A10780:26
A friendly farewell which Master Doctor Ridley, late Bishop of London did write being…A frendly farewel which Master Doctor Ridley, late Bishop of London did write beinge…
A friendly farewell which Master Doctor Ridley, late Bishop of London did write being prisoner in Oxford, unto all his true lovers and friends in God, a little before that he suffered for the testimony of the truth of Christ his Gospel. Newly set forth and allowed according to the order appointed in the Queens Majesties injunctions.A frendly farewel which Master Doctor Ridley, late Bishop of London did write beinge prisoner in Oxeforde, vnto all his true louers and frendes in God, a litle before that he suffred for the testimony of the truthe of Christ his Gospell. Newly setforth and allowed according to the order apoynted in the Quenes Maiesties iniunctions.
London: printed by John Day, 1559London: printed by Ihon Day, 1559
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Even so ye that be my Kinsfolk and Country men, know ye, how so ever the blind, ignorant and wicked world hereafter shall rail upon my Death, ⟨image 12⟩which thing they can not do worse then their fathers did of the death of Christ our saviour of his holy Prophets, Apostles, and martyrs. Know ye (I say) that both before God, and all them that be godly, and that truly knoweth, and followeth the laws of God, ye have and shall have by Gods grace ever cause to rejoice, and to thank God highly, and to think good of it: and in god, to rejoice of me your flesh and blood, whom God of his gracious goodness hath vouchsafed to associate unto the blessed company of his holy martyrs in heaven: & I doubt not in the infinite goodness of my Lord God, nor in the faithful fellowship of his elect & chosen people: but at both their hands in my cause, ye shall rather find the more favour & grace. For the Lord saith that he will be ⟨image 12⟩both to them and theirs that loveth him, the more loving again in a thousand generations. The Lord is so full of mercy to them I say: & theirs which do love him in deed. And Christ saith again that no man can show more love then to give his life for his friend. Now also know ye all my true lovers in God, my kinsfolk and Countrymen, that the cause wherefore I am put to death, is even after the same sort and condition, but touching more nigh Gods cause, and in more weighty matters: but in the general kind all one, for both is Gods cause, both is in the maintenance of right, both is for the common wealth, and both for the weal also of the Christian brother: although yet there is in these two no small difference, both concerning the enemies, the goods stolen, and the ⟨image 13⟩manner of the fight. For know ye all, as there: when the pore true man is robbed by the these of his own goods truly gotten, whereupon he & his household should live, is greatly wronged, and the these in stealing & robbing with violence the pore mans goods, doth offend God, doth transgress his law, & is injurious both to the pore man and to the common wealth:
Euen so ye that be my Kinsfolke and Countrye men, knowe ye, howe so euer the blinde, ignoraunte and wicked worlde hereafter shall raile vppon my Deathe, ⟨image 12⟩