negligence on my behalf, and despairing or murmuring towards thee, shall become diligent through thy mean, and alone grace; which give me and increase in me, to praise thy holy name for ever, through Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

There is nothing that maketh more to the true godliness of life than this, the persuasion of thy presence, dear Father, and that nothing is hid from thee; but all to thee is open and naked, even the very thoughts, which one day thou wilt reveal and open, either to our praise or punishment in this life; as thou didst David's faults, which he did secretly, 2 Kings xii. or in the life to come, Matt. xxv. for nothing is so hid, that shall not be revealed; therefore doth the prophet say, Woe to them that keep secret their thoughts, to hide their counsel from the Lord, and do their works in darkness, saying, Who seeth us?

Grant to me, therefore, that I may find mercy and pardon for all my sins, especially my hid and close sins. Enter not into judgment with me, I humbly beseech thee; give me to believe truly in thy Christ, so that I may never come into judgment for them; that with David I might so reveal them, and confess them unto thee, that thou wouldest cover them. And grant further, that I always think myself continually conversant before thee; so that if I do well, I pass not of the publishing of it, as hypocrites do; if I do or think any evil, I may forthwith know, that the same shall not always be hid from men. Grant that always I may have in mind that day, wherein the hid works of darkness shall be illumined, and the sentence of thy Son, Nothing is so secret, that shall not be revealed. So in trouble and wrong I shall find comfort, and otherwise be kept through thy grace from doing evil. Which do thou work, I humbly beseech thee, for Christ's sake. Amen. Soli Deo honor et gloria. 1554.

JOHN BRADFORD.

No. 47.*

A Letter which the Martyr, Bradford, set as a preface before a Supplication sent to Queen Mary, her Council, and the whole Parliament.

IN most humble wise complaineth unto your Majesty and Honours, a poor subject persecuted for the confession of Christ's verity; the which verity deserveth at your hands to be maintained and defended, as the thing by the which you reign, and have your honours and authorities.

Although we that be professors, and through the grace of God, the constant confessors of the same, are, as it were, the out-sweepings of the world; yet, I say, the verity itself is a thing not unworthy for your ears to hear, for your eyes to see, and for your hands to handle, help, and succour; according to that the Lord hath made you able, and placed you where you are, for the same purpose. Your Highness and Honours ought to know, that there is no innocency in words or deeds, where it is enough and sufficeth, only to accuse. It behoveth kings, queens, and all that be in authority, to know, that in the administration of their kingdoms, they are God's ministers. It behoveth them to know, that they are no kings, but plain tyrants, who reign not to this end, that they may serve and set forth God's glory, after true knowledge. And therefore it is required of them, that they should be wise, and suffer themselves to be taught; to submit themselves to the Lord's discipline, and to kiss their sovereign, lest they perish.

As all these potentates with their principalities and dominions, cannot long prosper but perish indeed, if they and their kingdoms be not ruled with the sceptre of God, that is with his word; which whoso honoureth not, honoureth not God; and they that honour not

Fox iii. 351. Cov. 476.

the Lord, the Lord will not honour them, but bring them into contempt; and at the length take his own cause, which he hath most chiefly committed unto them to care for, into his own hands, and so overthrow them, and set up his truth gloriously: the people also perishing with the princes, where the word of prophecy is wanting, much more where it is suppressed, as it is now in this realm of England; over which the eyes of the Lord are set to destroy it, your Highness, and all your honours, if in time you look not better to your office and duties herein, and not suffer yourselves to be slaves and hangmen to antichrist and his prelates; who have brought your Highness and Honours already, to let Barabbas loose, and to hang up Christ. As by the grace and help of God, I shall make apparent, if first it would please your excellent Majesty, and all your honours, to take to heart God's doctrine, which rather through the malice of the pharisees, I mean the bishops and prelates, than your consciences, is oppressed; and not for our contemptible and execrable state in the sight of the world, to pass the less of it.

For it, the doctrine I mean, is higher and of more honour and majesty than all the whole world. It standeth invincible above all power, being not our doctrine, but the doctrine of the everliving GOD, and of his Christ, whom the father hath ordained king, to have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the world. And truly so doth he, and will he reign, that he will shake all the whole earth, with his iron and brazen power, with his golden and silvery brightness, only by the rod of his mouth; to shivers, in such sort, as though they were pots of clay, according to that which the prophets do write, of the magnificence of his kingdom. And thus much for the thing, I mean the doctrine, and your duties to hearken, to propagate, and defend the same.

But now will our adversaries mainly cry out against us, because no man may be admitted once to whist against them; that we pretend falsely the doctrine and word of God, calling us the most

*Nothing can be more evident, than that the man who could thus faithfully and intrepidly address those, who had the power of life and death in their hands; and as to the exercise of which it had already appeared, they were not likely to be very abstemious-had not taken counsel with flesh and blood, and was fully prepared to set his own life upon the cast.

wicked contemners of it, and heretics, schismatics, traitors, &c. All which their sayings, how malicious and false they are, though I might make report to that, which is written by those men whose works they have condemned, and all that retain any of them, publicly by proclamation; yet here will I occasion your Majesty and Honours, by this my writing, to see that it is far otherwise than they report of us. God our Father, for his holy name's sake, direct my pen to be his instrument to put into your eyes, ears, and hearts, that which most may make to his glory, to the safeguard of your souls and bodies, and preservation of the whole realm. Amen.

JOHN BRADFORD.

No. 48.*

Unto the King and Queen's most excellent Majesties, and to their most honourable and High Court of Parliament.

In most humble and lamentable wise complain unto your Majesties, and to your High Court of Parliament, your poor desolate and obedient subjects, H., F., T., B., P. R., S., &c.—That whereas your said subjects, living under the laws of God, and of this realm, in the days of the late most noble King Edward the Sixth, did in all things shew themselves true, faithful, and diligent subjects, according to their vocation, as well in the sincere ministering of God's most holy word, as in due obedience to the higher powers, and in the daily practice of such virtues and good demeanour, as the laws of God at all times, and the statutes of the realm did then allow.

Your said subjects nevertheless, contrary to all laws of justice, equity, and right, are in very extreme manner, not only cast into prison, where they have remained now these fifteen or sixteen months; but their livings also, their houses and possessions, their goods and books taken from them, and they slandered to be most heinous

• The supplication of the persecuted preachers to the King and Queen, sent with the preceding letter.-Fox iii. 118.

X

heretics, their enemies themselves being both witnesses, accusers, and judges; belying, slandering, and misreporting your said subjects at their pleasure, whereas your said subjects, being straitly kept in prison, cannot yet be suffered to come forth, and make answer accordingly.

In consideration whereof, may it please your most excellent Majesties, and this your High Court of Parliament, graciously to tender the present calamity of your said poor subjects, and to call them before your presence, granting them liberty, either by mouth or writing in the plain English tongue, to answer before you, or before indifferent arbiters, to be appointed by your Majesties, unto such articles of controversy in religion, as their said adversaries have already condemned them of, as of heinous heresies. Provided, that all things may be done with such moderation and quiet behaviour, as become subjects and children of peace; and that your said subjects may have the free use of all their own books, and conference together among themselves.

Which thing being granted, your said subjects doubt not but it shall plainly appear, that your said subjects are true and faithful christians, and neither heretics, nor teachers of heresy, nor cut off from the true catholic universal Church of Christ; yea, that rather their adversaries themselves be unto your Majesties, as were the charmers of Egypt to Pharoah, Zedekiah and his adherents unto the King of Israel, and Bar Jesu to the Proconsul, Sergius Paulus. And if your said subjects be not able by the testimony of Christ, his prophets, apostles, and godly fathers of his church, to prove that the doctrine of the church, homilies, and service, taught and set forth in the time of our late most godly prince and king, Edward VI., is the true doctrine of Christ's catholic church, and most agreeable to the articles of the christian faith; your said subjects offer themselves then to the most heavy punishment, that it shall please your Majesties to appoint.

Wherefore, for the tender mercy of God in Christ, which you look for at the day of judgment, your said poor subjects in bonds, most humbly beseech your excellent Majesties, and this your High Court of Parliament, benignly and graciously to hear and grant this their petition, tending so greatly to the glory of God, to the edifying of his