1576 Edition | Book 11 | Page 1840 
MarginaliaAn. 1556. Iuly.do. And if her grace or her officers vnder her do require me to any thyng contrary vnto Christes Religion, I am ready also to do my seruice in Smithfield for not obseruyng it, as my bedfellow and other brethren haue done, praysed bee God for them.
Mart. By my trouth thou art a pleasaunt fellow as euer I talked with of all the Protestants, except it were Tomson.
CloseThis may be a reference to Harold Thomson, a priest who was arrested along with Edward Crome, John Hooper and John Rogers on 22 January 1555 (The Diary of Henry Machyn 1550-1563, ed. J. G. Nichols, Camden Society, 42 [1848], p. 80). More likely the martyr Thomas Tomkins is meant.
Careles. No Maister Doctour, that is not so. MarginaliaMore varietie in the Popes Church, then is amongest the protestantes.There is a thousād tymes more varietie in opinions among your Doctours, which you call of the Catholicke Church, yea & that in the Sacrament for the which there is so much bloudshed now a dayes. I meane of your latter Doctours & new writers: as for the old they agree wholy with vs.
[Back to Top]Mart. No Careles, that is not so: there thou art deceiued.
Carel. Verely it is so, Maister Doctour. I am not deceiued therein any thyng at all, as it hath bene, and is euidently proued by such as GOD hath endued with great learnyng. Then he turned to the Marshal, and whispered with him a while.
Martin. Turnyng vnto me agayne, sayd: MarginaliaDoctour Martyn taketh his leaue gently of Careles.Farewell Careles, for I can tary no longer with thee now, my busines is such,
Carel. God be with you, good Maister Doctour. The Lord geue your Maistershyp health of body and soule.
Mart. God haue mercy good Careles: and God keepe thee from all errours, & geue thee grace to do as wel as I would wishe my selfe.
Carel. I thanke your good Maistershyp. I pray GOD I may do alwayes that is acceptable in his sight. Whereunto they all sayd, Amen. And so I departed with a glad hart: God onely haue the whole prayse, Amen.
It appeareth by examination of the foresayd Iohn Careles, þt he endured prisoner the space of two whole yeares, hauyng wife and children. In the whiche his captiuitie, first beyng in Couentry Iayle, he was there in such credite with his Keeper, that vppon his worde he was let out to play in the Pageant about the Citie with other his companions. And that done, keepyng touch with his Keeper, he returned agayne into prison at his houre appointed.
[Back to Top]And after that beyng brought vp to London hee was indued with such pacience and constaunt fortitude, that hee longed for nothyng more earnestly, then to come to that promotion to dye in the fire for the profession of his fayth: and yet it so pleased the Lord to preuent him with death, that he came not to it, MarginaliaIohn Careles dyed in prison, and was buryed in the fieldes.but dyed in the prison, and after was buryed in the fieldes in a dounghill.
[Back to Top]¶ In the meane tyme while hee was in prison in the Kynges Bench, it chaunced he was in great heauynes and perturbation of mynde and conscience, whereupon he wrote to Maister Philpot being then in the Colehouse. Vpon the occasion hereof Maister Philpot sent an Epistle consolatorie vnto him, specified before amōg Maister Philpots letters, pag. 1762. Vnto the which Epistle Iohn Careles maketh aunswere agayne as followeth.
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CloseCareless's letters to John Philpot, to his co-religionists in Newgate and his prayer were first printed in the 1563 edition. The letters to Margaret Careless, Bradford, to Green, Whittle and the other prisoners in Newgate, to Tyms, to 'M.C.', to Thomas Upcher (both letters), to Henry Adlington, to 'a faithfull friend' and the letter in Agnes Glascock's book were all first printed in Letters of the Martyrs (yet another indication of the scope and thoroughness of Henry Bull's research). The letter to 'E.K.' was first printed in 1566 along with Nicholas Ridley's Pituous Lamentation. All of the other letters were first printed in the 1570 edition.
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CloseNote that abuse of Martin, 'a iolye stirer in these matters', was removed in the 1570 edition.
A faythfull frend is a strōg defence, who so findeth such a one, findeth a treasure.
A faithfull frend hath no peere, the weight of gold and siluer is not to be compared to the goodnes of his fayth.
A faythfull frende is a medicine of lyfe, and they that feare the Lord shall finde him.
Ecclesiast. 6.
MarginaliaA letter of Iohn Careles to M. Philpot.THe father of mercy and GOD of all consolation, comfort you with his eternall spirite (my most deare and faythfull louyng frend, good Maister Philpot) as you haue comforted me by the mighty operation of the same: the euerlastyng God be praysed therfore for euer, Amen.
[Back to Top]Ah my deare hart and most louyng brother, if I should do nothyng els day and night, so long as the dayes of heauen do endure, but kneele on my knees and read Psalmes, I can neuer bee able vnto render God condigne thankes for his great mercy, fatherly kyndnesse, and most louyng compassion extended vnto me most vyle, sinnefull, wicked, and vnworthy wretch. Oh that the Lord would opē my mouth and geue me a thākefull hart, that from the bottome of the same might flowe his continuall prayse. Oh that my sinne-
[Back to Top]full flesh (which is the cause of my sorrow) were cleane separated from me, that I might sing Psalmes of thankes geuyng vnto the Lordes name for euer: that with good Samuels mother I might continually record this noble verse folowing, the which by good experience I haue found most true, praysed be my good God therfore:
[Back to Top]Marginalia1. Reg. 2.The Lord (sayth that good woman) killeth and maketh alyue: he bryngeth downe to hell and fetcheth vp agayne. MarginaliaIohn Careles raysed vp by the Lord, out of great heauines.Praysed be that Lord for euer, yea, and praysed be his name, for that hee hath geuen me true experience and lyuely feelyng of the same. Blessed be the Lord GOD, whose mercy endureth for euer, whiche hath not dealt with me accordyng to my deepe desertes, nor destroyed me in his displeasure when I had iustly deserued it. Oh what reward shall I geue agayne vnto the Lord for all the great benefites that he hath done for my soule? I will gladly receiue the cup of saluation at his hād, and will worshyp his name with prayer and with prayse.
[Back to Top]Ah my deare hart, yea most deare vnto me in the Lord, thinke not this sodeine chaunge in me, to be some fikle phātasie of my foolishe head (as in deede some other would surely suspect it to be). For doubtles it is the marueilous doyng of the Lord, most mercyfull vnto me his vnworthy creature. God for his great mercyes sake geue me grace to be more thankefull vnto him then I heretofore haue bene, and keepe me that I neuer fall forth of his fauour agayne.
[Back to Top]And now my deare brother, and most blessed messenger of the Lord, whose beautifull feete haue brought much glad tidynges vnto my soule, what shall I do or say vnto you, MarginaliaThis comfort receaued of M. Philpot, read in M. Philpots letters, pag.1726.in the lest parte to recompense the fatherly affection and Godly care that you continually keepe for me? Oh that God would geue me the spirite of feruent prayer, that I might yet that way supply some little part of my duety toward you. Ah my true louyng frend, how soone did you lay aside all other businesse, to make a sweete plaster for my wounded conscience, yea and that out of a paynefull payre of stockes, whiche place must needes be vneasie to write in. But God hath brought you into a strait place, that you might set my soule at liberty. Out of your pinching & paynful seat you haue plentyfully poured vppon me your precious narde, the sweete sauour wherof hath greatly refreshed my tyred soule. The Lord likewise refresh you both body & soule, by pouring the oyle of his gracious spirit into your sweet hart.
[Back to Top]Ah good Ieremy, hath MarginaliaIere. 20.Phasure put thee in the stockes?
This reference helps to date this letter; Bishop Bonner placed Philpot in the stocks on 20 November 1555.
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MarginaliaIohn Careles aduise to M. Philpot.Wherfore myne aduise and most earnest desire is, with all other of your louyng frendes, that you still keepe that order with those bloudthursty bytesheepes, Byshoppes I should say, that you haue begon. For though in conclusion they will surely haue your bloud, yet shall they come by it with shame inough, and to their perpetuall infamy whiles the world doth endure. They would in deede cōdemne you in hugger mugger, to darken Gods glory if it might be. But Sathans thoughtes are not vnknowen to you, and the depth of his subtiltie is by you wel foresene. Therfore let them do whatsoeuer GOD shall suffer them to do: for I know all thynges shall turne to your best. Though you lye in the darke, slorryed with the Byshops blacke coale dust: yet shall you be shortly restored vnto the heauenly light, and made as MarginaliaPsal 68.white as snow in Salmon, and as the wynges of a Doue that is couered with siluer winges, and her fethers like gold. You knowe the vessell, before it be made bright, is soyled with oyle and other thynges that it may scoure the better.
[Back to Top]Oh happy bee you that you be nowe in the scouryng house: for shortly you shalbe set vpon the celestial shelfe as bright as aūgels. Therfore my deare hart, I will now accordyng to your louyng request, MarginaliaIohn Careles care turned into ioy.cast away all care, and reioyce with you, and prayse God for you, and pray for you day and
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