We haue receiued thy Letter fraught with threats , and swolen with impieties against the Maiestie of the high GOD , whereunto wee had not vouchsafed answere , but that wee were perswaded , that our silence would haue beene a meanes , to cause thee flatter thy selfe so much the more , else had we neglected thee like an arch-enemie of God as thou art . We haue therefore thought fit in some sort , to regard the saluation of thy soule , letting thee know , that thou art no other but a meere man , in thy person more weake than many of thy followers , which should cause thee to remember , that if it had not pleased God , to engraue in the front of such as rule a kind of awfull Maiestie wherby their subiects are kept in obedience , the good by reward , the euill and peruerse by rigorous lawes , and both the one and the other by authoritie , it were impossible they should continue eminent aboue others . Thou then , who in thy selfe art but as other men , must know , that there is a supreame power of more might than thine , which doth vphold thine estate , causing thee to bee respected of thy followers . This power proceeds from God most good , most iust , most strong , preseruing it so long as Princes humble themselues before him , but being once transported with presumption & pride , it easily abateth their furie . I will offer no other example to thy consideration than that of Baiaseth the Second , one of thy predecessours , who thinking to scale heauen with his armie , ( which in the iudgement of man was vnresistable , but in Gods sight most contemptible ) liued to see himselfe vanquished , taken , and imprisoned , coopt vp in an iron cage ( wherein he was in triumph drawne after the victorious Conquerour ) seruing him for no better than a footstoole , & hauing no other food than such as was cast him ( like a dogge ) from his Table * * A iust guerdon for his pride . . Thinke then with thy selfe , that he that was so great , so puissant , and so fearefull may happily by right of succession haue left vnto thee ( as being descended from him ) the like , or a worse fortune , if thou doest dare to continue thy blasphemies against God , and his beloued sonne Iesus Christ crucified . Thou doest mistake in thinking to lay an aspersion vpon vs , by reproching vnto vs the Crosse : for wee account it our chiefest honour and glorie ; by vertue whereof as the Emperour Constantine quelled his enemies , we hope and assure our selues to be defended against thy fury . Thy proud and thundering words dismay vs not , our courage is more masculine and generous than so to bee outbraued : For know that wee regard not thy threats , but with all scorn trample vpon thy pride , and deride thy terrours . And in stead of thanking thee for aduertising vs before thy comming , wee bidde thee come when thou wilt : Thou shalt bee receiued contrary to thy expectation . Wee haue steepe mountaines and impregnable rockes , that shal barre thee from entring into our lands . Thou shalt finde our Cities and Castles wel furnished with munition , our Canon mouthes breathing furious fires , our courages inuincible , our blades eager & sharpe , our armes impenetrable , our bodies apt to sustaine the violence of all seasons , our mindes promising nothing but victory . And to dazell thine eies , the royall Standard of the blessed Crosse shall goe before vs . But aboue all , the crucified Sonne of the great God shall cause his Angels to conduct vs and giue vs the victorie . Hee it is that shall be our Leader , vnder whose protection wee will not feare to braue thee at thy gates . Thy miscreant troopes shall be trodden vnder foot , and their bellies trampled on , and by a happie victorie ( if thou chance to scape our conquering arme ) thou shalt find thy selfe pursued vnto the most secret dennes of thy abominable Seraglio . Thou shalt see thy Mosquees laied leuel with the ground , thy Mophti and other the execrable Priests of thy perfidious Mahomet made Galley-slaues , all those traiterous runnagates whom thou doest harbor , shalt thou see put to exquisite torments : of all which be most assured . And then shall bee set free all those poore and miserable Christians , who now lie groaning vnder the burden of thy tyrannous yoke , whose wofull cries being mounted to heauen , haue iustly excited the vengeance of God vpon thee , who hath permitted thee to rise to this height of pride , that thy ruine and destruction may bee the more exemplar vnto after ages . To conclude , thou shalt see the seruice of God reestablished in Grecia and Asia , which thou doest now vniustly vsurpe . But if it happen thee to end thy miserable life in battell ( as wee hope that God will grant ) be confident that all the aforesaid vengeance shall ensue vpon thy death , and whilest thy wretched soule shall lie broiling in the quenchlesse flames of hel , we will lift vp our cheerfull voices , and for the victorie obtained ouer thee and thine , sing praises vnto our God , to whom be glorie for euer .

Know then , O Infidell , that we feare thee not at all : and if thou beest not bent to run headlong vnto thine owne destruction , be aduised . Content and containe thy selfe within those bounds thou doest at this present vsurpe . And if thou hast any beleefe at all , that thy thrice reuerenced Prophet Mahomet could tell a truth , or foretell future euents , then call to minde that of those 1000. yeeres which he prescribed for the continuing of thy Sect , there remaines not aboue 6. or 7. yeeres . This then is the time that the yet vnsheathed swords of the Christians affoords for thy amendment , that thou maist come to the knowledge of the most true God , to worship him in his Son Iesus Christ . Whereunto we once more exhort thee , omitting all other salutation and recommendation .