haue good cause to tremble at that which our Lord hath denounced that at the great day he will be ashamed of those that are ashamed of him his word before men Let my exaumple serue you for a glasse and haue a dilygent eye to your selues you that haue abode vpright till this present sée that you kéepe preciously that so singuler a benefite that God hath so carefully kept for you suffer not that vncorruptible crowne to bée taken from you but constantly finish your course knowing that he that contineweth to the ende shall be saued And you alas that are the greatest number who eyther by myne exaumple are slipte out of the way or by myne occasion confirmed in your reuolt take héed the Deuil doe not bewitch you to make you fynde that swéete which is bitter to call lighte darkenes and darknes light bu kéepe the séede of the feare of God which is yet remayning in your harts nurrish and cherish it as a languishing fyre wayting the meanes to escape out of the captiuity more griouous then that of Egipt and vsing the same when .. God shal offer them vnto you ▪ Especially your grace Syr that haue receyued thys good and holye instruction from your youth in the trewe knowledge of GOD. Remember the fayth that was in your mother and Grandmother Quéenes of Nauarra And as Sainct Paule doeth by suche exaumples exhort his Timothe so thinke the same to apperteyne to you to the end that you may be as well heyre to the fayth of those holy Ladyes as you haue succéeded them in the Realme And pardon mée the iniury that I haue done to you humbly beséeching you in the name of GOD that as I haue ben a pestilent instrument to peruert you so nowe my exaumple may serue to conuert you to the lord You also moste noble Prince be myndfull of the zeale godlines and constancy in trewe religion whereof you haue séene the liuely paterns of your late of worthy memory Grandmother Father and mother I haue serued you in steade of a wicked spirite and euill counseler but lette not that which was sayed in tyme of force and violence beare so much sway and authoritye wyth you that for the same you should forgette the holye instructions which haue ben gyuen yow by aduised deliberation many years before Compare the presente estate whereunto you be now brought receyuing no comfort or edificatiō at al of that which your Amner doeth read or sing before you in his Portesse or Massebooke with the when you were present at the holy exhortatiōs and enterpreting of Gods word where you your self did help to sing prayses vnto his name And for as muche as manye may be kepte back in this reuolt through the reasons that they then vnderstood of mée at sundry tymes and in sundry places or els through certeyne writings that haue ben scattered abroad touching the trewe Church and by what markes she oughte to be discerned by the which at that time I went aboute to conclude that the Church of Roome deserued this title I beséech al Christian readers not to stay vppō those reasons so vayne and of so small importaunce Trew it is that see that time yea and somewhat afore I had be shakē therwithall as I haue confessed But sens hauing withdrawē mi self into these parts I haue learned and found out that they are but abuses and fallacyes easye to bée discouered and refuted for the which let it be graunted that they had greater appearance of sound reasons yet can not I be excused but that I did leudly and villenously to refuse to witnesse that treuth with my mouth which I did verely beléeue in my harte to exhort those that I could ageinst my cōsciēce to go to Masse and to yéeld obediēce to Antichrist Now as I doe by this present writing make open confession of my to too haynous enormity for a piece of amends and reparation of the offence publikely geuen so am I determined God willing to write of this matter of the Church to take away all doubt and scruple from the wauering cōsciences that be not yet fully resolued for that they haue hard the sayd reasons To conclude being now at full liberty to stick boldly without feare to that Church which in my harte I doe alowe of I protest before god to recognyse and acknowledge that for the trewe Church whiche hath for the rule of her fayth the holy scripture of the old newe Testament the olde conteyned in the lawe Psalms and Prophets as our Lord him self doeth deuide it the newe in the writinges of the Euangelistes and Apostles anowyng for trewe markes of the Churche not the succession of persones and of menne but of the Doctryne of the Prophetes and Apostles Sithens it is manyfest that we can not acknowledge any for the house of GOD but that which is the piller and staye of the treweth nor anye to bée of the folde of Christ but those only that heare hys voyce and follow him and that shée is the trewe Spouse that hath Christ for her Spouse briefely that it is necessary to goe out of that Church wherein one can not abyde wythoute renouncyng of Iesus Christ and to be shorte without losse of bodye and Soule by dishonoring and offending of GOD. According whereunto I doe also embrace the confession of Fayth published in the name of the reformed Churches of Fraunce acknowledging and auowing the same to be a Christian confession by the conformitye and agréement that it hath with the holy Scripturs and ioyntly the Ecclesiastycall discyplyne to bée the conducte and gouernement of the people of god Wyth lyke assuraunce I holde and beléeue with all my harte and confesse as well by mouth as by writyng that those which for thys reformation haue a fewe yeares sence suffered death eyther by order of Iustyce or by the late blouddy murders more cruell then those of the Gotes or Vandales are trewe and blessed Martyrs of Iesus Christ dead for hys name and his holy trewth And for the commendation and prayse of them together for their comfort and consolation that are yet liuing women children parentes and frindes this sentence of Sainct Paule to the Thessalonians maye by good right be applyed yée are made followers of the congregacions of GOD that are at Iudea in Iesus Christ because yée haue suffered the selfe same thynges by them of your owne natyon as they dyd by the Ievves Who likewyse haue kylled the Lorde Iesus and their owne Prophetes and haue banyshed vs they please not GOD and are aduersaries to al men not suffering vs to speak to the Gentils for their saluation to the ende that they may dayly heape vp their sins for the wrath of god is come vppon them to the vttermost Wherfore O ye faithful pastors of the Christian Church Stewards of the misteries of god that hath giuen you the word of reconciliation to the end that ye maye be Ambassadors for Christ ye that sometymes
them selues and to tremble at the dreadfull iudgements of God especially when those that committe such faults be publike persons and in some respect notable The fal of whom as it is a proofe of a horrible vengeaÌ„ce of God through the which they haue ben abandoned so is it a very violent temptacion to shake the weake consciences and therewithall to draw a great multitude to the same perdition And no doubt the rage of the cruell enemies doth not geue so dangerous a wouÌ„d to the flock of Christ as doth such treachery and infidelitie Moreouer if ther haue ben ani one of the church that hath by gods grace preueÌ„ted the hands of the murderers that he hath not fallen into them or if ther haue ben any apprehended and yet escaped thens without hauing eyther suffered or committed any euil the fauour of god in that his deliuerance ought not to be buried in sileÌ„ce but to be published to assure others to put their confidence in him that can drawe fourth his owne out of all perills as much as he knowes to be expedieÌ„t for him so to doe Of these thrée sortes there are at this day many examples in the extreame calamity of the present persecution full of crueltie and falsehood wherof in tyme the trewth shall be knowen published But as for me I hauing ben of that miserable and pestilent secte thorough my fall offenciue denyall wherin I laye wallowing a long tyme now after that God hath geuen me grace to come again to my right witts I will my selfe be the historiographer of the detestable cryme that I haue committed describing it according to the trewth and as it happened then afterward noting the circumstances I wil assaye to make confession of the enormitie and grieuousnes therof as much as in me shal be possible Finally wheÌ„ ye shal set before your eyes this writing Dearly beloued brethren and readers of this pitifull discourse I beséeche you that through christian compassion ye doe helpe me to féele to the quicke such an offence and in as muche as good may be drawen from euill that ye doe take instruction by my example I was then abyding in Fraunce in a small congregation not passing a dayes iourney from Paris wher being aduertysed of the slaughter within the said citie I tooke deliberation foure dayes after to saue my selfe out of the Realme And casting with my self the difficulties dangers that ther should be to passe I determined after a sort to counterfet the papist by the badge that was worn in the hatts by gesture countenaunce as much as I should see my selfe â—â—ged therunto by necessitie The morow after being come to the next town I was demaunded who I was wherwith finding my self wonderfully amased I had not the memory to speake that which before I had premeditated but making an answere without head or foote they had me in suspicion the Iudge examyning me by othe what I was forthwith without ought disguising I fréely coÌ„fessed the whole By the meanes wherof being clapt in prison I toke this resolution to suffer any kinde of death the they shold lay vppon me and I felt some peace rest in my conscience if I did defend the trewth of the Gospell wherof I was most assured Although I had euen than my head busyed with certeyne cogitacions touching the personall succession of the Romish church wherof I then disputed against some that wer ther preseÌ„t the trewth had alwaies the victorie against falsehod But this boldnes of mine was but a puffe that did not coÌ„tinew loÌ„g For being all alone I began to discourse with my self touching the grieuousnes of the persecution then befallen I founde the same to be farre beyond all the former For I alwayes toke the calamities of the tyme past to be but visitations and roddes wherwithall God did purge his church and had euer iudged them to bée assured marks of the children of god But because that in this last ther did appeare as it were a ruyne and vtter distruction of the whole without any appearance or hope of restablishment I began to valew it at none other rate then a playne testimony of gods wrath and indignation as if he had by this meanes declared that he did detest and condemne the profession and exercyse of our Religion for that he had so often turned againe to stryke vs yea finally so to ouerthrow vs as if he were willing wholly to destroy and roote out this coÌ„gregation fauour that of Rome By this meanes I began to giue streÌ„gth to this temptation of Sathan and the flesh desyring to saue it self from the present danger got the vpper hand In so much that I did straight way conclude with my selfe to acknowledge and auow the church of Rome for the trew church wherinto I did desire to be receued The which I did declare the same daye to the Iudge imagening that without delay I should be set at lybertie which being obtayned I wold withdraw my selfe with all spéede out of the Realme to kéepe me solitary and to apply my selfe to do what I could to passe away the rest of my tyme In the same prison ther were others of the Religion vnto whom I gaue counsell to do the lyke alleging to them that the Romish church was the auncient church whens we wer departed and wherunto we ought to returne with many other deuises tending to the same end Who consenting to my cursed allurements suggestions made the same protestations to the Iudge and not long after they were deliuered yet not content with that which I had done and sayde to shew that I did it with hart and good will I wrote to the chief of my congregation and farther to them of myne owne famyly exhorting them to betake them selues to popery to be assistant at the seruice there as I for my parte minded to be And to the ende that this Metamorphosis or change happened in my person should not astonish them I declared that I had reasons to moue me therunto wherof some I did set down in writing as well in the said letters as in a certayn scrole that I presented to the Iudge Now thought I verely that betwixt that and the morrow after I should be let out of prison to goe wher I would but it happened quite otherwise For the Iudge hauing geuen intelligence how I was taken and of the great and manifest signes of my conuersion and returne to the catholike church as they terme it kept me vntil he hard newes froÌ„ the Court whens he receiued letters of the King who gaue him commaundement to send me to him to be an instrumeÌ„t to serue to perswade the King of Nauarra and the prince of Conde to renounce the religion wherein they had ben brought vp with a protestation to follow the faith and doctrine of Rome and to acknowledge the Pope for head This newes being brought I was very sory when I sawe my selfe
and frinds praysing god who had done them this honour to suffer for his name Now are they grieuously tempted to mistrust the vprightnesse of the cause because they can not bée resolued on the opiniō that men ought to haue of the honorable death that so many godly Martyrs haue abiden through the crueltie of Antichrist his Supposts Héere behold an inestimable iniury done to the dead of whom the memory ought to be blessed for euer to the liuing to Christ him self for whose treuth they haue shead their blud And if I had long abidden emprisonment honger darkenes and rough handeling that to conclude this frayle flesh ouerwhelmed with so many miseries had made the spirit to yelde stoupe to such persecution it might wel haue sauered of some humane fraylty to haue moued compassion thereof But I at the very first rumour of the slaughter resolued to saue this myserable lyfe to dissemble yea to renounce the treuth Trew it is that not long before my minde was something disquieted touching the personall succession of the Church In so much that I stode in doubte whether it were not a dangerous matter to depart frō the church of Rome in the which I founde this succession Neuerthelesse this is the trewth that as sone as I had intelligence of that which was bruted the feare of death the loue of this lyfe and commodities therof seruing their turne of this my trouble of mind caused me to yeld more force thervnto then the thing required Insomuch that I was cleane out of tast with that doctryne in generall which for al that I neither did nor could doubt of But I lost all will and inclination to confesse and maynteine the same And albeit that I had rather haue escaped out of the Realme as in déede I had prepared my selfe ther vnto thā to haue stayed ther any longer that of myne own méere disposition without any maner of cōpulsion I had neuer the affection to bend my selfe against the doctryne Yet notwithstanding I was vtterly discouraged to take in hande the defence of the same I rather tooke this resolution to doe what soeuer was offered me at the instant to cleare me of al suspectiō euery wher wher I shuld passe So the great and righteous Iudge did not fayle on his part to handle me thereafter For hauing ben so many yeares together taught by him the nature of the Gospell of his sonne which is called the word of the crosse it had ben my part to haue ben the more and more assured of my vocation and of the trewth of his Church because I sawe the crosse continew still and the persecutions to grow dayly more violent But perceyuing the affliction to excéede the measure that I would haue prescribed to GOD I fell to doubte not of the doctryne in it selfe but of the Church in the respect of the personall succession For this cause GOD did iustly deliuer me to the desyer of myne owne harte to committe a faulte not onely foule and detestable but also cleane sounding ageynst reason and mans iudgement that is to say to immagine I had some reason not to confesse a trewth whereof I was fully perswaded Others that fal by infirmity doe acknowledge that they doe ageynst that they ought to do in inpugning deniyng a knowen and vndoubted trewth but I toke it to be a pointe requisite in my self to speake ageynst mine owne conscience and ageinst the assured knowledge of mine owne harte Thus in the iudgement of God those that thinke them selues wyse are prooued fooles neither did god in this beginning suffer mée to scape awaye so lightly but sithens I would néedes dally with him thinking that I should be easely set at liberty he payed me the iust reward of my first leudnes and treachery punishing the former offense by later enormities as ye haue vnderstoode The first prancke of my deloyaulty was that I did shewe my selfe not a hyreling that doeth Abandon hys charge when hée séeth the Woulphe come but I was my selfe a Woulphe yea a rauening Woulphe scatering and dissipating mine own propre flock For I wrote immediatly to the principalls of that assembly where I had ben admonishing them to acknowledge follow the church of Rome I dyd the lyke to myne owne famyly which I had before instructed in the feare of God and my little children consecrated to Iesus Christ were by this meanes plonged in the popish filthy polutions to prostrate them selues before the Idole of Idoles Being thus foundred in this first quagmyre I ceased not to wade from euill to worsse and after I had betrayed myne owne flocke myne owne flesh and bones and the little young imps that God had geuen me no maruell if I played so lamentable parts towards others Neyther then did this false dealing of myne kéepe it selfe within these bounds For I was brought to Paris to be tyed as a carthorse to the Charet wher Sathan sate in triumph ageinst the mēbers of Iesu Christ bringing them after him conquered and captiues These two young princes buds of the flower de Luce royall vertuously and faythfully instructed in the doctrine of the trewth consecrated to the glory of God called to be nurces of the Church of whome she might one day hope for some comfort perfection wer by me diuerted from the trew reformed Church brought as touching their persōs to go to Masse and consequently to set vp ageyne restablish that cursed Idolatry within the places and lymits of their dominion seigneury To be short they were by me deliuered vp as it wer to the tyrannical clutches grypes of Antichrist to sweare obedience to him and to make war ageinst the children of god For although they had great occasions to shrink considering the murders that they sawe committed the practises that wer vsed to terrefy thē and although that the brute was already spread that they went to Masse yet had they continewed pure and constant vntil my arriuall Wherfore ther is no doubt but that my tongue trayterous vntrew to my God did more preuayle with them then all the threates dangers and horrible slaughters which they hard and sawe dayly before theyr eyes whereof also if they be now wholly changed with a willing mynde to persecute the Gospell which God forbid I am alas the principal cause If they do that which they do ageynst their will they may chiefly laye the faute in me for that payne and anguish of mynde wherewith they be tormented Touching this poynte be ye aduertysed ye that reade this to praye to GOD for those personages that it will please him to take pytie vpon them and when he séeth good to repayre that inestimable losse In the meane season I was not without remorse and trouble in my conscience séeinge the pytteous woorke that was a building whereof I was an instrument or rather seing the ruine and subuersion of the Churche where I my selfe gaue the greatest blowes to