Humphrey Hales, Esq.

RM: Testamentum Humfridi Hales

In the name of God, Amen. I, Humphrey Hale[s] of the Dungeon besides the walls of Canterbury, esquire, of whole and entire mind, praised be God therefore, calling to my remembrance the final dissolution of my body and the uncertainty of the time thereof, and to th’ intent that, my mind being discharged of worldly cares and business, I might be the readier to addict and give over myself wholly to God his will and pleasure whensoever it shall please him of his mercy to call me hence, and that things set in order I depart this life with more quietness, do make and ordain this my last will and testament: First, I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God, from whose justice I do appeal to his mercy, knowing that if he should enter into judgment with his servants there should no creature living be justified in his sight; nevertheless, seeing God’s mercy is (as the prophet David saith) over and above all his works, though my sins be never so many and great, yet because his mercy is greater, I will not despair, but will surely trust to be forgiven by asking forgiveness of God the Father with a repentant heart through the blood, wounds and passion of our alone and only Saviour, his son Jesus Christ, who (as Saint John saith) obtaineth grace not by our sins only but also for the sins of all the world, so that for the only merits of Jesus Christ I hope and most steadfastly do trust to be in the number of them whose unrighteousness is forgiven and to whom the Lord will not impute sin, and because I would both live and die in perfect love and charity towards all men, I do forgive them which have offended me, even from the bottom of my heart, as I would God to forgive me, desiring all them likewise whom I have offended any manner of ways to forgive me, even as they themselves hope of forgiveness at God his judgment seat at the latter day, and if any person can prove truly that I have done to him wrong, or that I owe to him anything, I will that that person which shall be named to be my executor and will take upon him or her th’ administration of my goods by force of this my testament shall pay and recompense the same debt or wrong as far as my goods then remaining in my executor’s hands will stretch or extend, though the rigour of the law will not enforce my executor thereto;

And as for my body, I will that it be laid in the grave without any pomp, believing assuredly with holy Job that where or howsoever it be laid, or by what means soever it cometh to his end, that yet this body shall notwithstanding rise again at the latter day, and that in this my flesh I shall see God my Saviour who hath redeemed me; And I ordain and make by this my testament my wife, Joyce Hales, my sole & only executrix so long as she keepeth herself sole and unmarried, and if she shall hereafter marry, then I will that she shall before her marriage stand bound to Mr Sergeant Manwood and to Mr George Maye in one thousand pounds to perform this my will, which bond if she shall refuse to make, then I do ordain James, my eldest son, to be my executor, so that he make the like bond to them for to perform this my will, which if he refuse, then I do desire them to be my executors and to take upon them the charge of the performance of this my will as far as my goods and chattels at the time of my death and the yearly revenues of my lands which I may devise will extend unto; And as touching my lands and tenements, first I will to my said executrice or to such as shall take on them to be my executors, all my lands and tenements in the county of Oxon now in the occupying of (blank) Foster, esquire, by force of a demise made by Sir James Hales, my father, and me, to John Venor for the clear yearly rent of forty-eight pounds nine shillings & four pence; And all my houses in and beside Old Fish Street in London, of the clear yearly value of four pounds thirteen shillings four pence; Item, my moiety of the manor of Northcourse in Netherhardes [=Netherhards?], being about the clear value of four pounds by the year; Item, seven acres of land in Wynehope field with a little barn, stable and garden-room impaled, lying near the churchyard of Saint Mary Castle, demised by the heirs of Sir Christopher Hales among other lands to one Samuel Browne, of the clear yearly value of 40s; Item, three acres of land bought of Brodnax, lying in the entry of my close of 26 acres in Saint Mary Church and being parcel thereof, of the clear yearly value of 20s by year; Item, one messuage with a garden-plot enclosed with pale bought of Streter the younger, baker, which I have now joined to another house and have letten the same, being made but one dwelling, to Robert Bynge, that messuage about the clear yearly value of 13s 4d by the year; Item, three acres of land joining to other twenty acres of mine in Eleham, with three acres I purchased of one Hogven of Eleham aforesaid, of the yearly value of 6s 8d; Item, I will to my said executrix, or to such other as shall hereafter take on them to be my executors, my manor of Danecote [=Danecourt?] with th’ appurtenances in Boughton,

Blean, Hernhill and Sollinge, the freehold whereof I bought of Walter Henley, gentleman, and of Frances, his wife, being my sister, who had the same of the gift of Sir James Hales, my father, for term of their lives, the remainder thereof after my death to James Hales, my eldest son, being of the clear yearly value of sixteen pounds, besides ten seams of wheat yearly and ten seams of barley which I account most years to be worth both ten pounds, of the which manor of Dane courte [=Danecourt?] with th’ appurtenances I will that my executrice shall take the profits during the life of the said Walter Henley of whom I bought it; And of all the lands and tenements abovesaid I will that my executrix shall take the profits to the use of the performance of this my will until the same be performed; With the issues and revenues rising of the said lands and with the ready money I shall leave at the time of my death, my debts, funerals and legacies to other than to my children discharged and my children found, first, I will that my executor shall pay, as soon as the same may conveniently be levied, threescore nineteen pounds of lawful money (whereof forty pounds is already paid, as it appeareth by my acquittances) to Matthew Mantell, Mark Mantell, Luke Mantell and John Mantell, sons to Walter Mantell, gentleman, deceased, taking of them a sufficient acquittance thereof, for which sum of £79 I stood bound in a greater sum to Dame Margaret Hale[s], widow, to save her harmless; Item, I will that my executrix shall pay ten score pounds of lawful money, which sum of two hundred pounds was delivered to me by Robert Atwater, esquire, my wife’s father, deceased, to the use of my children, whereof I will that my executrix shall pay to James, my eldest son, when he shall accomplish the age of 21 years, or if he shall accomplish the said age at the time of my death, then I will those £20 to be paid to him immediately after my death; Item, I will that my executrix shall pay those nine score pounds residue to Samuel, my son; to Abignoll [=Abigail], my daughter; to Humphrey, my son; to Margaret, my daughter; to John, my son; to Susan, my daughter; to Mary, my daughter; to Robert, my son; to Remyge [sic?], my youngest daughter, to each of my said children twenty pounds apiece when they shall severally accomplish the said age of 21 years; if any of them die before their said age, then I will that their portion that so die shall be delivered among them which do survive; Item, I will that my executrix shall pay to each of my said daughters before-named over and beside those £20 apiece given to them by my said wife’s father, nine score pounds apiece to make up two hundred pounds apiece when they shall severally accomplish th’ age of 24 years, if it will so soon arise; Item, I will to Elizabeth, my youngest daughter, other two hundred pounds when she shall accomplish the said age of 24 years, if it will arise of the revenues of my lands before devised;

And if it shall fortune any of them to die before their said age, then I will that their portion so dying shall be delivered among them which survive and accomplish the said age; Item, I will that my executrix shall pay to the child my wife now goeth withal two hundred pounds if it shall fortune to be a daughter, and shall live to accomplish the said age of 24 years; And if all my before-named daughters do die before they have received their said portions above limited, then I will that their portions, those ten hundred pounds, shall be equally divided between John, Robert, and the child my wife goeth withal, if it shall fortune to be a son, when they shall severally accomplish the said age, or to such of them as shall live to accomplish the said age; And if it shall fortune the said John, Robert, my sons, & the child whom my wife goeth withal, being a son, all to die before they shall accomplish the said age, then I will the said thousand pounds to James, Samuel and Humphrey, my sons, to be divided equally at their several ages of 24 years, if the said sum may be so soon levied. I will to James, my son, my lands in the parish of Ivychurch now in my occupying and in the occupying of Nicholas Salkyn, being of the value of ten pounds by year; my lands in Sellinge next Estinghanger [=Ostinghanger?] park, of the value of five pounds by the year; my lands in Chislet in the occupying of John Helde, of the value of £7 by year; my manor of Maxte beside Dover with th’ appurtenances, now in the occupying of William Hamyngton, gentleman, of the value of five pounds by year and the rent thereof about 30s by year; item, my lands, parcel once of the parish of Saint Jacob’s, containing fifty acres or thereabouts, being about the value of five pounds by the year, and one acre and one yard of land lying in Winehope field now in the occupying of William Broke [=Brooke?] of the value of 6s 5d by the year; item, twenty acres of land or thereabouts lying at Eleham now in the occupying of (blank) Wylson of Eleham, of the yearly value of 26s 8d, to the said James, to have and enjoy immediately after my death; Item, I will my manor of Danecourt with th’ appurtenances to the said James after the death of Walter Henley according to the conveyance made by Sir James Hales, my father, as well of the said manor as also of the lands before given to James, my son; nevertheless, if it shall fortune Dame Margaret Hales to die, and after the said Walter Henley to die before this my will be accomplished and performed, then do I require the said James, my son, for that he shall be sufficiently advanced by the death of the same Dame Margaret Hales, that he will suffer my executrix to take the profits of Danecourt with th’ appurtenances until this my will be performed; I will to the said James, my son, my messuage called Stopinten within the liberties of the city of Canterbury after the decease of Joyce, my wife, according to the conveyance made thereof unto him by the foresaid Robert Atwater, my wife’s father, requiring my said son James further that if the said Joyce, my wife, his mother, do not marry and shall be disposed to dwell at my now mansion house, the Dungeon, after the death of the said

Dame Margaret Hales, that then he would suffer and quietly permit his said mother to dwell in the said house called the Dungeon with him; Item, I will those lands and tenements above to my executrix willed to perform my will, after this my will performed and accomplished, to the said James, my eldest son, to have and to hold to him and to his heirs upon condition that he shall pay to John and Robert, my sons, and to the child my wife goeth withal, being a son, three hundred pounds, that is, to each of them one hundred pounds when they shall accomplish their said age of 24 years, if the same may conveniently so soon be levied, and if any of them shall die before they shall accomplish ye said age, then I will that they of them which overlive shall enjoy the other’s portion; Item, I will to Samuel, my second son, immediately after my decease, my manor of Jaokye Court and Mydley [=Midley?] with th’ appurtenances, lying in Hede and Mydley, now demised to John Sterynger [=Stringer?] & John Mar by several leases, which said manors are so assured to the said Samuel, my son, by conveyance from Sir James Hales, my father, being almost of the yearly value of £40; Item, I will to Humphrey Hales, my third son, according to the conveyance made by my said father, after the death of Joyce, my wife, my messuage and tenement in Plomsted [=Plumstead?] in the county of Kent, being of the yearly value of £26, the which Humphrey with John, my son, Robert, my son, and the child my wife now goeth withal, if it shall fortune to be a son, I will they shall every of them be kept at school until they shall be meet to be bound to be apprentices in London or shall be set to other trade to get their living according to the discretion of my executrix; And likewise I will all my daughters before-named and the child my wife goeth withal, being a daughter, be kept in household with my said executrix until their said several age of 24 years, if they shall not fortune to marry before or to be put forth into convenient service to gentlewomen by the discretion of my executrix; And for this consideration, that my executrix should find meet and drink at her own charge to all my said children except James and Samuel until their said several ages of 24 years, being not put forth as apprentices or to other meet service or married before their said ages, I will to Joyce, my wife, my executrix, one nest of gilded bowls with their cover, two little gilded salts, 12 of the biggest silver spoons of one fashion, 3 gilded hansepots, one cruse with a gilded lid given to me by her father, all my geldings, mares and horse-beasts (except my best gelding, which I will to my very friend, Mr Thomas Wotton, at his election, which he shall choose), with all my saddles and trappings, cattle, woods, corn and (blank?), as well sown in the ground as on the lofts or floors in any of my houses being mine at the time of my death, and all her apparel & jewels; Item, I will to James Hales, my eldest son, all my other leases not before expressed, and also one basin and one ewer of silver, and one great standing cup with a cover, the said cup & cover all gilded, which basin, ewer and cup were John Hales’, my grandfather, and given to me by Sir James Hales, my father; item, two fair gilded salts, 10 gilt spoons with maidens’ heads, and my signet or seal of arms, to be delivered to him by my executrix when he shall accomplish the said age of 24 years; Item, I will all the rest of my goods and chattels not before bequeathed, whereof I will an inventory to be made by my executrix immediately after my death or [sic for ‘so’?] that the certainty thereof may be known, to the said James, my eldest son, to be delivered to him by my said executrix, at such time whenas after he shall accomplish the said age of 24 years, he shall pay to my said executrix, his mother, to her own use one hundred pounds of lawful money of England, or otherwise I will they shall remain to my said executrix to her own use forever; And if my wife shall fortune to die before the performance of this my will, then I will James, my son, to be executor, so that he will enter in bond as is aforesaid, which if he shall refuse or shall fortune to die before the performance of this my will, then I desire the said Mr Sergeant Manwood and the said Mr George Maye to take upon them the charge of this my will and to be mine executors, whom in the meantime I do make supervisors of this my will and testament, willing to the said Master Manwood £6 13s 8d in money, and to the said Mr Maye four pounds in money, desiring them as much as shall lie in them to see and cause my executrix to perform this my will, and further, to take and hear yearly once every year the account of the profits of my lands taken by my said executrix, and therewith to see my debts and legacies paid as soon as it may be conveniently gathered, for the which their pains, if they will be content to take and hear the said account yearly, I will to them yearly forty shillings, that is 20s apiece, to be paid unto them by my said executrix yearly immediately after their hearing of the said account; Item, I will that if all my sons shall happen hereafter to die, leaving no issue male behind them, then I will all my lands in the county of Oxon, with all other of my lands and tenements which I have purchased and wherein I have an estate of inheritance at the time of my death, to my uncle, William Hales, to him and to his heirs forever, to whom also I will a hoop-ring of gold of the value of 20s or more, to be delivered unto him immediately after my decease; Item, I will to my cousin, Roose [=Rous?] Herman, a little ring with a death’s-head, to be delivered to him immediately after my death; Item, I will to the poor of Saint Mary Brednexe(?) [=Bredin(?)] parish, where I will my body to be buried at the time of my burial, forty shillings to be distributed among them by the discretion of my executrix; Item, I will to Mary Skynner, my maid, besides her wages due at the time of my death, 10s; Item, I will to John Powes, my servant, 10s; In witness of all the premises, and that this is my very will and testament, I have set to my seal and subscribed my name, dated the 8th day of August in the 10th year of the reign

of our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth, by ye grace of God Queen of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the faith &c, 1568, by me, Humphrey Hales. Probatum fuit huiusmodi testamentum Coram Domino Cantuariensis Archiepiscopo apud London xiijno die Mensis Maij Anno Domini 1571 Iuramento Pauli Whitehorni procuratoris Iacobi Hales Executoris in huiusmodi testamento nominati &c Cui commissa fuit administracio &c de bene &c Iurati &c. [=The same will was proved before the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury at London on the 13th day of May in the year of the Lord 1571 by the oath of Paul Whitehorne, proctor of James Hales, executor named in the same testament etc., to whom administration was granted etc., sworn to well etc.]

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Parishes: Boughton Malherbe - Pages 397-415

The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 5. Originally published by W Bristow, Canterbury, 1798.

BEWLEY is a manor in this parish, of considerable repute, extending itself into the parish of Harrietsham. It was antiently called Boughley, and was part of those possessions which William the Conqueror gave to his half-brother Odo, bishop of Baieux; under the general title of whose lands it is thus entered in Domesday:

Adam Fitzbubert holds of the bishop of Baieux, Bogelei. It was taxed at two sulings. The arable land is two carucates and an half. In demesne there is one carucate, and two villeins, with two borderers having half a carucate. There is a church, and four servant:, and one mill of five shillings, and six acres of meadow. Wood for the pannage of twenty hogs.

After which there follows another entry, importing, that of this same manor one tenant named Adam held one suling, called Merlea, of which a further account will be given, under the description of Marley, in the adjoining parish of Harrietsham.

¶On the bishop of Baieux's disgrace in 1084, all his possessions were confiscated to the crown; after which this manor appears to have become the property of Eudo Dapiser, and afterwards of Philip de Leleburne, or Leyburne, whose descendant Robert de Leiburne held it in the reign of king Edward I. in which name it continued till it was alienated to Tregoze, (fn. 8) one of whom, Thomas Tregoze, held it in the beginning of king Edward III.'s reign, in the 5th year of which he obtained a charter of free warren for his lands at Boggeleye. John Tregoze died possessed of this manor in the 5th year of Henry IV. but it did not remain long in that name; for in the reign of Henry VI. it was become the property of Goldwell, from whence it was alienated to Atwater, of Lenham, from whence by Joane, daughter and coheir of Robert Atwater, of Royton, in that parish, it went in marriage to Humphry Hales, esq. of the Dungeon, in Canterbury, who had a numerous issue by her. He was succeeded in it by his eldest son Sir James Hales, of the Dungeon, whose son Cheney Hales, esq. of the Dungeon, passed it away to his kinsman John Hales, esq. eldest son of Sir Edward Hales, created a baronet in 1611. He parted with it to his brother Mr. Samuel Hales, whose son Edward Hales, esq. of Chilston, succeeded him in it. Since which it has passed in like manner as Chilston, before described, down to George Best, esq. of Chilston, the present possessor of it.

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol5/pp397-415

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from The Writings of John Bradford [1510-1555] , Vol. I - Containing Sermons, Meditations, Examinations.....

XXXIX. TO HUMPHREY HALES 4 .

[August 5,1554.]

To my good friend in God, Master Humphrey Hales. [by Coverdale, Letters of the Martyrs, 1564, p. 310] As to my dear friend, I wish unto you, gentle Master Hales, health of soul and body, to God's glory and your everlasting comfort. Amen.

Although it be commonly spoken, and as commonly verified, that seldom seen is soon forgotten, yet it is not so commonly seen or experienced amongst them whose friendship is in God the Father through Christ, as ours is, but in those whose friendship is begun in respect of some earthly commodity. And therefore, lest I should incur this suspicion at your hands, which have so many ways deserved the contrary, I thought it my duty to refresh (if it need refreshing) the amity in God begun be- twixt us, which I doubt not shall continue so long as we live, or else I would be sorry : in consideration whereof, both mindful of my promise made unto you, and careful for your safety, I have caused a place to be provided for your wife's deliverance, where she may so quietly and safely remain, that for the avoid- ing of the perils and dangers of these days I see none more con- venient : I mean it in Hadleys at Doctor Taylor's house, where I trust there is no peril to youward, nor to any that feareth or regardeth any peril that thereby may happen. And herein of very love and good- will I am the more familiar and bold to ad- monish you, not as distrusting you — God forbid, for I think of you as of a very child of God — but as one careful for you, lest

[ 4 Master Humphrey Hales was eldest son of Sir James Hales (see p. 85, note 5, above), and married Joan, daughter and coheiress of Robert Atwater, by whom he had two sons, James and Humphrey, and one daughter, Abigail. See Betham's Baronetage, Vol. I. p. 131, and Vol. II. p. 112.]

[ 5. Hadleigh Rectory in Suffolk, to which Doctor Rowland Taylor had been presented by Abp Cranmer, 1544, and where he suffered martyrdom, February 9, 1555. Vide Life of Taylor by Stow, London, 1833, pp. 15, 250.]

you should at length, through the common infirmity of our frail flesh and the manifold offences given of the world, do exteriorily as the world doth, to save your sleeve and maim your arm for ever ; as those do, which for the saving of their goods jeopard goods of body and soul, in the peril of eternal damnation.

If I suspected any such thing in you, gentle Master Hales, I then would go about to tell you what this life is, a smoke, a shadow, a vapour, &c.[Job vii] ; what the glory of this life is, grass, hay ; yea, how full of misery it is, and hath more aloes than honey. If I suspected anything your conscience, I would then set before you — on the one part, the judgment of Christ, which shall be most assuredly the terrible sentence to them which are ashamed to confess his gospel, the eternal woe and misery which they shall be cast into that will not obey his gospel here — and, on the other part, the most pleasant shout of the angel, to summon all men to come before our Captain and Brother Christ, the collection and catching of us up in the clouds to meet our Master, the eternal joy and felicity which we shall re- ceive that here confess him, here suffer with him, here lose any thing for his sake. If I did in any point so much as think that you would defile your body in the antichristian service now used, then would I go about to set forth these things, briefly spoken, more at large. But, as I said before, I say again, be- cause I am as well persuaded of you, my dearly beloved bro- ther, as of any in your profession and state, I cannot but pray God to make perfect the good which he hath begun in you, and desire you, as you have begun in Cod, so to go forward.

As your example hath done good to many, so cast not all down with a tip [1] . Terrible is that woe which Christ threateneth to them " by whom offences do come." You know that the way of salvation is straiter than men make it. You know the soul is to be considered above all things. Happy is the loss of that bodily life, liberty, and goods, by the which a spiritual life, free- dom, and felicity is purchased. " What should it profit a man to win the whole world, and to lose his own soul V Who would desire a two years 1 merry life for an eternal sorrow ? as these mass-gospellers do, which yet are uncertain of two years' life ; and God knoweth what wounds their consciences have. Hard is it to recover health to the conscience : and, because I am

[1]' "tip:" a fall.

careful for it to youwards, as to mine own brother and dear friend, therefore I write thus. We are in God's power, and not in the power of our enemies : he it is that hath " all our hairs numbered : " before he say, ' Amen,' no man shall once touch you. Into his hands commit yourself; " cast your care on him;" have a care to please him : and then he will care to keep you.

You know the oath the Athenienses did make, Pugnabo pro sacris, el solus, et cum aliis ; " I will fight for the defence of religion, both alone and with others." Which saying of the heathen will be to our condemnation, if for his holy word and gospel's sake we dare not adventure the loss of that he hath lent us, keepeth for us, and can when he will take away from us, or us from it. If worldly men dare jeopard a joint with God, rather than they would lose worldly things, as experience teacheth, certainly it should be much to our shame, which in baptism have vowed and solemnly sworn to forsake the world, if we dare not jeopard a joint with man, rather than we would lose a good conscience and spiritual treasures. He that will not have God's [Ps. cix. 17.] blessing, it shall be taken from him, saith David.

Therefore, my dearly beloved, beware. You are now " the temple of the Holy Ghost." Defile it not for the Lord's sake, but keep it pure, not only "from all uncleanness of[2Cor.vii.] the spirit, but also of the flesh," as I trust you will : and cry unto your Father for his strength and aid ; which I beseech him, of his mercy, always to give unto you, my own good friend, even as I desire to myself.

If in anything I could help you, you may be assured thereof, as of your brother. My prayer to God, night and day, you shall have, that for his holy name's sake he would bless you in all things, and keep you, with my good sister your wife, unto the very end, as his dear elect children. Amen, Amen.

From my lodging, you know where, this fifth of August.

By your own to use in the Lord for ever,

JOHN BRADFORD.

106 [1554.]

XL. TO HUMPHREY HALES 1 AND HIS WIFE.

[August 8, 1554. ]

The everliving and merciful God, our dear Father through

Christ, be with you both, my most dearly and entirely beloved

in the Lord, now and for ever. [from Coverdale Letters of the Martyrs, p. 312]

I cannot forbear but signify unto you both, that my heart is careful and heavy for the cross which is come upon you by the heavy and fearful judgment of God fallen upon your father 2 justly, for his denying of God for fear of men and love of these things which he hath left behind him unto you and others. God grant his fact be so imprinted in the hearts of all men, especially of you both, that his fall may be unto you, I will not say a rising (for yet I trust ye are not fallen), but an establishing in the verity of God, whereof whoso is ashamed shall at length feel such shame as I beseech God keep us all from. Happy are

Luke xiii. they that mark the judgments of God upon others, to come and increase in repentance, to fear God's wrath and judgments, which is always like himself, if we follow the steps of them on whom he taketh punishment.

I need not tell you the cause of this that hath happened unto your father, if it be as I with sorrow have heard. For you know well enough, that till he forsook God, gave ear to the serpent's counsel, began to mammer 3 of the truth, and to frame himself outwardly to do that which his conscience reproved inwardly — for that which he mingled with the love of God, I mean the love of the world, cannot be in any man without the expulsion of God's love — till then, I say, God did not depart and leave him to himself, to the example of you and me, and all others ; that we should fear even ourselves and our own hands, more than man and all the powers of the world, if we therefore should do anything which should wound our conscience.

The conscience, I tell you, is soon wounded, yea, sooner than we be ware of. The devil useth all kind of deceit to blind us from seeing that which might wound it : but, when the stripe is given, then either shutteth he still up our eyes with contempt to

P See p. 103, note 4, above.] [ 2 See p. 85, note 5, above.]

[ 3 "Mammer: " hesita e or be in doubt. — Nares' Glossary.]

our hardening, or else openeth them to bring us to utter de- spairing. In your father as ye may see the latter, so in many worldly gospellers you may, if you will, see the other. God might deal with all such, as he hath done now with your father: but, because the time of his judgment is not yet come, his wis- dom hath thought good to set your father forth as an example to all men ; as he did in the first world Cain, in the second world Cham, in the third age Korah, &c, in Christ's time Judas, in the apostles' time Ananias, &c, although none will heartily consider it, but such as be God's children indeed.

But here, in comparing your father thus, my dearly and un- feignedly beloved in the Lord, I must pray you not to be offended, or think that I do determinately judge (to God I leave all judgment) : but, because the fruit to us declareth no less, to the admonishment of us all, I trust ye will accordingly consider my collation. For your parts as I think godly of you both, that indeed ye are both the children of God, so I pray you comfort yourselves as David did, though his son Absalom perished so desperately, and though his father-in-law Ahithophel, father to JBathsheba, as the Hebrews write, perished so miserably. Ye know, Jonathan was not the worse, because his father slew him- self, nor Bathsheba, because of her father Ahithophel : they both were the children of God ; and so I am assured, as man can be, that ye are. As they used God's judgments upon their parents, so do ye, to fear God and love God the more, and to flee from those things, which in your father ye did see dis- pleased God.

O that I were with you but one half hour ! not only with you to lament, but also, as God should lend me his grace, to comfort you — who by this judgment doth tempt your patience and faith, to the comfort of you both, as you shall find, I am assured. My dear hearts in the Lord, if I could by any means comfort you, certainly, if my life lay on it, I think you should forthwith perceive it : but, because I can do no more than I can, therefore as I can I do, that is, as to write, so to send this mes- senger, my good friend and brother, with the same, to learn certainly the truth herein and the condition of your estate. My other letter was made before I knew of this matter. I pray God this, which by report I understand, be otherwise : but God's good will be done ; who give us patience and comfort in him.

To whom I commend you both, even as heartily as any friends I have in this life of your estate.

From my lodging you know where, this eighth of August, anno Domini 1554.

By your own to use in the Lord for ever,

JOHN BRADFORD.

https://archive.org/stream/02154278.1107.emory.edu/02154278_1107_dj...