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:
WHAT malice, Inuy, and heatrent of the treuth, hes moued men to brust furth against me & my behauour, in Scotland, Ingland, and elles where: I lytle regarde. For a good cōscience susteanes me, before my God, against all ye odious lies, that haue bene laide to my charge, now many yeares past. For the whiche I dout not, but the blaspheamers shall answer: (onles repentance preuene Iudgement) when the secreates of heartes shalbe disclosed.
The caus that I adde this imperfyte letter, to ye former discourse is, That they whome Sathan hath not blinded by inuy, may see and vnderstand, what a troubled conscience craues, into the day of battell. Becaus that God now in his mercy hath put end, to ye battell of my deare Mother Maistres Elizabeth Bowes, before that h• put end to my wretched lyfe: I could not cease, but declare to the worlde, what was the caus of our great familiaritie, and long acquentance. Whiche •as nether fleshe ⟨image 41⟩nor bloode, but a troubled consciēce vpō hir part, which neuer suffered her to rest, but when she was in the company of the faithful: of whome (fra the first hearing of the word at my mouth) she iudged me to be one. Now seing her battell is ended, & I am vpō the point shortly to follow: this I leaue to the posteritie, for discharge of my conscience, and to the instruction of her children. That in Scotland, Ingland, France and Germanie, I haue heard the complaintes of diuers that feared God: but of the lyke conflict as she susteyned, fra the tyme of her first acquentance and long before (as her owen mouth, ofter thē ones, confessed to me) til this hour, I haue not knowen. For her tentation was not in the fleshe, nor for any thing that appertey ned to fleshe: (no not when she was in greatest desolation) but it was in spirite.
For Sathan did continually buffette her, yt remission of sinnes in Christ Iesus apperteyned nothing vnto her, be reason of her former Idolatrie and other iniquities: For the which notwithstanding any worldlie comfort, I haue sene her (not for a starte, but in long cōtinuance) powre furth teares, and send to God dolorous cōplaints, ⟨image 41⟩ofter then euer I heard man or woman in my lyfe. Her company to me was cōfortable (yea honorable and profitable, for she was to me and myne a Mother) but yet it was not without some Croce: For besydes trouble and fasherie of body, susteyned for her:
