Marginalia1556. Iuly.night: yea, I wyll nowe with Gods grace sing Psalmes of prayse and thankes geuyng with you. For nowe my soule is turned to her old rest againe, and hath taken a swete nap in Christes lap. I haue cast my care vpon the Lord, which careth for me, and wyll be Careles, according to my name, in that respecte which you would haue me. I wyll leaue out my vnsemely addition as long as I lyue: for it can take no place where true faith and hope is resident. MarginaliaGods gracious worke through M. Philpott letter.So soone as I had read your moste godly and comfortable letter, my sorowes vanished away as smoke in the wind, my spirite reuiued, and comfort came againe, wherby I am sure the spirite of God was author of it.

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Oh good M. Philpot, which art a principal pot in deede, filled with most precious licour, as it appereth by the plenteous pouring forth of the same: Oh pot most happy, of the high Potter ordeined to honour, which doest conteine such heauenly treasure in the earthen vessel: Oh pot thrise happy, in whom Christ hath wrought a great myracle, altering thy nature, and turnyng water into wine, and that of the best, whereout the maister of the feast hath filled my cup so ful, MarginaliaIoh. Careles druncken with ioy of the spirite.that I am become drunken in the ioy of the spirite thorow the same: When Martyrdome shal breake thee (O vessel of honour) I knowe the fragant sauour of thy precious Narde wyll much reioyce the heauy hartes of Christes true members, although the Iudasses wyll grudge and murmure at the same. Yea and burst out into words of sclaunder, saying: it is but lost and waste.

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Be not offended, deare harte, at my Metaphoricall speache. For I am disposed to be meery, and Marginalia2. Reg. 6.with Dauid to daunce before the Arke of the Lorde: and though you play vppon a payre of Organes not verye comely or easie to the fleshe, yet the sweete sound that came from the same, causeth me thus to doo. O that I were with you in bodye, as presently I am in spirite, that I might sing all care awaye in Christ: for now the tyme of comfort is come. I hope to be with you shortly, if all things happen aright: MarginaliaCareles accused to the Councell by certayne backe frendes in Couētry.For my olde frendes of Couentry haue put the Counsayle in remembraunce of me, not sixe dayes agoe, saying, that I am more worthy to be burned, then any that was burned yet. Gods blessing on their hartes for their good reporte. God make me worthy of that dignitie, & hasten the tyme, that I might set forth his glory.

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Pray for me deare hart, I beseeche you, and wyl al your company to do the same, and I wyll pray God for you all so long as I lyue. And nowe farewel in Christe, thou blessed of Gods own mouth. I wyll for a tyme take my leaue, but not my last farewell. Blessed be the tyme that euer I came into the kynges Bench, to be ioyned in loue and felowishyp with suche deare chyldren of the Lorde. MarginaliaNote how comfortably the Lord worketh in his prisoned Sainctes.My good brother Bradford shal not be dead whiles you be aliue: for veryly the spirit of hym doth rest on you in most ample wise. Your letters of cōfort vnto me in ech point do agree, as though the one were a copie of the other. He hath planted in me, and you do water: the Lord geue good increase. My deare brethren and felow prisoners here, haue them humbly and hartily commended vnto you, and your company, mournyng for your miserie, but yet reioysing for your plenteous consolation and comfort in Christ. MarginaliaGods prouidence toward his people.We are all chearfull and meery vnder our crosse, and do lacke no necessaries, praysed be God for his prouidence and greate mercy towardes vs for euermore, Amen.

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MarginaliaAn other letter of Iohn Careles to his wyfe.  

AS by the greate mercye of God, at the tyme of his good wyll and prouidence appoynted (my dearely beloued wyfe) you and I were ioyned together in the holy and Christian state of godly Matrimonie, as wel to our greate ioy and comfort in Christ, as also to the encrease of his blessed Church and faythful congregation, by hauyng lawfull chyldren by & in the same, with the which God of his mercy hath blessed vs, praysed be his name therfore: euē so now, by his mercyfull wyll and diuine ordinaunce, the tyme is come (so farre as I can perceyue) wherein he wyl, for his glory and our eternal comfort, dissolue þ^e same and separate vs asunder agayne for a tyme. Wherfore I thought it good, yea and my bounden duetie, by this simple letter to prouoke styrre, and admonish you, to behaue your selfe in al your doinges, sayinges, and thoughtes, most thankfully vnto our good God for the same. And therefore (my deare wyfe) as you haue hartily reioyced in the Lorde, and oftentymes geuen God thankes for his goodnes, in bryngyng vs together in his holy ordinaunce: euen so now I desire you, when this tyme of our separation shall come, to reioyce with me in the Lord, and to geue hym most harty thankes, that he hath (to his glory and our endles commoditie) separated vs agayne for a litle tyme, and hath mercyfully taken me vnto hymself forth of this miserable world, into his celestiall kingdome:

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MarginaliaHere is a true marke of a faythfull Christian, forsaking wyfe and children for Christes sake.beleuyng and hopyng also assuredly, that God of his goodnes, for his sonne Christes sake, wyll shortly bryng you and your deare chyldrē thither to me, þ^t we may most ioyfully together sing prayses vnto his glorious name for euer. And yet once agayne I desire you for the loue of God, & as euer you loued me, to reioyce with me, and to geue God continual thankes for doyng his most mercyful wyl vpon me.

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I heare say, that you doo oftentymes vse to repete this godly saying: The Lordes wyl be fulfilled. MarginaliaTrue obedience of a faythfull woman.Doubtles it reioyseth my poore hart to heare that report of you, and for the Lordes sake, vse that godly prayer continually, and teache your children and familie to saye the same day & night: and not only say it w^t your tongues, but also with your hart & mynd, and ioyfully to submit your wyl to Gods wyl in very deede, knowing and beleuing assuredly, that nothing shall come to you or any of yours, otherwise thē it shal be his almighty and fatherly good wyll and pleasure, and for your eternal comfort and commoditie. Which thing to be most true & certayne, Christ testifieth in his holy gospell, saying: MarginaliaMath. 10.Are not two little Sparowes sold for a farthing, & yet not one of them shal perishe without the wyll of your heauenly father? And he cōcludeth saying: Feare not ye therfore, for ye are better then many Sparowes. As though he should haue said, if God haue suche a respect & care for a poore sparow, which is not worth one farthing, that it shal not be takē in the lyme twig, net, or pytfal, vntyl it be his good wyl & pleasure: you may be wel assured, that not one of you (whom he so dearly loueth, that he hath geuen his onely deare sonne for you) shall perishe, or departe forth of this miserable lyfe without his almighty good wyl and pleasure.

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Therefore deare wyfe, put your truste and confidence wholy and onely in hym, and euer pray that his wyl be fulfilled, and not yours, except it be agreeyng to his wyll: the whiche I pray God it may euer be, Amen. MarginaliaGood counsell geuen to his wyfe.And as for worldly thinges, take you no care, but be you well assured the Lorde your deare God and father wyll not see you nor yours lacke, if you continue in his loue and chyldely feare, and keepe a cleare conscience from all kynde of Idolatrie, superstition, and wickednes, as my truste is that you wyll doo, although it be with the losse and daunger of this temporall lyfe. And good Margaret, feare not them that can but kyll the body (and yet can they not doo that, vntyl God geue them leaue) but feare to displease hym that can kyll both body and soule, and cast them into hell fire. Let not the remembraunce of your chyldren keepe you from God. The Lord hym selfe wyl be a Father and a Mother, better then euer you or I coulde haue bene, vnto them. MarginaliaCare of Children to be cast vpon the Lord.He hym selfe wyll doo all thinges necessary for them: yea, as muche as rocke the Cradle, if neede be. He hath geuen his holy Angels charge ouer them, therefore commyt them vnto hym. But if you maye lyue with a cleare conscience, (for els I woulde not haue you to lyue) and see the bringyng vp of your chyldren your selfe, MarginaliaThe mothers dutye in bringing vp her children.looke that you nurture them in the feare of God, and keepe them farre from Idolatrie, superstition, and all other kynde of wickednes: and for Gods sake helpe them to some learnyng, if it be possible, that they maye increase in vertue and godly knowledge, whiche shall be a better dowry to marry them withall, then any worldly substaunce: and when they be come to age, prouide them suche husbandes as feare God, and loue his holy word. I charge you take heede that you matche them with no Papistes, and if you lyue, and marry agayne your selfe (whiche thing I woulde wishe you to doo, if neede require, or els not) good wyfe take heede howe you bestowe your selfe (that you and my poore children be not compelled to wickednes. But if you shall be able well to lyue Gods true wydowe, I would counsell you so to lyue styll, for the more quietnes of your selfe and your poore children. Take heede, Margaret, and play the wise womans part. You haue warnyng by other, if you wyll take an example. And thus I commyt you and my sweete children vnto Gods most mercyful defence. The blessing of God be with you, and God send vs a mery meetyng together in heauen. Farewel in Christ, farewel myne owne deare hartes all. Pray, pray.

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MarginaliaA sweete Letter of Iohn Careles to M.Bradford, a little before his Martyrdome.THe peace of God in Iesus Christe, the eternall comforte of his sweete spirite, whiche hath surely sealed you vnto eternall saluation, be with you and strengthen you in your ioyfull iourney towardes the celestiall Hierusalem (my deare frende and most faythfull brother Master Bradford) to the settyng forth of Gods glory, and to your eternall ioye in Christ, Amen.

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Euer since that good M. Philpot shewed me your last letter (my deare hart in the Lord) I haue cōtinued in great heauines and perplexitie: not for any hurt or discommoditie that I can perceyue commyng towards you, vnto whom