his kingdome by these two he driveth downe mightily (alas) I feare me, the third part of the stars in heaven. These two poysonfull rotten postes he hath so painted over with such a pretence and colour of religion, of unitie in Christs church, of the catholike faith and such like, that the wily serpent is able to deceive (if it were possible) even the elect of God. Wherefore John said not without great cause: If any know not satans subtleties and the profundities thereof, I will wish him no other burden to be laden withall. (Apoc. 2.)

Sir, because these be his principall and maine postes whereupon standeth all his falshood, craft, and trecherie, therefore according to the poore power that God hath given me, I have bended mine artillerie to shoot at the same. I know it to be but little (God knoweth) that I can doe, and of my shot 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 Lord grant me good successe, to the glorie of his name, and the furtherance of Christes gospell. I have now already (I thanke God) for this present time spent a good part of my powder in these scriblings, whereof this bearer shall give you knowledge. Good brother Bradford, let the wicked surmise and say what they list; know you for a certaintie, by Gods grace, without al doubt, that in Christs gospels cause against and upon the fore

pardons, pilgrimages, and such other like popery, so long as two chiefe rootes remayne unpulled up, whereof, so long as they remayne, will spring agayne all former impediments of the Lord's harvest, and corruption of his flocke. The rest is but braunches and leaves, the cutting away whereof is but like topping and lopping of a tree, or cutting downe of weedes, leaving the body standing and the rootes in the ground; but the very body of the tree, or rather the rootes of the weedes is the popish doctrine of transubstantiation of the real presence of Christes flesh and bloud in the sacrament of the aultar (as they call it), and of the sacrifice and oblation of Christe made by the priest, for the salvation of the quicke and the dead." Preface to Defence of the Catholic Doctrine, &c. Againe, Philpot, in his examinations, says, "There be two things principallie, by the which the clergie at this day doth deceive the whole realme; that is the sacrament of the bodie and bloud of Christ, and the name of the Catholike church, the which both they do usurp, having indeede none of them both." Fox's Acts, p. 1640. Without adducing any more, we will close our authorities with bishop Jewel. "Two principal things there be that seeme to beare up the whole brunt of the religion that hath been in the world of late time; the one is the masse, and things thereunto belonging; the other is the authority of the pope." Sermons, p. 174. Edit. 1609. fol.

said God's enemies, I am fully determined to live and die. Fare well deare brother, and I beseech you and all the rest of our brethren to have good remembrance of the condemned heretickes (as they call them) of Oxford, in your prayers. The bearer shall certifie you of our state. Farewell in the Lord. From Bocardo. Yours in Christ, NICHOLAS RIDLEY.

Another Letter of maister Ridley, unto maister Bradford and other his prison-fellowes, an. 1555.

per

Dearly beloved, I wish you grace, mercie and peace. According to your mind; I have runne over all your papers, and what have I done (which is but small) therein may appeare. In two places I have put in two loose leaves. I had much adoe to read what was written in your great leaves, and I weene some where I have altered some wordes, because I could not read fectly that which was written.-Sir, what shall best be done with these thinges, now ye must consider: for if they come in sight at this time, undoubtedly they must to the fire with their father: and as for any safegard that your custodie can be unto them, I am sure you looke not for it. For as you have beene partner of the worke, so I am sure you look for none other, but to have and receive like wages, and to drinke of the same cup. Blessed be God that hath given you libertie in the meane season, that you may use your penne to his glorie, and the comfort (as I hear say) of many. I blesse God dayly in you, and all your whole companie, to whome I beseech you commend me heartilie. Now I love my country-man in deed and in trueth, I meane doctor Taylour, not for my earthlie countreyes sake, but for our heavenlie Fathers sake, and for Christes sake, whome I heard saie, hee did so stoutly in time of perill confesse; and yet also for our countreys sake and for all our mothers sake, but I meane of the kingdome of heaven, and of heavenly Jerusalem: and because of the spirite, which bringeth forth in him, in you, and in your companie such blessed fruites of boldnesse in the Lordes cause, of patience and constancie. The Lord which hath begun this work in you

Your papers.] "This was a treatise of the Lord's Supper, with other things which M. Bradford sent him to peruse, and to judge thereof." Fox's Margin. The Treatise on the Lord's Supper was printed, with a Preface, by Tho. Sampson, A. D. 1581. 12mo.

all, performe and perfect this his owne deed, untill his owne day come, Amen.

And yet I perceive ye have not beene baited'; and the cause thereof God knoweth, which will let them doe no more to his, than is his blessed will and pleasure to suffer them to doe for his owne glorie, and to the profite of them which bee truely his. For the Father which doth guide them that be Christes to Christ, is more mightie than all they, and no man is able to pull them out of the Fathers hands: except I say, it please our Father, it please our maister Christ to suffer them, they shall not stir one haire of your heads.

My brother P. the bearer heereof, and maister Hoopers letters would that we would say what we thinke good concerning your mind, that is, not for to answere except yee might have somewhat indifferent judges. Wee are (as ye knowe) separated, and one of us cannot in anie thing consult with another, and much streight watching of the bailiffes is about us, that there be no privie conference amongst us. And yet as wee hear, the schollers beareth us more heavily than the townsmen. A wonderfull thing, among so manie, never yet scholler offered to anie of us (so farre as I know) any maner of favour, either for in Christs cause.

Now as concerning your demaund of our counsell, for my part I doe not mislike that which I perceive yee are minded to doe. For I looke for none other, but if yee answere afore the same commissioners that we did, ye shall be served and handled as we were, though ye were as well learned as ever was either Peter or Paule. And yet further I think, that occasion afterward may be given you, and the consideration of the profite of your auditorie may perchance move you to doe otherwise.

:

Finallie, determinately to say what shall be best, I am not able but I trust he, whose cause ye have in hand, shall put you in mind to doe that which shall be most for his glorie, the profite of his flocke, and your owne salvation. This letter must be common to you and maister Hooper, in whome and in his prison

• Not beene baited.] This refers to a projected design of carrying Bradford, Hooper, Ferrar, Taylor, &c. down to Cambridge to hold a public disputation there, after the manner of that with Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer at Oxford. Ridley's Life of Bishop Ridley, p. 521. See also a letter from Hooper to Ferrar, Taylor, Bradford, and Philpot, in Letters of the Martyrs, p. 101-3. It is the letter, probably, which is here mentioned by Ridley. The date is May 6, 1554.

fellow good father Crome I blesse God, even from the bottome of my heart: for I doubt not but they both doe to our maister, Christ, true, acceptable, and honourable service, and profitable to his flocke: the one with his pen, and the other with his fatherly example of patience and constancie, and all maner of true godlinesse. But what shall I neede to say to you, let this be common among your brethren, among whom (I dare say) it is with you as it is with us, to whome all thinges heere are common, meat, money, and whatsoever one of us hath, that can or may doe another good. Although I said the bailiffes and our hostesse streitly watch us, that we have no conference or intelligence of anie thing abroad, yet hath God provided for every one of us in steed of our servants, faithfull fellowes, which will be content to heare and see, and to doe for us whatsoever they can. It is Gods worke surely, blessed be God for his unspeakable goodnes. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communication of the Holy Ghost be with you all, Amen, amen.

As far as London is from Oxford, yet thence we have received1 of late, both meat, money, and shirtes, not onelie from such as are of our acquaintance, but of some (whom this bearer can tell) with whom I had never to my knowledge any acquaintance. I know for whose sake they doe it: to him therefore bee all honour, glorie, and due thankes.

And yet I praie you doe so much as to shewe them that wee have received their benevolence, and (God be blessed) have plenty of all such thinges. This I desire you to doe: for I know they be of M. Hoopers and your familiar acquaintance. Maister Latimer was crased: but I heare now (thanks be to God) that he amendeth againe.

have victum et amictum e penario regio ?"

2

NICHOLAS RIDLEY.

1 We have received.] It is a consolation to find that all were not like the learned men at Oxford. In two others of his letters to Bradford, Ridley says, "I am sure you have heard of our new apparel, and I doubt not but London will have their talke of it." And, "Do you not know that we Martyr's Letters, p. 68, 9. edit. 1564. * Latimer was crased.] I know no other foundation besides this word (erased) for Dr. Gloucester Ridley's speaking in his Life of bishop Ridley, p. 531, of a "disorder in his brain, which the hard usage in his old age had brought upon Latimer." I apprehend that his indisposition was only some aggravation, in consequence of his confinement, of the wounds which he had received by the fall of a tree, from which he had been “ bruised;" and in consequence of which he complained to the commissioners

7

sore

Another Letter of maister Ridley unto maister Bradford.

Oh deare brother, seeing the time is now come wherein it pleaseth the heavenly Father for Christ our saviours sake, to call upon you, and to bidde you to come, happy are you that ever you were borne, thus to be found awake at the Lords calling. Well good servant and faithful, because thou hast bin trusty in small matters, he shall set thee over great things and thou shalt enter into the joy of thy Lord.

O deare brother, what meaneth this, that you are sent into your owne native countrey?-The wisedome and policie of the world may meane what they will, but I trust God will so order the matter finally by his fatherly providence, that some great occasion of Gods gracious goodnesse shall be plentifully powred abroad amongst his, our deere brethren in that country, by this your martyrdome. Where the martyrs for Christes sake shed their bloud, and lost their lives; oh what wondrous thinges hath Christ afterward wrought to his glorie, and confirmation of their doctrine! If it be not the place that sanctifieth the man, but the holie man doth by Christ sanctifie the place, brother Bradford, then happy and holy shal be that place, wherein thou shalt suffer and shalt be with thy ashes in Christs cause sprinkled over it withall. All thy countrey may rejoice of thee, that ever it brought forth such a one, which would render his life againe in His cause, of whom he had received it. Brother Bradford, so long as I shall understand thou art in thy journey, by Gods grace I shall call upon our heavenly Father for Christs sake, to set thee safely home and then good brother speake you, and pray for the

at Oxford; "I beseech your lordships to set a better order heere at your entrance for I am an old man, and have a verie evill backe, so that the press of the multitude doth me much harme." See vol. ii. p. 658.

That the word crased is not confined solely to intellectual derangements might, if it were necessary, be established by authorities such as the following. "Her body dayly" (says bishop Fisher, speaking of his pious patroness the lady Margaret, countess of Richmond, in a sermon preached on occasion of her death) "sholde have waxen more unweldy, her syghte sholde have be derked, and her herynge sholde have dulled more and more, her legges sholde have fayled her by and by, and all the other partys of her body waxe more crased every daye," p. 29. edit. 1708; or, this, "Mr. Dean of Worcester" (afterwards the famous bishop Hall) is very crazy and sickly of late, and keeps his chamber, neither hath he been in the synod some of these last sessions." Hales's Remains, p. 430.