A frendly farewel which Master Doctor Ridley, late Bishop of London did write beinge prisoner in Oxeforde, vnto all his true louers and frendes in God, a litle before that he suffred for the testimony of the truthe of Christ his Gospell. Newly setforth and allowed according to the order apoynted in the Quenes Maiesties iniunctions.

A frendly farewel which Master Doctor Ridley, late Bishop of London did write beinge prisoner in Oxeforde, vnto all his true louers and frendes in God, a litle before that he suffred for the testimony of the truthe of Christ his Gospell. Newly setforth and allowed according to the order apoynted in the Quenes Maiesties iniunctions.

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IOHN FOXE to the gentle Reader.

¶ A FRENDLIE farewell.

¶ To the Prisoners in Christes Gospels cause, and to al them whiche for the same cause are exiled and banished oute from theyr owne countrye, chosynge rather to lose all worldly commodity then their master Christ.

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A Frendly Farewel, which Master Doctor Ridley, late Bishop of London did write beinge prisoner in Oxeforde, vnto all his true Louers and frendes in God, a litle before that he suffred for the testimony of the truthe of Christ his Gospell.

Newly set forth and allowed according to the order apoynted in the Quenes Maiesties Iniunctions.

Ecclesiasticus. 4.

For the truthe striue thou vnto death.

¶Imprinted at London by Ihon Day, dwelling ouer Aldersgate, beneath. S. Martius. 1559. The .10. of Nouembre.

Cum gratia & priuilegio Regia Maiestatis per Septēnium.

IOHN FOXE to the gentle Reader.

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AMongest manye other worthy & sundrie Histories, and notable acts which we haue in hande, and entēde (by the grace of Christe oure Lorde) shortly to set abrode, of such as of late daies haue ben persecuted, murthered, & martyred for the trewe Gospell of Christ, in Quene Maries raigne. Firste to begin with this litell treatis of Doct. Nicholas Ridley, late Byshoppe of London, this shalbe to desyre thee (gentle Reader) to accept it, and studiouslye to peruse it [Page] in the meane tyme, whyle the other Uolumes be addressing, which we ar about, touching the full Historie, processe, and examinations, of all our blessed brethren, lately persecuted for rightuosnes sake. Whiche Histories whā they shal come to light, (I suppose) thou shalt see as horrible a slaughter of the Sainctes, ioyned with as much crueltie of some English hertes, as euer in anye one realme before Christe, or after was sene. In the meane time because all thynge can not be done at once, & the Uolumes be long, accept well in worth this litle, (but pithie) worke of [Page] this forsaid Bishoppe, in expectation of greater thynges, which shall (perchaunce) more largely satisfie thy desyre. Cō cerning the contentes of this Booke, the Argument doeth easely import. For the worthines therof, the name onely of the Author is a sufficient commendation, though I bestow no prayse therof. Firste whan thou readist it by the name of a Fare well, thou maiest vnderstande a faithfull Declaration, as of one, beynge in that case, nothing dissembling his consciēce in suche matters and cōtrouersies of religion, wherfore he suffered.

[Page]Againe, whan thou readist wrytten by Doctor Ridley, Bishoppe of London, by that onely name, thou maiest vnderstande, of what excellencie and learning, the worke is to be thought procedynge from suche a man whose profounde learning is vnknowē to few.

Thus doble waies are we bounde to the Lorde, who not onely by the bloud and death of his Sainctes, confirmeth the testimonie of his trueth, but also besydes theyr death, leaueth such monumentes behinde them, which no lesse cō founde the aduersary, as confirme the godly.

[Page]Briefly, as there is nothing in this Boke that greatly neadeth any mans commendation, beyng able ynough of his owne praise: so neyther do I so mistrust thy vertuous towardnes (good and Christian Reader) in godly studie & reading that thou shouldst greatly nead my exhortation thereunto, or any Epistle before the worke: saue only that I wold desyre the aide of thy Christiā prayer, whereby the thinges maye the more luckely come forward, whiche for thy sake at this present we do acheue, to the fortheryng of God hys glory, the testimony of true religion, [Page] and establishing of thy conscience. Thus desyring the brotherly helpe of thy prayer I wishe thee to fare wel with well fare in the Lorde. The grace of Christe confyrme vs, and stablyshe vs in all wel doing, to the glorie of his name.

Amen.

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¶ A FRENDLIE farewell.

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AS a man minding to take a farre iorney and to departe from his familiar frendes, commenly, and naturally hath a desyre to bid his frendes farewell before his departure. So likewise nowe I, lokyng when that I should be called for to depart hence frō you (O all ye my deare beloued brethren, and sisters in our Sauior Christ,) that dwell here in this worlde, hauyng nowe a like minde towardes you all. And also blessed be God of this such time and leasure, wherof I right hartely thanke his heauēly goodnes, I byd you all my deare brethren and sisters in Christ, that dwell vppon the earth, after suche maner as I can. Farewell.

[Page]Farewell my deare Brother George Shypside, whom I haue euer founde faithfull, trustye and louing in all state and conditions: And now in ye tyme of my crosse, ouer all other to me most frēdly, and stedfast. And that whiche liked me best ouer al other thinges: in Goddes cause euer herty.

Farewell my deare syster Alice, his wife: I am glad to hear of that that thou doest take Christs crosse, which is laied now (blessed be god) both on thy back, and mine in good part: Thanke thou God, that hath gyuen thee a godly, and a louynge husbande: Se thou honor him, and obey him, according to Gods lawe. Honor thy mother inlawe his mother, and loue all that perteyneth vnto him: beyng readie to do them good as it shal lie in thy power. As for thy children I doubt not of thy [Page] husbande, but that he which hathe gyuen him a hert to loue, and feare God, and in God, thē that perteine vnto him, he shall also make hym frendely and benefyciall vnto thy children, euen as if they had bene gotten of his owne body.

Farewell my welbeloued brother Iohn Rydley of the Waltown and you my gentle and louyng syster Elizabeth, whome besydes the natural leauge of amitie, your tender loue which you were sayd euer to beare towardes me, aboue the rest of your brethren doeth bind me to loue: My mind was to haue acknowledged this your louing affectiō, & to haue acquited it wt dedes, & not with words alone, your daughter Elizabeth I bid farewell, whō I loue for the meke & gentle spirite that God hath geuē her, which is a precious thing in the sight of God.

[Page]Farewell my beloued Sister of Unthancke, with all your children my Nephewes and Nices, since ye departure of my Brother Hughe, my minde was to haue bene vnto thē in the stead of their father. But the Lord God must & will be their father, if they wil loue him & feare him, and liue in ye trade of his law.

Farewell my welbeloued worshipfull Cozein Nicholas Ridley of Willymountswicke & your wife, And I thank you for al your kindnes shewed both to me: and also to all your owne kinsfolke and mine. Good Cozein, as God hath set you in that our stocke and kindred not for any respect of your person, but of his aboundant grace and goodnes to be as it were the Belwether to ordre and conduct the reast, and hath also endued you with his manifolde giftes of grace bothe heauenly & worldly aboue others: So [Page] I pray you good Cosē, as my trust & hope is in you, continue & increse in maintenance of truthe, honesty, righteousnes & all true godlines: & to the vttermost of your power to withstād falshed, vntruth, vnrighteousnes and all vngodlines, whiche is forbid and condempned by the word and lawes of God.

Farewel my Cozē Raffe Whitfield, oh your time was very short wt me: mi mind was to haue don you good, & yet you caught in that litle time a losse. But I trust it shalbe recompēced as it shal plese almighti god.

Farewel al my whole kindred & countrymen. Farewel in Christ altogether: the Lord which is ye searcher of secreates knoweth, that according to my harts desire, mi hope was of late yt I shuld haue come among you, and to haue brought wt me aboundaunce of Christes blessed Gospel: accordinge to the duty [Page] of that office and ministery, where vnto amōg you I was chosen, named and appoynted by the mouthe of that oure late piereles Prince and king Edward. And so also denounced openly in his court by his preuy counsaile.

I warne you al my welbeloued kinsfolkes and contreimen that ye be not amased or astonied at the kind of my departure or dissolutiō. For I ensure you I thincke it the most honor that euer I was called vnto in all my life. And therfore I thancke my Lord God hartely for it, that it hathe pleased him to call me of his greate mercye vnto this highe honor, to suffer deathe willinglye for hys sake, and in hys cause, vnto the which honor he called the holye Prophets, and his dearely beloued Apostels, and his blessed chosen martirs. For knowe [Page] ye that I doubt no more, but that the causes wherefore I am put to death are Gods causes and of truthe, then I doubte that the Gospel which Ihon wrote is the Gospell of Christ, or that Paules Epistles are the verye word of God. And to haue a harte willinge to abide and stand in Gods cause, and in Christes quarrell euen vnto deathe, I ensure the (O man) it is an in estimable and a honorable gift of God geuen only to the true electes and dearly beloued childrē of God, and inheritoures of the kingdome of heauen. For the holye Apostle, and also martyr in Christes cause. Saint Peter saith: If ye suffer rebuke in the name of Christ, that is in Christes cause, and for his truthes sake, then ye are happye and blessed, for the glory of the spirit of God resteth vppon you. If for rebuke [Page] sake suffred in christes name, a mā is pronoūced by the mouth of ye holy Apostle, blessed and happye, how much more happy and blessed is he that hathe the grace to suffer death also. Wherfore al you that be my true louers and frēdes, reioyse, and reioyse with me againe. And render with me harty thanckes to God oure heauenly father, that for his Sonnes sake, my Sauioure & redeamer Christ, he hath vouchsaued to call me, beinge els without his gratious goodnesse, in my selfe but a sinfull and a vile wretche: to cal me I say, vnto this high dignitie of his true Prophets, and of his faithfull Apostles: and of his holye elected and chosen Martyrs, that is to die and to spende this Temporall life in the defence and maintenaunce of his eternall and euerlastinge truthe. Ye knowe [Page] that be my Countrye men, dwellinge vppon the Borders, where (alas) the true man suffereth ofttimes muche wronge at the theues hande: if it chaunce a manne to be slaine of the theefe (as it oft chaunceth there) whiche wente oute with his neighboure to healpe hym, to rescue his goodes againe, that the more cruellye he be slaine: and the more stedfaste hee stooke by hys neighboure in fighte agaynste the face of the theefe, the more fauour and frendship shall all his posteritie haue for the slaine mans sake of all them that bee true: as longe as the memorye of hys facte, and hys Posteritye dothe endure.

Euen so ye that be my Kinsfolke and Countrye men, knowe ye, howe so euer the blinde, ignoraunte and wicked worlde hereafter shall raile vppon my Deathe, [Page] which thing they can not do worse then their fathers did of the death of Christ our sauioure of his holye Prophets, Apostles, and martirs. Know ye (I say) that bothe before God, and al them that be godlye, and that truelye knoweth, and followeth the lawes of God, ye haue and shall haue by Gods grace euer cause to reioyse, and to thanck God highly, and to thinke good of it: and in god, to reioyse of me your fleshe and blud, whome God of his gracious goodnes hath voutchsafed to associate vnto the blessed cō pany of his holy martirs in heauē: & I doubt not in the infinite goodnesse of my Lorde God, nor in the faithfull fellowship of his electe & chosen people: but at bothe thier handes in my cause, ye shall rather finde the more fauor & grace. For the Lord saith that he will be [Page] both to them and theirs that loueth him, the more louinge againe in a thousand generacions. The Lord is so full of mercy to them I saye: & theirs which do loue him in dede. And Christe saithe againe that no man can shewe more loue then to geue his life for his frende. Nowe also know ye all my true louers in God, my kinsefolke and Countrymē, that the cause wherfore I am put to death, is euen after the same sorte and condicion, but touchinge more nie Gods cause, and in more weighty matters: but in the generall kinde al one, for both is Gods cause, bothe is in the maintenance of righte, bothe is for the commen wealth, and both for the weale also of the Christian brother: although yet there is in these two no small difference, both concerning the ennemies, the goodes stollen, and the [Page] maner of the fight. For know ye al, as there: when the pore true mā is robbed by ye thefe of his own goods truely gotten, wherupon he & hys houshold shuld liue, is greatli wrō ged, and the thefe in stealing & robbing with violence the pore mans goodes, doth offend God, doth trāsgresse his law, & is iniurious both to the pore man and to the commen welth: so I say know ye al that euē here in the cause of my deathe, the Church of England, I meane the congregation of the true chosē children of God in this realm of England, which I knowledge not only to be my neighbors, but rather the congregation of my true spirituall brethren and sisters in Christ, yea members of one body, wherein by Goddes grace I am and haue ben grafte in Christe. Thys Churche of Englande had of late of the infinite [Page] goodnesse and aboundaunte grace of almightye God, greate substaunce, greate ryches, of heauenlye treasure: greate plentye of Goddes true and sincere woorde, the true and wholesome administracion of Christes holye Sacramenes, the hole profession of Christes religion truelye and plainlye sette forth in Baptisme, the plaine declaration and vnderstandynge of the same taught in the holy Cathechisme to haue ben learned of al true Christians. This church had also a true and sincere forme and manner of the Lordes Supper, wherin according to Christes own ordinaunce and holy institucion: Christes commaundements were executed & done. For vpō the bread and wine set vpō the Lordes table, thākes wer geuē, the cōmemoration of the Lordes deathe was had, [Page] the bread in the remembraunce of Christes body torn vpon the crosse, was broken, and the Cuppe in the remembraunce of Christes bloude shed, was distributed, and bothe cōminicated vnto al that were present and woulde receiue them: and thereunto were also exhorted of the minister to do. All was done openly in the mother tonge, so that euery thing might be both easely hard and plainlye vnderstand of all the people to Goddes high glory, and the edification of the hole Church. This Churche had of late the hole diuine Seruice, all commen and publique Prayers ordeined to be saide and hard in the commen congregatiō: not only framed and fashioned to the true vaine of holye scripture: but also all thinges so set forthe according to the commaundemente of the Lorde and Sainte [Page] Paules doctrine for ye peoples edificatiō also in their vulgare tonge, it had also holye and holsome Homelies in cōmendation of the principall vertues, which are commended in scripture, and likewise other Homelies against the moste pernitious and capitall vices that vseth (alas) to reigne in this Realme of Englande. This Churche had in matters of controuersy, articles so penned and framed after the holye Scripture, and grounded vpon the true vnderstāding of Gods word, that in shorte time if they had bene vniuersallye receiued they shoulde haue bene able to haue set in Christes church, much concord and vnitie in Christes true Religion, and to haue expelled many false errors & heresies, wherwith this churche (alas) was almost nigh ouergone. But, alas, of late into this spirituall [Page] possession of this heauenlye treasoure of these godly ritches, are entred in theues, that haue robbed and spoyled all this heauenly treasoure away. I may wel complaine on them and crye oute vpon theese Theues with the Prophet, saying Deus venerunt gentes in hereditatem tuam. &c. Psal. 79.

O Lord God the gentiles, heathen nations are come into thy heritage, they haue defiled thy holye Temple, and made Ierusalem an heape of stones, that is, they haue broken and beate downe to the grounde thy holye Citie: This Ethenishe generacion, these Theues of Samaria, these Sabei and Caldei, these robbers haue rushed oute of their dennes, and hath robbed the Churche of Englande of all the foresaide holye Treasoure of God, they haue carried awaye [Page] and ouerthrowne it, and in steade of Goddes holye woorde, the true and right administracion of Christes holy Sacraments, as of baptisme, and others, they mixte theyr ministery with mennes folish fantasies, and manye wicked and vngodly tradicions withall.

In the steade of the Lordes holy table, they geue the people with muche solemne disgisinge a thinge they call it their masse, but in dead and in truthe it is a very maskinge and a mockery of the true Supper of the Lord or rather I may call it a craftye Iuglinge, whereby these false theues & Iuglers hath bewitched ye mindes of the simple people yt thei haue brought thē frō the true worship of god vnto pernicious Idolatry, & make them to beleue yt to be Christ our Lord & sauior, which in deede, is neither God nor man, [Page] nor hathe anye life in it selfe, but in substance is the creature of breade and wine, and in vse of the Lordes table is the Sacramente of Christes body and bloude. And for thys holy vse which the Lorde hathe ordeined them in his Table, to represent vnto vs his blessed body torne vpon the crosse for vs, & his bloud there shed, it pleased him to cal thē his body and bloud, whiche vnderstandinge, Christe declareth to be his true meaning, when he saithe: do this in the remembrance of me. And againe Saint Paule doth set out the same more plainly, speking of the same Sacramente after the wordes of the consecration, & saying. As often as ye shall eat of this breade and drincke of this Cuppe: ye shall set forthe (he meaneth with the same) the Lords death vntil his cōming again: And here also these [Page] theues haue robbed againe the people of the Lordes Cuppe, contrary to the plain words of Christ, writtē in his Gospel. Now for the commē publike prayers which were in the vulgare tongue: these theues haue brought againe a straunge tonge, whereof the people vnderstand not one word: wherin what do they els but robbe the people of their diuine seruice, wherin they ought to pray together with the Priest. And to pray in a strange tonge, what is it but as sainte Paule calleth it barbarousnes, childishnes, vnprofitable folly: yea and plaine madnesse. For the godlye articles of vnitie in Religion, and for the holsome Homelies, what do these theues place in the stead of them, but the Popes lawes & decrees, lying Legandes: and fained fables and miracles to delude and abuse the simplicitye of [Page] the rude people. Thus this robberye and thefte is not only committed (nay sacrilege and wicked spoil of heauenly thinges) but also in ye stead of the same is brought in and placed the abhominable desolacion of the tirant Antiochus, of proude Senacherib, of the shameles faced king, and of the Babilonical beast. Unto this robbery, this thefte and sacrilege because I can not consēt nor God willing, neuer shal, so lōg as the breth is in my body, because it is blasphemy against God, high treason vnto Christ our heauenlye King, Lord, Master, and our only sauioure and redeamer: it is plaine contrary to Gods word, & to Christes Gospel, it is the subuersion of all true godlines, and againste the euerlasting saluacion of mine own soule, and all my brethren & sisters whome Christe my sauioure hathe [Page] so derely bought with no lesse price then with the effusiō and shedding forth of his most precious bloude. Therefore all ye my true louers in God, my Kinsfolk and countrymē, for this cause knowe ye that I am put to death, which by Gods grace I shal willingly take with harty thākes to God therfore: in certain hope wtout any doubting to receiue at Goddes hande againe of his fre mercye and grace, euerlasting life.

Althoughe the cause of the true man slaine of the thefe, healpinge hys neyghboure to recouer hys goodes again, and the cause wherfore I am to be put to death in a generalitie, is both one, as I said before, yet knowe ye that there is no small difference. These theues as against whome I stand, are much worse then the robbers and theues of the borders.

[Page]The goodes which they steale are much more precious, & their kinde of fighte are farre diuers. These theues are worse I saye: for they are more cruell, more wicked, more false, deceitful & more craftye. For those will kill but the body. These will not sticke to kil both body and soule. Those for the generall theft & robbery be called (& are in dede) theues and robbers. But these for their spirituall kind of robbery are called Sacrilegi, as ye would saye, Churche robbers. They are more wicked. For those goeth about but to spoile men of worldlye thinges, worldly riches, gold and siluer, and worldly substance. These go about in the wais of the deuil (ther gostly father) to stele from the vniuersall churche, and perticulerly from euery man, all heauenlye treasure, true Faith, true Charity, and hope [Page] of saluacion in the bloud of our sauioure Iesus Christe: yea to spoile vs of oure Sauiour Christ, of his Gospell, of his heauenlye spirite: and of the heauenly heritage of the kingdom of heauen, so derely purchased vnto vs with the deathe of our Maister and sauioure Christ. These be the goodes and godlye substaunce wherupon the Christian before God must liue. And with out the which he cā not liue. These goodes, these theues, these churche robbers, go aboute to spoile vs of. The whiche goodes as to the man of God they excel, and farre passeth all worldlye treasure: so to withstande euen vnto the deathe suche theues as go about to spoile bothe vs and the hole Churche of suche goodes, is most highe and honorable seruice done vnto God.

These Churche robbers be also [Page] muche more false, craftye, and deceitfull then the theues vppon the borders. For these haue not the crafte so to commende their thefte, that they dare avouch it. And therfore as acknowledging thē selues to be euill, they steale commenlye vpon the nighte, they dare not appere at iudgementes and sessions, wher iustice is executed. And whē they are taken and broughte thither: they neuer hange no man, but they be ofte times hanged for their faultes.

But these Churche robbers can so cloke and coloure their spirituall robbery, that they can make the people to beleue falshed to be truthe, and truthe falshed, good to be euell, and euell good, lyghte to be darkenesse, and darkenesse lyghte, Superstition to be true Religion, and Idolatrye to be the true worship [Page] of God: and that whiche is in substaunce the creature of breade and wine, to be none other substāce but onlye the substance of Christe the liuinge Lorde bothe God and manne. And this there falshed and craft they canne so Iuggle and bewitche the vnderstandynge of the simple, that they dare avouch it openlye in Courte and in town, and feareth neither hanginge nor heddinge as the poore Theues of the borders do. But stoute and strong like Nembrothe, dare condempne to be burned in flaming fire quicke & aliue, who so euer will go aboute to bewray their falshed.

The kinde of fighte agaynste these Churche robbers, is also of an other sorte and kinde: then is that whiche is againste the theues of the borders.

For there the true menne goe [Page] forth againste thē with speare and launce, with bowe and byll, and al suche kinde of bodely weapons, as the trew men hath.

But here as the enemies be of another nature: so the watchmen of Christes flocke, the warriours that fyght in the Lords war, must be armed, and fight with another kinde of weapons and Armour, For here the enemies of God, the souldiors of Antichrist althoughe the battell is set forth agaynst the Churche by mortall men, beynge fleshe and bloud, and neuertheles members of their father the deuil: yet for that theyr graunde maister is the power of darkenesse, theyr mēbers are spirituall wickednes, wicked spirits, spirits of errours, of heresies, of all deceate, and vngodlines, spirits of idolatrie, superstitiō, & Hipocresie, which ar called [Page] of S. Paule Principates & powers, Lordes of the worlde and spirituall subtilties conserninge heauenly thinges. And therefore oure weapons muste be fit and meete to fight against suche, not carnall nor Lordly weapons as spere or saūce, but spiritual and heauēly: we must fight against suche with the armor of God, not entending to kill theyr bodies, but their errors, their false craft and heresies, their Idolatry, Superstition and Hipocrisye, and to saue as much as lieth in vs both their bodies and soules. And therfore as S. Paule teacheth vs, we fight not against flesh and bloude, that is, we fight not with bodelye weapon to kill the man, but with the weapōs of God, to put to flight his wicked erroures and vice, and to saue bothe bodye and soule.

Oure weapons therefore are faith [Page] hope and Charitie, righteousnesse, truthe, pacience, praier vnto God: and our sword wherwith me smite our enemies, we beat and batter, & beare down al falshed, is the word of God. With these weapōs vnder the banner of the Crosse of Christe we do fighte: euer hauinge an eie vpon our graund Master, Duke, and capitaine Christ. And then we recken oure selues to triumph and to winne the crowne of euerlasting blisse: when enduringe in this battell without anye shrinking or yelding to the ennemies after the example of oure graunde Capitaine Christe oure Master, after the example of his holye Prophets, apostles and martirs, when (I say) we are slaine in our mortall bodies of our ennemies, & are most cruelly & without all mercy murdered down like a mainy of shepe. And the more [Page] cruell, the more painefull the more vile and spitefull is the kind of the death, wherunto we be put ye more glorious in God, the more blessed and happy we recken withoute all doubtes our martirdome to be.

And thus much dere louers and frendes in God, my countrymen & kinsfolk I haue spokē for your cō fort: least of mi death (of whose life you loked peraduenture somtimes to haue had honesty, pleasures, and some cōmodities) ye might be abashed or think ani euil, but rather to reioyse if ye loue me in dede, for yt it hath plesed God to cal me to a greter honor & dignity, thē euer I did enioy before either in Rochester or in the sea of London, or euer shuld haue had in the Sea of Durham, whervnto I was last of all elected and named: yea I compte it greater honor before God in dede to die in his cause (whereof I nothynge [Page] doubt) then is any earthly or temporall promocion or honor that cā be geuen to a man in this worlde. And who is he that knoweth the cause to be Goddes, to be Christes quarrell, and of his Gospell, to bee the commen weale of all the electe and chosen children of God, of all the inheritours of the kingdome of heauen: who is he (I say) yt knoweth this assuredly by Gods word, and the testimony of his owne conscience, as through thinfinite goodnes of God, not of my selfe, but by his grace, acknowledge my self to do, who is I say that knoweth this and both loueth and feareth God, in dede and in truth, loueth & beleueth in his master Christe and his blessed Gospel, loueth his brotherhode the chosen children of God, & also lusteth and longeth for euerlastinge life, who is he (I saye againe) [Page] yt wold not or can not finde in his hart in this cause to be contente to die. God forbid that anye such should be that should forsake this grace of God. I truste in my Lorde God, the God of mercies, & the father of all comfort, throughe Iesus Christe oure Lorde that he which hath put this mind, wil, and affection by his spirite in my hart, to stand against the face of the ennemy in his cause, and to chose rather the losse of my worldlye substāce, yea and of my life to, then to deny his known truth, that he will comfort me, aid me, and strengthē me euermore euen vnto thend: and to the yelding vp of my spirite, and soule: into his holy handes, wherof I most hartely beseche his holy sacred Maiestie of his infinite goodnes & mercy, through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[Page]Nowe that I haue taken my leaue of my Countrimen and kinsfolke: and the Lord doth lende me life and geueth me laysour, I will bid my other good frendes in God of other places, also farewell. And whome fyrste or before other then the vniuersitie of Cambrige, wher as I haue dwelte, longer, founde more faithfull and harty frendes, receiued more benefites (the benefites of my natural parents onlye excepted) then euer I did euen in my owne natiue countrye wherin I was borne.

Farewel therfore Cābridge, my louing mother & nurse. If I shuld not acknowledge thy manifold benefits, yea if I shuld not for thy benefites at the least loue the againe truely I were to be cōpted vngrate & vnkind: what benefites haddest thou euer, that thou vsest to geue & [Page] bestow vpon thy best beloued children that thou thoughtest to good for me? thou diddest bestow on me all thy scole degrees. Of thy common offices the chaplainship of the vniuersitie, the Office of the proctorship, and of a common reader. And of thy priuate cōmodities & emolumēts in colledges, what was it thou madest me not partner of? First scholer, then felow, & after mi departure frō the, thou called me again to a mastership of a right worshipful colledge: I thāck the my louing kindnes for all this thy kindnes. And I pray God yt his lawes and the sincere Gospell of Christe may euer be truely taught & faithfully learned in thee.

Farewel Pembroke hal, of late mine own Colledge, my Cure and my charge? what case thou arte in nowe GOD knoweth. I knowe [Page] not well. Thou wast euer named sithens I knew the which is nowe a .xxx. yeres agoe to be studious, well learned, & a great setter forth of Christes Gospell, and of Gods true word: so I foūde the, and blessed be God so I lefte the in deede. Wo is me for the mine owne deare Colledge: if euer thou suffer thi self by any meanes to be brought from that trade. In thy Orchard ye wals buts and trees if they could speke, wold beare me witnesse, I learned withoute boke almoste all Paules Epistles, yea and I wene all the Canonicall Epistles (saue only the Apocalipse) of whiche studye although in time a great part did departe from me: yet the swete smell therof I trust I shall carrye wyth me into heauen. For the profit ther of I thincke I haue felt in all my life time euer after. And I wene of [Page] late whether they abide there now or no (I can not tel) ther was, that did the like. The Lord graūte that this zeale & loue toward that parte of Goddes word, which is a key & a commentary to all holy scripture may euer abide in that colledge so long as the world shall endure.

From Cambridge I was called into Kent by the Archbishop of Cā terbury Thomas Cranmer yt most reuerend father and man of God. And of him by and by sent to be Uicar of Herne in East Kent. Wherefore farewell Herne the worshipfull and wealthy parishe, the fyrste cure wherunto I was called to minister Gods word. Thou hast hard of my mouth ofttimes the word of God preached, not after the popiste trade, but after Christes Gospell. Oh that the frute had answered to the seede. And yet I must knowledge [Page] me to be thy debtoure for the Doctrine of the Lordes Supper, which thē at that time I acknowledge God had not reueled vnto me. But I blesse God in al ye godly vertue and zeale of Goddes word, which the Lorde by preachinge of his worde did kindle manifestlye both in the hart, life and workes of that godly woman, there my Lady Phynes. God graunte yt his word toke like effecte there in manye other mo.

Farewell thou Cathedral churche of Canterburye the Metropolitike sea, where of once I was a member. To speake thinges pleasant vnto thee I dare not, for daū ger of conscience, and displeasure of my Lord God. And to say what lieth in my hart were now to much and I feare were able to doe thee now but a litle good.

[Page]Neuerthelesse for the frendship I haue founde in some there: and for charity sake I wishe the to be washed cleane of all worldlinesse and vngodlinesse, that thou maiste be founde of God after thy name in truth, Christes Church in dede.

Farewell Rochester, sometime my Cathedrall sea. In whome to say the truth I did finde much gē tlenesse and obedience, whyche I truste thou wilte not saye the contrarye, but I did vse it to Goddes glorye, and thine owne profitte in God. Oh that thou haddest and mighte haue continued and gone forewarde in the trade of Goddes lawe, wherein I did leaue thee.

Then thy charg and burden shuld not haue bene so terrible and daū gerous, as I suppose verelye it is like to bee (alasse) on the latter daye.

[Page]To Westminster other aduertisemente in God I haue not nowe to say, then I haue said before to ye Cathedrall church of Canterbury. And so God geue the of his grace that thou maist learne in dede and in truth to please him after his own lawes. And thus fare you well.

Oh London, London, to whome now may I speake in the, or whōe shall I bid farewel: shall I speake to the Prebendaries of Poules, alas all that loued Goddes worde, and were true setters forth thereof are now as I heare saye some brēt and slain, some exiled and banished and some holden in hard prisō: and appoynted daily to be put to moste cruell deathe for Christes Gospell sake. As for the rest of thē I know they coulde neuer broke me well, nor I could neuer delight in them. Shall I speake to the Sea therof [Page] wherein of late I was placed, almoste and not fully by the space of iii. yeares. But what may I say to it, being as I heare say, I am deposed and expulsed by iudgemente as an vniust vsurper of that rome. O iudgement, iudgement: can this be iust iudgement to condemne the chief minister of Goddes word, the pastor and bishop of the Dioces, & neuer bring him into iudgemente, that he might haue hard what crimes were laide to his charge, nor neuer suffer him to haue any place or time to answer for him selfe.

Thinckest thou that hereafter whē true iustice shall haue place, that this iustice can euer be allowed either of God or of man? well as for the cause and hole matter of mi deposition, and the spoil of my goods which thou possessest yet, I referre it vnto God, which is a iust iudge. [Page] And I beseke God if it be his pleasure, that that whiche is but my personall wronge be not laid to thi charge on the latter day. But this can I praye for thee. O thou nowe wicked and bloudye sea, why doste thou nowe set vp againe many alters of Idolatry, which by ye word of God were iustlye taken awaye? whye haste thou ouerthrowne the Lordes Table? why dost thou daily delude the people, Maskinge in thy Masses in the steade of the Lordes holye Supper, whiche ought to be commen aswell (saithe Chrisostom, yea the Lord him self) to the people as to the Priest? why darest yu deny to the people of christ contrary to his exprest cōmaundement in the gospel his holy cuppe? whye bablest thou to the people the commen praier in a straunge tōge, wherin. S. Paule commaundeth [Page] in the Lordes name no man shuld speake before the congregaciō, except it shuld be by and by declared in their commen tounge that all might be edefied. Nai harken thou whorishe bande of Babilone, thou wicked limme of Antichriste, thou bloudye Wolffe, whye slaiest thou downe and makest hauoke of the Prophets of god? why murtherest thou so cruelly Christes pore selye sheepe? whiche will not heare thy voyce because thou arte a straunger, and they will followe none other but theyr Pastoure Christe hys voyce?

Thinckest to escape, or that the LORDE will not require the bloude of hys Sainctes at thy handes. Thy GOD whyche is the woorke of thy handes, and whome thou sayest thou hast power to make. That thy Deafe [Page] and dum God will not in dede, nor can not (althoughe thou arte not ashamed to call him thy Maker) make the to escape the reuenginge hande of the highe and almightye God. But be thou assured, oure liuinge Lord, our sauiour and redemer, which setteth on the righthād of his father in glorye, he seeth all thy wicked wais and cruelty done to his deare members, and he will not forget his holye ones. And his handes, O thou whorish drabbe, shalt thou neuer escape. In steade of my farewell, to the nowe I say. Fie vpon the. Fie vpon the filthye drabbe and all thy false prophets.

Yet O thou London, I may not leaue thee thus, althoughe thy Episcopall sea, nowe being ioyned in league with the seate of Sathan, thus hath now both handled me & the Saintes of God, yet I do not [Page] doubt but in that great Citye there be many preuy mourners whyche daily mourneth for that mischiefe which neuer did nor shall consente to that wickednes, but do detest & abhorre it as the waies of Satan. But these preuy mourners here I wil passe by and bid them farewel with their fellowes hereafter, whē the place and occasion shall more conueniently require. Among the worshipfull of the City, and specially which were in office of the meralty, ye and in other Citezens also whome to name now it shal not be necessary. In the time of my ministerye, whiche was from the latter part of sir Rowland Hilles yeare, vnto sir George Barnes yere, and a great part therof, I do acknowledge that I found no smal humanitie and gētlenes, as me thought. But to say the truth that I esteme [Page] before all other for true Christian kindnesse that is shewed in Gods cause, and done for his sake: wherfore O Dobbes, Dobbes, Alderman and Knighte: thou in thy yere diddest win my hart for euermore, for that honorable acte, that moste blessed woorke of God, of the erection and setting vp of Christes holy Hospitalles and truelye religious houses, which bithe & through the was begonne. For thou lyke a manne of God, when the matter was moued for the relief of Christes pore selye members to be holpen from extreame miserye, hunger and famine, thy harte was moued with Pity. And as Christ high honourable officer in that cause, thou calledst together thy Brethrē and Aldermen of the Citie, before whome thou brake the matter for the poore, thou pleadest theyr [Page] cause, yea, and not only in thy own Persone, thou diddest sette forthe Christes cause, but to further the matter, thou broughtest me into the Counsell Chamber of the Citie before the Aldermenne alone, whyche thou haddest assēbled ther together to heare me speake, what I coulde saye as an aduocate by office and duetye in the pore mens cause. The Lorde wroughte with thee, and gaue thee the consente of thy brethren.

Whereby the matter was broughte to the Commen Counsel, and so to the whole bodye of the Citye. by whome with an vniforme consent, the matter was committed to be drawne, ordered, and deuised by a certaine noumber of the mooste wittye Citizeins, and Politike, endued also wt godlines, & with ready [Page] hartes to set forward such a noble acte as coulde be chosen in all the hole Citie. And they like true and faithfull Ministers, both to theyr Citie, and to their Master Christe, so ordred, deuised, & brought forthe the matter, that thousandes of sely pore members of Christ, which els for extreame hunger and miserye shoulde haue famished and pearished, shall be relieued and holpen vp, and shall haue cause to blisse the Aldermen, the commen counsel and the hole body of the Citye, but specially thee o Dobbes, and those chosen men by whome this honorable worke of God was begōne & wrought: and that so long through out all ages, as that godlye worke shall endure: whiche I praye almighty God may be euer vnto the worldes end.

And thou o sir George Barnes, [Page] the truth is to be confessed to Gods glorye, and to the good example of other, thou waste in thy yeare not onlye a furtherer and continuer of that, which before the, by thy predecessor Dobbes was well begon: but also diddest laboure so to haue profited the worke, that it shoulde baue bene an absolute thing a perfect spectacle of true charitie & godlinesse vnto all Christendome.

Thine endeuor was to haue set vp an house of occupations, bothe that all kinde of pouertie, being able to worke, shoulde not haue lacked wherevppon profitablye they might haue bene occupied to theyr owne reliefe, and to the profit and commoditie of the commen wealth of the Citie, and also to haue retyred thither, ye pore babes broughte vp in the Hospitals, when they had come to a certain age and strēgth.

[Page]And also all those whyche in the Hospitalles aforesaide haue bene cured of their diseases: and to haue broughte this to passe (not wythout diligence and labor both, of the and thy brethren) thou obtained at that godly king Edward that christian and pierles Princes hande, his Princelye place of Bridewell, with what other things to the performaunce of the same, and vnder what cōdition it is not vnknowen: That this thine endeuoure hathe not had like successe, the faulte is not in thee, but in the conditiō and state of the time, whiche the Lorde of his infinite mercy voutchsafe to amend, whē it shalbe his gratious wil and pleasure.

Farewell nowe all ye Citezens that be of God, of what state and condition so euer ye be: vndoubtedlye in London ye haue hard Gods [Page] word truely preached. My hartes desire and daily praier shall be for you, as for whom (for my time) I know to my Lord God I am cōptable: that ye neuer swarue, neither for losse of life or worldly goodes, frō Gods holy word, and yeld vnto Antichrist, wherupon must nedes follow the great displeaser of God, and the losse of your bodies & souls into perpetuall dampnation for euermore.

Now that I haue gon through the places wher I haue dwelt any space in the time of my pilgrimage here vpō earth. Remembring that for the space of Kinge Edwardes reigne, whiche was for the time of mine Office in the Seas of London and Rochester, I was a mē ber of the higher house of the parliamente. Therefore seinge my God hathe geuen mee laysoure, [Page] and the remembraunce thereof. I will bid my Lordes of the temporaltie farewel: They shal haue no iust cause by Gods grace to take it that I entend to say in ill part. As for spirituall prelacy, that now is, I haue nothing to say to them: excepte I shoulde repeate agayne a greate parte of that I haue saide before now, all readye to the Sea of London.

But to you my Lordes of the tē poralty, vnderstand ye thys firste. That when I wrote this, I loked daily, when I should be called to ye chaunge of my life. And thought yt that this my writinge shoulde not come to your knowledge before the time of the dissolucion of my bodye and soule shoulde be expired: and therfore know ye that I had before mine eies only the feare of God, & Christian Charitie towarde you, [Page] whiche moued me to write: for of you hereafter I looke not in thys world, other for pleaser or displeaser, if my talke shal do you neuer so much pleasure or profit, you cā not promote me. Nor if I displese you, ye can not hurt me, or harme me: For I shall be oute of your reache. Nowe therefore if you feare God, and can be content to heare the talk of him that seketh nothing at your hands, but to serue God, and to do you good: herkē what I say: I say vnto you as. S. Paul saieth to the Galathians, I wonder mi Lordes what hathe bewitched you, that ye so sodēly are fallen frō Christ vnto Antichrist: frō Christes gospel vnto mens tradicions: from the Lord that boughte you, vnto the Bishop now of Rome. I warn you of your pearill, be not deceiued, except you will be found willingly consenters [Page] vnto your owne deathe. For if ye thincke thus, we are lay men, thys is a matter of Religion, we follow as we are taughte and led, if oure teachers and gouernors teach vs, and leade vs amisse, the faulte is in them, they shall beare the blame. My Lords this is true, I graunt you that both the false teacher, and the corrupt gouernoure, bothe shal be punished for the deathe of theyr subiecte, whome they haue falselye taughte and corruptlye ledde: And his bloud shall be required at their handes. But yet neuerthelesse shal that subiecte die the death him self also, that is: he shal also be dampned for his owne sinne.

For if the blind leade the blinde, Christe saithe not the leader only, but he saithe, bothe shall fall in the ditche. Shall the Sinagoge and the Senate of the Iewes (trow ye) [Page] whyche forsooke Christe and consented to his Deathe, therefore be excused, because Annas, Caiphas, with the Scribes and Phariseis, and their cleargy did teach them amisse? yea and also Pilate theyr gouernoure, and the Emperoures Lieuetenaunte by his tirranny did withoute cause put him to deathe. Forsothe no my Lordes, no: but notwithstanding that corrupt doctrine or Pilates washinge of hys handes, neither of both shal excuse other, that sinagoge and seigniour, or Pilate. But at the Lordes hand for the effusion of that innocentes blud on the latter dai, al shal drink of the deadlye whip. Ye are wittye and vnderstand what I meane. Therefore I will passe ouer thys, and return to tel you howe you are fallen from Christe to his aduersarye the Bishyp of Rome.

[Page]And least my Lordes I maye peraduenture thincke me thus barely to call the Bishop of Rome Christes aduersarye, or to speake it in plain termes to cal him Antichrist, that it is don in mine anguish, and that I do but rage, and as a desperate man do not care, what I say, or vpon whome I do raile. Therfore that your Lordships may perceiue my minde, and vnderstande that I speake the words of truthe and of sobriety, as S. Paule saide vnto Festus. Be it knowne vnto your Lordships al, that as concerning the bishop of Rome, I nether hate the person, nor the place. For I ensure your Lordships, ye liuing Lorde beareth me witnesse before whome I speake, I doo thincke manye a good holy manne, manye martirs and Saintes of God, hath set and taught in that place, Christes [Page] Gospel truely: whiche therfore iustlye maye be called Apostolici, that is true Disciples of the Apostles. And also that Church and cō gregacion of Christians: Apostolicke Church, yea and that certaine hundreth yeares after ye same was first erected & builded vpon Christ, by the true Apostolicall Doctrine, taught by the mouthes of the Apostles them selues.

If ye will know how long that was, and how manye hundreth of yeares: to be curious in poyntinge the precise nomber of yeres, I wil not be to bold, but thus I say, so lōg and so manye hundred of yeres, as that sea did truely teach and preach that gospel, that religion, exercised that power, & ordered euery thing by those lawes and rules, whyche that sea receiued of the Appostles (and as Tertulyan saithe) and the [Page] apostles of Christe, and Christe of God: so long that Sea myght wel haue bene called Peter and Pauls chair and Sea, or rather Christes Chaire, and the Bishop thereof Apostolicus, or a true Disciple of the Apostles, and a minister of Christ. But since that time, that Sea hath degenerated frō that trade of truth and true Religion, whyche it receiued of the Apostles at the beginning, and hathe preached a nother Gospell, hathe sette vp an other Religion, hathe exercised an other power, and hath taken vpon it to ordre and rule the Churche of Christe by other straunge lawes, Cannons and rules, then euer that Sea receiued of the Apostles of Christe, whyche thinges it dothe at this daye, and hathe continued so doinge alasse, alasse, of to, to lōg a time. From time I saye that the [Page] state and condition of this Sea, hathe thus bene chaunged. In truthe it oughte of dutye and of righte to haue the names chaunged, bothe of the Sea, and of the sitter therein.

For vnderstande my Lordes, it was neither for the Priuilege of that place or Persone thereof, that that Sea and Bishop thereof, wer called Apostolicke: but for the true trade of Christes Religion, whiche was taught and maintened in that Sea at the firste, and of those godlye menne. And therfore as truely and iustlye as that Sea, then for that true trade of Religion and cō sanguinitie of Doctrine, wyth the Religion and Doctrine of Christes Apostles was called Apostolick: So as truely & as iustly for ye cōtrariety of religion and diuersity [Page] of doctrine from Christ and his apostles, that Sea and the Bishop therof at this day, both ought to be called, and are in dede Antichristian. The Sea is the seate of Sathan, and the Bishoppe of the same that mainteyneth the Abhominations thereof, is Antichriste hym selfe in deede. And for the same causes this sea at this daye is the same whiche .s. Ihon calleth in his reuelacion, Babilon, or the whore of Babilon, and spiritually Sodoma and Egiptus, the mother of fornications, and of the abhominations vpon the earth. And with this hore doth spiritually mell and lies with her, and committeth most stincking and abhominable adultrye before God. Al those Kinges and Prynces, yea and all nations of thearth, which consenteth and doth vse and practise her abhominacions.

[Page]That is of the innumerable multitude of thē to reherse, some for example sake, her dispensacions, her Pardons, and Pilgremages, her inuocation of Sainctes, her worshipping of Images, her false coū terfaicte religion, in her monkery and frerage, in her traditiōs, wher by Gods lawes are defiled, as in her Massing, and false ministring of Gods word, and the sacraments of Christ amisse, contrarye clene to Christes woorde and the Apostles doctrine, whereof in perticularitie I haue touched somethinge before in my talcke, had with the Sea of Londō, and in other treatises more at large, wherein if it shall please God to bring the same to light, shal appere I trust by gods grace plain lye to the man of God, and to hym whose rule in iudgement of religiō is Gods word. That that religion [Page] that rule, and order, that doctrine and faithe, whyche thys whore of Babilon, and the beast wherevpon she doth sit, mainteineth at this dai withall violence of fire and sword, with spoile and banishment (according to Daniels Prophecy) and finallye with all falshead, deceite, Ipocrisye, and all kinde of vngodlines, are as clene contrary to gods word, as darknesse is vnto lighte, or light to darknes, white to black, or black to white, or as Belial vnto Christ, or Chirst vnto Antichrist him self. I know my Lordes & for sawe when I wrote this, that to so many of you, as should see this my writing, and not beinge before endued with the spirite of grace and & light of gods word, so many wold at these my wordes Lordlike stāpe & sporn at, spit at it. But sober your selues with pacience and be still, & [Page] know ye yt in mi writing of this mi mind was none other but in God, (as the liuing God dothe beare me witnes) both to do you profit & plesure. And otherwise as for youre displeasure by that time that thys shall come to youre knowledge, I trust bi gods grace to be in ye hands & protection of thalmighty mi heauenly father, and the liuing Lord, which is (as S Ihon saith) ye gretest of all. And thed thē I shall not nede I trow, what any lord: no nor what any king or prince can do vnto me.

My Lordes if in times paste ye haue bene contented to heare me sometimes in matters of Religion before the Prince in the pulpit, and in the Parliament house, and haue not semed to haue dispised what I haue saide: when as els then if ye hadde perceiued iuste occasion: ye mighte haue suspected in my talk, [Page] thoughe it had bene reasonable, ether desire of worldly gain, or feare of displeasure. How hathe thē your Lordships more cause to harkē to my word, and to heare me paciently seing now ye cānot iustly thinck of me being in this case appoynted to die, and loking daily whē I shal be called to come before the eternal iudge, otherwise, but that I onlye study now to serue my Lord god: & to say that thinge which I am perswaded assuredly by Gods worde, shall and doth please him, and profit all them to whome God shall geue grace to heare & beleue what I do say. And I do say euen that I haue said heretofore, both of the sea of Rome, and of the bishop therof, I meane after this their presente state at this day. Wherin if ye will not beleue the ministers of God, & the true preachers of his word, truly [Page] I denounce vnto you in Verbum domini, except ye do repent be time, it shall turne to your confusion: and to your smarte on the latter daye. Forget not what I say my Lordes for Goddes sake forget not, but remēber it vpon your death bed. For I tell you moreouer as I knowe I muste be comptable of thys my speking thus, to the eternal iudge: (who will iudge nothinge amisse) so shall you be comptable of youre duetye in hearing, and you shall be chardged, if ye wil harken to Gods word, for not obeying to the truth. Alasse my Lordes, how chaunseth this, that this matter is now a new againe to be perswaded vnto you: who woulde haue thoughte of late but your Lordships had bene perswaded in deede sufficiently, or els that ye coulde euer haue agreed so vniformely with one consent to the [Page] abolishment of the vsurpacion of ye bishop of Rome. If yt matter were then but a matter of pollicy, wherin the Prince must be obeied, howe is it nowe made a matter, wherein as your Clergy saieth now (and so saieth the Popes lawes in deede) standeth the vnitie of the catholike Church, and a matter of necessitye of our saluacion? Hath the time being so short since the death of the .ii last kinges, Henry the eight, & Edward his sonne, altered the nature of the matter? If it haue not, but was of the same nature and daunger then, as it is now, and be now, as it is saide by the Popes lawes, and the instructions sette forthe in English to the Curates of the dioces of Yorke, in deede a matter of necessitie to saluacion. Howe then chaunsed that ye were all (O my Lordes) so light, and so little passed [Page] vpon the Catholicke faithe, and the vnitie therof (without the whiche no mā can be saued) as for your Princes plesures, which were but mortal men to forsake the vnitie of youre Catholicke faithe, that is to forsake Christe and his holy Gospell. And furthermore if it were then, and nowe so necessarye to saluacion, howe chaunsed it also, that ye al the hole body of the Parliament agreing, with you, did not only abolishe and expel the Bishop of Rome, but also did abiure him in your persons, and did decre in your actes great othes to be takē of bothe the spiritualty and temporalty: whosoeuer shuld enter into aniwaity & chargeable office in the commē wealth. But on thotherside, if that lawe and decree, whiche maketh the supremacy of the Sea and Bishop of Rome ouer the vniuersall [Page] church of Chirst, a thing of necessiti required vnto saluacion, be an Antichristian lawe (as it is in deede.) And such instructions as is geuen to the dioces of Yorke, be in dede a setting forth of the power of yt beast of Babilon, bi the craft and falshed of his false Prophets, as of a truth compared vnto Gods word, & truly iudged by the same, it shal plainly appere yt they be: then my Lords neuer thinck other, but the day shal come when ye shalbe charged with this your vndoing of that, that once ye had well done: & with this your periury & breach of your oth, which oth was done in iudgement, iustice and truth agreable to Gods lawe. The hore of Babilon maywel for a time dally with you, and make you so dronke with the wine of her filthy stewes and horedome, as wyth her dispensacions and promises of [Page] pardon, A pena & culpa, that for drō kennes and blindnes ye may think your selues safe. But be ye assured when the lyuing Lord shal trye the matter by the fire, and iudge it according to his worde: when all her abominations shall appeare what they be. Thē ye my Lords (I geue your Lordships warning in time, repent if ye be happi, and loue your owne soules helth, repent I say, or els without all dout) ye shall neuer escape the hāds of the liuing Lord for the gilt of your Prince and the breach of your oth. And as ye haue banketed & line with the whore in the fornication of her whorishe dispensacions, Pardons, Idolatry, & such like abhomioacions: so shal ye drink, with her (except ye repent be time) of the cup of the Lords indignacion & euerlasting wrath, which is prepared for the beaste, his false [Page] Prophets, and al their partakers. For he that is Partner with them in their whoredome and abhominacions, must also be partner with them of their plages. And on the latter day shalbe throwne in wyth them, in the lake burninge wyth brimstone and vnquenchable fyre. Thus fare you wel my Lordes al. I pray God geue you vnderstanding of his blessed will and plesure, and make you to beleue and embrace the truthe.

Amen.

¶ To the Prisoners in Christes Gospels cause, and to al them whiche for the same cause are exiled and banished oute from theyr owne countrye, chosynge rather to lose all worldly commodity then their master Christ.

[Page]

FArewell my deare beloued brethren in Christe, both you my fellow prisonners, and you also that bee exiled and banished oute of youre Countries, because ye wyll rather forsake all worldlye commoditye then the Gospell of Christe.

Farewel al ye together in Christ farewell: and be mearye. For you knowe that the triall of your faith, bringeth forth paciēce, and paciēce shall make vs perfecte, whole and [Page] sound on euery side. And such after triall ye know shal receiue ye crown af life: let vs therefore be paciente vnto the comming of the Lord. As the husbandman abideth paciently the former and latter rain. For the encrese of his crop: let vs likewise, be pacient and plucke vp our harts for the cōming of the Lorde approcheth apase. Let vs my deare brethren take example of patience in tribulation of the Prophets, which spake likewise Gods word truelye in his name. Let Iob be to vs an example of pacience. And the ende which the Lord suffered whiche is ful of mercy and pity, we know my brethren by gods word, yt our faith is muche more precious then anye corruptible gold: and yet yt is tried by the fire. Euen so therefore oure faith is tried likewise in tribulations, that it may be found (when the [Page] Lord shall appere) laudable, gloryous and Honorable: For if we for Christes cause do suffer that, that is grateful before God, for therunto are we called. That is our state and our vocation, wherwith let vs be content: Christ we know suffred for vs afflictions: leuing vs an example that we shuld folow his fotesteppes. For he committed no sinne nor was there any guile founde in hys mouthe, when he was railed vppon, and all to reuiled he did not threaten, but cōmitted ye punishmēt therof to hym that iudgeth a right.

Let vs euer haue in freshe remē brance those wonderful cōfortable sentences spoken by ye mouth of our sauioure Christe. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for ryghteousnes sake, for theirs is ye kyngdom of heauē. Blessed are you whē men reuile you, persecute you, and [Page] speake all euil againste you for my sake. Reioyse & be glad, for greate is your reward in heauē. For so did they persecute the prophets, which were before you. Therefore beare this alway in your mind, yt if anye incōmodity doth chāce vnto vs for righteousnes sake, yt happy are we whatsoeuer the world doth thincke of vs. Christ our master hath told vs before hande yt the brother shall put ye brother to death, & the father the sonne, & the children should rise against their parēts & kil thē. And yt Christes true apostles should be hated of all mē for his names sake But he that shal abide patiētly vnto thend he shalbe saued. Let vs thē endure in al troubles paciently after thexāple of our master Christ, & be contented therwt. For he suffred being our master & Lord, how doth it not then become vs to suffer? For [Page] the disciple is not aboue his master nor the seruaūt aboue his Lord. It may suffice the disciple to be as his master, and the seruaunte to be as Lord. If they haue called the master of the family, the master of the housholde Belzebub, howe muche more shall they call so, them of his houshold? Feare them not thē saith our sauior, for all preuities shalbe made plain. Ther is now nothing secreate, but it shall be shewed in lighte. Of Christes wordes, let vs neyther be ashamed nor afrayde to speake it. For so oure master commaundeth vs, saying. That I tell preuely, speke openli abrode: and yt I tel you in your eare, preach it vp on the house top. And be not afraid of your selfe, of them whyche kyll the bodye, for the soule they canne not kyll. But feare hym whyche canne caste boothe Bodye and [Page] soul into hel fire. Know ye that the heauenly father, hathe euer a gratious eie and respect toward you, & a fatherly prouidence for you, so yt withoute his knowledge and permission, nothing cā do you harme. Let vs therfore cast al care vppon him, and he shal prouide yt whyche shalbe best for vs. For if of .ii. small sparrowes which both are sold for a mite, one of them lighteth not on the ground without the father.

And all the heeres of oure head are nombred, feare not then saith oure Maister Christe, for you are more worth then many small sparowes. And let vs not stick to confesse our master Christ for feare of daunger whatsoeuer it shalbe: remembryng the promisse that Christ maketh & saieth: euery one that shall confesse me before men, him shal I confesse before my father which is in heauē [Page] But whosoeuer shal deny me, hym shal I likewise deny before my father whyche is in heauen, Christe came not to geue vnto vs heare a carnal amitie, and a worldly peace or to knit his vnto ye worlde in ease and peace: but rather to seperate & deuide them from the world: and to ioyn them vnto him self. In whose cause we must if we wilbe his, forsake father and mother, and stycke vnto hym, if we forsake hym, or shrinck frō him for trouble or deathes sake, whiche he calleth his crosse: he wil none of vs, we cannot be his, if for hys cause we shal lose oure temporall liues here, we shall find it again and enioy it for euermore: but if in his cause wee will not be contented to leaue nor lose it here: then shal we lose it so, that we shall neuer finde it againe. But in euerlasting death.

[Page]What though our troubles here be painful for the time, and the stinge of death bitter & vnpleasant: yet we know they shal not laste in cōparisō of eternity, no not the twinkling of an eie. And that they pacientlye takē in Christes cause shal procure & get vs, vnmesurable hepes of heuēly glory, vnto the which these tē poral pains & troubles of death cō pared: are not to be estemed, but to be reioysed vpon. Wonder not saith S. Peter, as thoughe it were anye straung matter that ye are tried by fire (he meaneth of tribulaciō) whiche thing saith he, is done to proue you. Nay but in yt ye are partners of Christes afflictions reioyse, yt in his glorious reuelacion, ye mai reioyse wt mery harts. If ye suffer rebukes in Christes name, happy are for the glory of the spirit of God resteth vpon you. Of thē God is reuiled [Page] and dishonored: but of you he is glorified. Let no mā be ashamed in yt he suffereth as a christian and in Christes cause. For now is ye time yt iudgement & gods correctiō must begin at ye house of God. And if it begin first at vs, what shalbe thend of those thinke ye, which beleue not yt gospel? And if the righteous shal be hardly saued, the wicked and the sinner wher shal he apere? wherfor they which are afflicted accordinge to ye wil of God, let thē lay downe & cōmit their souls to him, by wel doing as to a trusty & faithfulmaker: this as I said may not seme straūg to vs. For we know yt al ye hole fraterniti of christes cōgregatiō in this world is serued wt the like: & by the same is made perfect: for ye feruent loue yt the appostles had vnto their master christ for ye great cōmodities & increse of al godlines, which they [Page] by their faith to ensue of afflictiōs in Christes cause, & thirdlye for the heapes of heauenly ioyse which the same do get vnto the godly whyche shal endure in heauē for euermore. For these causes I sai, the apostles of their afflictions did ioy, & reioysed in that they wer had & accompted worthy to suffer contumelies & rebukes for christes name: & Paul as he glorified in the grace and fauoure of God, whereunto he was brought and stode in by faith: so he glorified in his afflictions for the heauenli & spiritual profits, which resteth vppon them, yea, he was so much in loue wyth that, yt the carnal mā lothe the so much, yt is with Christes crosse, that he iudged hym self to know nothing els, but christ crucified, he wil glori he saith in nothing els but in Christes crosse, yea & he blesseth al those (as thonli true [Page] Israelites and elect people of god) with peace and mercy, which walketh after ye rule & after none other.

O Lord what a wonderfull spirite was that, that made Paule in setting forth of him self against the vanitie of Sathan his Pseudo postels, and in his claime ther, that he in Christes cause did excell & passe them all? what wonderful Spirite was that I say, that made hym to recken vp all his troubles, his labors, his beatings, his whippings his scourginges, his shipwrackes, his dangers and pearils by water and by lande, his famine, hunger, nakednes, and cold: with many mo and the daily care of al the congregacions of Christ. Among whome euery mannes paine did pearse his hart, and euery mannes grief was greuous vnto him.

O Lord is this Pauls primacy [Page] wherin he thought so muche good of it, that he did excel other? Is not this Paules sayinge vnto Timothy his owne schollers and doth it not pertaine to whosoeuer will be Christes true souldiour? bere thou (saith he) the afflictiōs like a good souldioure of Iesu Christ. This is true if we die with him (he meneth Christ:) we shall liue with him. If we suffer with him, we shal reigne with him. If we deny him, he shall denye vs: if we be faithlesse he remaineth faithfull, he cannot denye him self. This Paule woulde haue knowen to euery body. For ther is none other wai to heauē, but Christ and his waye. And al that wil liue godlye in Christ, shall (saith Saint Paule) suffer persecution.

By this waye wente to heauen the Patriarckes, the Prophetes, Christe oure master, his Apostles, [Page] his Martirs, and all the Godlye since the beginning. And as it hath bene of olde, that he whyche was borne after the fleshe, persecuteth him which was borne after the spirite. So it was in Isaackes time, so said Saint Peter, it was in his time also. And whether it be so or no nowe, let the spirituall man, the manne (I meane) that is indued with the spirite of God, let him be iudge. Of the crosse of the Patriarckes, if ye reade the booke of Genesis, ye shall perceiue.

Of other Saint Paule in fewe words comprehendeth much matter, speaking in a generalitie of the wonderfull afflictions, death, and tormentes, whiche the men of God in Goddes cause, and for the truth sake, willingly did suffer after muche perticuler rehearsall of manye, he saith.

[Page]Other were racked: and dispised to be redemed, that thei might obtain a better resurrection. Other again were tried with Mockinges and scourginges, and moreouer wyth bondes and imprisonmēt, they wer stoned, hewen insunder, teinted, fel and were slain vpon the edge of the sworde, some wandred to and fro in shepes pilches, in gotes pilches, forsaken, oppressed, afflicted, such godlye men as the world was vnworthy of, wandering in wildernes, in mountains, in caues, and in dens. And all these were commended for their faithe. And yet they abide for vs the seruauntes of God, & those their brethren, which are to be slain as they were for the word of Gods sake, that none be shut out, but that we may all go together to mete our maister Christ in thair at his comminge, & so to be in blisse with him [Page] in body and soule for euermore.

Therfore seing we haue so much occasion to suffer and to take afflictions for Christes name sake paciently: so many commodities therby so waighty causes, so manye good examples, so great necessity, so sure promises of eternall life, and eternall ioyes of him that can not lye. Let vs throwe away what so euer might let vs, all burden of sinne, & all kinde of carnalitie. And paciētly and constantlye let vs ronne for the best game, in this race that is set before vs, euer hauing our eyes vpon Iesus Christ the ringleader, capitain, and profiter of our faith, which for to haue the ioy set before him, suffered the crosse, not passing vpon ignomie and shame therof. & is set nowe at the righthande of the throne of God Count this yt he suffered such strife of sinners against [Page] him self, that ye should not geue ouer nor fainte in your mindes. As yet brethren we haue not withstād vnto death, fighting against sinne. Let vs neuer forget (deare brethrē for Christes sake) that fatherly exhortation of the wise that speaketh vnto vs, as vnto his children, the godly wisdom of god, saying thus. My sonne dispise not the correction of the Lord, nor fal not frō him, when thou art rebuked of him. For whome the Lord loueth, him dothe he correct, & scourgeth euery childe whome he receiueth, what child is he whome the father doth not chasten? If ye be free from chastisement (wherof al are partners) then are ye bastardes and no children. Seing then when as we haue had carnall parents, which Christened vs, we reuerenced them: shall not we be much more subiect, vnto our [Page] spiritual father? and shal liue. And they for a little time taughte vs after their own mind: but this father teacheth vs to our commoditye, to geue vnto vs his holines. All chastisement for the present time, apereth not pleasant but painful. But afterward it rendereth the frute of righteousnesse on them, whiche are exercised in it. Wherefore let vs be of good chere (good brethren,) and lette vs plucke vp our feble membres that were fallen or began to fainte, harte, hande, knees, and all the reaste, and lette vs walcke vp a righte and straighte, that no Lympinge nor Haulting bring vs oute of the waye. Let vs loke not vppon the thinges that be presente, but with the eies of our faithe, lette vs stedfastly beholde the thinges that be euerlasting in heauen.

And chose rather in respecte of ye [Page] whiche is to come with the chosen members of Christ to beare Christes Crosse, then for his shorte life time to enioy all the riches, honors and pleasers of the brode world.

Why shuld we Christians feare death? cā death depriue vs of Christ which is all our comfort, our ioy, & our life? Nay forsoth. But contrary deathe shall deliuer vs from this mortall body, whiche lodeth & beareth downe the spirite, that it can not so wel perceiue heauēly things in the which so longe as we dwell, we are absent from God.

Wherfore vnderstandinge oure state in that we be Christians, that if our mortal bodye, whiche is oure earthlye house, were destroyed, we haue a building, a house not made with hāds, but euerlasting in heauen. &c. Therefore we are of good cheare, and knowe that when we [Page] are in the body, we are absent from God. For we walcke by faithe, and not by cleare sighte. But we haue fiance, and had rather be from the body and present with God: wherfore we striue whether we be present at home, or absent abrode that we maye alwaies please him. And who that hath true faith in our sauioure Christ, wherby he knoweth somwhat truely what Christe oure sauioure is: that he is the eternall sonne of God, life, light, the wisdōe of the father, all goodnes, al truth, all righteousnesse and whatsoeuer is good, that hart cā desire, yea infinite plenty of al these aboue that, that mans hart can either conceiue or thinke. For in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhed corporally. And also that he is geuen vs of the father: and made of God to be our wisdome, our righteousnesse, oure [Page] holinesse, and oure redemptiō? who I saye is he that beleueth this in dede, that wold not gladly be with his master Christ?

Paule for this knowledge coueted to haue bene losed from the bodye, and to haue bene with Christ: For that, he compted muche better for him self, & had rather to be losed then to liue. Therfore these words of Christ to the theife on the crosse, that asked of him mercye, were full of comforte, and solace. This daye thou shalte be with me in paradise. To dye in the defence of Christes Gospell, is oure bounden duetie to Christe, and also to oure neighbor. To Christ: for he died for vs, & rose again yt he shuld be Lord ouer all. And seing he died for vs, we also (saith s. Ihon) shuld ieopard, yea, geue oure life for oure brethren. And this kinde of geuinge and losinge, [Page] is gettinge and winninge in deede. For he that geueth or loseth his life thus, getteth and winneth it for euermore.

Blessed are they therefore that dieth in the Lorde. And if they dye also in the Lordes cause, they are mooste happye of all. Lette vs not feare then death, whiche can do vs no harme, otherwise then for a moment, to make the flesh to smart: but that our faith which is fast fastned and fixed vnto the word of god, telleth vs that we shall be anon after death in peace, in the hands of god, in ioy, in solace, and that frō deathe we shall go straighte vnto life. For Ihon saieth, he that liueth and beleueth in me shall neuer die: and in an other place: he shall depart from death into life.

And therefore thys deathe of the christian, is not to be called deathe, [Page] but rather a gate or entraunce into euerlasting life. Therefore Paule calleth it but a dissolution and resolutiō. And both Peter and Paul a puttinge of this Tabernacle or dwelling house, meaning thereby, the mortall bodye, as wherein the soule or spirite dothe dwell here in this world for a smal time. Yea this death may be called to the Christian an ende of all miseries. For so long as we liue here, we must passe through many tribulations before we can enter into the kingdome of heanen. And now after that death hath shot hys bolt, all the Christian mannes ennemies haue don what they can, and after that they haue no more to do. What could hurt, or harme poore Lazarus that laye at the ritch mannes gate, his former penury and pouerty, his miserable beggery and horrible sores & sicknes? [Page] For so sone as death had strickē him with his dart: so sone came the angels, and caried him vp into Abrahams bosome: what lost he by death? who from misery and paine is set forth by the ministery of Angels in a place both of ioye and solace. Farewel deare brethren, farewel, and let vs comfort our hartes in all troubles and in deathe with the worde of God. For heauen and earth shal pearishe, But the worde of God endureth for euer.

Farewel Christes dere beloued spouse, here wādring in this world as in a straunge lande farre from thine own country, and compassed about on euery hand with deadlye enemies which ceseth not to assalt the, euer seking thy destruction.

Farewel, farewel. O ye the hole and vniuersall congregation of the chosen of God, here liuinge vppon [Page] earth, the true Church militant of Christe, the true misticall bodye of Christ, the very houshold & familye of God, and the sacred temple of the holy ghost. Farewel.

Farewel, O thou little flock of ye high heauenly pastor christe, for to thee it hath pleased the heauenlye father to geue an euerlastinge aud eternall kingdome. Farewell.

Farewel thou spiritual house of God, thou holye and royall priesthode, thou chosen generation, thou won spouse. Farewel. Farewell.

N. R.

FINIS.

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Information about this book

Title statement

A frendly farewel which Master Doctor Ridley, late Bishop of London did write beinge prisoner in Oxeforde, vnto all his true louers and frendes in God, a litle before that he suffred for the testimony of the truthe of Christ his Gospell. Newly setforth and allowed according to the order apoynted in the Quenes Maiesties iniunctions.

Ridley, Nicholas, 1500?-1555.

Edition statement

1559

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Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A10780

ID [STC]

STC 21051

ID [STC]

ESTC S115942

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99851159

ID [PROQUEST]

99851159

ID [VID]

16419

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This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A10780)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 16419)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 550:18)

Source

— A frendly farewel which Master Doctor Ridley, late Bishop of London did write beinge prisoner in Oxeforde, vnto all his true louers and frendes in God, a litle before that he suffred for the testimony of the truthe of Christ his Gospell. Newly setforth and allowed according to the order apoynted in the Quenes Maiesties iniunctions., Ridley, Nicholas, 1500?-1555., Foxe, John, 1516-1587..

Extent

[104] p.

By Ihon Day, dwelling ouer Aldersgate, beneath. S. Martius [sic],. Imprinted at London :: 1559. The. 10. of Nouembre.. (Edited and with a final note to the reader by John Foxe.) (At foot of title: Cum gratia & priuilegio Regiæ Maiestatis per septe[n]nium.) (Signatures: A-F (:)⁴.) (The last leaf is blank.) (Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.) (Lacking quire (:).)

Creation

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Editorial practices

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

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