An excelent comfort to all Christians, against all kinde of calamities no lesse comfortable, then pleasant, pithy, and profitable: Compendiously compiled by Iohn Perez, a faithfull seruant of God, a Spaniard (in Spanish) and now translated into English by Iohn Daniel, of Clements Inne, with diuers addicions by him collected and therevnto annexed.

TO THE RIGHT reuerend Edmonde by the diuine grace of the deitie, Archbi∣shop of Canterburie, Primate of Eng∣lande, and Metrapolitane of the same: Grace and peace from God the father, and from our Lord Iesus &c.

REmēbring my selfe (right Reuerend) of the cōiunc∣tion or knitting togither of the members in one perfect body, and finding that by the health some health that is had in eue∣rie of them, they haue the greater ioy togither vvith their head, and so plūged in mule of the same, I called to mind the maimed & bruised bodie of Iesus Christ (vvhereof vve all are members) And vvhen I had vvel considered the goodnes of almigh∣tie God our purest and principallest Phisiti∣on, & seene that he had ministred such me∣dicine therevnto, as made suche true health so flantingly to florish in so many and such a number of the members thereof, I vvas moued to an exceeding delight: And as one delight oftentimes bringeth in an other, so did it happē vnto me, bicause of the perfect health and soundnesse (vvhich I assured my

self of by faith) that I vvith all the rest shuld see in the end, to come and be vppon euerie perfect limme, of the sayde spirituall bodie, from the head to the foote. But vvhen I had perused and perfectly beheld, hovv our most mercifull father vvas glorified, in that Sodo∣mitticall countrey, so sinfull a sincke of sin, the countrey of Spayne, by so faithfull a fel∣lovv as vvas and is the Aucthor of this my trauaile, in vvhom so valiantly the fountain of faith dyd flovve, I vvas vvholy rauyshed vvith ioyes: But as the foote helpeth the left hand, the left hande the right hande, and so all togither do help their head: Euen so I an inferior member, thought it good to pertici∣pate parcell of these my ioyes vnto your grace: vvhom I knovv to be a principal mē∣ber in Christes churche for a certaintie. I could declare vvherein if Ars Adulandi, had not abhorred me, vvhom also I haue ben al∣vvayes at defiance vvith. But he needeth not heere, for that it hath pleased the almightie Iehouah that self sayd Phisitiō so to encrease your spirituall health, that suche like fruite hath so corespōdently proceeded, as by fame hath bene manifested to many: and especi∣ally in that it hath pleased hym the foun∣tayne of all goodnesse, so to blase your faithfulnesse to the Queenes most excelent maiesty, that hir highnes setting you in that self same seate, which your grace (vnder God and hir excelencie) now sitteth & possesseth most worthily, your perfectnes is made ma∣nifest to all. I am sure that some amongst

such a multitude as shall & wil scan my do∣ings herein, will accompt me fond, rude, and prodigally presumptuous, bicause that I (so simple) haue taken vppon me to present my selfe vnto your grace, with this so vvorthie a vvorke so rudely translated and penned: and so esteeme the lesse thereof bicause it is done by me, vvho of late (vvhilest mine exhibition lasted) did studie the commō lavves of Eng∣land, & say by me as I haue heard a number of them say by others the professors of true religion: Lo, behold I pray you, heere is to bee seene a sedicious sovver of errors in the church, he vvas of late a student at the lavv, a lustie youth, and novv for lacke of lyuing hee is become a clavvebacke amongest the heritikes & a prating protestant, (as though it vvere not possible for a youth, or a student at the lavv to be a true professor of christian religion) although that a great number of Lavvyers be obstinate Papistes (the more is the pittie) yet thankes be to God, a many of them (to small) are verie zealous of the true Religion (In Clements Inne the most parte are) But for an ansvvere to all suche as shall thus impudētly defame me, I say as follovv∣eth. Am I fonde doe they say, bycause I haue dedicated it to your grace, no surely: for vvhie, I am vvell aduised and doe knovv that you vvill accept it in good parte, for that I haue seene and marked very vvell, euer sithēs your G. comming to the Bishoprick of Lon∣don, hovve that all the enimies to idlenesse and vice (or as many as you knevv) vvere ad∣uanced,

and for the contrary the louers ther∣of and abhorrors of vertuous exercise, vvere supressed. Your setting forth of vertue, and punishing of vice hath much moued mee to looke vppon my self, and made me to forget that braine sicke and that lewde rule of lyfe vvhich I haue ledde in the company of some of those that vvil so play the gnatoes against me behinde my backe: and hath altogither moued me to this enterprise. I (though rude) haue not done it vppon any point of prody∣gall presumption, but most humblie haue I done it, bending my selfe with all humilitie to a bide the gentle correction of your grace, if in any thing I haue offēded therby (vvhich my hope is I haue not) And although I bee poore, doe lacke the vvorldes goodes to lyue vvith all, and therefore doe novv and then a∣bide the bitternesse of the crosse of pouertie, yet what then, it hath not made me a clavv∣backe of heritickes. A clavvbacke I abhorre, and so I doe an heriticke also: the vvant of liuing, I thanke God for, if it vvere his plea∣sure I shuld haue it, he hath inough for me, I seeke not for it by flatterie, neyther am I a flatterer. And agayne, I knovv that by so ho∣nest a qualitie, so godly an exercise as this is, there is verie little to be gottē of the vvorld, or of any of the ministers therof: as of late I proued by dedicating of a small translation out of Spanishe (as this was) to the Lorde Maior, and maiestrates of the Citie of Lon∣don, it is intituled a generall pardon for sin,

it vvas vvell vvorthie to be receiued, and so it vvas of a certaine of the chiefest of them, and I cōtented thervvith: but yet there vvere some, that vvhen I vvas so readie to deliuer it, they vvere as slovv to receiue it, and had as little leysor as those vvhich are spoken of by Christ in the xiiij. Chapter of S. Luke: they vvere so busied vvith buying and assu∣ring of lande, of farmes, of yokes of Oxen, vvith marying of vviues, & vvith vsurie, that they had no leysure to loke vppō my booke, nor yet to giue me God a mercie, and much lesse any part of their pursse for my paynes, but haue rather hated me euersithens. The vvhich hath not made me to think to gaine any vvorldly liuing to enrich my selfe heere∣by, neither haue I done it to please heritikes vvith all, nor yet doe I think that my profes∣sion herein is herisie: for vvhy I am sure that heritikes vvill be angrie vvith me for it: And as for the booke I vvill iustifie it vvith and against all Baalits, that vvill any vvay backe∣bite me therefore) to be true and perfect re∣ligion (vnder your graces correction) accor∣ding to the truth & true meaning of Christ our head. And as for the name of a protestāt (though not a pratling protestant) I am very glad to beare it at theyr hands: for in deed, I do protest & before god do vtterly abādō & forsake the diuil and all his vvorks as I haue professed in my baptisme: and also I do pro∣test, forsake, and (by the helpe of God) for euer doe renoūce Antichrist & all his mem∣bers vvith all their diuilish doctrine and de∣lusions:

in such sort that if (as S. Paule saith) my soule bee not ouersoone desolued from my bodie, by the grace and fauour of God I vvill compyle and translate togither greater volums, notvvithstanding that the dispite of my backebiting enimies bee neuer so great. And yet surely there be these and suche lyke coūterbuffetings of Sathan, as are sufficient (if the strength of Gods spirit vvere not) to discourage mee, and one cause is amongest the rest, for that heere in England, vvee are grovven to be lyke vnto the children of Isra∣ell, they did loath & abhorre Māna, a most precious foode sent them dovvne from hea∣••en: and vve doe begin to loath the diuini∣tie of the scriptures, as svveet a foode for our soules sent vs from the same place: so as the vvryters of diuinitie can scarce obtayne to haue their coppies printed: for vvhy, the prin¦ting of paganicall histories & toyes to mock Apes vvith all, are more profitable vnto the printer tovvardes hys charges, then are the bookes of godly instruction, suche is the va∣nitie of vs, the Lorde for hys mercyes sake a∣mend it, and graunt your grace some polli∣ticke deuyce to redresse it if it bee possyble. Amen.

It may be, novv that I haue made this an∣swere, to these and such lyke good fellowes as I haue before spoken off: that they vvill assalt me a freshe and saye, that I haue spent this trauayle for an other purpose, and that is, bycause I would shewe my skill, and so

finde falte with mee, for that I haue vsed no more eloquence. But yet they are deceyued, I haue not done it to any such ende, bicause I haue it not. I want the eloquēce of Tullie, and the helpe of Mercurie the God of that Arte: And againe wee neede none of them not their helps herein, for that a professor of diuinity ought to speak properly & not elo∣quently. And also it is not skil but good will that bringeth men vnto God. And therefore they that shal say, that I haue don it for any of those causes doe mee great wrong. I haue don it for three other causes, which is to say, for pollicy, loue, & hope: for policy, bicause I haue seen proued by experiēce, that he which is a weak Soldier, speedeth best vnder the en∣feign or bāner of the best, strōgest, & valyan∣test Captaine: I thought it good to play the lyke part, and so to shroud my self vnder the banner of your Graces protection, thynkyng thereby to be sufficiently armed at proofe, to defende my selfe from the worst that eyther Zoylus, Momus, or Baalit, with all theyr companie can doe to mee. For loue, bycause of the exhortations that the Apostles Paule, Peter, & Iohn, haue in diuers places of theyr Epistles, incited me vnto: S. Iohn in the first Epistle and the third Chapter, after that hee had strongly perswaded that we should loue in veritie, & not in words, said: that vvhoso∣euer hath this vvorldes goods, and seeth hys brother haue need, & doth shut vp his com∣passion from him, hath not (& is vvithout)

the loue of God in hym. I haue none other riches, wherfore I thought it good to bestow and distribute this amōg my bretheren, tru∣sting they wil take it in good part. For hope, bicause I am persvvaded that your grace vvil so vvell like of the booke, that my hope is I shall be greatly incouraged, so vvell to spend time heereafter, that in all godly doinges I shal reape the commoditie of so godly a pa∣tron. And that although my vvell doing bee not so vvel as I vvish, yet that your grace vvil say for mee, in magnis et voluisse sat est. And thus bicause you should not say vnto me, ne quid nimis, I vvill grovve to an ende: And though I haue not nor cā not so purely pol∣lish it as I wold, yet what thē, I do not dout but that it vvilbe vttered vvel inough, bicause vino vendibili suspensa hedera nihil opus, vvher∣fore I doe fully finish. Praying, you of your gracious pardō for my tedious rudenes, and that it may please God to graūt you as much ioy, and felicitie as may be vvished to any, the true teaching of the scriptures, the loue and fauour of God and our most gracious Queene, long life, prosperous successe in all your graces affaires. And after the change of this life the greatest happines of all, which is life euerlasting. Amen. The .ix. day of Au∣gust.

¶ Your graces most humbly to serue obediently, Iohn Danyell.

Egroto dum anima, spes est.

Notes

• A God of the Poets fayning.
• Rom. 12.13. 1. Cor. 13. Ephe. 5. Iohn. 15. 1. Pet. 2. 1. Ioh. 3.4.