1576 Edition | Book 11 | Page 1651 
Marginalia1555. October.mainteyne and vpholde his kingdome: by these two MarginaliaApoc. 8.he driueth downe mightily (alas) I feare me, the third parte of the starres in heauen. MarginaliaSatans poyson paynted ouer wyth fayre pretences of Religion.These two poysonfull rotten postes he hath so paynted ouer wt such a pretence & colour of Religion, of vnitie in Christes Church, of the Catholike fayth, and such like, that the wily serpent is able to deceyue (if it were possible) euen the elect of God. Wherfore Iohn sayd not without great cause: MarginaliaApoca. 2.If any know not Satans subtilties and the profundities therof, I wyll wish him no other burden to be laden withal.
[Back to Top]Sir, because these be his principall and mayne postes whereupon standeth all his falsehoode, craft, and treacherie, therefore accordyng to the poore power that God hath geuen me, I haue bended
CloseAimed.
Yours in Christ, Nicholas Ridley.
CloseThe date given to this letter by Foxe is almost certainly incorrect, as this letter was written partially in response to Rowland Taylor's letter of 8 May 1554, signed by other leading protestants, protesting a planned disputation to be held in Cambridge. The letter is probably from May or early June 1554. It first appeared in the 1563 edition and was reprinted in Letters of the Martyrs (pp. 60-62) and subsequently in every edition of the Acts and Monuments.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaAn other letter of B. Ridley aunswering to M. Bradford.DEarely beloued, I wish you grace, mercy and peace.
Accordyng to your mynde I haue runne ouer all your *Marginalia* This was a treatise of the Lordes Supper, with other thinges, which Master Bradford sent to him to peruse and to iudge thereof. papers,
CloseAccording to Foxe's marginal notes these papers were Bradford's treatise on the Lord's Supper which he sent to Ridley for the bishop's comments.
CloseRidley apparently added some passages to the treatise Bradford had sent him.
CloseRowland Taylor and Nicholas Ridley were both from Northumbria.
CloseSince Ridley refers below to Bradford consulting him about the proposed Cambridge disputation, Taylor's 'confession' was almost certainly the letter of 8 May 1554, signed by Taylor and other protestants, protesting against the disputation.
As yet I perceiue ye haue bene not bayted,
CloseTo bait someone was to taunt or provoke them; what Ridley means is that Bradford has not been examined yet. Since Bradford was examined repeatedly from the end of January 1555 onwards, this is yet another reason to doubt Foxe's dating of this letter to 1555.
My brother P. the bearer hereof, and Maister Hoopers Letters, would that we should say what we thinke good concerning your *MarginaliaThis matter was concerning the deliberation of the prisoners in London, what to doe if they were called to open disputation. mynde:
Close'We' means Cranmer and Latimer as well as Ridley. Foxe's marginal gloss states that Bradford wished to consult the Oxford bishops about the proposed disputation in Cambridge.
Close'Indifferent' means impartial, not apathetic. Ridley is saying that Bradford and the others should not participate in the proposed disputation unless they were sure that the authorities presiding over the disputation were reasonably impartial.
CloseThe scholars of Oxford were paying a greater share of the cost in maintaining Ridley, Latimer and Cranmer than the townspeople were.
eyther for or in Christes cause.
Nowe, as concernyng your demaunde of our counsell, for my parte I doo not mislike that whiche I perceyue ye are mynded to doo. For I looke for none other, but if ye aunsweare afore the same Commissioners that wee did, ye shalbe serued and handled as we were, though ye were as well learned as euer was either Peter or Paule. And yet further I thinke, that occasion afterwarde may be geuen you, and the consideration of the profite of your auditorie may perchaunce moue you to doo otherwise.
CloseRidley is advising Bradford that the commisioners who conducted the Oxford diaputations were biased and unfair, but that if a disputation was held in Cambridge that they might make a favourable impression on the spectators regardless of the ways in which the disputation might be rigged.
Finally, determinately to say what shall be best, I am not able, but I trust he, whose cause ye haue in hande, shall put you in minde to do that which shal be most for his glorye, the profite of his flocke, and your owne saluation. This Letter must bee common to you and Maister Hooper, in whom and in his prison felowe good father C. I blesse God, euen from the bottome of my hart: for I doubt not but they both doo to our maister Christe, true, acceptable, and honourable seruice, and profitable to his flocke: the one with his penne, and the other with his fatherly example of pacience and constancie and all manner of true godlynes. But what shall I neede to say to you: Let this be common among your brethren, MarginaliaCommunion of Saintes in B. Ridley, B. Hooper, D. Taylour, and other.among whom (I dare say) it is with you as it is with vs, to whom all thinges here are common, meat, money, and whatsoeuer one of vs hath that can or may doo an other good. Although, I sayde the Bailiffes and our Hostesse
CloseMargaret Irish, the wife of Edmund Irish, the mayor of Oxford, who had custody of Ridley.
As farre as London is from Oxforde, MarginaliaThe christian charitye of certayne godly brethren of London toward the prisoned Bishops in Oxford.yet thence we haue receyued of late, both meate, money and shyrtes, not onely from such as are of our acquaintaunce, but of some (whom this bearer can tell) with whom I had neuer to my knowledge any acquaintance. I knowe for whose sake they doo it: to him therfore be al honour glory and due thankes.
[Back to Top]And yet I pray you doo so much as to shew them that we haue receiued their beneuolence, and (God be blessed) haue plentie of al such thyngs. This I desire you to do: for I know they be of M. Hoopers, & your familiar acquaintance.
CloseThe people whom Ridley wishes to thank are very probably Joan Wilkinson and Anne Warcup who are known to have aided Ridley, Bradford and Hooper.
CloseIn the sixteenth century, the word 'crazed' could mean to become ill or infirm as well as to become insane; clearly in this case the first meaning is intended.
Nicholas Ridley.
CloseThis letter was obviously written after the execution of John Rogers on 4 February 1555. It was first printed in the 1563 edition and was reprinted in Letters of the Martyrs(pp. 63 [recte 68]-69). It was subsequently reprinted in all editions of the Acts and Monuments.
MarginaliaThis letter of B. Ridley was writen to M. Bradford soone after his condemnation, when it was thought that he should be had to Lankeshire.Oh deare brother, seyng the tyme is nowe come, wherein it pleaseth the heauenly father, for Christ our Saueour his sake, to call vppon you, and to byd you to to come, happye are you that euer you were borne, thus to be founde awake at the Lordes callyng. Euge serue bone & fidelis: quia super pauca fuisti fidelis, super multa te constituet, & intrabis in gaudium Domini. i.
Euge serue bone & fidelis: quia super pauca fuisti fidelis, super multa te constituet, & intrabis in gaudium Domini. VVell good seruaunte and faithfull, because thou haste bene trustie in small matters, he shall set thee ouer greate thinges, and thou shalt enter into the ioye of thy Lorde. ait illi dominus eius euge bone serve et fidelis quia super pauca fuisti fidelis super multa te constituam intra in gaudium domini tui.
Close
O deare brother, what meaneth this, that you are sent into your owne natiue countrey?
CloseI.e., Lancashire. The words 'county' and 'country' were synonyms in the sixteenth century.
We do looke now euery day when we shalbe called on: blessed be God. I weene I am the weakest many wayes of our company: and yet I thanke our Lorde God and