Common Places, Biography · Oration
❧ AN ORATION OF the life and death of that worthie man and excellent Diuine D. Peter Martyr Vermillius, profeſſor of Diuinitie in the Schoole of Zuricke.
O That it had ſeemed good vntounto God, (right honorable Fathers and welbeloued Auditorie) that out of this place we might often & a long time yet hauehave heard ſpeake that excellent man and moſt graue Diuine our generall teacher Peter Martyr. But for ſo much as God the Father who gouerneth all things moſt excellently hath thought good to take him awaie from vsus, (being vnwoorthie perhaps of the preſence of ſuch a man) and to call him into the euerlaſting kingdome: ſeeing now we cannot heare him as we deſire to doe, yet I at the leaſtwiſe will ſpeake vntounto you that which the preſent time and conſideration of mine office doeth require. Notwithſtanding I am not ignoraunt, that my ſpeech cannot be equiualent to the vertues of Peter Martyr, whereby he ſo excelled all others, as they can verie hardlie be celebrated according to their woorthineſſe euen by the beſt Oratour of the world. But in mee there is ſcarce a meane wit, welneere no exerciſe of ſpeaking, but ſo great a ſorrowe as it may diminiſh the wit euen of an excellent Orator. For I lament deare Auditorie for my owne ſake, I lament for his ſake, and I lament for the ſchooles ſake, and for all your ſakes which hauehave loued and honored Martyr. For mine owne ſake, becauſe truelie I hauehave loſt a fellowe in office, but in verie deede a moſt faithfull Maiſter: in age and louelove, a moſt deare father, who loued mee entirely, and that euen at ſuch time as I leaſt of all thought it. For his owne ſake, not ſo much for that he is dead (for he hath alwayes this long time wiſht to bee looſed and to be with Chriſt, and who will denie but that it happened well to him that he is deliuered from diſeaſes, from labours, from cares and ſorowes which he did infinitelie take for the calamities of the godly and diſpoyling of the Church: and that he heareth not, ſeeth not, and knoweth not of the ſacking of Cities, or of the bloudie battels, captiuities and ſlaughters of good men, all which things wee daylie heare and feare, but he being bleſſed inioyeth ye pleaſures of heauen) but this doe I lament, yt when he had nowe brought welneere to an ende manie and notable workes, the labours of manie yeares, the watches of manie nightes, yet could he not fullie finiſh them and bring them into light, and reape this ioy and as it were this fruite of his labours, I lament for the ſchooles ſake, which hauehave loſt ſuch a teacher, in whoſe place cannot bee put the like. For whomſoeuer (O Fathers) yee ſhall ſet in our Martyrs place, another Martyr yee ſhall not hauehave. For he was no vulgar Diuine or of the common number of learned men, but he was alſo of ſo great a wit, of ſo excellent learning, and therewithall of ſuch godlineſſe, modeſtie and courteous behauiour, that both he was acceptable, beloued and reuerenced among them with whom he liued, and was euen of the aduerſaries alſo reckened among the excellent men, and was had of them in great admiration. While theſe thinges doe both increaſe my ſorowe, and that I alſo ſee you with a heauie looke, ſad countenance, and with waterie eyes to ſhewe the griefe and exceeding trouble of your minde: I am ouercome with the greatneſſe of ſorowe and ſee not what beginning or what ende I may finde of my Oration. Howbeit leaſt I ſhould faile of my duetie, I will ſuppreſſe my ſorowe, and will not commit that in exerciſing of this my office, mourning ſhould bee of ſuch force in mee, as it ſhall hinder mee of my duetie, and make me vngratefull towardes my Maiſter. But forſomuch as the praiſes of Martyr bee exceeding great by reaſon of his excellent and diuine vertues, & that the power of my eloquence is exceeding ſmal, & yet the ſame reſtrained by great and vehement ſorrowe, I will not indeuour to ſet foorth euerie act of his, with gorgeous and ſtately amplifications leaſt perhaps by my Oration, the honor of them ſhould bee more impaired than increaſed: but I will onelyonly ſet foorth vntounto you his life and death after an hiſtoricall manner: and I will indeuour ſo farre as I am able that thoſe things which either ye your ſelues hauehave ſeene, or elſe hauehave heard here and there and at ſundrie times of that good man and excellent diuine, ye may vnderſtand them all being gathered into order and placed altogether: to the intent that euerie one of you may take woorthie examples of all vertues, aſwell to the inſtruction of others as eche one to the framing of his owne conuerſation. And I will followe the way and order vſed by them which commit other mens liues vntounto writing. And firſt of all I will ſet foorth his Countrie, his Parents and Education. Afterward when we hauehave as it were laide theſe beginnings and foundations, I will begin to diſcourſe of the reſidue of his life, which aboundeth with examples of verie great and ample vertues. For euen as in the Corne fieldes, we are not onelyonly delighted with a plentifull harueſt and aboundance of fruite, but therewithall we are alſo deſirous to knowe in what manner of ſoyle the Corne groweth, after what manner the fieldes are tilled, what time they be ſowen, by what induſtrie of the husbandman they were holpen vntounto ſo great fertillitie: ſo in men not onelie the contemplation of vertue, as it were of good fruite, but alſo a knowledge of the Parents and Education doeth much pleaſe and delight vsus.
Now then Peter Martyr was borne in Florence, the moſt floriſhing Citie (as ye all know) not onelyonly of Hetruria, but of all Italy, and which a very long time hath defended and retayned her ancient freedome. It was then in the yeare of our ſaluation M. D. which yeare is very much celebrated becauſe of the natiuitie of Charles the v. a verie mightie Emperour. And the day was the vj. Ides of September: VponUpon which day the fathers hauehave written that the Virgine the mother of God was borne, and that the citie of Ieruſalem was taken by Titus the ſonne of Vespaſian, and ouerthrowen according as Chriſt hadde propheſied fortie yeares before. His parentes were Stephanus Vermilius and Marie Fumantina, both of them of an ancient and honeſt kindred, & whoſe anceſtors for the moſt part bore office in the Citie. Theſe gaue vntounto the childe the name of Peter Martyr by reaſon of a certaine vowe which according to the manner and cuſtome of thoſe times they hadde made vntounto one Peter Martyr of Millaine, who ſometimes, as they ſay, was ſlaine of the Arrians of that time for the defence of the true faith, whoſe temple alſo was not farre from his fathers houſe. His parents had him for their onelyonly ſonne: for all the reſt of their children which they had begotten, him excepted and his ſiſter Gemina Felicitas died in their childhood. His parents were of reaſonable good wealth. Their ſonne whom they deſired to bee well brought vp they committed to faithfull maiſters, and moreouer they inſtructed him with ſingular diligence at home. His mother who was learned in the Latine tongue, did chiefly inſtruct her ſonne therein from his firſt childhoode, and while he was yet young, did interprete vntounto him the Commedies of Pub. Terentius an excellent author in the Latine tongue, neither doubtleſſe was this diſcipline of a woman to be contemned: Forſomuch as among olde authors and the moſt excellent in this tongue the chiefe Orators, the Gracchi, Lelij, Catuli, Iulij, and Curiones, receiuing of their mothers the pureneſſe of the Latine tongue, and ſweteneſſe of pronunciation, brought it from this maternall and domeſticall diſcipline vntounto the place of pleading.
And in our age the noble woman Iane an Engliſh woman daughter to the Duke of Suffolke, and Olympia Morata an Italian (omitting thoſe which be aliue) hauehave euidently declared by their example what the indeuour of women maie bring to paſſe in eloquence if they applie their mind thereunto. From this domeſticall diſcipline, he was brought vntounto Marcellus Vergilius a man learned and famous for that he not long agoe tranſlated Dioſcorides and ſet foorth Commentaries vppon the ſame. This Marcellus at that time exerciſed the office of Secretorie to the Common weale of Florence, which was before the office of Aretinus and Pogghius: and moreouer he taught the latine tongue vntounto young gentlemen in the ſchooles to his great commendation. In this firſt courſe of his ſtudies, he had to his fellowes & friends noble young men and Senators ſonnes, Francis Medicis, Alexander Caponius, Francis Riccius and Raph Riccius, alſo Angelus Stuphas and Pandulphus Stuphas and Petrus Ʋictorius, whoſe ſingular and excellent learning is knowen vntounto all men, by reaſon of the auncient Greeke and Latin authors, either ſet foorth with Commentaries or otherwiſe reſtored to their owne perfectneſſe. And in this firſt courſe of his ſtudies while hee was yet a young beginner, euen ſtreightway there appeared in him a ſingular and notable wit, which brought vntounto his Parentes and Maiſters an vndoubted hope of great learning and excellent vertues. For firſt of all, there was in him a great promptneſſe of wit, in perceiuing and vnderſtanding, and ſo great a force of memorie in retayning, as he coulde both comprehende and keepe whatſoeuer he had learned. Moreouer he had ſo feruent a deſire of learning, as there neuer appeared to be in him anie wearineſſe of hearing or reading. Ouer this, ſhamefaſtneſſe which doeth greatlie commende that age was alwaies woonderfull in him, and therefore hee both honored auncient men as parentes, and albeit he excelled moſt of his equals in wit, yet hee ſo loued them, and by his modeſtie ſo woonne them vntounto him, that there aroſe no manner of emulation at all among them: yea and thoſe whome the conuerſation and familiaritie of Childhoode had ioyned vntounto him, he helde alwaies moſt friendlie during the time that hee liued in his countrie and in Italie. And nowe becauſe in the daungerous time of his youth he was minded not onelie for the preſent time to temper himſelfe from the allurements of pleaſures, which a rich and aboundant Citie doeth miniſter, but alſo to auoide them in the time to come, he abandoning all delightes determined to giuegive himſelfe to a monaſticall life which then alone was counted holie. And becauſe in that age the houſeholde of the regular Canons of S. Auguſtine bare the chiefeſt name throughout all Italie, for that they vſed a more ſeuere diſcipline than other Monkes, and did more diligentlie exerciſe themſelues in the ſtudie of the holie ſcriptures, hee thought it good to ioyne himſelfe vntounto that ſocietie. Wherefore in the 16. yeare of his age hee was choſen into the Feſulane College (which was builded in the ruins of the olde Citie of Feſula a ſtones caſt from Florence) with a full conſent and reioyſing of the fellowes of that College vntounto whome the excellent diſpoſition of his nature was knowen. Alſo his ſiſter Felicitas followed the intent of her brother, and was made a ſiſter of thoſe Virgins which inhabite the Monaſterie of Saint Peter the Martyr. This fact of thē both was miſliking & greeuous vntounto the father, either becauſe he would hauehave ye Ʋermilian familie (wherein beſides themſelues there was none remaining aliue) to be increaſed by his ſonne through the marriage of a wife, or elſe for that the graue man miſliked the ſuperſtition of the common ſort, and the feigned holineſſe of the Monkes. For nowe a great while ſince, Dant and Petrach had reprehended manie abuſes in the Church: and the ſelfe ſame thing was doone a fewe yeares ſince by Hieronymus Sauonarola, whoſe ſermons no doubt but the elder Vermilius had hearde. And that vndoubtedly the monaſticall life was not altogether allowed by him we thereby gather, that yt readie monie which he had, he bequethed by Teſtament to the next wiſe which he had after the death of Fumantina. And the reſt of his goods he willed to be giuen to an hoſpitall for the vſe of the poore, vppon this condition, that there ſhould be paid yearelie to his ſonne ſo long as he liued 50 crownes which we name to be of the ſhield marke. And whereas his children lead their life in monaſteries, yet choſe he rather to diſpoſe his goods to ye vſe of ye poore than yt they ſhould be ſpent vponupon idle Monkes, who ſhoulde mumble vp certaine prayers they knowe not what. But whatſoeuer his minde was in this matter, the earneſt deſire which as it was thought, the ſonne had to obey God, ouercame the will of his father. Verilie I thinke there be manie, which thinke that this his determination of entering into a Monaſticall life is to be reprooued: and theſe ſhall hauehave not onelie me to agree with them but euen himſelfe which followed this courſe, for this act diſpleaſed no man ſo much as it did himſelfe, who ſo ſoone as euer he perceiued his errour, he alſo corrected the ſame. Albeit if we hauehave reſpect to the condition of times, his iudgement indeed may be blamed, but his wil deſerueth prayſe. For in that ſuperſtitious and vnprofitable life of the Monkes, there were yet in olde time manie things which allured thereto a mind deſirous of godlineſſe and learning: Firſt the great names of moſt godlie men which were ſaid to hauehave bin Monkes, to wit, Baſil, Nazianzene, Chryſoſtome, Epiphanius, Ierom, Auguſtine, & others, whoſe life who deſired not to imitate, & to tread in their ſteps? And againe ye name of religion, and the opinion of holines which was cōmonly ſpread among all men: (a falſe opinion I confeſſe, but who could then hauehave ſeene this in ſo great darkeneſſe?) And who (if he had ſeene it) durſt hauehave reprooued it of falſehoode, all men being of an other minde, eſpecially a young man, who otherwiſe for the moſt part is but of weake iudgement? Herewithall adde thoſe things, which moſt of all drew Martyr to this kinde of life, namely vocation not ſuch as was idle, but giuen to ſtudies: and further a great aboundance of excellent bookes. For euen the moſt of the Colleges of this familie hauehave notable libraries, but eſpecially the College of Feſula. For this did the auncient name of Medicies builde, who with their great charges gathered bookes not onelyonly out of Italie, but alſo out of Greece, Aſia, and Aegypt, and adorned the houſe with an excellent librarie. Through which aboundance of bookes, ſince our Martyr was, as it were allured vntounto monaſticall life, togither with an opinion of worſhipping GOD, wee remitte the error of his iudgement vntounto thoſe times, but wee commende his will, namelie that he woulde immediately from his childhoode paſſe his life in the ſtudie of good literature. In this College he liued three yeare, and in ſuch ſort as the fellowes of that College allowed his modeſtie, liked the gentleneſſe of his behauiour, and his deſire of concorde, but his wit they prayſed and woondered at. In thoſe dayes hee exerciſed himſelfe not onelie in the precepts of learning the artes which were diligentlie taught to the younger fellowes in this fellowſhip, but alſo in ye reading of holy ſcriptures. For it was a laudable cuſtome of this ſocietie, that the young men which excelled in memorie, ſhould accuſtome themſelues to commit vntounto their memorie many things out of ye holy ſcriptures: & therefore ſome recited by heart, all the Epiſtles of Paul: Others, the Booke of the Preuerbes of Salomon: Some the hiſtorie of Tobias, or ſome other bookes of the holie ſcriptures. When Martyr had finiſhed three yeares in this diſcipline, he made ſuch proofe of his learning and diligence to the fellowes of his Colledge, as they a I iudged him meete to be ſent vntounto more excellent teachers. Wherefore he was ſent to Padwaie, that in the famous vniuerſitie of that Citie, he might hauehave a greater exerciſe of his wit. And there in that Citie is the Monaſterie of S. Iohn of Verdara of the ſame ſocietie [of Regular Canons] wherein he liued welneere eight yeares with Albertus the Abbot a man not vnlearned, and who gladly furthered other mens ſtudies. Wherefore at that time Martyr wholie addicted himſelfe to the ſtudie of Philoſophie, and exerciſed himſelfe day and night in the meditation of all the ſciences: and therefore he was woont many times to ſay, that whatſoeuer he knewe in Philoſophie and thoſe knowledges which belong as they ſay to humanitie, (which he himſelfe ſaide was but ſmall, but I with manie moe iudged alwaies to be great in him,) this for the moſt part he aſcribed to the ſtudies which he had at Padwaie. For he had then plentie of leaſure, all which he ſpent in learning. He heard notable Philoſophers: For at that time the famous Philoſophers Branda, Genua, Confalionerius, did then teache in that vniuerſitie: and therewithall in himſelfe was an excellent wit and ſingular diligence. For he daylie exerciſed himſelfe in reading, meditating, writing, and chiefelie in diſputing: wherein euen thoſe moſt learned Philoſophers (which I hauehave nowe named,) allowed his diligence and ſharpeneſſe of wit: in ſuch wiſe that oftentimes in publike meetings Branda challenged his Florentine (for ſo he named Martyr) vntounto diſputation. At that time in all vniuerſities was taught Ariſtotles Philoſophie. This did he embrace, not ſo much that it alone floriſhed, but (as he teſtifieth in his Commentaries which he began once to write vppon Ariſtotles Morall Philoſophie) he moſt of all loued and eſteemed Ariſtotles Philoſophie by reaſon of the Methode, & that it had leſſe error therein thā the other ſectes of the Philoſophers. And nowe becauſe that there were in deede Latine Bookes of Ariſtotle, but yet in ſuch wiſe tranſlated as they did not aptly ynough in euerie place expreſſe Aristotles ſenſe and meaning: for albeit that verie learned men had laboured in tranſlating of Ariſtotle, yet were there fewe that coulde in all things imitate and expreſſe Ariſtotles breuitie and elegant kinde of ſtile: Since therefore the Latine Bookes did not euerie where faithfullie and plainelie expreſſe Aristotles meaning, he determined to learne the Greeke tongue, that he might once heare Ariſtotle ſpeake in his owne language. And in this matter he beſtowed great ſtudie and paines. For he wanted fitte Maiſters which could plainelie and diligently teache the reaſon and vſe of the tongue: therefore it behooued him by his owne priuate ſtudie and great diligence to ouercome all difficulties. I hauehave heard of his familiar friendes, that in the librarie which was verie ample in that monaſterie, he ſate vp oftentimes in a manner whole nightes together with Benedictus Cuſanus, which was a companion to him in al his ſtudies, ſo as the one interpreted to the other interchangeably by courſe ſome Greeke Author. By this diligence he ſo greatly profited, that he perfectly vnderſtoode without any interpreter, not onelyonly the Greeke Orators and Philoſophers, but alſo all the Poets, who neuertheleſſe hauehave another kinde of ſpeaking. In this place alſo ſhould I rehearſe his ſtudies in Diuinitie: for he heard three Diuines at Padwaie: one Heremit and two of the Dominican order: Howbeit becauſe he followed afterward another, and a more exact kinde of Diuinitie, ye ſhal be content if I paſſe ouer this mere Scholaſtical diuinitie, and proceede vntounto other and greater matters.
When he was nowe come to the age of xxvj. yeares, it ſeemed good to the fellowes of the Colledge to commit vntounto him the office of preaching in open audience, to the intent that his ſtudies which hitherto were hidden betweene the Schoole and the aſſemblie of the Colledge, might at the length come foorth into light and vntounto a publike vſe of the Church, and to doe the ſeruice belonging to their order, and might winne vntounto himſelfe fame and authoritie. For in Italie the Prieſts preach not as they doe among the Germans: but all this whole charge is appointed vntounto the Monkes: out of whoſe number the fellowes of the Dominican familie are woont to preach euerie Sunday: and thereupon they hauehave gotten the name of preachers. But they which be of other families, thoſe for the moſt part preach to the people in Aduent and Lent as they terme them. But the more rare that Sermons be, the greater and more frequent is the concurſe of people, eſpeciallie in great and populous Cities. Wherefore out of all the families of Monkes are choſen thoſe which ſeeme moſt to excell in learning and eloquence, who if they ſhall cauſe themſelues to be well liked of the people, great is their glorie, and their name much ſpoken of. Ouer and beſides this, the familie of Canons of Saint Auguſtine is adorned with peculiar priuiledges of the Romane Biſhops: ſo that all they of this familie which hauehave at any time executed this publike office of preaching: doe inioy honours, tytles, dignities and priuiledges which are giuen vntounto them, whom the Vniuerſities after a ſolemne manner hauehave pronounced Doctors. And with theſe Tytles which others hardlie deſerue when they growe nowe into olde age, Martyr, as wee hauehave nowe ſaide, was honored at the age of xxvj. yeares: and ſo honored, as he had not onelie a vaine name, as manie hauehave, but he had alſo great and incomparable learning procured by inuincible ſtudie: and he ioyned the office and labour of publike teaching together with the verie name of a Doctor. And firſt he began to teach at Breſſa in the Temple of S. Afra, and afterward he taught in the moſt populous Cities of Italie and Gallia Ciſalpina: at Rome, Bononie, Firmum, Piſa, Venis, Mantua, Bergomo, and Montferrat. And whatſoeuer leaſure he got from preaching, all that he beſtowed in ſtudies of the holy ſcriptures and Philoſophie. And he not only preached publikelie, but he interpreted in the Colleges of his familie, both Phyloſophie and the holy Scriptures, at Padwaie, Rauenna, Bononie, and Ʋercellis: in which Citie, to the intent he might confirme by teaching thoſe thinges which he had learned in the Greeke tongue, hee interpreted Homer at the earneſt requeſt of Benedictus Cuſanus of Vercellis, whome we named before to be a companion with him in all his ſtudies. At the ſame time, he beeing ſtirred vp thorow ye continual exerciſe of preaching, who hitherto according to the cuſtome of the ſcholes had exerciſed himſelfe cheefely in the ſchoole diuines, ſpeciallie Thomas, and Ariminenſis, & in the meane time was acquainted with the fathers writinges, he beganne more diligentlie than before, to ſearch out the verie fountaines of diuinitie euen the holy ſcriptures of both the Teſtamentes. And becauſe he had founde by experience that the knowledge of the Hebrewe tongue ſhoulde be neceſſarie thereunto, he applyed his minde vntounto it, and at Bononie, in which Citie he was Deputie to the Prior, (for ſo the Preſidents of Colleges are called of them) he gaue his indeuour thereunto, procuring one Iſaake an Hebrewe who was Phiſitian to be his Maiſter. But with what labour for the moſt part this tongue is learned of the Hebrewes, they knowe, which hauehave vſed thoſe kindes of teachers. For the moſt of them want faithfulneſſe in teaching, but they be all without methode, and therefore they cannot proceed in right order: and they enuie that our men ſhould hauehave the knowledge of their tongue: the holie language is not learned of them without great trauell and charges: for whatſoeuer good thing they teach, they doe it vppon hope of reward. But all theſe difficulties did Martyr with ſingular patience, and inuincible ſtudie ouercome: ſo earneſt a deſire had he to learne the holie ſcriptures. Whome when I conſider, I cannot woonder enough, at the proceeding and order whereby it ſeemed good vntounto the heauenlie father to bring him vntounto the knowledge of the heauenly trueth. For firſt he ſtirred vp his will in the beginning of his age, that he might indeuour to his power to pleaſe and ſerue God, albeit he ſuffered him in the meane time to erre in the manner of worſhipping of him. Afterwarde hee ſo inſtructed his minde, that he inclined the ſame to innocencie of life and vntounto righteouſneſſe: whereby although he coulde not deſerue thankes of God, yet he ſhewed himſelfe vnblamable before men. Laſtlie he inflamed and kindled him with an incredible louelove of the holie ſcriptures whereof while he for a good ſpace of time followed the letter, at the length by the reuelation of the ſpirit of God, he comfortably knewe the hidden and ſpirituall myſteries. In this matter I might iuſtlie compare him to Saint Paul the teacher of the Gentiles, in whoſe life before his conuerſion, there was an indeuour of worſhipping GOD, and of righteouſneſſe which is according to the lawe, wherein he was vnblameable, and moreouer hee vſed to reade the lawe, although as yet couered with the vaile: but leauing theſe thinges the deſire of breuitie cals me backe to other narrations. The principall men of his ſocietie liked well his diligence in preaching and teaching. Nowe was his name become famous in the greateſt Cities of Italie: wherfore they determined to aduance him according as his excellent vertues deſerued, to a greater dignitie: and therfore by a cōmon conſent they made him Abbot of Spoletū. Which office when he had taken in hand to exerciſe, he behaued himſelfe ſo ſingularly wel as al men maruelled that the man being vntill yt time trained in learning only, could ſo excel in al his gouernment with wiſdom & dexteritie. For to ſay nothing of other matters, his ſingular vertue appeared in two things, which no Abbots before him were able to bring to paſſe. At Spoletū were two Colleges of Virgins, and the third wherein he himſelf liued was of Canons, of that ſame regular familie, as they terme it, of Auguſtine: the diſcipline of al theſe by the negligence of the former Abbots, was ſo decayed, as through the wanton and filthie life of them, the whole familie of this order was greatly hated of all men. This when Martyr ſawe, he by his authoritie and office, what with teaching, admoniſhing, exhorting, and eke with ſome ſeuere chaſtening, brought them all into ſuch order, as he not onelie wanne to himſelfe great praiſe, but alſo to the whole familie ſingular good will. And this in verie deede was a thing proper, and as it were the bounden duetie of his order and inſtitution. But that other thing which I will nowe ſpeake of is farre more excellent, and as it were pertaining to the whole Common weale. The Common weale of Spoletum, euen as alſo many other Commonweales in Italie, was diuided into certaine factions, among which there were alwaies contentions, the which oftentimes proceeded euen to frayes and ſlaughters: and albeit that the former Abbots had oftentimes indeuoured to doe it, yet coulde they neuer make attonements and reduce the Citie vntounto Concorde. This when Martyr perceiued, and that he thought with himſelfe, that nothing ſhould be more agreeable to his office, than to bring home into concorde thoſe that were at diſſenſion, and to winne them in mutuall charitie which Chriſt ſo often commended, he thought that he ſhoulde rather laie downe his life than to ſee the Citie any longer to periſh ſo miſerablie with her owne diſcord: and therefore he neuer ceaſed to exhort all men publikelie and priuatelie vntounto vnitie, to teache the dueties of a Chriſtian man, and to laie before their eyes the calamitie of their Countrie, and the particular daungers of euerie one, vntill he had brought that to paſſe which he earneſtlie deſired. For ſo greatly did his authoritie, wiſedome, and eloquence preuaile, as all the time afterward that he liued in that Citie, not onelie there were no ſlaughters nor frayes committed, but there alſo appeared no tokens of factions: ſo much was the vertue and indeuour of one excellent man able to doe. Of this man hauehave all Abbots an example: which, if they woulde followe, wee might perhaps hope for ſome amendment of the Church by them: but nowe when as they correct not euen the moſt manifeſt abuſes, and that they breath out continual ſlaughters and warres: I beſeeche you what goodneſſe can we promiſe to our ſelues concerning them?
Three yeare was Martyr at Spoletum: and then in the publike aſſemblie of the fathers of the whole familie, he was made gouernour of the Neapolitane College of S. Peter at the Altar: which benefice for the pleaſantneſſe of the place, and for the ample reuenew thereof is a great dignitie. In this Citie did the grace of the heauenly light begin to ſhine more notablie and clearelie vntounto him. For when he had bin hitherto long and much exerciſed in Scholaſticall Diuinitie, and alſo in the fathers: and at length had betaken himſelfe altogether to the fountaines themſelues, and that he was daylie more and more lightened by the ſpirit, he began to acknowledge errours and abuſes in the Church: and therefore he beganne (whereof ſome make a ſcruple of conſcience) to giuegive his minde alſo to the vnderſtanding of our mens writings: and taking in hand the Commentaries of Bucer vponupon the Euangeliſtes, and his annotations vponupon the Pſalmes, which he ſet foorth vnderunder the name of Aretius Felinus, he diligently peruſed them ouer. Alſo he read Zuinglius Booke Of the true and falſe Religion: and another booke of the ſame man, concerning the prouidence of God: and he alſo read ſome Bookes of Eraſmus: & he francklie confeſſed oftentimes that he profited much by ye reading of all theſe. And in the meane time he reaſoned in a maner euerie day of ſome thing out of the holie ſcriptures, with thoſe his friendes which were ſtudious of the pure Religion: ſo that on both ſides they were much edified in the true Religion, by ſuch kinde of talke. And among thoſe with whom he conferred touching Religion, were chiefely Benedictus Cuſanus, of whom we alſo made mention before, M. Antonius Flaminius, and Iohannes Valdeſius a Spaniarde. This latter man was borne in Spaine, of a noble kindred, and was honored with Knighthood by Charles the Emperour: who after that he was endued by God with the knowledge of true Religion, he led his life in Italie, but eſpeciallie at Neapolis. In which place by his learning and moſt godly example of life he wanne verie manie eſpecially noble men vntounto Chriſt. And at that time there was no meane Church of godlie men in the Citie of Neapolis. For in that congregation there were many noble and learned men: alſo manie women of excellent vertue. Among whom (to let paſſe other excellent and true noble women,) yet muſt I not paſſe ouer in ſilence the moſt honorable Dame Iſabella Manricha who for Chriſts cauſe is nowe baniſhed her Countrie. In this congregation of the godlie, there was one Galeazzius Caracciolus the Marques of Vicus & other noble men which I neede not now to rehearſe baniſhed for the name of Chriſt. And albeit that ye firſt praiſe of this Church is due vntounto Valdeſius, yet notwithſtanding is Martyrs vertue alſo to be remēbred: who, after that he had giuen him by the Lorde a greater light of Gods trueth, and had ioyned himſelfe to the congregation of the godlie, that doctrine which he knewe to be true, he would ſtraightwaie preache it alſo vntounto others. For he began openly to interprete the firſt Epiſtle of S. Paul to the Corinthians, and that with great fruite. For not onelie the fellowes of that College hearde him, but alſo ſome Biſhops and manie noble men. For as ye know, that Citie hath bin alwaies an habitation of noble and excellent men. But after that the wordes of Paul which are in the third Chapter of the ſame Epiſtle, The fire ſhall trie euerie mans worke what it is: if any mans worke which he hath built doe abide, he ſhall receiue wages: if any mans worke burne, he ſhall ſuffer loſſe, but he himſelfe ſhall be ſaued, yet neuertheleſſe as it were by fire: Theſe wordes I ſay, when he had interpreted againſt the receiued opinion, he procured to himſelfe many aduerſaries and enemies. For the common ſort are perſwaded that by theſe wordes is the fire of Purgatorie decreed and confirmed by Paul: than the which the Papiſticall ſacrifices ſcarcelie hauehave any thing more auailable. But Martyr, although he did not yet openly oppugne that fire of Purgatorie, which the Monkes made as a priſon for ſoules, yet did he ſhewe and that out of the auncient fathers, that Paul did not here meane of the fire of Purgatorie, ſince he made it to bee ſuch a fire as both good and euill builders hauehave triall of: but that he rather ſaieth this, that they which doe not rightly build, may in deede be ſaued: but yet ſo, as it were by fire. For euen as he that paſſeth through flaming fire, leapeth out halfe naked: ſo theſe men, their doctrine being confuted and condemned, doe acknowledge that they hauehave loſt their labour, and ſo their ſinne being diſcouered by the iudgement of God, doe feele the grief and great ſorrowe of repentance. This ſound & right interpretation of this place, certaine bondſlaues of the Pope and of their owne bellie could not abide. For they ſaw, yt if this foundatiō of Purgatorie which is their ſtorehouſe ſhoulde be ouerthrowen, the ſame in his owne weakeneſſe woulde fall by it ſelfe though no man ſhoulde afterwarde inforce it. Further they knowe that vppon the fall of Purgatorie there will neceſſarilie followe the deſtruction of the trentals and Maſſes for their aunceſtors ſoules, and alſo indulgences, whereof they had hitherto made a profitable gaine. Wherefore ſince they decreed that thoſe thinges were not to be borne, they accuſed Martyr, whome they feared woulde be an author of thoſe thinges, and at length they brought to paſſe that it was forbidden him to reade. Howbeit Martyr woulde not obey this prohibition, as being vnequall and vniuſt: and hauing affiaunce in the goodneſſe of his cauſe appealed to Rome vntounto the Pope. At that time he had in the Citie mightie and fauorable friends: namelie Hercules Gonzaga Cardinall of Mantua, Casper Contarenus, Reignalde Pole, Peter Bembo, and Fridericke Fregoſe, all learned men and in fauour with the Pope, and who then ſeemed to be deſirous of ſome reformation of the Church. By ſtaying himſelfe vppon the fauor and power of theſe men he eaſilie obtained that the ſame prohibition of his aduerſaries was taken awaie and that his former libertie of teaching was graunted vntounto him, the which neuertheleſſe hee could not long inioy. For he had not yet liued full three yeares in Neapolis, but yt he fel into a greeuous and deadly diſeaſe together with the perpetual Companion of his ſtudies & his intyre friend Benedictus Cuſanus, who in verie deed dyed there, but Martyr by the ſingular benefite of God, and diligent care of good Phiſitians, eſcaped hardly. Wherefore to the intent that the chiefe men of the familie might prouide for his health, ſince they ſawe that hee coulde not brooke the Neapolitan ayre, they in publike aſſembly declared him the generall viſitor of the whole order. And in this office he ſo behaued himſelfe, as the good men greatlie commended his integritie, ſtedfaſtneſſe and grauitie: the reſidue did feare him: and albeit they hated him, yet they diſſembled the ſame. There were at that time manie, which in that order did exerciſe a certaine tyrannie, and when by the vitiouſneſſe and vnpureneſſe of their life, they had procured exceeding hatred to the whole familie, they coulde not till this time by anie reaſons and admonitions be called home to amendement. Martyr thinking it meete that theſe men ſhoulde be reduced into order, after hee had made the Cardinall of Mantua priuie to the matter, who was protector of the whole Familie, by his helpe hee depriued manie of their dignities and condemned the generall Rector of the whole familie to perpetuall priſon in the Ilande Diomedea. And as by this ſeueritie of diſcipline hee procured fauour to the whole order and great glorie to his owne ſelfe: ſo by the ſelfe ſame fact, he wan himſelfe hatred and enuie. Wherefore at Mantua in an aſſemblie that came together of the principall perſons of the familie, he was aſſigned Prior of Saint Fridian at Luca: the which in verie deede though it be an auncient dignitie in this familie (for the Prior of Saint Fridrian hath the Epiſcopall iuriſdiction ouer halfe of the Citie) yet was there ſome that for honor ſake promoted Martyr vntounto it, but the moſt part, becauſe they had hated him, or enuied him, and iudged that for his countrie ſake hee ſhoulde be hated of all men. For the inhabitants of Luca hauehave a great and certayne old inueterat hatred againſt the Florentines, becauſe they thinke that they lie in waite to bereaue them of their libertie. Howbeit Martyr did by his excellent learning and vertue ſo winne vntounto him the heartes of the people of Luca, as contrarie to the opinion and hope of the aduerſaries and them which hated him, he being a Florentine was no leſſe welcome and beloued of the Citizens, than if he had bin a Citizen of Luca: ſo that afterward by an Embaſſade ſent vntounto the chiefe of the familie, they deſired earneſtlie, that Martyr ſhoulde not be taken from them. And nowe when Martyr liued in Luca, and had in his College diuers learned men: and alſo young men of excellent towardneſſe, he appointed ſuch a diſcipline as thereby he might as much as in him laie further good maners, Religion, and the deſire of learning. For firſt he prouided that the young men ſhould be moſt diligently inſtructed in the three tongues. And in the Latine tongue did Paulus Laecicius of Ʋerona teache: the Greeke tongue did Celſus one of the noble familie of the Count Martinengo teach: and the Hebrew tongue did Emanuel Tremellius teache. But Martyr himſelfe to the intent he might teache the younger ſort both the Greeke tongue and Religion together, daylie interpreted to them the Epiſtles of S. Paul, and heard them againe repeate this Lecture. And he was accuſtomed openly before ſupper to expounde vntounto them ſome Pſalme of Dauid. And there came flocking together out of all the Citie to heare him manie noble and learned men which were Senators of Luca. And to the intent he might plant the true Religion ouer all the Citie, euerie Sunday he preached vntounto the people: and in the time of Lent and Aduent, he after the vſuall manner, expounded the Goſpels appointed long ſince for thoſe times: but in the other ſeaſons of the yeare, he expounded the Epiſtles of Paul. What great profite he brought by teaching, I will not declare: you your ſelues may eaſilie gather hereby, in that after his departure out of Italie, 18. of the fellowes within the ſpace of one yeare forſoke the College, and forſaking Poperie, went vntounto the Churches where the pure doctrine of the Goſpell was openly preached: among whom was that noble man Celſus Martinengus, who with great praiſe gouerned the Italian Church of Geneua: Alſo D. Hieronymus Zanchus who now teacheth the holie ſcriptures in the famous ſchoole of Strasborough. Alſo Emanuel Tremellius, an excellent interpreter of the Hebrue tongue. That the ſermons of Martyr were not without fruite, the great number of Senators of Luca, which willingly entered into baniſhment for the name of Chriſt, are a teſtimonie. While Martyr thus liued at Luca, there met together in that Citie Charles the Emperour, and Pope Paulus. 111. Thither alſo came Caspar Contarenus, a Cardinall, returning from his Ambaſſade out of Germanie, who for the olde amitie which he had with Martyr tooke that place in his way together with Thomas Badias of Modona, Maiſter of the ſacred Palace, and fellowe of his Embaſſade. In thoſe dayes, there was a daylie conference betweene Martyr and Contarenus as touching Religion, as happeneth betweene friendes which bee learned men and ſtudious in Religion, Contarenus was nowe newlie come out of Germanie: he had heard the confeſſion of the ſaith which our men had made: he knewe their reaſons and arguments, and as many iudge, he did not altogether thinke amiſſe of our men. It is alſo to be thought that both Martyr had heard manie things of him touching vsus and our teachers, which confirmed him in his opinion: and in like manner alſo that he helped Contarenus in manie things, ſo as he began to open his eies, and more clearely to acknowledge the trueth. Manie ſuppoſed that by the comming of the Pope Martyr ſhould be in ſome perill: becauſe enuious and malitious men, which bee euermore enemies of true vertue might deuiſe ſome craftie accuſation whereby he ſhoulde bee brought in daunger with that ſuſpicious olde man. Howbeit becauſe he was well fortifyed through his owne authoritie and learning, and moreouer was great in the fauour of the people and had helpe of friendes, they made then no ſturre againſt him but deferring the matter till another time, they meant to lie in waite for him. Wherefore ſo ſoone as they had tried the patience of the people of Luca, they caſt in priſon by the commaundement of the Biſhop of Rome a certaine Heremit, a confeſſor of the Augustinian familie, and framed an accuſation againſt him for violating of Religion. Which thing certaine noble men of Luca taking in ill part, for the godlineſſe and innocencie which they knewe in the man, did breake the priſon, and bringing him out of the Citie, willed him to prouide for himſelfe by eſcaping away: wherein when by chaunce he had broken his legge, he was againe taken and lead awaie vntounto Rome. Wherfore after that this firſt violent aſſault (as I may ſay) happened according to their deſire, they minded afterward to aſſaile Martyr: & therefore they laie in waite for him in euerie place. At Rome they priuilie framed an accuſation againſt him. In euerie College of his familie they ſtirre vp his auncient enemies: they ſhewed the time to be come wherein they might recouer their licence, which they called their libertie, and to puniſh P. Martyr, deſiring them that they would not omit that occaſion. And nowe within a while through the trauell and indeuour of theſe men, they met together at Genua, not the chiefe men of the ſocietie as the cuſtome was, but thoſe ſpecially which hated or enuied Martyr, who wiſhed to hauehave all the licentiouſneſſe of their life to be reſtored vntounto them: whoſe Religion conſiſted in ſuperſtitious ceremonies, and their holineſſe in hypocriſie. By theſe was Martyr called, that he ſhould come with all ſpeede to Genua. But he being not ignorant of the treacherie of his enemies, which, being blinded with hatred, they could not conceale, & his old friends giuing him warning to take heede to himſelfe, and that there were manie which laie in waite for his life: when he had diligently conſidered with himſelfe of the matter, he determined in any wiſe to ſhun this aſſemblie, and to goe to ſome other place, where he might be ſafe from the power & intrapping of his aduerſaries. Wherefore he firſt of al committed a part of his Librarie of Bookes (for theſe were his Treaſure) vntounto Christopher Trent a Senator of Luca, which was a godly man and ſtudious of true Religion: who found the meanes afterward to ſend the ſame to him into Germanie: the other part he bequeathed to the College. Then, hauing ſet in order all the College affaires as much as he coulde, and committed the care thereof to his deputie, he departed priuilie out of the College and out of the Citie onelie with three perſons which accompanied him: namely Paulus Laciſius of Ʋerona who afterwarde beeing made reader of the Greeke tongue at Strasborough dyed in that Citie, Theodoſius Trebellius, and Iulius Terentianus: who as all yee knowe, cleaued faithfully and conſtantly to Martyr vntil he died. He departing from Luca, ſince he was minded firſt to viſit his owne countrie, came to Piſa, and in that citie, hee celebrated the ſupper of the Lorde with certaine noble men after the Chriſtian manner. And there finding truſtie men, hee wrote vntounto Cardinall Pole letters of his departure: and other letters vntounto his Collegiates of Luca, which a monethmonth after his daparture were deliuered vntounto them. In theſe he ſhewed what and how great errors and abuſes be in all the Biſhoppes of Romes Religion, and eſpecially alſo in the life monaſticall, wherewith hee coulde not with ſafe conſcience hauehave any longer conuerſation. Hee alſo ſhewed other cauſes of his departure, to wit, the hatred and treacheries of his enemies. He put them in minde of his faithfulneſſe and ſynceritie in inſtructing and gouerning of them: and he teſtified that he was ſorie hee could not more clearely and plainely inſtruct them in the true faith. The Ring which he vſed to weare as a ſigne of his office hee ſent backe vntounto them, whereby hee declared that hee woulde not conuert anie of the College goods vntounto his owne priuate vſes. And vndoubtedlie (which is a token of his innocencie) he brought verie ſmall ſubſtance with him into Germanie, and that in verie deede ſuch as hee had gathered of his owne patrimonie in a few yeares wherein he thought vponupon baniſhment. But after he was come into his owne countrie as he had determined, he founde there an excellent and learned man one Bernardinus Ochinus, who being called to Rome, was come thither: but after that he had beene admoniſhed of ſome daunger by his friendes, and had conferred with Martyr: they both at the length by common aduiſe determined, leauing Italie and their owne naturall ſoyle, to goe into Germanie. And firſt Bernardine departed from thence, going firſt to Geneua and afterward to Auguſta in Rhetia. After two daies Martyr followed him: and firſt went to Bononie, then to Ferrara, and within a while to Verona, where he was courteouſlie intertained of his olde friendes: at the length they came ouer the Rhetian Alpes into Swicherlande. In this iourney when hee was come to Zuricke, hee was friendlie intertained of Bullinger, Pellican, Gualter, and of the reſt of the Miniſters of our Church and ſchoole. He offered his helpe vntounto them, if it pleaſed them to vſe the ſame. Howbeit becauſe at that time there was no place voide in the ſchoole, they ſhewed that they coulde not, as they moſt deſired, vſe his helpe at that time, but that they woulde with a thankefull minde remember his good will. He woulde ſometimes ſay, if there happened anie mention to be made of this iourney, that ſo ſoone as he was come to Zuricke hee both then and alwayes from that time forth verie much loued that Citie, and wiſhed the ſame to be the certaine and aſſured habitation of his baniſhment: which wiſh was afterward performed, notwithſtanding before yt came to paſſe it ſemed good to the prouidence of God to ſend him, as an Embaſſader of Ieſus Chriſt, to diuers Cities & Nations, ſo that at the length as God would hauehave it hee returned to Zuricke, and after long and daungerous peregrinations, he reſted in that Citie, not farre from the confines of Italie. Hee going then from Zuricke went to Baſil, and when hee had beene there one monethmonth, hee together with Paulus Laciſius was called to Strasborough by the procurement of the excellent and verie learned man Martin Bucer: and to him was appointed the reading of the holie Scriptures, and to Laciſius the Greeke Lecture. Nowe while hee tooke on him the office of teaching during thoſe fiue yeares which he taught at Strasborough before hee departed into Englande, hee interpreted manie bookes of the Scripture. For firſt hee interpreted the lamentation of Ieremie. Next hee expounded the booke of the xii. Prophetes which are named the ſmaller Prophetes. After that hee beginning at the firſt booke of the Bible, he expounded Geneſis, Exodus, and a good part of Leuiticus. But with what learning, faithfulneſſe and diligence he did this, his Commentaries vppon theſe bookes if they ſhall bee publiſhed, will one day beare recorde. For albeit he wrote them for his owne priuate vſe, and being preuented by death coulde not reuiew them, yet are they worthie to come into the handes of learned men. Beſides this howe greatlie hee excelled euen them in teaching, yee may coniecture not onelyonly by theſe thinges which ye your ſelues hauehave heard and ſeene, but hereby may ye alſo knowe it, that whereas hee had for his aſſociate Martin Bucer that excellent Diuine, who, as it is truely written of him by a certaine learned man, that beſides the hidden learning, and aboundant knowledge of manie things: beſides the quickneſſe of wit, the manifolde reading, and other manie and ſundrie vertues, he had this praiſe proper vntounto him, that ſcarcelie any other within mans remembrance hath trauelled with more exquiſite diligence in interpreting of the ſcriptures: he I ſay hauing ſuch and ſo notable a man to be his Collegue in teaching, yet did he neuer ſeeme to be inferiour vntounto him. For firſt of all, he diligently expounded the wordes themſelues, and the naturall ſenſe of the holy ſcriptures: which for the exact knowledge which he had in the three tongues, he was able moſt happilie to perfourme: then he ſearched out and diſcouered the reaſons and arguments which lie hidden vnderunder wordes, otherwiſe ſinglie and ſhortly knit vp: and the things more ſlenderlie ſpoken, he confirmed by other places: he compared obſcure places with manifeſt: he ſhewed what might ſeeme to bee againſt the wordes propounded, and declared the waie of reconciling them: he ſhewed alſo in order with a ſingular happineſſe of memorie, what iudgement the fathers were of: and with a ſharpe iudgement examined what weight and ſtrength euerie one of their interpretations had: But the controuerſies which were incident, he expounded ſo ſyncerelie and plainelie as no other man did. And beſides in the generall diſcourſe which he made, he obſerued two excellent pointes eſpeciallie in teaching, to wit, an exact Methode, and a pure and plaine ſtile. In theſe things he ſo excelled, as he ſeemed not onelie equall vntounto Bucer, but by all mens iudgement to excell him. For Bucer, otherwiſe a great obſeruer of Methode: yet being ſometimes led awaie with the knowledge of manie things turned farre aſide from the order which he had appointed, or elſe being withdrawen through infinite buſineſſe, was not alwayes mindfull of his purpoſed diuiſion. Moreouer, (as he acknowledged) and often confeſſed, he had a certaine peculiar darkeneſſe of ſtile, that he coulde not bee well vnderſtoode but of an attentiue hearer: But Martyr, aſwell aptly diuided into certaine partes all the thinges that were to bee intreated of, as alſo forgate not any of thoſe partes howe large ſoeuer the Treatiſe were: neither inſerted any newe part in the middeſt of the Treatiſe: neither inuerted the order which he had purpoſed at the beginning, but the ſelfe ſame number of partes and order which hee had once purpoſed, hee conſtantlie purſued vntounto the ende. In ſpeaking hee vſed pure woordes, proper and Latine: and with ſuch a compoſition beſides, as neither by reſtraint of his talke nor ambiguitie of his wordes he breade obſcureneſſe, or againe by long diſcourſe, ſuſpended his iudgement and troubled the vnderſtanding and memorie of the hearer: and ſo hee pleaſed the mindes of his hearers, not onelyonly for the grauitie of the things thēſelues, but alſo for the ſweetneſſe and elegancie of his ſtile: And moreouer euen in the lectures thēſelues he with a ſingular grauitie ſomtime exhorted to godly life, ſomtime by a ſharp rebuking hee ſtirred vp to repentance, ſo that his lectures, beeing as it were ſauced with all theſe thinges, and ſhewing an excellent doctrine and eloquence, ioyned with ſingular pietie, procured him great glorie in the iudgement of all men. But hee neuer inſtructed more nor was more to bee maruelled at than in publike diſputations. For if anie diſputers were to be moderated, hee ſhewed himſelfe ſo equall a iudge, and was mooued with thoſe reaſons onelyonly which were of force to perſwade, as no man coulde euer ſuſpect him to bee parciall: he depreſſed not the ſounde argumentes of aduerſaries: he winked not at the errors & falſe argumentes of friends: if they would wander out of the bounds of diſputation, he reuoked thē courteouſly to the matter propounded: but if ye matter proceeded to braules, he quieted them by his authoritie. And he ſo finiſhed thoſe incounters, that alwayes at the firſt hee repeated the thinges that were moſt neceſſarie, and then at the laſt pronounced of the whole cauſe, that both trueth might hauehave the victorie, and that thereby alſo might redounde to the hearers no ſmall commoditie. And if ſo he it came to his part to diſpute, he alwayes ſo behaued himſelfe both in propounding and aunſwering, as there was no ſuſpition of anie deſire either of chiding or of carying away the victorie from an ouerthrowen aduerſarie, but his minde being free from affections, hee rather taught that which was the trueth, than contended with anie about wordes. And therefore when oftentimes afterwarde he encountered with the ſtout defenders of the Popes Religion, neither was hee mooued to anger at anie time by their rayling ſpeeches, neither yet by the acclamations and prayſes of our ſide was he made anie thing the loftier by vayne glory: but he perpetuallie kept one and the ſame modeſtie & equalitie of mind. And what perſpicuitie of ſpeaking he vſed in publike readings, the ſame did he followe much more diligently in diſputing: For he iudged that a darkeneſſe of ſpeech and ambiguitie of wordes, is the cauſe of verie manie contentions. And hereof doe his writinges giuegive a manifeſt teſtimonie. For whereas he wrote manie things of the iuſtification of man, of Gods predeſtination not a litle: verilie he wrote moſt of all of the Supper of the Lorde: in the explication whereof verie manie learned men vſe a certaine affected obſcuritie: but in his writinges there is nothing read, but that which is proper, plaine and manifeſt. And, when Bucer whom he honoured and greatly eſteemed, woulde oftentimes exhort him that in the queſtion of the Lordes ſupper, he woulde vſe ſome certaine obſcure and doubtfull kinde of ſpeaking (which hee himſelfe therefore vſed, becauſe the good man perſwaded himſelfe that by this meanes might be taken away the great controuerſie which is about this matter, and ſo the long deſired peace to be reſtored to the Church) at the length he gaue place to him and vſed the ſelfe ſame formes of ſpeaking that hee did. But perceyuing within a while the daunger that woulde enſue, he chaunged his minde: for hee ſawe that they coulde not be ſatiſfied by this meanes which affirme the groſſe and carnall preſence of the bodie of Chriſt in the ſupper, vnleſſe that alſo their groſſe kinde of ſpeech be receaued with a full and groſſe interpretation. And againe hee had tryed that the weaker brethren by this doubtfulneſſe of ſpeech, were in part greatly offended, and in part ſo intangled & troubled, as they ſcarcely knew what they were to iudge in this matter. Wherfore leauing to Bucer his owne phraſe of ſpeech, he folowed alſo in this doctrine the ſelfe ſame perſpicuitie which he did in other things: and yet neuertheleſſe betweene them remained a firme and conſtant friendſhip: for neither did Bucer diſallow of Martyrs iudgement, neither was Martyr ignorant of Bucers meaning, although he vſed doubtful ſpeeches: ſo that although the maner of their teaching in this matter was diuerſe yet was there a ful conſent of them in al the doctrine of Religion, and a perpetuall friendſhippe and coniunction of life: which if I woulde expreſſe and rehearſe all the pleaſures whereby they declared their mutuall louelove, rather wordes woulde frayle than matter. Wherefore leauing theſe thinges I will come to priuate matters and ſpeake of his domeſticall life. For at Strasborough hee firſt beganne to hauehave a houſe and familie. And firſt he liued without a wife, all in one houſe with his friendes that followed him out of Italie, being content with a meane or rather a verie ſmall ſtipende: which neuertheleſſe was afterwarde augmented. For ſince he left his countrie and great riches and high honours for Chriſt his ſake, hee thought it woulde not become anie to bee agreeued at the increaſe of his ſtipende, ſpeciallie ſince he was of ſo ſpare a life, that this which hee had was not onelie ſufficient for himſelfe, but that there alſo remained ſomewhat for the helping of friendes. Nowe ſince for diuers cauſes hee diſallowed of ſingle life, by the counſell of his friends he betrothed himſelfe to an honeſt and noble Virgin Catherin Dampmartin, who liuing at Metes and louing true religion, was ſent for to Strasborough by godlie men, and afterwarde was married to Martyr. This woman died afterward in Englande without anie iſſue, when ſhee had liued viii. yeares with her husbande. VntoUnto this woman all that knewe her gaue ſuch prayſe as is due to a good and excellent Matrone: For firſt ſhee was one that feared GOD, loued her husbande, wiſe and induſtrious in gouerning of her domeſticall affaires, bountifull towardes the poore, who not onelie ayded them with her ſubſtance, but alſo with all the counſell and helpe ſhe could. Moreouer in the whole courſe of her life, ſhe was godlie, modeſt, and ſober. It is reported that the common ſort in Oxford loued her not onelyonly as a benefactor and as it were a mother of the needie, but that they alſo woondred at her as though ſhee had bin indued with ſome diuine power, becauſe that in ſickneſſes, and eſpeciallie in childbirth their wiues by her counſell and helpe obtained for the moſt part vndoubted ſafetie. The dead bodie of this woman Cardinall Pole commaunded to be digged vp and to be caſt into a dunghill: and, that he might ſeeme to deale iuſtlie, when he had no other thing to accuſe her of, he aſcribed this cauſe, to wit, that ſhe was buried hard by the bodie of S. Frideſuide, and that ſhe was the wife of an Hereticke. Verilie this Cardinall which was ſometime a ſpeciall friend of Martyr, after his departure out of Italie, not onelie forſooke his friendſhip, but he vtterly caſt awaie the care of true Religion which for a time he had fained, and became an earneſt enemie and perſecuter of our profeſſors. Therefore ſith he could not burne Martyr himſelfe as he deſired and with greater pleaſure would hauehave ſeene it, he ſhewed his crueltie vponupon a dead carkaſſe, which had bin Martyrs wife. But after that England vnderunder the moſt excellent Queene Elizabeth had receiued the former light of the Goſpell, to aboliſh this note of infamie, the bodie by the commandement of the Biſhops, was againe digged out of the filth and dunghill, and in a great aſſemblie of people was ſolemnlie buried in the moſt honorable place of the Temple. And becauſe the Papiſtes ſhould not attempt the like thing afterward, her bones were mingled together with the bones of Frideſuide, whom in times paſt they deuoutlie worſhipped. Wherefore in that the bodie of a moſt godly woman was ſhamefully caſt awaie is a notable monument of the Romiſh Tyrannie, which ſpareth not the faithfull neither aliue nor dead: but in that it was reſtored to the Sepulchre where it was before, teſtifieth a good and gratefull minde of the Engliſhmen towardes their Maiſter whoſe wife ſhe had lately bin. And for ſo much as by this occaſion we are come to the rehearſall of Engliſh affaires, and that as it ſeemes, there hath bin ſaide ynough of thoſe things which he did and taught at Strasborough, I will nowe hereafter ſhewe why he went into England, and what he brought to paſſe there. When Henrie the King of England was dead, Edward his ſonne by the counſell of his Tutors, & eſpecially of Edward Duke of Somerſet his Vncle, and Thomas Cranmer Archbiſhop of Caunterburie, the primate of all England, decreed to aboliſh the Popes Religion, & to reforme the Churches according to the word of God. And becauſe the Miniſters of Churches who ſhould preach ye word of God ouer all the kingdome are to proceede out of the Vniuerſities, he determined firſt of all that they ſhould bee reformed, that afterward out of theſe, the pure iuice of ſound doctrine might be deriued into euerie part of the kingdome. And becauſe that Peter Martyr by the iudgement of all learned men, for his ſingular learning and incredible skill of many things, ſeemed one of all other moſt meete for this charge, he at the Kings deſire was called thither by the Archbiſhop of Caunterburie. Therefore at the ende of Nouember 1547. with licence of the Senate of Strasborough, where he had nowe taught fiue yeares, he departed into England, Barnardinus Ochinus accompanying him, who likewiſe was ſent for by the ſame Archbiſhop. And when the Archbiſhop had ſtayed them with him for a time, and had intertained them with all manner of courteſies, Martyr, by the Kings commaundement, had appointed to him the charge of interpreting the holie ſcriptures in Oxford. In that Vniuerſitie he firſt expounded the 1. Epiſtle of S. Paul to the Corinthians, becauſe therein are handled diuers and many principall matters which ſerue for the controuerſies of our times: in ſuch ſort that the doctrine of this Epiſtle if it be profitablie & aptly read, it may cure all the faults wherewith the ſynceritie of the Church is corrupted, and may conuince all abuſes and Papiſticall ſuperſtitions. The Papiſtes of whom there were yet a great number in Oxford, did in deede at the beginning indifferent patiently abide Martyr to teache, and ſome of them alſo frequented his Lectures, & confeſſed that they had his doctrine in admiration: but others and eſpecially the Maiſters of Colledges reſtrained their ſcholers from his Lectures, and made no further ſtirre. But after that he had condemned their vowes of ſole life, and that conſequently vppon occaſion of the Apoſtles wordes, he began to treate of the Lordes Supper, they thought it was not for them to bee any longer at quiet. For whereas their forefathers, hauing firſt obſcured, and then corrupted the doctrine of this principall matter, which gate of error being opened, they brought into the Church all ſuperſtition and Idolatrie, they could not abide Martyr, who with maruelous indeuour, deliuered the trueth of the Euchariſt from their errors and corruptions. And to the intent they might procure vntounto him not onelyonly hatred but alſo great daunger, they firſt of all railed on him with their vſuall accuſations: namely, that he impugned the doctrine of the forefathers, that he aboliſhed the Ceremonies well inſtituted, that he prophaned the holy ſacrament of the Altar, and ſcarce forbare the treading of it vnderunder his feete. After this hauing made all things readie, they without his knowledge faſtened vponupon euerie Church papers writen in the Engliſh tongue, that the day following he woulde diſpute openly againſt the preſence of Chriſtes bodie in the holie ſupper. Wherefore the day following they occupie the Auditorie, they diſpoſe of their trauels in places conuenient, and commaund them to bee readie as neede ſhould require to make clamors and tumult, yea, and to fight too. And for audience ſake there flocke together not onelie the ſtudents of all the Colleges, but alſo ſome, and that no ſmall number of the tumultuous people, partly to beholde the euent of the things, and partlie that they might be preſent with both parties, if perchaunce any vprore ſhould ariſe. In the meane time Martyr ignorant of all theſe things prepared himſelfe at home, that after his woonted maner he might make his Lecture at the howre appointed: when in the meane time his friendes being much mooued at the vnuſuall concourſe of people, came home vntounto him, and declared all the matter, perſwading him that he ſhoulde ſtaie at home and not procure himſelfe any daunger, forſomuch as the aduerſaries were ſo prepared as they migh ſeeme rather to contend by armes than by Arguments. He aunſwered that he might not ſlacke his duetie, nor neglect the charge which the King had committed vntounto him: that he was neuer Author of any tumultes, whereof they themſelues could beſt beare recorde: and that nowe alſo he would not giuegive vntounto the aduerſaries any cauſe of diſorder, but would reade after his accuſtomed manner: further that there was many in this congregation, which expected the accuſtomed reading whom he might not diſappoint. And nowe as he was going to the Auditorie, being accompanied by his moſt faithfull friendes, there mette him by the way a ſeruaunt of Smith, (who plaide the chiefe part in this Tragedie,) and deliuered letters vntounto him, whereby his Maiſter challenged him to diſputation. There did his friendes againe admoniſh him, that he ſhould returne home▪ they declared the daungers yt he was in. But he neuertheleſſe ſtood faſt in his purpoſe. He went to the Auditorie, & with modeſt ſpeache pacifying as much as he could the aduerſaries which challenged him, anſwered yt he refuſed not ye diſputation, but yt now he came not hither to diſpute but to reade: & ſo they cōdeſcending he read his lecture after ye accuſtomed maner with great admiration of all men. For they which before wondered at his ſingular doctrine and eloquence, now did they alſo honour in him his incredible conſtancie and courage. For in ſo great a murmur of the people, and fuming of the aduerſaries, he ſo perfourmed his Lecture, as in him was no chaunge of countenance and colour, no hacking of his words, no tripping of his tongue, and finallie no trembling of members or paleneſſe ſhewed anie tooken of feare. When the lecture was doone, the aduerſaries vrged him more ſtoutly, and with great clamours prouoked him to diſpute, neither accepted they his moſt modeſt excuſe, that hee woulde diſpute, yet at an other time, and that nowe hee was not readie, ſince they ſo cunningly had the propoſitions to be diſputed of, and did not openly ſet them foorth after the accuſtomed manner, ſo as euen to that day, hee was ignoraunt of them: for they ſaide, that hee which had ſo latelie in ſo manie lectures intreated of the queſtion of the Lordes ſupper, coulde not bee vnprouided, whatſoeuer queſtions ſhoulde bee propounded of that matter. Then when they continued in vrging of him, hee againe aunſwered, that firſt hee woulde not without making of the kinges Maieſtie priuie of it, enter into ſo weightie a matter, eſpecially ſince it ſeemed to tende vntounto ſedition. And beſides, that vntounto a lawfull diſputation was required, that there ſhoulde bee certaine queſtions propounded, that Iudges and Moderators ſhoulde bee appointed, by whoſe iudgement and awarde the whole matter might be gouerned: Againe, that Notaries be requiſite which with faithfulneſſe and diligence maie regiſter the arguments and ſayinges of both partes: but ſince that none of all theſe thinges were nowe prepared and ordayned, hee ſaide that neither he woulde nor coulde diſpute, and eſpecially ſince there was not time enough for diſcuſſing of ſo great a matter, the day drawing then towardes noone. But after that he coulde not ſatisfie the aduerſaries with theſe reaſons, notwithſtanding they were moſt indifferent, and yt the matter ſeemed nowe to tende vntounto a fray and conflict: the Vicechaunceller of the Vniuerſitie of Oxforde (that I may ſo call him by the vſuall name) came among them the while, and with theſe conditions departed the fray: that both Martyr and Smith, with ſome of their fellowes ſhoulde meete together at his houſe: that by common aduiſe they might appoint propoſitions to bee diſputed of, together with the time, the order and the manner of diſputing. After this hee commaunded his officers whome they call Bedels, to diſmiſſe the people. And hee himſelfe going to his ſeate tooke Martyr by the hande and leade him home to his houſe, and by his authoritie appeaſed them which made the tumult. Martyr being deliuered from this preſent daunger, and that hee might not therefore ſeeme to hauehave refuſed diſputation, for anie miſtruſt hee had to the cauſe, came home to the Vicechaunceller at the houre appointed, being accompanied aſwell with others of his friendes as eſpecially with Sidall and Curtop, who at that time were ſingular defenders of the trueth, but afterwarde in Queene Maries time they retained not the ſame conſtancie. Euen ſo did the aduerſarie, Marianis temporibus.& brought with him Cole, Oglethorpe, and three other doctors of Diuinitie. A long reaſoning there was betweene them about ordering the diſputation. For Martyr ſaide it was meete that they in confuting of him ſhoulde obſerue that order which hee himſelfe had vſed in teaching, and this at the length he obtained. Moreouer he miſliked of wordes that be ſtrange, barbarous and ambiguous, which neuertheles bee receiued in ſchooles: and therefore he onelie vſed two wordes, to wit, Carnally and Corporally: becauſe the holy Scripture in deſcribing the Supper ſpeaketh onelyonly of the fleſhe and body not of the thing and ſubſtance. Howbeit leaſt they ſhoulde thinke that hee himſelfe dallied by any ambiguitie, hee ſaide that hee vnderſtoode thoſe wordes as if it were ſaide Really and Subſtantially. There were alſo ſome diſſentions betweene them about other matters, but ſince at the laſt there was an agreement of all the whole manner of diſputation betweene them, all things which were then appointed, was by conſent of the parties referred to the Kings Maieſties Counſell, that they might vnderſtande of the whole controuerſie. The diſputation was appointed by theſe men to bee the fourth day of May: at which day were to bee preſent the Kings Commiſſioners which ſhould gouerne the diſputation. But Smith finding himſelfe in his owne conſcience guiltie of the tumult which was made, expected not the day appointed, but withdrewe himſelfe by flight: and firſt went into Scotland and then to Louane in Brabant. After that the prefixed day was come, there came vntounto Oxford the kings Cōmiſſioners, ye reuerend father Henry Biſhop of Lincolne, D. Richard Cox Chauncellour of the Vniuerſitie of Oxford, D. Simon Haynes Prebendarie of Chriſts Church there, M. Richard Moriſon Eſquire, and D. Chriſtopher Neuinſon Doctor of ye Ciuill law. In the preſence of theſe Martyr diſputed by the ſpace of foure dayes with three Diuines of the Popes religion: namely, Treſham & Chadze Doctors, and Morgan a Maiſter of Art. But with what learning he confuted theſe men, I ſhal not need to rehearſe ſeeing the Acts of this diſputation are in al mens hands to be ſeene. For Martyr, becauſe ye aduerſaries ſpred manie falſe and fained things among the people of this diſputation, he being conſtrained by the impudencie of the aduerſaries and alſo at the earneſt requeſt of friends which continuallie deſired it, publiſhed the ſame diſputation in Print. But with what faithfulneſſe and diligence he did this, the teſtimonie of the Kings Commiſſioners in a treatiſe added of them doeth declare. Not long after this diſputation the Commons of Deuonſhire and Oxfordſhire raiſed a Commotion, wherein death was threatened vntounto many, but namelie vntounto Martyr. When he could not nowe teache no nor remaine without daunger in the Citie, he by the aſſiſtance of his friendes was ſafelie conducted to London not without ſingular reioyſing of the King, who, ſeeing him comming as he looked out of his houſe at Richmond, ſaluted him with a cheerefull countenaunce, and was glad of his ſafetie. Alſo his wife and familie did his friendes keepe ſecret till the furious multitude of the ſeditious people was gone out of the Citie. For vponupon two armies leuied by the nobilitie of the Realme the ſedition was ſoone ſuppreſſed, and the chiefe Authors executed. And then Martyr returned againe to Oxford vntounto his accuſtomed labours of reading and diſputing: at which time foraſmuch as the Papiſtes knewe themſelue …atelie vanquiſhed in diſputation, and that they durſt not openly take armes vponupon them, oftentimes in the night they raiſed ſome ſtirres before Martyrs lodging, and otherwhile beate at his doore with ſtones, and ſometime brake the caſements of his windowes. Wherefore the Kings Maieſtie for the aſſurance of his ſafetie and quietneſſe, made him a Canon of Chriſtes Church, and commanded that he ſhoulde goe into that College, aſſigning him a faire houſe together with a pleaſant Garden. In this Colledge there was a Deane (for your courteſie in hearing of me cauſeth me to proſecute theſe meaner things alſo,) and by the vertue of this office, both he was moderator of the diſputations there, & moreouer he promoted the Doctors of Diuinitie after the common manner of Vniuerſities. Alſo Martyr himſelfe whereas before he had the degree of Doctorſhip by the priuileges of the Pope, was againe ſolemnlie created Doctor of Diuinitie at Oxforde. And ſhortly to ſay, Martyr had all them for his friendes in Oxford which loued the pure and true doctrine, and which were of any name for their learning in that Vniuerſitie. Ouer and beſides theſe the Reuerend Biſhops Hugh Latymer, Nicholas Ridley, Iohn Ponet, Iohn Hoper: and in the Court alſo gentlemen and noble men Anthonie Cooke, Iohn Cheeke, Richard Moriſon, and other more which ſhall not bee needefull to name: theſe not onelie liked Martyr but alſo loued him. But yet among them all the moſt reuerend man Thomas Cranmer Archbiſhop of Canterburie and primate of England moſt ſingularlie embraced our Martyr, who being himſelfe verie well learned, yet did he attribute ſo much vntounto Martyr, as in the greateſt cauſes he vſed his Counſell. And therfore how often ſoeuer as Martyr had any vacation frō the publike labours of teaching, he ſent for him, and imparted with him his counſels touching moſt weightie matters. And after that the charge of writing lawes Eccleſiaſticall was committed by the King firſt to xxxij. and then to xvj. perſons, he brought to paſſe that Martyr was one of them: and againe at the length when the whole charge was committed by the king to the Archbiſhop of Canterburie alone, he onelyonly taking three aſſociates for this purpoſe, namelie Gualter Haddon, and Rouland Taylor Doctors of the ciuill lawe, the thirde he woulde hauehave to bee Martyr. Being aided by the helpe of theſe, he preſcribed to the Church of England thoſe lawes, which euen nowe deſerue great praiſe among all the godly and learned. Nowe did all England inioy peace and tranquillitie, and was happie in Religion and in lawes wel inſtituted. And in ſo great a happineſſe of the whole kingdome, Martyr coulde not chuſe but ſeeme to be happie and bleſſed, who inioyed the friendſhip of good men and godlie Biſhops. But all theſe things were ſodenlie chaunged and ſubuerted by the troubleſome time of Queene Maries raigne. For pure Religion was baniſhed out of the Churches, the ſyncere policie of the Church extinguiſhed, the lawes thereof abrogated, and all good men caſt into priſons. In ſo great an alteration of all things, Martyr was forbidden his function of teaching, and was threatened moreouer that without commandement of the Magiſtrate he ſhould not mooue a foote, nor that he ſhould carie away from thence any part of his goods vnderunder grieuous paine if he ſhould ſo doe. He obeyed the Edict: but when he ſawe that there was a delaie made, he wrote of his eſtate vntounto the Counſell. He deſired that his accuſer might bee brought before him, and his cauſe examined. Who when they could not determine any thing againſt him, they gaue him leaue to depart. Wherefore he went directly to London, and there finding the Archbiſhop of Canterburie, did verie much comfort him by his comming. The Biſhop was then come to London, that he might refell thoſe things which his aduerſaries had falſely ſpred againſt him among the common people. For in ſo much as he was of great authoritie with all men, the Papiſtes by their preachers publiſhed among the common people, that by his commaundement Maſſe was reſtored at Canterburie, and that himſelfe alſo promiſed the Queene that he would ſay Maſſe at the kinges funerall: and therewithall they caſt out certaine ſpeeches of a diſputation that ſhoulde bee had. As ſoone as he was priuie hereof, he purged himſelfe by a writing publiſhed. Alſo he teſtified that he was readie in publike diſputation to defende the Religion inſtituted by King Edward. If (ſaieth he) the Queenes Maieſtie will giuegive mee leaue, I with Peter Martyr and other foure or fiue which I will chooſe to mee, truſt by the fauor of God, to prooue woorthie to bee allowed of all men, not onelie the common Eccleſiaſticall prayers and holy adminiſtration, with the reſt of the rites and Ceremonies, but that the whole doctrine and order of Religion appointed by our high ſoueraigne Lord King Edward the vj. to be more pure and more agreeable to the word of God, than any thing that we hauehave knowen to be vſed in England theſe thouſand yeares paſt: onelie ſo, that all things may bee iudged by the worde of God. This proteſtation and counſell of his he declared to Martyr, who allowed thereof, and ſhewed that he was readie for the diſputation, and that he would not auoide any perill for Religions ſake. Howbeit while they are in attending for this diſputation, the Archbiſhops of Canterburie and Yorke, and alſo the Biſhops of London and Worceſter were caſt into priſon: for by theſe kinde of meanes the aduerſaries meant to diſpute with them. Then ſtoode Martyr in great daunger, aſwell for the ſame Religion, as alſo for the familiaritie and friendſhip that he had with theſe men. Neither was he himſelfe ignorant hereof, but truſting in his owne innocencie, and that he had committed nothing againſt the lawes of the Realme, he meant not to depart without obtaining a Paſport. Wherefore he againe propounded the matter to the Counſell, and ſhewed that he came not of his owne accord into England, but was called by King Edward his Maieſtie, and was ſent by the moſt honorable Magiſtrate of Straſborough, and he ſhewed both their Letters Patents: but nowe ſince there could bee no vſe of his trauell, he deſired leaue to depart. Which after he had obtained yet his friendes ſcarcelie beleeued, that although he had receiued the Queenes Letters, that he could depart away ſafe. For his aduerſaries ſaid, that ſo great an enemie of the Popes Religion ſhould not be ſuffered to ſcape out of their hands, but ſhould be plucked euen out of ye ſhip to priſon and puniſhmēt: and he was alſo bidden to beware of lying in waite for him: which if he paſſed the Occean Sea, yet the ſame were prepared for him in Flaunders and Braband. Neuertheleſſe by the goodneſſe of God he after a woonderfull manner eſcaped all theſe daungers and vndoubted ſnares laide for him. For whereas of ſtraungers, ſome depart into Friſeland, and ſome into Denmarke, he gat the Maiſter of a ſhip, which was a godlie man and one that feared God, who vppon the ſea coaſt of England kept him priuilie xiiij. dayes together in his owne houſe: and now all aſwell his friendes as enemies thought that he was ſayled awaie with the reſt of the ſtraungers, whereas he at the laſt tooke ſhipping out of England: and the Maiſter of the ſhip ariuing for his ſake at Anwarp in the night, was brought by him vntounto his friendes, and being ſet in a waggon by them before day, came ſafe vntounto Strasborough through the Countries which were moſt enemies vntounto him: and chiefely by the goodneſſe of God and then by his owne expedition, he auoided all the ſnares of his aduerſaries. At Strasborough his olde friendes excellent and learned men Sturmius, Sleidan, Zanchus, Herlinus, Daſipodius, Sapidus, Hubertus, and the reſt did receiue him with great ioy. For in the greater daunger that they knewe him to hauehave bin, ſo much the more his ſafetie and ſudden comming brought ioy vntounto them. Alſo the Senate, ſince they verie well knewe his vertue and doctrine, commanded that ſtraightwaie ſhould bee reſtored vntounto him his auncient place which he had before his departure into England. But in the meane time ſome which wiſhed him not well, ſpread ſiniſter rumours of him: namely, that in the doctrine of the Lordes Supper he was gone from the opinion of the confeſſion of Auguſta, and that therefore it was to be feared leaſt he would make ſome troubles in the Church. Hereof he being admoniſhed of his friendes, purged himſelfe by a writing preſented to the Senate, and taught that the Confeſſion of Auguſta and other confeſſions not diſagreeing from the ſame, if they bee rightly and profitably vnderſtoode, hee willingly embraced, and that if neede ſhould require, he would willingly defende them to his power: he promiſed moreouer that for his part there ſhould be no contentions raiſed: but rather if any place were to bee handled in the Scriptures, or any other neceſſitie ſhould require, he would declare his opinion about this queſtion: he affirmed that he woulde doe this with all modeſtie and without any bitter contradiction. And what his opinion was he ſaide it might bee eaſilie knowen by his Bookes alreadie ſet foorth: from which he woulde not by that his writing or promiſe, that any thing ſhould bee plucked awaie or chaunged, vntill ſuch time as by the holie Scriptures he ſhould bee otherwiſe perſwaded. And for ſo much as beſides the Confeſſion of Auguſta, there was brought foorth the concorde betweene D. Bucer and D. Luther and their fellowe Miniſters: he anſwered that he ſubſcribed not hereunto: becauſe he could not for the worde of God and conſcience ſake graunt, that they which bee deſtitute of the true faith, ſhoulde in receiuing of the Sacramentes receiue the bodie of Chriſt. And he added that this ought to ſeeme no maruell vntounto them that he woulde not aſſent thereunto, ſince D. Bucer himſelfe in the Schoole of Strasborough while he expounded the Actes of the Apoſtles taught otherwiſe: and that he wrote farre otherwiſe when he was in England: which might be ſhewed by diuers of his Articles, and that verie rightly: for ſince faith is the onelie inſtrument, whereby Chriſt himſelfe, his bodie and bloud bee receiued, the ſame being remooued, the mouth receiueth nothing but a ſacrament of his bodie and bloud, to wit, bread and wine, things conſecrated by the Lordes inſtitution. Euen as a man of ripe age if he goe vntounto Baptiſme without faith, is ſaid to hauehave nothing beſides the Sacrament, that is to wit, water & the prayers of the Church. For euen as no man while he beleeueth not, obtaineth not the grace of regeneration; ſo without faith none hauehave any waie to the Communion of the bodie and bloud of Chriſt: For as Auguſtine ſaieth, To eate and to drinke is nothing elſe than to beleeue. Laſtly he added that he feared leaſt in ſubſcribing to this concorde offered vntounto him, he ſhould ſeeme to condemne the Churches of Tygure, Berne, Baſill, Geneua, Lauſanna & England, and all the brethren diſperſed in Italie and Fraunce, which doubtleſſe ſhould not bee lawfull for him to doe by the word of God and charitie towardes them. And therefore [he ſaide] that as he reuerenced and honoured all the Churches of Saxonie, and all thoſe which conſented vntounto them, ſo did he embrace in the Lorde, and heartilie louelove the others alſo which he made mention of: for becauſe, he ſaid, that queſtion was not of ſo great importaunce as it ſhoulde breake the Communion and charitie betweene the faithfull. By this writing of his or promiſe, the Senate of Strasborough which maruellouſlie well loued Martyr, was ſatiſfied, reiecting the priuie accuſations of others. So nowe being reſtored to his former office, he interpreted the Booke of Iudges. And becauſe the ſchoole wanted at that time a meete reader of Ariſtotles Philoſophie: it was determined that as two Diuines reade the holie Scriptures, ſo they ſhoulde likewiſe weekely by turnes teache Ariſtotles Philoſophie. And therefore Martyr not refuſing this labour beganne to interprete Ariſtotles Ethickes Ad Nichomachum, and in expounding the ſame proceeded vntounto the thirde booke. And his Collegue was D. Hieronymus Zanchus, a verie louing friend of Martyr, and who followed him as wee hauehave ſaide out of Italie: he tooke vntounto him to interprete the Bookes of Ariſtotles Phiſickes. But Martyrs aduerſaries and ill willers, of whom wee ſpake before, although they oppoſed not themſelues openly againſt him, yet did they not ceaſe dayly in ſecrete and as it were vndermining to withſtand him. For both by letters, and by their readings and ſermons they ſo gall him, as there wanted nothing to the accuſing of Martyr but the naming of him, yea and one of the ſtudients made an Oration openly in the Schoole touching the Euchariſt made to this ende, that he might of ſet purpoſe condemne Martyr and his doctrine. Wherefore ſince he perceiued that his aduerſaries did dayly make more open warre againſt him, and that they did by name reprooue him in their Bookes as alſo Sleidan in his hiſtorie maketh mention, hee beganne to deliberate with himſelfe of his departure, when vppon the ſodaine a moſt fitte occaſion was offered him. For when there died with vsus at that time that good and godlie man Conradus Pellicanus, the honourable Senate of the commonweale of Zuricke with the good will of the miniſters of ye Church appointed Martyr to ſucceede in his place, and concerning that matter, they wrote letters aſwell vntounto him, as vntounto the honorable Senate of Strasborough, wherein they deſired that hee might be ſent to Zuricke. This calling was verie well accepted of Martyr. For albeit hee loued the commonweale of Strasborough, and acknowledged him much beholding thereunto, yet becauſe he ſawe that this controuerſie of the ſacrament was dailie ſtirred vp with more bitterneſſe of mindes, hee reioyſed that there was an occaſion offered, whereby hee might ridde himſelfe from ye troubles. Therefore when he was demanded by the magnificall and noble Senate what his mind was, hee nothing diſſembled, but ſhewed that leaue to depart woulde be verie welcome to him: and hee teſtified at large of his good will towardes the common weale: and he ſaide that the cauſe why hee might not tarie with them, was, that he ſawe, he coulde not at that time inioy that libertie of teaching, diſputing & writing which hee deſired. And to be deſirous of this leaue, firſt hee ſaid he was vrged by his vocation, and then moued by threates and comminations. Beſides that he feared the iudgementes of the graueſt men who had read his writinges and had heard him teach, if by his ſilence hee ſhoulde ſeeme not onelie to forſake, but alſo as it were to betray the truth, at other times defended with the perill of his life, and nowe manie and ſundrie waies priuilie and openly oppugned. For of theſe men of whome ſome of them either for the verie ſame cauſe woulde be burned with fire, or elſe remaining yet aliue did to great purpoſe beare rule in the Churches of Chriſt, he ſaide he might not chooſe but bee greeuouſlie reprooued, as he that either departed from his vpright iudgement (which crime of inconſtancie is not to bee ſuffered in a Chriſtian man) or elſe who woulde in ſilence let ſlippe thoſe thinges, which hee knewe to be profitable and neceſſarie vntounto ſaluation. Wherefore ſince that God woulde that wee ſhoulde both with faith imbrace and with mouth confeſſe al his whole doctrine, he declared that he might not with a ſafe conſcience holde this condition wherein hee nowe ſtoode, vnleſſe the thinges which hee deſired by writing might bee graunted him: and that this was a reaſonable requeſt, that ſo much might be lawful for him, as others of his degree would hauehave free vntounto them both in their ſermons and in the ſchooles. He ſhewed moreouer yt there appeared no light of reconciliatiō with him either by conferēce or anie other way: but if there ſhould be anie order taken, he would not faile of his due tie though hee were called any other whither. The Senate which loued Martyr, and vnderunder certaine conditions were deſirous to keepe him ſtil, when they perceiued that he ſtood ſtedfaſt in this opinion, and that it was no ſafe waie for them at this time to graunt him the libertie of teaching, diſputing and writing, they againſt their wils gaue him leaue to depart. Wherefore hee departed from Strasborough the xiii. of Iulie, in the yeare of our Lorde, 1556. to the great griefe and lamentation of all good men of whome he was fauored, loued, and honoured, aſwell for his noble vertues, excellent wit and ſingular learning, as alſo for his courteous behauiour, and great agreement, which he perpetually maintained with all godlie and learned men. When he was come to Zuricke together with that excellent man Iohn Iewell an Engliſh man, now by the grace of God biſhop of Salisburie, he was very ioyfully receaued both of the Senate of the ſchoole, and of the miniſters of the Church, & of all the godlie. And foraſmuch as he lodged with Bullinger his old friend, vntil ſuch time as his houſehold to wit, Iulius with his wife and child had folowed him, either made ſomuch of ye other at yt time, as although there had bin before time a verie neere friendſhip betwen them, yet was ye ſame, by this familiarity exceeding much increaſed, and ſo confirmed, as euen vntil death they kept and increaſed the ſame without the verie leaſt ſuſpicion of offence. And thoſe friendſhips are moſt aſſured which a reſemblance of vertues and ſtudies doe ioyne together, which being very like betwene them both & ſuch as either of them both loued and honored other, it is no maruell their friendſhips were alſo moſt neerely knit together. And that hee loued the preachers and the reſt of his Collegues, and held them as it were brethren: and in likemanner, that hee alwayes imbraced the youngermen as children, ſince it is knowen vntounto all men, there is no neede that I ſhoulde nowe ſpende anie time in declaring of this matter. And they which hauehave not ſo throughly conſidered of theſe thinges maie hereby coniecture the pleaſantneſſe that hee had in ioyning vntounto him the heartes of men, that not onelyonly his Collegues in the ſchoole, and miniſters of Churches, and others which heard him euerie day teach, loued him, but alſo among the Senate and people euerie good man which neither hearde him teach, nor coulde vnderſtande him when hee ſpake, yet they ſo honoured him as ſcarcely they did anie other of the cheefeſt in the commonweale. And this did the aſſemblie of all ſtates of men teſtifie, whome yeſterday yee ſawe at his funerall. The noble Senate alſo declared their good will towardes him, when for honours ſake, they made him free of the Citie. For albeit they had prouided by a lawe, that becauſe of the infinite number of Citizens, none ſhoulde bee receaued into the Citie that yeare and the next, yet woulde they not obſerue that lawe in ſo notable a man as hee, becauſe they rightlie iudged, that iniurie ſhoulde be doone not to the Lawe, but rather to our citie, if ſuch a man ſhould remaine among vsus as it were a ſtraunger and foreiner, and not bee reckened among the Citizens. Martyr at that time when hee came to Zuricke was vnmaried: but at the length being perſwaded by his friendes, ſince hee himſelfe was verie deſirous of children, and that the rather becauſe hee alone was left of the familie of the Vermillii which ſometime floriſhed, did determine to take an other wife ſixe yeares after his firſt wiues death. There was in the Italian Church at Geneua, a maide borne at Breſſa of an honeſt ſtocke, whoſe name was Catherine Merenda, which was come thither for religion ſake. This woman did Martyr take to wife being commended by the teſtimonie of good men and of the whole Church. Of her did hee beget a ſonne called Eliperius, and at an other byrth Gerodora: both of which neuertheleſſe died in their firſt infancie. He hath left the ſame wife great with child, who I beſeech the Lorde may be deliuered of a ſonne, which liuing may one day repreſent his father in learning and godlineſſe. Howe greatlie hee loued and eſteemed this commonweale & Church, hereby yee maie gather, that when he knewe hee ſhoulde leaue his wife great with childe, hee tooke order by his teſtament, that if a ſonne were brought foorth after his death, if it liued it ſhoulde not be brought vp elſe where than among vsus. And the ſame his good will and affection yee may coniecture by this alſo that I ſhall nowe recite. The next yeare after that hee came vntounto vsus, there dyed at Geneua the noble man Maximilianus Celſus Count of Martinengo, which did gouerne the Italian Church in that Citie. Nowe there bee manie & excellent men, which hauing forſaken Italie are come to Geneua as to the ſanctuarie and ſafeſt hauen of godlie men: and among theſe are manie of the Citizens of Luca, of the principall ſort of that Common weale, of whome manie were the ſcholers of Martyr in Italie, and by his teaching came to the knowledge of Chriſt. So nowe when an other was to bee ſubſtituted in the place of Maximilian which was deade, Martyr by the generall will and conſent and with moſt heartie wiſhes was choſen, and the Elders of the Church ſending letters vntounto him about the ſame matter, not onelie requeſted, but alſo earneſtly beſought him that hee woulde confirme that calling. The ſelfe ſame did the Engliſh men which were his olde friends, of whom many excellent men liued thē in baniſhment at Geneua for Religion. The ſelfe ſame did Iohn Caluin, the ornament not onelie of Geneua, but alſo of the vniuerſall Church. They ſaide that in that Citie and Church there was a good number of the better ſort of Italians and many of his ſcholers which expected his comming, and moe that made themſelues readie in the way to meete him. They ſhewed an excellent manner of chooſing him, I meane the verie notable conſent by holding vp of hands ſo often allowed by the holy Ghoſt, the moſt orderly diſtributions of their voyces, wherein all thinges were doone with very good order and aduiſe. Heerewithall they added, that ſo great and ardent deſire there was of the whole Church to obtaine this man for their guide, Paſtour and Maiſter, as vnleſſe they might hauehave their wiſhe they ſhoulde of neceſſitie as it were languiſh with ſorrow. But Martyr, although hee were moſt readie to ſerue his owne Country mē, yet did he not think it meet to determine any thing of his owne mind, but referred the whole matter to our Senate and to the Miniſters of the Church: and becauſe they would not allowe of this calling, for that in verie deede they ſawe that they coulde not let Martyr depart at this time, without verie great hinderance to the ſchoole and Church; and that the brethren had in the Italian Church at Geneua many both good and learned men whome they might verie well appoint in the place of Maximilian Celſus, hee himſelfe alſo ſubmitted his will to their will and pleaſure. And moreouer alſo, when a fewe yeares afterwarde his olde friendes called him againe into England, offering him large conditions, adding therewithall, that the Queene ſo ſhee were aſſured of his minde was readie to ſend for him by a meſſenger into England, he againe, as before, committed himſelfe to the iudgement of the gouernours of our Commonweale. Who would not accept well of his louelove towardes our Church and Commonweale: of his reuerence towardes the Magiſtrate, of his conſtancie in retaining of the charge which he had once vndertaken? Who ſeeth not that he had not a minde moſt farre from ambition and couetouſneſſe, ſince he might hauehave taught elſewhere with greater concourſe of people, with greater glorie, and with a more profitable ſtipend? With theſe things he was no more mooued than if they had belonged nothing at all vntounto him. But on the otherſide howe readie he was to doe ſeruice to other Churches, and howe litle he feared any daungers, is ſufficiently declared by his going into Fraunce, which he tooke in hande the laſt yeare by the commaundement and will of our Magiſtrates: whereof if I ſhall ſpeake ſomewhat, I beſeech you continue ſtill your good will of hearing mee, and yet will I not verie long abuſe your patience. When at the xx. day of Iulie the Biſhoppes of the French Church had bin commaunded of the King to aſſemble at Poyſſi, and that a Parliament of the Princes of Fraunce was alſo called at the ſame time, our men in Fraunce were in ſome hope that there might bee appointed ſome conference in matter of Religion, from whence might redound great commoditie to the Church. Wherefore there were appointed certaine men by the Churches, which in the aſſemblie of all ſtates, might promote the free courſe of Religion: and there were alſo choſen many Doctors which might diſpute and conferre with the Aduerſaries. And becauſe the ſingular and excellent learning of Martyr and his incomparable power of diſputing was wel knowen vntounto them, they thought it meete that he onelie of all ſtraungers by name ſhoulde bee ſent for. Wherefore by the Chriſtian Churches and by thoſe Princes which had taken vppon them their protection, vntounto Zuricke was ſent a noble man whoſe name was Cl. Bradella, and together with him came alſo the notable learned man Theodorus Beza, who in all theſe actions had ye greateſt charge. Theſe men inquired howe the Senate woulde bee inclined, howe the Miniſters of the Church, and howe Martyr himſelfe if there ſhoulde bee any conference appointed, and that hee by ſpeciall name ſhoulde bee ſent for by the king. And when hee knewe that there was none for his part that woulde bee negligent in ſo godly a purpoſe, the one returned vntounto Geneua, and the other tooke the right way into Fraunce. Not many weekes after, Beza being called vntounto the conference went thither by poſt, and Bradella returned to Zuricke bringing with him letters from the Queene Mother, the King of Nauarre, and from the Prince of Condie and the Admirall: wherein they required of the Senate, that Martyr might be ſent vntounto them: and therewithall they ſent letters patent of ſafe conduite, that our men might ſee there was no perill therein. Wherefore ſince it ſeemed that the matter was not to bee ſlacked, the Senate gaue their conſent to the calling, and willed Martyr to prepare himſelfe to the iourney. At the ſame time by chaunce returned to the Court Mattheus Cognetius a verie excellent man, the kings Embaſſador with the Heluetians, who receiued Martyr into his traine, and conducted him ſafe to Paris: from whence he going to the Court was moſt courteouſly receiued by the brethren: & being ſaluted by the king of Nauarre, and by the moſt noble Princes the Condie & the Admirall, was ſent for to the Queene of Fraunce: whom after he had ſaluted according to the accuſtomed reuerence and had talked as concerning his comming, afterwarde he exhorted her to aduaunce the pure Religion. For hee ſhewed her that by a godly reformation of the Church ſhee ſhoulde not onelyonly doe good to the kingdome of Fraunce, but alſo to all Europe, becauſe all men had caſt their eyes vppon the kingdome of Fraunce. He ſaide that great perils were at hande and appeared, but yet that ſhee ſhoulde not feare them becauſe God will bee alwayes preſent with thoſe Princes which hauehave a care of this matter: That he ayded Aza, Ioſaphat, Ezechias and Ioſias, which corrected the people when they were altogether corrupted with Idolatrie: That Conſtantius, when hee had Collegues, yea rather ſuperiours with him [in the Empire] Diocleſian and Maximian, yet durſt embrace Chriſt: That Conſtantine, euen in the greateſt daungers when hee had gotten Licinius an enemie to the Chriſtians for his Collegue, yet brought peace vntounto the Church. He ſaid that if God had holpen thoſe, he woulde not bee vnlike vntounto himſelfe, but euen the ſelfe ſame that hee hath bin before. He ſaide moreouer that kings ought moſt of all to ſerue GOD, vntounto this ende, that their labour may bee applyed not according to their owne will but according to his: and that nowe this one thing was moſt of all to bee indeuoured, that Religion and holy ſeruice might bee reduced to the firſt originals, and that ſuperſtitions brought in might be remooued. That God in deede coulde doe this without the helpe of Princes, and that he ſometime had ſo doone, but yet that hee was nowe minded by an ordinarie way in this wiſe to make Princes glorious: and therefore it was meete that they ſhoulde not forget that they are no leſſe appointed to bee the keepers of the firſt table than of the ſeconde, and ſo it was not lawfull for them to let ſlippe the care of diuine worſhippe. Hee added moreouer that they ought not to bee heard, which affirme yt this belongeth not vntounto Princes, ſince it is farre otherwiſe decreed in Deuteronomie, and that Paule woulde hauehave a Magiſtrate to be the furtherer of good workes among which the worſhipping of God is the principall. The Queene teſtified that ſhee was deſirous of the trueth, and that therefore alſo ſhee ſent for him, that he might giuegive counſell how a concorde might bee made, ſo as there might bee a peace made without offence of the aduerſaries, for that ſhee ſaide there was now ſuch diſcorde and ſedition in the kingdome for Religions ſake, that it was exceedingly troubled. Heereunto Martyr anſwered franklie: that although he coulde not aſſure himſelfe any good at the aduerſaries hand, yet he denied not but that they ſhould bee courteouſlie and mildly dealt withall, ſo that no part of the trueth were diminiſhed or cut awaie. Hee ſaide it was no maruell that ſome diſcordes ſhould ariſe, ſince Chriſt foreſhewed that ſuch thinges muſt happen in the preaching of the Goſpell: and hee confeſſed that hee came to ſende not peace but the ſworde, and that the fire was alreadie kindled, and that hee woulde not otherwiſe, but that it ſhoulde burne: further that it was vnpoſſible that pure and true religion ſhoulde bee reſtored and retained without the Croſſe, and therefore ſaide that it behooued her with a valiant courage and ſyncerely to take this charge in hand, and that God according to his promiſes would not faile, who aſſwageth euils, and giueth patience. Moreouer being oftentimes asked of the Queene what counſell hee coulde giuegive for ſetting of thinges at quiet, hee aunſwered that hee ſawe no other remedie but by ſuffering the profeſſors of the Goſpell to aſſemble together freely in their holy congregations, graunting them Churches wherein they might hauehave godlie Sermons: for if ſhee woulde cauſe this to be doone, the truth woulde eaſilie manifeſt it ſelfe, and that there ſhoulde bee no neede of conferences or diſputations. Laſtlie when hee was demaunded what hee iudged as touching the confeſſion of Auguſta, he aunſwered that to him the word of God ſeemed to be ſufficient for vsus, becauſe therein are clearely contained al things which ſerue vntounto ſaluation. Neither if that confeſſion were receaued (ſaith hee) woulde there followe a reconciliation with the Romaniſtes, ſince they hauehave condemned the ſame as Hereticall. To the ſame effect did hee aunſwere the king of Nauerra, and other great men in the Court, which asked his opinion of the ſelfe ſame thinges. After this followed the publike Action, whereunto the Cardinals and Biſhoppes thought not good to admitte Martyr, but yet the Queene would hauehave him to come. In this Action the Cardinall of Loraine made an Oration, which alſo hee did afterwarde publiſhe. Herein hee ſpake manie things as touching his Church, as that which had a continued ſucceſſion, impoſition of handes, and which worſhipped Chriſt without Idolatrie. Hee denied that the Church of God ſtoode onelyonly of the elect, becauſe otherwiſe it ſhoulde become inuiſible, and that men ſhoulde alwayes be vncertaine of the ſame. Further hee added that the Councels coulde not erre neither in doctrine nor in manners, but that they might alter manie thinges by reaſon of the diuerſitie of t…mes. And hee affirmed that the Church it ſelfe was before the Scriptures and that the interpretation of them was to be ſought from the Church. After this hee digreſſed to the matter of the Sacrament, and ſaide nothing of the Maſſe and of Tranſubſtantiation: but hee affirmed the bodie of Chriſt to be there preſent, not indeed locally or circumſcriptibly, but after a heauenlie manner, and as he ſpake ſuperſubſtantially. And when he had made an ende of his Oration, hee turned himſelfe vntounto the Queene mother and to the king, and vponupon his knees prayed them that they woulde perſiſt in that faith: wherein they were borne and baptiſed, and therewithall hee offered with all his Biſhoppes all manner of duties, ſeruices and obedience. A fewe daies after Beza, according to his ſingular learning, did greatly in open audience confute the Cardinall of Loraines Oration. But the Cardinall oppoſed him ſelfe againſt him, and required that ours ſhould either ſubſcribe to the confeſſion of Augusta, or elſe that they ſhoulde accept of a breefe draught which hee brought touching the Lordes ſupper: and that vnleſſe they woulde condeſcende herein, hee woulde deale & talke no further. For hee ſought cauſes to breake off the conference. In this action did Martyr holde his peace, becauſe all thinges were doone in the French tongue. But when they mette together againe, hee being admoniſhed by the brethren, and by the Queenes leaue, hee himſelfe alſo ſpake a great while in the Italian tongue againſt the Cardinall of Loraine, who ſeemed to refuſe the ioyning with him, and alledged for excuſe that Martyr ſpake in the Italian tongue, as though hee had not vnderſtoode the ſame, and hee ſaid that he would rather deale with a man of his owne language, howbeit he indeuoured to aunſwere to ſome things by him alleadged. And moreouer a cert…ine Spanyard, being a Maiſter of the order of the Ieſuites, made an Oration in Italian againſt our men, whereunto Beza aunſwered in few wordes, but Martyr beganne againe to argue againſt the Cardinall as touching the Supper: howbeit becauſe the night was at hande, and beſides that the act was full of contention, ſo that euen the Cardinall himſelfe abſtained not from clamors, ye day there was no more done. But nowe after that the aduerſaries, our men reclaming but in vaine, had founde the meanes, that the beginning of the conference ſhoulde take beginning at the article of the Supper of the Lorde, there were fiue ſpeakers choſen of each part: Of the aduerſaries partie the Ʋalentine and Sagentian Biſhops, Botilerus Salignaicus, & Depenſius which were doctors: and of our men Beza, Marlorat, Spina, M. de Sola, and our Martyr. Theſe dealt without anie iudges, vſing onelie two Notaries. And firſt they ſought diligentlie to hauehave ſome certaine rule propoſed, wherein the parties might commen together of the preſence of Chriſtos bodie in the Euchariſt: and when as many things had bin alleaged on both ſides, Martyr alſo being demaunded, ſet foorth a briefe writing of his opinion, which neuertheleſſe ſatiſfyed not the Biſhoppes, for that they ſaide it was ouer bare: but the diſputers of our part agreed with Martyr. Afterwarde there was betweene them a diſputation of this queſtion for the ſpace of certaine dayes: and at the length a newe order was taken whereby both the partes might commen together of the preſence of Chriſtes bodie in the Supper: and hereunto the diſputers of eache part agreed and ſubſcribed. But Martyr when he ſawe that therein were certaine ambiguities, declared that hee woulde not varie from the ſenſe of the firſt writing which hee had deliuered vntounto them. Hee together with Beza and the reſt of the ſpeakers of our part, added a briefe declaration vntounto the latter rule, that ambiguitie being remooued, the aduerſaries might ſee what our meaning was. But the Cardinalles and Biſhoppes, after it was declared vntounto them that the ſpeakers were agreed as touching this Article, diſallowed of thoſe thinges which were doone by their owne ſpeakers, yea and accuſed them of Hereſie: wherefore by their meanes the conference was ſuſpended for certaine dayes. For nowe both by their owne will and by the inſtigation of the Popes legate, they decreed to breake off the conference. But in the meane time the Biſhoppes wrote certaine Canons: and at length the 19. of October the Cardinalles of the houſe of Guiſe, and many Biſhoppes alſo of the Court departed away. In like manner the moſt part of our ſpeakers ſeeing there was litle or no hope at all of renuing the Colloquie, returned vntounto their Churches. And in the meane time were ſet foorth decrees, whereby our ſort were commaunded to yeeld vp the Churches: yet was there graunted them a free libertie of preaching, and places aſſigned wherein they ſhould aſſemble together, but yet vnderunder a certaine number preſcribed. Furthermore Armes was laide awaie on both ſides, and an Edict made, that neither part ſhoulde ſpeake ill of other for Religions ſake. Therefore when Martyr ſawe that he was able to doe no more in this matter, eſpecially ſince hee had but ſmall exerciſe of the French tongue, he was minded to craue leaue to depart, and for that cauſe went to the Prince of Condie, and afterwarde was brought by him vntounto the Queene in ſpeaking with whom he ſaid: firſt we ought to render vntounto God thoſe things that belong vntounto God, & vntounto Princes thoſe thinges that pertaine vntounto them: and for theſe cauſes hee ſaide hee was come thither, that as touching God he might further Religion, & then that he might obaie her Maieſtie: which neuertheleſſe hee did the more willinglie becauſe ſhee was indued with excellent vertues whereof all men did ſpeake honorablie: and further becauſe her kingdome was moſt notable, & that he & ſhe were of one countrie borne, and moſt of all that he might obay the magiſtrate of Zuricke which was well minded towards the king and the Queene: a matter not to bee contemned, ſince it was of no ſmall authoritie and power among the Swicers. And further he added, that hee in the matter of the Conference intermitted nothing which hee thought did ſerue to the purpoſe, and that he dealt quietlie as ſhee commaunded him. But whereas the matter proceeded no further, hee ſaide hee was not in fault thereof, but yet that ſome ſigne thereof woulde agree in time though none were had as yet. Howbeit ſinc… nothing coulde nowe be doone, he deſired leaue to depart, becauſe hee was an olde man, and that winter was at hande, at which time the iourney woulde bee incommodious, by reaſon of raigne, Snow, and ſhortneſſe of dayes. Beſides this for ſomuch as hee had hearde that it was reported to her Maieſtie that hee came hither as a ſtraunger that ſought nothing elſe but to raiſe vp ſeditions in the realme, and that he delighted in ſuch kinde of miſchiefe, hee beſought her that ſhe woulde not giuegive credite vntounto ſuch thinges, ſince hee was a man altogether voide of ſuch hainous crimes. For that hee hauing beene at Strasborough, afterwarde in Englande, and againe at Strasborough, then laſtlie in Heluetia, ſhee might from thence bee informed, if ſhee beleeued not him, that he alwayes ſought peace and concorde, ſo farre as it might bee agreeable with the worde of GOD. And he ſhewed moreouer that there was nothing that coulde perſwade him hereunto: for that as touching the kingdome he ſaide he was earneſtly addicted thereunto from his anceſtors: and to the Queene, much more, ſince ſhee was of his owne Countrie, and as it were light and glory thereof, and that he was therefore ſo affected towardes her, as if neede ſhoulde require he woulde willingly giuegive his life for her glorie and preſeruation: and that among the reſt of the things which he chiefely deſired, was that ſhee with her children and kingdome of Fraunce might be in ſaftie, which being ſo he deſired to be diſmiſſed not with diſgrace but with her good fauour. Hereunto the Queene benignly and courteouſly anſwered him, and promiſed that he ſhoulde depart ſafe & ſure, and that within a day or two. She alſo deſired him that if his trauell for the ſelfe ſame cauſe ſhoulde be againe deſired, he woulde not refuſe to take in hand the iourney againe: and ſhe ſaid ſhe was not ignorant that the labour was great but that ſhee accounted the ſame profitable and neceſſarie. And as for other mens accuſations, ſhee ſaid that ſhe had in deede heard manie thinges, touching ſundrie matters, but that ſhee alwayes reſerued the iudgement to her ſelfe: and proteſted that ſhee did abſolutely thinke well of him. Ouer this Martyr, giuing her great thankes, as reaſon woulde require, he made petition alſo for the afflicted Churches, excuſing them for taking poſſeſſion of the Temples againſt the kings minde: for when they hearde that the King woulde hauehave them to bee reſtored, they obeyed him. Hee added alſo that if any thing bee committed otherwhile by the rude and weaker ſort, it ought not to bee imputed vntounto the doctrine. After that he had bin diſmiſſed of the Queene, the Queene alſo of Nauarre and the king did moſt graciouſly bid him fare well. So in like manner did the Prince of Condie and the Admirall. Beſides this the Queene Mother and all the Princes which wee hauehave nowe named, gaue thankes by their letters vntounto the Senate of Zuricke, for ſending of Martyr to the conference according to their requeſt: and therewithall gaue vntounto Martyr his due praiſe. Alſo the Condie and the Admirall at Martyrs departure, aſſigned vntounto him two of their houſholde which were noble men and Captaines, who conducted him ſafe vntounto Tigure. Heere might I (beloued Auditorie) recite the letters of Princes and learned men, wherein they heaped vppon him the great praiſes of Religion, learning, faith, and diligence, howbeit the conſideration both of my time and purpoſe ſuffereth not me to ſtay vponupon theſe things. Therefore ſince I hauehave hitherto declared, in what places he did ſeruice to the Church by his teaching & diſputing, I will now ſhew how much he furthered the ſame by his writings. Firſt therefore after he had forſaken Italie, hee ſet foorth in his natiue language, an expoſition of the Apoſtolicall creede, that he might giuegive an account to all men of his faith. After that when he was come into England, and in expounding of the xj. Chapter of the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians had diſputed many thinges of the Lordes Supper, then at the ende of the Chapter hee purpoſely handled this queſtion. And firſt hee confuted that Coniunction, wherein the breade and Wine are commonly ſaide to bee tranſubſtantiated into the bodie and bloud of Chriſt, which ſeemes to bee the neereſt coniunction with thinges of the Sacrament. Then did hee examine the opinion of others which defende that the breade and wine in their whole and true natures are retained in the Sacrament, and ſo retained, as they hauehave ioyned with them naturally, corporally and really (as they ſpeake) the true bodie of Chriſt and his bloude. In the thirde place hee weighed the opinion of them which ſaie, that theſe things are not ioyned one with an other anie other way than after a ſacramentall manner, that is by ſignification and repreſentation. Laſtlie he ſhewed how the opinions belonging to the ſecond and thirde opinion is gathered that which maie moſt of all ſeeme to belong vntounto godlineſſe in this ſacramentall matter. This treatiſe together with ye diſputation which we ſhewed before yt he made openly of this controuerſie, hee firſt publiſhed in Englande. And at the ſame time he woulde hauehave the Commentaries vponupon the firſt Epiſtle of Paul to the Corinthians to be printed with vsus at Zuricke, a worke without doubt, for the plaine expoſition of manie darke and harde queſtions moſt worthie to bee reade. And after that hee was returned out of Englande to Strasborough, & from thence was called to Zuricke, hauing gotten amongſt vsus not onelyonly ſome leaſure but alſo that libertie of writing which he deſired, he reuiewed manie of thoſe things which hee had written before, he finiſhed them, and put them in print. And firſt the Commentaries vppon the Epiſtle of Paul to the Romanes, which hee publikely interpreted before▪ in Oxforde. Of which booke this onelyonly will I ſay, that hee performed the ſame with great learning and diligence: ſo as all men confeſſe that after ſo manie verie learned interpretors olde and newe which hauehave written vppon this Epiſtle, yet this booke maie bee reade with great and peculiar fruite. At the ſame time was ſet foorth by him a defence of the auncient and Apoſtolike doctrine touching the holy Sacrament of the Euchariſt againſt the booke of Stephen Gardiner. For hee a fewe yeares before had publiſhed a venimous and peſtiferous booke of the Euchariſt vnderunder the name of M. Antonius Constantius: wherein by meere ſophiſticall and moſt crooked Argumentes he indeuored to ouerthrowe the true and ſounde profeſſed doctrine, which we hauing receaued of Chriſt, and the Apoſtles, and moſt auncient fathers of the Church, doe followe and profeſſe at this daie. And to the compiling of this booke verie manie of the Papiſtes applyed their trauell, and deliuered all their Arguments vntounto Gardiner, that hee out of that heape might chooſe what hee woulde: and of this booke they triumphed and gloried that there was no man which durſt incounter with this their Goliath: wherewith beeing mooued, that moſt learned and godlie man Thomas Cranmer, Archbiſhop of Canterburie, who oftentimes before incountered with Wincheſter went awaie with victorie and with ſingular praiſe, hee tooke this matter vppon him. But he being held in moſt ſtraite priſon, and had neither ſtore of bookes about him not ſo much as paper to write, and afterwarde being taken awaie by cruell death, which for the confeſſion of the true faith hee conſtantlie ſuffered, was conſtrained to leaue off the workes which were now in his handes begunne. Wherefore manie Engliſhmen which were louers of godlie & true religion, deſired Martyr oftentimes both in his preſence and by letters, that hee would ſucceede in this burthen, and that hee woulde not ſuffer the mindes of the ſimple to be infected with venim of this booke nor the Popes adherentes ſo impudently and arrogantlie to triumph againſt our men. Therefore being ſtirred vp at the deſire of friendes, and with the equitie of the thing it ſelfe, hee tooke this worke in hand, and hauing ouercome diuers and manifolde impedimentes, hee finiſhed it at Zuricke, and committed the ſame vntounto printers to be diſpatched. And firſt of all in this booke, he defended the reaſons of our men, whatſoeuer they were that Gardiner had gathered and confuted. Then alſo hee defendeth, againſt ſuch falſe accuſations the rules which hee himſelfe had ſet foorth in the treatiſe of the Euchariſt. Thirdly hee defendeth the anſwers, whereby the argumentes of the aduerſaries are wont to be confuted in this diſputation: Laſtlie hee approueth the iuſt and true interpretations of certaine places which Gardiner with his ſort brought out of the fathers for himſelfe. And in all this whole worke whatſoeuer is vttered aſwell in the holie ſcriptures as in the monuments of the auncient fathers & Councels, he hath ſo plentifully & diligently comprehended, and hath examined all thinges ſo exactly and perfectly, as this worke is helde in admiration euen of them which bee great learned men. After this defence againſt Gardiner, there followed an other defence againſt the two bookes of vnmaried life of Prieſtes and monaſticall vowes written by Richard Smith an Engliſhman, ſometime profeſſor of the Diuinitie lecture at Oxford. For when Martyr interpreted at Oxford the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians, & in the 7. Chap. (where the Apoſtle writeth many things of virginity & matrimonie) had alſo diſputed largely of vowes, Smith in whoſe place Martyr by the Kings commandement was appointed to reade the Diuinitie lecture, was continually preſent, and not onelyonly gaue great heede to thoſe thinges which Martyr ſaide, but did alſo diligently put them in writing, and afterwarde going to Louane, he ſet foorth two vaine but yet venemous bookes againſt Martyr, as touching the ſole life of Prieſts and of Monaſticall vowes. This man could not Martyr in his Commentaries of the Epiſtle to the Corinthians anſwere. For his friendes vrging and earneſtly deſiring the edition of that booke, he might not deferre the ſame but yet in the ende of his ſeuenth Chapter hee promiſed this anſwere: and ſhortly after, hauing gotten leaſure he anſwered him: but for certaine cauſes weightie and of great importaunce he finally after certaine yeares publiſhed this anſwere when he was at Zuricke. And he confuteth not onelyonly Smithes argumentes, but he diligently and throughly examined in a manner all things that may bee ſaide in this matter. Which all they can teſtifie that hauehave not ſlightly peruſed the ſame. Furthermore at Strasborough after he was returned thither out of England he interpreted the booke of Iudges, and as ye knowe did ſet foorth amongſt vsus Commentaries vppon the ſame, wherein he expounded many queſtions of Diuinitie not common euerie where: and that verie golden booke, which neuertheleſſe many by reaſon of the difficultie and great darkeneſſe hauehave ſhunned, hee made verie plaine by bringing a light of interpretation. Laſtly when Iohn Brentius had ſet foorth a litle booke as touching the perſonall vnion of the two natures in Chriſt, wherein hee for aſſuring of the carnall, corporall and reall preſence of the bodie and bloud of Chriſt in the holy ſupper, tooke vponupon him to defende a newe and monſterous doctrine of the vbiquitie of Chriſtes bodie, Martyr at the requeſt of his friendes ſetting foorth a Dialogue confuted his booke. And becauſe hee knewe that Brentius did in other writings not altogether deſerue ill of the Church, he woulde not put thereunto his name, and expreſſely defame and ſpeake ill of him, eſpecially ſince this nothing furthered the cauſe, but largely confuted his arguments, leaſt they ſhoulde bleare the eyes of the ignoraunt. And further (which was the chiefe point of the queſtion) he prooued by moſt aſſured teſtimonies of the ſcriptures, and moſt auncient fathers, that the humanitie of Chriſt is not euerie where. With this writing Brentius being mooued, indeuoured at one puſh to ouerthrowe both Martyr and Bullinger by ſetting foorth a vehement and ſtinging booke. Which booke when our Martyr ſawe, being a man otherwiſe moſt milde of nature, yet was he ſomewhat angrie, that Brentius dealt in an ill cauſe and with ſo great vnfruitefulneſſe, as he doubted not but to accuſe both him and all our ſort for impugning the glory and Maieſtie of Chriſt, and for denying the omnipotencie of God: whereas notwithſtanding it is knowen vntounto all men, in ſuch ſort as euen Brentius cannot bee ignoraunt thereof that our men teache quite contrarie. It greeued him exceeding much, that a man otherwiſe very notable, and who might bee profitable to the Church, ſo obſtinately defended an opinion, abſurde, monſterous and merely newe, which leaneth vponupon no euident teſtimonies of the ſcriptures, nor vponupon any authoritie of the fathers and auncient Church, and which, no not the Papiſtes who hauehave fained many thinges for defending of the carnall, groſſe and corporall preſence of the bodie of Chriſt in the holy ſupper, were ſo bolde at any time as to allowe. For as he reported, that at his being in Fraunce at the conference when certaine bookes of Brentius were brought foorth, the chiefe of the Popes Diuines ſaid openly, that this opinion of Brentius was newe, and neuer heard of, and that it was merely hereticall. Wherefore he had nowe prepared himſelfe diligently and throughly to anſwere the ſlaunderous reproches of Brentius which were many and grieuous, and his Arguments which were not many. But, alas for ſorrow, he being by the ſudden violence of ſickneſſe taken awaie frō vsus, could not perfourme yt which he was determined to doe. Which miſhap neuertheleſſe might after a ſort be borne, becauſe Bullinger ye Paſtor of our Church, who had diuided with him ye labour of anſwering, ſhal by his ſtudie & labour and by his excellent learning, with a good courage ſuſtaine the labour of them both, & ſhall alone ſuffice for defending of thē both. And moreouer the Arguments of Martyr, which bee many that he produced in his Dialogue, doe ſtand as yet firme, & by this attempt of Brentius, could not be enfeebled, much leſſe ouerthrowē. But this rather is to be ſorrowed, that Martyr coulde not finiſh other and moſt excellent works which might hauehave brought great benefite to the whole Church. For nowe theſe certaine yeares, hee hath interpreted, as yee knowe, the two Bookes of Samuel, and nowe the firſt Booke of Kings being finiſhed, he trauelled in the ſeconde, and thoſe things which he read, although all were not throughly reuiewed by him, yet are they ſuch, that when they ſhall come foorth, as ſhortly the Lorde willing they ſhall, ſcarcely can any man deſire a finiſhing of them. And who will finiſhe this as it were the picture of Ʋenus begunne by Apelles owne hande. Who will ſo correct the Commentaries vponupon Geneſis, vponupon Exodus, vponupon Leuiticus, vponupon the ſmaler Prophets, and vppon the Lamentations of Ieremie, as they can hauehave that ſame dignitie and that ſame excellencie, as if they had bin amended, reuiewed and ſet foorth by himſelfe? What ſhall I ſpeake of the moſt graue diſputations of the greateſt matters? What of the Commentaries of Ariſtotle and other Commentaries which he began and left vnperfect? For before he coulde, I will not ſay, correct theſe things, but euen in a manner before he coulde take order what he woulde hauehave doone with them, he was by the violence of a grieuous and vnexpected death oppreſſed and taken away from vsus. For when he had begun to ſicken the fifth day of this monethmonth, he departed this life the 12. day of the ſame. Hee was before, but ſomewhat a ſickly man aſwell by reaſon of his age, as for ſundry cares and troubles, and eſpecially for the great griefe he tooke for the afflicted ſtate of the French Church, his powres did conſume by litle and litle. And therefore when ye general diſeaſe wherof many of you hauehave had experience, aſſailed him, it did eaſilie conſume nature alreadie ſpent. But we, becauſe this diſeaſe hath not hitherto bin in any man vntounto death, nothing feared Martyr the firſt dayes of his ſickneſſe. And he himſelfe alſo confirmed our hope: for the thirde and fourth day after the diſeaſe came vponupon him, he returned againe vntounto his ſtudies, & meant the day after when his turne was come, to teach publikely: albeit I was againſt it, and admoniſhed him that he ſhoulde hauehave a regarde to his health, and ſaide that I woulde reade in his ſtead, and that I doubted not but the Auditorie hauing a conſideration of his ſickneſſe, would eaſilie beare with him, but he cōtrariwiſe thought himſelf ſtrong ynough, & ſaid that vnleſſe ſome thing elſe happened he would reade the day after. But euē the ſelfe ſame night the feuer returned, & inuaded him more grieuouſly than it did before: and in the meane time diſtilling of the rewme increaſed vponupon him, and therewithall the cough was verie troubleſome vntounto him. Therefore albeit that his friendes bad him to hope well of his health, and that the Phiſitians alſo put him in ſome comfort, yet hee himſelfe foreſhewed his death to bee at hande, and for that cauſe made his Teſtament the day before he died: and calling for the worthy man M. Bernhard Sprunglius the Treaſurer being his neighbour, to whom he commended the care of his wife great with child, willed me to recite the ſame wil in his preſence, and deſired of him yt he would indeuour yt the Senate might ratifie the ſame. The next night after he tooke good reſt, & the diſeaſe ſeemed vntounto vsus to be ſomewhat ſlaked, but in very deede ye power of nature being ouercome by ye ſicknes ſtroue no longer with it. And in ye meane time his friendes came euerie day to viſit him, with whome, before the difficultie of breathing was hindered, he talked of diuers thinges with them no leſſe pleaſantly, than if hee had beene infected with no diſeaſe at all: For by Phiſicke wherein hee had diligently trauelled, hee reaſoned of the power and nature of his diſeaſe with ſuch Phiſitians as for friendſhippe and courteſie ſake did dailie viſite him: and becauſe hee had ſlept ſome nightes not vnſoundly he greatly counted to his friendes this a benefit of God, and out of the precepts of Phiſicke rehearſed the nature and efficacie of ſleepe, as it were in ſweetly refreſhing the whole bodie: Alſo he complained oftentimes of the Cough which hurt all the bodie: but eſpecially the head and breſt. And other while hee teſtified that hee was ſicke indeede as touching his body, but yet verie well as …uching his minde. And then if hee had begunne either to yeelde an account of his faith, or to rehearſe with what conſolations hee was to erect his minde, hee was in this kinde altogether diuine. And on the day before hee ſhoulde die, ſome of vsus his friendes being preſent with him, and ſpeciallie Bullinger among the reſt, hee lay a certaine ſpace meditating with himſelfe: then turning vntounto vsus, he teſtified with ſpeech plaine enough that hee acknowledged life and ſaluation in Chriſt alone, who was giuen by the father an onelie ſauiour vntounto mankinde: and this opinion of his hee declared and confirmed with reaſons and wordes of the ſcriptures: adding at the laſt, This is my faith, In this will I die: but they which teach otherwiſe, and drawe men anie other way, God will deſtroy them. And after he had thus ſpoken, hee reaching out his hande to euerie one particularlie: Fare ye wel (ſaith hee) my brethren and deere friendes. Alſo an other day when Bullinger among other things, for conſolation ſake had ſaide that our common weale is in heauen, I knowe (ſaith he) it is, but not in Brentius heauen, which is no where. And hee ſaide that hee willingly and from his heart forgaue that man: but yet hee wiſhed, that if it had ſo ſeemed good vntounto God, hee might hauehave aunſwered him aſwell for their ſakes that bee weake, as alſo to hauehave confuted the moſt falſe ſlaunder made againſt him. And to ſaie briefely, his ſpeeches aſwell all the time of his ſickeneſſe were like the reſidue of his former life: namely full of Religion, faith, godlineſſe and gentleneſſe, but then ſpecially, when the more neere he drewe, to be diſſolued and ioyned with Chriſt, the more did a certaine diuine worke and as it were the efficacie of the holy ſpirite ſhine in him. But the ſame day when hee died by the reaſon of the vehement falling of the rewne, he felt a great difficultie of drawing his breath, and ſpake with paine, neuertheleſſe hee vſed a loude voyce, ſo as it coulde ſcarſlie bee vnderſtoode: and therefore hee ſpake not verie much that day. It was about x. of the clocke when the Phiſitians were departed from him, to returne againe in the afternoone what time hee willed himſelfe to be taken vp, and to bee apparelled after his accuſtomed manner, and eating a litle quantitie, he ſate quietly, but yet ſo as hee bowed his heade towardes one of his friendes that ſtood by, becauſe he coulde not eaſilie holde it vp by reaſon of the force of his ſickeneſſe: after this hee woulde be laide againe in his cloathes vppon his bed, and there reſt. In the meane time came the Phiſitians vntounto him. With him were preſent manie of his friends, both others, and alſo the Paſtors and Elders of the Italian Church, with whome after he had talked a little, he required to bee taken againe out of his bed, and to be ſet in ye ſame place where he was. Nowe were manie of his friendes gone from him that hee might reſt the more quietlie: the Phiſitians alſo went their wayes, of whom ſome prepared certaine new remedies which they ment to applie vntounto him. When he thus ſitting in his cloathes as hee was woont to goe, commending his ſoule ſtoutly vntounto God, hee beganne to bee at the point of death: there remained yet with him Conradus Geſnerus, and alſo his wife and two youngmen beſides of his familiars: of whome foorthwith Bullinger and the reſt of his friends which were neereſt at hande were called: theſe being preſent hee gaue vp his ſpirite verilie with ſo great a quietneſſe as hee ſeemed not to die but to fall aſleepe, and in ſuch ſort as wee might thinke that wee ſawe him not deade but ſitting ſtill aliue amongeſt vsus. As hee died Bullinger cloſed vp his eyes and put vponupon him a funerall garment: and he beeing a friende, did vntounto his moſt louing friende, this laſt office of pietie, being yet in the meane time ſtricken with a great and incredible ſorrow. And this deere Auditorie was the ende of the life of our Maiſter, the beſt, the wiſeſt and the iuſteſt man of all that I hauehave knowen. This may I truelie ſay of him which Plato left written of his Socrates. His life hath beene ſet foorth vntounto you: and what his death was yee hauehave hearde. There remaineth at the laſt, that which perhappes yee looke for at my handes, namelie that I ſhoulde indeuour by wordes to mitigate the ſorowe which yee hauehave taken by his death. But howe am I able to doe this, who am greeued with exceeding ſorrowe more than others? But heere muſt yee take vntounto you his vertue, wherein hee verie much excelled, and moſt valiauntlie ouercame all aduerſities, and that which time ſhoulde worke, that muſt reaſon informed by good Artes: and which is chiefeſt of all, inſtructed by the ſcriptures, bring to paſſe that there bee appointed ſome moderation of ſorrowe and lamentation: and ſeeing he departed out of this life ſo godly and Chriſtianly in the true and ſound faith: and that it is a wicked thing to doubt whether he chaunged the great calamities and miſeries of this life, with the heauenly and euerlaſting bleſſedneſſe and felicitie, it is our part which louelove him rather to reioyce in his exceeding great good, than to bee mooued with any diſcommoditie of our owne, eſpecially ſince ye hauehave ſo notable monuments of his wit, godlineſſe and learning, that by the continuall reading of them, ye may not onelyonly mitigate your ſorrowe, but may alſo hauehave euen the part of him preſent with you. And verily, if by thoſe thinges which wee hauehave …ten heard of him when he was aliue we may gather what his meaning was when he was dead, yee cannot doe any thing either before God more religious, or vntounto him more acceptable, than to holde faſt that pure and vndefiled doctrine which yee learned of him. And yee deare Auditorie, the younger men eſpecially, whoſe eyes the glory of his name doeth dazell, indeuour ye by the ſame ſteppes to reache vntounto that whereunto yee woonder that he attained. Procure to your ſelues by watchings, by labours, by ſtudie, by diligence and continuance the ſelfe ſame ornaments of learning and knowledge. Ioyne ye vntounto your ſtudies, Religion, pietie, faith, modeſtie, temperaunce and other vertues wherein he excelled. All which, if I hauehave not compriſed in my Oration, yet doe ye which hauehave knowen them, comprehend them in your minde, and as an excellent example to imitate, neuer ſuffer yee them to depart from your eyes and minde. And for aſmuch as the death of men which for their vertue are famous and excellent, is daungerous to the Commonweale, not onelyonly for the loſſe of them, but alſo in reſpect of ill lucke, wee humbly pray thee Oh euerlaſting and heauenly father, turne away ſuch euill hap from thy Church. Regard (we beſeeche thee) thy litle flocke, and gouerne it according as thou haſt promiſed, and defend it againſt Wolues. GiueGive it no hyrelings, but faithfull Paſtors which may leade thy ſheepe vntounto wholeſome paſtures and to the fountaines of liuely water, & ſuch as if neede ſhall require, will giuegive their life for them. And to vsus alſo O good Father, giuegive, if not another Martyr (for that dare wee ſcarcely deſire) yet at the leaſtwiſe ſome teacher, who being indued with thy ſpirit, may come as neere as is poſſible to his incomparable learning, and diuine and immortall vertues. And that which I nowe deſire, deare Auditorie, deſire you humbly the very ſame of the Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, both nowe in the ende of this Oration, and alſo from henceforwarde inceſſantly with feruent prayers, Amen.
FINIS.
❧ The firſt Table of D. P. Martyrs Common Places amplified and inlarged, comprehending (in as familiar a forme as can be) the ſumme of all ſuch points of Diuinitie, Philoſophie and Hiſtorie, &c. as are therein compriſed: Gathered and laide together in an alphabeticall order, as followeth.
An introduction to the Reader.
FOr the eaſier and readier vnderſtanding hereof (ſith many places carie diuerſe numbers both in reſpect of Part and Page) it ſhalbe neceſſarie to note, that all ſuch figures as ſtand thus inclaſped or imbraced [1] [2] [3] or [4] doe ſignifie the 1. 2. 3. or 4. Part, (remembring alwaies that the whole volume is Quadripartite or conſiſting of 4. Parts, beſides the additions, which may be a ſuppoſed Part by themſelues:) the other figures, as they fall more or leſſe, doe import the page or ſide of the leafe. Note further, that (A) inferreth the firſt columne (as we commonlie call it) or partition of any page, (B) the ſecond. And thus much brieflie by way of aduiſement.