Common Places, Letters · Letter 24 – Letter 25
To Henrie Bullinger. 26.
THoſe things which you wrote vntounto mée right woorthie Sir, doe fullie teſtifie what minde and good will you beare mee, for the which cauſe I giuegive you moſt heartie thankes. And in the meane time I knowe not what elſe to aunſwere, but that I hauehave you all, the Church I meane, the ſchoole and moſt honorable Magiſtrate, within my heart and bowels. I continue ſtill of one minde, and wholie determine with my ſelfe to come vntounto you: neither, as I thinke will my deſire bée in vaine. Indéede there be manie impediments, ſo as this delay which our honorable Senate required, for to deliberate of the matter, is no leſſe troubleſome to mée than to you. For manie times there come learned men vntounto me, ſuch as are of ſome authoritie, and my verie familiar and ſpeciall friendes, which indeuour all they can to ſtay me from departing. The French church which is of our profeſſiō are againſt it. And there be manie in the ſchoole and in the Senate, which trulie fauouring our doctrine, ſay that my departure will cauſe great detriment: but yet by the grace of God theſe things doe not hitherto mooue mée, becauſe I ſée that the Germane Church it ſelf is vtterly againſt me as touching doctrine: neither doe I thinke that any reconciliation can be hoped for. Howbeit becauſe I hauehave bin required by my Lordes, that I woulde comprehend in a certaine briefe writing my opinion of the Sacramentarie thing touching the Euchariſt, to the intent it might be perceiued thereby howe much the preachers of this Citie doe differ from mee, I did not ſtaie to doe it: and our opinion I hauehave written, in fewe wordes in déede, but yet ſo cléerelie and euidently, as they which vnderſtande it not bée as ſenſeleſſe as ſtones. Wherefore I thinke that our aduerſaries will rather depart from hence, than ſuffer that it ſhoulde be taught and diſputed in the Schoole, or bée written of any profeſſor of this Citie. I expect what anſwere they will make: I know they will not depart from their obſtinacie. I in the meane time will vſe your benefite, which I doubt not but is offered me by God: whom beléeue mee I hauehave deſired welnéere theſe thrée yéeres, that either he would make this vocation tollerable vntounto mée, or elſe that he woulde prouide mee of another. Nowe ſince he hath hearkened vntounto mée, and vponupon the ſodaine hath offered that which I deſired, vnleſſe I would imbrace it (as the common ſaying is) with both the hands, I ſhould bée vngratefull. The writing which I gaue to our noble and honorable Citie, I would now ſende vntounto you, but I hauehave no Copie with mee except that which is written with mine owne ordinarie hand, which in no wiſe you can reade: but as I hope I ſhall my ſelfe ſhewe it vntounto you. Thoſe things which you admoniſhed me of I like well, and I will take as much héede as I can that I bee not deceiued. In the meane time I am to thanke you in two reſpectes for the vocation which you hauehave offered mée. For yée hauehave prepared a commodious, méete, and honeſt way for me to depart from hence: and by this meanes there is giuen an occaſion that I hauehave héere now openly and before the Magiſtrate twiſe confeſſed my faith and meaning as touching the Euchariſt not onelyonly by worde of mouth, but alſo by writing, which I hope by the fauour of God will not bee vnprofitable. As touching D. Zanchus, I beléeue that which you write, that it woulde in déede be profitable for him that I ſhoulde tarie héere: but when he ſhal ſpeake with me himſelfe, I am perſwaded yt he will be content with our iuſt determination. In the meane time fare you well, and let mee not be without the voyce of your prayers. Of my comming, ſtande you in no doubt: I doe all thinges and I ſet all thinges a worke that I may bee diſmiſſed. From Strasborough the 22. of May, 1556. I praie you that you will excuſe mee to our fellowe Miniſters, that I did not now write. For by reaſon of the abſence of Marpachius and Zanchus, I am ſo ouercharged with buſineſſe as I hauehave no leaſure at all.
Verie heauie newes are this day written vntounto vsus from Anwarpe, namely that Maiſter Cheeke an Engliſh man, Schoolemaiſter vntounto king Edward of godly memorie, a man verie agréeable vntounto vsus in doctrine, and notable for his learning and godlie life, together with Maiſter Peter Caro, are taken betwéene Anwarpe and Bruxels, in a litle towne called Fulſorte. There is no hope of their life. And it is ſayde that they ſhall bee ſent into England to the Quéene: and I feare leaſt ſome grieuous example ſhall be ſhewed vppon them. They be two excellent men, as all the Engliſh men know. Wherefore I beſéeche you and your godlie Church, that you will powre out for them your prayers as a ſwéete ſmelling ſacrifice, that either they maie be deliuered frō ſo preſent a danger, or elſe that there may be giuē them a true and ſound conſtancie in the confeſſion of Chriſtes name and his trueth. Fare you well againe, and louelove mee as you doe.
To Henrie Bullinger. 27.
THat meſſenger which departed from hence eight dayes ſince, and had letters from your ſonne vntounto you, made me not priuie at all of his departure: wherefore good Sir and reuerende brother in the Lorde, you muſt not maruell that I wrote not vntounto you, for I was much deſirous to hauehave doone it, and was verie ſorie that the occaſion was ſo loſt. Nowe at the length hauehave I gotten leaue. It was graunted me vppon Saint Iohns Eue. Which I beſéech God maie turne to good and bee luckie and fortunate. For the Magiſtrate differed the time euen vntill that daie. He protracted the time a great while, and labored much to kéepe me ſtill, and finallie confeſſed to my owne ſelfe that hee did vnwillinglie let mee goe. I am preparing for the iourney, and when the faire is at an ende, I hope that I ſhall depart from hence. Wherefore I will not write much, becauſe I truſt to bee preſent with you ſhortlie. I come with a glad minde and with all my heart, and I doubt not but with a willing and readie minde I ſhall be receiued of you. I heare that your ſonne hath written vntounto you touching a houſe: which I my ſelfe did not aduiſe him to doe. But nowe that he hath doone it, I am glad, and I giuegive him thankes. But ſée how bolde I am, I aſſure my ſelfe of all thinges, euen as Im like manner am readie to doe anie thing for your ſake. Numius maketh haſt: and I euen at this preſent time am occupied in the ordering of my bookes, therefore I ende my letter. I deſire that all the fellow Miniſters may be heartilie ſaluted from me, and that it maie be tolde them, that there is nowe nothing I more deſire than by my preſence to pleaſure them, whome I entyrelie louelove and honour in Chriſt. God kéepe you long ſafe amongeſt vsus. From Strasborough the 29. of Iune, 1556.