The common places of the most famous and renowmed diuine Doctor Peter Martyr diuided into foure principall parts: with a large addition of manie theologicall and necessarie discourses, some neuer extant before. Translated and partlie gathered by Anthonie Marten, one of the sewers of hir Maiesties most honourable chamber.

To a verie honourable Prince in England. 43.

FOr manie and great causes am I verie much bounde vn∣to your highnesse most noble Prince. For I being but a poore silie man and of lowe degrée whom you saw scarce∣lie once in England, you heare such affection towardes mee, as you haue with singular courtesie and good will intertained Iulius which dealeth in my affaires, and haue she∣wed him not small, but verie great fauour in the perfourming of his businesse: for the which cause I giue your Honour excéeding great thankes: and besides this for that you haue sent letters vnto me, letters doe I say, yea rather praises and commendations both of my learning and vertues: which although I doe not acknowledge to be in me, yet could I not but reioice in your iudgement, because I vnderstoode it to bee a most certaine testi∣monie of your loue and good will towardes me. Neither doe I thinke my selfe to be loued of you for any other cause, than for godlines and religions sake. I will not rehearse the singular desire that you shewe to haue mée returne againe into England, * 1.1 which you al∣so affirme that the godlie and learned men doe desire together with you. But how great a fauour is that that you haue put the Quéenes Maiestie in minde, that there must be some consideration had of my calling, and haue put mee in her Maiesties fauour? Fi∣nally you haue promised to doe mee all the pleasures and commodities you can: and you haue declared the causes and those verie singular of this your affection, namely the loue of your Countrie and the excéeding care of setting forward the worde of God. Such a Prince who can but loue? Vndoubtedly if I should euer be forgetfull of this so great a

good will and of so many benefites, I shoulde not onely be voide of godlinesse but of huma∣nitie. Wherefore I will indeuour, and that by all meanes I can that they may neuer slip out of my minde. But nowe as touching my returne into England, and if I am not a∣ble to answere that which I would earnestly desire, I beséeche your honour that you will of your courtesie take in good part y^e answere which I write vnto you. First I would not haue you to thinke that I desire any thing more earnestly than the sound saluation of England in the Lorde. Wherefore I haue desired now also, no lesse than in times past, to further the commodities and building thereof, and to doe that which might be as well acceptable as profitable to your king∣dome and Church. But at this day, it stan∣deth thus with mee, that I am appointed to the Citie and Church of Tigure, and there∣fore I am not at my owne libertie. Where∣fore as touching this matter I sought the iudgement and good will both of the Magi∣strate and of the Ministers. And certainlie I founde in them a singular indeuour and rea∣die minde to satisfie your desire. For thinke not that any thing is more acceptable and deare vnto them than the trueth of the Gos∣pell to be most largely spread. But on the o∣ther side, they no lesse prudently than louing∣ly consider of the constitution of my bodie, my state and age: and they are somewhat afraide least I being loaden and as it were broken with age, cannot abide the trauell of iourney which is somewhat long, variable, & not euerie where easie. They sée moreouer y^t in diuers places are like to come no small daungers. Further they consider, that I am called abroade to much more painefull la∣bours, than I doe here abide. For which cause they easilie coniecture that I shall bee able to serue neither them nor you. So as they iudge it much better, that I should here tarie, that by teaching, writing, and publi∣shing that which I haue commented, I maie to my power be a helpe vnto them, to you and to others. But in these two kindes of answere the first part séemes to haue a like∣nesse of trueth. For I my selfe also doe feare that I should not be able to endure iourneies and labours. But in the other I doubt that they themselues be deceiued which thinke that I by tarying and resting here can pro∣fite so manie: for they make more account of my workes than they deserue. Verilie for my part, vnto whom the slendernesse, naked∣nesse and simplenesse of my learning is knowen agrée vnto them to tarie for the first cause onelie. For I am easilie perswaded to beléeue that by iourneying and labours I shall soone bee weakened and cast downe, so as I shall bee made altogether vnprofita∣ble. Wherefore I first of all beséeche your honor, secondly those godlie learned men, that they will accept of my good will, where they cannot because of my weaknes obtaine the thing it selfe which they wish to be doone. For necessitie is a harde weapon, against which to striue séemes to bee no other thing than to tempt God. But this in the meane time I woulde haue you right honourable to remember, that wheresoeuer I shall bee in the worlde, I will alwaies thinke my selfe most bounde vnto you. And on the other side I desire you, that you will not onelie retaine the loue of your Countrie and the care of furthering religion, but that you will indeuour euery day more and more to increase the same in your Christian heart, whereby the Feathers sometime cut off from the Gospell of the sonne of God, maie growe againe, and so growe as it may with a fruitfull course goe through all your pro∣uinces, Cities and townes. Assuredly if you shall perpetually as you haue begun, be in∣flamed with this double care, both almigh∣tie god will like of you, and all discrete and godly men will honour you as a good Citi∣zen and a profitable Prince. God through Christ maintaine you long in health and fe∣licitie. Giuen at Zuricke the 22. of Iulie 1561.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Peter Martyr called a∣gaine into England.