An answer to a letter of a Jesuit named Tyrie, be John KnoxAn answer to a letter of a Iesuit named Tyrie, be Iohne Knox

WHAT malice, Envy, and hatred of the truth, hes moved men to burst forth against me & my behaviour, in Scotland, England, and else where: I little regard. For a good conscience sustains me, before my God, against all the odious lies, that have been laid to my charge, now many years past. For the which I doubt not, but the blasphemers shall answer: (onles repentance prevene Judgement) when the secrets of hearts shall be disclosed. The cause that I add this imperfect letter, to the former discourse is, That they whom Satan hath not blinded by envy, may see and understand, what a troubled conscience craves, into the day of battle. Because that God now in his mercy hath put end, to the battle of my dear Mother Mistress Elizabeth Bows, before that h• put end to my wretched life: I could not cease, but declare to the world, what was the cause of our great familiarity, and long acquaintance. Which •as nether flesh ⟨image 41⟩nor blood, but a troubled conscience upon her part, which never suffered her to rest, but when she was in the company of the faithful: of whom (from the first hearing of the word at my mouth) she judged me to be one. Now seeing her battle is ended, & I am upon the point shortly to follow: this I leave to the posterity, for discharge of my conscience, and to the instruction of her children. That in Scotland, England, France and Germany, I have heard the complaints of divers that feared God: but of the like conflict as she sustained, from the time of her first acquaintance and long before (as her own mouth, oftener than ones, confessed to me) till this hour, I have not known. For her tentation was not in the flesh, nor for any thing that appertained to flesh: (no not when she was in greatest desolation) but it was in spirit. For Satan did continually buffet her, that remission of sins in Christ Jesus appertained nothing unto her, be reason of her former Idolatry and other iniquities: For the which notwithstanding any worldly comfort, I have seen her (not for a start, but in long continuance) pour forth tears, and send to God dolorous complaints, ⟨image 41⟩oftener then ever I heard man or woman in my life. Her company to me was comfortable (yea honourable and profitable, for she was to me and mine a Mother) but yet it was not without some Croce: For besides trouble and fashery of body, sustained for her: