Letters, Title page – To the reader
The copy of certain lettres sent to the Quene, and also to doctour Martin and doctour Storye, by the most Reuerende father in God, Thomas Cranmer Archebishop of Cantorburye from prison in Oxeforde: who (after long and most greuous strayt emprisoning and cruell handlyng) most constauntly and willingly suffred Martirdome ther, for the true testimonie of Christ, in Marche▪ 1556.
Psal 119.
I spake of thy testimonies (O Lorde) euen before Kinges, and was not confounded.
To the reader.
THe Lorde of lyght lyghten thyne eyes, to se the thyng that is right, & geue the an hearte to obeye the same, Amen. Thou mayest (good reader) besydes the open tyrannye, as in a glasse, playnly see in these lettres, that the popishe kingdome is the kingdome of faces (that is, the myghtye Antichrist that Daniel wryteth of) yf thou consydre only, what face of iustice (in most open iniustice) it maketh towarde the most mylde Moses, Thomas Crāmer that most worthy Archebishop of Cantorbury. He cyteth him to appeare to make answere at Rome, geuing hym .lxxx. dayes respite, for his appearaunce there. Is this any thing but a face of iustice? as thoughe the court of Rome wolde condemne no man, before he answered for him selfe, as bothe lawe and equitie require? But the very same instaunt tyme, Antichristes holynesse (contrary to that visoured iustice) sent his commissiō vntounto that periured beastly Brockes B. of Gloucestre, to degrade and depriue him of his dignitie. Which thing he did, not only before the .lxxx. dayes were ended, but before ther were .iiij. of thē spent. Furthermore wher as the sayd most reuerende father was fast deteyned in most greuous and strayt prison, so as he coulde not appeare (which thing was notorious both in Englande, and also in the Romishe court) and therfore had a lawfull and most iuste excuse of his absence, by al lawes, euen popishe and other: yet at Rome in the ende of the sayd .lxxx. dayes, was that mylde good mā decreed Cont…max: that is, sturdely, frowardly, and wilfully absent. And in payne of the same his absence, cō demned: and in fyne most cruelly and mercyleslye martyred (alas for pytie) euen by the ministerie of them, for whose soules sauegarde, he put him selfe to that hasarde, and gaue his lyfe. Consydre therfore (I praye thee) howe the shauen hipocrites with their complices hauehave rolled the Quenes maiestie in wilfull murther by their wynking wyles. For what is it but wilfull murther to cause a man to be cyted, and yet to detayne him still in fast prison, knowing his absence to be his condemnaciō. Considre also what manifest periurie and tyrannye they hauehave wrapped not the Quene alone, but with her the hole realme of Englande in. For which the indignacion of God is so prouoked, that he can not longer forbeare to plage, as he hathe begonne alreadye… and wyl (no doubt) procede onles spedy repentaūce folowe. The Lorde vttre their falseh…d and treason. AMEN▪