Brief Discourse of the Troubles at Frankfort, Letter 2 – Letter 7
The grace and peace off God the Father and off our Lorde Ieſus Chriſte be vvith your all Amen.
AS God by his ſinguler prouidence hathe wonderfully bleſſed vsus aſwell in mouinge the hartes off the Senators and miniſters here / to lament oure ſtate / fauor and aid vsus in oure requeſts: as alſo in geuinge happie ſucceſſe for all kinde off prouiſion to oure vſe and behoufe: So he well knowethe / that we no other wiſe eſteeme the ſame then maie ſtande withe his glory / oure profeſſiō / and the comforte off his afflicted churche / but dailie labor in the knowledge off his worde to thintent that when god oure mercifull father ſhall ſo think good / we maie be bothe faithfull and ſkilfull diſpenſers theroff.
And as runninge in the ſweete race off oure vocation / ye hauehave erneſtly written vntounto vsus for to repaier thyther / burtheninge vsus ſo ſore with your neceſſitie / that ye think our ſhrinking back in this behalff ſhulde argue want off charitie / keepe manie in Englande ſtill whiche elſe would willingly come foorth / and ſhewe oure ſelues careles off that congregation wwhoſe edefyinge and winninge to Chriſte we onelyonly pretend to ſeeke. Theſe are great cauſes / but touchinge vsus nether ſo truly obiected / ſo firmely grounded / nor yet ſo aptlie applied / but that as ſounde reaſons on our partes might fully anſwere the ſame. Yet notwithſtanding / in as muche as yow appeale to our conſciences whiche in the daie off the Lorde ſhall accuſe or excuſe vsus in this thinge and all other / we will not vtterlie deny your requeſts / but ſhewe oure ſelues as ready to ſeeke gods glorie and the increaſe off his kingdome other there or elſewhere to the vttermoſte off oure powers / as euer we did pretende to do / requiringe yow all in the name and feare off god / that as we / all reſpects ſet aparte and vnfainedly trauelinge in the neceſſary knowledge off Chriſte to the profit off his churche here after / refuſe not for your nedie comforte to accompliſhe your deſyres. So ye will not interrupte oure ſtudies / vrge oure remouinge / and bringe vsus thither / feelinge here a…lreadie the exceadinge goodneſſe off god towardes vsus / vnleſſe ye thinke / and that before god / that oure abſence on thone parte ſhulde greatly hinder / and oure preſence one the other ſide verie muche further your godly attemps alreadye begonne for the furniſhinge off that churche ſo happely obtained to all oure comfortes / for the whiche in oure dailie prayers we geue god moſte hartie and humble thankes. Yff by this doinge ye geue occaſion to breake oure godlie feloſhippe / to hurte our ſtudies / to diſſolue oure exerciſes / and vtterly to euerte our godly purpoſes / ye hauehave to anſwere euen vntounto him whiche is a faithfull and a iuſte Iudge / and will geue to euerie man accordinge to his dedes. Wherfore / deare brethern / in conſideration that we be all not onelyonly off one nation / but alſo members off one miſticall body in Ieſus Chriſte our head / and ought therfore eſpecially in this time off exile and moſte worthely deſerued croſſe by all means poſſible / one to aide and comforte an other / beſechinge god for his mercies ſake to aſſwage his wrathe / to geue vsus repentinge hartes and patient continuance to our brethern at home with pity to beholde his vineiarde there miſerablie ſpoiled and trodden vnderunder foote / and to call vsus home after his fatherly chaſtiſemente eftſones frutefully to worke in the ſame: we briefly make this anſwere. Yff vppon the receipte here off / ye ſhall withowte cloke or forged pretence / But onelyonly to ſeke Chriſte aduertiſe vsus by your letters / that our beinge there is ſo needfull as ye hauehave alreadie ſignified / and that we maie altogether ſerue and praiſe god as freely and as vprightly / (wheroff pryuate letters receiued lately from Franckf. make vsus muche …o dowte) as the order laſte taken in the churche of England permittethe and perſcribethe (for we are fully determined to admitt and vſe no other) then / abowt eaſter nexte (for afore we cannot) god proſperinge vsus / and no iuſte cauſe or occaſion to the contrary growinge in the meane time wherby our intente maie be defeated with one conſente we agree to ioine oure ſelues vntounto yow and moſte willinglie to doo ſuche ſeruiſe there / as oure poore condition and callinge dothe permit. In the meane ſpace / we ſhall moſte intirely beſeche almightie God ſo to aſſiſte yow withe his holy ſpirit / that your doings maie helpe to confounde papiſtrie / ſet forthe gods glorie / and ſhewe ſuche light in the face off the worlde / that b…othe the wicked maie be aſhamed / hauinge no iuſte cauſe off reproche / and alſo oure weake brethern confirmed and woone to the truthe.
From Zurick this 13. off October. …554. Your louing frinds.
Robart Horne.
Richard Chambers.
Thomas Leuer.
Nicholas Karuile.
Iohn Mulling….
Thomas Spencer.
Thomas Bentham.
VVilliam Cole.
Iohn Parkhuſte
Roger Kelbe.
Robart Beamont.
Laurence Humphry.
Henry Cockrafft.
Iohn Pretio.
Abowte this tyme Letters were receyued from maiſter Haddon Wherin he deſired for diuers conſiderations to be excuſed / for comminge to take the charge vppon him at Franckford.
The 24. off October came maiſter Whithea… to Franckford / and at the requeſte off the congregation / he tooke the charge for a time / and preached vppon the Epiſtle to the Romains.
Abowte the 4. off Nouember came Maiſter Ch…mbres to Franckford with letters from Zurick whiche were partlie an anſwere to an other letter written vntounto them from Franckforde the 26. off September / whiche was as followithe.
Grace mercy and peace, &c.
AFter / longe hope off Your anſwere to our letter / we thought it good to put you once againe in remembraunc. And as we in our former / ſo nowe in theis alſo in gods behalff moſte erneſtly require yow deeplie to waie this matter off gods callinge / and the neceſſitie off this congregation We ha…e throughly lerned your eſtate and alſo made yow priuie to oures▪ and eftſonnes / wiſhe we might be together to bewaile our ſynnes paſte / to praie together for oure poore brethern that are vnderunder Antechriſtes captiuitie / to comforte / inſtructe / and profit one an other. And finally to beſtowe the time off oure perſecution together and redeeme theis daies whiche are ſo euell. And iff anye deſier off knowledge ſtaye yow / certenly / it woulde not be ſo litle increaſed here that yow ſhulde iuſt…y repent. For as touchinge the companie off lerned men (as yow cannot bere be withowte) ſo / that thinge whiche chiefly your can require of lerned mens Iudgmēts and knowledge owte off their workes / your maie ſuck moſte plentifully wherof with vsus yow can lake no ſtore We nede not / brethern / to make lōge diſcouſe in reaſoninge▪ for we partlie knowe that gods ſpirit / whiche workethe in your hartes ſhall preuaile withe yow more / thē diſputinge / not dowtīge / but the ſame holie ſpirit knocketh at the dore off your cōſciēces not only to moue yow of oure behalffs / but to admoniſhe yow / to auoide the incōueniences of talkes / and the offences of oure poore brethern of Englande / whoſe marueilinge cannot otherwiſe be ſatiſfied. Remember therfore (dearly beloued) that we wryte as bretheren / to oure deare brethern / who altogether ſeeke oure fathers honor / oure owne diſcharge and the comforte off oure afflicted countrie men.
The ſame ſweete father graunt for his Chriſts ſake that we maie aſſemble together / to the buildinge off this his Temple / to let the falſe workemen / and vnderminers / and diligently in our vocation to helpe to the furniſhinge off the ſame till it riſe to perfection. F… ye well in Chriſte.
From Franckford this 16. off Septemb. 1…54. Your louinge frinds: as in the letter afore ſo vnderunder this ſubſcribed.
The anſwere to them off Franckford was / as foloweth.
WE beinge placed here in quietnes / with many and great commodities for oure ſtudies tendinge all to edification off Chriſtes churche / hauehave / vntounto the earneſte requeſts off your letters vntounto vsus / anſwered in our letters v…to yow / that to diſcharge all dewtie in conſcience / and to increaſe and inſtructe your congregation at Franckford withe oure preſence and diligence wilt no… deny to remoue from hence vntounto yow / ſo that yow charged off conſcience do conſtantly affirme / that ye hauehave ſo great neede off vsus as by letters was ſignified / and certeinly aſſure vsus that we with yow maie and ſhall vſe the ſame order off ſeruice concerninge religion whiche was in Englande laſte ſet forthe by kinge Edward. And nowe alſo for the better vnderſtāding off ſuche requeſts and charitable performance of dewt…e / vponupon bothe partes deſired and procured Ma…ſter Richard Chambers our beſte frinde / a man moſte charitable and c…refull for the Chriſtian congregation / to take pains to trauell vntounto yow and wi…he yow for vsus: ſo that this matter as it is begon and moued in writing… maie be fully debated and concluded by his faithfull means and diligence. For we be all agreed and do purpoſe to allowe and performe what ſo euer he ſhall ſaie and promes in oure names vntounto yow. Wherfore / we beſeche yow in Goddes name conſcionably to conſider the eſtate and condition bothe off yow and vsus / and iff there vppon yow conclude withe the ſaied maſter Chambers off oure comminge vntounto yow / then let him not lack your charitable helpe in neceſſary prouiſion for our continuance withe yow. And thus beſechinge god that your doings maie tende to his glorie / and the ſpedy comforte off his afflicted churche we wiſhe yow all helthe and increaſe off true knowledge in Chriſte our lord and ſauiour.
From Zurick this …7. off October. Anno 1554. Your lovinge frinds as in the letters before
When Maiſter Chambers had conferred with the congregation and ſawe that they coulde not aſſure him the …u… vſe off the Engliſhe booke withowte the hazardinge o…f their churche / he prepared to departe from whens he came / and by this time was Maiſter Knox come from Geneua / (and choſen miniſter) vppon the receipte off a letter ſent him from the congregation / whiche letter was as folowethe.
WE hauehave receiued letters from oure brethern off Strauſbrough / but not in ſuche ſorte and ample wiſe as we looked for / wheruppon we aſſembled together in the B. Goaſte we hope / and hauehave with one voice and conſent choſen yow ſo part…culerly to be one off the Miniſters off our congregation here / to preache vntounto vsus the moſte liuely worde off God / accordinge to the gift that God ha…he geuen yow for as muche as we hauehave here throughe the mercifull goodnes off God a churche to be congregated together in the name off Chriſte / and be all of one body / and alſo beinge of one natiō / tonge / and countrie. And at this preſente / hauinge neede off ſuche a one as yow / Mark the calling off Knox to the paſtorſhipp.we do deſier yow and alſo require yow in the name off God not to deny vsus / not to refuſe theis oure requeſts / but that yow will aide / helpe and aſſiſte vsus with your preſence in this our Good and godlie entrepriſe / whiche we hauehave take in hand to the glorie off god and the profit off his congregation and the poore ſhe…pe off Chriſt diſperſed abroad / who withe your and like preſences / woulde come hither and be of one folde where as nowe they wander abroad as loſte ſheepe withowte anie gide. we miſtruſte not but that yow will io…fully accepte this callinge.
Fare ye well from Franckford this 24. off September. Your louinge brethern.
Iohn Bale
Edmond Sutton.
Iohn Makebraie.
VVilliam VVhitingham
Thomas Cole
VVilliam VVilliams
George Chidley
VVilliam Hammon.
Thomas Steward
Thomas wood.
Iohn Stanton
VVilliam VValton
Iaſper ſwyft
Iohn Geofrie.
Iohn Grai…
Mighell Gill.
Iohn Samford
Iohn VVood.
Thomas Sorby
Anthony Ca…i…r
Hugh Alforde.
Nowe to ruturne to the tenor of the letter which the congregation off Franckford wrate by Maiſter Chambers to the ſtudents off Zurick.
WE hauehave receyued your 2. ſeuerall letters the one dated the 23. off October ſent vsus from Strauſbrough and the other the 27. off the ſame by the hands off your deare frinde Maiſter Chambers and hauehave conferred with him at large / touching the contents theroff. And when as after diuers aſſemblyes and longe debatings the ſaied Maiſter Chambers perceyued that we coulde not in all points warrant the full vſe off the booke off ſeruice (whiche ſemethe to be your full ſcope and marke) and alſo waying in conſcience the great benefit that God hathe in this c…e offred to our whole nation / he not only re…oiſed at the ſame / but alſo promiſed to trauell in perſwadinge yow to the futheraunce therof. As touchinge the effecte off the booke / we deſire the execution theroff as muche as yow / (ſo farr as Gods worde dothe commende it) but as for the vnprofitable ceremonies / aſwell by his conſent as by ours / are not to be vſed. And althoughe they were tollerable (as ſome are not) yet beinge in a ſtrange commō wealthe / we coulde not be ſuffred to put them in vre / and better it were they ſhulde neuer be practiſed / then they ſhulde be the ſubuerſion off oure churche / whiche ſhulde fall in great haſſard by vſinge them.
The matter is not oures more then yours / (excepte anie excell others in godly zeele / but bothe wiſhe gods honor.
Iff a larger gate be opened there / to the ſame then to vsus / vppon your perſwatione / ye ſhall not finde vsus to drawe back. for this is that neceſſitie / brethern / that maie not be neglected / yff we wiſhe the comforte and gatheringe together off oure diſperſed brethern. Yff anie think that the not vſinge off the booke in all pointes ſhoulde increaſe our godly fathers / and bretherns bands / or els anye thinge deface the worthie ordinances and lawes off our Soueraigne Lorde off moſte famous memory. K. Edward the 6. he ſemethe ether litle to waie the mater / or ells letted through ignorance knowethe not that euen they themſelues hauehave vppon conſiderations off circumſtances / altered heretofore many thinges as touchinge the ſame. And iff god had not in theis wicked daies otherwiſe determined / woulde here after hauehave chaunged more / yea and in oure caſe we dowte not but that they woulde hauehave don the like. Theis fewe lines concerninge bothe our cōmunications we hauehave accordingely written vntounto yow / referringe the reſte to the diſcretion off oure Good frinde Maiſter Chambers / who knoweth that we hauehave ſhewed oure ſelues moſt conformable in all thinges that ſtandethe in our powers and moſte deſirous off your companies accordinge to our former letters. The ſpirit off God moue your hartes to do that which ſhalbe moſt to his glory and the comforte off your brethern.
At Franckford. this 15. off Nouember. Your louinge frinds, &c.
The 28. off Nouember Maiſter Chambers came againe to Franckford from S…rouſbrough / and with him Maiſter Grindall with letters from the lerned men there / ſubſcribed with 16. off their handes / whiche letter was as folowethe.
WHen we do conſider what inwarde comforte it were for …he faithfull people off Englande now diſperſed for the goſpell / and wandringe abroad in ſtrange countries as ſhepe withowte paſtor / to be gathered together in to one congregation / that with one mouth / one minde / and one ſpirit they might glorifie God: we hauehave at all tymes and do preſently think it oure dewties / not only in harte to wiſhe that thinge / but alſo to labor by all means ſo muche as in vsus lyethe to bringe the ſame to paſſe. And hauinge nowe perfit intelligence off the Good mindes / whiche the magiſtrats off Franckford beare towardes yow and others oure ſcattered countrie men / and alſo vnderſtandinge off the free graunt off a churche vntounto vsus wherin we maie together ſerue god / and not dowtinge off their farther frindſhipp in permittinge vsus franckly to vſe our religion accordinge to that godly order ſett forthe and receaued in England: We bothe geue god thankes for ſo great a benefit / and alſo thinke it not fit to refuſe ſo frindly an offre / or to let ſlippe ſo good an occaſion. Therfore / neither dowtinge off their good furtherance hereunto / not yet diſtruſtinge your good conformitie and ready deſiers in reducinge the Engliſhe churche now begun there / to it former perfection off the laſte / had in Englande / ſo farre as poſſiblie can be atteined / leaſt by muche alteringe off the ſame we ſhulde ſeeme to condemne the chieff authors theroff / who as they nowe ſuffer / ſo …re they moſte redie to confirme that facte with the price off their blouds and ſhulde alſo bothe geue occaſion to our aduerſaries / to accuſe oure doctrine of imperfection / and vsus of mutablitie / ād the godly to dowte in that truthe wherin before they were perſwaded / and to hinder their cōminge hither whiche before they had purpoſed: For the auoidinge off theſe / and the obtaininge off the other / moued hereunto in conſcience and prouoked by your ientle letters / we hauehave thought it expedient to ſende ouer vntounto yow / oure beloued brethern the bringers hereoff to trauell withe the magiſtrats and yow concerninge the premiſſes / whoſe wiſedomes lerninge and godly zeele / as they be knowen vntounto yow / ſo their doings in this ſhall fullie take place withe vsus. And yff they obtaine that whiche we truſte will not be denied at no hands: Then we intend (God willinge) to be with yow the firſte off February next / there to helpe to ſet in order and ſtabliſhe that churche accordingly. And ſo longe altogether to remaine with yow as ſhall be neceſſary / or vntill iuſte occaſion ſhall call ſome off vsus awaie. And we dowte not but that our brethern off Zurick / Emden Dueſbrough &c. will do the ſame accordingly / as we hauehave praied them by oure letters truſtinge that yow by yours will make like requeſte.
Fare ye well from Straſbrough this 23. off Nouember. Your louing frinds,
Iames Haddon
Edwin Sands
Edmond Grindall.
Iohn Huntington
Guido Eaten.
Iohn Geoffrye
Iohn Pedder.
Thomas Eaten.
Mighell Reymuger
Auguſtine Bradbridge.
Arthur Saule.
Thomas Steward.
Chriſt. Goodman▪
Humphry Alcocſon
Tho. Lakin
Tho. Crafton.
THis letter was red to the congregation / at whiche tyme maiſter Grindall declared the occaſiō of ther cōminge whiche (amōge other things) was chieflie for theſtabliſhinge of the booke off England not that they mente / (as he ſaied) to hauehave it ſo ſtrictly obſerued but that ſuche ceremonies / and thinges whiche the countrie coulde not beare / might well be omitted / ſo that they might hauehave the ſubſtance and effecte theroff. Ma…ſter Knox and wh…ttingham a…ked them what they mente by the ſubſtance off the booke / It was anſwered by the other that they had no cōmiſſion to diſpute thoſe matters / but they requeſted that the congregation would anſwere to certeine interogatories / whiche were thies Firſt / that they might knowe wha… partes off the booke they woulde admit. The ſeconde was for a ſeuerall churche / and the thirde what aſſurāce they might hauehave for their quiete hab…tation. To …he firſte / anſwere was made that what they coulde proue off that Booke to ſtande wi…he gods worde / and the countrie permit / that ſhuld be graunted them. To the 2. whiche was for a church / it was tolde them / that they vnderſtoode by the Magiſtrats / the tyme ſerued not to moue anie ſuche matter till the counſaile brake vp at Auſburge. To the third it was ſaied that a generall graunt was made at their firſt comminge thither / to the whole nation / and the fredome off the citie offred to all ſuche as were deſyrous off it in as large and ample manner as they coulde require / whiche was to them aſſurance ſufficient.
Theis 3. queſtions thus anſwered maiſter Chambers and Maiſter Grindall departe back againe with a letter from the congregation whiche was as followethe.