A Friendly Farewell, Title page – To the reader
A Frendly Farewel, which Master Doctor Ridley, late Bishop of London did write beinge prisoner in Oxeforde, vntounto 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 vntounto 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.
AMongest manye other worthy & sundrie Histories, and notable acts which we hauehave in hande, and entēde (by the grace of Christe oure Lorde) shortly to set abrode, of such as of late daies hauehave 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 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 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 onelyonly 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.
Againe, whan thou readist wrytten by Doctor Ridley, Bishoppe of London, by that onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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.
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, 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 vsus, and stablyshe vsus in all wel doing, to the glorie of his name.
Amen.