MarginaliaAn. 1556. Iuly.wil be ful glad of your commyng, to see sixe moe of their appoynted number, that their bloud may so much the sooner be reuenged vpon them that dwel on the earth.

Thus I make an ende, committyng you all to Gods moste mercyfull defence, whose quarrell ye haue defended, whose cause ye haue promoted, whose glorye ye haue set foorth,and whose name ye haue constantly confessed. Farewell for a while, my deare hartes in the Lorde: I wyll make as muche haste after you as I maye. All our deare brethren salute you. They pray for you, and prayse God for you cōtinually. MarginaliaApoc. 11.Blessed be the dead that dye in the Lord, for they rest from their labours, saith the holy ghost, and their workes folow them.

Your owne, Iohn Careles, a most vnprofita-
ble seruant of the Lord. Pray, pray, pray.

¶ In the pag. 1742. ye heard before the letter of Thomas whittel written to Iohn Careles, wherin he yeeldeth great thankes vnto him, for the singular ioy and consolatiō receiued by his letters. The copie of which letters sent vnto him, if any be disposed to peruse, here vnder foloweth, to satisfie his desire.

¶ To M. Grene, M. Whittel, and certaine other, prisoners in Newgate, condemned, and ready to be burnt for the testimonie of the Lord Iesus.  

Commentary     Close

This letter was first printed in Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 565-68. There are four copies of this letter in ECL 260, fos. 229-235r. This letter was written between the condemnationof these martyrs on 15 January 1556 and their execution on 27 January 1556.

MarginaliaAn other letter of Iohn Careles, wherin he doth animate Grene, Whittell, and the rest of that company v nto theyr Matrydome.THe euerlasting peace in Iesus Christe, the continuall comfort of his moste pure and holy spirite, be with you, my moste deare and faithfull brethren and sisters of Newegate, the Lordes appoynted sheepe vnto the slaughter, to the good performaunce of the great and notable worke of the Lord, which he hath so graciously begon in you al: that the same may redoūd to the setting forth of his glory, and to the commoditie of his Churche, and to your owne euerlasting comfort in him. So be it.

Ah my deare hartes, and most faithfull brethren and sisters in the Lord, what high laudes and prayse, yea what humble & continuall thankes am I bound to geue to God our father for you and on your most happy behalfe, who so mightily hath magnified him selfe in you thus farre forth, in geuing you his holy & mighty spirite, to the constant confessing of Christes veritie, euen to the cruel condemnation, & I doubt not but he wyl doo the same to the death. Oh happy and blessed are you that euer you were borne, that the Lord wyll vouche you worthy of this great dignitie, to dye for his sake. Doubtles it is the greatest honour that God cā geue you in this life. MarginaliaApoc. 11.Yea if they be so blessed of God that die in the Lord, as the holy ghost saith they be: how muche more blessed and happy then are you, that die not only in the Lord, but also for the Lord.MarginaliaTo dye in the Lord: and for the Lord. Oh that it were the good wyll of God that the good houre were nowe come, that I might goe with you. Ah that my sinnes made me not vnworthy of such an excellent dignitie.

Be thankful deare harts, be thankful and reioyce in the Lord: for mighty is his mercy towardes you, and great is your reward in heauen, the which you like faithful persons haue plucked to you with a godly violence of an inuincible faith. Oh worthy warriours of the most high captaine: Oh constant confessors of the euerlasting veritie: how glorious a crowne of victorie shal you shortly receiue, which is prepared for al such as doo continue to the ende? Oh you sweete saints of the Lord, howe precious shal your death be in his sight? Oh howe deare are your soules to your redeemer, in whose hand they shall most ioyfully rest, and the paynes of death shal neuer touch you? Oh howe blessed shall you be, when Christ shall appeare, at the which tyme you shall receiue your bodies againe ful of immortalitie? Oh how ioyful shall you be, when Christ, according to his promise, shall knowledge you before his father and his holy aungels, as you haue most constantly confessed hym to be your Lorde & onely Saueour before men?

Oh blessed Grene,MarginaliaOf this Barthelet Greene read before pag. 1743. thou meeke and louing lambe of the Lorde, howe happy art thou to be appoynted to dye for his sake? A ful daintie dish art thou for the Lords owne tooth. Freshe and Grene shalt thou be in the house of the Lord, & thy fruites shal neuer wither nor decay. Although thou go here forth sowing thy good fruits with teares, the time shal come that thou shalt reape with ioy and gladnes, the fruits of euerlasting life, and that without ceasing. Be meery therfore and feare not, MarginaliaLuke 12.for it is thy fathers wyll to geue thee a kingdome, wherunto he hath chosen thee before the foundations of the world were laid.

MarginaliaOf this Thomas Whittell, read before pag. 1737.Oh happy Minister, thou man of God, how glad mayest thou be of Gods gracious fauour, whiche hath preuented thee in the day of thy tryall? Oh happy Peter, whose part thou hast well played: therefore thy rewarde and portion shall be like vnto his. Now hast thou good experience

of mans infirmitie, but much more proofe and tast, yea sense and feeling of Gods aboundant bottomles mercy. Although Satan desired to sift thee, yet Christe thy good Captaine, prayed that thy faith shoulde not faile.MarginaliaLuke. 22. Gods strength is made perfect by thy weakenes, and his grace is sufficient for thee his deare childe. Thine example did so encourage & strength thy poore brethrē, that God is euery way glorified by thee, and shortly wil he glorifie thee with him selfe, with that glory which he hath prepared for thee his elect dearling before the worlde was made. Therefore reioyce and be glad, for thou haste good occasion, in finding suche fauour in his sight.

This is most true (Oh my other brethren, whom I do not knowe, neither haue I heard muche of you) happy are you that euer you were borne, and blessed be our God which hath geuen you such victorie ouer the bloudy beast. MarginaliaApoc. 19.Shortly shall you be clothed in large white garmentes, and fyne raynes of righteousnes, and so shall you folowe the Lambe on mount Sion with newe songes of mirth and melodie, for your deliuerie forth of Satans power and tyrannie. God for euermore be blessed for you, and strengthen you to the end, as I doubt not but he wil: for he neuer failed thē that put their trust in him.

Oh my deare and faithfull sister Ioane Warner,MarginaliaOf Ioane Warner, read before pag. 1750. what shal I say to thee? Thy trial hath bene great: thy victorie in Christ hath bene notable. Thou haste ouercome many a sharpe shower and storme. Shortly shalt thou ariue at the hauen of quiet rest, and receiue a rewarde due to a constant Martyr. Thou shalt goe home to thy heauenly father, and possesse for euer the inheritance which Christ hath purchased for thee, where thy earthly parentes be, still looking for thee, which haue triumphed ouer Antichrist most victoriously. Oh blessed parentes of happy children, whiche haue shewed such an example, as þ^e like hath bene seldome seene. I salute thee deare sisterMarginaliaHe meaneth Elizabeth Foster. pag. 1750. of like constant mynd: whose cōstant example is worthy of continuall memorie. Praysed be God for you myne owne sweete sisters, whiche hath made you to play such wise virgins partes. MarginaliaMat. 25.He hath plentifully poured the oyle of his spirite into the lampes of your faith, so that the light therof shall neuer be extinct. You shall enter with your bridegrome into euerlasting ioy, whereunto you were chosen in him from the beginnyng.

Oh my deare brethren and sisters, you blessed saintes of the Lord, howe much & howe deepely am I bound to prayse God for you both day & night. Pray, pray for me (my deare hartes) for the tender mercy of God, that I may be made worthy to folow your trace. Oh that I had run the race of my life, as farre as you haue done yours, & were as nigh my iorneys end, as you be vnto yours. But alas, MarginaliaIohn. 5.I lie like the lame man at the pooles side by Salomōs porch, & euery mā goeth into the place of health before me. But God wil appoynt me one, one day to put me in. I trust my lord of Londons Colehouse is emptie, & al his officers idle. Therefore they must shortly fetch more sheepe to the shambles: MarginaliaB. Boner called the slaughter slaue of England.for he is the common slaughter slaue of al England. But happy are you that are passed through the pikes, & deliuered out of his hands, and from al the angels of the darknes of this world, which long tempted you in the wildernes of the same: but nowe shal the aungels of God come and minister vnto you, for they are your seruauntes to hold you vp in their handes, that you shall not hurt your foote,MarginaliaPsal. 60. no nor one heare of your head shal perish. They shal cary you vp to heauen in a fiery chariot,Marginalia4 Reg. 2. though you leaue your Mantell behynde you for a tyme, tyll God restore the same to you againe in a more ample and glorious sort.

Thus in haste, as it dooth appeare, I am constrained to make an ende, committing you all to Gods moste mercyfull defence: who euer haue you in his blessed keeping, desiryng you all to remember me in your godly and faithfull prayers, as I wyll not forget you in myne, by Gods grace. The blessing of God be with you all my deare brethren and sisters. All our brethren and felowe prisoners here haue them most hartily commended vnto you, & pray for you without ceasing. God sende vs a meery meeting in his kingdome, Amen.

By your brother and vnfained louer Iohn Care-
les, prisoner, abiding his most mercyful wyll and
pleasure. Pray, pray, pray.

¶ To my deare and faithful brother, William Tymmes, prisoner in Newgate.  

Commentary     Close

This letter was first printed in Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 568-71. This letter was written after Tyms was condemned on 18 March 1556 and before he was executed on 24 April 1556.

MarginaliaAn other letter of Iohn Careles priuately written to his bedfellow W. Tymmes.THe euerlasting peace of God in Iesus Christe, with the continuall ioy, comfort, & strength of his sweet spirite be multiplyed, and dayly more and more encreased in your good hart (my most faithful and deare brother Tymmes) to the full quieting of your conscience, and beating backe of all the fiery dartes of the wicked, that you may shortly receiue