MarginaliaAn. 1555. September.this Iohn aforesayd beyng so ardent and zelous in the Gospell of CHRIST, eftsoones he wrote his letter to the Maior and Officers of Couentrie to apprehēd him as soone as might bee. But it chaunced otherwise by Gods holy prouidēce, disposing all thyng after his own secret pleasure, who seyng his old and trusty seruaunt so many yeares with so extreme and many tormentes broken and dried vp, would in no wise heape to many sorrowes vpon one poore sely wretch: neither would cōmit him to the flames of fire, who had bene already baked & scorched with þ^e sharpe fires of inward affliction, and had susteined so many burnyng dartes & conflictes of Sathan so many yeares. God therfore of hys diuine prouidence thinkyng it to much, that one man should be so much ouercharged with so many plagues and tormentes, did graciously prouide, that Robert his brother, beyng both stronger of body, and also better furnished with helpes of learnyng to aunswere the aduersaries (beyng a master of Art in Cambridge) should susteine that conflict:  

and euen so it came to passe, as ye shall heare.

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For as soone as þ^e Maior of Couentry had receaued the Byshops letters for the apprehendyng of M. Iohn Glouer, MarginaliaThe Mayor of Couentry sendeth a priuie watchword to Iohn Glouer.he sent forthwith a priuie watchword  

to the sayd Iohn, to conuey away him selfe. Who with his brother William, was not so soone departed out of hys house, but that yet in sight of the Shriffe and other, the searchers came and rushed in to take hym, accordyng to the Byshops commaundement.

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But when the said Iohn could in no place be found, one of the officers goyng into an vpper chamber, foūd there Robert the other brother lying on his bed, and sicke of a long disease, who was by him incontinent  

brought before the Shriffe. MarginaliaM. Robert Glouer apprehended lying sicke in his chamber.Which Shriffe notwithstādyng fauouring Robert and his cause, would in deede fayne haue dimissed him, and wrought what meanes he could, saying, that he was not the man for whō they were sēt: Yet neuertheles beyng feared with the stout wordes of the officer contēdyng with him to haue him stayed till the Bishops commyng, he was cōstrayned to cary him away agaynst his will, and so layed him fast while the Byshop came. And thus much by the way of preamble first concernyng the worthy remembraunce of M. Iohn Glouer.

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Now to enter the matter which principally we haue in hand, that is, to cōsider the story and Martyrdome of M. Robert Glouer, forsomuch as the whole narration of the same by his owne record and testimony in a writing was sent vnto his wife cōcerning þ^e maner of hys ordering and handlyng, it shall therfore seeme best for the more credite of the matter, to exhibite the sayd his owne letter, the wordes and contentes wherof here ensue, as followeth.

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MarginaliaA letter of M. Rob. Glouer to his wife. certifying her of all his troubles since his first apprehension.THe peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstandyng, the sweete consolation, comfort, strength, and boldenes of the holy Ghost be continually increased in your hart, through a feruent, earnest, and stedfast fayth in our most deare and onely Sauiour IESVS CHRIST, Amen.

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I thanke you hartly most louyng wife, for you letters sent vnto me in my imprisonment. I red them with teares more thē once or twise, with teares (I say) for ioy & gladnes, þ^t God had wrought in you so mercyfull a worke: first an vnfained repentaunce, secondly an humble and harty reconciliation, thirdly a willyng submission & obedience to the will of God in all things. Which when I red in your letters, and iudged them to procede from the bottome of your hart, I could not but be thankeful to God, reioysing with teares for you and

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these his great mercies poured vpon you. These your letters, and the hearyng of your most godly procedings and constant doynges from tyme to tyme, haue much releued and comforted me at all tymes, and shall be a goodly testimony with you at þ^e great day, agaynst many worldly and deinty dames,MarginaliaThe worldly wātones commonly of English women noted. which set more by their owne pleasure and pelfe in this world, then by Gods glory, litle regardyng (as it appeareth) the euerlastyng health of their own soules or others. My prayer shalbe whilest I am in this worlde, that God, which of his great mercy hath begun his good worke in you, will finish it to the glory of his name, & by the mighty power & inspiration of his holy spirite so strengthen, stablish, & confirme you in all his wayes to þ^e end, that we may together shew forth his praises in the world to come, to our vnspeakeable consolation euerlastyngly, Amen.

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So long as God shall lend you continuance in this miserable world, aboue all thinges geue your selfe continually to prayer, liftyng vp, as S. Paul sayth,Marginalia
1. Tim. 2.
Ghostly lessons and precepts of Christian life. cleane or pure handes without anger, wrath, or doubting, forgeuyng (as he sayth also) if you haue any thyng agaynst any mā, as CHRIST forgeueth vs. And that we may be the better willyng to forgeue, it is good often to call to remembraunce the multitude and greatnes of our owne sinnes, which CHRIST daily and hourely pardoneth and forgeueth vs, and then we shall, as S. Peter affirmeth,Marginalia1. Peter. 4. be ready to couer and hide the offēces of our brethren, be they neuer so many. And because Gods word teacheth vs, not onely þ^e true maner of praying, but also what we ought to do or not do in the whole discourse and practise of this life, what pleaseth or displeaseth God, and that, as CHRIST sayth, MarginaliaIohn. 12.The word of God that he hath spoken shall iudge in the last day: let your prayer be to this end specially, that God of his great mercy would open and reuele more & more dayly to your hart the true sense, knowledge, and vnderstanding of his most holy word, and geue you grace in your liuyng to expresse the fruites therof. And for as much as it is, as the holy Ghost calleth it, Marginalia1. Cor. 2.þ^e worde of afflictiō, that is, it is seldome without hatred, persecutiō, perill, daunger of losse of life and goodes, and what soeuer seemeth pleasaunt in this world, as experience teacheth you in this tyme: call vpon God continually for his assistance alwayes, as CHRIST teacheth, castyng your accomptes what it is like to cost you, endeuoryng your selfe, through the helpe of the holy Ghost, by continuaunce of prayer, to lay your foundation so sure, that no storme or tempest shalbe able to ouerthrow or cast it downe: remembryng alwayes (as CHRIST saythMarginalia
Luke. 17.
Example of Lottes wife.) Lothes wife, that is, to beware of lookyng backe to that thyng that displeaseth God. And because nothyng displeaseth God so much as Idolatry, that is, false worshippyng of God, otherwise then his word commaundeth: looke not backe (I say) nor turne not your face to their Idolatrous and blasphemous Massing, manifestly against the word, practise, & example of CHRIST: as it is most manifest to al that haue any tast of the true vnderstādyng of Gods word, that there remaineth nothyng in the Church of England at this present,MarginaliaNothing vsed in Q. Maries time, profitable to edification. profitable or edifying to the Church and cōgregation of the Lord, all thynges beyng done in an vnknowen toung, contrary to the expresse commaundement of the holy Ghost.

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MarginaliaThe first note prouing the church of the Papistes not to be the true church.They obiect that they be the Church, and therefore they must be beleued. My aunswere was, the church of God knoweth and reknowledgeth no other heade but IESVS CHRIST the Sonne of God, whom ye haue refused, and chosen the mā of sinne, the sonne of perdition, enemy to CHRIST, the deuils deputy and Lieftenaunt the Pope.

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CHRISTES Church heareth, teacheth, and is ruled by hys word, as he sayth: Marginalia2. Note. Ioh. 10.My shepe heare my voice. If you abide in me, and my word in you, you be my disciples. Theyr Church repelleth Gods word, and forceth all men to follow their traditions.