heauenly father by Christ, that MarginaliaThe reioysing of Byshop Ridley at the constancy of M. Rogers.since I heard of our deare brother Rogers departyng and stoute confession of Christ and his truth euen vnto the death, my hart (blessed be God) reioyced of it, that since that tyme, I say, I neuer felt anye lumpishe heauines in my hart, as I graunt I haue felt somtimes before. O good brother, blessed be God in the, and blessed be the time that euer I knew thee. Farewell, farewell.Marginalia1555. October.

Your brother in Christ, Nicholas
Ridley. Brother farewell.

¶ To the brethren remaynyng in captiuity of the flesh, and disparsed abroad in sundry prisons, but knit together in vnity of spirite and holy Religion in the bowels of the Lord Iesu.  

Commentary     Close

A Latin version of this letter was first printed in 1563. This English translation was first printed in Letters of the Martyrs (pp. 32-34) and then in all editions of the Acts and Monuments. A Latin version of this letter is ECL 262, fo. 99r-v. The final folio of a copy of the English translation of this letter is ECL 262, fo. 246r-v.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaA letter of Byshop Ridley to all the persecuted flocke of Christ, written in Lattin and translated into English.GRace, peace, and mercy be multiplied among you. What worthy thankes can we render vnto the Lorde for you my brethren, namely for the great consolatiō which through you we haue receiued in the Lorde, who notwithstandyng the rage of Sathan that goeth about by all maner of subtill meanes to begyle the world, and also busily laboureth to restore and set vp his kingdome agayne that of late began to decay and fall to ruine: ye remayne yet still vnmoueable as men surely grounded vppon a strong rocke. And now, albeit that Sathan by his soldiours and wicked ministers, dayly (as wee heare) draweth numbers vnto him, so that it is sayd of him that he plucketh euen the very starres out of heauen, whiles hee dryueth into some men the feare of death and losse of all their goodes, and sheweth and offereth to other some the pleasaunte baites of the worlde, namely riches, wealth and all kynde of delightes and pleasures, fayre houses, great reuenewes, fat benefices, and what not? and al to the intent they shoulde fal downe and worship, not the Lord but MarginaliaApoca. 12.the Dragon the olde Serpent whiche is the deuill, that great beast, and his image, and shoulde be inticed to commit fornication with the strompet of Babilon, together with the kynges of the earth, with the lesser beast, and with the false Prophetes, and so to reioyse and be pleasaunt with her, and to bee drunken with the wyne of her fornication:MarginaliaApoc. 17. yet blessed be God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ, whiche hath geuen vnto you a manly courage and hath so strengthned you in the inward man by the power of his spirite, that you can contemne aswell all the terrours, as also the vayne flatteryng allurementes of the worlde, estemyng them as vanities, mere trifles, & thinges of nought: Who hath also wrought, planted, and surely stablished in your hartes so stedfast a fayth and loue of the Lord Iesus Christ, ioyned with such constancie that by no engines  

Commentary     Close

Devices.

MarginaliaGal. 5. Math. 24.In this fayth stande ye fast my brethren, and suffer not your selues to be brought vnder the yoke of bondage and superstition any more. For ye know, brethren, how that our Sauiour warned his before hand, MarginaliaHe exhorteth the brethren to stand fast.that such should come as would point vnto the world an other Christ, and would set hym out with so many false miracles, and with such deceaueable and subtill practises, that euen the very elect (if it were possible) shoulde be therby deceaued: such strong delusion to come did our Sauiour geue warnyng of before. But continue ye faythfull and constant, and be of good comfort, and remember that our graund captaine hath ouercome the worlde: for he that is in vs is stronger then he that is in the world, and the Lord promiseth vnto vs that for the elects sake the dayes of wickednes shall be shortned.Marginalia1. Iohn 4. In the meane season abyde ye and endure with patience as ye haue begun: endure I say, and reserue your selues vnto better times, as one of the Heathen Poetes sayd,MarginaliaVirgil. Aeneid. 1. cease not to shew your selues valiaunt Souldiours of the Lorde,MarginaliaPhil. 1. and helpe to mayntayne the trauelyng fayth of the Gospell.

Ye haue nede of patience, that after ye haue done the wil of God, ye may receaue the promises. MarginaliaHeb. 10.For yet a very little while, and he that shall come will come, and wil not tary, and the iust shall liue by fayth: but if any withdraw him selfe, my soule shall haue no pleasure in himMarginaliaPacience necessary for all Christians. (sayth the Lord). But we are not they which do withdraw our selues vnto damnation, but beleue vnto the saluation of the soule.Marginalia1 Iohn 10. Let vs not suffer these wordes of Christ to fall out of our hartes by any maner of terrors or threatnings of the world. Feare not them which kill the body: the rest ye know. For I write not vnto you as to men which are ignoraunt of the truth, but whiche know the truth, and to this ende onely, that we agreeyng together in one fayth, may take comfort one of an other, and be the more confirmed and strengthned

thereby. We neuer had a better or more iust cause either to contemne our life or shedde our bloud:MarginaliaThe quarell of the Martyrs is iust and true. we can not take in hand the defence of a more certayne, cleare, & manifest truth For it is not any ceremonie for the which we contende, but it toucheth the very substaunce of our whole Religion, yea, euen Christ hym selfe. MarginaliaHeb. 1. MarginaliaColos. 2. MarginaliaMartyrs put to death because they will acknowledge no more Christes but one.Shall we, either can we receiue and acknowledge any other Christ in steede of hym, who is alone the euerlasting Sonne of the euerlasting father, and is the brightnes of the glorye, and liuely Image of the substaunce of the Father, in whom onely dwelleth corporally the fulnes of the Godhead, who is the onely way, the truth and the life? Let such wickednes (my brethren) let suche horrible wickednes be farre from vs. Marginalia1. Cor. 8.For although there be that are called Gods, whether in heauen either in earth, as there be many Gods and many Lordes, yet vnto vs there is but one God, whiche is the Father, of whom are all thines & we in him, & one Lord Iesus Christ, by whō are all things, & we by hym: but euery mā hath not knowledge. This is life eternall (saith Saint IohnMarginaliaIohn 17.) that they knowe thee to be the onely true God, and whom thou hast sent, Iesus Christe. If any therfore would force vpon vs any other God, besides hym whom Paul and the Apostles haue taught, let vs not heare hym, but let vs flee from him, and hold hym accursed.

MarginaliaThe profundities of Sathan.Brethren, ye are not ignorant of the deepe and profound subtilties of Satan: for he wyll not cease to raunge about you, seeking by all meanes possible whom he may deuoure:MarginaliaApoc. 2. 1. Pet. 5. but play ye the men, and be of Good comfort in the Lorde. And albeit your enimies and the aduersaries of the truth, armed with al worldly force and power that may be, doo set vpon you: yet be not ye faint harted, nor shrinke not therefore: but trust vnto your Captaine Christe, trust vnto the spirite of truth, and trust to the truth of your cause: which, as it may by þ^e malice of Satā be darkened, so cā it neuer be cleane put out. MarginaliaThe Martyrs haue all the Prophets, Apostles, and auncient ecclesiasticall writers on their side.For we haue (high prayse be geuen to God therfore) most plainly, euidently, and clearely on our side, all the Prophets, all the Apostles, and vndoubtedly, al the auncient Ecclesiasticall writers whiche haue written, vntyll of late yeares past.

Let vs be hartye and of good courage therefore, and throughly comforte our selues in the Lorde. MarginaliaPhil. 1.Bee in no wise afraide of your aduersaries: for that which is to them an occasion of perdition, is to you a sure token of saluation, and that of GOD. For vnto you it is geuen, that not onely ye shoulde beleeue on hym, but also suffer for his sake. And when ye are rayled vppon for the name of Christe, remember that by the voyce of Peter,Marginalia1. Pet. 4. yea and of Christe our Saueour also, ye are coūted with the Prophetes, with the Apostles, and with the holy Martyrs of Christ, happy and blessed therefore: for the glory and spirit of God resteth vpon you.

On their parte our Saueour Christe is euyll spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. For what can they els do vnto you by persecuting you, and working al crueltie and villanie against you, but make your crownes more glorious, yea beautifie and multiplie the same, and heape vpon them selues the horrible plagues and heauie wrath of God: MarginaliaHe exhorteth vs not to wishe euell to our persecutours.and therefore good brethrē, though they rage neuer so fiercely against vs, yet let vs not wish euyl vnto them againe, knowing that whiles for Christes cause they vexe and persecute vs, they are like mad men, most outragious and cruell against them selues, heaping hot burnyng coles vppon their own heades: but rather let vs wish wel vnto them, knowing that we are thereunto called in Christe Iesu, that Marginalia1. Pet. 3.we should be heyres of the blessing. Let vs pray therefore vnto God that he woulde driue out of their hartes this darknes of errours, and make the light of his truth to shine vnto them, that they acknowledging their blindnes, may with al humble repentance be conuerted vnto the Lord, and together with vs confesse hym to be the onely true God, whiche is the father of light, & his onely sonne Iesus Christ, worshipping him in spirit and veritie. Amen. The spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ comfort your hartes in the loue of God, and pacience of Christ. Amen.

Your brother in the Lord, whose name this bea-
rer shal signify vnto you, ready alwaies by the
grace of God, to liue and die with you.

¶ To the brethren  

Commentary     Close

This letter was first printed in Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 34-38 and was reprinted in the 1570 edition and all subsequent editions of the Acts and Monuments. BL, Add. 19400, fos. 52r-56r is a copy of this letter corrected and initialed by Ridley. Other copies of the letter are ECL 260, fos. 109r-110r and 280r-v.

[Back to Top]

which constantly cleaue vnto Christ, in suffering affliction with him, and for his sake.  

Commentary     Close

Notice the quasi-official tone of this heading and of this letter: Ridley is not sending this missive to friends but to imprisoned protestants in general.

MarginaliaAn other letter of B Ridley, wherein he confirmeth the brethren in captiuitie translated out of the latin.GRace and peace from God the father, and frō our Lord Iesus Christ be multiplied vnto you. Amen.

Although brethren, we haue of late heard nothing from you, neither haue at this present any newes to send you: yet we thought good something to write vnto you, wherby ye might vnderstande that we haue good remembraunce of