DEERE SISTERS my care , my loue , and of all worldlye thinges ( next to my good MOTHER ) my greatest comforte and ioy . Vnlesse you did thinke that I doe most hartily loue you , you coulde not alwaies heeretofore haue declared your exceedinge great loue soe plentifullye towardes mee , for the which Almightie God reward you . This my loue because it is not a naturall affection onely , but syncere and true Charitie forceth mee to wishe vnto you my louing SISTERS , not only many worldly commodities , which ( God be thanked ) you lacke not : but much more , all Spirituall treasure and Heauenly riches , whereof you cannot haue greate store , because you dwel not where it groweth .

I know good SISTERS , that you meane well , and most willing are you to doe that which might please God : but in good sooth you are out of the way , & therefore the further you holde on , the further you are from your iorneis ende , and the further from Heauen . The wise man saith : Prouerbs . 14. There is away which seemeth to a man right but the end thereof leadeth to destruction . Beare with me if I write bouldly , and tell you the truth plainely . I am your Brother , I loue you as nature bindeth me , not onely in wordly respecte , but much more towards God . Your soules are deare vnto me : my heart alwaies mourneth to thinke vpon your dangerous state wherein you stand . O good SISTERS , the paine , of Hell exceedeth all torments , and that fire shall burne for euer . Happie are they that keepe them selues by GOD his great goodnesse within the Catholicke Church , for out of it there is no hope of saluation : And moste happie are they that hauing bene out of this Church by the wicked perswasions of false Preachers , when that it pleaseth God to sende them trew teachers : will not remaine obstinate : but follow good exhortations , and good holsome doctrine , and so returne againe as obedient Children to Christ their father , and to the Church theire Mother , who are alwaies ready to receiue them : remembring that which a most ancient & learned Father writeth . S. Austin in the 88. Psal. He can neuer account God to be his Father , who will not haue the Church to be his mother .

If you aske me what this Church is , that is called Catholicke , and how you may knowe it , behold the true and certaine markes thereof , and your selfe iudge whether you be within it or no. This Church is a Congregation of all true Christians , which began in Christ and his Disciples at Ierusalem , & from thence , grewe and multiplied throughout the wholle world , according as it is saide in the Psalme : their sound ( speaking of the Apostles ) is gone out into the whole world , & their wordes into the ends of the earth . Psa. 18. ve. 5 The first marke of the church is to be vsible So that the first marke of the true Church is , that it must grow and multiplie , be seene , & appeare alwaies as a light in the world : and therfore Christ calleth it A Citie builded vpon a hill , which cannot be hid . And the blessed Martyr S. Cip. saith : The Church being lightned with the brightnesse of our Lord , doth reach forth her beames throghout the whole world And S. Aust. besides many other places to this purpose , compareth Christ & his Church , to that stone which was cut out of a hill without mens hands , & after grew to be a mighty mountain , so that it filled the whole earth . For vndoubtedly this stone whereof the Prophet speaketh in CHRIST , who was borne of a Virgine without the helpe of man , & is now growne from a few Apostles and Disciples to an infinite number of Christian people in all countries confessing one Faith , & one Beleefe : and this is the Catholicke Church , whereof your CREED telleth , and teacheth you to say . I beleeue the Catholicke Church .

Let vs see now whether this marke doth agree to your brethren in England , who cal them selues Protestants : or to vs whom it pleaseth them to call Papists . First , they call them-selues in their books the English Church , that is to say , of that faith which is professed in England : but we are of the Catholicke Church , that is , of such a faith as is professed in France , in Spaine , in Flanders , Brabant , Zeland , &c. In a great part of Germanie , in all Italy , and beyond , whersoeuer there be Christians , and is preached in the Indians , that neuer heard of Christ before , & increaseth wonderfullye . And within these fortie yeeres , in England , Scotland , Ireland , Denmarke , and Germany , there was no other faith openly professed but ours . And now also in all these countries , how many are there thinke you of secret Catholickes that wishe for the olde religion againe with all their heart , and follow the new only for feare ? Nay how many are there especially in England that do yet openly professe the Catholike faith ?

Aske good Sisters aske , and you shall learne that all the prisons not onely of London , but of England are full of them , because they will not yeelde to these new proceedings , nor contaminate their soules with this new seruice , and leaue the olde true and Catholicke faith : besides a number of sundrie degrees , which are dead in prison : namely twentie three Bishops , all depriued of their liuing these twentie three yeeres , and now but two of them aliue : I omitt Doctours , Deanes , Archdeacons Knightes , Squires , partly in prison , partly departed the realme and forsaking all , rather then they will forsake God , and his most true and vndoubted Religion . This is true ( good Sisters ) as knoweth God , you seldome heare of these thinges , & therefore you thinke eyther there is no other Religion but that cold seruice without all comfort and deuotion which you see in your parishe Church , or you thinke that must needes , bee the best , because you are not taught any other : whereas you see ( if you beleeue me ) that all Christendome almost is of another Religion . And therefore this is the Catholicke Church , and yours is worthely called by your owne ministers , the Church of England . The second mark is succession . But this shall better appear if I giue you an other marke of the true and Catholicke Church , which is , that it may continue for euer , and from the first beginning , which was in Christ & his Apostles , neuer to faile , but to appeare & be seene stil as a City vp on a hill , or a light in the world : For Christ said . I will be with you vnto the end of the world . Mat. 28 And againe : I will send you another comforter , the spirit of truth who shal romaine with you for euer And vnto Peter . vpon this Rocke will I build my Church , and the gates of Hell shall not preuiale against it . Mat. 16. That is to say , the Diuell and all his Ministers , shall neuer so preuaile against this Church , but that it will still appeare and professe one & the same faith : So that there shall be no time wherein this faith & this Church is not . Now marke good Sisters I pray you hartely , whether your Church and your English religion hath bene alwaies in the world since Christ his time . I will speake vnto you as before God , and as I shall answere before him at the latter day , and therfore I request you to marke well my wordes , and to consider of them . A whole thousand & fiue hundred yeeres after Christ , your English religion was not heard of in anie part of the worlde , but I tolde you before , that the true Church must continue for euer , and appeare alwaies , vnlesse you think CHRIST is false of his promise . When began your religion them Forsooth about fiftie veeres agone , by one Martin Luther in Germanie a Friar : who as well for other vngodly respectes , as also because hee would needes marrye , and breake his vowe which he had made of chastitie , beganne to preach against the Pope , and against the Catholicke Church , and because hee taught greate libertie , as that Princes ought not to reuerence the Pope , that all Priestes might marry , that no man need to fast , and such like : he found many Disciples in Germany , and hath vnto this day carnall and fleshly men that loue their own plesure more then the will of God , and his holy Church .

But will you know what manner of man this was ? Forsooth being examined by learned men concerninge his doctrine , hee was so prest and so angred with the force of truth , that he saide in a great rage . This quarrell was neuer begun for Gods sake , neither for his sake shall it be ended . Will you know further that he wrote against the Pope for malice and not for conscience ? him selfe in his letter to ARgentmenses saith : I neither can deny , neither will I , that if Carolstadius or any other man cold fiue yeres agon haue perswaded me , that in the Sacrament is nothing but bread and wine , he might haue deserued of me great thanks : for I laboured in that matter very carefully , knowing right well that by that meanes , I might much haue hindred the Popes autority . Marke that this man wold gladly haue found some what against the blessed Sacrament , but a long time he could not , till at length the Diuell had taught him to write against the Masse , as him selfe witnesseth in his books , de Missa angulari . where he telleth what talke he and the Diuell had togither . Much more could I tell you of this man : but of this litle you may iudge whether you may aduenture to build your faith vpon this man , who liued within these fiftie yeares , and to forsake the ancient faith of all Christendome : continued from Christ vntill this day : for it is most certaine that from this man came your newe Religion into England , but not immediatly at the first when hee began to preach , Maiesties Father wrote a learned Book against Luther for the Pope . Afterward he forsooke him not vpon religion or conscience but vpon displeasure . for King Henry the eight , wrote a learned booke verie earnestly against The Queens him , which is common to be seene , but long after , partlie when the King began to take displeasure against the Pope , because he might not be married & vnmaried as he list , partlye & especially , when King Edward beeing in the beginning of his raigne , but a very Childe , was ouerruled by wicked Counsellers to maintaine such a Religion , as might best agree to their carnal appetite . This was the beginning of your Religion , the beginning I saye , for as for King Henry , he went nothing so far as they are now come : but whereas for his pleasure he had put away the Popes authority , & for his profite had plucked downe Abbeies , he let all other pointes in manner remaine as before , & for this repented before he died as it is knowne , if not ? woe be to him that euer he was bornes for there in the nexte worlde , good Sisters , Kings & Queenes come to their accountes , as well as you and we poore folkes .

I could here tell you of many learned and vertuous men that were then put to death , because they woulde not yeelde to the King in his vnlawfull dooinges : knowing right well that it was all contrary to the law of God . Amongst whom were these two : the Bishop of Rochester the most vertuous and best learned of all the clargie , as appeareth by his bookes . And Sir Thomas Moore Lord Chauncel or of England a Lay-man , who for his vertue , wisedome and learning passed all temporal men that euer were in that realme , as appeareth by his learned works written in the English tongue , but nowe not suffred to be read : because they teach the Catholick faith : some man will tell you , that they were beheaded for treason : but beleeue him not , vnlesse it be treason to obay God rather then Princes , surelye other treason they committed none . The .3 . mark is vnitie . One marke more I will shew you to discerne the true church , & that in fewe wordes : but so plaine that your selfe will confesse it . To know the Catholick Church this is a certaine and an vnfallible marke , if it be in vnitie and concord if it haue an agreement & consent of harts & opinions : that is to say , if it haue but one faith & religion : For of the true Church it is said , The whole multitude of beleuers had one hart & one mind . Act. 5. And saint Paul saith . One God , one faith , one Baptisme . Eph. 4. And againe . God is not a God of dissention , but of peace & vnitie . 1. Cor. 14. Looke now and consider the state of your Protestantes in England onely , are they all of one religion ? Haue you not among them some Lutherans , some Caluinists , some Puritanes , all agreeing against the Pope , and each disagreeing one from the other ? Doe not your Lutherans preach yea before the Queene , not without greate thankes for their labour , that the Body of Christ is really present in the Sacrament ? And doe not your Caluerusts preach cleane contrarie , that there is only bread and wine ? And as for your Puritanes do not they preach and write so far contrary from the other two , that they are now forbidden to preach & cast into prison , and put from all liuings ? Yea the communion booke it selfe , doth it not now say clean contrary to that which it said in the latter end of King Henry his time ? Then you were expresly commanded to beleeue that vnder each kind , of bread , & wine , are contained the body and blood of Christ , now it is a petty treason to say so : I speake not heere of Denmarke , of Geneua , of other citties in Germany , who are all Protestants , and are differing among them selues and from you . I haue onely declared how great diuersity and disagreing there is among your Protestants at home within one litle Iland : which is so euident , and so far from good Christianity , that it may bee vnto you a verie certaine and sure token , that the true faith can not be among them , which hitherto can not agree in one faith , each condemning the others opinion .

Thus ( dearly beloued , and my very louing Sisters ) I haue giuen you certaine generall markes to learne the true Church : To write all were infinite , because all bookes are full of our religion , I trust hereafter to instruct you in euery point as you would desire , and I pray GOD giue you grace , that you may desire it : All at once would be too tedious : in the meane time remember these two thinges : When your religion began , and by whome , & how it came at length into England . This is the yeare of Christ , a thousand fiue hundred eightie and three . Luther begane to preach within these fiftie yeares : If he preached the truth , & all before him were deceaued , where was the Church of Christ in all the world for a thousand & fiue hundred yeares before ? and how is Christ true of his promise , that said : I will remaine with you for euer , & the holy Ghost shal teach you all truth & the gates of hell shal not preuail against it . But for our Church , that is to say , the Catholick Church , we can shew how it is growne , and continued from the Apostles vntill this day , and neuer fayled : we can recken you from time to time , Councels , Bishops Doctours , infinite numbers of good Christians of all ages that were all of our faith , and of our Church . Can your Ministers deny but that Saint Chrisostome alloweth praying to Saintes ? Or that S. Ierome calleth the Bishop of Rome , Supreame head of the whole Church vnder Christ ? Or that S. Austin praied for his mother being dead ? Or that he honoured the Reliques of S. Steuen . Or that S. Gregory saide Masse ? Or that S. Ambrose saith , before the wordes of consecration it is bread and wine , but after the wordes are spoken by the Priest , it is the very body and blood of Christ ? or that all Christians in S. Austins time ? did worship the blessed Sacrament ? Or that the second Councell of Nice , did many hundred yeares , alow the vse of Images , for the memorie and representation of Christ & his Saintes , condemning Image breakers . Or that Saint Bernard was an Abbot and had Monkes vnder him , as in Catholicke Countries now a daies ? can they denie but that all this is true ? and dare they deny these vertuous Fathers , and Doctors of the Church to be now Saints in heauen ?

O my good Sisters , that you could vnderstand their bookes and theire writinges that you might your selues see what they say , and what wonderfull men they were , endued with the spirite of God exceedingly aboue other , euen good men , much more then your licentious leaders , I doubt not but you would suspect your new Doctors , and follow these : you shoulde perceaue they had the Scriptures at their fingers ends , they knew right well the meaning & sense therof , night and day by fasting and praier , and chaste life , beseeching God that they might vnderstand and truely expound his worde . O what a difference is there betweene them and these new preachers ? Sisters , I appeale to your consciences , whether will you , or ought you to trust in the expoundinge of Scripture , your yong vnlearned and fleshly ministers , or these auncient , most skilfull , and most vertuous Fathers .

When Christ saied : Take eate , this is my Body . All these Fathers say and agree , that it was his Body in very deed : your ministers tell you it was but Bread and Wine . When Christ sayed to Peter : Thou art Peter , that is a rocke , & on this rocke wil I build my Church . Mat. 16. These Fathers say that Peter was made head of the Church , and after him all his successors in the See of Roome where Peter was the first Bishop . Your Ministers tell you that Peter had no more preheminence then the other Apostles , and therfore the Bishoppe of Roome hath no more authoritie then an other Bishop hath . When Christ said to his Apostles : Receaue yee the Holy Ghost what soeuer yee doe loose in earth , shall be loosed in heauen , & what soeuer ye do binde in earth shall be bound in heauen . These Fathers say that Christ gaue to his Church autoritie to remitt sinne by the ministrie of the Priest , to all such as do truely repent , and therefore will haue the people go to confession : your ministers haue taken that comfortable Sacrament of Pennance away altogether . When Raphael the Angell saith in the twelfth chapter of Tobias : That he did offer vp Tobi as praier to Almightie God . And when in the second booke of Macchabes the 15. chap. Onias the Priest saith of Ieremie being dead . This is hee that prayeth much for his people , and for the holy Citty : these Fathers say , that the Angels and Saintes do pray for vs , and that we may pray to them : your ministers do not stick to say , that these bookes of Toby and the Machabees are scant good Scripture .

Many other thinges like vnto these , I could reckon , but I should be too long , fearing least I should weary you : these fewe are sufficient to giue you to tast of such markes as may shew you the Catholicke Church . These and many other greate reasons doe keepe all good Christians within the church . These things make so many Catholicks , partly to haue suffered death : partly to haue died in prison : partly to continue in prison so manie yeares : partly to forsake theire pleasant countrie , theire deere friends , and to liue to their conscience among strangers , being thought of many worldly men to be very fooles for so doing : but they knowright wel that the wisdome of this world is foolishnes before GOD . And Christ saith , He that loueth father & mother , sister & brother , better than me , is not worthy of me . Mat. 10.

Sisters geue me leaue to tell you somewhat of my selfe , not for any bragge , but the more to moue you and to giue God all the praise for his great goodnes towards me . It pleased my Parents to bring me vp in learning as you knowe , as I was not the best , so I was at all times not counted the worst amongst my fellowes and companions : some small estimation I had in Oxford aboue my desert , more afterwardes when it pleased the Duke to make me though vnworthy , Tutor to the Earle his sonne : as long as his grace did prosper , I liued in his house to my conscience without trouble : when he was in the Tower , and other men ruled his house , I was willed to receiue the Communion , or to depart : if I woulde haue yeelded , I had very large offers which I need not tell . It pleased God to stay me so with his grace , that I chose rather to forsake all then to doe against my beleefe , against my knowledge , against my conscience , against the lawe of Almightie God : For a time I lay secretlie in England , afterwardes I came beyond the Seas into these Catholicke countries , out of schisme and heresie : for the which I doe thanke Almightie GOD much more , then for all the estimation that I had , or might haue had in England . Whatsoeuer my estate is heere , I doe more esteeme it , then all the riches of England as it now standeth .

And were I so mad think you to forsake all preferment , all liuings , all estimation , to liue from my good mother , from you my louing sisters , & your husbands , from other my deare friendes & companions , out of mine owne most pleasant countrie , would I do this thinke you , but that my learninge and my conscience , telleth me , that to follow your Religion is present daunger of body and soule , and to be in the Catholicke Church is the onely way to saluation ? Fie vpon all worldly riches , when the soule is in danger , nothing is so pretious as the soule : first seeke for the Kingdome of heauen , & for other things as it pleaseth God . O that I might vnderstand once that you were of my mind , and of the Catholicke religion : O my hart would leape for ioy , to consider that although we cannot liue together vppon earth , yet we may hereafter meete in heauen : which is impossible as long as we disagree in faith . S. Paul saith . There is one God , one Faith , one Baptisme . S. Austin saieth , speaking of one Emeritus , He cannot be saued but in the Catholicke Church .

Doe you thinke it sufficient to beleeue in the Father , the Son , & the holy Ghost ? Harken what S. Austine saith in the 88. Psalme . What doth it profite thee , if thou confesse the Lord ? If thou honor God ? if thou prech & praise him ? if thou acknowledge his Son ? if thou confess that he sitteth at the right hand of his Father ? what doth this profit thee , if thou blaspheme his Church ? S. Athanasius in his Creed saith : Whosoeuer wil be saued it is necessarie that hee hold the Catholicke Faith , which Faith vnles a man beleeue in all pointes , and euery article , without doubt ( saith he ) he shall perish euerlastingly . One point is ( good Sisters ) that Christ gaue vs at his last Supper , his owne blessed body & blood to feed vpon in the remembrance of his bitter death : he that saith it is not so , doth he beleeue in Christ ? Doth he not in effect say that Christ was not able to do it , and by that reason that he was not omnipotent ? For when the three Euangelistes report it so plainly , & S. Paul after them : Take , eate , this is my Body that shall be deliuered for you : this is my blood that shall be shed for you : Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luke . 22.1 . Cor. 11. What maketh a man to doubt but that it is so in deed O you wil say , I see nothing but bread and wine . If you should see his body : no god a mercy if you did beleeue it : But Christ saide to Thomas : Thou Thomas dost beleue because thou hast sene : but happie are they that beleeue when they see not . Ioh. 20. Mat. 2.

I pray you when the three wise men came from the East to worship Christ , what did they see in him ? forsooth a young Infant , not able to helpe him selfe sucking his mother a poore carpenters wife , and that in an Oxe staule : yet they fell downe and worshipped him as God : Is it not as easie to beleeue the body of Christ is vnder the forme of bread , as that Almighty God him selfe was then vnder the shape of a seely weake Infant ? O good Sisters , vnles you beleeue , you shall neuer vnderstand : beleeue once Christ his wordes , & that he is almighty , and that he is able to do whatsoeuer he saieth , and you will thinke that all is easie : returne to the Catholicke Church , and bee content to learne that which you know not , of them that will not for all the world deceaue you , and you shall find exceeding comfort .

When Christ shall say at the latter day , as it were in this maner . Was it not of my greate kindnesse that I left vnto you mine owne Bodie and Blood ? and was it not of my exceeding goodnes and wisdome to leaue it , not in the forme of fleshe and blood , least your nature should abhorre it , but of bread & wine which can be lothsome to no man ? and you make me this gay recompence , saying that it was nothing but breade and wine , because you could tast nothing els in your mouth , and because your new Preachers tolde you so , whom I sent not ? were not you christned in an other Faith ? Did not my Church which is my spouse , Apoc. 21. and the piller of truth , 1. Tim. 3. alwaies teach otherwaies . What haue you to say for your selfe , but that you haue most vnkindly abused that blessed Sacrament and heauenly mistery , and make me a lyar , and deny my omnipotency , and therefore deserue eternall damnation with all such as haue deceaued you ?

When Christ shall say this , will it not be a heauy case ? when Cyprian , Ambrose , Chrisostome , Augustine , Ierome , Gregory , Bernard , all the olde Fathers , now Saints in heauen , shall come & beare witnesse against you , and say that they taught other-wise ? When your Bishoppes that are now partly dead , and partly in prison for the defending of this cause , shall condemne you because you did not follow theire good example ? When your owne Doctours and Teachers shall not be able to answere for them selues , will it not be a pittifull case ? But I hope better of you ( good Sisters ) I can not mistrust your good natures , but that you will bee glad to learne the trewth which : Almightie God graunt vnto you for his deare Sonnes sake , who died for vs : and that I maye heare some comfortable newes from you .

Doe but fignifie vnto mee that you are content , if any thing be amisse to be better instructed . Proue me what I can say for any thing that troubleth your consciences : It shall be far better newes vnto mee , to receaue two lines from you to such a purpose , then to vnderstand that your husbandes were made Lordes , and you Ladies . He is rich that is in the Catholicke Church , and he is honourable that is in the fauour of God . Sisters if I might doe you good to God-ward , I woulde not sticke to aduenture this body of mine to saue your soules , to come and talke with you : my body is not more pretious vnto me then your soules : how you are disposed , and what you would haue me to doe for your sakes let me vnderstand by the next . Deale wisely I pray you and warily , both for our owne sake , and for our good friende this bearer : It is not reason that for his good will , he should incurre any danger : God forbid , my truste is in your wisdome , that you will keepe this verie close tell herafter , by reason of the great persecution .

The matter is waighty , and conserneth both you and this bearer very much : bee wise and trustie , and deceaue not your Brother that loueth you as him selfe , and therefore wisheth by all meanes to doe you good . Saint Paule sayth : 1. Timothy . 5. Hee that hath not regard of his own kindred , hath denied the faith and is worse then an Infidell . Saint Chrisostome vpon the same place writeth thus .