Most fruitful [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martyr Vermil Florentine, professor of divinity,…Most fruitfull [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martir Vermil Florentine, professor of deuinitie,…

This thing when I weigh with my self (for I think on it oftentimes, I will not say continually) there cometh into my remembrance very many & great benefits, which your public wealth, church & school have heretofore bestowed upon me. And assuredly, when I reckon them, & more deeply weigh them, they appear unto me so many & so great, that I am exceedingly afraid, least I should happen to depart out of this life ungrateful, which thing undoubtedly should be more bitter unto me, than death it self. Ye, when I came out of Italy for religion sake, with most incredible humanity received me: ye gave me the freedom of your most ample city: ye placed me in that School, which ye not long before with great praise of wise & godly men had erected: there ye appointed me a Professor of holy scriptures, whereas I lived a fellow with most learned and excellent men, more then five years. All which time ye maintained me with a very liberal stipend. Ye, when I was called into England, decreed that I should go thither, where certain years I was teaching the Gospel in the University of Oxford, namely until such time as Edward the sixth of that name, that most worthy King, and which can never be praised enough, was taken away by untimely death, which brought unto all the godly, grief, mourning, and sundry and hard vexations. Ye exceeding lovingly received me, when I returned thence to Argentine, & placed me in the same room, wherein I was with you before. Also, when the most noble Senate of Tigure called me into the place of Pellicanus, which was there ⟨image 4⟩a Professor of Divinity, ye, although both to your great grief and also to mine, did yet most lovingly let me go. The cause of my departure I will not now speak of, because it is to all men known well enough. Thus much only will I say, that I do both vehemently desire, and also hope, that this stop or let may be taken away out of the field of the Lord. These your benefits, which are of them selves ample and noble, I do nothing increase nor amplify: But this one thing I testify, that they never slipped out of mind, neither is it possible but that they being laid up in the bottom of my hart, shall there abide for ever.

This thing when I weigh with my selfe (for I thinke on it oftentimes, I wyll not say continually) there cōmeth into my remembrāce very many & great benefites, which your publike welth, churche & schoole haue heretofore bestowed vpō me. And assuredly, when I recken them, & more depely weigh them, they appere vnto me so many & so great, that I am excedingly afrayd, least I should happen to depart out of this life vngrateful, which thing vndoutedly should be more bitter vnto me, thē death it self. Ye, when I came out of Italy for religiō sake, with most incredible humanity receaued me: ye gaue me the fredome of your most ample city: ye placed me in that Schoole, which ye not long before with great praise of wyse & godly men had erected: ther ye appoynted me a Professor of holy scriptures, wheras I liued a fellow with most learned and excellent men, more then fiue yeares. All which time ye mayntained me with a very liberal stipend. Ye, when I was called into England, decreed that I should go thither, where certayne yeares I was teaching the Gospel in the Vniuersity of Oxford, namelye vntil such time as Edward the sixt of that name, that most woorthye King, and which can neuer be praysed inough, was taken away by vntimely death, which brought vnto all the godly, griefe, mourning, and sundrye and hard vexacions. Ye exceding louingly receued me, when I returned thence to Argentine, & placed me in the same roume, wherin I was with you before. Also, when the most noble Senate of Tigure called me into the place of Pellicanus, which was ther