Certain most godly, fruitful, and comfortable letters of such true saintes and holy martyrs of God, as in the late bloodye persecution here within this realme, gaue their lyues for the defence of Christes holy gospel written in the tyme of their affliction and cruell imprysonment.

An other letter to hys wyfe and to Maister Harrington and Maister Hurland.

GRace and comfort, &c. Wyfe you shal do best not to come oftē vnto the grate where the porter may see you. Put not your self in daunger where it nedes not: you shal I thinke, shortly come farre enough into daunger by keping fayth and a good conscience, which (deare wife) I trust you do not slacke to make rekoning & accompt vpon by exercising your inward man in meditati∣on of Gods most holy woorde, being the sustenaunce of the soule, and also by geuing your selfe to humble prayer: for these two things be the very meanes how to bee made mē∣bers of our Christ mete to inherite his kyngdome. Do thys (deare wife) in earnest, & not leauing of, and so we two shal with our Christ and all his chosen children, enioy the mery world in y^e euerlasting immortalitie, where as here wil no∣thing els be found but extreme misery, euē of thē which most greedely seke thys worldly wealth: and so, if we two conti∣nue Gods children graffed in our Christ, the same Gods blessing which we receaue, shal also settle vpon our Samu∣ell. Though we do shortly depart hence and leaue the poore Infant (to our seeming) at al aduentures, yet shal he haue our gracious God to be hys God, for so hath he sayd and he can not lye: I will be thy God sayeth he and the God of thy sede. Yea if you leaue him in the wild wildernes destitute of

all helpe, being called of God to do hys wyll eyther to dye for the confession of Christ, eyther any worke of obedyence: that God whiche heard the crye of the litle poore infante of Agar Saraes handmaiden and dyd succour it, wil doe the like to the chylde of you or any other fearyng hym and put∣ting your truste in hym. And if we lacke fayth, as we doe in¦deede many tymes, let vs call for it and we shall haue the encrease both of it and also of any other good grace nede∣full for vs, and bee merye in GOD, in whom also I am very merye and ioyfull. O Lorde what greate cause of reioysyng haue we, to thynke vppon that Kingdome which he voucheth safe for hys Christes sake, frelye to geue vs, for∣sakyng oure selues and following hym? Deare wyfe thys is truely to followe hym, euen to take vp our crosse and follow hym, and then as we suffer with hym, so shall we reygne with hym euerlastingly, Amen. Shortly, shortly. Amen.

My deare frendes Maister Harrington, and Maister Hurland, Praye praye, and bee merye in God, and I be∣seche you as you maye, let the good brethren abroade be put in mynde of oure deare tryed brethren and sisters who haue (the Lorde be praysed) made knowen theyr constancye in confessyng the truth to the glorye of GOD and comforte (I doubt not) of hys Churche abroade. Thus haue they sowen spirituall thynges confessing Christ. I trust they wil not be forgetfull that they may reape of them whiche are of habilitie and at libertye theyr carnall thynges. Hereof I speake now, bycause of my tender desyre towardes these deare brethren here now in bondes and in other places, and also for that I doubte whether I maye haue wherewith to write hereafter. The keper sayeth he muste needes see that we write not at al. The deuil roreth but be of good cheare, he will shortly be troden vnder foote and the rather by the bloude of Martyrs. Salute in my most hartye manner good Maisters Harrington and my good Ladye. F. I am theyrs as longe as I lyue and praye for them: desyre them to do likewyse for me and for al vs shepe appointed to the slaughter.

A prisoner in the Lorde, Laurence Saunders.