A Friendly Farewell, Part 1

A Friendly Farewell · Part 1

¶ A FRENDLIE farewell.

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.

Farewell my deare Brother George Shypside, whom I hauehave euer founde faithfull, trustye and louing in all state and conditions: And now in y^e 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 louelove all that perteyneth vntounto him: beyng readie to do them good as it shal lie in thy power. As for thy children I doubt not of thy husbande, but that he which hathe gyuen him a hert to louelove, and feare God, and in God, thē that perteine vntounto him, he shall also make hym frendely and benefyciall vntounto 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 louelove which you were sayd euer to beare towardes me, aboue the rest of your brethren doeth bind me to louelove: My mind was to hauehave acknowledged this your louing affectiō, & to hauehave acquited it w^t dedes, & not with words alone, your daughter Elizabeth I bid farewell, whō I louelove for the meke & gentle spirite that God hath geuē her, which is a precious thing in the sight of God.

Farewell my beloued Sister of Unthancke, with all your children my Nephewes and Nices, since y^e departure of my Brother Hughe, my minde was to hauehave bene vntounto thē in the stead of their father. But the Lord God must & will be their father, if they wil louelove him & feare him, and liue in y^e 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 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 w^t me: mi mind was to hauehave 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 y^e searcher of secreates knoweth, that according to my harts desire, mi hope was of late y^t I shuld hauehave come among you, and to hauehave brought w^t me aboundaunce of Christes blessed Gospel: accordinge to the duty of that office and ministery, where vntounto 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 vntounto 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 vntounto this highe honor, to suffer deathe willinglye for hys sake, and in hys cause, vntounto the which honor he called the holye Prophets, and his dearely beloued Apostels, and his blessed chosen martirs. For knowe 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 hauehave a harte willinge to abide and stand in Gods cause, and in Christes quarrell euen vntounto 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 sake suffred in christes name, a mā is pronoūced by the mouth of y^e 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, vntounto 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 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 hauehave 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, 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 hauehave and shall hauehave 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 vntounto 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 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 louelove him in dede. And Christe saithe againe that no man can shewe more louelove 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 maner of the fight. For know ye al, as there: when the pore true mā is robbed by y^e 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 hauehave ben grafte in Christe. Thys Churche of Englande had of late of the infinite 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 hauehave 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, the bread in the remembraunce of Christes body torn vponupon the crosse, was broken, and the Cuppe in the remembraunce of Christes bloude shed, was distributed, and bothe cōminicated vntounto 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 eueryevery 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 Paules doctrine for y^e 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 vponupon the true vnderstāding of Gods word, that in shorte time if they had bene vniuersallye receiued they shoulde hauehave bene able to hauehave set in Christes church, much concord and vnitie in Christes true Religion, and to hauehave expelled many false errors & heresies, wherwith this churche (alas) was almost nigh ouergone. But, alas, of late into this spirituall possession of this heauenlye treasoure of these godly ritches, are entred in theues, that hauehave robbed and spoyled all this heauenly treasoure away. I may wel complaine on them and crye oute vponupon 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 hauehave defiled thy holye Temple, and made Ierusalem an heape of stones, that is, they hauehave broken and beate downe to the grounde thy holye Citie: This Ethenishe generacion, these Theues of Samaria, these Sabei and Caldei, these robbers hauehave rushed oute of their dennes, and hath robbed the Churche of Englande of all the foresaide holye Treasoure of God, they hauehave carried awaye 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 y^e mindes of the simple people y^t thei hauehave brought thē frō the true worship of god vntounto pernicious Idolatry, & make them to beleue y^t to be Christ our Lord & sauior, which in deede, is neither God nor man, 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 vntounto vsus his blessed body torne vponupon the crosse for vsus, & 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 theues hauehave 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 hauehave 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 the rude people. Thus this robberye and thefte is not only committed (nay sacrilege and wicked spoil of heauenly thinges) but also in y^e 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 vntounto 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 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 w^tout 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.

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 eueryevery man, all heauenlye treasure, true Faith, true Charity, and hope of saluacion in the bloud of our sauioure Iesus Christe: yea to spoile vsus of oure Sauiour Christ, of his Gospell, of his heauenlye spirite: and of the heauenly heritage of the kingdom of heauen, so derely purchased vntounto vsus 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 vsus of. The whiche goodes as to the man of God they excel, and farre passeth all worldlye treasure: so to withstande euen vntounto the deathe suche theues as go about to spoile bothe vsus and the hole Churche of suche goodes, is most highe and honorable seruice done vntounto God.

These Churche robbers be also muche more false, craftye, and deceitfull then the theues vppon the borders. For these hauehave 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 vponupon 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 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 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 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 vsus both their bodies and soules. And therfore as S. Paule teacheth vsus, 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 hope and Charitie, righteousnesse, truthe, pacience, praier vntounto 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 vnderunder the banner of the Crosse of Christe we do fighte: euer hauinge an eie vponupon 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 cruell, the more painefull the more vile and spitefull is the kind of the death, wherunto we be put y^e 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 hauehave spokē for your cō fort: least of mi death (of whose life you loked peraduenture somtimes to hauehave had honesty, pleasures, and some cōmodities) ye might be abashed or think ani euil, but rather to reioyse if ye louelove me in dede, for y^t 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 hauehave 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 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) y^t 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) y^t 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 vntounto 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.

Nowe that I hauehave 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 hauehave 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 louelove the againe truely I were to be cōpted vngrate & vnkind: what benefites haddest thou euer, that thou vsest to geue & bestow vponupon 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 y^t 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 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 y^e 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 hauehave felt in all my life time euer after. And I wene of late whether they abide there now or no (I can not tel) ther was, that did the like. The Lord graūte that this zeale & louelove 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 y^t 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 me to be thy debtoure for the Doctrine of the Lordes Supper, which thē at that time I acknowledge God had not reueled vntounto me. But I blesse God in al y^e 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 y^t 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 vntounto 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.

Neuerthelesse for the frendship I hauehave 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 hauehave continued and gone forewarde in the trade of Goddes lawe, wherein I did leaue thee.

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

To Westminster other aduertisemente in God I hauehave not nowe to say, then I hauehave said before to y^e 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 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 hauehave hard what crimes were laide to his charge, nor neuer suffer him to hauehave any place or time to answer for him selfe.

Thinckest thou that hereafter whē true iustice shall hauehave 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 vntounto God, which is a iust iudge. 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 y^e 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 y^u 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 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 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 vponupon the. Fie vponupon 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 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, vntounto 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 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 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 w^t godlines, & with ready 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 hauehave famished and pearished, shall be relieued and holpen vp, and shall hauehave 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 vntounto the worldes end.

And thou o sir George Barnes, 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 hauehave profited the worke, that it shoulde baue bene an absolute thing a perfect spectacle of true charitie & godlinesse vntounto all Christendome.

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

And also all those whyche in the Hospitalles aforesaide hauehave bene cured of their diseases: and to hauehave 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 vnderunder 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 hauehave hard Gods 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 vntounto 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 hauehave gon through the places wher I hauehave 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, and the remembraunce thereof. I will bid my Lordes of the temporaltie farewel: They shal hauehave 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 hauehave nothing to say to them: excepte I shoulde repeate agayne a greate parte of that I hauehave 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 y^e chaunge of my life. And thought y^t 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, 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 vntounto you as. S. Paul saieth to the Galathians, I wonder mi Lordes what hathe bewitched you, that ye so sodēly are fallen frō Christ vntounto Antichrist: frō Christes gospel vntounto mens tradicions: from the Lord that boughte you, vntounto the Bishop now of Rome. I warn you of your pearill, be not deceiued, except you will be found willingly consenters vntounto 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 vsus, and leade vsus 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 hauehave 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) 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.

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 vponupon 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 vntounto Festus. Be it knowne vntounto your Lordships al, that as concerning the bishop of Rome, I nether hate the person, nor the place. For I ensure your Lordships, y^e 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 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 y^e same was first erected & builded vponupon 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 eueryevery thing by those lawes and rules, whyche that sea receiued of the Appostles (and as Tertulyan saithe) and the apostles of Christe, and Christe of God: so long that Sea myght wel hauehave 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 vponupon 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 state and condition of this Sea, hathe thus bene chaunged. In truthe it oughte of dutye and of righte to hauehave 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 y^e cōtrariety of religion and diuersity 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 vponupon 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.

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 hauehave 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 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 vntounto lighte, or light to darknes, white to black, or black to white, or as Belial vntounto Christ, or Chirst vntounto 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, & know ye y^t 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 y^e hands & protection of thalmighty mi heauenly father, and the liuing Lord, which is (as S Ihon saith) y^e gretest of all. And thed thē I shall not nede I trow, what any lord: no nor what any king or prince can do vntounto me.

My Lordes if in times paste ye hauehave bene contented to heare me sometimes in matters of Religion before the Prince in the pulpit, and in the Parliament house, and hauehave not semed to hauehave dispised what I hauehave saide: when as els then if ye hadde perceiued iuste occasion: ye mighte hauehave suspected in my talk, 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 hauehave 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 I denounce vntounto 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 vponupon 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 vntounto you: who woulde hauehave thoughte of late but your Lordships had bene perswaded in deede sufficiently, or els that ye coulde euer hauehave agreed so vniformely with one consent to the abolishment of the vsurpacion of y^e bishop of Rome. If y^t 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 hauehave 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 vponupon 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 church of Chirst, a thing of necessiti required vntounto 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 y^t beast of Babilon, bi the craft and falshed of his false Prophets, as of a truth compared vntounto Gods word, & truly iudged by the same, it shal plainly appere y^t 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 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 louelove 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 hauehave 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 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.