An epistle of comfort to the reuerend priestes, & to the honorable, worshipful, & other of the laye sort restrayned in durance for the Catholicke fayth.

Cap. 8.

And a thousande tymes happye are you, whose prisons are proofes, whose cheynes are pledges of your fu∣ture immortallitye. A thousand tymes happye I saye, whose estate is both glo∣rious here, & a sure waye to an vnspeak able glorye of the worlde to come. For as S. Ciprian sayeth. Longo temporum duc∣tu

glorias vestras non subtrahitis, sed auge∣tis. tot vestras laudes, quot dies, quot menti∣um curricula, tot incrementa meritorum. By the longe tract of tyme you diminishe not your glorye, but increase it. So ma∣nye are your prayses, as dayes, so many encreases of merites as courses of mo∣nethes. Of you there is no doubt whe∣ther you be for the barne or for the fy∣er, for you being there layde vpp, lyke cleane wheate, and precious corne, Hos¦pitium carceris horreum computatis. Your lodginge of the prison, you accounte your barne. For though the prisons be in them selues foldes of Satan to har∣bour his lewde flocke, yett when the cause ennobleth the name of a prisoner, the prisoner abolisheth the dishonour of the place. What thing of olde more odious then the Crosse, what place more abhorred, then the mounte Caluarie, what roomes more reprochefull then the Criptes, grottes, and dungeons of Saintes. Yett now what thing more ho¦norable then the holye Crosse, what place more reuerenced, then the foresayde mounte, what sanctuaries more desired, then the dungeons of Saintes. So doth

God defeate the Deuill of his vsuall hauntes, and of kenels ordeyned for the couching of his hell houndes, fra∣meth mansions of greate merite, & por∣tes of saluation for his owne seruaunts. A reprochefull thing it is, to be chey∣ned in sinne, gyued in wickednesse, and shutt vpp in the deadlye prison of mor∣tall offence. A miserable thing it is, to be enthralled in the vassalage of the de¦uill, in the seruile subiection to our law¦lesse appetites, and in the slauishe bon∣dage of worldlye vanityes. But O pedes faeliciter vincti, qui itinere salutari ad Para∣disum dirrigantur. O pedes compedibus & trauersarijs interim cunctabundi, sed cele∣riter ad patriam glorioso itinere cursuri. O feete happelye cheyned which are direc¦ted a safe waye to paradyse. O feete for a tyme foreslowed, with fetters and bol¦tes, but shall hereafter with a glorious iorneye swiftelye runne vnto their con∣trye. Honorable it is in Gods quarell, to be abridged of bodilye libertye, for mainteyning the true libertye and free∣dome of our soule. The birdes beinge vsed and naturallye delighted with the full scope of the ayre, though they be

neuer so well fedd in the Cage yett are they all wayes pooringe at euery cranie to see whether they maye escape. For why, they vnderstand not, that in the Cage they are both surer from the kyte hauke, and fouler, then abroade, ney∣ther marke they the benefitt of theire assured repayre, from harde weather and worse foode. But for a reasonable creature, and withall a Christian Cath∣olicke so much to affecte a daungerous libertye, as not to accounte of the be∣nefitt of his prison in so good a cause, it can not but be thought an imperfec∣tion, especiallye consideringe how ma∣nye perils of our soule are cutt of, and how highlye our spirituall welfare is ad¦uaunced. Lett vs not in this be lyke the senselesse byrdes, but rather imitate them in an other propertye, which is, that in the cage they not onlye singe their naturall note, both sweetlyer and oftener, then abroade, but learne also diuerse other, farre more pleasant, and delightsome, So we both keepe, and of∣tener practise our wonted deuotions, and besydes learne new exercises of ver¦tue, both for our owne comfort, and

example of other. And when might you so freelye range emongest the qui∣res of Angels, as when you are seques∣tred from the distractions of vaine com¦panye? when could you take a fuller re∣past of the sweete fruites of prayer and contemplation, then when the onions, garlicke, and fleshe pottes of Egipt are farthest out of sent and sight? Your eyes are not to much troubled with impi∣ous and wicked sightes, your eares not annoyed with bloodye outcryes and heynous blasphemies. You are quitt from many scandals, and seuered from occasion of diuers tentations. Finallye thincke not of the name of a prison, and you shall finde it a retyringe place fittest to serue God. If it restrayne you of temporall comfortes, your bootye is gainfull, that by losse of transitorye deserue eternall. If your bodye be cha∣stised your soule is cherished, and the pyninge of the one is the pamperinge of the other. You forsake a paradyse of of poysening delightes, for a place that yeldeth cause of grounded and true so∣laces. Yea and as Tertullian noteth if you way from whence you came, and

where you are, you shall fynd, that you are rather deliuered out, then commit∣ted into prison. Greater darknesse hath the worlde, which inueigleth and blin∣deth not onlye the eyes, but the hartes of men. Heuyer cheynes and shackles doth the worlde lay on vs, which doe fetter and entangle our verye soules. Farr worse ordure and stenche doth the worlde breath out. I meane ribaldrye, carnallitye, and all kynde of brutishe behauiour. Finallye more prisoners & guiltye persons hath the worlde, the whole generation of mankynde, not to be iudged by the vmpiershippe of anye earthlye magistrate, but by the censure and verdicte of almighty God. Happye therfore are you, if you can recken your selues translated out of pri¦son, into a place of preseruation, which if it be combred with darcknesse, your selues are lampes to light it, If it charge you with gyues, yett are you loose and vnbound towardes God. If you be pes∣tered with vnsauery smell, you are fran¦kincense and sauour of sweetnesse. If it affright you with expectatiō of iudges. Your selues hereafter shall iudge nati∣ons

and rule ouer peoples. With this saying of Tertullian doth S. Ciprian agree. O blessed prison sayeth he which your presence hath honored. O blessed pri∣son that sendeth the men of God to heauen. O darknesse brighter then the sunnne it selfe, and more cleere then the light of this worlde, where the temples of God are now placed, and your mem¦bers sanctified with your diuine confes∣sions of your fayth. Lett them com∣playne of the difficultyes of the prison, that haue fastened their affection vpon worldlye vanityes. A Christian Catho∣licke, euen out of prison hath renoun∣ced the worlde in his baptisme, and it litle importeth in what place he be in the world, who by promise and profes∣sion, hath vowed neuer to be of it. Lett them complayne of the prison, that knowe not the glorye and soueraigne prerogatiue of that place, but for a Ca∣tholike, that hath Christ for his auctor, the Apostles for his witnesses, all for∣mer Saintes for testimonyes howe honorable it is, to suffer in Gods qua∣rell. It is a greate shame not to thincke worthilye and reuerentlye therof. One

that knoweth not the vertue of herbes, when he walketh in the fieldes, or hils, without any regard treadeth vnderfoote whatsoeuer groweth in his waye, ma∣king no more accounte of one herbe then of an other, but if he come into a Phisicians house, where he seeth ma∣nye, not onlye holsome herbes, but to his thinckinge stronge and vnsauerye weedes, he neuerthelesse conceyueth, that there is in them some secrett ver∣tue to cure diseases, And if he see the experience of theire operation muche more accounteth he of them, and wher¦as before he trampled with contempt vppon them, he now would be as care∣full to gather them: Euen so one that knoweth not the vertue and honour of the Crosse, cheynes & prisons of Christ, despiseth and abhorreth them as con∣temptible & dishonorable thinges, but if he come into this schoole of our hea∣uenlye Phisician, I meane the scripture, and there see these thinges had in ac∣counte, and view the strange operation of them, not onlye in Christ him selfe, but in S. Paule S. Ihon Baptist & others, how can he choose but haue them in

greate esteeme, and be readye if occa∣sion serue, to trye the force thereof in his owne selfe, howsoeuer the ignorant iudge them as vnprofitable weeds, and badges of disgrace. What place of more price then Kinges Pallaces, yea what place so glorious as heauen: and yett S. Chrisostome sayeth that kings courtes, and heauen it selfe yeldeth to the glory of the prison, that harboreth Christes prisoner. For as the Princes presence honoreth the basest cottage, and ma∣keth it more esteemed and resorted vn∣to, then the most statelye buildinges. So the presence of Gods prisoner in the most infamous dungeon, maketh it a courte and resorte of Angels, and a pa∣radyse where God him selfe delighteth to walke and taketh pleasure in the con¦stancye of his afflicted seruantes. For such is the honor that the cheynes giue him that is a captiue in Gods quarell, that his roome what soeuer it be, is honorable, and he by his fetters more richely adorned, then he could be with anye Princely or imperiall robes. Mar∣docheus was not so much honored with Assuerus royall garmentes, nor Salomon

so glorious in his costliest habitt, nor Herode so adorned when he sought in his gorgeous attyre to boast him selfe for a god, as S. Ihon Baptist was, when he had atchiued that title Ioannes in vin∣culis Ihon in cheynes. Yea imagin not onlye what pompe hath of any Empe∣rour or worldly potentate ben shewed, In golde, iewels, or anye ornamentes of highest price, but also what might be shewed, if mans wishe might be putt in execution, yett maye it still be sayed with S. Chrisostom. Pudet diuitias et auream munditiē huiusmodi conferre vinculis. I am ashamed to compare riches, or the pure¦nesse of golde, with such cheynes. For in truth they are but base comparisons, in respect of other things of greter pre∣eminence, whiche neuerthelesse amoūt not to the dignitye of beinge cheyned for Gods cause. It was a great preroga∣tiue to be an Apostle, a Doctour, an Euanglist. It was a singuler fauour, to be rapt into paradyse, and to the third hea••en, to heare secrettes that it is not lawfull for man to speake. It was a rare priuiledge to heale anye disease, not onlye with the touch of his handes but

with the touche of his verye handker∣chers and girdles. And yett S. Chrisos∣tome of these thinges sayeth, Admiran∣da quidem fuerunt ista, sed non qualia illa Cae sum autem multis plagis, coniecerunt in car∣cerem. Merueylous thinges were these but not lyke to those other, whipped with manye stripes they cast him into prison. And this S. Paule him selfe see∣med to acknowledge in th••t he wri∣tinge to Philemon, he omitteth his vsuall style, of Paulus Apostolus or seruus Iesu Christi Paule an Apostle, or seruant of Iesus Christ, & begineth his epistle with Paulus vinctus Iesu Christi Paule a priso∣ner of Iesus Christ. Wherin he seemeth to follow the custome of great perso∣nages, who when from inferiour dig∣nityes they are enhanced to more ho∣norable titles, they alwayes in theire letters omitting the other, sett downe their principall style, proper to theire new atchiued prefermente. But now to speake of the highest glorye, whiche men chiefely esteeme, what place more acceptable then heauen, what seate more to be wished then the thrones on Gods right hande, what company com¦parable

to the felowshippe of Angells, what dignitye so greate as to be one of the celestiall spirittes, that haue theire roome next vnto God? And yet S. Chri¦sostom thought S. Paules prison a wor∣thyer place, his clogges and cheynes worthyer seates, his fellowe captiues more honorable companye, and the state of Christes prisoner a more surpas¦sing dignitie. And if you aske the cause, he will answere, for that it is more glo∣rious to a stout soldier, more pleasant to a true louer, to suffer for their Cap∣tayne, and laboure in seruice of their Loue, then to be honoured by them. Potius mihi habetur affici pro Christo, quam honoraria Christo. I account it more ho∣norable, sayeth he, for Christ to be tro∣bled, then of Christ to be honored. For if Christ becomminge man, strip∣ping him selfe in a manner of his ma∣iestye, thought it not so honorable to be in his glorye, as for vs vppon the Crosse, how much more ought we to deeme it a singuler preferment, to suf∣fer for his sake. The Apostles did great∣lye reioyce, that they were vouchsafed with this honour. Ibant gaudentes a con∣spectu

consilij, quod digni habiti sint pro no∣mine Iesu contumeliam pati. They wente reioycing from the presence of the coū¦cell, for that they were thoughte wor∣thye to suffer reproche for the name of Iesus. But we neuer reade, that they so reioyced at their power ouer deuils, the gyfte of miracles, or other lyke especi∣all fauours, which well declareth how muche they prised theire persecution, more then theire authoritye. And ther¦fore Christ sayde Beati estis not for com¦maunding deuils, not for raysinge the dead, or healing the lame, or working of infinite wonders: But beati estis cum ma∣ledixerint vobis homines, & persecuti vos fu∣erint, & dixerint omne malum aduersus vos, mentiētes propter me. You are blessed whē men hate you, and persecute you and speake all the euill they can agaynste you, belying you for my sake. But if it were a blessednesse to worke wonders, in this respect also the cheynes of Christ were able to make vs blessed. What greater miracles, then for those that are fast bounde, to vnloose? for those that haue their handes manacled, and theire feete fettered, to shake the foun∣dations

of the prison? to open without key or other materiall instrument loc∣ked & fast barred dores. To vncheyne not onlye the fast bound bodyes, but the enthralled & captiue soules. What stranger thing then the same cheyne, that byndeth the bodye in earthe, to bynde the soule to God in heauen, to make a prison of miscreantes, a church of Christians, and the nest of vipers, a nurcerye of Saintes. What greater won¦der then Iaylours to desire to be vn∣bounde, by theire cheyned Captiues, and yelde them selues voluntarye pri∣soners to those, whome they violentlye kept in durance. And if these seeme smale matters, consider what reuerēce the verye senselesse and vnreasonable creatures beare vnto Christes cheynes. The Viper durst not stinge the hand of S. Paule, that those cheynes had bound. Nether tempest, storme, sea, nor ship∣wracke, coulde drowne those passen∣gers, whome these cheynes defended. How did Felix tremble and quake, at cheyned Paules speaches, how muche were other hartened and comforted by the force of his fetters, how manye did

he bring to Christ, whyle he was boūd for him, gloriynge in them as so much the fayrer, in that they were bred in his captiuity. Now what prisoner for gods cause woulde not crye with Dauid funes ceciderunt mihi in praeclaris. My bondes fell out to my greate glorye? Whoe woulde not willinglye harken to those comfortable speaches, that exhort vs to embrace the cheynes of wisdome, that is of Christ the wisdome of his father. Inijce pedem tuum in compedes illius, & in tor¦ques illius collum tuum, subijce humerum tuū et porta illam, & ne acedieris vinculis eius & erunt tibi compedes eius in protectionem fortitudinis, & bases virtutis, et torques ill∣us in stolam gloriae. Decor .n. vitae est in illa, & vincula illius alligatura salutis. Put thy feete into her fetters, and thy necke in to her cheynes, set vnder her thy shoul∣der, and carye her, and take no tedi∣ousnes in her gyues, and her fetters wilbe vnto thee a fortresse of strength, and foundations of vertue, & her chey∣nes a stole of glorye. For the beautye of lyfe is in her, and her gyues are ban∣des of saluation. Where beganne Ioseph to be made a decipherer of dreames,

a sercher of secrett interpretations, but in prison? Where did Hieremias prophe¦sye most boldlye and truelye the ouer∣throwe of his enemyes, but in prison? Where did Sampson recouer his strength and victoriouslye reuenge him self vp∣pon the Philistines, killinge more at his death, then in his lyfe, but Quando educ¦tus de carcere ludebat coram cis when he was brought forth of prison to playe before them? Manasses a most wicked Idolater, and an impious King was ne∣uer conuerted vntill he was captiue. Ionas came not to full konwledge of his faulte, but when he was imprisoned in the Whales bellye. Iosephes brethren ne¦uer entered into consideration of their offence in betrayinge him, but when they were kept in restraynte. So that we see the prison is a schoole of diuine and hidden misteries, to Gods frendes, a fountaine of reuenge agaynst his ene∣myes, and a cell of repentance to care∣lesse offenders. O how true a sayinge is that In funiculis Adam traham eos, in vinculis charitatis. In the bandes of A∣dam, will I draw them vnto me and in the cheynes of charitye. How truelye

maye they be called cheynes of chari∣tye and loue, that haue not only force to appease the iustice and stirre vpp the mercye of God, but euen haue power to suppresse and brydle the vnflexible enmitye that Nature hath engrafted. Who could liue vntoucht among hun∣grye Lions, but a Daniel and Gods pri∣soner? Who could walke in the mid∣dest of the flame without burning, but such as were bound and should haue bene burned in Gods quarell? These S. Basill, compareth to a stone called Amianton, which is of that nature, that in the fyer it becometh as bright as a fierye coale, and taken out, is cleerer then at the casting in, and can not be anye waye stayned or defiled. For their bodyes were not only as golde purged, but more then golde, not so much as dissolued, & came purer out, then they were cast into the fornace. These are they, that are visited by Angels, as S. Peter, fedd by Prophetes as Daniel, ho∣nored by heauenlye light and earth∣quakes as S. Paule and Sylas. Of these it verefied that de carcere & vinculis catenis∣que egrediuntur ad regnum. From prison

gyues, and cheynes, they come out to a kingdome, as in Ioseph and Daniel ap∣peareth, the one being made Lorde of all Egipt, and the other agayne made one of the three chiefe vnder Darius, And both from the thrall of the dun∣geon aduanced to the throne of Prince lye dignitye. In these haue all we afflic∣ted Catholickes our chiefe confidence, hoping, that their cheynes will pleade for vs, theire prisons protecte vs, and their prayers obteyne vs some end of our miseryes. We doubt not, but Do∣minus de coelo in terram aspexit, vt audiret gemitus compeditorum. Our Lord hath lo∣ked from heauen into earth, that he might heare the grones of the cheyned in prison. We assure our selues, that exaudiuit pauperes Dominus, et vinctos suos non despexit. Our Lorde hath heard the poore, and hath not neglected the chei¦ned for him. And therfore doe we day∣lye crye Introeat in conspectu tuo gemitus compeditorum. Lett the grones of thy pri∣soners enter into thy sighte. Wherfore be not you dismayde, but rather take comforte in your present estate. If you be despised by the bad, you are hono∣red

of the good, if you be disgraced of men, you maye righte well looke for your prayse from God. S. Ihon Baptist was alwayes worthy of honour, both in respect of his rough habitt, his hard dyet, his innocent lyfe, his hye functi∣on, and greate Prerogatiues. Yett so longe as he was at libertye, that the people rann admiring his lyfe, and re∣uerencing his person, we here no great mention made by Christ of him, but when he was once become Ioannes in vinculis Ihon in cheines fallen into worl¦dlye disgrace, & preferred to this Chri∣stian honour, the Capteyne strayt soun¦ded the souldiers renoume, and God him selfe rehersed the catologue of his diuine prayses. Which though they al∣wayes were so greate, that they could neuer haue bene worthily enough by mans tongue rehersed, yett were they neuer so worthy to be vttered by Chri∣stes owne mouthe, as when they had their chiefe complement and perfecti∣on, which was the honour of his chey∣nes. Now let the captyues of the world flatter them selues with the vayne title of liberty. Lett them triumphe in their

cheynes of golde, in theire iewels of perle, and pretious stone, in their gor∣geous and statelye robes. Lett them bost of theire freedome, when euerye thridde and ornament about them, is a manifest marke of theire captiuitye. When I saye theire tongues are thrall to Potentates eares, theire action and all theire behauiour framed to the li∣kinge of greate personages eyes, their sense bodyes and myndes seruyle to their owne sensualityes. It is with them as S. Chrisostome noteth as with Kinges, that are taken captiues by a barbarous Prince, who for their greater ignomi∣nye, and his owne glorye, suffereth them to keepe on their princely robes, and to were their crounes and in this attyre forceth them to most base & ser∣uyle offices. For so these that on the one syde, by their brauerye seeme of great might, and at large libertye, on the o∣ther if you consider their slauishe acti∣ons, most base and filthye, and theire daylye drudgerye in sinne, you can not but deeme thē so much the more mise∣rable, in that seeming glorious, they are inthralled in so heauye a bondage. For

as often tymes the lightening though it leaue the veluet and costlye scaberd whole, yet it consumeth the more wor¦thye thing that is the sworde, whiche by the lightnes of the scaberd is easely perceyued: So that pernicious fierflash of sinne, thoughe it leaue the bodye and goodes sounde, and impayre not the outwarde state, yett kylleth it the soule, and leaueth it dead, wherof the gaudye lightnes of their outwarde be∣hauiour, is no obscure signe. Lett vs not yelde to suche follye, but rather re∣ioyce in our enclosure, and glorye in our bandes, remembring that the lon∣ger we weare them, the more honour we shall purchase by them, and the bet¦ter we lyke them, the more benefitte shall we reape of them. Semel vincit say∣eth S. Ciprian, qui statim patitur, at qui ma¦nens semper in paenis, congreditur cum dolore, nec vincitur, quotidie coronatur. He hath but one victorye, that strayte suffereth, but he that alwayes dwelling in payne, doth encounter with sorowe, & is not conquered, is euerye daye crowned. And agayne blessed is that parte emon∣gest you, sayeth the same Sainte, that

remayneth in prison, ad meritorum titu∣los ampliores tormentorum tarditate profici∣ens, habitura tot mercedes in coelestibus prae∣mijs quot nunc dies numerantur in paenis. Pro¦ceedinge by the lingringe of your tor∣mentes to more ample titles of meritt, and sure to haue so manye rewardes in the heauenlye paymente as there are dayes reckoned in presēt paynes. These are the true ornamentes for Christians to bost of. This captiuitye is our prin∣cipall freedome, and the prisons are portes where God harboureth with vs here and from whence he conueyeth vs into the shore of eternall faelicitye. Of this sayeth S. Ciprian. Imposuerunt quoque compedes pedibus vestris, ac membra felicia ac Dei templa, infamibus vinculis li∣gauerunt, quasi cum corpore ligetur, & spi∣ritus, aut aurum vestrum ferri contagione maculetur. They haue putt shacles vpon your fecte, and haue bounde your hap∣pye members temples of God with in∣famous cheynes, as though the spiritt coulde be bounde with the bodye, or your golde could be stayned with the contagion of their iron. But com∣forte your selues, and thincke this in∣treatye

no hard vsage: howbeit in them it proceede of a malicious hatred. For Dicatis deo hominibus, & fidem suam reli∣giosa virtute testantibus, ornamenta sunt ista non vincula, nec Christianos pedes ad infami∣am copulant sed clarificant ad coronam. To men consecrated vnto God, and with religious vertue professing their fayth, these are not cheynes but ornamentes, neyther doe they fetter Christian feete to their infamye, but honour them to their croune and glorye. Of this did Salomon forewarne vs, shewinge vs the protection and care that God hath of those, that suffer for him, and how glo¦rious estate they be in. Descenditque cum eo in foueam, & in vinculis non dere∣liquit illum, donec afferret illi sceptrum reg∣ni, & potentiam aduersus eos, qui eum depri∣mebant, & mendaces ostendit, qui macula∣uerunt eum, & dedit illi claritatem eternam. He descended with him into the pitt, and forsooke him not in his cheynes, till he brought him a scepter of a king∣dome, and powre agaynst those that did oppresse him, and shewed thē lyers that did defame him, and gaue vnto him an eternall glorye. Remēber ther∣fore

the goale and you shall comforta∣blye passe ouer the race, regarde not so muche where you are, as where you shalbe. Thinke not so much of the com¦fortes that you want, as of the wage that you winne. Grieue not at the com∣panye from which you are barred, but reioyce in that to which you are prepa∣red, and assure your selues that how few soeuer you see, yett are you not a∣lone, to whome Christ and his Angels haue continuall accesse. Solus non est cui Christus comes est, solus non est qui templum dei seruans, vbicunque fuerit sine deo non est. He is not alone (sayeth S. Ciprian) who hath Christ for his pheere, he is not a lone that keeping the temple of God, vndefiled, where soeuer he be, without God he is neuer. Finallye considering that our lyfe is but a warfare and we alwayes in the field agaynst our profes∣sed enemyes, to whom in our baptisme we badd battayle by defiynge and re∣nouncing them: Seing also the times be such that those whiche sticke vnto the truthe, are in a manner designed to the slaughterhouse, in so muche that we maye truelye saye, Propter te mortifica∣mur

tota die, aestimati sumus velut oues oc∣cisionis: For thy sake we are mortified all the daye, & are accounted as sheepe for the butcherye: These thinges I saye considered, lett vs take our prison as a place of preparatiō, & a priuate schoole of exercyse, to trayne and instructe vs, for the publicke, serious, and moste sharpe frayes. For as Tertullian sayeth, It is not for the aduantage or behoofe of a valiant soldier, to come from dis∣portes to bloodye strokes, or from the carpett to the campe, but it is neces∣sarye to be hardened firste in roughe treatye of them selues, in harde vsage and toylesome trauayles. For so in peace, they shall learne to disgest the disasters and incommodityes of warre, and by these forerunning laboures in∣ure their bodye to vnease, and fos∣ter the courage and prowesse of theire myndes. Happye therefore are you, what troubles soeuer you susteyne, for the exercyse of youre vertue, and bet∣ter inhabling both of bodye & mynde. Such was the preparatiō of the champi¦ons & soldiers of profe in former ages. They were restrayned of libertye, with∣helde

from chamber worke, straytned in their diett, from sweete meates, and pleasant drinckes, The more they were laboured, the better they were liked, and the more tormoyled in trouble, the more hope they had of the victory: knowinge that vertue and constancye, that with hardnesse and rigoure gathe∣reth force, with softnesse and ease doth languishe and fall to ruyne. This did they in regard of a corruptible croune, which they were nether certayne to at∣tayne, nor sure to possesse. We there∣fore ayminge at an incorruptible re∣warde, lett vs recken the prison a place of triall, that we maye be broughte vn∣to iudgment well fortefied agaynst all encounters, and be able to saye vnto the iudge that, Quantum formidinis & terroris attulit, tantum fortitudinis ac robo∣ris inuenit. As much feare and terrour as he brought, so muche force and for∣titude hath he founde.

Notes

• Cap. 8.
• The Eyght cō∣fort in our tri∣bulation is the honoure of im∣prisonment in a good cause.
• Cip. Ep. 4
• Ciprian. Ibid.
• Cip. Ep. ••9.
• Cap. ••
• Cipri. Ep. 56
• Chrisost in ca. 4. ad Ephes••.
• Ibidem.
• Chrisost. Ibid
• Act. 5
• Matt. 5
• Act. 16
• Act. 28
• Act. 27
• Act. 24
• Philip. 1
• Pas. 15
• Ecclesi. ••
• Gen. 39
• Ierem. 33
• Iudi••. 16
• •• Paral. 35
• Iona. 2
• Gene. 54
• Os••••. 4
• Dan. 6
• Dan. 3
• Basil. Hom. •• de ieiunio
• Act. 12
• Dan. 14
• Act. 24
• Ecclesi. 4
• Gen. 39
• Psal. 10
• Psal. 68
• Psal. 78
• Matt. 1••
• Chrisost. Hom 18. in 1. Ep. ad Tim.
• Cip. Ep. 4
• Cip. Ep. 39
• Cip Ibid.
• Sap. 10
• Cipri. Ep. 63.
• Psal. 43
• Tertul. li. ad Martires.
• Cipri. Ep. 16