Marginalia1555. Iuly.West. The church is like a Tower or towne vpon a hil, that al men may se.

Brad. True Sir, all men that bee not blynde. MarginaliaWhy the church is not seene.Visible enough is the church, but mens blyndnes is great. Impute not therfore to the Church, that which is to be imputed to mens blyndnes.

MarginaliaWeston commeth in againe with his Antiquitie.West. Where was your Churche fourty yeares agoe? or where is it now? except in a corner of Germanie?

Brad. Forsooth Sir the Churche of Christ is dispersed, MarginaliaThe Church is tyed to no place but to the word.& not tyed to this or that place, but to the woorde of God: so that where it is, there is Gods Churche, if it be truely taught.

West. Loe is not this to make the church inuisible? point me out a Realme a hundreth yeares past, which mainteyned your doctrine?

Brad. Sir, if you wyl, or would wel marke the state of the Church before Christes comming, with it now (as s. Paul and Peter wylleth vs) MarginaliaThe church is not alwayes to be poynted out by realmes and coūtries.I thinke you would not looke for suche shewes of the Churche to be made, as to poynt it by Realmes. You know that in Helias tyme both in Israell, and els where, MarginaliaThe church in Helias tyme was not poyntable.Gods Church was not poyntable: & therefore cryed he out that he was leaft alone.

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West. No mary, dyd not God say, that there was 7000. whiche had not bowed their knees to Baal? Loe then 7000. shewe me seuen thousand a hundred yeares ago of your Religion.

Brad. Sir, these 7000. were not knowen to men, for then Helias woulde not haue sayd, that he had bene leaft alone.MarginaliaGod saw the Church in Helias, although Helias himselfe did not see it: and so is it now. And it is plaine enough by that which the text hath, namely that God saith, Reliqui mihi, I haue reserued to me. 7000 Marke that it saith, God had reserued to hym selfe, to his owne knowledge, as I doubt not but a hundred yeres agoe God had his. 7000. in his proper places, though men knewe not therof.

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West. Wel, Maister Bradford, I wyl not make your case worse, then for transubstantiation, although I know that we agree not in other matters. And I pray you make you it your selfe not worse. If I can doo you good, I wyll: hurt you I wyll not. I am no Prince, and therefore I can not promise lyfe, except you wyl submit your selfe to the definition of the Church.

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Brad. Sir, so that you wyl define me your Church, that vnder it you bring not in a false church: you shal not see but that we shal soone be at a poynt.

West. In good fayth M. Bradford, I see no good wyll be done, & therfore I wyll wish you as much good as I can, and hereafter I wyll perchance come or send to you againe, and so he sent for M. Weale, and departed.

Nowe after his departyng, came the keeper M. Claydon, and Steuen Bech, and they were very hote with master Bradford & spake vnto hym in such sort that he should not looke but to haue them vtter enemies vnto hym, notwithstandyng the frendship they both had hytherto pretended. God be with vs, and what matter is it who be against vs.

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Among diuers  

whiche came to Maister Bradforde in Prison, some to dispute and conferre, some to geue counsell, some to take comforte, and some to visit hym, there was a certayne Gentlewomans seruaunt, which MarginaliaThis Gentlewoman is yet aliue, to whom M. Bradford wrote a letter which hereafter followeth.Gentlewoman had bene cruelly afflicted and miserably handled by her father and mother and all her kyndrede, in her fathers house, for not commyng to the Masse, and like at length to haue bene pursued to death, had not the Lord deliuered her out of her fathers house, being put from all that euer shee had. This Gentlewomans seruaunt therfore beyng sent to Maister Bradford wyth recommendations, had this talke with hym, which I thought here not to ouerslyp.

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MarginaliaTalke betwene M. Bradford and a certaine Gentlewomans seruaunt.THis seruant or messenger of the foresaid Gentlewoman commmyng to M. Bradford, and taking hym by the hand said: God be thanked for you. How do you?

Brad. Maister Bradford aunswered: Wel I thanke God. For as men in sailyng, which be neare to the shore or hauen where they woulde be, would be nearer: euen so the nearer I am to God, the nearer I would be.

Seruant. Syr, I haue neuer sene you so strōg & healthsome of body, as me thinke you be now, God be thanked for it.

Brad. Why quoth he, I haue geuen ouer al care and study, and onely doo I couet to be talking with hym, whom I haue alwayes studyed to be withal.

Seru. Wel, God hath done much for you, since the time that I first knewe you, and hath wrought wonderously in you

to his glory.

Brad. Truth it is, for he hath dealt fauourably with me, in that he hath not punished me according to my sinnes, but hath suffered me to liue, that I might seeke repentance.

Seru. Truly we heare say, there is a rod made so greuous, out of the which I thinke no man shall plucke his head.

Brad. Wel, let all that be of Christes flocke, arme thē selues to suffer, for I thinke verily, God wyll not haue one of his to escape vntouched, if he loue hym, let them seeke what meanes or wayes they can.

Seru. Well sir, there goeth a talke of a MarginaliaBy thys fryer, he meaneth Alphonsus mentioned before.Fryer  

that should preache before the king, & should tel hym, that he should be gilty of the innocent bloud that hath bene shed of late.

Brad. Veryly, quoth Bradford, I had a booke within these two dayes of his writing, & therein he saith, that it is not meete nor conuenient that the heretikes should liue:  

and therefore I haue maruell how that talke should rise, for I haue heard of it also, and I haue also talked with this fryer (he is named Fryer MarginaliaAlphonsus otherwise called in the vulgar speach frier Fonse.Fonse)   and with diuers other, and I prayse God they haue confirmed me: for they haue nothing to say, but that which is most vaine.

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Seru. Sir, father Cardmaker hath hym commended vnto you.

Brad. How doth he, how doth he?

Seru. Wel, God be thanked.

Brad. I am very glad therof: for in deede my lord Chancelour dyd cast hym in my teeth, but as Dauid saith, God hath disappoynted hym.

Seru. Forsooth, Gods name be praysed, he is very strong.

Brad. And I trust, so are we. What els? our quarrell is most iust: therfore let vs not be afrayd.

Seru. My maistres hath her recommended vnto you.

Brad. Howe doth shee?

Seru. Wel, God be praysed, but shee hath bene sorer afflicted with her one father and mother, then euer you were with your imprisonment, and yet God hath preserued her, I trust, to his glory.

Brad. I pray you tel her, MarginaliaA story of a faithfull woman and Martyr in the primatiue church called Iuleddo. Ex Basilio.I red this day a godly historie, written by Basilius Magnus, of a vertuous woman which was a widowe, and was named Iuleddo. Shee had great landes, and many children, and nigh her dwelled a Cormorant,  

which for her vertuousnes & godly lyuyng had great indignatiō at her, and of very malice he tooke away her lands, so that shee was cōstrayned to go to þ^e law with him: and in conclusion the matter came to the tryall before the Iudge, who demaunded of this Tyrant why he wrongfully withheld these lands frō this woman. He made answere, & sayd: he might so do, for (saith he) this womā is disobedient to þ^e kings proceedings: for she wil in no wise worship hys gods, nor offer sacrifice vnto thē. Then the Iudge hearing that, said vnto her: Woman, if this be true, thou art not only like to loose thy land, but also thy lyfe, vnles that thou worshyp our gods, and do sacrifice vnto them. This godly woman hearing that, stept me forth to the Iudge, & said: Is there no remedy, but eyther to worship your false Gods, or els to loose my landes & lyfe? then farewell suite, farewell landes, farewel children, farewel frends, yea & farwel lyfe too: and in respect of the true honor of the euerlyuyng God, farewell all. And with that saying dyd the Iudge cōmit her to prison, and afterward shee suffred most cruel death: and beyng brought to the place of execution, shee exhorted al women to be strong & constant. For (saith shee) ye were redeemed with as deare a price as men. For although ye were made of the ryb of the man, yet be you also of his flesh: so that also in the case & tryall of your fayth towardes God, ye ought to be as strong. MarginaliaExample of Iuleddo Martyr.And thus dyed shee constantly, not fearyng death. I pray you tel your Maistresse of this history.

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Seru. That shal I sir by Gods grace: for shee told me that shee was with you and M. Saunders, and receyued your gentle counsel.  

Brad. We neuer gaue her other counsel but the truth, & in witnes therof we haue & wyl seale it wyth our blouds. For I thought this night that I had bene sent for, because at a xj. of the clocke there was suche rapping at the doore.

Then answered a mayd, and sayd: why then I perceiue you were afrayd.

Brad. Ye shall heare howe feareful I was. MarginaliaM. Bradford nothing afrayd of death.For I considered that I had not slept, and I thought to take a nap before I went: and after I was asleepe, these men came into the next chamber, and sang, as it was tolde me, and yet for all my fearefulnes I heard them not: therfore belike I was not afrayde, that slept so fast.

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Seru. Doo you lacke any thing toward your necessitie?  

Brad. Nothing but your prayers, & I trust I haue thē, and you myne.

Seru. I saw a priest come to you to day in the mornyng.

Brad. Yea, he brought me a letter from a Fryer, and I am writyng an answere.