Gods people then by the riches of Egypt and Pharaos Court Your house home and goodes yea life and all that euer yee haue God hath geuen you as loue tokens to admonish you of his loue to win your loue to him againe Nowe will he trie your loue whether ye set more by hym then by his tokens or no. If ye for his tokeÌ„s sake that is for your home house goods yea life will goe w t the world least ye should loose them then be assured your loue as hee can not but espie it to be a strumpets loue â— strumpet 〈◊〉 more her 〈◊〉 then by â—ouer so will he cast it away with the world Remember that he which will saue his life shall loose it if Christ be true but he which aduentureth yea
religion set vp amongest vs agayne but come away come away as the Angell crieth from amongst them in their idolatrous seruice Apoca. 18. lest you be partakers of their iniquitie Harken to your preachers as the Thessalonians did to Paule that is conferre their sayings with the scriptures if they sound not thereafter the morning light shall not shyne vpon them Esay 8. Vse much and hearty prayer for the spirite of wisedome knowledge humblenes meekenes sobrietie and repentaunce which we haue great need of because our sinnes haue thus prouoked the Lordes anger against vs but let vs beare his anger and acknowledge our faultes with bitter teares and sorowfull sighes and doubtles he will be mercifull to vs after his wonted mercy The which thyng he vouchsafe to do for his holy names sake in Christ Iesu our Lord to whome with the father and the holy ghost be all honour glory prayse and euerlastyng thankes from this tyme forth for euermore Amen Out of prison by yours in the Lord to commaund Iohn Bradford ¶ A letter to M. George Eaton ALmighty God our heauenly Father recompence aboundantly into your bosome my dearely beloued here and eternally A letter aâ— M. Bradford to M. George Eaton the good which froÌ„ him by you I haue continually receiued sithen my comming into prison Otherwyse can I neuer be able to requite your louing kindnesse here then by praying for you and after this lyfe by witnessing your fayth declared to me by your fruits wheÌ„ we shall come and appeare together before the throne of our Sauiour Iesus Christ whether I thanke God I am euen now a goyng euer looking when officers wyll come satisfie the precept of the Prelates wherof though I can not complayne because I haue iustly deserued an hundreth thousand deaths at gods hands by reason of my sinnes yet I may and must reioyce because the Prâ—lates do not persecute in me myne iniquities but Christ Iesus his veritie so that they persecute not me they hate not me but they persecute Christ they hate Christ. And because they can do hym no hurt for he sitteth in heauen The Prelates persecute and hate the Martirs not for their iniquities but for hatred of Christ of his veritye in them and laugheth them and their deuises to scorne as one day they shall feele therfore they turne their rage vpoÌ„ his poore sheepe as Herode their father did vpon the infants Math. 2. Great cause therefore haue I to reioyce that my dere Sauiour Christ wil vouchsafe amongst many to chuse me to be a vessel of grace to suffer in me which haue deserued so often iustly to suffer for my sinnes that I might be most assured I shall be a vessell of honour in whom he will be glorified Therfore my right deare brother in the Lord reioice with me geue thankes for me and cease not to pray that God for his mercies sake would make perfect the good he hath begun in me And as for the doctrine which I haue professed and preached I do confesse vnto you in writing as to the whole world I shortly shall by gods grace in suffering Iohn Bradford geueth testimony of his doctrine that it is the very true doctrine of Iesus Christ of his Church of his Prophets Apostles and all good men so that if an Angell should come from heauen and preach otherwise the same were accursed Therefore wauer not deare hart in the Lord but be confirmed in it and as your vocation requireth wheÌ„ God so will confesse it though it be perillous so to do The end shall euidently shew an other maner of pleasure for so doyng then tong can tell Bee diligent in prayer and watch therein Use reuerent readyng of Gods worde Set the shortnesse of this tyme before your eyes and let not the eternitie that is to come depart out of your memory Practise in doing that you learne by reading and hearing Decline from euill and pursue good Remember them that be in bondes especially for the Lordes cause as members of your body and fellow heires of grace Forget not the afflictions of Syon and the oppression of Ierusalem and God our Father shall geue you hys continuall blessyng thorough Christ our Lorde who guide vs as hys deare children for euer Amen And thus I take my Vale and farewell with you deare brother for euer in this present lyfe till wee shall meete in eternall blisse whether our good God and Father bryng vs shortly Amen God blesse all your babes for euer Amen Out of pryson this viij of February Your afflicted brother for the Lordes cause Iohn Bradford ¶ An other Letter to Maistresse Anne Warcuppe ALmighty God our heauenly father for his Christes sake encrease in vs fayth An 〈◊〉 letter Mistreâ— Anne 〈◊〉 by which we may more more see what glory and honour is reposed and safely kept in heauen for all theÌ„ that beleeue with the hart and confesse Christ his truth wyth the mouth Amen My dearely beloued I remember that once heretofore I wrote vnto you a Vale or a farewell vpon coniecture but now I write my farewel to you in this lyfe in deed vpon certaine knowledge My staffe standeth at the dore I continually looke for the shiriffe to come for me and I thanke God I am ready for him Now goe I to practise that which I haue preached Now am I climing vp the hill it wil cause me to puffe and blow before I come to the cliffe The hill is steepe and high my breath is short and my strength is feeble pray therfore to the Lord for me that as I haue now thorough his goodnes euen almost come to the toppe I may by his grace be strengthened not to rest till I come where I should bee Oh louing Lord put out thy hand and drawe me vnto thee for no man commeth but he whoÌ„ the father draweth See my derely beloued Gods louing mercy he knoweth my short breath great weakenes As he sent for Helias in a firy chariot so sendeth he for me for by fire my drosse must be purified that I may bee fine gold in his sight Oh vnthankfull wretch that I am Lord do thou forgeue me myne vnthankfulnes In deed I confesse right deare to me in the Lord that my sinnes haue deserued hell fire much more then this fire But loe so louyng is my Lord God 〈◊〉 the â—â—â—serued 〈◊〉 death of his to a gloâ—â—â—ous testiâ—â—â—niall of his truth that he conuerteth the remedy for my sins the punishment for my transgressions into a testimoniall of his truth and a testification of his veritie which the Prelates do persecute in me not my sinnes therfore they persecute not me but Christ in me which I doubt not will take my part vnto the very end Amen Oh that I had so open an hart as could so receiue as I should do this great benefite and vnspeakeable dignitie which God my father offreth to me Now
Christ haue lesse trow you which hath so bitterly dearely bought it If your husband could not admitte an excuse how your hart is his onely if he should haue taken your body in bed with another do you thinke that Christ will allow your body at Masse although your heart consent not to it â—sal 125. God esteemeth his children not onely of their hartes but of their pure hands and workes Reg 19. 〈…〉 and therefore in Helias tyme he counted none to be his seruants and people but such as had not bowed their knees to Baall as now he doth not in England accompt any other to be his derlings which know the truth in hart and deny it in theyr deeds as do our Masse Gospellers We ought to desire aboue all thyngs the sanctifieng of Gods holy name and the commyng of his kingdom and shall we then see his name blasphemed so horribly as it is at Masse by making it a sacrifice propitiatorie and setting forth a false Christ of the Priests and bakers makyng to be worshipped as GOD and say nothing The Iewes rent their clothes asunder in seeyng or hearing any thyng blasphemously done or spoken against God and shall we yet come to Church where Masse is and be mute Paule and Barnabas rent their clothes to see the people of Lycaonia to offer sacrifice vnto them and shall we see sacrifice and gods seruice done to an inanimate creature and be mumme What thing helpeth more or so much Antichrists kingdom as doth the Masse The Masse destroyeth pâ—eaching and the kingâ—om of Christ. And what destroyeth preachyng and the kyngdome of Christ vpon earth more then it doth And how can we then say Let thy kyngdome come and go to Masse How can we pray before God Thy will be done on earth when we will do our owne will and the will of our father or friendes How pray we Deliuer vs from euill which knowyng the Masse to be euill do come to it But what goe I about to light a candle in the Noone day that is to tell you that we may not go to Masse or to the congregation where it is except it be to reprooue it in that all men in so doyng do but dissemble both with God and man And is dissembling now to be allowed How loÌ„g will men yet halt on both knees saith God Halting sayeth Paule bringeth out of the way that is to say out of Christ which is the way so that he which is not in him shal wither away and be cast into hell fire For Christ will be ashamed of them before his father which be now ashamed of his truth before this wicked generation He diâ—suadeth her â—rom the Masse Therfore my good maistresse take good heed for it had bene better for you neuer to haue knowen the truth and there through to haue escaped from papisticall vncleanes then now to returne to it making eftsoones your meÌ„bers beyng members of righteousnesse members of vnrighteousnesse as you do if you do but goe to the Church where Masse is Be pure therefore and keepe your selfe from all filth of the spirit and of the flesh Abstaine not onely from all euil but from all appearance of euill And so the God of peace shall be with you the glory of God shall gouerne you the spirite of God shall sanctifie you and be with you for euer to keepe you from all euill and to comfort you in all your distresse and trouble which is but short if you consider the eternitie you shall enioy in glory and felicitie in the Lorde which vndoubtedly you shall not fayle but inherite for euer if so be you as the elect chylde of God put your trust in hys mercy call vpon hys name vnfainedly and yeld not ouer to the wicked world but sticke still agaynst it vnto the ende God for his holy names sake which is properly the God of the Widowes be your good and deare Father for euer and helpe you alwayes as I my selfe would bee holpen at hys handes in all thynges and especially in this hys owne cause Amen Amen Iohn Bradford ¶ To one by whome he had receyued much comfort and reliefe in his trouble and imprisonment THe mercy of God in Christ peculiar to hys children A letter of thankes to a good benâ—factour of his be euermore felt of you my derely beloued in the Lord Amen When I consider with my selfe the benefites whiche God hath shewed vnto me by your meanes if I had so good and thankfull a hart as I would I had I could not with dry eies geue him thanks for certainly they are very many and great And now beyng yet still the Lords prisoner I perceiue from him mo benefits by you For y e which I thinke my selfe so much bounde to you my good brother although you were but the instrument by whome God wrought and blessed me that I looke not to come out of your debt by any pleasure or seruice that I shall euer be able to do you in this lyfe I shall hartily praye vnto God therefore to requite you the good you haue done to me for hys sake for I know that which you haue done you haue done it simply in respect of God his word He therefore geue you daily more and more to be coÌ„firmed in his truth and word and so plentifully poure vpon you the riches of his holy spirit and heauenly treasures layd vp in store for you that your corporall and earthly riches may be vsed of you as Sacraments and significations thereof the more to desire the one that is the heauenly the lesse to esteeme the other that is the earthly For Sathans sollicitation is so to set before you the earthly that therein and therby you should not haue accesse to the consideration of the heauenly but as one bewitched should vtterly forget them altogether become a louer and worshipper of the earthlye Mammon and so to fall to couetousnes Châ—ist forsaken of many for the presâ—â—uing of worldly pelfe and a desire to be rich by that meanes to bring you into many noisome and hurtfull lustes as now a dayes I heare of many whiche haue vtterly forsaken God and all his heauenly riches for Antichrists pleasure and the preseruing of theyr worldly pelfe which they imagine to leaue to their posterity wherof they are vncertaine as they may be most certaine they leaue to them Gods wrath and vengeance in his tyme to be sent by visitation if they in tyme hartily repent not preuent not the same by earnest prayer Wherein my good brother if you be diligent harty and perseuere I am sure God will preserue you from euill and from yelding your selfe to do as the world now doth by allowyng in bodily fact in the Romish seruice that which the inward cogitation and mynd doth disallow But if you be cold in prayer and come into consideration of earthly present things simply then shall you fall into faithlesse
haue done for manye yet neuer heard thy woorde for oure trespasses and whose mercy is so great that thou wilt put our iniquities out of thy remembraunce for thy Christes sake if we repent and beleue graunt vs we beseech thee true repentance faith that we hauing obtained pardon for our sinnes may thorough thy Christ get deliuerance from the tirannie of Antichrist now oppressing vs. Oh good Father whych haste sayde that the Scepter of the wicked should not long lie vpon and ouer the iust 〈◊〉 125. least they put foorth their handes to iniquitie also make vs iust we pray thee in Christes name and cut a sunder the cordes of them that hate Sion let not the wicked people say wher is their God Thou our God art in heauen and doest whatsoeuer it pleaseth thee vpon earth Oh that thou wouldest in the meane whiles before thou doe deliuer vs that I say thou wouldest open our eyes to see all these plagues to come from thee all other that shall come what so euer they be publicke or priuate that they come not by chance nor by fortune but that they come euen from thy hande and that iustly and mercifully iustly because we haue doe deserue them not only by our birth poysone still sticking and working in vs but also by our former euill life past whiche by thys punishment and all other pâ—nishmentes thou wouldest haue vs to call to our remembraunce and to set before vs that thou mightest put them from before thee where as they stand so long as they are not in oure remembraunce to put them awaye by repentaunce Mercifully oh Lord God doest thou punish in that thou doest not correct to kill but to amend that we mighte repent our sinnes aske mercye obtaine it freely in Christe and beginne to suffer for righteousnesse sake to be part of thy house whereat thy iudgement beginneth to be partakers of the afflictions of thy Church and thy Christ that wee might be partakers of the glorye of the same to weepe here that we might reioyce else where to be iudged in this world that we might with thy Saintes iudge here after y e worlde to suffer with Christ that we might raigne with him to be like to Christe in shame that we might be like to hym in glory to receiue our euils here y t we might with poore Lazarus finde rest else where rest I saye and such a rest as the eye hath not sene the eare hath not heard nor the heart of man is able to conceiue Oh that our eyes were open to see thys The Crosse seÌ„t from God and to what ende that the crosse commeth from thee to declare thy iustice thy mercye and hereto that we might see howe short a time the time of suffering is how long a time the time of reioysing is to them that suffer heere but to them that will not how longe and miserable a time is appoynted and prepared a time withoute time in eternall woe and perdition too horrible to be thought vpon From the which keepe vs deare father and geue more sight in soule to see thys geare and how that all thy dearest children haue caried the crosse of greeuous affliction in this life in whose coÌ„pany do thou place vs and such a crosse lay vpoÌ„ vs as thou wilt make vs able to bear to thy glory and our saluation in Christ for whose sake we pray thee to shorten the dayes of this our great misery fallen vppon vs most iustly and in the meane season geue vs patience repentaunce faith and thy eternall consolation Amen Amen Amen And thus deare heartes I haue talked me thinkes a litle while w t you or rather we haue all talked wyth God Oh that God would geue vs his spirit of grace and prayer My deaâ—ly beloued pray for it as for your selues so for me and that God would vouchsafe to make me worthy to suffer with a good conscience for his names sake Pray for me and I shall do the like for you This 20. of December by him whome by this bringer ye shal learne I praye you geue me commendations to all that loue me in the Lorde Be mery in Christe for one daye in heauen we shall meete and reioyce together for euermore Amen To my good brother Augustine Barneher MIne owne good Augustine the Lorde of mercye blesse thee my deare brother for euer This Austen being a Dutchman was Latimers seruant a faythfull minister in the time of K. Edwarde and in Q. Maryes time a dilligent attendant vpon the Lordes prisoners Mich. 6. I haue good hope that if you come late at night I shall speake with you but come as secretely as you can Howbeit in the meane season if you can and as you can learne what maister G. hath spoken to Doctor Storie and others The cause of all this trouble both to my keeper and me is thought to come by him It is said that I shal be burned in Smithfield and that shortly Domini voluntas fiat Ecce ego Domine mitte me i The Lordes will be done Behold here I am Lord send me Ah mine owne sweete frend I am now alone leaste I shoulde make you and others worse If I should liue I would more warely vse the companye of Gods children then euer I haue done Iram Domini portabo quoniam peccaui ei i. I wil bear the Lords anger because I haue sinned against him CommeÌ„d me to my most deare Sister for whome my heart bledeth the Lorde comfort her and strengthen her vnto the ende I thinke I haue taken my leaue of her for euer in thys life but in eternall life we shall most surely mete and praise the Lord continually I haue now takeÌ„ a more certaine aunswere of death then euer I did and yet not so certaine as I thinke I shoulde doe I am nowe as a sheepe appoynted to the slaughter Ah my God the houre is come glorifie thy most vnworthy childe I haue glorified thee sayeth this my sweete father and I will glorifie thee Amen Ah mine owne bowels praise God for me and pray for mee for I am his I hope I hope hee will neuer forsake me though I haue aboue all other moste deserued it I am the most singular example of his mercye praised be hys name therefore for euer Cause Mistres Perpoint to learne of the Sheriffe Master Chester what they purpose to doe with mee and knowe if you can whether there be any wryt foorth for me Factus sum sicut nicticorax in domicilio passer solitarius in tecto i. I am like to an Owle in the house Psal. 101. and as a sparrowe alone in the house toppe Ah my Augustine howe long shall Gods enemies thus triumphe I haue sent you this of the Baptisme of children to wryte out when this is done you shall haue other things Pray pray mine owne deare heart on whome I am bolde The keeper telleth me that it is death for any
see thy booke and I tooke him a Latine Testament Baker Will ye go to the Church and obey and followe the queenes procedings and do as an honest man should do Bland I trust in God to do no otherwise but as an honest man should do Baker Will ye do as I sayd Bland Will it please your maystership to geue me leaue to aske you a question A question propounded to Syr Iohn Bakeâ— Baker Yea. Bland Syr may a man doe any thing that his conscience is not satisfied in to be good Baker Away away and threwe downe the Booke and sayd It is no Testament And I sayd Yes And mayster Webbe tooke it vp and sayde vnto me maruellous gently mayster Bland I knewe you when ye were not of this opinion I would to God ye would reforme your self with better wordes then I will write And I sayde If ye haue known me of an other opinion then I am of now it was for lacke of knowledge Baker Yea sayest thou so by S. Mary and thou hold thee there I wil geue sixe fagots to burne thee withall or thou shouldest be vnburned Hasty iudgemeÌ„t of a Iustyce Hence knaue hence And so were we repriued into our place agayne within the Barre And at night when iudgement of felons and all was done we were called M. Bland and his fellowes sent to the Ordinary by Syr Iohn Baker and the Iudge sayd to the Gaoler Take theÌ„ with you and deliuer them to the Ordinary if they wyll not be reformed let them be deliuered to vs againe they shall haue iudgement execution And one of our company sayd My Lord if we be killed at your hands for Christes sake we shall liue with him for euer * An other appearaunce of M. Bland in the Spirituall Court THen came we to the Castle of Caunterbury there we remayned till the second day of march at which day we were brought into the Chapterhouse of Crechurch where were set the Suffragane of Canterbury M. Bland brought agayne to the castle of Canterbury Thâ— B. of Douer M. Collins M. Milles with others mayster Collins mayster Mylles with other and then went to them mayster Oxenden mayster Petit and mayster Webbe maister Hardes Iustices And wheÌ„ I was called mayster Webbe sayd Here we present this man vnto you as one vehemently suspect of heresy Bland And I sayde Mayster Webbe ye haue no cause to suspect me of heresye I haue bene a prisoner this whole yere and no matter proued agaynst me I pray you wherfore I bene so long kept in prison Webbe Leaue your arrogant asking of questions aunswere to that that is layd to your charge Bland I do so for I say you haue no cause to suspect me of heresy The aunsweres of M. Bland first to the Iustices Webbe Yes ye denyed to Sir Iohn Baker to be conformable to the Queenes proceedinges Bland Is it a iust cause to suspect me of heresy for asking a question with leaue So we had moe wordes there then I well remember Then stood vp mayster Petit and sayd Ye were cast in to prison because ye fled away from your Ordinary Bland Then haue I had wrong For I neuer fled nor disobeyed mine Ordinary nor did any thing contrary to the law Let theÌ„ now say of I did but they sayd nothing And when I saw they held theyr peace I sayd M. Commissary haue you bene y e cause of this mine imprisoÌ„meÌ„t No quoth he ye know that when ye went from me ye were appointed to appeare the friday after the Sessions Here I was suffered to speake no more but shut vp in a corner tyll my companions were likewise presented and then wee were sent to Westgate into Prison and were put in seueral close holdes that neuer one of vs could speake to an other nor no maÌ„ was permitted to come to vs. We were foure times at this appearaunce Cornewall a Tanner dispatched in secret prison But one they dispatched by what meanes I can not tell whose name was Cornewall a Tanner And thus hytherto passed the talke betweene Blande and the Iustices and certayne Gentlemen of the shyre Now foloweth the order of the reasoning betwene hym the Clergy men before whome he was exmained But for as much as the chiefest doer and Iudge against him was the B. of Douer or Suffragan of Caunterbury called D. Richard Thornton to the intent it may appere what litle trueth or constancye is in these catholicke persecuters I thought here to exhibite by the way a certayne popish letter written of a papist vnto him Wherin is declared what a gospeller the sayd Rich. Thornton was in K. Ed. time which now turning with the world sheweth himselfe such a bitter persecuter agaynst Gods seruants in Q. Maryes tyme. The copy of this letter here foloweth * A copy of a popish letter written to the Byshop of Douer by one Thomas Goldwell a priest declaring what a professour he was in king Edwardes tyme. RIght reuerende and my good Lorde after my hartye thankes for your good chere at my last being with your Lordship this shal be to certify you that as soone as I arriued with my Lords Grace I gaue him your letters but I had muche woorke to obteyne any thing of him for you He meaneth of the ariuall of Cardinall Poole For there hath bene geuen very euill informations of you and it hath bene sayd that you haue concurred with al maner of euill proceedinges the which hath these yeares past bene in England as wel agaynst the holy sacrament of the aultar and agaynst the supreme authority of Christs vicar in earth Thornâ—â— B. of 〈◊〉 a greaâ— agaynâ—â— Pope 〈◊〉 Sacramâ—â—â— of the 〈◊〉 in king 〈◊〉 as with the vse of the abhominable late Communion and with the mariage of priestes as well religious as secular and that you haue geuen orders to I can not tell how many base vnlearned euill disposed people by reason of the which they haue taken vpon them to preach and to doe much hurt in Kent So that menne thinke that yet if any new mutation the which God forbydde should chauÌ„ce you woulde be as ready to chaunge as any other And in deed it maketh me to feare the same by reason that notwithstaÌ„ding it hath pleased almighty God to prouide y t your absolution was sent vnto you not looking I dare say for any such thing of all manner of matters past yet your Lordship more regarding y e vanity of the world theÌ„ the offeÌ„ce of God the which he onely knoweth how much it greeues me for the due loue I beare vnto you presumed to sing Masse in Pontificalibus the holy dayes immediatelie folowing and also to ministrate to childreÌ„ the sacrament of Confirmation because that one beyng a meÌ„ber of the Deuill did somewhat comfort you so to do Oh my Lord what honour should it haue bene both to God and your selfe and also edefication to all
the bowels of Christe to helpe vs and all other our felow souldiors standing in like perillous place with your praiers to God for vs that we maye quite our selues like men in the Lord and geue some example of boldnes constancie mingled with pacience in the feare of God that yee and others our brethren thorough oure example may be so encouraged and strengthned to folow vs that ye also may leaue example to your weake brethren in the world to followe you Amen Consider what I say the Lorde geue vs vnderstanding in all things 2. Tim. 2. 1. Cor. 7. 1 Iohn â— Coloss. 3. Brethren the time is short it remaineth that yee vse thys world as though ye vsed it not for the fashion of this worlde vanisheth away See that ye loue not the world neither the things that are in the world but set your affection on heauenly things where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Be â—eeke long suffering serue and edifie one other Doctrine 〈◊〉 good workes with the gift that God hath geuen you Beware of strange doctrine lay aside the old conuersation of greedy lustes and walke in a new life Beware of all vncleannes couetousnes foolish talking false doctrine dronkennes Reioyce be thankful towardes God submit your selues one to an other Cease from sinne spend no more time in vice be sober and apt to pray be pacient in trouble loue each other and let the glory of God and profite of your neighbor be the onely marke ye shoote at in all your doings Repent ye of the life that is past and take better heede to your doings hereafter And aboue all things cleaue yee fast to him who was deliuered to death for our sins rose againe for our iustification To whome with the father the holy ghost be al honor rule for euermore Amen Salute from me in Christe all others which loue vs in the faith and at your discretioÌ„ make them partakers of these letters and pray ye all for me and other in bondes for the Gospell that the same God which by his grace hathe called vs from wicked papistrie vnto true Christianitie and now of loue prooueth out patience by persecution wil of his mercy and fauour in the end gloriously deliuer vs either by death or by life to his glory AmeÌ„ At Lancaster the 30. of August 1554. By me an vnprofitable seruant of Christ George Marsh. To his welbeloued in Christ Ienkin Crampton Iames Leiuer Elice Fogge Rafe Bradshaw the wife of Richard Bradshaw Elice Crampton and to euery one of them be these deliuered from Lancaster G. Marsh. THe grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the felowship of the holy Ghost be w t you al. Amen After salutations in Christ and harty thanks for your frendly tokens and your other remembraunces towards me beseeching God y t ye may encrease in faith feare loue and 〈◊〉 good gifts grow vp into a perfit man in Christe these be earnestly to exhort you yea to beseech you in the â—ender mercy of Christe that w t purpose of heart ye continually cleaue vnto the Lorde and that ye worship serue him in spirite in the gospel of his sonne For God wil not be worshipped after the commandements traditions of men neither yet by any other meanes appoynted prescribed and taught vs but by his holy word And though all men for the most parte defile them selues with the wicked traditions of men ordinances after y e world and not after Christ yet doe ye after the ensample of Tobie 〈◊〉 1. Daâ—â—ell 1. â— Math. 1. Daniel his 3. companions Matharhias and his 5. sonnes be at a poynt with your selues that ye wil not be defiled wyth y e vncleane meates of the heathen I do meane the filthinesse of Idolatrie and the very Heathenish ceremonyes of the Papistes but as true worshippers serue ye God in spirite and verity according to his sacred Scriptures Iohn 4. Iohn 5 1. Tymâ— 5. which I would wish and will you aboue all things continually and reuerently as both S. Paule and Christ commaund you to searche and read with the wholesome monitions of the same to teach exhort comfort edifie one an other Math. 24. and your brethren neighbours now in time of thys our miserable captiuitie and great famishment of soules for want of the foode of Gods worde And doubt not Math. 28. but that the merciful Lord who hath promised to be with vs euen vnto the worldes end and that whensoeuer 2. or 3. be gathered together in his name hee will be in the middest of them will assist you and teach you the right meanings of the sacred Scriptures will keepe you from all errors and lead you into all truth as he hath faithfully promised And though ye thinke your selues vnable to teach yet at the coÌ„maundement of Christ now in time of famine the hungry people being in wildernes farre froÌ„ any townes Iohn 1â—â— which if they be sent away fasting are sure to faint pearish by the way employ and bestow those fiue loaues and two fishes that ye haue vpon that hungrie multitude although ye thinke it nothing among so many And y t he increased the v. loaues and the ij fishes to feede v. M. men Math. â— besides women and children shall also augment his gifts in you not only to the edifying and winning of others in christ but also to an exceding great increase of your knowledge in God his holy word And feare not your aduersaries for either according to his accustomed maner God shal blind their eies that they shal not espie you Phil. 1. either get you fauour in their sight either els graciously deliuer you out of their handes by one meanes or other Obey with reuerence al your superiours vnlesse they commaund idolatrie or vngodlinesse Make prouision for your housholds chiefly that they be instructed and taught in the law of God Loue your wiues euen as your owne selues as Christ loued the congregatioÌ„ Loue your children but rate theÌ„ not lest they be of a desperate mind and bring them vp in the nurture information of the Lorde and teache them euen as the godly parents of Tobie the younger and Susanna did teach their children euen from their infancy to reuerence God according to his lawe to abstaine from sin prouiding y t in no wise they be brought vp in idlenes wantonnes seing y t ye recken your selues to be the children of God and looke for the life whych God shall geue to them that neuer tourne their beliefe from him See that ye euer feare God and keepe his commandements and though the plague of God chance vnto you yet remaine yee stedfast in the faith and feare of God and thanke him and serue hym in such holines and righteousnes as are acceptable before him all the dayes of your life Comfort
your selues in all your aduersities stay your selues in him who hath promised not to leaue you as fatherles and motherles children without any comfort but y t he wil come to you like a most gentle merciful Lorde He will continually stand by you in all your troubles assisting helping and succoring you at all times I wil be with you sayth he vnto the ende of the world And cleaâ—e you fast vnto him which was incarnate liued wrought taught died for your sinnes yea rose againe from death ascended into heauen for your iustification RepeÌ„t ye of the life that is past and cease from sinne and from hence forward liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lusts of men but after the will of God To do good distribute forget not Fast and pray busily as euery man hath receiued the gift minister the same one to an other as good ministers of the manifold graces of God that God in all things may be glorified through Iesus Christ to whome be praise and dominion for euer and while the world standeth Amen Yours George Marsh. An other Letter An other â—etter of G. Marsh to â—ertayne 〈…〉 in the congregation THe same grace and peace dearely beloued in Christe doe I intirely desire and wish vnto you which the Apostle S. Paule wisheth to all them vnto whome he did write and send hys Epistles then which 2. things no better can be wished and desired of God Grace is throughout all the Epistles of Paule taken for the free mercy and fauour of God wherby he saueth vs freely without any deseruings or workes of the lawe In like maner peace is taken for the quietnes and tranquillitie of the conscience being throughly perswaded that through the only merits of Christes death and bloudshedding there is an attonement and peace made betweene God and vs so that God will no more impute our sinnes vnto vs Grace Peace what it is nor yet condemne vs. Dearely beloued I wil not be negligent to put you alwaies in remembraunce of things though that yee knowe them your selues and be also established in the present truthe notwithstanding I thinke it mete as long as I am in this tabernacle to stirre you vp by putting you in remembraunce Wherefore I beseeche you brethren and exhort you in the Lord Iesus that ye encrease more and more eueÌ„ as ye haue receiued how ye ought to walke and to please God And as Barnabas that good man full of the holy ghost 〈◊〉 exhorâ—eth to 〈◊〉 fastnes 〈◊〉 the Gospell exhorted the AntiochiaÌ„s with purpose of hart cleaue ye continually vnto the Lord. And stand fast be not moued froÌ„ the hope of the Gospell whereof God be thanked ye haue had plenteous preaching vnto you these yeares past by the faithfull Ministers of Iesus Christ Leiuer Pilkenton Bradford Saunders and others like Leyuer Pilkenton â—radford â—aunders which now when persecution ariseth because of the worde doe not fall away like shrinking children and forsake the truthe but are prest and ready for your sakes which are hys mysticall body to forsake the chiefe principall delites of this life and some of them in geuing place to the outragious tyrannie of the world to forsake their liuings frends natiue land and other chiefe pleasures of this life and to commit themselues to painefull exile 〈…〉 for the â—ospell in â— â—â—ryes 〈◊〉 that if it please God Christ may come againe out of Egypt And other some are ready to fulfil their ministerie vnto the vtmost that is to witte with their painfull imprisonmentes and bloudshedding if neede shall so require to confirme and seale Christes Gospell whereof they haue bene ministers and as S Paul sayth not onely to be cast into prison but also to die for the name of the Lord Iesus Be ye not therefore ashamed of the testimonie of our Lorde Iesus neither be yee ashamed of vs which are his prisonners but suffer ye aduersitie with the gospel for which worde we suffer as euil doers euen vnto bonds but the word of God is not bound with vs. Therefore we suffer all things for the elect sake that they also may obtaine the saluation which is in Christ Iesu with eternall glory wherefore stand ye fast in the faith and be not moued from the hope of the Gospell and so shall ye make vs euen wyth ioy to suffer for your sakes and as the Apostle sayeth To fulfill that which is behinde of the passions of Christ in our flesh for his bodies sake which is the congregation Saint Paul doth not here meane that there wanteth any thinge in the passion of Christe which may be supplied by man for the passion of Christ as touching his owne person is that most perfecte and omnisufficient sacrifice wherby we are all made perfect as many as are sanctified in his bloud but these his words ought to be vnderstande of the elect and chosen in whome Christ is and shall be persecuted vnto the worldes ende The passion of Christ then as touching his mysticall body which is the Church shall not be perfecte till they haue all suffered whome God hath appoynted to suffer for his sonnes sake Wherefore stablish your selues and be of good comfort be not mooued in these afflictions knowing that we are appoynted therunto For on your partes nothing caÌ„ be greater consolation inwarde ioy vnto vs in our aduersitie then to heare of your faith and loue and that yee haue a good remembrance of vs alwaies praying for vs as we doe for you as the Apostle wryteth of the Thessalonians saying The condition of a true Pastor Nowe are we aliue if ye stand stedfast in the Lorde for good shepheardes doe alwayes count the welfare and prosperous estate of Christes flocke to be their owne for while it goeth well with the congregation it goeth wel with them also in whatsoeuer affliction or aduersity they be but when they see the churche in any pearill or weakenesse then be they wearie of their owne liues then can they haue no rest nor ioy Who is weake sayeth S. Paule and I am not weake Who is offended and I do not burne But this affection is not in them that seeke their owne luker and glory And for asmuch as the life of man is a perpetual warfare vpon earth let vs run with ioy vnto the battell that is set before vs A christian mans lyfe is a warfare vpon earth like good warriours of Iesus Christ please him who hath chosen vs to be soldiors not like shrinking children faint and fall away from the truth nowe in time of aduersitie and tribulation wherewith all that wil liuely godly in Christ Iesu must be tried euen as golde siluer is prooued in the fire The Church is ' euer forewarned before afflictions and whereof all the scriptures haue geuen vs so much forewarning For God is woÌ„t for the most part to warne his