Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2

M. Ridley to the Queens Majesty.

This degradation being past, and all things finished, D. Brookes called the Bailiffs, deliueryng to them M. Ridley with this charge, to keep him safely from any man speaking with him, and that he should be brought to the place of execution when they were commanded. Then M. Ridley in praising God, brast out with these words & said: God I thank thee, and to thy praise be it spoken, there is none of you all able to lay to my charge any open or notorious crime: for if you could, it should surely be laid in my lap, I see very well. Whereunto Brookes said, he played the part of a proud Pharisey, exalting and praising himself.

But M. Ridley said: No, no, no, as I have said before, to God's glory be it spoken. I confess myself to be a miserable wretched sinner, and have great need of God's help and mercy, and do daily call and cry for the same: therefore I pray you have no such opinion in me. Then they departed, and in going away, a certain Warden of a College, of whose name I am not very sure, bad Doct. Ridley repent him, and forsake that erroneous opinion. Whereunto M. R • dley said: Sir, repent you, for you are out of the truth: and I pray God (if it be his blessed will) have mercy upon you, and grant you the understanding of his word. Then the Warden being in a chafe thereat, said: I trust that I shall never be of your erroneous and devilish opinion, neither yet to be in that place whether you shall go. He is (saith he) the most obstinatest and wilfullest man that ever I heard talk since I was borne.

The behavior of D. Ridley at his supper, the night before his suffering.

THe night before he suffered, his beard was washed, and his legs, and as he sat at supper the same night at M. Irishes (who was his keeper) he had his hostesse, and the rest at the board, to his marriage: for (saith he) tomorrow I must be married, and so shown himself to be as merry as ever he was at any time before. And wishing his sister at his marriage, he asked his brother sitting at the Table, whether she could find in her heart to be there or no, and he answered, yea, I dare say, with all her heart: at which word he said, he was glad to hear of her so much therein. So at this talk maistres Irish wept.

But M. Ridley comforted her, and said: Oh maistres Irishe, you love me not now, I see well enough. For in that you weep, it doth appear you will not be at my marriage, neither are content therewith. In deed you be not so much my friend, as I thought you had been. But quiet yourself: though my breakfast shall be somewhat sharp and painful, yet I am sure, my supper shall be more pleasant and sweet, &c.

When they arose from the Table, his brother offered him to watch all night with him. But he said, no, no, that you shall not. For I mind (God willing) to go to bed, and to sleep as quietly to night, as ever I did in my life. So his brother departed, exhorting him to be of good cheer, and to take his Cross quietly, for the reward was great, &c.

*The behavior of D. Ridley and M. Latimer, at the time of their death, which was the 16. of October. An. 1555.

VPon the Northside of the town, in the ditch over against Bailey College, the place of execution was appointed: and for fear of any tumult that might arise, to let the burning of them, the L. Williams was commanded by the Queens letters, and the householders of the City to be there assistant, sufficiently appointed, & when every thing was in a readiness, the prisoners were brought forth by the Major and Bailiffs.

M. Ridley had a fair black goune furred, and faced with foines, such as he was wont to wear being Bish. and a tippet of velvet furred likewise about his neck, a velvet night cap upon his hed, & a corner cap upon the same, going in a pair of slippers to the stake, & going between the Major and an Alderman, &c.

After him came M. Latimer in a poor Bristow freeze frock all worn, with his buttened cap, and a kerchiefe on his hed, all ready to the fire, a new long shroud hanging over his hose down to the feet, which at the first sight, stirred men's hearts to rue upon them, beholding on the one side, the honor they sometime had, on the other, the calamity whereunto they were fallen.

M. Doctor Ridley, as he passed towards Bocardo, looking up where M. Cranmer did lie, hopyng belike to have seen him at the glass window, and to have spoken unto him. But then M. Cranmer was busy with Frier Soto & his fellows disputing together, so that he could not see him through that occasion. Then M. Ridley looking back, espied M. Latimer coming after. Unto whom he said: Oh be ye there. Yea said M. Latimer, have after as fast as I can follow. So he following a pretty way of, at lenth they came both to the stake, one after the other, where first D. Ridley entering the place, marvelous earnestly holding up both his hands, looked towards heaven: then shortly after espying M. Latimer, with a wondrous cheerful look, ran to him, embraced, and kissed him, and as they that stood near reported, comforted him, saying: be of good heart brother, for GOD will either asswage the fury of the flame, or else strengthen us to abide it.

With that went he to the stake, kneeled down by it, kissed it, most effectuously prayed, and behind him M. Latimer kneled, as earnestly calling upon God as he. After they arose, the one talked with the other a little while, till they which were appointed to see the execution removed themselves out of the sun. What they said, I can learn of no man.

Then Doctor Smith, of whose recantation in K. Edwards time, ye heard before, began his Sermon to them, upon this text of Saint Paul, in the xiii. chapiter of the first Epistle to the Corrinthians: Si corpus meum trad • m igni, charitatem autem non habeo, nihil inde vtilitatis capio: That is, If I yield my body to the fire to be burnt, & have not Charity, I shall gain nothing thereby. Where in he alleged, that the goodness of the cause, and not the order of death: maketh the holiness of the person: Which he confirmed by the examples of Judas, and of a woman in Oxford that of late hanged her self, for that they and such like as he recited, might thē be adjudged righteous, which desperately sundered their lives from their bodies, as he feared that those men that stood before him would do. But he cried still to the people to beware of them, for they were heretics, and died out of the Church. And on the other side, he declared their diversities in opinions, as Lutherians, Oecolampadians, Zwinglians, of which sect they were, (he said) and that was the worst: but the old church of Christ, and the Catholic faith believed far otherwise, At which place they lifted up both their hands and eyes to heaven, as it were calling God to witness of the truth. The which countenance they made in many other places of his Sermon, where as they thought he spake amiss. He ended with a very short exhortation to them, to recant and come home again to the church, and save their lives and souls, which else were condemned. His sermō was scant in all a quarter of an hour.

Doctor Ridley said to Master Latimer, will you begin to answer the Sermon, or shall I? Master Latimer said, begin you first I pray you. I will said Master Ridley.

Then the wicked Sermon being ended, Doctor Ridley and Master Latimer kneled down upon their knees towards my Lord Williams of Tame, the Uicechancellor of Oxford, and divers other Commissioners appointed for that purpose, which sat upon a form thereby. Unto whom Master Ridley said: I beseech you my Lord even for Christ's sake, that I may speak but two or three words: and whilst my Lord bent his head to the Major and Uicechauncellour, to know (as it appeared) whether he might give him leave to speak, the Bailiffs and Doctor Marshall Uicechancellour ran hastily unto him, and with their hands stopped his mouthe and said: Master Ridley, if you will revoke your erroneous opinions, and recant the same, you shall not only have liberty so to do, but also the benefit of a subject, that is, have your life. Not otherwise said Master Ridley? No quoth Doctor Marshall: therefore if you will not do so, then there is no remedy but you must suffer for your deserts. Well (quoth M. Ridley) so long as the breath is in my body, I will never deny my Lord Christ, and his known truth: God's will be done in me. And with that he rose up, and said with a loud voice: Well, then I commit our cause to almighty God, which shall indifferently judge all.

To whose saying, Master Latimer added his old Posy. Well, there is nothing hid but it shall be opened: and he said he could answer Smith well enough if he might be suffered. Incontinently they were commanded to make them ready, which they with all mekenesse obeyed. Master Ridley took his gown and his tippet, and gave it to his brother in law M. Shepside, who all his time of imprisonment, although he might not be suffered to come to him, lay there at his own charges to provide him necessaries, which from time to time, he sent him by the Sergeant that kept him. Some other of his apparel that was little worth, he gave away, other the Bailifs took.

He gave away besides, diverse other small things to Gentlemen standing by, and diverse of them pitifully weeping, as to sir Henry Lea, he gave a new grote, and to diverse of my L. Williams gentlemen, some napkins, some nutmegs, and races of ginger, his Diall, and such other things as he had about him, to everyone that stood next him. Some plucked the pointes of his hose. Happy was he that might get any rag of him.

M. Latimer gave nothing, but very quietly suffered his keeper to pull of his hose, and his other array, which to look unto was very simple: and being stripped into his shroud, he seemed as comely a person to them that were there present, as one should lightly see: and where as in his clothes, he appeared a withered and crooked silk old man, he now stood bolt upright, as comely a father as one might lightly behold.

Then M. Ridley standing as yet in his truss, said to his brother: it were best for me to go in my truss still. No (quoth his brother) it will put you to more pain: and the truss will do a poor man good. Whereunto Master Ridley said: be it, in the name of God, and so vnlaced himself. Then being in his shirt, he stood upon the foresaid stone, and held up his hands and said: Oh heavenly Father, I give unto thee most hearty thanks, for that thou hast called me to be a professor of thee, even unto death. I beseech thee Lord GOD take mercy upon this Realm of England, and deliver the same from all her enemies.

Then the Smith took a chain of iron, and brought the same about both D. Ridleis, and M. Latimers middles: and as he was knockyng in a staple, D. Ridley took the chain in his hand, and shaked the same, for it did gird in his belly, and looking aside to the Smith, said: good fellow knock it in hard, for the flesh will have his course. Then his brother did bring him gunpouder in a bag, and would have tied the same about his neck. M. Ridley asked what it was. His brother said gunpouder. Then said he, I take it to be sent of God, therefore I will receive it as sent of him. And have you any said he, for my brother, meaning M. Latimer? Yea sir, that I have (quoth his brother.) Then give it unto him said he, betyme, least ye come to late. So his brother went, and carried of the same gunpouder unto M. Latimer.

In the mean time D. Ridley spake unto my L. Williams, and said: My L. I must be a suitor unto your lordship, in the behalf of diverse poor men, and especially in the cause of my poor Sister: I have made a supplication to the Queens Majesty in their behalfes. I beseech your Lordship for Christ's sake, to be a mean to her grace for them. My brother here hath the Supplication, and will resort to your lordship to certify you hereof. There is nothing in all the world y ^t troubleth my conscience (I praise God) this only excepted. Whiles I was in the Sea of London, diverse poor men took Leases of me, and agreed with me for the same. Now I hear say, the B. that now occupieth the same room, will not allow my grants unto them made, but contrary unto all law and conscience, hath taken from them their livings, and will not suffer them to enjoy the same. I beseech you my Lord, be a mean for them: you shall do a good deed, and God will reward you.

Then brought they a fagot kindled with fire, and laid the same down at D. Ridleys feet. To whom Master Latimer spake in this manner: Be of good comfort master Ridley, and play the man: we shall this day light such a candle by God's grace in England, as (I trust) shall never be put out.

And so the fire being given unto them, when D. Ridley saw the fire flamyng up toward him, he cried with a wonderful loud voice: In manus tuas Domine, commendo spiritum meum, Domine recipe spiritum meum, and after repeated this latter part often in English: Lord, Lord, receive my spirit: M. Latimer crying as vehemently on the other side: Oh Father of Heaven, receive my soul: who received the flame as it were embrasing of it. After, as he had stroked his face with his hands, & (as it were) bathed them a little in the fire, he soon died (as it appeared) with very little pain or none. And thus much concerning the end of this old and blessed servant of God, M. Latimer, for whose laborious trauails, fruitful life, & constant death, the whole Realm hath cause to give great thanks to almighty God.

But M. Ridley by reason of the evil making of the fire unto him, because the wooden fagots were laid about the gosse, and over high built, the fire burned first beneath, being kept down by the wood. Which when he felt, he desired them for Christ's sake to let the fire come unto him. Which when his brother in law heard, but not well understood, entendyng to rid him out of his pain (for the which cause he gave attendance) as one in such sorrow, not well advised what he did, heaped fagots upon him, so that he clean covered him, which made the fire more vehement beneath, that it burned clean all his nether parts before it once touched the upper, and that made him leap up and down under the fagots, and often desire them to let the fire come unto him, saying: I cannot burn. Which in deed appeared well: for after his legs were consumed by reason of his struglyng through the pain (whereof he had no release, but only his contentation in God) he shown that side toward us clean, shirt and all untouched with flame. Yet in all this torment he forgot not to call unto God still, having in his mouth: Lord have mercy upon me, intermeddling this cry, let the fire come unto me, I cannot burn. In which pains he labored, till one of the standers by with his bill, pulled of the fagots above, and where he saw the fire flame up, he wrested himself unto that side. And when the flame touched the gunpouder, he was seen stir no more, but burned on the other side, falling down at M. Latymers feet. Which some said happened, by reason that the chain loosed: other said that he fell over the chain by reason of the poise of his body, and the weakness of the nether limbs.

Some say that before he was like to fall from the stake he desired them to hold him to it with their bills. Howsoever it was, surely it moved hundredes to tears, in beholding the horrible sight. For I think there was none that had not clean exiled all humanity and mercy, which would not have lamented to behold the fury of the fire so to rage upon their bodies. Signs there were of sorrow on every side. Some took it grievously to see their deaths, whose lives they held full dear. Some pitied their persons that thought their souls had no need thereof. His brother moved many men, seeing his miserable case: seeing (I say) him compelled to such infelicity, y ^t he thought then to do him best service, when he hastened his ende. Some cried out of the luck, to see his endeavor, who most dearly loved him, and sought his release, turn to his greater vexation, and increase of pain. But who so considered their preferments in time past, the places of honor that they sometime occupied in this common wealth, the favor they were in with their princes, and the opinion of learning they had, could not choose but sorrow with tears, to see so great dignity, honor, and estimation, so necessary members sometime accounted, so many godly virtues, the study of so many years, such excellent learning, to be put into the fire, and consumed in one moment. Well, dead they are, and the reward of this world they have already. What reward remaineth for them in heaven, the day of the Lord's glory when he cometh with his saints, shall shortly I trust declare.

Albeit I have deferred and put over many treatises, letters, & exhortations belonging to the story of the Martyrs, unto the latter appendix in the ende of this volume: thinking also to have done the like with these farewels, & exhortations following of D. Ridley, yet for certain purposes moving me thereunto, and especially considering the fruitful admonitions, wholesome doctrine, and necessary exhortations contained in the same, I thought best here to bestow, and consequently to adjoin the said tractations of that learned pastour, with the life and story of the author. Whereof the two first be in a manner of his farewels, the one to his kinsfolks, and generally to all the faithful of the number of Christ's congregation: the other more special to the prisoners, and banished Christians in the gospels cause: the third containeth a fruitful and a general admonition to the city of London, and to all other, with necessary precepts of Christian office, as by the tenor of them here followeth in order to be seen.

A treatise or a letter written by D. Ridley, in stead of his last farewell, to all his true and faithful friends in God, with a sharp admonition withal unto the Papists.

AT the name of Jesus let every knee bow, both of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and let every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is the lord unto y ^e glory of God the Father, Amen.

As a man mynding to take a far journey, and to depart from his familiar friends, commonly and naturally hath a desire, to bid his friends farewell, before his departure: so likewise now I looking daily, when I should be cauled to depart hence from you, (O all ye my dearly beloved brethren, & sisters in our Savior Christ that dwell here in this world) having a like mind towards you all (and blessed be God for such time and leisure, whereof I right heartily thank his heavenly goodness:) to bid you all my dear brethren & sisters (I say in Christ) that dwell upon the earth, after such manner as I can, Farewell.

Farewell my dear brother George Shipside, whom I have ever found faithful, trusty, and loving in all s • ate and conditions, and now in the time of my cross, over all other to me most friendly and steadfast, and that which lyked me best, over all other things, in God's cause ever hartye.

Farewell my dear sister Alice his wife. I am glad to hear of thee, that thou doest take Christ's cross which is laid now (blessed be God) both on thy back and mine, in good part. Thanke thou God that hath given thee a godly and loving husband: see thou honor him, and obey him, according to God's law, Honor thy mother in law his mother, and love all those that pertain unto him, being ready to do them good, as it shall lie in thy power. As for thy children, I doubt not of thy husband, but that he which hath given him an heart to love and fear God, and in God them that pertain unto him, shall also make him friendly and beneficial unto thy children, even as if they had been gotten of his own body.

Farewell my well-beloved brother John Ridley of the Waltoun, and you my gentle and loving sister Elizabeth: whom besides the natural league of amity, your tender love, which you were said ever to bear towards me above the rest of your brethren, doth bind me to love. My mind was to have acknowledged this your loving affection, and to have aquitted it with deeds and not with words alone. Your daughter Elizabeth I bid farewell, whom I love for the meek and gentle spirit that God hath given her, which is a precious thing in y ^e sight of God.

Farewell my beloved sister of Unthanke, with all your children nephews and neeces. Since the departing of my brother Hugh, my mind was to have been unto them instead of their father, but the Lord God must and will be their father, if they will love him and fear him, and live in the trade of his law.

Farewell my well-beloved and worshipful Cosins, M. Nich. Ridley of Willimountswike, and your wife, and I thank you for all your kindness shown both to me, and also to all your own kinsfolk and mine. Good Cosine, as God hath set you in our stock and kindered (not for any respect of your person, but of his aboundaunt grace and goodness, to be as it were the belweather to order, & conduct the rest, and hath also endued you with his manifold gyfts of grace, both heavenly and worldly above others: so I pray you good Cosin (as my trust and hope is in you) continue and increase in the maintenance of the truth, honesty, righteousness, and all true godliness, and to the uttermost of your power, to withstand falsehood, untruth, unrighteousness, and all vngodlinesses, which is forbidden and condemned by the word and Laws of God.

Farewell my young Cosin Rafe Whitfield. Oh your time was very short with me. My mind was to have done you good, and yet you caught in that little time a loss, but I trust it shall be recompensed, as it shall please almighty God.

Farewell all my whole kindred and countrymen, farewell in Christ altogether. The Lord which is the searcher of secrets, knoweth that according to my harts desire, my hope was of late that I should have come among you, & to have brought with me abundance of Christ's blessed Gospel, according to the duty of that office and ministry, whereunto among you I was chosen, named, and appointed by the mouth of that our late peerless Prince K. Edward, and so also denounced openly in his Court, by his privy Counsaile.

I warn you all my well-beloved kinsfolk & countrymen, that ye be not amazed or astonied at the kind of my departure, or dissolution: for I ensure you, I think it the most honor that ever I was called unto in all my life, and therefore I thank my Lord God heartily for it, that it hath pleased him to call me of his great mercy unto this high honor, to suffer death willingly for his sake, and in his cause: unto the which honor he hath called the holy Prophets and dearly beloved Apostles, and his blessed chosen Martyrs. For know ye that I doubt no more but that the causes wherefore I am put to death, are God's causes, and the causes of the truth, then I doubt that the Gospel which John wrote, is the Gospel of Christ, or that Paul's Epistles are the very word of God. And to have a heart willing to abide, and stand in God's cause and in Christ's quarrel even unto death, I ensure thee (O mā) it is an inestimable and an honorable gift of God, given only to the true elects and dearly beloved childrē of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. For the holy Apostle and also Martyr in Christ's cause S. Peter, saith: If ye suffer rebuke in the name of Christ, that is, in Christ's cause, and for his truths sake, then are ye happy and blessed, for the glory of the spirit of God resteth upon you. If for rebukes sake suffered in Christ's name, a mā is pronounced by the mouth of that holy Apostle, blessed & happy: How much more happy & blessed is he that hath the grace to suffer death also? Wherefore, all ye that be my true lovers and friends, rejoice, and rejoice with me again, & render with me hearty thanks to God our heavenly father, that for his sons sake my savior & redeemer Christ, he hath vouchsafed to call me, being else without his gracious goodness, in myself but a sinful & a vile wretch, to call me (I say) unto this high dignity of his true Prophets, of his faithful Apostles, & of his holy elect & chosen Martyrs, that is, to die and to spend this temporal life in the defense & maintenance of his eternal and everlasting truth.

Ye know that be my Countrymen dwelling upon the borders, where (alas) the true man suffereth oftentimes much wrong at the thieves hand, i • it chance a man to be slain of a thief (as it oft chanceth there) which went out with his neighbor to help him to rescue his goods again, that the more cruelly he be slain, and the more steadfastly he stuck by his neighbor in the fight against the face of the thief, the more favor and friendship shall all his posterity have for the slain man's sake, of all them that be true, as long as the memory of his fact, and his posterity doth endure: Even so, ye that be my kinsefolke and countrymen, know ye (how so ever the blind, ignorant, & wicked world hereafter shall raise upon my death, which thing they cannot do worse then their fathers did, of the death of Christ our Savior, of his holy Prophets, Apostles & Martyrs:) know ye (I say) y ^t both before God & all them that be godly, and that truly kn • w, & follow the laws of God, ye have, and shall have by gods grace ever cause to rejoice, & to thank God highly, and to think good of it, and in God to rejoice of me your flesh & blood, whom God of his gracious goodness, hath vouchsafed to associate unto the blessed company of his holy Martyrs in heaven, and I doubt not in the infinite goodness of my Lord God, nor in the faithful fellowship of his elect & chosen people, but at both their hands in my cause, ye shall rather find the more favor and grace: For the Lord saith, that he will be both to them and theirs that love him, the more loving again in a thousand generations: the Lord is so full of mercy to them (I say) and theirs which do love him in deed. And Christ saith again, that no mā can show more love, then to give his life for his friend.

Now also know ye, all my true lovers in God, my kinsfolk and Countrymen, that the cause wherefore I am put to death, is even after the same sort and condition, but touching more near God's cause, & in more weighty matters, but in the general kind all one. For both is gods cause, both is in the maintenance of right, and both for the common wealth, & both for the weal also of the Christiā brother: although yet there is in these two no small difference both concerning the enemies, the goods stolen, & the manner of the fight. For know ye all, that like as there whē the poor true mā is robbed by the thief of his own goods truly gotten, (whereupon he and his househould should live) he is greatly wronged, & the thief in stealing & robbyng with violence the poor mans goods, doth offend god, doth transgres his law, and is injurious both to the poor man, and to the common wealth: so I say, know ye all that even here in the cause of my death it is with the Church of England, I mean the congregation of the true chosen children of GOD in this Realm of England, which I knowledge not only to be my neighbors, but rather the congregation of my spiritual brethren, & sisters in Christ, yea, members of one body, wherein by God's grace I am and have been grafted in Christ. This Church of England had of late of the infinite goodness and aboundaunt grace of almighty God, great substance, great riches of heavenly treasure, great plenty of God's true and sincere word, the true and wholesome administration of Christ's holy Sacraments, the whole profession of Christ's Religion, truly and plainly set forth in Baptism, the plain declaration & understanding of the same, taught in the holy Catechism, to have been learned of all true Christians.

This Church had also a true and sincere form & manner of the Lord's Supper, wherein, according to Jesus Christ's own ordinance, and holy institution, Christ's commandments were executed and done. For upon the bread and wyne set upon the Lord's Table, thanks were given, the commemoration of the Lord's death was had, the bread in the remembrance of Christ's body torn upon the cross, was broken, and the cup in the remembrance of Christ's blood shed, was distributed and both communicated unto all that were present, and would receive them, and also they were exhorted of the Minister so to do.

All was done openly in the vulgar tongue, so that every thing might be both easily heard, & plainly understand of all the people, to God's high glory, and the edification of the whole Church. This Church had of late the whole divine service, all common and public prayers ordained to be said and heard in the common congregation, not only framed and fashioned to the true vain of holy scripture, but also set forth according to the commandment of the Lord, and S. Paul's doctrine for the people's edification, in their vulgare tongue.

It had also holy and wholesome Homilies, in commendation of the principal virtues: which are commended in Scripture, and likewise other Homilies against the most pernicious and capital vices that useth (alas) to reign in this Realm of England. This Church had in matters of controversy, Articles so penned and framed alter the holy Scripture, and grounded upon the true understanding of God's word, that in short time if they had been universally received, they should have been able to have set in Christ's Church much concord and unity in Christ's true religion, and to have expelled many false errors and heresies, wherewith this Church (alas) was almost ouergone.

But (alas) of late into this spiritual possession of the heavenly treasure of these godly riches, are entered in thieves that have robbed and spoiled all this heavenly treasure away. I may well complain on these things, and cry out upon them with the Prophet, saying: Deus venerunt gentes in haereditatem tuam, &c. Psal. 72. O Lord God, the Gentiles, Heathen nations are come into thy heritage: They have defiled thy holy Temple, and made Jerusalem an heap of stones, that is, They have broken & beaten down to the ground thy holy City. This Heathenish generatiō, these thieves of Samaria, these Sabei and Chaldei, these robbers have rushed out of their dens, and have robbed the Church of England, of all the foresaid holy treasure of God: they have carried it away, and overthrown it, and instead of God's holy word, the true and right administration of Christ's holy Sacraments, as of Baptism and others, they mixte their ministry with men's foolish fantasies, and many wicked and ungodly traditions withal.

Instead of the Lord's holy Table, they give the people with much solemn disguising, a thing which they cal their Mass, but in deed and in truth, it is a very masking and mockery of the true Supper of the Lord, or rather I may call it a crafty iuglyng, whereby these false thieves & iuglers have bewitched the minds of the simple people, that they have brought them from the true worship of god, unto pernicious idolatry, and make them to believe that to be Christ our Lord and Savior, which in deed is neither God nor man, nor hath any life in it self, but in substance is the creature of bread and wyne, and in use of the Lord's Table, is the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood: and for this holy use, for the which the Lord hath ordained them in his table, to represent unto us his blessed body torn upon the cross for us, and his blood there shed, it pleased him to call them his body & blood, which understanding, Christ declareth to be his true meaning, when he saith: Do this in the remembrance of me. And again, Saint Paul likewise doth set out the same more plainly, speaking of the same Sacrament, after the words of the consecration, saying: As often as ye shall eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, ye shall set forth (he meaneth with the same) the Lord's death until his coming again. And here again these thieves have robbed also the people of the Lord's cup, contrary to the plain words of Christ, written in his Gospel.

Now, for the common public prayers which were in the vulgare tongue, these thieves have brought in again a strange tongue, whereof the people understand not one word. Wherein what do they else, but rob the people of their Divine service, wherein they ought to pray together with the minister, and to pray in a strange tongue, what is it, but (as Saint Paul calleth it) barbarousness, childishness, unprofitable folly, yea, and plain madness?

For the godly Articles of unity in religion, & for the wholesome Homilies, what do these Thieues place in the stead of them, but the Popes Laws and Decrees, lying Legends, feigned fables and miracles to delude and abuse the simplicity of the rude people. Thus this robbery and theft is not only committed, nay, sacrilege and wicked spoil of heavenly things, but also in the stead of the same, is brought in and placed, the abhominable desolation of the tyrant Antiochus, of proud Sennacherib, of the shameless faced king, and of the Babilonicall beast. Unto this robbery, this theft and sacrilege, for that I cannot consent, nor (God willing) never shall so long as the breath is in my body, because it is blasphemy against God, high treason unto Christ our heavenly king, Lord, Master, & our only Savior and redeemer, it is plain contrary to God's word, and to Christ's Gospel, it is the subversion of all true godliness, and against the everlasting salvation of mine own soul, and of all my brethren and sisters, whom Christ my Savior hath so dearly bought, with no less price, then with the effusion and shedyng forth of his most precious blood. Therefore, all ye my true lovers in God, my kinsfolk and countrymen, for this cause (I say) know ye that I am put to death, which by God's grace I shall willingly take, with hearty thanks to God therefore, in certain hope without any doubting, to receive at God's hand again of his free mercy and grace, everlasting life.

Although the cause of the true man slain of the thief, helpyng his neighbor to recover his goods again, and the cause wherefor I am to be put to death, in a generality is both one (as I said before) yet know ye that there is no small difference. These thieves against whom I do stand, are much worse then the robbers and thieves of the borders. The goods which they steal are much more precious, and their kynds of fight are far diverse. These thieves are worse (I say) for they are more cruel, more wicked, more false, more deceitful and crafty: for those will but kill the body, but these will not stick to kill both body and soul. Those for the general theft and robbery, be called & are in deed thieves and robbers: but these for their spiritual kind of robbery, are called Sacrilegi, as ye would say Church robbers. They are more wicked: for those go about to spoil men of worldly things, worldly riches, gold and silver, & worldly substance: these go about in the ways of the devil their ghostly father, to steal from the universal Church, and particularly from every man, all heavenly treasure, true faith, true charity, & hope of salvation in the blood of our Savior Jesus Christ, yea to spoil us of our savior Jesus Christ, of his gospel, of his heavenly spirit, & of the heavenly heritage of the kingdom of heavē, so dearly purchased unto us, with the death of our master and Savior Christ. These be the goods and godly substance whereupon the Christian before God must live, and without the which he cannot live: These goods (I say) these thieves, these Church robbers, go about to spoil us of. The which goods, as to the man of God they excel and far pass all worldly treasure: so to withstand even unto the death, such thieves as go about to spoil both us & the whole Church of such goods, is most high and honorable service done unto God.

These church robbers be also much more false, crafty, and deceitful then the thieves upon the borders, for these have not the craft so to commend their theft, that they dare avouch it, and therefore as acknowledging themselves to be evil, they steal commonly upon the night, they dare not appear at judgments and Sessions, where Justice is executed, and when they are taken and brought thither, they never hang any man, but they be oft times hanged for their faults. But these Church robbers can so cloke & color their spiritual robbery, that they can make the people to believe falsehood to be truth, and truth falsehood, good to be evil, and evil good, light to be darkness, and darkness light, superstition to be true religion, and Idolatry to be the true worship of God, and that which is in substance the creature of bread and wyne, to be none other substance but only the substance of Christ the living Lord both God and man. And with this their falsehood & craft, they can so iuggle and bewitch the understanding of the simple, that they dare avouch it openly in Courte and in Town, and fear neither hanging nor headyng, as the poor thieves of the borders do, but stout and strong like Nembroth, dare condemn to be burned in flamyng fire, quick and alive, whosoever will go about to bewray their falsehood.

The kind of fight against these Churchrobbers, is also of another sort and kind, then is that which is against the thieves of the borders. For there the true men go forth against them with spear and launce, with bow and hill, and all such kind of bodily weapons as the true mē have: but here as the enemies be of another nature, so the watch men of Christ's flock, the warrioures that fight in the Lord's war, must be armed & fight with another kind of weapons and armor. For here the enemies of GOD, the soldiers of Antichrist, although the battle is set forth against the Church by mortal men being flesh and blood, and nevertheless members of their father the devil, yet for that their grand master is the power of darkness, their members are spiritual wickedness, wicked spirits, spirits of errors, of heresies, of all deceit and ungodliness, spirits of Idolatry, superstition & hypocrisy, which are called of S. Paul, Principates and powers, Lord's of the world, rulers of the darkness of this world, & spiritual subtleties concerning heavenly things, and therefore our weapons must be fit and meet to fight against such, not carnal nor bodily weapons, as spear & launce, but spiritual and heavenly: we must fight against such with the armor of God, not entendyng to kill their bodies, but their errors, their false craft and heresies, their idolatry, superstition and hypocrisy, and to save (as much as lieth in us) both their bodies and souls.

And therefore as s. Paul teacheth us, we fight not against flesh and blood, that is, we fight not with bodily weapon to kill the man, but with the weapons of God to put to flight his wicked errors & vice, & to save both body and soul. Our weapons therefore, are faith, hope, charity, righteousness, truth, patience, prayer unto God, & our sword wherewith we smite our enemies, we beat and batter, and bear down all falsehood, is the word of God. With these weapons under the banner of the cross of Christ we do fight, ever having our eye upon our grand master, Duke and captain Christ, & then we reckon our selves to triumph & to win the crown of everlasting bliss, when enduryng in this battle without any shrinking or yeldyng to the enemies, after the example of our grand capitaine Christ our master, after the example of his holy prophets, Apostles & Martyrs, when (I say) we are slain in our mortal bodies of our enemies, & are most cruelly & without all mercy murdered down like a many of sheep. And y ^e more cruel, the more painful, the more vile & spiteful is the kind of the death whereunto we be put: the more glorious in God, the more blessed and happy we reckon, (without all doubts) our martyrdom to be.

And thus much dere lovers & friends in God, my coūtreyman & kinsfolk. I have spoken for your comfort, lest of my death (of whose life you looked peradventure sometimes to have had honesty, pleasures & commodities) ye might be abashed or think any evil: whereas ye have rather cause to rejoice (if ye love me in deed) for that it hath pleased God to cal me to a greater honor and dignity, thē ever I did enjoy before, either in Rochester, or in the sea of London, or ever should have had in the Sea of Durham, whereunto I was last of all elected & named: yea I count it greater honor before God in deed to die in his cause (whereof I nothing doubt) then is any earthly or temporal promotion or honor that can be given to a man in this world. And who is he that knoweth the cause to be God's to be Christ's quarrel, & of his Gospel, to be the common weal of all the elect and chosen children of God, of all the inheritors of the kingdom of heaven, who is he (I say) that knoweth this assuredly by God's word, and the testimony of his own conscience (as I thorough the infinite goodness of GOD, not of myself, but by his grace acknowledge myself to do) who is he (I say) that knoweth this and both loveth and feareth GOD in deed and in truth, loveth and believeth his master Christ and his blessed Gospel, loveth his brotherhoode the chosen children of God, and also lusteth and longeth for everlasting life, who is he (I say again) that would not or cannot find in his heart in this cause to be content to die? The Lord forbid that any such should be that should forsake this grace of God. I trust in my Lord God, the GOD of mercies & the Father of all comfort through Jesus Christ our Lord, that he which hath put this mind, will, & affection by his holy spirit in my heart to stand against the face of the enemy in his cause, and to choose rather the loss of all my worldly substance, yea, and of my life too, then to deny his known truth, that he will comfort me, aid me, and strengthen me evermore even unto the end, and to the yeldyng up of my spirit & soul into his holy hands, whereof I most heartily beseech his most holy sacred Majesty of his infinite goodness and mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Now that I have taken my leave of my countrymen and kinsfolk, and the Lord doth lend me life, and giveth me laisure, I will bid my other good friends in God of other places also, farewell. And whom first or before other, then the University of Cambridge, whereas I have dwelt longer, found more faithful and hearty friends, received more benefits (the benefits of my natural parents only excepted) then ever I did even in mine own native country wherein I was borne.

Farewell therefore Cambridge my loving mother and tender nurse. If I should not acknowledged thy manifold benefits, yea if I should not for thy benefits at the least love thee again, truly I were to be counted to vngrate & unkind. What benefits hadst thou ever, that thou usest to give & bestow upon thy best beloved children, that thou thoughtest too good for me? Thou didst bestow on me all thy school degrees, of thy common offices, the Chaplaynship of the university, the office of the Proctorship, & of a common Reader, & of thy private commodities & emoluments in colleges? what was it that thou madest me not partner of? First to be scholar, then to be fellow, & after my departure from thee, thou calledst me again to a maistership of a right worshipful college. I thank thee my loving mother for all this thy kindness, and I pray God that his laws and the sincere gospel of Christ, may ever be truly taught and faithfully learned in thee.

Farewell Pembroke Hall, of late mine own College, my cure and my charge: what case thou art in now God knoweth, I know not well. Thou wast ever named sithens I knew thee which is now 30. years ago, to be studious, well learned, and a great setter forth of Christ's gospel, and of God's true word: so I found thee, & blessed be God so I left thee in deed. Woe is me for thee mine own dear College, if ever thou suffer thyself by any means to be brought from that trade. In thy Orchard (the walls, buts and trees, if they could speak, would bear me witness) I learned without book almost all Paul's epistles, yea, and I ween all the Canonical epistles, save only the Apocalypse. Of which study, although in time a great part did depart from me, yet the sweet smell thereof I trust I shall carry with me into heaven: for the profit thereof I think I have felt in all my life time ever after, & I ween of late (whether they abide now or no, I cannot tell) there was that did the like. The Lord grant that this zeal & love toward that part of gods word, which is a kay & true commentary to all holy scripture, may ever abide in that College so long as the world shall endure.

From Cambridge I was called into Kente by the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer, that most Reverend Father and man of God, and of him by and by sent to be Vicar of Herne in East Kent. Wherefore farewell Herne, thou worshipful and wealthy Parishe, the first Cure whereunto I was called to minister God's word. Thou hast heard of my mouth oft times the word of GOD preached, not after the popish trade, but after Christ's Gospel: Oh that the fruit had answered to the seed. And yet I must knowledge me to be thy debtor for the doctrine of the Lord's Supper, which at that time I acknowledge God had not revealed unto me: but I bless God in all that godly virtue & zeal of God's word, which the Lord by preaching of his word did kindle manifestly both in the heart and in the life and works of that Godly woman there, my Lady Phines: the Lord grant that his word took like effect there in many other moe.

Farewell thou cathedral church of Canterbury, the Metrapolitike sea, whereof once I was a member. To speak things pleasant unto thee, I dare not for danger of conscience, and displeasure of my Lord God, and to say what lieth in my heart, were now to much, & I fear were able to do thee now but little good. Nevertheless, for the friendship I have found in some there, and for charity sake I wish thee to be washed clean of all worldliness and ungodliness, that thou mayst be found of God after thy name Christ's church in deed and in truth.

Farewell Rochester, sometime my Cathedral sea, in whom (to say the truth) I did find much gentleness and obedience, and I trust thou wilt not say the contrary, but I did use it to God's glory and thine own profit in God. Oh that thou hadst and mightest have continued and gone forward in the trade of God's law wherein I did leave thee: then thy charge and burden should not have been so terrible and dangerous, as I suppose verily it is like to be (alas) on the latter day.

To Westminster other advertisement in God I have not now to say, then I have said before to the Cathedral church of Cant. & so God give thee of his grace, that thou mayest learn in deed and in truth to please him after his own laws, and thus fare you well.

Oh London, London, to whom now may I speak in thee, or whom shall I bid farewell? Shall I speak to the Prebendaries of Paul's? Alas, all that loved God's word, & were the true setters forth thereof, are now (as I hear say) some burnt and slain, some exiled and banished and some holden in hard prison, and appointed daily to be put to most cruel death for Christ's gospel sake. As for the rest of them, I know they could never brook me well, nor I could never delight in them.

Shall I speak to the Sea thereof, wherein of late I was placed almost, and not fully by the space of iii. years? But what may I say to it, being (as I hear say I am) deposed and expulsed by judgment as an unjust usurper of that room. O judgment, judgment. Can this be just judgment to condemn the chief minister of gods word, the pastour and bishop of the diocese, and never bring him into judgment, that he might have heard what crimes were laid to his charge, nor never suffer him to have any place or time to answer for himself? Thinkest thou that hereafter when true Justice shall have place, this judgment can ever be allowed either of God or of man? Well, as for the cause and whole matter of my deposition, & the spoil of my goods which thou possessest yet, I refer it unto God which is a just judge: and I beseech God, if it be his pleasure, that that which is but my personal wrong, be not laid to thy charge in the latter day, this only can I pray for.

O thou now wicked and bloody Sea, why doest thou set up again many aultars of Idolatry, which by y ^e word of God were justly taken away? Why hast thou overthrown the Lord's Table? Why doest thou daily delude thy people, ma • king in thy Masses instead of the Lord's holy Supper, which ought to be commō as well (saith Chrysostom, yea the Lord himself) to the people as to the priest? How darest thou deny to the people of Christ, contrary to his express commandment in the Gospel, his holy Cup? Why bablest thou to the people the commō prayer in a strange tongue, wherein S. Paul commandeth in the Lord's name, that no man should speak before the Congregation, except it should be by and by declared in their common tongue, that all might be edified? Nay, hearken thou Whoorishe Bande of Babylon, thou wicked lya •• e of Antichrist, thou bloody Woolfe, why slayest thou down, and makest havoc of the Prophets of GOD? Why marthe rest thou so cruelly Christ's poor seely sheep which will not hear thy voice because thou art a stranger, and will follow none other but their own Pastoure Christ his voice? Thinkest thou to escape, or that the Lord will not require the blood of his saints at thy hands? Thy GOD which is the work of thy hands, and whom thou sayest thou hast power to make, that thy deaf and dumb God (I say) will not in deed, nor cannot (although thou art not ashamed to call him thy maker) make thee to escape the revenging hand of the high and almighty God. But be thou assured that the living Lord our Savior and redem •• , which sitteth on the right hand of his father in glory, he seeth all thy wicked ways and cruelty done to his dear members, and he will not forget his holy ones, and his hands (O thou Whorish Drabbe) shalt thou never escape. Instead of my farewell to thee now I say, lie upon thee, lie upon thee filthy Drabbe, and all thy false Prophets.

Yet then O London, I may not leave thee thus. Although thy Episcopal Sea, now being joined in League with the seat of Satan, thus hath now both handled me and the Saints of God: yet I do not doubt but in that great City there be many privy mourners which do daily mourn for that mischie • e, the which never did nor shall consent to that wickedness, but do detest and abhor it as the ways of Satan. But these privy mourners here I will pass by, and bid them farewell with their fellows hereafter, when the place and occasion shall more conuenientlye require. Among the worshipful of the city, and speacially which were in office the Maioralty, yea & in other Cittyes also (whom to name now it shall not be necessary) in the time of my ministry, which was from the latter part of sir Rowland Dules yere unto sir George Barns year and a great part thereof, I do acknowledge that I found no small humanity and gentleness, as me thought: but (to say the truth) that I do esteem above all other for true Christian kindness which is shown in God's cause and done for his sake. Wherefore O Dobbes, Dobbes, Alderman & knight, thou in thy year diddest win my heart for evermore, for that honorable acre, that most blessed work of God of the erection and setting up of Christ's holy Hospitalles, and truly religious houses which by thee, and through thee were begun. For thou like a man of God, when the matter was moved for the relief of Christ's poor seely members to be holpen frō extreme misery, hunger and famine, thy heart (I say) was moved with pity, & as Christ's high honorable officer in that cause, thou calledst together thy brethren the Aldermen of the City, before whom thou brakest the matter for the poor: thou diddest plead their cause, yea, and not only in thine own person thou diddest set f • rth Christ's cause, but to further y ^e matter y ^u broughtest me into the Council Chamber of the Citty before the Aldermen alone, whom thou haddest assembled there together to hear me speak what I could say as an advocate by office and duty in the poor men's cause. The Lord wrought with thee, and gave thee the consent of thy Brethren: whereby the matter was brought to the common Counsel▪ and so to the whole body of the City, by whom with an uniform consent, it was committed to be drawn, ordered, and devised by a certain mumber of the most witty Citizens and politique, endued also with godliness, & with ready hearts to set forward such a noble act, as could be chosen in all the whole City, and they like true and faithful Ministers▪ both to their City & their Mayster Christ, so ordered, devised, and brought forth the matter, that thousands of seely poor menbers of Christ, which else for extreme hunger and misery should have famished and perished, shall be relieved, helped̄ and brought up, and shall have cause to bless the Aldermen of that time, the common Council & the whole body of the City, but specially thee O Dobbes, and those chosen men, by whom this honorable work of God was begun and wrought, and that so long throughout all ages, as y ^e godly work shall endure: which I pray almighty God may or ever unto the worlds end. Amen.

And thou O Syr George Barns (the truth is to be confessed to God's glory, and to the good example of other) thou wast in thy year not only a furtherer and con • i • ner of that which before thee by thy predecessor was well begun: but also diddest labor so to have perfected the work, that it should have been an absolute thing and a perfect spectacle of true charity and Godliness unto all Christendom. Thyne endeuoure was to have set up an house of occupations, both that all kind of poverty being able to work, should not have lacked, whereupon profitably they might have been occupied to their own relief & to the profit and commoditye of the common wealth of the City, and also to have retired thither, the poor Babes brought up in the Hospitals, when they had come to a certain age and strength, and also all those which in the hospitalles aforesaid had been cured of their diseases. And to have brought this to pass, thou obteynedst (not without great diligence and labor, both of thee & of thy brethren) of that Godly King Edward, that Christian and pierlesse Princes hand, his Princely place of Bridewell, and what other things to the performaunce of the same, and under what condition it is not unknown. That this thine endeavor hath not had like success, the fault is not in thee, but in the condition and state of the time, which the Lord of his infinite mercy vouchsafe to amend when it shall be his gracious will and pleasure.

Farewell now all ye Citizens that be of God, of what state and condition so ever ye be. Undoubtedly in London ye have heard God's word truly preached. My hearts desire and daily prayer shall be for you (as for whom, for my time, I know to my Lord God, I am countable) that ye never swerve, neither for loss of life nor worldly goods, from God's holy word, and yield unto Antichrist: whereupon must needs follow the extreme displeasure of God, and the loss both of your bodies and souls into perpetual damnation for evermore.

Now that I have gone through the places where I have dwelt any space in the time of my pilgrimage here upon earth, remembering that for the space of king Edward's reign, which was for the time of mine office in the Seas of London and Rochester, I was a member of the higher house of the Parliament: therefore (seeing my God hath given me leisure and the remembrance thereof) I will bid my Lord's of the temporalty farewell. They shall have no just cause (by God's grace, to take it that I entende to say, in ill part. As for the spiritual Prelacy that now is, I have nothing to say to them, except I should repeat again a great part of that I have said before now already to the Sea of London. To you therefore my Lord's of the temporalty will I speak, and this would I have you first to understand, that when I wrote this, I looked daily when I should be called to the change of this life, and thought that this my writing should not come to your knowledge, before the time of the dissolution of my Body and soul should be expired, and therefore know ye, that I had before mine eyes only the fear of God, and Christian charity toward you, which moved me to write: for of you hereafter I look not in this world, either for pleasure or displeasure. If my talk shall do you never so much pleasure or profit, you cannot promote me, nor if I displease you ye cannot hurt me or harm me, for I shall be out of your reach. Now therefore if you fear God, & can be content to hear the talk of him that seeketh nothing at your hands, but to serve God and to do you good: hearken what I say. I say unto you, as S. Paul saith to the Galatians: I wonder my Lord's what hath bewitched you, that ye so suddenly are fallen from Christ unto Antichrist, from Christ's Gospel unto man's traditions, from the Lord that bought you, unto the bishop now of Rome. I warn you of your peril: be not deceived, except you will be found willingly cōsēters unto your own death. For if ye think thus: We are lay men, this is a matter of religion, we follow as we are taught and led, if our teachers and governors teach us & lead us amiss, the fault is in thē, they shall bear the blame: My Lord's this is true (I grant you) that both the false teacher, and the corrupt governor, shall be punished for the death of their Subiecte, whom they have falsely taught and corruptly led, yea and his blood shall be required at their hands: but yet nevertheless shall that Subiecte die the death himself also, that is, he shall also be damned for his own sin: for if the blind lead the blind, Christ saith not the leader only, but he saith: both shall fall into the Ditch. Shall the Synagogue, and the Senate of the Jews (trow ye) which forsook Christ and consēted to his death, therefore be excused, because Annas and Caiaphas, with the Scribes and Pharesies and their Clergy did teache them amiss? yea and also Pilate their Governor and the Emperors Lieuetenaunt by his tyranny, did without cause put him to death? Forsooth no my Lord's, no. For notwithstanding that corrupt doctrine, or Pilate's washing of his hands, neither of both shall excuse either that Synagogue and Seigniory, or Pilate: but at the Lord's hand, for the effusion of that innocent blood, on the latter day all shall drink of the deadly whip. Ye are wittye and understand what I mean: therefore I will pass over this, and return to tell you how ye are fallen from Christ to his adversary the Bishop of Rome.

And least, my Lord's, ye may peradventure think, thus barely to call the Bishop of Rome Christ's adversary, or (to speak it in plain terms) to call him Antichrist, that it is done in mine anguish, and that I do but rage, and as a desperate man do not care what I say, or upon whō I do rail: therefore, that your Lordship’s may perceive my mind, and thereby understand that I speak the words of the truth and sobriety (as Saint Paul said unto Festus) be it known unto your Lordship’s all, that as concerning the Bishoppe of Rome, I neither hate the person nor the place. For I ensure your Lordship’s (the living Lord beareth me witness, before whom I speak) I do think many a good holy man, many Martyrs and Saints of God have sit and taught in that place Christ's Gospel truly, which therefore justly may be called Apostolici, that is, true Disciples of the Apostles, and also that Church and Congregation of Christians to be a right Apostolic church, yea and that certain hundredth years after the same was first erected and built upon Christ, by the true Apostolical doctrine taught by the months of the Apostles themselves. If ye will know how long that was and how many hundredth years to be curious in pointing the precise number of the years I will not be too bold, but thus I say: so long and so many hundredth years as that Sea did truly teache and preach that Gospel, that Religion, exercised that power, and ordered everything by those Laws and rules which that Sea received of the Apostles, and (as Tertullian saith) the Apostles of Christ, and Christ of God: so long (I say) that Sea might well have been called Peter and Paul's chair and Sea, or rather Christ's chair, & the bishop thereof Apostolicus, or true disciple and Successor of the apostles, & a Minister of Christ.

But since the time that that Sea hath degenerated frō the trade of truth and true Religion the which it received of the Apostles at the beginning, and hath preached another Gospel, hath set up another Religion, hath exercised another power, and hath taken upon it to order and rule the Church of Christ by other strange Laws, Canons and Rulers then ever it received of the Apostles, or the Apostles of Christ, which things it doth at this day, and hath continued so doing (alas, alas) of too too long a time: since the time (I say) that the state and condition of that Sea hath thus been changed, in truth it ought of duty and of righte to have the names changed both of the Sea and of the sitter therein. For understand my Lord's, it was neither for the privilege of the place or person thereof, that that Sea and Bishop thereof were called Apostolic: but for the true trade of Christ's religion which was taught and maintained in that Sea at the first, and of those godly men. And therefore as truly and justly as that Sea then, for that true trade of religion, and consanguinity of doctrine with the Religion and doctrine of Christ's Apostles, was called Apostolic: so as truly and as justly for the contrariety of religion, and diversity of doctrine from Christ and his Apostles, that Sea and the Bishoppe thereof, at this day both ought to be called, and are in deed Antichristian.

The Sea is the seat of Satan, and the Bishop of the same, that maintaineth the abominations thereof, is Antichrist himself in deed. And for the same causes this Sea at this day is the same which S. John calleth in his revelation, Babylon or the Whore of Babylon, and spiritual Sodoma and Egyptus, the Mother of Fornication and of the abominations upon the earth. And with this Whore doth spiritually medle and lieth with her, and committeth most stinking and abhominable adultery before God, all those kings and Princes, yea and all nations of the earth which do consent to her abominations, and use or practice the same: that is (of the innumerable multitude of them to rehearse some for example sake) her dispensations, her pardons and pilgrimages, her invocation of Saynts, her worshipping of Images, her false counterfayt religion in her Monkery and Fryerage, and her traditions, whereby God's laws are defiled: as her Massing and false Ministring of God's word and the Sacraments of Christ clean contrary to Christ's word, and the Apostles doctrine, whereof in particularity I have touched something before in my talk had with the Sea of London, and in other treatises more at large: wherein (if it shall please God to bring the same to light) it shall appear I trust by God's grace, plainly to the man of God, and to him whose rule in judgment of Religion is God's word, that that Religion, that rule & order, that doctrine and faith which this whore of Babylon, and the Beast whereupon she doth sit, maintaineth at this day with all violence of fire and sword, with spoil & banishment (according to Daniel's Prophecy) and finally with all falsehood, deceit, hypocrisy, and all kind of ungodliness: are as clean contrary to God's word, as darkness is unto light, or light unto darkness, white to black, or black to white, or as Belial unto Christ, or Christ unto Antichrist himself.

I know my Lord's, and foresaw when I wrote this, that so many of you as should see this my writing, not being before endued with the spirit of grace and the light of gods word, so many (I say) would at these my words lordlike stamp and spurn, and spitte thereat. But sober yourselves with patience and be still, and know ye that in my writing of this, my mind was none other, but in God (as the living God doth bear me witness) both to do you profit and pleasure. And otherwise, as for your displeasure, by that time this shall come to your knowledge. I trust by gods grace to be in the hands and protection of y ^• ▪ almighty, my heavenly father, and the living Lord, which is, (as S. John saith) the greatest of all, and then I shall not need (I trow) to fear what any Lord, no nor what king or prince can do unto me.

My Lord's, if in times past ye have been contented to hear me sometimes in matters of religion before y ^e prince in the Pulpit, and in the Parliament house, and have not seemed to have despised what I have said (when as else if ye had perceived just occasion, ye might then have suspected me in my talk, though it had been reasonable, either desire of worldly gain, or fear of displeasure) how hath thē your Lordshyppes more cause to hearken to my word and to hear me patiently, seeing now ye cannot justly think of me being in this case appointed to die, and looking daily when I shall be called to come before the eternal judge, otherwise but that I only study to serve my Lord God, and to say that thing which I am persuaded assuredly by God's word shall and doth please him, and profit all them to whom God shall give grace to hear and believe what I do say? And I do say even that I have said heretofore both of the Sea of Rome and of the Bishop thereof, I mean after this their present state at this day, Wherein if ye will not believe the Ministers of GOD, and true preachers of his word, verily I denounce unto you in verbo domini, except ye do repent betime, it shall turn to your confusion, and to your smart on the latter day. Forget not what I say my Lord's, for God's sake forget not, but remember it upon your bed. For I tell you moreover, as I know I must be countable of this my talk and of my speaking thus, to the eternal Judge (who will judge nothing amiss) so shall you be countable of your duty in hearing, and you shall be charged, if ye will hearken to God's word, for not obeying to the truth. Alas my Lord's, how chanceth this, that this matter is now a new again to be persuaded unto you? Who would have thought of late, but your Lordships had been persuaded in deed sufficiently, or that ye could ever have agreed so vniformelye with one consent to the abolishment of the usurpation of the bishop of Rome? If that matter were then but a matter of policy wherein the prince must be obeyed, howe is it now made a matter wherein (as your Clergy saith now, & so saith the Popes laws in deed) standeth the unity of the Catholic church, and a matter of necessity of our salvation? Hath the time, being so short since y ^e death of y ^e two last kings, Henry the 8. & Edward his son, altered the nature of the matter? If it have not, but was of the same nature and danger before God then as it is now, & be now (as it is said by the Popes laws, and the instructions set forth in English to the curates of the diocese of York) in deed a matter of necessity to salvation: how then chanced it that ye were all (O my Lord's) so light, and so little passed upon the catholic faith and the unity thereof (without the which no man can be saved) as for your Princes pleasures, which were but mortal men, to forsake the unity of your catholic faith, that is, to forsake Christ and his gospel? And furthermore, if it were both then and now is so necessary to salvation, how chanced it also that ye, all the whole body of the Parliament agreeing with you, did not only abolish and expel the Bishop of Rome, but also did abjure him in your own persons, and did decree in your acts great oaths to be taken of both the spiritualtye and temporalty, whosoever should enter into any weighty & chargeable office in the common wealth? But on the other side, if the law & decree which maketh the supremacy of the sea & bishop of Rome over the universal church of Christ, be a thing of necessity required unto salvation by an Antichristian law (as it is in deed) & such instructions as are given to the Dioces of York, be in deed a setting forth of the power of that beast of babilon by the craft & falsehood of his false Prophets (as of truth, compared unto God's word, and truly judged by the same, it shall plainly appere that they be) then my Lord's never think other, but the day shall come when ye shall be charged with this your undoing of that, that once ye had well done, and with this your perjury and breach of your oath, which oath was done in judgment, justice, and truth agreeable to God's law. The whore of Babylon may well for a time dally with you, and make you so drunken with the wine of her filthy stews & whoredom (as with her dispensations and promises of pardon à poena & culpa ) that for drunkenness and blindness ye may think yourselves safe. But be ye assured, whē the living Lord shall try the matter by the fire, and judge it according to his word, when all her abominations shall appear what they be: then ye my Lord's, (I give your Lordships warning in time) repent if ye be happy, & love your own souls health, repent I say, or else without all doubt, ye shall never escape the hands of the living Lord, for the guilt of your perjury and breach of your oth. As ye have banquetted and layne by the whore in the fornication of her whorish dispensations, pardons, Idolatry, & such like abominations: so shall ye drink with her (except ye repent betime) of the cup of the Lord's indignation and everlasting wrath, which is prepared for the beast, his false prophets, and all their partakers. For he that is partner with them in their whoredom and abominations, must also be partner with them of their plagues, and on the latter day shall be thrown with them into the lake burning with Brimstone and unquenchable fire. Thus fare ye well my Lord's all. I pray God give you understanding of his blessed will and pleasure, and make you to believe and embrace the truth. Amen.

*An other farewell to the Prisoners in Christ's Gospelles cause, and to all them which for the same cause are exiled and banished out from their own country, choosing rather to leave all worldly commodity, then their master Christ.

FArewell my dearly beloved brethren in Christ, both ye my fellow prisoners, and ye also that be exiled and banished out of your countries, because ye will rather forsake all worldly commodity, then the Gospel of Christ.

Farewell all ye together in Christ: farewell and be merry, for ye know that the trial of your faith bringeth forth patience, and patience shall make us perfect, whole and sound on every side, and such after trial (ye know) shall receive the crown of life, according to the promise of the Lord made to his dearly beloved, let us therefore be patient unto the coming of the Lord. As the husbandmanne abideth pacientlye the former and latter rain for the increase of his crop, so let us be paciente and pluck up our hearts, for the coming of the Lord approacheth apace. Let us (my dear brethren) take example of patience in tribulation of the Prophets, which spake likewise God's word truly in his name. Let Job be to us an example of patience, & the end which the Lord suffered, which is full of mercy and pity. We know my brethren by God's word, that our faith is much more precious then any corruptible gold, and yet that is tried by the fire: even so our faith is therefore tried likewise in tribulations, that it may be found when the Lord shall appear, laudable, glorious and honorable. For if we for Christ's cause do suffer, that is grateful before God, for thereunto are we called, that is our state and vocation, wherewith let us be content. Christ we know suffered for us afflictions, leaving us an example that we should follow his footsteps, for he committed no sin, not was there any guile found in his mouth: when he was railed upon, and all to reviled, he railed not again: when he was evil entreated, he did not threaten, but committed the punishment thereof to him that judgeth a right.

Let us ever have in fresh remembrance those wonderful comfortable sentences spokē by the mouth of our Savior Christ: Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men revile you, persecute you, & speak all evil against you for my sake: rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven: for so did they persecute the Prophets which were before you. Therefore let us always bear this in our minds, that if any incommodity do chance unto us for righteousness sake, happy are we whatsoever the world doth think of us. Christ our master hath told us before hand, that the brother should put the brother to death, & the father the son, and the children should rise against their parents and kill them, and that Christ's true Apostles should be hated of all men for his names sake: but he that shall abide patiently unto the end, shall be saved.

Let us then endure in all troubles patiently after the example of our Mayster Christ, and be contented therewith, for he suffered being our master and Lord: how doth it not then become us to suffer? For the disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his Lord. It may suffice the disciple to be as his master, and the servant to be as his Lord. If they have called the Father of the family, the Mayster of the household Belzebub, howe much more shall they call so them of his household? Fear them not then (saith our Savior) for all p • iuityes shall be made plain: there is now nothing secret, but it shall be shown in light. Of Christ's words let us neither be ashamed nor afraid to speak them, for so Christ our master commandeth us, saying: that I tell you privily, speak openly abroad, and that I tell you in your ear, preach it upon the house top. And fear not them which kill the body, for the soul they cannot kill, but fear him which can cast both body and soul into hell fire.

Know ye that the heavenly Father hath ever a gracious eye and respect toward you, and a Fatherly providence for you, so that without his knowledge and permission, nothing can do you harm. Let us therefore cast all our care upon him, and he shall provide that which shall be best for us. For if of two small sparrows which both are sold for a mite, one of them lighteth not on the ground without your father, and all the hears of our head are numbered, fear not them (saith our Mayster Christ) for ye are more worth then many small sparrows. And let us not stick to confess our Mayster Christ for fear of danger whatsoever it shall be, remembering the promise that Christ maketh, saying: whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall I confess before my father which is in heaven: but whosoever shall deny me, him shall I likewise deny before my father which is in heaven. Christ came not to give unto us here a carnal amity, and a worldly peace, or to knit his unto the world in ease and peace, but rather to separate and devide them from the world, and to join them unto himself: in whose cause we must, if we will be his, forsake father and mother, and stick unto him. If we forsake him or shrink from him for trouble or deaths sake, which he calleth his cross: he will none of us, we cannot be his. If for his cause we shall lose our temporal lives here, we shall find them again and enjoy them for evermore: but if in his cause we will not be contented to leave nor loose them here: then shall we loose them so, that we shall never find them again, but in everlasting death. What though our troubles here be painful for the time, and the sting of death bitter and unpleasant: yet we know that they shall not last in comparison of eternity, no not to the twinkling of an eye, & that they patiently taken in Christ's cause, shall procure and get us immeasurable heaps of heavenly glory, unto the which these temporal pains of death and troubles compared, are not to be esteemed, but to be rejoiced upon. Wonder not (saith S. Peter) as though it were any strange matter that ye are tried by the fire (he meaneth of tribulation) which thing (saith he) is done to prove you: nay rather in that ye are partners of Christ's afflictions, rejoice, that in his glorious revelation, ye may rejoice with merry hearts. If ye suffer rebukes in Christ's name, happy are ye, for the glory and spirit of God resteth upon you. Of them God is reviled and dishonored, but of you he is glorified.

Let no man be ashamed of that he suffereth as a Christian, and in Christ's cause: for now is the time that judgment and correction must begin at the house of GOD, and if it begin first at us: what shall be the end of those, think ye, which believe not the Gospel? And if the righteous shall be hardly saved, the wicked and the sinner where shall he appear? Wherefore they which are afflicted according to the will of God, let thē lay down and commit their souls to him by well doing, as to a trustye and faithful maker. This (as I said) may not seem strange to us, for we know that all the whole fraternity of Christ's Congregation in this world, is served with the like, and by the same is made perfect. For the servant love that the Apostles had unto their master Christ, and for the great commodities and increase of all godliness which they felt by their faith to insue of afflictions in Christ's cause, & thirdly for the heaps of heavenly joys which the same do get unto the godly; which shall endure in heaven for evermore: for these causes (I say) the Apostles of their afflictions did joy, and rejoiced in that they were had and accounted worthy to suffer contumelies & rebukes for Christ's name. And Paul, as he gloried in the grace & favor of God, whereunto he was brought & stood in by faith: so he rejoiced in his afflictions the heavenly and spiritual profits which he numbered to rise upon them: yea, he was so far in love with that that the carnal man lothed so much, that is, with Christ's cross, that he judged himself to know nothing else but christ crucified: he will glory (he saith) in nothing else but in Christ's cross, yea and he blesseth all those, as the only true Israelites & elect people of God with peace and mercy, which walketh after that rule and after none other.

O Lord, what a wonderful spirit was that that made Paul, in setting forth of himself against the vanity of Satan's Pseudopostles, and in his claim there, that he in Christ's cause did excel and pass them all, what wonderful spirit was that (I say) that made him to reckon up all his troubles, his labors, his beatinges, his whippinges and scourginges, his shippewrackes, his dangers and perilles by water and by land, his famine, hunger, nakedness, and cold, with many moe, and the daily care of all the congregations of Christ, among whom every man's pain did pierce his heart, and every man's griese was grievous unto him? O Lord, is this Paul's primacye, whereof he thought so much good that he did excel other? Is not this Paul's saying unto Timothy his own scholar? and doth it not pertain to who so ever will be Christ's true soldiers: bear thou (saith he) affliction like a good soldier of Jesus Christ This is true: if we die with him (he meaneth Christ) we shall live with him: if we suffer with him, we shall reign with him: if we deny him, he shall deny us: if we be faythlesse, he remaineth faithful, he cannot deny himself. This Paul would have known to everybody: for there is none other way to heaven but Christ and his way: & all that will live godly in Christ, shall (saith S. Paul) suffer persecution. By this way went to heaven the Patriarchs, the Prophets, Christ our Mayster, his Apostles, his Martyrs, and all the godly since the beginning. And as it hath been of old, that he which was borne after the flesh, persecuted him which was born after the spirit, for so it was in Isaac's time: so said S. Paul, it was in his time also: And whether it be so or no now, let the spiritual man, the self same man I mean that is endued with the spirit of almighty God, let him be judge. Of the cross of the Patriarchs, as ye may read in their stories if ye read the book of Genesis, ye shall perceive. Of other S. Paul in few words comprehendeth much matter, speaking in a generality of the wonderful afflictions, death, and torments which the men of GOD in God's cause and for the truth sake willingly and gladly did suffer. After much particular rehearsal of many, he saith: other were racked and despised and would not be delivered, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Other again were tried with mockinges and scourginges, and moreover with bonds & imprisonment: they were stoned, beweene asunder, tempted, fell & were slain upon the edge of the sword, some wandered to & fro in sheep's pilches, in goats pilches, forsaken, oppressed, afflicted, such godly men as the world was unworthy of, wandering in wilderness, in mountains, in caves, and in dens, and all these were commended for their faith. And yet they abide for us the servants of God, and for those their brethren which are to be slain as they were for the word of God's sake, that none be shut out, but that we may all go together to meet our Mayster Christ in the air at his coming, and so to be in bliss with him in body and soul for evermore.

Therefore, seeing we have so much occasion to suffer and to take afflictions for Christ's names sake patiently, so many commodities thereby, so weighty causes, so many good examples, so great necessity, so pure promises of eternal life and heavenly joys, of him that cannot lie: Let us throw away whatsoever might let us, all burden of sin, and all kind of carnality, and patiently and constantly let us run for the best game in this race that is set before us, ever having our eyes upon Jesus Christ the ringleader, Capitayne, and Perfiter of our faith, which for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, not passing upon the ignominy and shame thereof, and is set now at the right hand of the throne of GOD. Consider this, that he suffered such strife of sinners against himself, that ye should not give over, nor faint in your minds. As yet brethren we have not withstand unto death, fighting against sin. Let us never forget dear Brethren for Christ's sake, that Fatherly exhortation of the wise that speaketh unto us as unto his children the Godlye wisdom of God, saying thus: My son, despise not the correction of the Lord, nor fall not from him when thou art rebuked of him, for whom the Lord loveth, him doth he correct, and scourgeth every child whom he receiveth. What child is he whom the father doth not chasten: If ye be free from chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and no children. Seeing then, when as we have had carnal parents which chastened us, we reverenced them, shall not we much more be subject unto our spiritual father that we might live? And they for a little time taught us after their own mind: but this father teacheth us to our commodity, to give unto us his holiness. Al chastisement for the present time, appeareth not pleasant but painful: but afterward it rendereth the fruit of righteousness on them, which are exercised in it. Wherefore let us be of good cheer (good Brethren) and let us pluck up our feeble members that were fallen or began to faint, heart, hands, knees, and all the rest, and let us walk upright and straight, that no limping no • 〈…〉 bring us out of the way. Let us look, not upon the things that be present, but with the eyes of our faith let us steadfastly, behold the things that be everlasting in heaven, and so choose rather in respect of that which is to come, with the chosen members of Christ to bear Christ's Cross, then for this short life time, to enjoy all the riches, honors, and pleasures of the broad world. Why should we Christians fear death? Can death deprive us of Christ, which is all our cō • ort, our joy, and our life▪ Nay forsooth. But contrary, death shall deliver us from this mortal body, which lodeth and beareth down the spirit that it cannot so well perceive heavenly things: in the which so long as we dwell, we are absent from God.

Wherefore, understanding our state in that we be Christians, that if our mortal body, which is our earthly house, were destroyed, we have a building, a house not made with hands, but everlasting in heaven &c. therefore we are of good cheer, and know that when we are in the body, we are absent from GOD, for we walk by faith, and not by clear fight. Nevertheless we are bold, and had rather be absent from the body and present with GOD. Wherefore, we strive, whether we be present at home, or absent abroad, that we may always please him. And who that hath true faith in our Savior Christ, whereby he knoweth somewhat truly what Christ our Savior is, that he is the eternal son of God, life, light, the wisdom of the father, all goodness, all righteousness and whatsoever is good that heart can desire, yea infinite plenty of all these, above that that man's heart can either conceive or think, (for in him dwelleth the fullness of the Godheade corporally) and also that he is given us of the Father, and made of GOD to be our wisdom, our righteousness, our hol • nesse, and our redemption: who (I say) is he that believeth this in deed, that would not gladly be with his master christ? Paul for this knowledge coveted to have been loosed from the body, and to have been with Christ, for that he counted it much better for himself, and had rather to be loosed then to live. Therefore these words of Christ to the thief on the Cross, that asked of him mercy, were full of comfort and solace: This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. To die in the defense of Christ's Gospel, it is our bounden duty to Christ, and also to our neighbor. To Christ, for he died for us, and rose again that he might be Lord over all. And seeing he died for us, we also (saith S. John) should ieopard, yea give our life for our Brethren, And this kind of giving and loosing, is getting and winning in deed: for he that giveth or looseth his life thus, getteth & winneth it for evermore. Blessed are they therefore that die in the Lord, and if they die in the Lord's cause, they are most happy of all. Let us not then fear death, which can do us no harm, otherwise then for a moment to make the flesh to smart: but that our faith which is surely fastened and fixed unto the word of GOD, telleth us that we shall be anon after death, in peace, in the hands of GOD, in joy, in solace, and that from death we shall go straight unto life. For Saint John saith: he that liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. And in another place: he shall depart from death unto life. And therefore this death of the Christian, is not to be called death, but rather a gate or entrance into everlasting life: Therefore Paul calleth it but a dissolution and resolution, and both Peter and Paul, a putting of this Tabernacle or dwelling house. Meaning thereby the mortal body, as wherein the soul or spirit doth dwell here in this world for a small time. Yea this death may be called to the Christian, an end of all miseries. For so long as we live here, we must pass through many tribulations before we can enter into the kingdom of heaven. And now, after that death hath shot his bolt, all the Christian man's enemies have done what they can, after that they have no more to do. What could hurt or harm poor Lazarus that lay at the rich man's Gate? His former penury and poverty? his misery, beggary, and horrible sores and sickness? For so soon as death had stricken him with his dart, so soon came the angels, and carried him straight up into Abraham's bosom. What lost he by death, who from misery and pain, is set by the ministry of Angels in a place both of joy and solace.

Farewell dear brethren, farewell, and let us comfort our hearts in all troubles, and in death with the word of God: for heaven and earth shall perish, but the word of the Lord endureth forever.

Farewell Christ's dearly beloved spouse here wandering in this world as in a strange land, far from thine own country, & compassed about on every hand with deadly enemies, which cease not to assault thee, ever seeking thy destruction.

Farewell, farewell, O ye the whole and universal congregation of the chosen of God here living upon earth, the true church militant of Christ, the true mystical body of Christ, the very house hold and family of God, and the sacred temple of the holy ghost. Farewell.

Farewell, O thou little flock of the high heavenly pastour Christ, for to thee it hath pleased the heavenly father to give an everlasting and eternal kingdom. Farewell.

Farewell thou spiritual house of God, thou holy and royal priesthood, thou chosē generatiō, thou holy nation, thou won spouse. Farewell. Farewell.

An other treatise of B. Ridley, wherein is contained first a lamentation for the change of Religion in England: then a comparison between the doctrine of the Gospel, and the Romish religion, with wholesome instructions in the end to all Christians, how to behave themselves in time of trial.

ALas, what misery is thy church brought unto (O lord) at this day? Where of late the word of the Lord was truly preached, was read and heard in every town, in every Church, in every village, yea and almost in every honest man's house: alas now it is exiled, and banished out of the whole realm. Of late who was not taken for a lover of God's word, for a reader, for a ready hearer, & for a learner of the same? And now (alas) who dare bear any open countenance toward it, but such as are content in Christ's cause, and for his words sake to stand to the danger and loss of all that they have?

Of late there was to be found, of every age of every degree and kind of people, that gave their diligence to learn (as they could) out of God's word, the articles of the Christian faith, the commandments of God, and the Lord's prayer. The babes and young children were taught these things of their parents, of their masters, & weekly of their Curates in every church: & the aged folk, which had been brought up in blindness, and in ignorance of those things, which every Christian is bound to know, whē otherwise they could not, yet they learned the same by often̄ hearing their children, and servants repeating the same: but now (alas, and alas again) the false Prophets of Antichrist, which are past all shame, do openly preach in pulpittes unto the people of God, that the Catechism is to be counted heresy: whereby their old blindness is brought home again: for the aged are afraid of the higher powers, and the youth is abashed and ashamed, even of that which they have learned, though it be God's word, and dare no more meddle.

Of late in every congregation throughout all England was made prayer and petition unto God, to be delivered from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, and all his detestable enormities: from all false doctrine and heresy: & now alas, Satan hath persuaded England by his falsehood & craft, to revoke her old godly prayer, to recant the same & provoke the fearful wrath, and indignation of God upon her own pate.

Of late by strayt laws and ordinances, with the consent of the nobles and commonalty, and full agreement, & counsel of the prelates and clergy, was banished hence the beast of Babylon, with laws (I say) and with oaths & all means that then could be devised for so godly a purpose: but now (alas) all these laws are trodden under foot: the Nobles, the Commonalty, the Prelates and Clergy are quite changed, and all those oaths, though they were made in judgment, justice & truth, and the matter never so good, doth no more hold then a bond of Rushes, or of a Barley straw, nor public periurye no more feareth them, then a shadow upon the wall.

Of late it was agreed in England of all hands, according to Paul's doctrine, and Christ's commaūdemēt (as Paul saith plainly) that nothing ought to be done in the Church, in the public congregation, but in that tongue which the Congregation could understand, that all might be edefied thereby, whether it were Common Prayer, Administration of the Sacraments, or any other thing belonging to public Ministerye of God's holy and wholesome word: but (alas) all is turned upside down, Paul's doctrine is put apart: Christ's commandment is not regarded: For nothing is heard commonly in the Church, but in a strange tongue, that the people doth nothing understand.

Of late all men and women were taught after Christ's doctrine, to pray in that tongue which they could understand, that they might pray with heart, that which they should speak with their tongue: now (alas) the unlearned people is brought in that blindness again, to think that they pray, when they speak with their tongue, they cannot tell what, nor whereof: their heart is nothing mindful at all, for that it can understand never a whit thereof.

Of late the Lord's Supper was duly ministered and taught to be made common, to all that were true Christians, with thanksgiving, and setting forth of the Lord's death & passion, until his returning again, to judge both quick and dead: but now (alas) the Lord's table is quite overthrown, and that which ought to be common to all godly, is made private to a few ungodly, without any kind of thanksgiving, or any setting forth of the Lord's death at all, that the people is able to understand.

Of late all that were endued with the light, and grace of understanding of God's holy mysteries, did bless God, which had brought them out of that horrible blindness and ignorance, whereby in times past being seduced by Satan's subtleties, they believed that the Sacrament was not the Sacrament, but the thing itself whereof it is a Sacrament: that the creature was the Creator, and that the thing which hath neither life nor sense (alas such was the horrible blindness) was the Lord himself, which made the eye to see, and hath given all senses and understanding unto man: but now (alas) England is returned again like a Dog to her own vomitte and spuing, and is in worse case thē ever she was: For it had been better never to have known the truth, then to forsake the truth once received and known: and now, not only that light is turned into darcknesse, and God's grace is received in vain, but also laws of death are made by high Courte of Parliament, maysterfully to maintain by sword, fire, and all kind of violence, that heinous Idolatry wherein that adoration is given unto the liveliness and dumb creature, which is only due unto the everliving God: yea, they say they can, and do make of bread both man and GOD, by their transubstantiation, O wicked mention, and Satan's own brood.

Of late was the Lord's cup at his Table distributed, according to his own commandment, by his express words in his Gospel, as well to the Laity as to the clergy, which order Christ's Church observed so many hundredth years after (as all the ancient Ecclesiastical writers do testify) without contradiction of any one of them, that can be shown unto this day: but now (alas) not only the Lord's commandment is broken, his cup is denied to his servants, to whom he commanded it should be distributed, but also with the same is set up a new blasphemous kind of sacrifice to satisfy and pay the price of sins, both of the dead and of the quick, to the great & intolerable contumely of Christ our savior his death & passion, which was and is the one only sufficient, and everlasting auayleable sacrifice satisfactorye, for all the Electes of God, from Adam the first, to the last that shall be borne in the end of the world.

Of late the commandment of God: Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven Image, nor any similitude, or likeness of anything in heaven above, or in earth beneath, or in the water under the earth, thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them: This commandment of God (I say) was graven almost everywhere in Churches, was learned of everybody both young & old: whereupon Images that provoked the simple, and ignorant people unto Idolatry (as the wise man saith) were taken out of the Churches, & straightly forbidden that none should anywhere, either bow down to them, or worship them: but now (alas) God's holy word is blotted, and rased out of Churches, & stocks and stones are set up in the place thereof, God commandeth his word so to be ordered, that it might be had in continual remembrance at all times, and in every place: and on the other side he forbadde Images and Idols, so to be either made, or set in any place, where any should bow or worship them: but now (alas) that which God commanded, is not passed upon, and that which he forbiddeth, is maysterfully maynteined by falsehood and craft, and wickedly upholden.

Of late all ministers that were admitted to the public office, and ministry of God's holy word, in their admission made a solemn profession before the Congregation, that they should teach the people nothing, as doctrine necessary to attain eternal salvation, but that which is God's own holy word, or may be thereof grounded without any doubt: whereby vanished and melted away of themselves many vain, yea wicked traditions of man, as wax before the fire: but now at one brunt they are revived, and are in full hope also to return again, in as great strength as ever they have been. And howe can any man look for any other thing, but when you have received the head, you must also receive the whole body withal, or else how can the head abide? The head, under Sathā, of all mischief is Antichrist, & his brood, & the same is he which is the Babilonicall Beast. The beast is he, whereupon the Whore sitteth. The whore is that City, saith John in plain words, which hath Empire over the kings of the earth. This Whore hath a golden cup of abominations in her hand, whereof she maketh to drink the kings of the earth, & of the wine of this harlot hath all nations drunk, yea, and kings of the earth have line by this Whore & Marchauntes of the earth, by virtue of her pleasant marchaundise have been made rich.

Now what City is there in all the whole world, that when John wrote, ruled over the kings of the earth: or what Citty can be read of in any time, that of the City it self, challenged the Empire over the kings of the earth, but only the City of Rome, and that since the usurpation of that Sea hath grown to her full strength? And is it not read, that the old and ancient writers understand, Peters former Epistle to be writ̄ at Rome, and it to be called of him in the same Epistle in plain terms, Babylon? by the abominations thereof, I understand all the whole trade of the Romish religion, under the name and title of Christ which is contrary to the only rule of all true religion, that is God's word. What word of God hath that Deuillish drabbe, for the maintenance of her manifold abominations, and to set to sell such marchaundise, where with (alas the madness of man) the wicked Harlot hath bewitched almost the whole would? Did not Peter the very true Apostle of Christ, of whom this stinking Strumpet beareth her self so high, but falsely and without all just cause) did not he, I say, give all the world warning of her pelf and trash, of her false Doctors and Apostles (for this Whore and Beast will be called Dominus Apostolicus, who so ever say nay) after this manner in his latter Epistle? There was among the people in times past false Prophets, as shall be there among you in time to come false Teachers, which shall privily bring in pestilent sects, even denying the Lord which hath bought them, and redeemed them, procuring to themselves swift damnation, and many shall follow their damnable ways, by whom the way of truth shall be railed upon, & through covetousness by counterfeit tales or sermons, they shall (saith Peter) make marcdaundise upon you &c. And doeth not John likewise in his Revelation, after he hath reckoned up a great rablement of this whores mystical marchaundise, at the last (as though he would knit up all in plain words, without any miste at all, setting out the whores marchaundise) reckon up among the rest, and concludeth saying, Et animas hominū: that is to say, and the souls of mē to? Wherupō I pray you else rose this true proverb in Latin: omnia Romae venalia: All things for money are set to sale at Rome? was not that a worthy commendation of Christ's Vicar in earth that was written of our holy father, one of the Alexanders a Bishoppe of Rome, thus I ween in Latin.

These two verses in latin, I have read thus of one translated into English rime.

I grant these verses to be light gere, and the verse is but rude, but (alas) such conditions were more wicked & lewd then any wit could express. If these had been but the faults of one or a few in number, they had been less pernicious, and might have been taken for personal crimes, not to be imputed unto that Sea: but now (alas) the matter is more then evident to all that have godly understanding, that these crimes be grounded upon laws, be established by custom, and set forth by all kind of wicked doctrine, falsehood and craft, and therefore now are not to be esteemed for any one man's or a few men's personal crimes, but are now by laws, custom and doctrine incorporated into that wicked Sea, and maketh in deed the body of the Beast whereupon the abhominable whore doth sit.

But you would know which be those Marchaundise which I said this whore setteth forth to sell, for the which all her false Prophets with all their iuggelinges and crafty glosses cannot bring one jot of God's word. Surely, surely, they be not only all these abominations which are come into the Church of England already (whereof I have spoken somewhat before) but also an innumerable rablement of abominations and wicked abuses which now must needs follow: as popish pardons, pilgrimages, romishe purgatory, romish masses, Placebo & Derige, with trentals and Scala coeli, dispensations and immunities frō all godly discipline laws and good order, pluralities, unions, and tot quottes, with a thousand moe. Now shall come in the flattering friers, and the false pardoners and play their old pranckes and knavery as they were wont to do. Now you shall have (but of the Sea of Rome only, and that for money) canonizing of such Saints as have stand stout in the popes cause, shrining of relics, & from any kind of wickedness (if you will pay well for it) clear absolution a poena & culpa, with thousands of years, yea at every poor Bishops hand and suffragan, ye shall have halowing of Churches, Chapels, altars, superaulters, chalices, and of all the whole household stuff and adornamēt which shall be used in y ^e church after the Romish guise, for all these things must be esteemed of such high price, that they may not be done but by a consecrate bishop only. O Lord, all these things are such, as thy Apostles never knew. As for conjuring (they call it halowing, but it is cōiuring in deed) of water and salt, of christening of belles and such like things, what need I to speak? for every priest that can but read, hath power (they say) not only to do that, but also hath such power over Christ's body, as to make both God and man once at the least every day, of a wafer cake.

After the rehearsal of the said abominations, and remembrance of a number of many moe, which (the Lord knoweth) irketh me to think upon, and were to longe to describe: when I consider on the other side y ^e eternal word of God that abideth forever, and the undefiled law of the Lord which turneth the soul from all wickedness and giveth wisdom unto y ^e innocent babes, I mean that milk that is without all guile, as Peter doth call it, that good word of God, that word of truth which must be graven within the heart and then is able to save men's souls, that wholesome seed, not mortal but immortal of the eternal and everliving God, whereby the man is borne a new, and made the child of God, that seed of God, whereby the man of God so being borne cannot sin, as John saith (he meaneth so long as that seed doth abide in him) that holy scripture which hath not been devised by the wit of man, but taught from heaven by the inspiratiō of the holy ghost which is profitable to teache, to reprove, to correct, to instruct and give order in all righteousness that the man of God may be whole & sound, ready to perform every good work: when (I say) I consider this holy and wholesome true word that teacheth us truly our bounden duty towards our Lord God in every point, what his blessed will and pleasure is, what his infinite great goodness and mercy is, what he hath done for us, how he hath givē his own only dearly beloved son to death for our salvation and by him hath sent us the Revelation of his blessed will and pleasure, what his eternal word willeth us both to believe and also to do, and hath for the same purpose inspired the holy Apostles with the holy ghost & sent them abroad into all the world, and also made them & other disciples of Christ inspired by the same spirit, to write & leave behind them the same things that they taught (which as they did proceed of the spirit of truth, so by the confession of all them that ever were endued with the spirit of God, were sufficient to the obtaining of eternal salvation:) and likewise when I consider that all that man doth profess in his regeneration when he is received into the holy catholic church of Christ, and is now to be accounted for one of the lively menbers of Christ's own body, all that is grounded upon God's holy word, and standeth in the profession of that faith, & obedience of those commandments which are all contained and comprised in God's holy word: & furthermore when I consider whom our Savior Christ pronounceth in his gospel to be blessed, and to whom Moses giveth his benedictiōs in the law, what ways y ^e law, the Prophets, the Psalms, and all holy Scriptures both new and old doth declare to be the ways of the Lord, what is good for man to obtain and abide in God's favor, which is that faith that justifieth before God, and what is that charity that doth pass and excel all, which be y ^e properties of heavenly wisdom, and which is that undefiled religion, that is allowed of GOD, which things Christ himself called the weighty matters of the law, what thing is that which is only auayleable in Christ, & what knowledge is that, that Paul esteemed so much, that he counted himself only to know, what shall be y ^e manner of y ^e extreme judgment of the latter day, who shall judge & by what he shall judge, & what shall be required at our hands at that fearful day, howe all things must be tried by the fire, and that that only shall stand forever which Christ's words shall allow, which shall be the judge of all flesh to give sentence upon all flesh and every living soul either of eternal damnation or of everlasting salvation, from which sentence there shall be no place to appeal, no wit shall serve to delude, nor no power to withstand or revoke: when (I say) I consider all these things, and confer to the same again and again, all those ways wherein standeth the substance of the romishe religion (whereof I spake before) it may be evident and easy to perceive, that these two ways, these two religions, the one of Christ, y ^e other of the Romish sea, in these latter days, be as far distaunt the one from the other, as light and darkness, good and evil, righteousness and unrighteousness, Christ and Belial. He that is hard of belief, let him note and weigh well with himself the places of holy Scriptures, which be appointed in the margent, whereupon this talk is grounded, & by God's grace he may receive some light. And unto the contemner I have nothing now to say, but to rehearse the saying of the Prophet Isaiah, which Paul spake to the Jews in the end of the Acts of the Apostles. After he had expounded unto them the truth of God's word, and declared unto them Christ, out of the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning to night all the day long, he said unto them that would not believe: Well (said he) spake the holy Ghost unto our fathers, saying: go unto this people and tell them: ye shall hear with your ears, and not understand, and seeing, you shall behold, and not see the thing, for the heart of this people is waxed gross and dulle, and with their ears they are hard of hearing, and they have shut together their eyes, that they should not see, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts, that they might return, and I should heal them, saith the Lord God.

All as England, alas y ^t this heavy plague of GOD should fall upon thee. Alas my dearly beloved country, what thing is it now that may do thee good: Undoubtedly thy plague is so great, that it is utterly incurable, but by the bottomless mercy, and infinite power of almighty God. Alas my dear country, what hast thou done, that thus hast provoked the wrath of God, and caused him to pour out his vengeance upon thee, for thine own deserts? Canst thou be content to hear thy faults told thee? Alas thou hast heard often, and wouldest never amende. England, thy faults of all degrees and sortes of men, of Magistrates, of the ministers, and of the common people, were never more plainly told, since thou barest that name, then thou diddest hear them of late, even before the Magistrates in king Edward's days, but thou heardest them only, and diddest amend never a whitte. For even of thy greatest Magistrates, some (the kings highness then, that innocente, that godly hearted & pereles young Christian Prince excepted) evermore vnkindely and vngently, against those that went about most busely, and most wholesomely to cure their sore backs, spurned pryuely, and would not spare to speak evil of them, even unto the Prince himself, and yet would they towards the same preachers, outwardly bear a ioly countenance, and a fair face.

I have heard that Cranmer and another, whom I will not name, were both in high displeasure, the one for showing his conscience secretly, but plainly and fully in the Duke of Somersettes cause, and both of late, but specially Cranmer for repugning, as they might against the late spoil of the Church goods, taken away only by commandment of the higher powers, without any law, or order of justice, and without any request of consent of them, to whom they did belong. As for Latimer, Leuer, Bradford, and Knoxe, their tongues were so sharp, they ripped in so deep in their galled backs, to have purged them (no doubt) of that filthy matter, that was festered in their hearts, of insaciable covetousness, of filthy carnality, and voluptuousness, of intolerable ambition and pride, of ungodly lothsomnes, to hear poor men's causes, and to hear God's word, that these men of all other, these Magistrates then could never abide. Other there were, very godly men, and well learned, that went about by the wholesome plasters of God's word, how be it after a more soft manner of handling the matter, but (alas) all sped in like. For all that could be done of all hands, their disease did not minishe, but daily did increase, which (no doubt) is no small occasion in that state, of the heavy plague of God, that is poured upon England at this day. As for the common sort of other inferior Magistrates, as Judges of the laws, Justices of peace, Sergeantes, common lawyers, it may be truly said of them, as of the most part of the Clergy, of Curates, Uicares, Parsones, Prebendaryes, Doctors of the law, Archdeacons, Deans, yea, and I may say, of Bishops also, I fear me, for the moste parte, although I doubt not but GOD had and hath ever, whom he in every state knew, and knoweth to be his, but for the most part (I say) they were never persuaded in their hearts, but from the teethe forward, and for the kings sake, in the truth of God's word, and yet all these did dissemble, and bare a copy of a countenance, as if they hath been sound within.

And this dissimulation Satan knew well enough, and therefore desired, and hath ever gone about, that the high Magistrates by any manner of means, might be deceived in matters of religion, for then he being of council with the dissimulation in the worldly, knew well enough that he should bring to pass, and rule all even after his own will.

Hipocrisie and dissimulation saint Jerome doth call well a double wickedness, for neither it loveth the truth (which is one great evil) and also falsely it pretendeth to deceive the simple for another thing. This hypocrisy and dissimulation w ^t God in matters of Religion (no doubt) hath wholly also provoked the anger of God. And as for the common people, although there were many good, where they were well and diligently taught, yet (God knoweth) a great number received God's true word, and high benefits with unthankful harts. For it was great pity, and a lamentable thing to have seen in many places the people so lothsomly, and so vnreligiouslye to come to the holy Communion, and to receive it accordingly, and to the common prayers, and other Divine service, which were according to the true vain of God's holy word, in all points so godly, and wholesomely set forth, in comparison of that blind zeal, and indiscreet devotion, which they had afore times to those things, whereof they understood never one whi • , nor could be edified by them anything at all.

And again, as for alms deeds, which are taught in God's word (whereby we are certain that God is pleased with them, and doth and will require such at our hands, which are a part of true religion, as Sayncte James saith, and such as he saith himself, he setteth more by, then by sacrifice, as to provide for the fatherless infantes and orphans, for the lame, aged, and impotent poor needye folk, and to make public provision that the poverty that might labor, should have wherewith to labor upon, and so be kept from shameful beggerry & stealing in these works: I say how wayward wer many, in comparison (I mean) of that great prodigality whereby in times past they spared not to spend upon flattering Friars, false Pardoners, painting and gilting of stocks and stones, to be set up and honored in Churches, plainly against God's word. And yet because no place is to be defrauded of their just commendation, London, I must confess, for such godly works in sir Rich. Dobs knight, then Lord Major his year, began marvelous well: the Lord grant the same may so likewise persevere continue, yea, and increase to the comfort and relief of the needy and helpless, that was so godly begun, Amen.

All these things do minister matter of more mournyng, and bewailing the miserable state that now is: for by this it may be perceived, how England hath deserved this just plague of God. And also it is greatly to be feared that those good things, whatsoever they were that had their beginning in the time when God's word was so freely preached, now with the exile and banishemente of the same, will depart again.

But to return again to the consideration of this miserable state of Christ's Church in England, and to leave farther and more exquisite searchyng of the causes thereof, unto God's secrete and unsearchable judgments let us see what is best now to be done for Christ's little flock. This is one maxim and principle in Christ's law. He that denieth Christ before men, him shall Christ deny afore his father, and all his Angels of heaven. And therefore everyone that looketh to have by Christ our savior everlasting life, let him prepare himself so, that he deny not his master Christ or else he is but a cast away, and a wretch, how soever he be counted, or taken here in the world.

Now then seeing the doctrine of Antichrist is returned again into this Realm, and the higher powers (alas) are so deceived, and bewitched, that they are persuaded it to be truth, and Christ's true doctrine to be error and heresy, and the old laws of Antichrist are allowed to return with the power of their father again: what can be hereafter looked for by reason, to the man of God, and true Christian abiding in this realm, but extreme violence of death, or else to deny his master. I grant the hearts of Princes are in God's hands, and whether soeeuer he will, he can make them to bow: and also that Christian princes in old time, used a more gentle kind of punishment, even to them which were heretics in deed as degradation, and deposition out of their roumes and offices, exile and vanishment out of their domynions and countries, and also (as it is read) the true Bishops of Christ's Church, were sometime intercessors for the heretics unto Princes, that they would not kill them, as is read of S. Augustine. But as yet Antichrists kingdom was not so erected at that time, nor is now accustomed so to order them, that will not fall down and worship y ^e beast and his Image, but (even as all the world knoweth) after the same manner that both John & Daniel hath prophesied before, that is by violence of death: and Daniel declareth farther, that the kind of death accustomablye should be by sword, fire, and imprisonment. Therefore if thou, O man of God, doest purpose to abide in this realm prepare and arm thyself to die: for both by Antichrists accustomable laws, and these prophecies, there is no appearance, or likelihood of any other thing, except y ^u wilt deny thy master Christ, which is the loss at the last, both of body and soul unto everlasting death. Therefore my good brother or sister in Christ, whatsoever thou be, to thee that canst, and mayst so do, that counsel that I think is the best safeguard for thee, both for thy body, and most surety for thy souls health, is that which I shall show thee hereafter. But first I warn thee to understand me, to speak to him or her, which be not in captivity, or called already for to confess Christ, but are at liberty abroad.

My council (I say) therefore is this, to fly from the plague, and to get the hence. I consider not only the subtleties of Satan, and how he is able to deceive by his false persuasions (if it were possible) even the chosen of GOD, and also the great frayltie, which is oftentimes more in a man, then he doth know in himself, which in the time of temptation, then will utter it self, I do not only consider these things (I say) but that our master Christ, whose life was, and is a perfect rule of the Chrystian man's life, that he himself avoided oftentimes the fury, and madness of the Jews, by departing from the country or place.

Paul likewise, when he was sought in Damasco, and the gates of the city were laid in wait for him, was conueighed by night, being let down in a basket, out at a window over the wall: and Helias the Prophet fled the persecution of wicked Jezebel: and Christ our savior saith in the Gospel: When they persecute you in one city, fly unto another: and so did many good, great learned, & virtuous men of God, which were great and stout chāpions nevertheless, and stout confessors, and mayntayners of Christ and his truth, in due time and place. Of such was the great Clarke Athanasius. But this is so plain • to be lawful by God's word, and examples of holy men, y ^t I need not to stand in it. Having this for my ground, I say to thee O man of God, this seemeth to me to be the most sure way for thy sauegard, to depart and fly far from the plague, and that swiftly also: for truly: before God, I think that the abomination that Daniel Prophesied of so long before, is now set up in the holy place. For all Antichrists doctrine, laws, rites and religion, contrary to Christ, and to the true serving and worshipping of God, I understand to be that abomination: Therefore now is the time in England, for those words of Christ, Tunc, inquit, qui in Judea sunt fugiant ad montes. Thē (saith he) mark this Christ's [then] for truly I am persuaded, and I trust by the spirit of God, that this [then] is commanded: Then (saith Christ) they that be in Jewry, let them fly into the mountains, and he that is on the house top, let him not come down to take away anything out of his house and he that is abroad in the field, let him not return to take his clothes. Woe be to the great bellied women, and to them that give suck, but pray (saith Christ) that youre flight be not in Winter nor on the Sabbath day.

These words of Christ are mystical, and therefore have need of interpretation. I understand all those to be in Jewry spiritually, which truly confess one true living God, and the whole truth of his word, after the doctrine of the Gospel of Christ. Such are they whom Christ here biddeth, in the time of the reign of Antichrists abhomynations, to fly unto the mountains : which signifieth places of safeguard, & all such things which are able to defend from the plague. That he biddeth him that is in the house top, not to come down, and him that is in the field, not to return to take with him his clothes, he meaneth that they should speed them to get them away betyme, lease in their tarrying, and trifling about worldly provision, they be trapped in the snare ere ever they be aware, and caught by the back, and for gain of small worldly things, endanger and cast themseues into great perilles of more weighty matters. And where he saith: woe be to the great bellied woman, and to them that give suck : women great with child and nigh to their lying down, and to be brought to bed, are not able to travel: nor also those women, which are brought to bed, and now giveth their babes suck. By these therefore Christ spiritually understandeth all such to be in extreme danger, which this word [woe] signifieth: all such (I say) as are so letted by any manner of means, that they no ways be able to • lie from the plague. And where Christ saith, pray you that your flight be not in the winter, nor on the sabbath day, in winter the common course of the year teacheth us, that the ways be foul, & therefore it is a hard thing, then to take a far journey for many incommodities, and dangers of the ways in y ^e time of the year: and on the Sabbath day it was not lawful to journey, but a little way. Now Christ therefore meaning that we should have need, both to speed our journey quickly, which cannot be done in Winter, for the incommodities of the ways, and also to go far, which cannot be done on the Sabbath day: he biddeth us therefore pray that our flight be not in winter, nor on the Sabbath day: that is, to pray that we may fly in time, and also far enough from the danger of the plague. Now, the causes why we should fly, followeth in the same place of saint Matthews Gospel, which I now pass over: thou mayest read them there.

And in the xviii. chapter of the Revelation, the angel is said to have cried mightily with a loud voice: Flye my people out of Babylon, least you be infected with her faults, & so be made partners of her plagues for her offenses and sins are • rowne so great, that they swell and are come unto the heavens: ••• aynely the time doth approach, and the Lord's day is at hand. Hear (I beseech you) also holy Paul, that bessed Apostle: He plainly forbiddeth us, ducere iugum cum incredulis, that is, to join or couple our selves with the unfaithful, for what fellowship can there be (saith he) of righteousness with unrighteousness, what company hath light with darkness, or what agreement hath Christ with Belial, or what part can the faithful have with the unfaithful, or how doth the temple of God agree with Images or Idols, for you are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, I will walk and dwell in them, I will be their God, and they shall be my people, wherefore depart from amongst them and get you from them (saith y ^e Lord) and touche no unclean thing: and I will receive you, & be to you in the stead of youre father, and you shall be unto me as my sons and daughters, saith the almighty Lord.

This council to depart the realm, I do not marvel if it do seem to diverse (even of them I mean that bear favor to Godward) diversely. Many (I trust) y ^t be learned shall think the council good. Other there be peradventure, that will think it rather a thing to be more tolerable, and that it may be in deed by God's word lawfully done, rather then to be counseled to be done, for they will peradventure say, we should counsel a man always to do that, which is best of all, and of moste perfection: but boldly in Christ's cause to spend a man's life, is best of all, and of moste perfection, and to fly it may seem to smell of cowardnes. In many things, that which is best for one at some times, is not best for all at all times, and it is not most perfection, nor meet for a child to covet to run, before he can go. I will not make here a discourse in this matter, what might here be objected, and what might be answered again: I leave that to the witty, and eloquent men of the world.

This is my mind, which I would thou shouldest know, O man of God, as I would wish, and I do pray to almighty God it may be, that every true Christian, either brother or sister (after they be called, and brought into the wrestling place, to strive in Christ's cause for the best game, that is, to confess the truth of the Gospel, and of the Christian faith, in hope of everlasting life) should not shrink, nor relent one inch, or give back, whatsoever shall befall, but stand to their tackle and stick by it even unto death, as they will Christ shall stick by them at the latter day: so likewise I dare not wish nor council any, either brother or sister of their own swinge, to starte up into the stage, or to cast themselves either before, or farther in danger then time and need shall require: for undoubtedly when God seeth his time, and his pleasure is, that his glory shall be set forth, and his Church edified by thy death and confession, means shall be found by his fatherly universal providence, that thou without thine own presumptuous provocation, shalt be lawfully called, to do thy seat, and to play thy part. The miserable ende that one Quintus came unto, may be a warning, and a fearful example for all men, to beware of presumption, and rashness in such things (as Eusebius writeth in Eccle. historia ) for evermore.

But a third sort of men there be, which also will be counted favorers of God's word, and are (I fear) in number far moe, and worse to be persuaded to y ^t which is y ^• godly mean. I mean of such as will peradventure say or think, that my former council, which was to sly the infection of the Antichristian doctrine, by departing out of the Realm, is more then needeth, and other ways and means may be found, both to abide, and also to be clear out of danger of the foresaid plague. If that could be found, both to abide, and also to be clear out of danger of the foresaid plague. If that could be found in deed truly agreeable to God's word, I would be as glad to hear it (God is my witness) as who is the other. Yes peradventure will some say. Thus it may be. Thou mayst keep thyself, thy faith, and thy religion close to thyself, and inwardly and privately worship God in spirit & truth, and outwardly see thou be no open medler, nor talker, nor transgressor of common order: so mayst thou be suffered in the common wealth and yet use thy religiō without offense of thy conscience. In other countries somewhere this peradventure might be used, but in England what shall be, God wot, but it was never yet, so far as ever I have known or heard. And also how can it be, but either thou must transgress the common order, and the Romish laws and customs, which have been used in England, in the times past of Popery, and now (it is certain) they return again: I say, thou mayst either be a breaker of these rites, laws, and customs, and so bewraye thyself, or else if thou be in deed a man of GOD, thou shalt offend thy conscience, for in observing of them, thou shalt be compelled to break God's law, which is the rule of conscience to the man of God. For how canst thou resort every holy day to the Church, and bear a face to worship the creature for the creator, as thou must do, & peradventure confess it too w ^t thy mouth, and to sprinckle thyself with thy conjured water?

Thou must be contributour also to the charges of all their popery, as of books of Antichrists service, of lights of the rood lofte, of the sepulcher, for setting up & paynting of Images (nay in deed of Idolles) and thou must bear a face to worship them also, or else thou must be had by the back. Thou must serve the turn, to give the holy loves (as they call it) which is nothing else but a very mockery of the Lord's holy table. Thou must be a contributor to the charges of all the disgised apparel, that y ^e popish sacrificing Priest, like unto Aaron, must play his part in. Yea when the pardoner goeth about, or the flattering Friar to beg for the maintenance of superstition except thou do as thy neighbors do, look not long to live in rest. If any of thy household die, if thou wilt not pay money for ringing, and singing, for Requiem Masses, Dirige, and commendations, and such like trumpery of y ^e Antichristian religion, thinkest thou that thou shalt be reckoned for a catholic man, or for amicus Caesaris ? A hundred things moe may be reckoned, and many of more weight, and of more evident superstition and Idolatry, then some of these which I have now rehearsed, which God knoweth be ill enough: but these are enough to declare, and to set before thine eyes, the thing that I intend that is, if thou abide and wilt dwell in England, thou must either do these, and many other moe contrary to God's word, which forbiddeth not only the thing which is evil, but also saith: Ab omni specie mali abstinete vos, abstain from all things that have any appearance of evil: or else if thou wilt not do them, howe thou canst live in England in rest safe from the stake, truly I cannot tell.

But peradventure (as a man is ready to find, and invent some color to cloke his conscience, to do that thing that his heart desireth) thou wilt say, though at any time I shall be forced, to do any of these things and such like, yet will I have no confidence in them, but outwardly with my body, I will keep mine heart unto God, and will not do that of mine own mind willingly neither but to avoid another inconvenience: I trust therefore god will hold me excused, for he shall have my heart, what can I do more?

O my friend, beware for God's sake and know that the subtleties of Satan are deep. He that is not able by God's word to perceive them, is heavily laden. Pray therefore with David: Lord let me not have a mind to inuente excuses for to cloke my sin, examine my dear friend, these thy wily ways with the word of God, and if they do agree, thou mayest use them: if not, know, though they may seem never so fine and goodly, yet in deed they be of Satan's brood. God's word is certain, that forbiddeth to worship the creature for the creator, for that is heinous Idolatry, and against the first commandment of God, and it is also against the seconde commandment of the first table to bow down, or to do worship unto any Images of God, or of any other thing: And God's word, requireth not only the belief of the heart, but also y ^e confession of the mouthe: and to bear part of the charges, to the maintenance of things ungodly, what is that, but in thy so doing, a consent to the thing done? Now consensenters and the doers, God's word accounteth to be gilty both. And it is not lawful by S. Paul's doctrine which was inspired him by the spirit of God, to do ill that thereof the thing, which is good may come.

Thy heart (thou sayst) GOD shall have, and yet wilt suffer thy body to do the thing that God doth abhor. Beware O man, take heed what thou sayest. Man may be deceived, but no man may deceive God, for he is called and is truly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is to say, the searcher of the heart. Now, to give God thy heart, is to give him thy whole heart, to love him, to dread him, and to trust in him above all other things. He that hath my commandments (saith Christ) and observeth and keepeth them, it is he that loveth me: and to dread God above all other, is rather willingly to incur the danger and peril of all fearful things, then wittingly to do that thing which is contrary to his blessed will and commandment: and to trust in him above all things, is assuredly to trust to his promise of his reward, and of his tuition, and of his goodness and mercy, and to prefer that above all things in the world seem they never so strong, so wise, or so good. Now, how canst thou say truly, that God hath thy heart after this manner of sort (which is to have thy heart in deed) when thy deeds do declare far another thing? Thy body, O man is God's, and all the partes thereof, even as thy soul is: he made them both, and Christ with his blood redeemed them both, and is Lord of both, for he hath bought them both dearly, and darest thou suffer any parte of either of them to do service to Satan? Surely in so doing, thou committest sacrilege and doest rob God, thou defilest the lively temple of the living God if thou suffer thy body to do Satan service. Do you not know (saith saint Paul) that your body is a lively temple of God? And may a man then take and use any part thereof but in the service of God? No surely, it is not lawful so to do for the man of God, neither with hand, tongue, nor foot, nor any parte of the whole body.

Doth not Paul command to the Romans, which pertaineth to every Christian soul: As you have in times past (saith he) given your members to do service unto uncleanness and wickedness, from one wickedness to another: so now give youre members to do service unto righteousness, that you may be sanctified. And I pray thee good brother, what doest thou think is to bear the mark of the beast in the forehead, and in the hand that saint John speaketh of? I know we ought warely to speak of God's misteryes which he shown by the spirit of prophesying to his servant John, yet to red them with reverence, and to pray for the same so much as God knoweth is necessary for our time to know, I think it necessary and good. Wherefore, what I suppose is to bear the Beasts mark, I will tell thee, and committee the judgment of mine interpretation, as in all other things, to the spiritual man. I suppose he beareth the Beast of Babylon's mark in his forehead, which is not ashamed of the Beasts ways, but will profess them openly to set forth his master the beast Abaddon. And likewise he beareth his mark in his hand, that will, and doth practice the works of the beast w ^t his power & hand. And likewise I will not let to tell thee, what I think to be signed in the forehead for the servant of God, whereof John also speaketh, reckoning up many thousands so to have been signed of every tribe, I suppose he is signed in the forehead, for the servant of God whom GOD hath appointed of his infinite goodness, and hath given him grace and strength, stoughtly to confess him, & his truth before the world. And to have grace and strength to confess Christ, and the doctrine of the cross, and to lament and mourn for the abominations of Antichrist, I suppose is to be signed w ^t Tau, whereof Ezekiel the Prophet doth speak. Thus I suppose these Prophesies are spiritually to be understanded: and to look for other corporal marks, to be seen in men's foreheads, or in their hands, is nothing else but to look that there should come some brute beast out of Babylon, or some Elephant, Leopard, Lyon, or Camel, or some other such monstrous Beast with x. horns, that should do all the wonderful things spoken in John: and yet of a Beast speaketh John, but I understand him so to be called, not for that he shall be any such brute Beast, but for that he is, and shall be the child of perdition, which for his cruelty and beastly manners, is well called a Beast.

The carnal Jews knew there was a promise made, that Helias should come before Christ the Messias, the annointed of God, to prepare his ways: they knew also there was a promise of Messias, that he should come, and be a king, and reign in the house of David for evermore, but they understood all so grossly, and so carnally, that they neither knew Helias, nor Messias when they came, for they looked for Helias to come down from heaven in his own person, and for Messias to come & reign in worldly pomp, power, riches and glory, when as the prophesies of both wer spiritually to have been understanded: of Helias that he should come not in person, but in spirit, that is, one which should be endued with the spirit, and gifts of grace of Helias, which was in deed John the Baptist, as Christ himself did declare to his Apostles. And of Messias reign, all the Prophets were to be understanded of the reign of his spiritual kingdom over the house of Jacob, and the true Israelites for evermore. And so by that their gross, and carnal understanding, they mistook both Helias, and the true Messias, and when they came, knew neither of them both. So likewise I fear me (nay it is certain) the world that wanteth the light of the spirit of God (for the world is not able to receive him, saith John) neither doth, nor shall know the beast, nor his marks, though he rage cruelly and live never so beastly, and though his marked men be in number like y ^e sand of the sea. The Lord therefore vouchsafe to open the eyes of the blind, with the light of grace, that they may see and perceive, and understand the words of God, after the mind of his spirit, Amen.

Here remaineth two objections, which may seem wayghty, and the which may peradventure move many not to follow the former council. The former reason is, A man will say, O sir it is no small matter ye speak of, to depart from a man's own native country, into a strange realm. Many men have so great lets, as how it is possible that they can, or may do so? Some have lands & possessions, which they cannot carry with them: some have father, mother, wife, children, and kinsfolk, from whom to depart is as hard a thing (and all one almost) as to suffer death, and to go to a strange country, that thou knowest not, neither the manner of the people, nor how thou mayst away either with the people, or with y ^e country. Or what a hard thing it is to live among a strange people, whose tongue thou doest not understand. &c.

I grant here thou mayst heap a number of worldly incommodities, which are surely very like to ensue the departure out of a man's own native country, I mean out of the whole realm, into a strange land: but what of all these, and a thousand moe of the like sort? I will set unto them one saying of our savior Christ, which unto the faithful child of God, and to the true Christian, is able to counteruayle all these, yea and to way them down. Christ our savior saith in Luke: If any come to me, and do not hate his father and mother (he meaneth, and will not in his cause forsake his father and mother) his wife, children and brethren, yea and his life too, he cannot be my disciple: and whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me, he cannot be my disciple. And in the same place he declareth by the two parables, one of a builder, and the other of a king that is a warrior, that every man that will not in Christ's cause, forsake all that ever he hath, he cannot be his Disciple. Look the places who will: the matter is so plainly set forth, that no glosses, nor cloking of conscience to the man of God, can serve to the contrary. Many places there be for the same purpose, for the imbrasing of Christ's cross, when Christ and his cause layeth it upon our back: but this is so plain that I need here to rehearse no more.

This latter reason and objection whereof I spake before, is of more force, and includeth a necessity, which after the common saying, hath no law, and therefore it is more hard to shape for it a good answer. This may be objected of some: alas sir I grant all these things do grieve me and because I understand they do not agree with God's word, which is the rule of my conscience, I loath either to look on them, or to hear them. But sir (alas) I am an impotent man, an aged man, a sick man, a lame man, or I have so many small infantes and a lame wife, which all liveth by my labor, and by my provision: if I leave them they shall starve, and I am not able to carry them with me, such is my state. Alas sir, what shall I do? And these causes may chance to some men of God, whereby either it shall be for them utterly impossible to depart the country or else in departing, they shall be enforced to forsake such in extreme necessities, of whom both God and nature hath committed unto them the care.

Alas what council is here to be given? O lamentable state. O sorrowful heart that neither can depart, and without extreme danger and peril, is not able to tarry still. And these are they whom our Savior Christ saw before should be, and called them in his prophesy of the latter time, great bellyed or traveling women, and women that give after they be brought to bed, their small babes suck. The state of such are not able to fly the infection of y ^e pestiferous plague of Antichrists abominations, Christ lamenting, and not cursing, saith: Woe be to the great bellyed and traveling woman, and women that give suck in those days. For these alas my heart mourneth the more, the less I am able to give any comfortable council: but this: that always, as they look for everlasting life, they abide still in the confession of his truth, whatsoever shall befall, and for the rest to put their trust now wholly in God, which is able to save them against all apparance, and commonly in extremities, when all worldly comfort faileth, and the danger is at highest, thē unto his he is wont, after his accustomed mercy, to be most ready for to put his helping hand. Daniel, God suffered to be caste into the Den of Lions, and the three children into the hot burning furnace, and yet he saved them all. Paul was plucked out of the mouthe of the Lyon (as he saith of himself) and in Asia he was brought in such trouble, that he looked for no other thing, but for present death, and yet he that raiseth the dead to life again, did bring him out of all his troubles, & taught him & all other that be in troubles for Christ's cause, not to trust to thenselves, but in almighty God.

Of God's gracious aid in extreme perilles toward them that put their trust in him, all Scripture is full both old and new. What dangers were y ^e Patriarchs often • brought unto, as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but of all other Joseph, and how mercifully were they delivered again? In what perilles was Moses when he was fain to fly for the sauegard of his life? And when was he sent again to deliver the Israelites from the seruyle bondage? Not before they were brought into extreme misery. And when did the Lord mightily deliver his people from Pharaoh his sword? Not before they were brought into such straightes, that they were so compassed on every side (the main sea on the one side, and the main host on y ^e other) that they could look for none other (yea what did they else in deed look for?) but either to have been drowned in the sea or else to have fallen on y ^e edge of Pharaoh his sword. These judges which wrought most wonderful things in the deliuerye of the people, were ever given when the people was brought to most misery before as Othoniel, Aioth, Saugar, Gideon, Iephthe, Samson. And so was Saull endued with strength and boldness frō above, against the Ammonites, Philistines, and Amalechites for the defense of y ^e people of God. David likewise felt God's help most sensibly ever in his extreme persecutions. What shall I speak of the Prophets of GOD, whom God suffered so oft to be brought into extreme perilles, and so mightily delivered them again: as Hel • as, Jeremiah, Daniel, Micah, and Jonah, and many other, whom it were but to long to rehearse and set out at large? And did the Lord use his servants otherwise in y ^e new law after Christ's incarnation? Read the Acts of the Apostles, and you shall see no. Were not the Apostles cast into Prison, and brought out by the mighty hand of God? Dyd not the Angel deliver Peter out of the strong prison, and bring him out by the iron gates of the City and set him free? And when, I pray you? Even the same night before Herod appointed to have brought him to judgment for to have slain him, as he had a little before killed James the brother of John. Paul and Silas, whē after they had been sore scourged, and wer put into the inner prison, and there were laid fast in the stocks, I pray you what appearance was there that the Magistrates should be glad to come the next day themselves to them, to desire them to be content and to depart in peace. Who provided for Paul, that he should be safely conducted out of all danger, and brought to Felix the Emperors Deputy, when as both the high Priests, the Pharisees, and rulers of the Jews had conspired to require judgment of death against him, he being fast in prison, and also more then xl. men had sworn eche one to another, that they would never eat nor drink until they had slain Paul? A thing wonderful, that no reason could have invented, or man could have looked for: God provided Paul his own sisters son a young man, that disapoynted that conspiracy, and all their former coniuration. The manner how the thing came to pass, thou mayst read in the xxiii. of the Acts. I will not be tedious unto thee here with the rehearsal thereof.

Now, to descend from the Apostles to the Martyrs that followed next in Christ's Church, and in them likewise to declare how gracious our good God ever hath been to work wonderfully with them which in his cause have been in extreme perilles, it were matter enough to write a longe book. I will here name but one man and one woman, that is, Athanasius the great clarke and godly man stoutely standing in Christ's cause against the Arians, and that holy woman Blandina, standing so constantly in all extreme pains, in the simple confession of Christ. If thou wilt have examples of moe, look and thou shalt have both these and a C. moe in Ecclesiastica historia of Eusebius, and in Tripartita historia.

But for all these examples both of holy scripture, and of other histories, I fear me the weak man of God incombred with the frailty and infirmity of the flesh, will have now and then such thoughts and quawmes (as they call them) to run over his heart, and to think thus: All these things which are rehearsed out of the scripture, I believe to be true, and of the rest truly I do think well, & can believe thē also to be true: but all these we must needs grant were special miracles of God, which now in our days are ceased we see, and to require them at God's hands, were it not to tempt God.

Welbeloued brother, I grant such were great wonderful works of God, and we have not seen many of such miracles in our time, either for that our sight is not clear (for truly God worketh with his, his parte in all times) or else because we have not the like faith of them for whose cause God wrought such things, or because, after y ^t he had set forth the truth of his doctrine by such miracles then sufficiently, the time of so many miracles to be done was expired withal. Which of these is the most special cause of all other, or whether there be any other, God knoweth: I leave that to God. But know thou this my well-beloved in God, that God's hand is as strong as ever it was, he may do what his gracious pleasure is, & he is as good and gracious as ever he was. Man changeth as the garment doth, but God our heavenly father is even the same now that he was, and shall be for evermore.

The world without doubt (this I do believe, and therefore I say) draweth towards an end, and in all ages God hath had his own manner, after his secrete and unsearchable wisdom, to use his elect, sometimes to deliver them and to keep them safe, and sometimes to suffer thē to drink of Christ's cup, that is, to feel the smart, and to feel of the whip. And though the flesh smarteth at the one, and feeleth ease in the other, is glad of the one, and sore vexed in the other: yet the Lord is all one, towards them in both, and loveth them no less when he suffereth thē to be beaten, yea & to be put to bodily death, then when he worketh wonders for their marvelous delivery. Nay rather he doth more for them, whē in anguish of y ^e torments he standeth by them & strengtheneth them in their faith, to suffer in y ^e confession of the truth & his faith, the bitter pangs of death, then when he openeth y ^e prison door and letteth them go lose: for here he doth but respite thē to another time, & leaveth thē in danger to fall in like peril again: & there he maketh them perfect, to be without danger, pain, or peril after y ^t for evermore. But this his love towards thē, howsoever the world doth judge of it, is all one, both when he delivereth & when he suffereth thē to be put to death. He loved as well Peter and Paul, whē after they had (according to his blessed will, pleasure and providence, finished their courses, and done their services appointed them by him here in preaching of his Gospel) the one was beheaded, and the other was hanged or crucified of the cruel tyrant Nero (as the Ecclesiastical history saith) as when he sent the Angel to bring Peter out of prison, and for Paul's delivery he made all y ^e doors of the prison to fly wide open, and the foundation of the same like an earthquake to tremble and shake.

Thinkest thou (O thou man of God) that Christ our savior had less affection to the first martyr Stephen, because he suffered his enemies even at the first conflicte to stone him to death? No surely, nor James John's brother which was one of the three that Paul calleth Primates or Principals amongst the Apostles of Christ. He loved him never a whit the worse thē he did the other, although he suffered Herod the tyrants sword to cut of his head. Nay, doth not Danyell say speaking of the cruelty of Antichrists time: Et docti in populo docebunt plurimos, & ruent in gladio & in flamma, & in captiuitate, & rapina dierum. &c. Et de eruditis ruent vt conflentur & eligantur, & dealbentur. &c. That is, and the learned (he meaneth truly learned in God's law) shall teache many, and shall fall upon the sword, and in the flame, (that is, shall be burned in the flaming fire) and in captivity (that is, shall be in prison, and be spoiled and robbed of their goods for a longe season. ) And after a little in the same place of Daniel it followeth: and of the learned there be, which shall fall or be overthrown, that they may be known, tried, chosen, & made white: he meaneth, be burnished & scoured a new, picked and chosen, and made fresh and lustye. If that then was foreseen for to be done to the godly learned, and for so gracious causes, let everyone to whom any such thing by the will of God doth chance, be merry in God, and rejoice, for it is to God's glory, and to his own everlasting wealth. Wherefore well is he that ever he was borne, for whom thus graciously God hath provided, having grace of God, and strength of the holy Ghost so stand steadfastly in the height of the storm. Happy is he that ever he was borne, whom God his heavenly Father hath vouchsafed to appoint to glorify him, and to edify his Church by the effusion of his blood.

To die in Christ's cause is an high honor, to y ^t which no man certainly shall or can aspire, but to whō God vouchsafeth that dignity: For no man is allowed to presume for to take unto him self any office of honor, but he which is thereunto called of God. Therefore John. saith well speaking of them, which have obtained the victory by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of his testimony, that they loved not their lives, even unto death. And our savior Christ saith: He that shall lose his life for my cause shall find it. And this manner of speech pertaineth not to one kind of Christians, (as the worldly doth wickedly dream) but all that do truly pertain unto Christ. For when Christ had called unto him the multitude together with his Disciples, he said unto thē (mark that he said not this to the Disciples and Apostles only, but he said it to all) who soever will follow me, let him forsake or deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me: for who soever will save his life, shall lose it (he meaneth who soever will, to save his life, both forsake or leave him and his truth) and whosoever shall lose his life for my cause, and the Gospels sake, shall save it: For what shall it profit man if he shall win the whole world and lose his own soul? his own life? or what shall a man give to recompense that loss of his own life, and of his own soul: Who soever shall be ashamed of me & my words (that is to confess me and my Gospel) before this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall the son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy Angels. Know thou O man of God, that all things are ordained for thy behoufe, and to the furtherance of thee, towards thy salvation. All things (saith Paul) worketh with the good to goodness, even the enemies of God, & such kind of punishments whereby they go about to destroy them, shall be forced by God's power might, & fatherly providence, for to do them service.

It is not as the wicked thinketh, that poverty, adversity, sickness, tribulation, yea painful death of the godly be tokens that God doth not love them: but even clean the contrary, as all the whole course of scripture doth evidently declare, for then he would never have suffered his most dearly beloved the Patriarchs to have had such troubles, his Prophets, his Apostles, his martyrs and chief Champions and mayntayners of his truth and Gospel, so cruelly of the wicked to have been murdered and slain. Of the which some were racked (as the Apostle saith) and would not be delivered, that they might receive a better resurrection. Some were tried by mockinges & scourginges, yea moreover by bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were hewn and cut a sunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword, they wandered up and down in sheep's skins and Gotes skins, being forsaken, afflicted and tormented: such men as y ^e world was not worthy to have, wandering in wilderness, in moūtaynes, in Dennes and Caues of the earth. All these were approved by the testimony of faith, and received not the promise, because God did provide better for us, that without us they should not be consummated. They tarry now for us undoubtedly, longing for the day: but they are commanded to have patience yet (saith the Lord a little while, until the number of their fellow servants be fulfilled, and of their brethren which are yet to be slain, as they were.

Now (thou O man of God) for our Lord's sake, let us not for the love of this life, tarry then to long, and be occasion of delay of that glorious consummation, in hope and expectation whereof the departed in the Lord, and the which also the living endued with God's spirit, ought so earnestly to desire and to groan for with all the creatures of God. Let us all with John the servant of God, cry in our harts unto our savior Christ: Veni Domine Jesus, come Lord Jesus come. For then when Christ which is our life, shall be made manifest and appear in glory, then shall the Children of God appear what they be, even like unto Christ: for this our weak body shall be transfigured and made like unto Christ's glorious body, and that by y ^e power whereby he is able to subdue unto himself all things. Then, that which is now corruptible, shall be made incorruptible: that now is vile, shall then be made glorious, that is now weak, shall rise then mighty and strong that is gross and carnal shall be made fine and spiritual for then we shall see and have the unspeakable joy and fru • tion of the glorious majesty of our Lord even as he is.

Who or what then shall let us to ieoparde, to ieopard? yea, to spend this life which we have here, in Christ's cause? in our Lord God his cause? O thou therefore man of God, thou y ^• art loden, & so letted like unto a great bellied woman, that thou canst not fly the plague, yet if thou lust after such things as I have spoken of, stand fast whatsoever shall befall, in thy masters cause: and take this thy letting to fly, for a calling of God to fight in thy master Christ his cause. Of this be thou certain, they can do nothing unto thee, which thy father is not aware of, or hath not foreseen before: they can do no more thē it shall please him to suffer them to do for the furtherance of his glory edifying of his Church, and thine own salvation. Let thē then do what they shall, seeing to thee (O man of God) all things shall be forced to serve, and to work with thee unto the best before God. O be not afraid and remember the end.

All this which I have spoken for the comfort of the lamentable case of the man whom Christ callethe great bellied woman, I mean to be spoken of likewise to the captive and prisoner in God's cause: for such I count to be as it were already summoned and pressed to fight under the banner of the cross of Christ, and as it were soldiers allowed and taken up for the Lord's wars, to do their Lord and master good and honorable service, and to stick to him, as men of trusty service in his cause, even unto death, and to think their life lost in his cause, is to win it in eternal glory for evermore.

Therefore, now to conclude and to make an end of this treatise, I say unto all that love God our heavenly father that love Christ Jesus our redeemer and savior: y ^t love to follow the ways of the holy Ghost which is our comforter and sanctifier of all: unto all that love Christ's spouse and body, the true catholic Church of Christ, yea that love life and their own souls health: I say unto all these hearken my dear brethren and sisters, all you that be of God, of all sortes, ages, dignities, or degrees: hearken to the word of our savior Jesus Christ spoken to his Apostles, and meant to all his in S. Matthews Gospel: Fear not them which kill the body, for they cannot kill y ^e soul: but fear him more which may destroy and cast both body and soul into hell fire, Are not two small sparrows sold for a mite, and one of them shall not fall or light upon the ground without your father? All the hears of your head be numbed. Fear them not, you are much more worth then are the little sparrows▪ Everyone that confesseth me before men, him shall I likewise confess before my Father which is in heaven. But who soever shall deny me before men, I shall deny him likewise before my father which is in heaven.

The Lord grant us therefore of his heavenly grace and strength, that here we may so confess him in this world amongst this adulterous and sinful generation, that he may confess us again at the latter day before his father which is in heavē, to his glory and our everlasting comfort, joy and salvation.

To our heavenly Father, to our savior and redeemer Jesus Christ, and to the holy Ghost, be all glory and honor now and forever. Amen.

Thus with the death and martyrdom of these two learned Pastorsr and constant soldiers of Christ, master Latimer, and B. Ridley, you have divers of their letters and other writings of theirs expressed, with y ^e Farewels also of B. Ridley, wherein he took his leave of the world, taking his journey to the kingdom of heaven. Divers and sundry other treatises of his remain also in my hand both in Latin and English, to be remembered, by y ^e leave of the Lord in time and place convenient.

The death and end of Stephen Gardener Bishop of Winchester.

THe next month, after the burning of Doctor Ridley and master Latimer, which was the month of November, Stephen Gardener Bishop and Chauncelloure, a man hated of God and all good men, ended his wretched life. Concerning the qualities, nature, and disposition of which man, for so much as somewhat hath been declared before in the story of king Edward's reign, I shall need therefore the less now to stand greatly upon the same. First this Uipers byrd crept out of the town of Bery in Suffolk, brought up most parte of his youth in Cambridge, his wit, capacity, memory, and other indumentes of nature not to be complained of, if he had well used and rightly applied the same: wherein there was no great want of God's part in him, if he had not rather himself wanted to y ^e goodness of his gifts. Through this promptnes, activity, & towardness of his, he profited not a little in such studies as he gave his head unto, as first in the law civil, then in languages and such other like, especially in those arts and faculties, which had any prospect to dignity and preferment to be hoped for. Besides other ornaments or helps of nature, memory chiefly seemed in him very beneficial, rather then diligence of study.

To these gifts and qualities were joined again is great or greater vices, which not so much followed him as overtook him, not so much burdened him, as made him burdenous to the whole realm. He was of a proud stomach and high minded, in his own opinion and conceit flattering himself to much, in wit, crafty and subtle, toward his superior flattering and fair spoken to his inferiors fierce, against his equal stout and envious, namely if in judgment and sentence he any thing withstood him, as appeared between the good Lord Crōwell and him in the reign of king Henry, being of like hau • inesse of stomach, as the Poets write of Pelides, Cedere nescius. Who although would give no place to men yet notw ^t standing I wish he would have given place to truth, according as he seemed not altogether ignorant of y ^e truth. What his knowledge was therein, it is evident partly to understand as well by his book De vera obedientia, as also by his sermon before king Edward: also by his answers to y ^e Council the same time, and moreover by his own words may be gathered in sundry places, as more plainly may appear by that which hereafter followeth,

Upon his estimation and fame he stood • o too much more then was meet for a man of his coat and calling, whose profession was to be crucified unto the world, which thing made him so stiff in maintaining that he had once begun to take upon him. I will not hear speak of y ^t which hath been constantly reported to me, touching the monstrous making & mishaped fashion of his feet and toes, the nails whereof were said not to be like to other men's, but to crook downward, and to be sharp like y ^e claws of ravening beasts. What his learning was in y ^e Ciuil and Canon law, I have not to say. What it was in other liberal sciences and arts this I suppose, y ^t neither his continuance in study, nor diligence of reading was such (by reason of his to much intermeddling in Prynces matters) as could truly well merit unto him y ^e title of a deep learned man. But what learning or cunning soever it was he had, so it fared in him, as it doth in Butchers, which use to blow up their flesh: even so he with boldness and stoutness, and specially with authority made those gifts that he had to appear much greater then they were in very deed. Wherunto use peradventure also & experience abroad brought no little helps, rather then either quickness of wit, or happiness of education.

And as touching Divinity, he was so variable wavering with time, that no constant censure can be givē what to make of him. If his doings and writings were according to his conscience, no man can rightly say whether he was a right protestant or Papist. If he wrote otherwise then he thought, for fear, or to bear with time then was he a double deep dissēbler before God and man, to say & unsay, to write and vnwrite, to swear and forswear so as he did. For first in the beginning of queen Annes time, who was so forward or so busy in the matter of the kings divorce as Ste. Gard. who was first sent to Rome and then to the Emperor with Edward Fox, as chief agent in the behalf of Lady Anne. By whom also he was preferred to the Bishopric of Winchester, & Ed. Boner was preferred to y ^e Bishopric of Londō. Again, at the abolishing of the Pope, who so ready to swear, or so vehement to write against the Pope as he, as not only by his sermons, but also by his book De obedientia may appear. In which book De obedientia, least any should think him drawn thereunto otherwise then by his own consent, he plainly declareth how not rashly nor upon a sodeine, but upon a long deliberation and advisement in himself about the matter, he at length uttered his judgment: Whereof read before. And moreoeuer so he uttered his judgment in writing against the usurped supremacy of the Pope, that coming to Leuven, afterward he was there accounted for a person excommunicate, and a schismatic, in so much that he was not permitted in their Church to say Mass, and moreover in their public sermons they openly cried out against him. Whereof read hereafter following.

And thus long continued he firm and forward so that who but Winchester during all the time and reign of Queen Anne. After her decease that time by little and little carried him away, til at length the emulation of Cromwell's estate, and especially (as it seemeth) for his so much favoring of Boner (whom Winchester at that time in no case could abide) made him an utter enemy both against him, and also his Religion: till again in king Edward's days, he began a little to rebate from certain points of Popery, and somewhat to smell of the Gospel, as both by his Sermon before king Edward, and also by his subscribyng to certain Articles may appear: and this was an hal • turn of Stephen Gardener from Popery again to the Gospel, and (no doubt) he would have further turned, had not the unlucky decay of the Duke of Somerset clean turned him away from true Divinity to plain Popery: wherein he continued a cruel persecutor to his dying day.

And thus much concerning the trade and profession of Ste. Gardiners Popish divinity. In which his popish trade, whether he followed more true judgment, or else time, or rather the spirit of ambition & vain glory, it is doubtful to say, & so much y ^e more doubtful, because in his doings & writings a man may see him not only contrary to him self, but also in some points contrary to other Papists. And furthermore, where he agreeth with them, he seemeth therein not so much to follow his own sense, as y ^e mind & meaning of Pereseus: out of whose book the greatest part of Winchesters Divinity seemeth to be borrowed.

And therefore, as in the true knowledge of God's holy word & scripture he appeareth nobody: so in his pen and style of writings no less far he is from commendation, then he is frō all plainness and perspecuity. In whose obscure & perplex kind of writing, although peradventure some sense may be found with some searching, yet shall no reader find any sweetenes in his reading.

What moved him to be so sturdy against M. Cheke, and sir T. Smith for y ^e Greke pronunciatiō, other may think what they please: I speak but what I think, that he so did, for that he saw it a thing rather newly begun, then truly impugned. Such was the disposition of that mā (as it seemeth) y ^t of purpose he ever affected to seme to be a patron of all old customs, though they were never so rotten with age. Amongest other matters, this one thing I cannot but marvel at in my mind, when I see how proudly he braggeth and vaynely vaunteth him self (as well in his letters to the L. Protector, & others of K. Edward's counsel, as also in his long matter articulated and exhibited by him unto the Archbishop of Canterbury, and other the kings Commissioners, of the high favor he had of the noble K. of famous memory K. Henry the 8. when in deed nothing was less true: neither did the king less favor any of his Counsel, then him, affirming very often that he greatly suspected the said B. to be a secrete maynteiner of the B. of Rome's usurped authority, and a stout disturber and hinderer of his proceedings in reformation of Religion. And therefore did so much dislyke with him, that he did not only mind (if the Lord had lent his highness longer life) to have used the extremity of law against him, upon very sore & just matter of old committed by him (and yet not taken away by any pardon) commanding thereupon often the L. Paget then his Secretary, to keep safe certain writings which he had against him: But also commanded that he should be put clean out of his last will & Testament, not suffering him either to be any of his Executors, or else in any case of his sons counsel, no although he were earnestly entreated to the contrary by sundry of the Lord's & others of his highness Counsayle, saying, he was a willful, troublesome, and hed strong man, and not meet to be about his son, or to have anything to do by his will. Now amongst other causes that moved the K. thus to suspect his fidelity towards his godly proceedings in religion, I find this to be one. It pleased his Majesty after his abolishing of the B. of Rome's usurped authority (amongst other Embassages to foreign Princes) to send the said B. of Winchester, and Sir Henry Knyuet Knight, as joint Ambassadors to the Emperor, being then at a diet or counsel at Ratisbone, appointing also S. John Barkeley, S. W. Blunt Knightes, and M. Andrew Baynton Esquire, (his highness servants) to give their attendaunce upon the said S. Henry Knyuet for y ^e more honoring of his ambassage. It happened also at that time, that S. Henry Knyuet enterteyned into his service (as Steward of his household) one Will. Wolf, who had in the same place & rome, before served S. Thomas Wyat Knight the K. former Ambassador there, and by that means had good acquaintance in those partes, as well in the Emeperours Court, as else where. This Wolf, towards the latter end of that diet or counsel, happened to walk (as often he did) towards themperours Palace to hear some news, where he met with one Ludou • co, an Italian Merchaunt or banker, one of his old acquaintance: who, supposing the said Wolf to have attended upon the B. of Winchester (not knowing of any other joint Ambassador) required Wolf for old acquaintance, to do him a pleasure: whereunto he wyllingly granted. Whereupon Ludouico shown him, that the Popes legate, or Ambassador to themperour (which was Cardinal Contarene) departing (the day) before towards Rome, and having no leisure to end his business him self, had put the said Ludouico in trust for the accomplishyng of them: and amongst all other things he had especially charged him that he should repair to the Ambassador of England, and require of him an answer of the Popes letters, which the Legat did of late send unto him, addressed to him from Rome, & that upon the recept thereof he should send thē after with all speed: and therefore if his L. Ambassador would write by that currour, he prayed Wolf to tell him that it was time to write, for the currour went away within a day or two. At this tale Wolf being abashed, & yet partly gessing which Ambassador he meant, thought it not mete to tell him whose servant he was, but by other soothing talk, perceived that he meant the B. of Winchester: and to the end that Ludouico should suspect nothing, he answered him, that he being not the Ambassadors Secretary, could say little therein, how beit he would not miss to put his Secretary in remembrance of it: which thing Ludouicke also desired him to do, for that he had no other acquaintaūce with thembassadours, and so • or that time they departed. This matter seeming to Wolf of some importance, did straight ways reveal it to sir H. Knyuet his M. Who, weighing also the greatness of the case, and the disaduauntage it were, upon one man's so bare a report to attempt ought, in a place and time, whereby such a person was to be touched, charged Wolf, well to advise himself, that no affect of hate, displeasure, or other passion, did move him to disclose this, but truth only. Wolf replied, that he weighed well the weightines of the case, meet, as to his own respect, to be passed over in silence, for avoiding of his private displeasure, if duty of allegeaunce bound him not otherwise. But Sir, (quoth he) if ye think not my hearing hereof one to one to be sufficient, I warrent you to devise means, that some others of your servants shall hear the like words at Ludouickes own mouth as well as I. Upon which talk, sir H. Knyuet devised, which of his servants he might use to that purpose, and at last rested upon M. Thomas Chalenor his Secretary, becaue he had the Italian tongue. Not yet making him pryuie of any matter, but willed Wolf to take him abroad with him as of his own priua • motion, for they were very familiar friends. Whereupon the next morning being Sunday, Wolf came to Chalenors chamber, and prayed him familiarly to go walk with him abroad to y ^e Piazza or marketstead: which he gladly granting so did, not knowing of any special cause why. When they came to the Piazza, over against themperours palace, (nere whereunto also the Popes legate had lodged) & had there walked a while together, there came thither the said Ludouicke, and espying Wolf, saluted him very friendly, & entered into talk about thexchaunge, & sundry other matters, Chalenor being still with them. At last vpō occasion, they entered into like talk about the former letters that the Ambassadors of England had received from Rome by the Popes legate, of which Ludouico had in charge to receive an answer, affirming, that the Post did depart the next day, & therefore prayed Wolf to put thembassadours secretarie in remembrance of them. Wherunto Wolf answered, that he would willingly do it: but he did not well know which Ambassador he meant, for that there were two: one, the B. of Winchester, & the other, a Gentleman of the K. privy chamber. To whom Ludouicke replied, that he meant not the Gentleman of the privy chamber, but the Bishop. By which talk and more such like (as upon the former day,) M. Chalenor being moved (and not knowing yet of his Masters & Wolves purpose) after the departure of Ludouico from them, said unto Wolf that Ludouico had had but homely talk with him to be passed over lightly, & therefore he would tell his M. of it. To whom Wolf answered, do as you will, if you think any matter therein. And therefore at his return home he told sir H. Knyuet what speech he had hard at Ludouickes mouth. Sir H. Knyuet, being thus farther accertayned of the matter, opened the whole to sir I. Barkeley, sir W. Blunt, and to M. Baynton: who all agreed, yet to make a farther trial thereof. And therefore devised that Wolf should procure Ludouicke to bring certain Ueluet and other Silks unto sir H. Knyuets lodging, as well for himself as for the other Gentlemen, which that after noon he did accomplysh, and brought Ludouicke unto sir Henry, where also were the other gentlemen. After they had a while viewed the silks, and had had some talk about the prices, Wolf toke occasion again to ask Ludouicke, if sir Henry were thembassadoure of whō he was to demand an answer of the letters sent by the Popes legate? to whom the Marchaunt answered no, it was not his seignorie, but it was a bishops, terming him Reuerendissimo, whereby they easily perceived whom he meant. Sir H. Knyuet hereupon somewhat dissembling y ^e matter, entered into farther talk thereaboutes, whereby Ludouicke opened as much in effect to them, as he had don before to Wolf: but yet at last perceiving that asmel sir Henry, as also the other gentlemen did behold him somewhat fixedly, he brake of his talk. Wherewith sir H. Knyuet, making as though he had noted nothing, did lovingly dismiss him, praying him that when he had received the B. letters, he would also repair to him for a packet to an English Gentleman of his acquaintance at Myllan: which he promised to do, and so departed again. When sir Henry had thus made sufficient trial of this matter, he forthwith (wrote his letters unto the K. Majesty, signifying unto him the whole at large as he had learned. In the mean while, Ludouicke the next morning repaired unto the B. of Winchesters lodging to demand an answer of those letters the Legate had sent unto him: but how he used him self, or whether he uttered the talk he had with sir H. Knyuet, and with Wolf whom he supposed at the first to be the B. man, it is not certainly known. But the B. perceiving that by mistaking one for another (and in supposing Wolf to be the B. servant) Ludouicke had uttered all his message from the Legate unto Wolf, and that thereby his practices would come to light, in great hasty rage caused Ludouicke to be stayed in his own house, while in the mean time himself went to Grauuela one of themperors counsel, & so practiced with him that Ludouick was secretly committed unto prison in the custody of one of themperours Marshals, so as he could be no more talked withal, all the time of their abode there. And then sending in great hast to sir H. Knyuet to come and speak with him (which he did) he fell into very hot speech with him, saying that he had poison in his dysh, and that a knave was suborned to be his distructiō: w ^t many such like words. Sir Henry told him again, how he understood it, and prayed him, that Ludouicke might be brought face to face to be examined in both their presents. Which the B. would in no case agree unto, affirming that he had so declared the case to Grauuela being indifferent (as he thought) to them both, that he would not meddell with Ludouicke nor speak with him: but that themperours counsel should examyne him, & try what he was, for him. To whom sir H. Knyuet again very earnestly objected, that he maruayled that the B. in matter, touching the K. Majesty, their Master, would use the aid or means of Grauuela, a foreign Princes minister, to make him privy of their question. But stay & do what he would, he would never come to the speech of Ludouicke anymore ever after. Whereupon there rose great and long controversies between them (both writing letters unto the K. about that matter) until at last the K. Majesty perceiving his affairs otherways to slack thereby, wrote unto them both, that they should lay all those things under foot and join together in his service as before: which they did accordingly. But how soever this matter was afterwards salued here with the K. Majesty, as either by the death of sir H. Knyuet (which I think was not very long after) or by other friends the B. had here at home I know not: yet Wolf, who within two months after died of a long cough of the Longues, upon his death bed did again affirm the premisses to be most true: and therefore in the presence of sir H. Knyuet, & diverse other of his servants, he protested, that he had not invented, sought, or procured this at Ludouickes hands, for any malice or displeasure borne to the B. but only for discharge of his faith & duty unto the K. Majesty, desiring that y ^e same his protestation might be inserted in the end of his last will and testament: which was then presently done, & thereunto set his hand.

Now whether this was the matter that the K. moved so often M. Secretary Paget (being after L. Keeper) to keep safe as sore matter against the B. I know not: but yet it appears by some depositions of the Nobility and others, in the process against him had in K. Edward's days, that the K. Majesty Henry .8. had this matter ever in his mind: for in every general pardon that he granted by Parliament after this practice, he did still except all treasons committed beyond the seas, meaning thereby as it was supposed that the B. should not take any benefit by any general pardon, if at any time his Majesty would call him to accompt: and therefore all things well weighed, he had small cause to vaunt of his great favor he had of K. Henry his M. Howbeit, it seemeth he was brought into this fools paradize, by the L. Paget: who (as he himsel • e reporteth in his depositions) in his messages from the K. to the said B. deluded him, telling him much otherwise then the K. had spoken, & counsaling always the K. hard speeches against him: which thing puffed up this vain-glorious Thraso not a little. All which premises appear more at large by the depositions of the Nobles & others, examined in y ^e long process against him in K. Edward's reign, as appears in our first edition of acts and monuments, from the .804. Page, unto the ende of that process, in that book at large mentioned.

But whatsoever he was, seeing he is now gone, I refer him to his Judge, to whom he shall stand or fall. As concerning his death and manner thereof, I would they which were present thereat, would testify to us what they saw. This we have all to think, that his heath happened so opportunely, that England hath a mighty cause to give thanks to y ^e Lord therefore: not so much for the great hurt he had done in times past in perverting his Princes, in bringing in the vi. Articles, in murderyng God's saints, in defacing Christ's sincere Religion. &c. as also especially for that he had thought to have brought to pass in murdering also our noble Queen that now is. For whatsoever danger it was of death y ^t she was in, it did (no doubt) proceed frō that bloody bishop, who was the cause thereof. And if it be certain which we have heard, y ^t her highness being in the Tower, a writ came down from certain of the Counsel for her execution, it is out of controversy, that wily Winchester was the only Dedalus & framer of that ingine. Who (no doubt) in that one day had brought this whole Realm into woeful ruin, had not the Lord's moste gracious counsel, through M. Bridges then the Lieuetenaunt, coming in hast to the Queen, certified her of the matter, and prevented Architophels bloody devises. For the which, thanks be to the same our Lord and savior, in y ^e congregation of all English churches, Amen.

Of things uncertain, I must speak uncertainly, for lack of fuller information, or else peradventure they be in the Realm that can say more then here I have expressed. For as Boner, Story, Thornton, Harpsfielde, Dunning, with other, were occupied in putting the poor branches of God's Saints to death: so this Bishoppe for his part bent all his devises and had spent all his powder in assailing the root, and in casting such a platform (as he himself in words at his death is said to confess) to build his popery vpō, as he thought should have stand forever and a day. But (as I said before) of uncertain things I can speak but vncertaynely. Wherefore as touching the manner and order of his death, how rich he died, what words he spake, what little repentance he shown, whether he died with his tongue swollen and out of his mouth, as did Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury, or whether he stonke before he died, as Cardinal Wolsey did, or whether he died in despair as Latomus and others did. &c. All this I refer either to their reports of whom I heard it, or leave it to the knowledge of them which know it better.

Notwithstanding, here by the way touching the death of this foresaid B. I thought not to overpass a certain hearsay, which not long since came to me by information of a certain worthy & credible Gentlewoman, & another Gentleman of the same name and kindred: which Mistress Monday, being the wife of one M. Monday Secretary sometime to the old L. Thomas D. of Norfolk, a present witness of this that is testified, thus openly reported in the house of a worshipful Citisen, bearing yet office in this City, in words & effect as followeth. The same day, when as B. Ridley, and M. Latimer suffered at Oxford, being about the .19. day of October, there came to the house of Ste. Gardener, the old D. of Norfolk with the foresaid M. Monday his secretary above named, reporter hereof. The old aged Duke, there waiting & tariyng for his dinner, the B. being not yet disposed to dine, deferred the time to .3. or .4. of the clock at after noon. At length, about .4. of the clock cometh his servant posting in all possible speed from Oxford, bringing intelligence to the B. what he had heard & seen: of whom the said B. diligently enquiring the truth of the matter, and hearing by his man, that fire, most certainly was set unto them, cometh out rejoicing to y ^e Duke: Now saith he, let us go to dinner. Whereupon, they being set down, meat immediately was brought, and the Bishop began merely to eat: But what followed? The bloody Tyraunt had not eaten a few bitte • , but the sudden stroke of God, his terible hand fell upon him in such sort, as immediately he was taken from the table, and so brought to his bed, where he continued the space of 15. days in such intolerable anguish and torments, that all that mean while, during those .15. days, he could not avoid by order of urine, or otherwise, anything that he received: whereby, his body being miserably inflamed within (who had inflamed so many good Martyrs before) was brought to a wretched end. And thereof no dout, as most like it is, came the thrustyng out of his tongue from his mouth so swollen and black, with the inflamation of his body. A spectacle worthy to be noted and beholden of all such bloody burning persecutors.

But to proceed farther in the sequel of our story: I could name the man (but I abstain from names) who being then present, and a great doer about the said Winchester, reported to us concerning the said Bishop, that when Doctor Day B. of Chichester came to him, and began to comfort him with words of God's promise, and with the free justification in the blood of Christ our Savior, repeating the Scriptures to him. Winchester hearing that, what my Lord (quoth he) will you open that gap now? then farewell altogether. To me and such other in my case you may speak it: but open this window unto the people, then farewell altogether.

Moreover, what D. Boner then saw in him, or what he heard of him, & what words passed between them about the time of his extremity, betwixt him, and him be it. If Boner did there behold anything which might turn to his good example, I exhort him to take it, and to beware in time, as I pray God he may. Here I could bring in the frivolous Epitaph which was made of his death, devised of a Papist for a Popish Bysh. but I pretermit it, & in steed thereof I have here •• ferred certain gatheringes out of his Sermons, words and writings, wherein may appear first what an earnest and vehement enemy he was to the Pope if he would have been constant in him self: then how inconstantly he varied frō himself: and thirdly how he standing upon a singularity of his own wit, wavering also from other Papists in certain points. In the gathering whereof albeit there be some pains, & tediousness also in reading: yet I thought not to pretermit the same upon certain considerations, namely for that so many yet to this day there be, which stick so much to Gardiners wit, learning, & religion, taking him for such a doughty pillar of the Popes church. To the intent therefore, that such as hitherto have been deceived by him may no longer be abused therein if they will either credit his own words, works, Sermons, writings, disputations: or else will be judged by his own witnesses of his own party producted, we have here collected such manifest probations, which may notoriously declare how effectuously first he withstode the Popes supremacy: and likewise afterward may declare manifest contrariety and repugnaunce of the said Gardener, first with other writers, and lastly with him self: first beginning with his Sermon preached before Kyng Edward. The sum and effect of which Sermon briefly collected by M. Udal, here under followeth to be seen.