Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 13 · Letter 1 – Letter 3
*Here followeth the letters of the reuerend Byshop and Martyr, Nicholas Ridley.
*A letter sent from Bishop Ridley and his prison fellowes, vntounto M. Bradford, and his prison fellowes in the Kynges Benche in Southwarke. an. 1554.
WEll beloued in Christ our sauiour, we all with one hart wish to you,A letter of Byshop Ridley to Maister Bradford and others. with all those yt louelove God in deede and truth, grace, and health, and especially to oure dearely beloued companions which are in Christes cause, and the cause both of theyr brethren and of theyr own saluation, to put their neck willingly vnderunder the yoke of Christes crosse. How ioyfull it was to vsus to heare the reporte of Doctour Taylour and of hys godly confession. &c. I ensure you, it is hard for me to expresse.
Blessed be God, whiche was and is the geuer of that, and of all godly strength and stomacke in the tyme of aduersitie. As for the rumours that hauehave or doe goe abroad,False reporte… spread by the policye of the Papistes. eyther of our relenting or massing, we trust that they whiche knowe God and their duety towardes theyr brethren in Christ, will not be too light of credence. For it is not the slaunderers euill tongue, but a mans euil deede that can with God defile a man: and therefore with Gods grace, ye shall neuer hauehave other cause to do otherwise then ye say ye do, yt is not to doubt, but that we wi…l, by Gods grace, continue, &c. Like rumour as yee hauehave heard of our comming to London, hath bene here spread of the comming of certayne learned men, prisoners, hither from London: but as yet wee knowe no certaintie whether of these rumours is, or shalbe more true. Know you that wee hauehave you in our dayly remembraunce, and wishe you and al the rest of our foresayd companions, well in Christ.
It shuld do vsus much comfort,This letter seemeth to be written a little before, about the tyme of the burning of M. Rogers. if we might hauehave knowledge of the state of the rest of oure most dearely beloued, which in this troublesome tyme do stand in Christes cause and in the defence of ye truth thereof. Somewhat we hauehave heard of mayster Hoopers matter: but of the rest neuer a deale. We long to heare of father Crome, Doctor Sandys M. Saunders, Ueron, Beacon, Rogers. &c. wee are in good health, thankes be to God, and yet the maner of our entreating doth chaunge as sowre ale doth in summer. It is reported to vsus of our keepers, that the Uniuersitie beareth vsus heauily.Whatsoeuer fault is done, the cause is layd vpō the poore Christians. A cole chaunced to fall in the night out of the chimney, and burnt a hole in the floore: and no more harme was done, the Balyffes seruauntes sittyng by the fire. An other night there chaunced (as mayster Bailiffes told vsus) a dronken fellow to multiply wordes, and for the same he was set in Bocardo. Upon these things (as is reported) there is risen a rumour in the towne and country about, that we should hauehave broken the prison with such violence, as if mayster Bayliffes had not playde the prettye men, we should hauehave made a scape. We had out of our pryson a wall that we might hauehave walked vponupon, and our seruauntes had libertie to goe abroad in the towne or fieldes but now both they and we are restrayned of both.
My Lord of Worcester passed by through Oxford, but he did not visite vsus.M. Ridley and his fellow prisoners in Bocardo, restrayned of their libertye; The same day beganne our restraynt to be more, and the booke of the Communion was taken from vsus by the Bayliffes, at the Maiors commaundement, as the Bayliffes did report to vsus. No man is licensed to come vntounto vsus: afore they might, that woulde see vsus vppon the wall: but that is so grudged at, and so euill reported, that we are now restrayned. &c. Sir, blessed be god with all our euill reportes, grudges, and restrayntes, we are merry in God, and all our cure and care is and shall be (by Gods grace) to please and serue him, of whom we look and hope after this temporal and momentany miseries, to hauehave eternall ioye and perpetuall felicitie with Abraham,The ingratitude of the scholars in not visiting the Bishops in Bocardo. Isaac, and Iacob, Peter, and Paule, and all the heauenly company of the Aungels in heauen, through Iesus Christ our Lord. As yet there was neuer learned man, nor anye scholer, or other that visited vsus since we came into Bocardo, which nowe in Oxforde may be called a Colledge of *Bocardo a Colledge of Quondams.Quondams. For as ye know, wee be no fewer then three and I dare say, eueryevery one wel contented with his portion which I do reckē to be our heauenly fathers fatherly good and gracious gift.Anno. 1555. October. Thus fare you well. We shal by Gods grace one day meete together, and be merry. The day assuredly approcheth apace: The Lorde graunt that it maye shortly come. For before that daye come, I feare me the world will waxe worse and worse. But then all our enemies shalbe ouerthrowne and troden vnderunder foote: righteousnes and truth then shall hauehave the victory, and beare the bell away, whereof the Lorde graunt vsus to be partakers and al that loueth truely the truth.
We al pray you, as ye can, to cause all our commendations to be made to all such as ye know did visite vsus and you, when we were in the Tower, with their frendly remembraunces and benefites. Maistresse Wilkenson and maistresse Warcup hauehave not forgottē vsus, but euer since we came to Bocardo, with their charitable and frendly beneuolence hauehave comforted vsus:The goodnes of Mistres Wilkinson, and Anne Warcup to helpe the Bishops in Bocardo. not that els we did lacke (for God be blessed, he euer hitherto hath prouided sufficiently for vsus (but that is a great comfort, and an occasion for vsus to blesse God, when we see that he maketh them so frendly to tender vsus, whom some of vsus were neuer familiarly acquaynted withall.
Yours in Christ Nich Ridley.
¶Letter of mayster Ridley, sent to a Cosin of his.
An other letter of Bishop Ridley to his Cosin.GOds holy spirite be with you now and euer. Amen.
When I call to remembraunce (beloued Cosin) the state of those that for feare of trouble, eyther for losse of goods, wil do in the sight of the world those thinges that they know and are assured are contrary to the wyll of God,M. Ridley lamēteth the state of them which for feare of trouble doe wynde with the world and goe contrary to their conscience. I can do no lesse but lamēt theyr case, being assured the end thereof will be so pittifull (without speedy repentaunce) that I tremble and feare to hauehave it in remembraunce. I would to God it lay vponupon some earthly burden so that freedome of conscience might be geuen vntounto them. I wrote (as God knoweth) not of presumption, but onelyonly lamenting the state of those, whome I thought now in this dangerous time should hauehave geuen both you and me comfortable instructions. But (alas) in steade thereof we hauehave instructions to folow (I lament me to rehearse it) superstitious Idolatrye. Yea, and that woorst of all is, they wil seeke to proue it by the Scriptures. The Lord for his mercy turne their hartes. Amen. Commend me. &c.
Yours, Nicholas Ridley.
¶To Mayster Bradford.
BRother Bradford, I wishe you and your company in Christ,An other worthy letter of B. Ridley to M. Bradford. yea and al the holy brotherhood that now with you in diuers prisons suffereth and beareth paciētly christes crosse for the mayntenance of his Gospell, grace, mercy and peace from God the father, and from our Lord Iesus Christ.
Sir, considering the state of this chiualrie and warfare wherin I doubt not but we be set to fight vnderunder Christes banner,Two mayne pillers holding vp the Sinagogue of Sathā. 1. False doctrine of the Sacrament 2. The Popes primacye. Apoc. 8. Sathans poyson paynted ouer with fayre pret…nces of Religion. Apoc. 2. and his crosse agaynst our ghostly enemy ye deuill and the old serpent Satan, me thinke I perceiue 2. things to be hys most perilous and moste daungerous engynes whiche he hath to impugne Christes veritie, hys gospell, and hys fayth: and the same two also to be the most massy postes, and most mightye pillers, whereby hee mayntayneth and vpholdeth his Satanical sinagogue. These two, sir are they, in my iudgement: the one, his false doctrine & idolatrical vse of the Lordes supper, and the other, yt wicked and abhominable vsurpation of the premacy of ye See of Rome. By these two Satan seemeth to me principally to mayntayne and vphold hys kingdome: by these two he driueth downe mightily (alas) I feare me, the third parte of the stars in heauen. These two poysonfull rotten posts he hath so paynted ouer with such a pretense and colour of Religion, of vnitie in Christes Churche, of the Catholicke fayth, and such like, that the wily serpent is able to deceiue (if it were possible) euen the elect of God. Wherfore Iohn sayd not without great cause: If any know not Satans subtleties and the profundities thereof, I will wishe him no other burden to be laden withall.
Syr, because these be hys principall and mayne postes whereupon standeth all his falsehoode, crafte, and trechery, therfore according to ye poore power that God hath geuen me, I hauehave bended mine artillary to shoote at ye same. I knowe it to be but little (God knoweth) that I can doe and of my shotte I knowe they passe not. Yet I will not (God willing) cease to doe the best that I can, to shake those cankered and rotten postes. The Lorde graunt me good successe, to the glory of hys name, and ye furtherance of Christes Gospell. I hauehave now already (I thanke God) for this present tyme spent a good parte of my ponder in these scriblinges,B. Ridley… purpose to liue and dy… vponupon the enemyes of Christ and of the Gospell. wherof this bearer shal geue you knowledge. Good brother Bradford, let the wicked surmise and say what they list, know you for a certaintie, by GODS grace, without all doubt, that in Christes Gospelles cause agaynst and vponupon the foresayd Gods enemies, I am fully determined to liue and dye. Fare well deare brother, and I beseeche you and al the rest of our brethren, to hauehave good remembraunce of the condemned heretiques (as they call them) of Oxford, in your prayers. The bearer shall certifie you of our state. Farewell in the Lorde. From Bocardo.
Yours in Christ Nicholas Ridley.