Marginalia1556. Iuly.¶ In the page. 2021. ye heard before the letter of Tho. Whittell written to Iohn Careles, wherein he yeldeth great thankes vnto hym, for the singular ioy and consolation receaued by hys letters. The copy of which letters sent vnto hym, if any be disposed to peruse, here vnder followeth, to satisfie his desire.

¶ To M. Greene, M. Whittell, and certaine other prisoners in Newgate, condemned and ready to be burnt for the testimony of the Lord Iesus.  

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This letter was first printed in Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 565-68. There are four copies of this letter in ECL 260, fos. 229-235r. This letter was written between the condemnationof these martyrs on 15 January 1556 and their execution on 27 January 1556.

MarginaliaAn other Letter of Iohn Careles, wherin hee doth animate Grene, Whittell, and the rest of that company vnto theyr Martyrdome.THe euerlasting peace in IESVS CHRIST, the continuall comfort of his most pure and holy spirite, be with you my most deare and faithfull brethren, and sisters of Newgate the Lordes appointed shepe vnto the slaughter, to the good performance of the great and notable worke of the Lord, which he hath so graciously begon in you all: that the same may redounde to the setting forth of his glory, and to the commoditie of his Churche, and to your owne euerlasting comfort in him. So be it.

Ah my deare hartes, and most faithful brethren and sisters in the Lord, what high laudes and praise, yea what humble and continuall thankes am I bound to geue to God our father for you and on your most happie behalf, who so mightely hath magnified him self in you thus far forth, in geuing you his holy and mighty spirit, to the cōstant confessing of CHRISTES veritie, euen to the cruell condemnation, and I doubt not but he will do the same to the death. Oh happie and blessed are you that euer you were borne, that the Lord wil vouch you worthie of this great dignitie, to dye for his sake. Doubtles it is the greatest honour that God can geue you in this life. Yea if they be so blessed of God that die in the Lord,MarginaliaApoc. xi. as the holy ghost saith they be: MarginaliaTo die in the Lord and for the Lord.how much more blessed and happie then are you that die not onely in the Lord, but also for the Lord. Oh that it were the good will of God that the good houre were now come, that I might go with you. Ah that my sinnes made me not vnworthy of such an excellent dignitie.

Be thankefull deare hartes, be thankefull and reioyce in the Lord: for mightie is his mercy towardes you, and great is your reward in heauē, the which you like faithfull persons, haue plucked to you with a godly violence of an inuincible faith. Oh worthy warriours of the most high Captain: oh constant confessours of the euerlasting veritie: how glorious a crown of victory shall you shortly receaue, which is prepared for all such as do continue to the end? Oh you swete Saintes of the Lord how precious shall your death be in his sight? Oh how deare are your soules to your redemer, in whose hand they shall most ioyfully rest, and the paynes of death shall neuer touch you? Oh how blessed shall you be, when CHRIST shall appeare, at the which time you receaue your bodies againe full of immortalitie? Oh how ioyfull shall you be, when CHRIST, according to his promise, shall knowledge you before his father and his holy Aungels, as you haue most constantly confessed him to bee your Lord and onely Sauiour before men?

MarginaliaOf thys Barthelet Greene read before pag. 2022.Oh blessed Greene, thou meeke and louing lambe of the Lord, how happie art thou to be appointed to die for his sake? A full deintie dishe art thou for the Lordes owne toth. Freshe and greene shalt thou be in the house of the Lord, and thy fruites shal neuer wither nor decay. Although thou go here forth sowyng thy good fruites with teares, the time shall come that thou shalt reape with ioy and gladnes, the fruites of euerlasting life, and that without ceasing. Be mery therfore MarginaliaLuke. xii.and feare not, for it is thy fathers will to geue thee a kingdome, whereunto he hath chosen thee before the foūdations of the world were layd.

MarginaliaOf thys Thomas Whittell read before pag. 2017.Oh happie Minister, thou mā of God, how glad mayest thou be of Gods gracious fauour, which hath preuēted thee in the day of thy triall? Oh happie Peter, whose part thou hast well played: therfore thy reward and portion shalbe like vnto his. Now hast thou good experiēce of mans infirmitie, but much more profe & tast, yea sense and feeling of Gods aboundaunt bottomles mercy. Although Sathan desired to sifte thee, MarginaliaLuke. xxii.yet CHRIST thy good Captaine, prayed that thy faith should not faile. Gods strength is made perfect by thy weakenes, and his grace is sufficient for thee his deare child. Thine example did so encourage and strength thy poore brethrē, that God is euery way glorified by thee, and shortly will he glorifie thee with him selfe, with that glory which he hath prepared for thee his elect deareling, before the world was

made. Therfore reioyce and be glad, for thou hast good occasion in finding such fauour in his sight.

This is most true (Oh my other brethren whom I do not know, neither haue I heard much of you) happie are you that euer you were borne, and blessed be our GOD which hath geuē you such victory ouer the bloudy beast. MarginaliaApo. xix.Shortly shall you be clothed in large white garmentes, and fine raynes of righteousnes, and so shall you folow the Lambe on mount Sion with new songes of mirth and melodie, for your deliuerie forth of Sathans power and tyrannie. God for euermore be blessed for you, and strengthen you to the end, as I doubt not but he will: for he neuer failed them that put their trust in him.

Oh my deare and faithfull Sister Ioane Warner,MarginaliaOf Ioane Warner, read before pag. 2030. what shall I say to thee? Thy triall hath bene great: thy victorie in CHRIST hath bene notable. Thou hast ouercome many a sharpe shower and storme: Shortly shalt thou ariue at the hauen of quiet rest, and receiue a reward due to a constant Martyr. Thou shalt go home to thy heauēly father, and possesse for euer the inheritaunce whiche CHRIST hath purchased for thee, where thy earthly parentes be, still looking for thee, whiche haue triumphed ouer Antichrist most victorously. Oh blessed parentes of happie children, which haue shewed such an example, as the like hath ben seldome sene. I salute thee deare SisterMarginaliaHe meaneth Eliz. Foster, pag. 2030. of like constant mind: whose constant example is worthy of continuall memory. Praised be God for you my owne swete Sisters, whiche hath made you to play such wise Virgins partes. MarginaliaMat. xxv.He hath plentifully poured the oyle of his spirite into the lampes of your faith, so that the light therof shall neuer be extinct. You shall enter with your bridgrome into euerlasting ioy, whereunto you were chosen in him from the beginnyng.

Oh my deare brethren and sisters, you blessed Saintes of the Lord, how much and how depely am I bound to praise God for you both day and night. Pray pray for me (my deare hartes) for the tender mercy of God, that I may be made worthy to folow your trace. Oh that I had runne þ^e race of my life, as farre as you haue done yours, and were as nigh my iourneyes ende as you bee vnto yours. But alas, MarginaliaIohn. v.I lye like the lame man at the pooles side by Salomons porch, and euery man goeth into the place of health before me. But God wil appoint me one, one day to put me in. I trust my Lord of Lōdons Colehouse is emptie, and all his officers idle. Therfore they must shortly fetch more shepe to the Shambles: MarginaliaB. Boner called the slaughter slaue of England.for he is the common slaughter slaue of all England. But happie are you that are passed through the pikes, and deliuered out of his handes, and from all the aungels of the darkenes of this world, whiche long tempted you in the wildernes of the same: but now shall the aungels of GOD come and minister vnto you, for they are your seruantes to hold you vp in their handes, that you shall not hurte your foote,MarginaliaPsal. lx. no nor one heare of your head shall perishe. They shall cary you vp to heauen in a fierie chariot,Marginaliaiiij. Reg. ij. though you leaue your mantell behind you for a tyme, till God restore the same to you agayne in a more ample and glorious sort.

Thus in hast, as it doth appeare, I am constrained to make an ende, committyng you all to Gods most mercifull defence: who euer haue you in his blessed kepyng, desiring you all to remember me in your godly and faithfull prayers, as I will not forget you in mine by Gods grace. The blessing of God be with you al my deare brethren and sisters. All our brethren and felow prisoners here, haue thē most hartely cōmended vnto you, & pray for you without ceasing. God send vs a mery meting in his kingdome, Amen.

By your brother and vnfained louer Iohn Ca-
reles prisoner, abydyng his most mercifull will
and pleasure. Pray, pray, pray.

¶ To my deare and faithfull brother William Tymmes prisoner in Newgate.  

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This letter was first printed in Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 568-71. This letter was written after Tyms was condemned on 18 March 1556 and before he was executed on 24 April 1556.

MarginaliaAn other Letter of Iohn Careles priuately written to hys bedfellow W. Timmes.THe euerlasting peace of God in IESVS CHRIST, with the continuall ioy, comfort, and strength of his swete spirite, be multiplied, and daly more and more encreased in your good hart (my most faithfull & deare brother Tymmes) to the full quieting of your conscience, and beating backe of all the fierie dartes of the wicked, that you may shortly receaue the glorious crowne of victory, and in the same triumph ouer all your enemies for euermore, Amen.

I can not expresse the exceding great ioy and consolation of my poore hart, cōsidering the meruelous workes