Marginalia1556. Ianuary.MarginaliaSentence giuen agaynst M. Grene.the Bishop pronounced the sentence diffinitiue against hym, and so committed hym to the Sheriffes of London, who caused hym to be caryed to Newgate.

And as he was going thether, there met hym two gentlemen, being both his especiall friendes, mynding belyke to comfort this their persecuted brother: but at their meeting their louing and friendly hartes (not able any longer to hyde them selues) were manifested by the aboundaunce of their pitifull teares. To whom, when Grene saw them, he said in these or like wordes: MarginaliaThe wordes of Master Grene to hys friendes by the way going to Newgate.Ah my friendes, is thys your comfort ye are come to geue me in thys my occasion of heauines? must I, who needed to haue comfort ministred to me, become nowe a comforter of you? And thus declaring hys most quiet and peaceable mynd and conscience, he chearefully spake to them and others, vntyll he came to the prison doore, into the which he ioyfully entred, & there remained alwaies either in praier (wherunto he much gaue hymselfe) or els in some other godly meditations and exercises, vnto the. xxvij. day of Ianuary, when he with hys other aboue mentioned brethren went most cherefully vnto the place of their torments, often repeating, awell by the way, as also at the stake, these latine verses followyng.

Christe deus, sine te spes est mihi mulla salutis,
Te duce vera sequor, te duce falsa nego.

In Englysh thus.

O CHRIST my God, sure hope of health,
besides thee haue I none:
The truth I loue, and falsehoode hate,
by thee my guide alone.

During the time of his imprisonment in Newgate, diuers of hys friendes had accesse vnto hym, to whom hee gaue sundry godly exhortations: wherewith they were not onely well contented, but for better remembraunce, aswell of the same hys instructions, as also of hys own good and godly person, they desired hym to wryte somewhat in their bookes, which request he willyngly graunted, as in maner here ensueth.

MarginaliaVerses of M. Grene written in his friends booke.
Behold thy selfe by me, such one was I, as thou:
And thou in time shalt be, euen dust as I am now.

Bartlet Grene.

My resting roade is found, vayne hope and hap adew:
Lout whom you list with chaunge, death shal me rid frō you.

Bartlet Grene.

MarginaliaThe singular modesty and humble nature of M. Grene.Emonges other diuers and singular good vertues of this good man, especially in hym was to be noted such a modest nature, so humbly thinking of hym selfe as in few mē is to be found, euer deiecting him selfe vnder that was in hym, and euer seeming to be lesse then hee was, so that nothing lesse he could abyde, then to heare of his prayse or commendation: as well declareth not onely hys letter written to M. Philpot, wherin he doth earnestly expostulate wyth hym for sclaunderyng hym with praise of hys wyt and learnyng, and other manyfold vertues of great excellency, but also by hys owne speech and aunswers in hys examination, wherein hee casteth from hym all knowledge of learning and cunnyng, when notwithstanding he had more in him, then to any mens eyes dyd appeare.

So great and admirable was the gift of modesty grafted in the nature of him, so farre abhorring frō all pride and arrogancie, that as he could not abyde any thyng that was spoken to his aduancement or prayse: so neither did there appeare in him any shew of bragge in those thinges wherein he might iustly glory, which were his punishmentes and sufferynges for the cause and quarell of CHRIST. For when he was beaten and scourged with rods by Byshop Boner (which scarse any man would beleue,  

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Foxe is scandalized because Green's status as a gentleman should have exempted him from being beaten.

it of him which heard it of his mouth) and he greatly reioyced in the same, yet his shamefast modesty was such, that neuer he would expresse any mention therof, lest he should seeme to glory to much in him selfe, saue that onely he opened the same to one M. Cotten of the Temple a frend of his, a litle before his death.

Moreouer, to this rare & maydenly modesty in him, MarginaliaThe pitifull nature of M. Grene.was also adioyned the like nature of mercy and pitiful compassion: which affection though it seemed to be litle regarded of some, yet in my minde is there no other thyng wrought in nature, wherein man resembleth more truly the Image of the high Maiesty of almighty God, then this. And as in this respecte of mercifull tendernes, man onely excelleth all other beastes: so almost no lesse may this man seeme to passe many other men, whose customable propertie & exercise was to visite the poore prisoners with him in prison, both with bodily relief, and also with spirituall comfort: and finding many of them (I meane such as were there for theeft, and other naughty factes) very penitent and sory for their euill demeanors, in hope of their amendemēt, did not onely by mouth, but also by his letters require, yea as it were of duety in loue did charge his frendes, to trauaile for their deliueraunces: such was the pitie and charitable mercy of this godly and most true member of CHRISTES Church: as appeareth by this letter here folowyng.

¶ To my very louing friendes and Masters M. Goring, M. Farneham, M. Fletewode, M. Rusewell, M. Bell, M. Hussey, M. Calthorp, M. Boyer and other my Masters of the Temple, Bartlet Grene wisheth health of body and soule.  

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The Letters from Bartlett Green

This letter was first printed in 1563, then in Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 557-59 and then in all subsequent editions of the Acts and Monuments. ECL 260, fos. 63r-64r is a copy of this letter. The manuscript letter is dated 27 January 1556, the day of Green's death.

MarginaliaA letter of M. Bartlet Grene to certeine of his louing friendes in the Temple.VEry friendes are they which are knit together with the knot of Charity. Charity doth not decay but increase in them that dye faythfully: whereof it followeth that though we be absent in body, yet are we present in the spirit, coupled together with the vnity of faith in the bonde of peace, which is loue. How is hee worthy the name of a freind that measureth his friendship with the distance of place, or parting of persons? MarginaliaWhat true friendship is.If thy friend be out of sight, is thy frendship ended? If he be gone into þ^e countrey, wilt thou cease to loue hym? If he be passed the seas, will you so foresake hym? If hee bee caried into heauen, is charity hindred thereby? MarginaliaTrue friendship is not measured by distance of place or of persons.On the one syde wee haue the vse of the fathers from the primatiue church, that gaue thankes for their friends that dyed in the fayth, to proue that charity dyed not with death. On the other syde (sayth Horace) Cœlum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt.  

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Horace

Foxe text Latin

Coelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt.

Foxe text translation

Not translated.

Translation (Wade 2003)

Those who run across the sea change their sky not their heart

Actual Horace, Epistles I, xi, 27

nam si ratio et prudentia curas,
non locus effusi late maris arbiter aufert,
caelum, non animum mutant, qui trans mare currunt.

[Accurate Citation.]

What speake I of Horace? sayth not S. Paule the same thing? For we are members of his body of his flesh, and of his bloud, yea, we are members one of an other. Is the hand or arme, foote or legge a member when it is disseuered from the body? How can we bee members except wee be ioyned together? MarginaliaLoue only coupleth together.What is the line that coupleth vs, but loue? When all thynges shall fayle, loue fayleth neuer. Hope hath his end when we get that wee hoped for. Fayth is finished in heauen, MarginaliaAll other thinges fayle, loue only endureth for euer.loue endureth for euer: Loue (I say) that proceedeth of charity, for carnall loue, when that which he loued is lost, doth perish with the flesh. Neyther was that euer but fleshly loue, which by distaunce of place, or seuering of bodies, is parted asunder. If loue be the end or summe of the law, if heauen and earth shall perish, if one iote of Gods worde shall not decay, why should we thinke that loue lasteth not euer?

I nede not to wryte much to you my friendes, neyther can I haue leysure now that the keepers are risen: but this I say, if we kept CHRISTES commaundement in louing ech other, as he loued vs, then should our loue be euerlasting. This frendship Paule felt when it moued him to say, that neither lēgth nor bredth (meaning no distāce of place) neither height nor depth should seuer him frō the loue of CHRIST. Wey well this place, and mete it with Paules measures: so shall we fynd, MarginaliaLoue vnfayned neuer endeth.that if our loue bee vnfained, it can neuer be ended. Now may you say, why wrytest thou this? Certes to the end that if our friendship be stable, you may accomplish this the last request of your friend, and perfourme after my death the friendship we began in our lyfe, that amity may encrease vntill God