MarginaliaAnno 1556. Ianuary.maundyng them to punishe their bodyes also.

Greene. But, sayde Greene, hee bad not put them to death.

Boner.. He bad punish them quoth Boner.

Greene. Yea, sayd Greene, but not put them to death.

Bo. That they should be punished, quoth Boner again.

This talke ended, he asked Greene if he woulde recant and returne to theyr Romishe mother. MarginaliaSentence geuen agaynst M. Grene.Whiche when he denyed, the Bishoppe pronounced the sentence difinitiue agaynst hym, and so committed him to the Sheriffes of London, who caused him to be carried to Newgate.

And as he was goyng thether, ther met with him two gentlemen, being both his speciall frendes, minding belike to comfort this theyr persecuted brother? but at theyr meeting, theyr louing and friendly hartes (not able anye longer to hide themselues) were manifested by the aboundaunce of theyr pittifull teares. To whom, when Greene sawe them, he sayd in these or like wordes: MarginaliaThe wordes of M. Grene to his friendes by the way going to Newgate.Ah my friends is this your comfort you are come to geue me, in this my occasion of heauinesse? Must I, who needed to haue comfort ministred to me, become now a comforter of you? And thus declaring his moste quiet and peaceable minde and conscience, he chearefully spake to them and others, vntil he came to the prison doore, into the which he ioyfully entred, and there remayned alwayes either in praier (whervnto he much gaue himselfe) or els in some other godlye meditations and exercises, vnto the xxviii. day of Ianuary, when hee with hys other aboue mentioned brethren went most chearefully vnto the place of their tormentes often repeating, as well by the waye, as also at the stake these Latine verses following.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaVerses of M. Grene written in his friendes booke.
Christe Deus, sine te spes est mihi nulla salutis.
Te duce vera sequor, te duce falsa nego.

In English thus.

O Christ my God, sure hope of health,
besides thee haue I none:
The truth I loue, and falsehoode hate,
by thee my guyde alone.

During the tyme of hys imprisonment in Newgate, diuers of hys frendes had accesse vnto him, to whome he gaue sundry godly exhortations: wherewith they were not onely well contented, but for better remēbrance, aswel of the same his instructions, as also of hys own good and godly person, they desired him to write somewhat in their bookes, which request he willingly graunted, as in maner here ensueth.

[Back to Top]

These verses were written in a booke of mayster Hussey of the Temple.

Behold thy selfe by me, such one was I, as thou:
And thou in tyme shalt be, euen dust as I am now.

Bartlet Greene.

¶ These verses were also written in a booke of mayster William Fleetwood, of the same house.

My resting roode is founde, vayne hope & hap a dew.
Loue  

whome you list w^t chāge, death shall me rid frō you.

Bartlet Greene.

MarginaliaThe singular modesty, and humble nature of M. Grene.Amonges others diuers and singular good vertues of this good manne, especially in him was to bee noted such a modest nature, so humbly thinking of himselfe, as in few men is to be found, euer deiecting hymselfe vnder that was in him, and euer seeming to be lesse then he was so that nothing lesse hee coulde abide, then to heare of hys prayse or commendation: as well declareth not onely his letter written to M. Philpot, wherin he doth earnestly expostulate with hym, for slaundring hym with prayse of his witte and learning, and other manifold vertues of great excellency, but also by his owne speache and aunsweres in his examination wherein he casteth from hym all knowledge of learning and cunning, when notwithstanding he had more in hym, then to anye mennes eyes dyd appeare.

[Back to Top]

So great and admirable was this gift of modesty grafted in the nature of him, so farre abhorring from al pryde and arrogancie, that as he could not abide any thinge that was spoken to his aduauncement or prayse: so neither did there appeare in hym any shewe or bragge in those things wherein he might iustly glorye, whiche were his punishmentes and sufferinges for the cause and quarrel of christ. For when hee was beaten and scourged with roddes by

[Back to Top]

Byshoppe Boner (which scarse any man would beleue, 

nor I neither, but that I heard it of him, whiche hearde it of his mouth) and he greatly reioyced in the same, yet his shamefast modestie was suche, that neuer hee woulde expresse any mention therof, least he shoulde seeme to glorye to muche in hymselfe, saue that onely he opened the same to one M. Cotten of the Temple a friend of hys, a little before his death.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe pitifull nature of M. Grene.Moreouer, to this rare and maydenly modestie in him was also adioyned the like nature of mercye and pittifull compassion: whiche affection though it seemed to be little regarded of some, yet in my minde is there no other thing wrought in nature, wherein man resembleth more truely the image of the high maiestie of almightye GOD then thys. And as in thys respecte of mercifull tendernesse, manne onely excelleth all other beastes: so almost no lesse may thys manne seeme to passe many other men, whose customable propertie and exercise was to visite the poore prysoners wyth hym in prison, both with bodily reliefe, and also wyth spirituall comforte: and finding manye of them (I meane suche as were there for thefte, and other naughty factes) verye penitent and sorye for theyr euill demeanours, in hope of theyr amendment, dyd not onely by mouthe, but also by hys letters require, yea, as it were of duetye in loue, dyd charge his friendes, to trauayle for theyr deliueraunces: such was the pittye and charritable mercye of thys godlye and most true member of Christes Churche: as appeareth by this letter here following.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaA letter of M. Bartlet Grene to certayne of his louing friendes in the Temple. What true frendship is. True frendship is not measured by distance of place or of persons.VEry friendes are they, whiche are knitte together wyth the knotte of Charitie. Charitie doth not decaye, but increase in them that dye faythfully: whereof it followeth, that thoughe we be absent in body, yet are we present in the spirite, coupled together with the vnity of fayth in the bonde of peace, whyche is loue. How hee is worthy the name of a friend, that measureth hys frendship with the distaunce of place, or parting of persons? If thy frend be out of sight, is thy friendshyp ended? If he be gone into the Countrey, wilt thou cease to loue hym? If hee be passed the seas, will you so forsake hym? If hee be caryed into heauen, is Charitie hindred thereby? On the one side we haue the vse of the fathers from the primatiue Church, that gaue thankes for theyr frendes that dyed in the fayth, to proue that Charitie dyed not with death. On the other side (sayth Horace) Cœlum non animum mutant, qui trans mare currunt.

[Back to Top]

What speake I of Horrace? Sayth not saincte Paule the same thynge: For we are members of hys bodye, of his flesh, and of his bloud, yea, we are members one of an other. Is the hand or arme foote or legge a member, when it is disseuered from the bodye? How can we be members, excepte we be ioyned together? MarginaliaLoue onely coupleth together.What is the line that coupleth vs, but loue? MarginaliaAll other thinges fayle, loue onely indureth for euer.When all thinges shal fayle loue fayleth neuer. Hope hath hys ende, when wee get that wee hoped for. Fayth is finished in heauen, loue endureth for euer: Loue (I say) that proceedeth of charitie, for carnall loue, when that which he loued is lost, doth pearish wyth the fleshe. Neyther was that euer but fleshly loue, which by distaunce of place, or seuering of bodyes, is parted asunder. If loue be the ende or sūme of the lawe, if heauen and yearth shall pearishe, it one iote of Gods wordes shall not decaye, why shouldee we thinke that loue lasteth not euer.

[Back to Top]

I neede not to write much to you my frendes, neyther can I haue laysure nowe that the keepers are risen: but thys I saye: if we keepe Chrystes commaundemente in louynge eache other, as he loued vs, then should our loue be euerlasting. This frendship Paule felt when it moued him to saye, that neyther lengthe nor bredth (meanyng no distaunce of place) neyther height nor depth shoulde seuere hym from the loue of Christe. Waighe well thys place, and meate it wyth Paules measures: MarginaliaLoue vnfained neuer endeth.so shall we find that if our loue be vnfayned, it can neuer bee ended. Nowe may you saye, why wrytest thou this? Certes to the ende that if oure frendshippe bee stable, you may accomplishe thys the laste request of your friende, and performe after my death the friendshippe wee beganne in oure lyfe, that amitie maye encrease vntill GOD make it perfecte at oure next meetynge together.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe sute of M. Grene for the sauing of certayne poore prisoners in Newgate.Mayster Feetewood, I beseeche you remember Wittrance and Cooke, two singular men amongest common prisoners, M Fernham and mayster Bell, with M. Hussey (as I hope) wyll dispatch Palmer and Richardson with his companions. I praye

[Back to Top]