Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 14 · Letter 2
¶A treatise or a letter written by D. Ridley, in steade of his last farewell, to all hys true and faythfull friendes in God, with a sharpe admonition withall vntounto the Papistes.
AT the name of Iesus let eueryevery knee bow, both of thynges in heauen, and thynges in earth,The first farewell of B. Ridley to his friendes. and things vnderunder the earth, and let eueryevery tongue confesse, that Iesus Christ is the lord vntounto ye glory of God the Father, Amen.
As a man mynding to take a farre iourney, and to depart from his familiar frendes, commonly and naturally hath a desire, to bidde his frendes farewell, before his departure: so lykewise now I looking daylye, when I should be cauled to depart hence from you, (O all ye my dearely beloued brethren, & sisters in our Sauiour Christ that dwell here in this worlde) hauing a lyke mynde towardes you all (and blessed be God for such tyme and leasure, whereof I right hartely thanke his heauenly goodnesse:) to byd you all my deare brethren & sisters (I saye in Christ) that dwell vponupon the earth, after such maner as I can, Farewell.
Farewell my deare brother George Shipside, whom I hauehave euer found faythfull, trusty, and louyng in all s…ate and conditions, and now in the tyme of my crosse, ouer al other to me most frendly and stedfast, and that which lyked me best, ouer all other thynges, in Gods cause euer hartye.
Farewell my deare sister Alice his wyfe. I am glad to heare of thee,Commendation of George Shipside his brother in lawe. that thou doest take Christes crosse which is layd now (blessed be God) both on thy backe and myne, in good part. Thanke thou God that hath geuen thee a godly and louyng husband: see thou honour hym, and obey hym, accordyng to Gods law, Honour thy mother in law hys mother, and louelove all those that pertaine vntounto him, beyng redy to do them good, as it shall lye in thy power. As for thy children, I doubt not of thy husband, but that hee which hath geuen him an hart to louelove and feare God, and in God them that pertaine vntounto him, shall also make hym friendly and beneficiall vntounto thy children, euen as if they had bene gotten of his owne body.
To his brother Iohn Ridley.Farewell my welbeloued brother Iohn Ridley of the Waltoun, and you my gentle and louing sister Elizabeth: whom besides the naturall league of amitie, your tender louelove, which you were sayde euer to beare towardes mee aboue the rest of your brethren, doth bynde mee to louelove. My mynde was to hauehave acknowledged this your louyng affection, and to hauehave acquited it with deedes and not with wordes alone. Your daughter Elizabeth I bid farewell, whome I louelove for the meeke and gentle spirite that God hath geuen her, which is a precious thyng in ye sight of God.
To his sister in lawe of vnthanke, wife to Hugh his brother.Farewell my beloued sister of Unthanke, with al your children nephewes and neeces. Since the departing of my brother Hugh, my mynd was to hauehave bene vntounto them in stead of their father, but the Lord God must and wyll bee their father, if they will louelove hym and feare hym, and lyue in the trade of hys law.
To his Cosin M. Nicholas Ridley.Farewel my welbeloued and worshipful Cosins, M. Nich. Ridley of Willimountswike, and your wyfe, and I thanke you for all your kindnes shewed both to me, and also to all your owne kinsfolke and myne. Good Cosine, as God hath set you in our stocke and kindered (not for any respect of your person, but of hys aboundaunt grace and goodnesse, to be as it were the belweather to order, & conduct the rest, and hath also endued you with hys manifold gyfts of grace, both heauenly and worldly aboue others: so I pray you good Cosin (as my trust and hope is in you) continue and encrease in the maintenaunce of the truth, honesty, righteousnesse, and all true godlinesse, and to the vttermost of your power, to withstand falshoode, vntruth, vnrighteousnesse, and all vngodlinesses, whiche is forbidden and condemned by the worde and Lawes of God.
To his Cosin Rafe Ridley.Farewell my young Cosin Rafe Whitfield. Oh your tyme was very short with mee. My mynde was to hauehave done you good, and yet you caught in that litle time a losse, but I trust it shall bee recompensed, as it shall please almighty God.
To all his kindred.Farewel all my whole kinred and countreymen, farewell in Christ altogether. The Lord which is the searcher of secrets, knoweth that according to my harts desire, my hope was of late that I should hauehave come among you, & to hauehave brought with me aboundance of Christes blessed Gospell, according to the duetie of that office and ministerie,B. Ridley appoyn…ed to be B. of Durham. whereunto among you I was chosen, named, and appointed by the mouth of that our late peerelesse Prince K. Edward, and so also denounced openly in his Court, by his priuy Counsaile.
I warne you all my welbeloued kinsfolke & countrymen, that ye be not amased or astonied at the kynde of my departure, or dissolution: for I ensure you, I thinke it the most honour that euer I was called vntounto in all my lyfe, and therefore I thanke my Lord God hartily for it,Martyrdome Gods singular and rare promotion. that it hath pleased him to call me of his great mercy vntounto this high honour, to suffer death willingly for his sake, and in hys cause: vntounto the which honour he hath called the holy Prophetes and dearely beloued Apostles, and his blessed chosen Martyrs. For know ye that I doubt no more but that the causes wherefore I am put to death, are Gods causes, and the causes of the truth, then I doubt that the Gospell which Iohn wrote, is the Gospell of Christ, or that Paules Epistles are the very word of God. And to hauehave a hart willyng to abide, and stand in Gods cause and in Christes quarell euen vntounto death, I ensure thee (O mā) it is an inestimable and an honourable gift of God, geuen onelyonly to the true elects and derely beloued childrē of God, and inheritours of the kingdome of heauen. For the holy Apostle and also Martyr in Christes cause S. Peter, saith: If ye suffer rebuke in the name of Christ,1. Peter. 4. that is, in Christes cause, and for hys truths sake, then are ye happy and blessed, for the glory of the spirit of God resteth vponupon you. If for rebukes sake suffred in Christes name, a mā is pronounced by the mouth of that holy Apostle, blessed & happy: How much more happy & blessed is hee that hath the grace to suffer death also? Wherefore, all ye that bee my true louers and friends, reioyce, and reioyce with mee againe, & render with me hartie thanks to God our heauē ly father, that for his sonnes sake my sauiour & redeemer Christ,A blessed thing to suffer death for Christ. he hath vouchsafed to call me, beyng els without his gracious goodnes, in my selfe but a sinnefull & a vyle wretch, to call me (I say) vntounto this high dignitie of hys true Prophets, of his faithfull Apostles, & of his holy elect & chosen Martyrs, that is, to dye and to spend this temporall lyfe in the defence & maintenance of his eternal and euerlasting truth.
Ye know that be my Countreymen dwelling vppon the borders,If … dye w…h his … vpō thee…es for wor…ly goo…s, how m…ch more then to dye in Chri…es …uarell vpo… the enemye of his Church. where (alas) the true man suffereth oftentymes muche wrong at the thieues hande, i… it chaunce a man to be slayne of a thiefe (as it oft chanceth there) which went out with his neighbour to helpe him to rescue hys goods agayne, that the more cruelly he bee slayne, and the more stedfastly he stucke by his neighbour in the fight agaynst the face of the thiefe, the more fauour and frendship shall all his posteritie hauehave for the slayne mans sake, of all them that be true, as long as the memory of his fact, and his posteritie doth endure: Euen so, ye that be my kinsefolke and countreymen, know ye (how so euer the blynd, ignorant, & wicked world hereafter shall rayse vppon my death, which thyng they cānot do worse then their fathers did, of the death of Christ our Sauiour, of his holye Prophets, Apostles & Martyrs:) know ye (I say) yt both before God & all them that be godly, and that truly kn…w, & follow the lawes of God, ye hauehave, and shall hauehave by gods grace euer cause to reioyce, & to thanke God highly, and to thinke good of it, and in God to reioyce of me your fleshe & bloud, whom God of his gracious goodnes, hath vouchsafed to associate vntounto the blessed cōpany of his holy Martyrs in heauen, and I doubt not in the infinite goodnes of my Lord God, nor in the faithful fellowship of his elect & chosen people, but at both their hands in my cause, ye shall rather finde the more fauour and grace: For the Lord saieth, that he will be both to them and theyrs that louelove him, the more louyng agayne in a thousand generations: the Lord is so full of mercy to them (I say) and theirs which doe louelove hym in deed. And Christ saith againe,Deut. 7. Iohn. 15. that no mā can shew more louelove, then to geue his lyfe for his friend.
Now also knowe ye, all my true louers in God, my kinsfolke and Countreymen, that the cause wherefore I am put to death, is euen after the same sort and condition, but touching more neere Gods cause, & in more waightie matters, but in the general kynd all one. For both is gods cause, both is in the maintenance of right, and both for the common wealth, & both for the weale also of the Christiā brother: although yet there is in these two no small difference both concernyng the enimies, the goods stolne, & the maner of the fight. For know ye all,To dye in any right, whatsoeuer it be, is to dye in Gods cause. that lyke as there whē the poore true mā is robbed by the thiefe of his own goods truly gotten, (whereupon he and his househould should lyue) he is greatly wronged, & the thiefe in stealing & robbyng with violence the poore mās goods, doth offend god, doth transgres his law, and is iniurious both to the poore man, and to the common welth: so I say, know ye all that euen here in the cause of my death it is with the Church of England, I meane the congregation of the true chosen children of GOD in this Realme of England, whiche I knowledge not only to be my neighbours, but rather the congregation of my spirituall brethren, & sisters in Christ, yea, members of one body, wherein by Gods grace I am and hauehave bene grafted in Christ.To dye in the truth against theeues, and to dye for the truth agaynst Christes enemyes, compared. This Church of England had of late of the infinite goodnesse and aboundaunt grace of almighty God, great substaunce, great riches of heauenly treasure, great plenty of Gods true and sincere worde, the true and wholesome administration of Christes holy Sacramentes, the whole profession of Christes Religion, truely and plainely set foorth in Baptisme, the playne declaration & vnderstandyng of the same, taught in the holye Catechisme, to hauehave bene learned of all true Christians.
This Church had also a true and sincere forme & maner of the Lordes Supper, wherein,Truth taught in the Church of England. accordyng to Iesus Christes owne ordinaunce, and holy institution, Christes commaundementes were executed and done. For vponupon the bread and wyne set vppon the Lordes Table, thankes were geuen, the commemoration of the Lords death was had, the bread in the remembrance of Christes body torne vponupon the crosse, was broken,True ministration of the Lordes Supper. and the cuppe in the remembraunce of Christes bloud shed, was distributed and both communicated vntounto all that were present, and would receyue them, and also they were exhorted of the Minister so to doe.
All was done openly in the vulgar tong, so that eueryevery thyng might be both easily heard, & plainly vnderstand of all the people, to Gods high glorye, and the edification of the whole Church. This Church had of late the whole diuine seruice, all common and publike prayers ordeined to be said and heard in the common congregation, not onelyonly framed and fashioned to the true vayne of holy scripture, but also set foorth accordyng to the commaundement of the Lord, and S. Paules doctrine for the peoples edification,Seruice in th… vulgare to…gue. in their vulgare tong.
It had also holy and wholesome Homelies, in commendation of the principall vertues: which are commended in Scripture, and likewyse other Homelies agaynst the most pernicious and capitall vices that vseth (alas) to raigne in this Realme of England.… This Church had in matters of controuersie, Articles so penned and framed alter the holy Scripture, and grounded vponupon the true vnderstandyng of Gods word,… that in short tyme if they had bene vniuersally receiued, they should hauehave bene able to hauehave set in Christes Church much concorde and vnitie in Christes true religion, and to hauehave expelled many false errors and heresies, wherewith this Church (alas) was almost ouergone.
But (alas) of late into this spirituall possession of the heauēly treasure of these godly riches,… are entred in theues that hauehave robbed and spoyled all this heauenly treasure away. I may well complayne on these thyngs, and cry out vponupon them with the Prophet, saying: Deus venerunt gentes in haereditatem tuam, &c. Psal. 72. O Lord God, the Gentiles, Heathen nations are come into thy heritage: They hauehave defiled thy holy Temple, and made Ierusalem an heape of stones, that is, They hauehave broken & beaten down to the ground thy holy Citie. This Heathenish generatiō, these thieues of Samaria,… these Sabei and Chaldei, these robbers hauehave rushed out of their dennes, and hauehave robbed the Church of England, of all the foresayd holy treasure of God: they hauehave caried it away, and ouerthrown it, and in stead of Gods holy worde, the true and right administration of Christes holy Sacramentes, as of Baptisme and others,… they mixte theyr ministerie with mens foolish fantasies, and many wicked and vngodly traditions withall.
In stead of the Lordes holy Table, they geue the people with much solemne disguising, a thyng which they cal their Masse, but in deed and in truth, it is a very masking and mockerie of the true Supper of the Lord, or rather I may call it a crafty iuglyng,… whereby these false theeues & iuglers hauehave bewitched the myndes of the simple people, that they hauehave broght them from the true worship of god, vntounto pernicious idolatry, and make them to beleeue that to be Christ our Lord and Sauiour, which in deed is neither God nor man, nor hath any lyfe in it selfe, but in substance is the creature of bread and wyne, and in vse of the Lordes Table, is the Sacrament of Christes bodye and bloud: and for this holy vse, for the whiche the Lord hath ordained them in hys table, to represent vntounto vsus his blessed body torne vponupon the crosse for vsus, and his bloude there shed, it pleased him to call them his body & bloud, whiche vnderstanding, Christ declareth to be his true meanyng, when he sayth: Do this in the remembraunce of me. And agayne,Luke. 22. Saint Paule likewyse doth set out the same more plainly, speaking of the same Sacrament, after the words of the consecration, saieng: As often as ye shall eat of this bread, and drinke of this cup, ye shall set forth (he meaneth with the same) the Lordes death vntill his commyng agayne.… And here agayne these thieues hauehave robbed also the people of the Lordes cup, contrary to the plaine words of Christ, written in his Gospell.
Nowe, for the common publike prayers whiche were in the vulgare tongue, these theeues hauehave brought in agayne a strange tongue,… whereof the people vnderstande not one worde. Wherein what doe they els, but robbe the people of their Diuine seruice, wherein they ought to pray together with the minister, and to pray in a strange tong, what is it, but (as Saint Paule calleth it) barbarousnesse, childishnes, vnprofitable folly, yea, and plaine madnesse?
…For the godly Articles of vnitie in religion, & for the wholesome Homelies, what doe these Thieues place in the stead of them, but the Popes Lawes and Decrees, lying Legends, fayned fables and miracles to delude and abuse the simplicitie of the rude people. Thus this robbery and theft is not onelyonly committed, nay, sacriledge and wicked spoyle of heauenly thyngs, but also in the stead of the same, is brought in and placed, the abhominable desolation of the tyrant Antiochus, of proud Senacherib, of the shamelesse faced kyng, and of the Babilonicall beast. Unto this robbery, this theft and sacrilege, for that I cannot cō sent, nor (God willyng) neuer shall so long as the breath is in my body, because it is blasphemy agaynst God, hygh treason vntounto Christ our heauenly kyng, Lord, Maister, & our onelyonly Sauiour and redeemer, it is playne contrary to Gods word,… Chri…, is contrary to Gods word, is a subuersion of … godlines, and destruction to mans soule. and to Christes Gospell, it is the subuersion of all true godlinesse, and agaynst the euerlastyng saluation of myne owne soule, and of all my brethren and sisters, whom Christ my Sauiour hath so dearely bought, wyth no lesse price, then with the effusion and shedyng foorth of hys most precious bloud. Therfore, all ye my true louers in God, my kinsfolke and countreymen, for this cause (I say) knowe ye that I am put to death, which by Gods grace I shall willingly take, with hearty thankes to God therefore, in certayne hope without any doubtyng, to receyue at Gods hande agayne of his free mercy and grace, euerlastyng lyfe.
Although the cause of the true man slayne of the thiefe, helpyng hys neighbour to recouer hys goods agayne, and the cause wherfore I am to be put to death, in a generality is both one (as I sayd before) yet know ye that there is no small difference. These thieues agaynst whom I do stand,Comparison betweene Popishe persecutors and strong theeues. are much worse then the robbers and thieues of the borders. The goodes which they steale are much more precious, and their kynds of fight are far diuers. These thieues are worse (I say) for they are more cruell, more wycked, more false, more deceitfull and crafty: for those wyll but kill the body, but these will not sticke to kill both body and soule. Those for the generall theft and robbery, be called & are in deed theeues and robbers: but these for their spirituall kynd of robbery, are called Sacrilegi, as ye would say Church robbers. They are more wicked: for those goe about to spoyle men of worldly thynges, worldly riches, gold and siluer, & worldly substance: these go about in the wayes of the deuill their ghostly father, to steale from the vniuersall Church, and perticularly from eueryevery man, all heauenly treasure, true faith, true charity, & hope of saluation in the bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, yea to spoil vsus of our sauior Iesus Christ, of his gospel, of his heauēly spirit, & of the heauenly heritage of the kingdom of heauē, so derely purchased vntounto vsus, with the death of our maister and Sauiour Christ. These be the goodes and godly substance whereupon the christian before God must liue, and without the which he cannot lyue: These goods (I saye) these theeues, these Church robbers, go about to spoile vsus of. The which goods, as to the man of God they excell and farre passe all worldly treasure: so to withstand euen vntounto the death, such theeues as go about to spoyle both vsus & the whole Church of such goods, is most high and honourable seruice done vntounto God.
These church robbers be also much more false, crafty, and deceitfull then the theeues vponupon the borders, for these hauehave not the craft so to commend their theft, that they dare auouch it, and therefore as acknowledging themselues to be euill, they steale commonly vponupon the nyght,Popish persecutors when they are false theeues, yet will they be called true Catholickes. they dare not appeare at iudgements and Sessions, where Iustice is executed, and when they are taken and brought thether, they neuer hang any man, but they bee oft tymes hanged for theyr faults. But these Church robbers can so cloke & colour their spiritual robbery, that they can make the people to beleeue falshood to be truth, and truth falshood, good to be euill, and euill good, lyght to be darknesse, and darknesse lyght, superstition to be true religion, and Idolatry to be the true worship of God, and that which is in substance the creature of bread and wyne, to bee none other substaunce but onelye the substaunce of Christ the liuyng Lord both God and man. And with this their falshoode & craft, they can so iuggle and bewitch the vnderstanding of the simple, that they dare auouch it openly in Courte and in Towne, and feare neyther hangyng nor headyng, as the poore theeues of the borders doe, but stout and strong lyke Nembroth, dare condemne to bee burned in flamyng fire, quicke and alyue, whosoeuer wil go about to bewray their falshood.
The kynd of fight against these Churchrobbers, is also of another sort and kynd,The fight with spirituall theues, is worse then with temporall theeues. then is that which is agaynst the theeues of the borders. For there the true men go forth agaynst them with speare and launce, with bow and hyll, and all such kynd of bodily weapons as the true mē hauehave: but here as the enemies be of another nature, so the watch men of Christes flocke, the warrioures that fight in the Lordes warre, must be armed & fight with another kynd of weapons and armour. For here the enemies of GOD, the souldiours of Antichrist, although the battaile is set foorth agaynst the Church by mortall men beyng flesh and bloud, and neuerthelesse members of their father the deuill, yet for that their graund maister is the power of darknesse, their members are spirituall wickednes, wicked spirites, spirits of errors, of heresies, of all deceit and vngodlinesse, spirits of Idolatry, superstition & hypocrisy, which are called of S. Paule, Principates and powers,Ephesians. 6. Lordes of the world, rulers of the darkenes of this world, & spirituall subtleties concernyng heauenly thyngs, and therfore our weapons must be fitte and meete to fight agaynst such, not carnall nor bodily weapons, as speare & launce, but spirituall and heauenly: we must fight agaynst suche with the armour of God, not entendyng to kill their bodies, but their erroures, their false craft and heresies, their idolatry, superstition and hypocrisie, and to saue (as much as lyeth in vsus) both their bodies and soules.
And therfore as s. Paul teacheth vsus, we fight not against flesh and bloud, that is, we fight not with bodily weapon to kil the man,Ephesians. 6. but with the weapons of God to put to flight his wicked errors & vice, & to saue both body and soule. Our weapons therfore,The weapons of a christian warriour. are faith, hope, charitie, righteousnes, truth, patience, prayer vntounto God, & our sword wherwith we smite our enemies, we beat and batter, and beare downe all falshood, is the worde of God. With these weapons vnderunder the banner of the crosse of Christ we do fight, euer hauing our eye vponupon our graund maister, Duke and captaine Christ, & then we reckon our selues to triumphe & to win the crowne of euerlasting blisse, when enduryng in this battail without any shrinking or yeldyng to the enemies, after the example of our graund capitaine Christ our maister, after the example of his holy prophets, Apostles & Martyrs, when (I say) we are slaine in our mortal bodies of our enemies, & are most cruelly & without all mercy murdered down like a many of sheepe. And ye more cruell, the more painful, the more vile & spiteful is the kind of the death whereunto we bee put: the more glorious in God, the more blessed and happy we reckon, (without all doubts) our martyrdome to be.
And thus much dere louers & friends in God, my coū treyman & kinsfolke. I hauehave spoken for your comfort, lest of my death (of whose life you looked peraduenture sometymes to hauehave had honestie, pleasures & commodities) ye might be abashed or thinke any euill: wheras ye hauehave rather cause to reioyce (if ye louelove me in deed) for that it hath pleased God to cal me to a greater honor and dignitie, thē euer I did enioy before, eyther in Rochester, or in the sea of London,D. Ridley … to the Sea of Durham. or euer should hauehave had in the Sea of Durham, whereunto I was last of all elected & named: yea I count it greater honour before God in deede to dye in hys cause (whereof I nothing doubt) then is any earthly or temporal promotion or honor that can be geuen to a man in this world. And who is he that knoweth the cause to be Gods to be Christes quarel, & of his Gospell, to be the common weale of all the elect and chosen children of God, of all the inheritours of the kyngdome of heauen, who is he (I say) that knoweth this assuredly by Gods worde, and the testimony of hys owne conscience (as I thorough the infinite goodnesse of GOD, not of my selfe, but by his grace acknowledge my selfe to doe) who is hee (I saye) that knoweth this and both loueth and feareth GOD in deed and in truth,The cause of Martyrs is the common cause of Christ, and of … his elect Saintes. loueth and beleeueth his maister Christ and his blessed Gospel, loueth his brotherhoode the chosen children of God, and also lusteth and longeth for euerlasting lyfe, who is he (I say agayne) that would not or can not finde in his hart in this cause to be content to die? The Lord forbidde that any such should bee that should forsake this grace of God.Let no man fo…acke to dye … a blessed … common quarell. I trust in my Lord God, the GOD of mercies & the Father of all comfort through Iesus Christ our Lord, that he which hath put this mynd, will, & affection by his holy spirit in my hart to stand against the face of the enemy in his cause, and to chuse rather the losse of al my worldly substance, yea, and of my lyfe too, then to deny his known truth, that he will comfort me, ayde mee, and strengthen me euermore euen vntounto the end, and to the yeldyng vp of my spirit & soule into hys holy hands, whereof I most hartily beseech his most holy sacred Maiestie of his infinite goodnes and mercy, through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Now that I hauehave taken my leaue of my countriemen and kinsfolke,To his friendes in Cambridge. and the Lord doth lend me lyfe, and geueth me laisure, I will bid my other good friends in God of other places also, farewell. And whom first or before other, then the Uniuersitie of Cambridge, wheras I hauehave dwelt longer, found more faithfull and hartie friendes, receyued more benefits (the benefits of my naturall parents onelyonly excepted) then euer I did euen in myne own natiue countrey wherein I was borne.
Farewel therfore Cambridge my louyng mother and tender nurse.Benefites shewe… to D. Ridley in Cambridge. If I should not acknowled thy manifold benefits, yea if I should not for thy benefits at the least louelove thee agayne, truly I were to be counted to vngrate & vnkynde. What benefites hadst thou euer, that thou vsest to geue & bestow vppon thy best beloued children, that thou thoughtest too good for me? Thou didst bestowe on mee all thy schoole degrees, of thy common offices, the Chaplaynship of the vniuersitie, the office of the Proctorship, & of a common Reader, & of thy priuate commodities & emoluments in colledges? what was it that thou madest me not partner of? First to be scholer, then to be fellow, & after my departure from thee, thou calledst me againe to a maistership of a right worshipful colledge. I thanke thee my louing mother for al this thy kindnes, and I pray God that his lawes and the sincere gospell of Christ, may euer bee truly taught and faithfully learned in thee.
Farewell Pembroke Hall,Pembroke hall in Cā bridge. of late myne owne Colledge, my cure and my charge: what case thou art in now God knoweth, I know not wel. Thou wast euer named sithens I knew thee which is now 30. yeares agoe, to bee studious, well learned, and a great setter forth of Christes gospell, and of Gods true word: so I found thee, & blessed be God so I left thee in deed.Commendation of Pembroke hall to be a letter forth euer of the Gospell. D. Ridley learned the Epistles of S. Paule & Peter without booke in Pembroke hall. Wo is me for thee myne own deare Colledge, if euer thou suffer thy selfe by any meanes to be brought from that trade. In thy Orchard (the wals, buts and trees, if they could speake, would beare me witnes) I learned without booke almost all Paules epistles, yea, and I weene all the Canonicall epistles, saue only the Apocalyps. Of which study, although in time a great part did depart from me, yet the sweete smell thereof I trust I shall cary with me into heauen: for the profite thereof I thinke I hauehave felt in all my lyfe tyme euer after, & I ween of late (whether they abide now or no, I cannot tell) there was that did the lyke. The Lord graunt that this zeale & louelove toward that part of gods word, which is a kay & true commentary to all holy scripture, may euer abyde in that Colledge so long as the world shall endure.
From Cambridge I was called into Kente by the Archbishoppe of Caunterbury Thomas Cranmer, that most Reuerend Father and man of God, and of hym by and by sent to be Uicare of Herne in East Kent. Wherefore farewell Herne, thou worshipfull and wealthy Parishe, the first Cure whereunto I was called to minister Gods word. Thou hast heard of my mouth oft tymes the worde of GOD preached, not after the popish trade, but after Christes Gospell: Oh that the fruite had aunswered to the seede.D. Ridley called into Kent by Archbishop Cranmer. To the parishe of Herne in Kent. The godly Lady Phines in Herne parish. To the metrapoliticke sea of Canterbury. And yet I must knowledge me to bee thy debter for the doctrine of the Lordes Supper, whiche at that tyme I acknowledge God had not reueled vntounto me: but I blesse God in all that godly vertue & zeale of Gods worde, which the Lord by preachyng of his word did kindle manifestly both in the heart and in the lyfe and works of that Godly woman there, my Lady Phines: the Lord graunt that hys worde tooke lyke effect there in many other moe.
Farewell thou cathedrall church of Caunterbury, the Metrapolitike sea, whereof once I was a member. To speake things pleasant vntounto thee, I dare not for daunger of conscience, and displeasure of my Lord God, and to say what lyeth in my hart, were now to much, & I feare were able to do thee now but little good. Neuerthelesse, for the friendship I hauehave found in some there, and for charity sake I wish thee to be washed clean of all worldlines and vngodlines, that thou mayst be found of God after thy name Christes church in deed and in truth.
Farewell Rochester, sometyme my Cathedrall sea, in whom (to say the truth) I did find much gentlenesse and obedience, and I trust thou wilt not say the contrary,To the sea of Rochester. but I did vse it to Gods glory and thyne owne profit in God. Oh that thou hadst and mightst hauehave continued and gone forward in the trade of Gods lawe wherein I dyd leaue thee: then thy charge and burden should not hauehave bene so terrible and dangerous, as I suppose verily it is lyke to be (alas) on the latter day.
To Westminster other aduertisement in God I hauehave not now to say,To Westminster. then I hauehave sayd before to the Cathedrall church of Cant. & so God geue thee of his grace, that thou mayest learne in deed and in truth to please hym after his owne lawes, and thus fare you well.
Oh London, London, to whome now may I speake in thee, or whom shall I bid farewell?To the sea of London. Shall I speake to the Prebendaries of Paules? Alas, all that loued Gods word, & were the true setters forth therof, are now (as I heare say) some burnt and slaine, some exiled and banished and some holden in hard prison, and appointed daily to be put to most cruel death for Christes gospel sake. As for the rest of them, I know they could neuer brooke me well, nor I could neuer delight in them.
Shall I speake to the Sea thereof,B. Ridley deposed … the sea of London without right or iudgement. wherein of late I was placed almost, and not fully by the space of iij. yeres? But what may I say to it, being (as I heare say I am) deposed and expulsed by iudgement as an vniust vsurper of that roume. O iudgement, iudgement. Can this bee iust iudgement to condemne the chiefe minister of gods word, the pastour and bishop of the dioces, and neuer bring him into iudgement, that hee might hauehave heard what crymes were layd to his charge, nor neuer suffer him to hauehave any place or tyme to aunswer for himselfe? Thinkest thou that hereafter when true Iustice shall hauehave place, thys iudgement can euer be allowed either of God or of man? Well, as for the cause and whole matter of my deposition, & the spoil of my goods which thou possessest yet, I referre it vntounto God which is a iust iudge: and I besech God, if it be his pleasure, that that which is but my personall wrong, bee not layd to thy charge in the latter daye, this onelyonly can I pray for.
The Sea of London worthely ….O thou now wicked and bloudy Sea, why doest thou set vp agayne many aultars of Idolatry, which by ye word of God were iustly taken away? Why hast thou ouerthrowen the Lordes Table? Why doest thou dayly delude thy people, ma…king in thy Masses in stead of the Lordes holy Supper, which ought to be commō aswell (sayth Chrysostom, yea the Lord himselfe) to the people as to the priest? How darest thou denye to the people of Christ, contrarye to his expresse commaundement in the Gospell, his holye Cuppe? Why bablest thou to the people the commō prayer in a straunge tongue, wherein S. Paule commaundeth in the Lordes name, that no man should speake before the Congregation, except it shoulde bee by and by declared in theyr common tongue, that all might bee edified? Naye, harken thou Whoorishe Bande of Babylon, thou wicked lya…e of Antichrist, thou bloudy Woolfe, why slayest thou downe, and makest hauocke of the Prophetes of GOD? Why marthe rest thou so cruelly Christes poore seely sheep which will not heare thy voyce because thou art a straunger, and will folowe none other but theyr owne Pastoure Christ his voyce? Thinkest thou to escape, or that the Lord will not require the bloud of his sayntes at thy handes?… Thy GOD which is the worke of thy handes, and whom thou sayest thou hast power to make, that thy deafe and dumbe God (I say) will not in deede, nor cannot (although thou art not ashamed to call him thy maker) make thee to escape the reuenging hand of the high and almighty God. But be thou assured that the liuing Lord our Sauiour and redem…, which sitteth on the right hand of his father in glorye, he seeth all thy wicked wayes and crueltye done to his deare members, and he will not forget his holy ones, and his handes (O thou Whorish Drabbe) shalte thou neuer escape.…. Ridleys … the Episcopall … of London. To the city of London. In stead of my farewell to thee now I say, lye vponupon thee, lye vponupon thee filthy Drabbe, and all thy false Prophets.
Yet then O London, I may not leaue thee thus. Although thy Episcopall Sea, now being ioyned in League with the seate of Sathan, thus hath now both handled me and the Sayntes of God: yet I doe not doubte but in that great City there be many priuy mourners which do daily mourne for that mischie…e, the which neuer did nor shal cō sent to that wickednes, but do detest and abhorre it as the wayes of Sathan. But these priuy mourners here I wyll passe by, and bid them farewell with theyr felowes hereafter, when the place and occasion shall more conuenientlye require. Among the worshipfull of the citty, and speacially which were in office the Maioralty, yea & in other Cittyes also (whome to name nowe it shall not be necessary) in the time of my ministery, which was from the latter part of sir Rowland Dules yere vntounto sir George Barnes yeare and a great part thereof, I doe acknowledge that I founde no small humanity and gentlenes, as me thought: but (to saye the truth) that I do esteme aboue al other for true christian kindnes which is shewed in Gods cause and done for hys sake.Commendation of … Richard …, Alderman & Knight. Wherfore O Dobbes, Dobbes, Alderman & knight, thou in thy yeare diddest winne my hart for euermore, for that honorable acre, that most blessed worke of God of the erection and setting vp of Christes holy Hospitalles, and truely religious houses whiche by thee, and through thee were begonne. For thou like a man of God, when the matter was mooued for the relief of Christes poore seely members to be holpen frō extreme misery, hunger and famine, thy hart (I say) was moued with pity,The creating of the hospitall by B. Ridley & … Richard Dobbes, … of London. & as Christes high honourable officer in that cause, thou calledst together thy brethren the Aldermen of the City, before whom thou brakest the matter for the poore: thou diddest plead theyr cause, yea, and not onelyonly in thine owne person thou diddest sette f…rth Christes cause, but to further ye matter yu broughtest me into the Councell Chamber of the Citty before the Aldermen alone, whome thou haddest assembled there together to heare me speake what I coulde say as an aduocate by office and duety in the poore mennes cause. The Lorde wrought with thee, and gaue thee the consent of thy Brethren: whereby the matter was broughte to the common Counsell▪ and so to the whole body of the City, by whome with an vniforme consent, it was committed to be drawn, ordered, and deuised by a certayne nūber of the most witty Citizēs and politique, endued also with godlynes, & with ready hartes to set forward such a noble acte, as coulde bee chosen in all the whole City, and they like true and faythfull Ministers▪ both to theyr City & theyr Mayster Christ, so ordered, deuised, and brought forth the matter, that thousands of sely poore mēbers of Christ, which els for extreme hunger and miserye shoulde hauehave famished and perished, shalbe relieued, holpē and brought vp, and shal hauehave cause to blesse the Aldermen of that time, the cōmon Councell & the whole body of the City, but specially thee O Dobbes, and those chosen men, by whome this honorable worke of God was begon and wroughte, and that so long throughout all ages, as ye godly worke shall endure: which I pray almighty God may or euer vntounto the worldes end. Amen.
And thou O Syr George Barnes (the trueth is to be confessed to Gods glory, and to the good example of other) thou wast in thy yeare not onelyonly a furtherer and con…i…ner of that which before thee by thy predecessour was well begunne: but also diddest labor so to hauehave perfited the work,Commendation of Syr George Barnes Maior of London. that it shoulde hauehave bene an absolute thing and a perfecte spectacle of true charity and Godlinesse vntounto all Christendome. Thyne endeuoure was to hauehave set vppe an house of occupations, both that all kinde of pouerty being able to worke, shoulde not hauehave lacked, whereupon profitably they might hauehave bene occupied to their owne reliefe & to the profite and commoditye of the common wealthe of the City, and also to hauehave retired thither, the poore Babes brought vp in the Hospitals, when they had come to a certayne age and strength, and also all those which in the hospitalles aforesayd had bene cured of theyr diseases. And to hauehave brought this to passe, thou obteynedst (not withoute great diligence and labor, both of thee & of thy brethren) of that Godly King Edwarde, that Christian and pierlesse Princes hand, his Princely place of Bridewell,Bridewell obtayned of King Edward by Syr George Barnes, to set poore people a worke. and what other thinges to the performaunce of the same, and vnderunder what condition it is not vnknowne. That this thine endeuor hath not had like successe, the fault is not in thee, but in the condition and state of the time, which the Lorde of hys infinite mercy vouchsafe to amēd when it shall be his gracious will and pleasure.
Farewell now all ye Citizens that be of God, of what state and condition so euer ye be.To the Citizens of London. Undoubtedly in London ye hauehave heard Gods word truely preached. My hartes desire and dayly prayer shalbe for you (as for whome, for my time, I know to my Lord God, I am countable) that yee neuer swarue, neyther for losse of life nor worldly goodes, from Gods holy word, and yelde vntounto Antichrist: wherevpon must needes folow the extreame displeasure of God, and the losse both of your bodies and soules into perpetuall damnation for euermore.
Nowe that I hauehave gone through the places where I hauehave dwelt anye space in the time of my pilgrimage here vponupon earth, remēbring that for the space of king Edwardes raygne, whiche was for the time of mine office in the Seas of London and Rochester, I was a member of the higher house of the Parliament:To the higher house and temporall Lordes of the Parlament. therefore (seing my God hath geuen me leisure and the remembrance therof) I will bid my Lords of the temporalty farewell. They shall hauehave no iust cause (by Gods grace, to take it that I entende to say, in ill part. As for the spirituall Prelacy that now is, I hauehave nothing to say to them, excepte I shoulde repeate agayne a great part of that I hauehave sayd before now already to the Sea of London. To you therefore my Lordes of the temporalty wil I speake, and this would I hauehave you first to vnderstande, that when I wrote this, I looked daylye when I shoulde bee called to the chaunge of this life, and thoughte that this my writinge shoulde not come to your knowledge, before the time of the dissolution of my Body and soule should be expired, and therefore know ye, that I had before mine eies onelyonly the feare of God, and christian charity toward you, which moued me to write: for of you hereafter I looke not in this worlde, either for pleasure or displeasure. If my talke shall doe you neuer so much pleasure or profit, you cānot promote me, nor if I displease you ye cannot hurte me or harme me, for I shall be out of your reach. Now therfore if you feare God, & can be content to heare the talke of him that seeketh nothing at your hands, but to serue God and to do you good: harken what I say. I say vntounto you, as S. Paule sayth to the Galathians:Gal. 3. I wonder my Lordes what hath bewitched you, that yee so sodenly are fallen from Christ vntounto Antichrist, from Christes Gospell vntounto mans traditions, from the Lorde that bought you, vntounto the bishop now of Rome.A good warning or lesson to the temporall Lordes. I warne you of your perill: be not deceiued, except you wil be foūd willingly cōsēters vntounto your own death. For if ye think thus: We are lay men, this is a matter of religion, we folowe as we are taught and led, if our teachers and gouernors teach vsus & lead vsus amisse, the fault is in thē, they shall beare the blame: My Lordes this is true (I graunt you) that both the false teacher, and the corrupt gouernour, shall be punished for the death of theyr Subiecte, whom they hauehave falsely taught and corruptly ledde, yea and his bloud shall be required at theyr handes: but yet neuerthelesse shall that Subiecte dye the deathe hymselfe also, that is, he shall also be damned for his owne sinne: for if the blinde leade the blinde, Christ sayth not the leader onelyonly, but he sayth: both shall fall into the Ditch. Shall the Sinagogue, and the Senate of the Iewes (trowe ye) which forsooke Christ and consēted to his death, therfore be excused, because Annas and Cayphas,Ezech. 3. Luke. 6. Ignorance will not excuse the temporalty being seduced in religion. with the Scribes and Pharesies and theyr Cleargy did teache them amisse? yea and also Pilate theyr Gouernour and the Emperours Lieuetenaunt by his tyranny, did without cause put him to death? Forsooth no my Lordes, no. For notwithstanding that corrupt doctrine, or Pilates washing of his handes, neither of both shall excuse either that Sinagogue and Seigniory, or Pilate: but at the Lordes hand, for the effusion of that innocent bloud, on the latter day all shall drinke of the deadly whippe. Ye are wittye and vnderstande what I meane: therfore I will passe ouer this, and return to tell you how ye are fallen from Christ to his aduersarye the Bishop of Rome.
And least, my Lords, ye may peraduenture think, thus barely to call the Bishop of Rome Christes aduersary,The Lordes of the Parliament be fallen from Christ to Christes enemy. or (to speake it in playne termes) to call him Antichrist, that it is done in mine anguish, and that I doe but rage, and as a desperate man doe not care what I say, or vponupon whō I doe rayle: therefore, that your Lordshippes may perceiue my minde, and thereby vnderstand that I speake the wordes of the trueth and sobriety (as Saynt Paule sayde vntounto Festus) bee it knowne vntounto your Lordshippes all,Act. 2…. that as concerning the Bishoppe of Rome, I neither hate the person nor the place.Many good mē in the sea of Rome. For I ensure your Lordshippes (the liuing Lorde beareth me witnesse, before whome I speake) I do thinke many a good holye man, many Martyrs and Sayntes of God hauehave sitte and taughte in that place Christes Gospell truely,So long as the Sea of Rome folowed the rules of the Apostles, it might be called Peter or Paules chayre. which therefore iustly may be called Apostolici, that is, true Disciples of the Apostles, and also that Church and Congregation of Christians to be a right Apostolicke churche, yea and that certayne hundreth yeares after the same was firste erected and builded vppon Christ, by the true Apostolicall doctrine taught by the monthes of the Apostles themselues. If ye will know how long that was and how many hundreth yeares to be curious in poynting the precise number of the yeares I will not be too bolde, but thus I say: so long and so manye hundreth yeares as that Sea did truely teache and preach that Gospell,The Church receaued of the Apostles of Christ, Christ of God. Tertull. that Religion, exercised that power, and ordered eueryevery thing by those Lawes and rules whiche that Sea receiued of the Apostles, and (as Tertullian saith) the Apostles of Christ, and Christ of God: so long (I say) that Sea might wel hauehave bene called Peter and Paules chaire and Sea, or rather Christes chaire, & the bishop thereof Apostolicus, or true disciple and Successor of the apostles, & a Minister of Christ.
But since the time that that Sea hath degenerated frō the trade of trueth and true Religion the which it receiued of the Apostles at the beginning,The sea of Rome hath degenerated from the Apostles rules and hath set vp an other religion. and hath preached an other Gospell, hath set vppe an other Religion, hath exercised an other power, and hath taken vponupon it to order and rule the Church of Christ by other straunge Lawes, Canons and Rulers then euer it receiued of the Apostles, or the Apostles of Christ, whiche thinges it doth at this daye, and hath continued so doing (alas,That is: hath excercised an other power. alas) of too too long a time: since the time (I say) that the state and condition of that Sea hath thus bene chaunged, in truth it ought of dutye and of righte to hauehave the names chaunged both of the Sea and of the sitter therein.Hath ordeyned strange lawes. For vnderstand my Lords, it was neither for the priuiledge of the place or person thereof, that that Sea and Byshop thereof were called Apostolicke: but for the true trade of Christs religion which was taught and mainteined in that Sea at the first, and of those godly men.If true doctrine maketh sea Apostolicke: then cōtrary doctrine maketh the sea to be Antichrist. And therfore as truely and iustlye as that Sea then, for that true trade of religion, and consanguinity of doctrine with the Religion and doctrine of Christes Apostles, was called Apostolicke: so as truely and as iustly for the contrariety of religion, and diuersity of doctryne from Christ and his Apostles, that Sea and the Bishoppe thereof, at this day both ought to be called, and are in deed Antichristian.
The Sea is the seate of Sathan, and the Bishop of the same,Apocalip. 17. Apocalip. 11. that mainteineth the abhominations therof, is Antichrist himselfe in deede. And for the same causes this Sea at this day is the same whiche S. Iohn calleth in his reuelation, Babilon or the Whore of Babilon, and spirituall Sodoma and Egyptus, the Mother of Fornication and of the abhominations vponupon the earth. And with this Whore doth spiritually medle and lieth with her, and committeth most stincking and abhominable adultery before God, all those kinges and Princes, yea and all nations of the earth which doe consent to her abhominations, and vse or practise the same: that is (of the innumerable multitude of them to rehearse some for example sake) her dispensations, her pardons and pilgrimages, her inuocation of Saynts,Kinges cō mitting adultery with the whore of Babilon, what it meaneth. her worshipping of Images, her false counterfayt religion in her Monkery and Fryerage, and her traditions, whereby Gods lawes are defiled: as her Massing and false Ministring of Gods word and the Sacramentes of Christ clean cōtrary to Christes word, and the Apostles doctrine, wherof in particularity I hauehave touched something before in my talke had with the Sea of London, and in other treatises more at large: wherein (if it shall please God to bring the same to light) it shal appeare I trust by Gods grace, plainly to the man of God, and to him whose rule in iudgement of Religion is Gods word, that that Religion,Apoc. 17. Daniel. …. that rule & order, that doctrine and fayth which this whore of Babylon, and the Beast whereupon she doth sit, mainteineth at this day with all violence of fire and sword, with spoyle & banishment (according to Daniels Prophecy) and finally with all falshood, deceit, hypocrisy, and all kinde of vngodlines: are as cleane contrary to Gods word, as darkenesse is vntounto light, or light vntounto darckenes, white to blacke, or blacke to white, or as Beliall vntounto Christ,He speaketh to the Lordes tē porall. or Christ vntounto Antichrist himselfe.
I know my Lordes, and foresaw when I wrote this, that so many of you as should see this my writing, not beyng before endued with the spirite of grace and the light of gods word, so many (I say) would at these my words lordlike stampe and spurne, and spitte thereat. But sober your selues with pacience and be still, and knowe ye that in my writing of this, my minde was none other, but in God (as the liuing God doth beare me witnes) both to do you profite and pleasure. And otherwise, as for your displeasure, by that time this shal come to your knowledge. I trust by gods grace to be in the hands and protection of y• ▪ almighty, my heauenly father, and the liuing Lord, which is, (as S. Iohn sayeth) the greatest of all, and then I shall not need (I trow) to feare what any Lord, no nor what kyng or prince can do vntounto me.
My Lordes, if in times past ye hauehave bene contented to heare me sometimes in matters of religion before ye prince in the Pulpit, and in the Parliament house, and hauehave not seemed to hauehave despised what I hauehave sayd (when as els if ye had perceiued iust occasion, yee might then hauehave suspected me in my talk, though it had bene reasonable, eyther desire of worldly gayne, or feare of displeasure) how hath thē your Lordshyppes more cause to harken to my word and to heare me paciently, seing now ye can not iustly think of me being in this case appoynted to dye, and lookyng dayly when I shall be called to come before the eternall iudge, otherwise but that I onelyonly study to serue my Lord God, and to say that thyng which I am perswaded assuredly by Gods woorde shall and doth please him, and profite all them to whome God shall geue grace to heare and beleue what I do say? And I do say euen that I hauehave sayd heretofore both of the Sea of Rome and of the Byshop thereof, I meane after this theyr present state at this day, Wherin if ye will not beleue the Ministers of GOD,Psalme. 4. and true preachers of his word, verely I denounce vntounto you in verbo domini, except ye do repent betime, it shall turne to your confusion, and to your smart on the latter day. Forget not what I say my Lordes, for Gods sake forget not, but remember it vponupon your bed. For I tell you moreouer, as I knowe I muste bee countable of this my talke and of my speaking thus, to the eternall Iudge (who will iudge nothing amisse) so shall you be countable of your duety in hearyng, and you shall bee charged, if ye will harken to Gods word, for not obeying to the truth. Alas my Lords, how chaunceth this, that this matter is now a new again to be perswaded vntounto you? Who would hauehave thought of late, but your Lordships had bene persuaded in deed sufficiently,If the vnity of the Popes Church standeth vponupon necessity of saluation▪ why did the Lordes of this realme abiure this vnitye in K. Henry & K. Edwardes dayes? If it be otherwise, why then doe they periure themselues turning to it agayne▪ or that ye coulde euer hauehave agreed so vniformelye with one consent to the abolishment of the vsurpation of the bishop of Rome? If that matter were then but a matter of policy wherin the prince must be obeyed, howe is it now made a matter wherin (as your Clergy sayth now, & so sayth the Popes lawes in deed) standeth the vnity of the Catholicke church, and a matter of necessity of our saluation? Hath the time, being so short since ye death of ye two last kinges, Henry the 8. & Edward his sonne, altered the nature of the matter? If it hauehave not, but was of the same nature and daunger before God then as it is now, & be now (as it is sayd by the Popes lawes, and the instructions set forth in Englishe to the curates of the dioces of Yorke) in deed a matter of necessity to saluation: how then chaunced it that ye were all (O my Lordes) so light, and so litle passed vponupon the catholicke faith and the vnity therof (without the which no man can be saued) as for your Princes pleasures, which were but mortall men, to forsake the vnity of your catholick fayth, that is, to forsake Christ and his gospell? And furthermore, if it were both then and nowe is so necessary to saluation, how chaunced it also that ye, all the whole body of the Parliament agreeing with you, did not onelyonly abolish and expell the Bishop of Rome, but also did abiure him in your owne persons, and did decree in your actes great othes to bee taken of both the spiritualtye and temporalty, whosoeuer shoulde enter into any weighty & chargeable office in the common wealth? But on the other side, if the law & decree which maketh the supremacy of the sea & bishop of Rome ouer the vniuersall church of Christ, be a thing of necessity required vntounto saluation by an Antichristian law (as it is in deed) & such instructiōs as are geuen to the Dioces of Yorke, be in deed a setting forth of the power of that beast of babilon by the craft & falshood of his false Prophetes (as of truth, compared vntounto Gods word, and truely iudged by the same, it shall playnely appere that they be) then my Lordes neuer thinke other, but the daye shall come when ye shalbe charged with this your vndoing of that, that once ye had well done, and with this your periury and breache of your othe, which othe was done in iudgement,…. 6. iustice, and truth agreable to Gods lawe. The whore of Babilon may wel for a time dally with you, and make you so dronken with the wine of her filthy stewes & whooredome (as with her dispensations and promises of pardon à poena & culpa) that for dronkennesse and blindenesse ye may think your selues safe. But be ye assured, whē the liuing Lord shall trye the matter by the fire, and iudge it according to his word, when al her abhominations shal appeare what they bee: then ye my Lordes, (I geue your Lordships warning in time) repent if ye be happy, & louelove your owne soules health, repent I say, or els wythout all doubt, ye shall neuer escape the handes of the liuing Lord, for the guilt of your periury and breach of your oth. As ye hauehave banquetted and layne by the whore in the fornication of her whorish dispensations, pardons, Idolatrye, & suche like abhominations: so shall ye drinke with her (except ye repent betime) of the cuppe of the Lordes indignation and euerlasting wrath, which is prepared for the beast, his false prophetes, and all theyr partakers. For he that is partner with them in theyr whoredome and abhominations, must also be partner with them of theyr plagues, and on the latter day shall be throwne with them into the lake burning with Brimstone and vnquenchable fire. Thus fare ye wel my Lords all. I pray God geue you vnderstanding of his blessed will and pleasure, and make you to beleue and embrace the truth. Amen.