an embassy with cardinal Pole in foreign parts, to bring about a peace (as it is reported) between the emperor, our king, and the king of France. After their return, and the queen is brought to bed, which we have long expected, and still expect every day, (and may God prosper her to the glory of his name,) we then shall expect triumphant crowns of our Lord, for our good confession, from our ancient enemy.

I most humbly and heartily commend myself to the prayers of you all, especially to you, most dear brother in Christ, and most beloved Grindal, and those of our dear brethren and beloved in the Lord, Cheke, Cox, Turner, Leaver, Sampson, Chambers, and all our brethren and countrymen who sojourn with you, and love our Lord Jesus Christ in truth.

I also recommend to your prayers my most reverend father and fellow prisoner in the Lord, Thomas Cranmer, now, indeed, most worthy of the title of the great pastor and primate; and that veteran apostle of our nation, and a true one of Christ, Hugh Latimer. Excuse, brother, the length of this letter; for I believe that from henceforth, most dear brother, you will be troubled with no more of my letters for ever.

Oxford.

N. RIDLEY.

LETTER XXV.

To Mistress Glover, a woman zealous and hearty in the cause and furtherance of God's gospel.

MISTRESS GLOVER, I wish you grace and peace; and although I am not acquainted with you, yet, nevertheless, hearing that your husband, Master Glover, is in prison for God's word's sake,* and also that you are a woman hearty in God's cause; and thirdly, that old father Latimer is your uncle or near cousin, whom I do think the Lord has placed to be his standard-bearer in our age and country against his mortal foe antichrist: I am thus bold to write to you in God's behalf, to do according to the report which I heard of you; that is, that you be hearty in God's cause, and hearty to your master Christ, in furthering his cause, and setting forth his soldiers to his wars to the utmost of your power.

* He was burned at Coventry a short time before Ridley suffered.

Let no carnal, nor worldly regard of any thing, hinder you to declare your true heart, which you are said to bear to your master Christ, above all other things. Be hearty now also to your husband, and declare yourself to love him in God, as the true faithful Christian woman unto her husband is bound to do. Now seeing that your husband who is set by God's ordinance to be your head, is ready to suffer and abide in adversity by his Master's cause, and, to cleave to his head Christ; see likewise that you do your duty accordingly, and cleave unto him your head; suffer with him that you may further his cause. His cause now I understand to be Christ's cause, and therefore beware, good sister in Christ, that in no wise you hinder it.

Love so his body, and the ease and wealth thereof, that your love may further him to the winning both of body and soul unto everlasting life. And this love shall God allow you; your husband shall have just cause to rejoice thereof, and all the godly commend you therefore, and number you for the same among the godly and holy women of God. To your husband I have written more: and thus fare you well now, good dear sister in our Saviour Christ.

I was the bolder to write to you, for I understood my dearly beloved brother Austin, whom I call Faustus, should be the carrier, a man whom I think God has appointed to do much pleasure for his servants pressed to his wars. Yours in Christ,

N. RIDLEY.

LETTER XXVI.

To a Friend that came to visit him in Prison, but could not speak with him.

WELL-BELOVED, I thank you heartily for your manifold kindness, but the Lord shall, I trust, acquit you your meed.* Though satan rage, the Lord is strong enough to bridle him, and to put an iron chain over his nose, when it shall please him.

In the mean time, they that are the Lord's, will flee unto him; and assuredly he will not forsake them that seek him, in very deed and in truth. This bearer, my man, is trusty; you may send your token by him. Let Nicholas still keep * Give you your reward.

the shirts. The Lord reward that Lady Wyat, who for his sake hath thus remembered me: I do not know her personally. What can I render to Mistress Wilkinson, for all her benefits? Nothing, surely, but to desire our Lord to acquit her with his heavenly grace. If you tarry, I shall have more to say to you peradventure hereafter. Now, dearest friend, farewell in the Lord.

N. RIDLEY.

LETTER XXVII.

To a Cousin.*

Amen.

GOD's Holy Spirit be with you now and ever. When I call to remembrance, beloved cousin, the state of those who for fear of trouble or for loss of goods, will do, in the sight of the world, those things that they know and are assured are contrary to the will of God, I can do no less than lament their case, being assured that the end thereof will be so pitiful, without speedy repentance, that I tremble and fear to have it in remembrance. I would to God it lay upon some earthly burden, so that freedom of conscience might be given unto them; I write, as God knoweth, not of presumption, but only lamenting their state, whom I thought now in this dangerous time should have given both you and me comfortable instructions. But, alas, in lieu thereof, we have persuasions to follow, I lament to rehearse it, superstitious idolatry, yea, and worst of all is, they will seek to prove it by the Scripture! The Lord for his mercy turn their hearts. Amen.

Yours,

LETTER XXVIII.

To the Queen's Majesty.†

N. RIDLEY.

Ir may please your majesty for Christ our Saviour's sake in a matter of conscience, and now not for myself but for other poor men, to vouchsafe to hear and understand this

* Gloucester Ridley supposes her to have been Mabyl, granddaughter of Lord Dacres, married to his cousin Nicholas Ridley.

On the day previous to his martyrdom, after he had been degraded by bishop Brookes, Ridley read this letter to the bishop, and

mine humble supplication. Honourable Princess, in the time while I was in the ministry of the see of London, divers poor men, tenants thereof have taken new leases of their tenantries and holdings, and some have renewed and changed their old, and therefore have paid fines and sums of money both to me and also to the chapter of Paul's, for the confirmation of the same. Now I hear say, that the bishop who occupies the same room now, * will not allow the aforesaid leases, which must redound to many poor men's utter ruin and decay; wherefore this is mine humble supplication unto your honourable grace, that it may please the same, for Christ's sake, to be unto the aforesaid poor men their gracious patron and defender, either that they may enjoy their aforesaid leases and years renewed, as when their matter shall be heard with conscience, I suppose both justice, conscience, and equity shall require; for that their leases shall be found, I trust, made without fraud or covent either of their part or of mine, and also the old rents always reserved to the see, without any kind of damage thereof. Or if this will not be granted, then that it may please your gracious highness to command that the poor men may be restored to their former leases and years; and may have rendered to them again such sums of money as they paid to me and to the chapter for their leases and years so now taken from them, which concerning the fines paid to me may be easily done, if it shall please your majesty to command some portion of those goods which I left in my house, to be given unto them. I suppose that half of the value of my plate which I left in mine offices, and especially in an iron chest in my bed chamber, will go nigh to restore all such fines received; the true sums and parcels whereof are not set in their leases; and therefore if that way shall please your highness, they must be known by such ways and means as your majesty, by the advice of men of wisdom and conscience, shall appoint.

But yet, for Christ's sake I crave, and most humbly beseech your majesty, of your most gracious pity and mercy, that the former way may take place.

I have also a poor sister that came to me out of the requested him to forward the petitions contained in it. Ridley then delivered it to his brother to be presented to the queen, it was dated for the day following.

* Bonner.

+ Deceit.

north, with three fatherless children for her relief, whom I married afterwards to a servant of mine own house. She is put out of that which I did provide for them. I beseech your honourable grace, that her case may be mercifully considered, and that the rather, in contemplation that I never had of him which suffered endurance* at my entrance to the see of London, one penny of his moveable goods; for it was almost half a year after his deposition, before I did enter into that place; yea, and also, if any were left known to be his, he had license to carry it away, or for his use it did lie safe; and his officers know that I paid for the lead which I found there, when I occupied any of it to the behoof of the church or of the house. And, moreover, I had not only no part of his moveable goods, but also, as his old receiver and mine can testify, I paid for him towards his servants' common liveries and wages after his deposition £53 or £55, I cannot tell which.

In all these matters I beseech your honourable majesty to hear the advice of men of conscience, and especially the archbishop now of York, who for that he was continually in my house a year and more before mine imprisonment, I suppose he is not altogether ignorant of some part of these things; and also his grace doth know my sister, for whose succour and some relief, now unto your highness, I make most humble suit.†

The 16th day of October, 1555.

N. RIDLEY.

* Bonner. This letter shows the different treatment of the papists by King Edward, and the protestants by Queen Mary.

Notwithstanding these godly and just requests, no justice could be had until that now of late (after Queen Elizabeth's accession,) some of these shameful injuries were redressed by order of law.Letters of the Martyrs.

With the godly letters of Ridley and his companions, we may contrast one written by Bonner on his restoration to the see of London. It was addressed to his cousin Thomas Shirley, and Richard and Roger Letchmore, and is too characteristic of him to be omitted. "In most hearty wise I commend me unto you, asserting, that yesterday I was restored again to my bishopric, and replaced in the same as fully as I was at any time before I was deprived; and by the same sentence my usurper, Dr. Ridley, is utterly repulsed. So I would that ye did order all things at Kidmerley and Bushey at your pleasures; not suffering sheep's head or ship's-side, (alluding to Ridley's brother Shipside) to be any meddler therein, or to sell or carry away any thing from thence. And I trust at your coming up to the parliament I shall so handle the said sheep's head, and the other calves' heads, that they shall perceive their sweet, shall not be with