Marginalia1555. October.you continually, as we doubt not but ye haue of vs also. When this messenger commyng vnto vs from you of late, had brought vs good tidinges of your great constancie, fortitude, and pacience in the Lord: MarginaliaCommunion and vnitie of Saintes.we were filled with much ioy and gladnes, geuing thankes to God the father through our Lord Iesus Christ, whiche hath caused his face so to shine vpon you, and with the light of spirituall vnderstanding hath so lightened your hartes, that now being in captiuitie and bandes for Christes cause, ye haue not ceased, as much as in you lyeth, by woordes, but much more by deede and by your example, to stablishe and confirme that thing, which when ye were at libertie in the world, ye laboured to publish and set abrode by the worde and doctrine: that is to say, holding fast the worde of life, yee shine as lights in the worlde in the middest of a wicked and crooked nation,MarginaliaPhil. 2. and that with so muche the greater glorye of our Lorde Iesus Christ, and profite of your brethren, by howe much Satan more cruelly now rageth and busily laboureth to darken the light of the Gospel.

MarginaliaReasons prouing the religion in Q. Maryes time not to be of God.And as for the darkenes that Sathan now bringeth vpon the Church of Englande, who needeth to doubt therof? Of late tyme our Saueour Christe, his Apostles, Prophetes, and Teachers, spake in the Temple to the people of Englande in the Englishe tongue, so that they might be vnderstanded plainly and without any hardnes, of the godly and such as sought for heauenly knowledge in matters whiche of necessitie of saluation perteyned to the obteinyng of eternall life: but nowe those thinges which once were written of them for the edifying of the congregation, are red in a straunge tongue without interpretation, manifestly against saint Paules commaundement, so that there is no man able to vnderstande them which hath not learned that straunge and vnknowen tongue.

MarginaliaComparison betwene the religion in K. Edwards tyme, and the religion set out in Queene Maryes tyme.Of late dayes those heauenly mysteries, whereby Christ hath ingraffed vs into his body, and hath vnited vs one to an other, whereby also being regenerate and borne anewe vnto God, he hath nourished, encreased, and strengthened vs, whereby moreouer, either he hath taught and set foorth an order amongest them whiche are whole, or els to the sicke in soule or body hath geuen, as it were wholesome medicines and remedies: MarginaliaScriptures in K. Edwardes tyme knowen, in Queene Maryes tyme vnknowen.those (I say) were al plainlye set foorth to the people in their own language, so that what great and exceeding good thinges euery man had receiued of God: what duetie euery one owed to an other by Gods ordinaunce: what euery one had professed in his vocation, and was bound to obserue: where remedie was to be had for the wicked and feeble, he to whom God had geuen a desire and willyng hart to vnderstande those thinges, might soone perceaue and vnderstand. But nowe all these thinges are taught and set forth in such sort, that the people redeemed with Christes bloud, and for whose sakes they were by Christ hym selfe ordeined, can haue no maner of vnderstanding therof at al.

Of late (for asmuch as wee knowe not howe to pray as wee ought) our Lorde Iesus Christe in his Prayer, wherof he would haue no man ignoraunt, and also the holy Ghoste in the Psalmes, Hymmes, and spirituall songes which are set foorth in the Bible, dyd teache and instructe all the people of Englande in the Englishe tongue, MarginaliaIn King Edwardes time the people knew what they prayed: in Q. Maries tyme they neither knew what, nor to whom they prayed.that they might aske such thinges as are according to the wyll of the father, and might ioyne their hartes and lippes in prayer together: but now all these thinges are commaunded to be hyd and shutte vp from them in a straunge tongue, whereby it must needes folowe, that the people neyther can tell howe to praye, nor what to praye for: and how can they ioyne their hartes and voyce together when they vnderstande no more what the voyce signifieth, then a bruite beaste.

MarginaliaThe Catechisme set forth in King Edwardes tyme for children in Q. Maryes tyme forbidden.Finally, I heare saye, that the Cathechisme whiche was lately set foorth in the Englishe tongue, is now in euery Pulpite condemned. Oh deuilish malice, and moste spitefully iniurious to the saluation of mankinde purchased by Iesus Christe. In deede Satan could not long suffer that so great light should be spread abrode in the world: he saw well enough that nothing was able to ouerthrow his kingdome so much, as if children being godly instructed in Religion, should learne to knowe Christe whilest they are yet young: whereby not onely children, but the older sort also and aged folkes that before were not taught to knowe Christ in their childehood, should nowe euen with children and babes be forced to learne to know hym. Now therfore he roreth, now he rageth. But what els doo they (brethren) whiche serue Satan and become his ministers and slaues in mainteinyng of his impietie, but euē the same which they did, to whom Christ our Saueour threatneth this curse in the Gospell: MarginaliaMath. 23.Woe vnto you whiche shutte vp the kingdome of heauen before men, and take awaye the key of knowledge from them: you your selues haue not

entred in, neither haue you suffered them that woulde enter, to come in.MarginaliaThe Catholicke Pharisies neyther enter them selues, nor will suffer other to enter gods kingdome.

And frō whence shall we say (brethren) that this horrible & mischeeuous darkenes proceedeth, whych is nowe brought vpon the worlde? From whence, I pray you, but euen from the smoke of the great furnace of þ^e bottomlesse pyt, so that the sunne and the ayre are now darkened by the smoke of the pyt? MarginaliaApoc. 9. The pit of the Locusts opened.Now, euen now (out of doubt brethren) the pyt is opened amongest vs, and the Locustes begyn to swarme, and Abbadon now raigneth.

Ye therfore (my brethren) which pertaine vnto Christ, and haue MarginaliaApoca. 7.the seale of God marked in your foreheades, that is to wyt, are sealed with þ^e earnest of the spirite to be a peculiar people of God, quite your selues like men and be strong, for Marginalia1. Iohn. 5.he that is in vs, is stronger then he which is in the world: and ye know, that all that is borne of God ouercommeth ehe world, and this is our victorie that ouercommeth the world, euen our fayth. Let the world freat, let it rage neuer so much, be it neuer so cruell and bloudy, MarginaliaExhortation to stand constant in Christ and his truth.yet be ye sure that no man can take vs out of the fathers handes, for he is greater then all: who hath not spared his owne sonne, but hath geuen hym to death for vs all, and therefore how shal he not with hym geue vs all thinges also? Who shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that iustifieth, who shall then condemne? It is Christ that is dead, yea rather which is risen againe, who is also at the right hand of God, and maketh request also for vs. MarginaliaRom. 8.Who shal seperate vs from the loue of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakednes, or peryll, or sworde? the rest ye knowe, brethren. We are certainely perswaded with S. Paul, by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, that no kind of thing shalbe able to separate vs frō the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Which thing, that it may come to passe by the grace and mercy of our Lord Iesus Christe, to the comfort both of you and of vs all, as we for our partes wyl cōtinually (God willyng) pray for you: so (deare brethren in the Lord) with all earnest and harty request we beseech you, euen in the bowelles of our Lord Iesus Christ, that ye wyl not cease to pray for vs. Fare ye well, deare brethren. The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with you al euermore. Amen.

Yours in the Lorde,
Nicholas Ridley.

¶ A letter of Bishop Ridley answearing to a certaine Letter of one Maister West, sometime his Chapleine.  

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This letter is clearly a reply to a letter West sent to Ridley urging him to recant. It was first printed in the 1563 edition and reprinted in Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 40-43 and then reprinted in all subsequent editions of the Acts and Monuments. Copies of this letter are BL, Lansdowne 389, fos. 126v-129v, ECL 260, fos. 281r-282v and ECL 282, fos.162r-165v.

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MarginaliaAn other letter of B. Ridley aunswering one M. West sometyme his Chaplayne.I Wishe you grace in God and loue of þ^e truth, without the which truly stablished in mens harts by the mighty hand of almighty God, it is no more possible to stand by the truth in Christ in tyme of trouble, then it is for the waxe to abide the heate of the fire. Sir, know you this, that I am (blessed be God) perswaded that this world is but transitorie, and (as saint Iohn saithMarginalia1. Iohn. 2.) The worlde passeth awaye and the lust therof. I am perswaded Christes woordes to be true: MarginaliaMath. 10.Who soeuer shall confesse me before men, hym wyll I confesse also before my father whiche is in heauen: and I beleue that no earthly creature shalbe saued, whom the Redeemer & saueour of the world shal before his father denye.MarginaliaNo creature can be saued, whom Christ denyeth before his father. This the Lord graunt, that it may be so graffed, established, & fixed in my hart, that neither things present nor to come, high nor low, life nor death be able to remoue me thence. It is a goodly wishe that you wishe me deepely to consider thinges perteinyng vnto Gods glory: but if you had wished also, that neither feare of death, nor hope of worldly prosperitie should let me to mainteyne Gods word and his truth, which is his glory and true honour, it would haue liked me well. MarginaliaWhat it is for a man well to remember himselfe.You desire me for Gods sake to remember my selfe. In deede sir, now it is tyme so to do, for so farre as I can perceiue, it standeth me vpon no lesse daunger, then of the losse both of body and soule, and I trowe, then it is time for a man to awake, if any thing will awake hym. He that will not MarginaliaLuke. 12.feare him that threatneth to cast both body & soule into euerlastyng fire, whom wyl he feare? With this feare, O Lord,MarginaliaFeare of God. fasten thou together our fraile flesh, that we neuer swarue from thy lawes. You say, you haue made much sute for me. Syr, MarginaliaByshop Ridley refuseth to haue sute made for him.God graunt that you haue not in suing for my worldly deliueraunce, impayred and hyndered the furtherāce of Gods word and his truth.

You haue knowen me long in deede: in the which tyme it hath chaunced me (as you say) to mislike some thinges. It is true, I graunt: for sodayne chaunges without substantiall and necessarye cause, and the heady settyng foorth of extremities, I dyd neuer loue. MarginaliaConfession to the minister in the way of asking counsayle not misliked.Confession vnto the minister which is able to instruct, correct, comfort, and informe the weake, wounded, and ignoraunt conscience, in deede I euer thought might doo muche good in Christes Congre-