Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

¶To my deare Fathers, D. Cranmer, D. Ridley, and D. Latimer.

IEsus Emanuell. My deare fathers in the Lord, I beseech GOD our sweete Father through Christ,* 1.1 to make perfect the good hee hath begunne in vs all. Amen.

I had thought that euery of your staues had stande nexte the dore, but now it is otherwise perceiued. Our deare Brother Ro∣gers hath broken the ise valiauntly, and as this day (I thinke) or to morow at the vttermost, harty Hooper, sincere Saunders, and trusty Taylour end theyr course, and receiue theyr crowne. The nexte am I, whiche hourely looke for the porter to open me the gates after them, to enter into the desired rest. GOD forgeue me mine vnthankefulnesse for this exceeding great mercy, that amongest so many thowsandes, it pleaseth his mercy to choose me to be one, in whome he will suffer. For although it be moste true, that iuste patior. i. I iustly suffer (for I haue bene a great hy∣pocrite, and a greeuous synner, the Lorde pardon me, yea hee hath done it, he hath done it in deede) yet, hic autem quid ma∣li fecit? i. What euill hath he done? Christ, whome the Prelates persecute, his verity which they hate in me, hath done no euill, nor deserueth death. Therefore ought I most hartely to reioyce of this dignation and tender kyndnesse of the Lord towardes me,* 1.2 which vseth the remedy for my sinne as a testimoniall of hys Te∣stament, to his glory, to my euerlasting comfort, to the ede∣fying of his Church, and to the ouerthrowing of Antichrist and hys kingdome. O what am I Lorde, that thou shouldest thus magnifye me so vile a man and miser, as alwayes I haue bene? Is this thy wont to sende for suche a wretche and an hypocrite as I haue bene, in a fiery Charyot, as thou diddest for Helias? Oh deare Fathers, be thankefull for me, and pray for me, that I styll may be found worthy in whom the Lord would sanctify his holy name. And for your part, make you readye, for we are but your gentlemen hushers. Nuptiae agni paratae sunt, venite ad nuptias. 1. The mariage of the Lambe is prepared, come vnto the mariage. I now go to leaue my flesh there, where I receiued it.* 1.3 I shall be cō∣ueied thither, as Ignatius was at Rome, to Leopardis: by whose e∣uill I hope to bee made better. God graunt, if it be his will that I aske, it may make them better by me. Amen.

For my farewell therfore, I write and send this vnto you, tru∣sting shortly to see you where we shall neuer be separated. In the meane season I will not cease, as I haue done, to commende you to our father of heauen. And that you would so do by me, I most hartely praye euerye one of you. You knowe nowe I haue moste neede. But fidelis Deus, qui nunquam sinet nos tenta••i supra id quòd possumus. i. Faythfull is God, which will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength. He neuer didde it hytherto, nor now, I am assured, he will neuer do. Amen. A dextris est mihi, non mouebor. Propter hoc laetabitur cor meum, quia non derelinquet animam meam in inferno, nec dabit me sanctum su∣um per gratiam in C••risto, videre corruptionem. E carcere rap∣tim, expectens omni momento carnificem. i. He is on my righte hand, therefore I shall not fall. Wherefore my hart shall reioyce,* 1.4 for he shall not leaue my soule in hell, neither shall suffer me his holy one by his grace in Christ, to see corruption. Out of prison in haste, looking for the Tormentour.

The 8. of February. Ann. 1555.

Iohn Bradford▪

Notes

• * 1.1

  An other letter of M. Bradford to D. Cranmer, D. Ridley and D. Latimer.
• * 1.2

  This is a singu∣lar mercy of God, to haue death, which is a due punish∣ment for sinne, •• turned into a demonstration, & testification, of the Lordes tru••he. 4. Reg. 2.
• * 1.3

  He meaneth that he should be conueyed by the Queenes Garde into Lankeshire to be burnte, as the aduersaryes had once determi∣ned: lyke as Ig∣natius was by a company of sol∣diours conuey∣ed to Rome and cast to the Leo∣pardes.
• * 1.4

  Psalme. 16▪