¶An other letter of W. Tyms to certayne god∣ly women of his parish, folowers of the Gospell.
GRace, mercy and peace from GOD the Father, through our Lord Iesus Christ be with you both now and euermore. Amen.* 1.1
Deare sisters, I haue me most hartely commended vnto you, thanking you for the great kindnes shewed vnto me in this tyme of my imprisonment, and not onely vnto me, but also vnto my poore wife and children: and also for the great kindnesse that you shew vnto all the liuing saints that be dispersed abroad, and are fayne to hide their heades for feare of this cruell persecution.
Deare sisters, when I do remember your constancy in christ, I call to remembraunce the constancy of diuers godly women, as Susanna, Iudith, Hester, and the good wife of Nabal, that tho∣row her godly conditions saued both her husbandes life, and all her housholde, when Dauid had thoughte to haue slayne him for his churlish aunswere that he sent him. Also I do remember Ra∣hab that lodged the Lordes Spyes, howe God preserued her and her whole housholde for her faythfulnesse that she bare to Gods people. So I doe beleue, that when the Lord shall send his Aun∣gell to destroy these Idolatrous Egyptians here in England, and shall finde the bloud of the Lambe sprinkled on the dore postes of your harts, he wil go by & not hurt you, but spare your whole housholdes for your sakes. Also I do remember Mary Magdalen, how faythfull she was: for she was the first that preached the re∣surrection of Christ. Remember the blessed Martir Anne Askew in our time, & folow her example of constancy. And for the loue of God take heede that in no case you doe consent to Idolatrye, but stande fast to the Lorde, as the good woman did that had her seuen sonnes put to death before her face, and she alwayes com∣forting