Christianography, Letter 2
A Letter ſent out of Aegypt into England, from the Patriarch of Alexandria, to the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury: Tranſlated by his Graces appointment into Latin, out of the Greeke originall, by Doctor Featley, his Graces Chaplaine in houſe.
The Indorſement.
To the moſt Reverend, and Gratious Prelate, the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Adverbum, moſt bleſſed and magnificent.Primate of all England, and Metropolitane; George Abbat, my most honoured Lord, with due reſpect, and reverence preſent theſe, in England.
The Subſcription.
Cyrill by the grace of God,Many Chriſtians call their Prieſts Papas. Pope and Patriarch of the great Citie of Alexandria, and oecumenicall Iudge.
The Letter.
MOſt Reverend,Adverbum, moſt bleſſed and great. and right Honourable Lord, George Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Primate of England, and Metropolitane; our deareſt brother. I pray hartily for the continuance of your Graces health, for the welfare of the flocke committed to your charge. Now that, through the favour of God, we are returned into Aegypt, and enjoy peace in our Church, It is requiſite, that by our Letters we ſhould acquit us of the promiſe whereby wee ſtand engaged to your Grace: for, there is no Church (God bee bleſſed) at more peace, then ours is at this preſent; no controverſies, nor variances ariſing amongſt our ſelves concerning faith: And, which is more to bee admired, the mortall enemies of Chriſts name, ſitting at the ſterne, and bearing all the ſway: by whom though wee are many waies moleſted, and diſquicted; yet for the name of Chriſt which wee profeſſe, and whoſe markes we beare about in our bodies, it is a joy to us to be thus afflicted, and vexed: yea alſo (if ſo it be the will of God) to abide the utmoſt extremity of their crueltie, that in the fierie triall our faith may ſhine more brightly, and God receive the greater glory; from theſe therefore wee feare little hurt, but rather from Dogges, deceitfull workemen, I meane Hypocrites, who ſpeake one thing, & meane another; who bluſh not with boldneſſe, to ſet upon God himſelfe, ſo that by any meanes they may advance the Papacie Theſe Romiſh Scouts doe verie much terrifie us, and put trickes upon our ſimplicitie, endeavouring to enthrall us, with ſophiſticall arguments and Logick quirkes, but eſpecially they beare themſelves upon a ſhew of learning, and acuteneſſe of diſputation, wee wanting learned men to deale with them at their owne weapons: for by reaſon of our ſinnes, we are in compariſon of other nations become deſpicable, and together with our libertie, have loſt all liberall Arts: When this thought often came in my minde, in the end, I brake the buſines to your Grace by letters, and implored your councell and aſſiſtance, and from your Graces anſwer I received extraordinary comfort, in which, by order from his Majeſtie, you wiſhed us to ſend over one of our Countrimen, to ſtudy Divinitie among you; and loe, heere now I have ſent you this Grecian, a man in holy orders, not meanely skild in the Greeke tongue, a member of our Church of Alexandria, well borne, and of readie capacitie: who, we hope through Gods grace, and your helping hand, will make no ſmall progreſſe in learning in ſhort time: And for that (as your letters teſtifie) this our Motion is well entertained by the moſt renowned, and the Lords anoynted, Iames the firſt: let thankes firſt been returned to him, for his great goodnes, wherein he doth neerely reſemble the bounty of our heavenly King: And indeed no leſſe could be expected from him, upon whom God hath plentifully ſhowred downe his bleſſings, and by his ſpeciall Providence ſet him upon the throne of ſo great and powerfull an Empire: wherefore wee beſeech your Grace, to tender our moſt humble reſpects, and dutifull proſtration, to his moſt excellent Majeſty, to whom wee wiſh from the very bottome of our heart, a long life, and fulneſſe of dayes. Next we humble crave of his Majeſty, that he would be pleaſed out of his imbred (I had well-nigh ſaid) infinite bounty, to vouchſafe to let a little ſparke light upon our Metrophanes: Laſtly, if any thing bee omitted in theſe our letters, which might conduce to the farther inſtructiō and furthering of this our countriman, it may eaſily bee ſupplied by your Graces wiſedome, whom God hath lifted up, and ſet as a beacon in an high place, to give light, not onelyonly to the Britaine, but alſo to the Grecian coaſts: Farewell moſt Reverend and wiſe Prelate.Adverbum, moſt bleſſed. The Lord grant you a long and proſperous life, together with ſtrength to undergoe your great charge, and to manage the weighty affaires both of Church, and common wealth.
From Aegypt Cal. Mar. in the yeere of our Lord. 1616.