1591. of it. For which, although I might persuadedly commend ANNO your honour, as having heard somewhat of others, and some experiences myself; yet I had rather exhort you to a further increase therein, than enter into the praise of that which the Lord hath already begun. For that beside it wanteth not peril in slacking our course toward the goal of the crown of glory, when we are established into opinion 50 of some good advancement that way, the praise of that which is good in us is seldom safe, unless it be mingled with the reproof of that which remaineth still amiss, and shall remain as long as we be compassed with this body of sin. Which latter, when it belongeth not unto me, that know not your honour's wants, as I have been made acquainted with the good things which the Lord God hath planted in you, I easily see a law of silence laid upon me in that thing which my suitors especially do willingly pur sue. Albeit here I cannot pass by your singular and very rare favour towards me, whom it pleased to become after a sort a suitor unto me, that your honour might do me good, by preventing, through your honourable offer, that which partly my poor estate, and partly the small means of access, by any duty of mine sent before, did shut me from. Yet forgat I not your honourable and kind usage of me, when I was with you some five years past: so far as it pleased you to call in two noble plants, your daughters, and in my hearing to tell them, that I was a man whom for good reports you favoured, and willed them for the same, in respect as any occasion might serve to righteousness. But, alas! good madam, what encouragement could I take thereby, when looking into myself I see so little that might bear out that opinion you had conceived of me. Howbeit, seeing it pleaseth you in your honourable disposition thus to break upon me, and after a sort to enforce your honourable assistance towards me, it were too foolish and rustical a shamefastness to refuse so honourable a hand reached forth unto me. Wherefore, with very humble and thankful acknowledgment, I lay hold of your honourable favour; which, although 1591. ANNO it should come alone, and unaccompanied, yet is it that for which I will take myself greatly beholden unto your honour. Then I lay hold of the fruits of your favour, so far forth as the same may be convenient for your estate in your honourable mediation towards such as you shall think good; especially towards my singular good lord, the lord treasurer. Of whom, what to desire, I know not. His honour knoweth the pitiful case wherein we stand. I trust also he knoweth how innocent we are of the things we stand charged with, if for his great and weighty affairs it had pleased him to inform himself of the proceeding with us. We thought the suit of ministers, upon reasonable bail, to return to their houses, (among whom some of us have preached the gospel xxx years of her majesty's reign,) would not have been refused being that which oftentimes is yielded unto felons; but hath been often to recusants, papists. We being therefore refused herein, I know not what we should make suit for. Again, it astonisheth me, that we are not easily suffered to come to her majesty by our most humble supplication. In the empire of Rome there was not the vilest servant to whom the emperor's image, standing in the midst of the market-place, was not a good sanctuary, if he once laid hold of it. And with us it hath always been far better; that by supplication the poorest subject might come, not to the 51 image of our most gracious prince, but unto the prince herself. These things make me, that, as I said, I know not what to desire. But if I might understand what were likely to be granted, although it were never so little, and whereof it would please his honour to be an honourable means, there is no ease so small, but we would gladly and thankfully embrace. Now, besides the common calamity of us all, mine hath something by itself. For all the other prisoners for this cause having access to them from all their friends, the warrant of the high commission restraineth me from all, saving my wife, and such as have necessary business with me. Which thing I would be well contented with, if it were 1591. afforded me accordingly. For if I might, I would not, for ANNO divers causes, have many come unto me. But the warden [of the Fleet,] whether esteeming thereby to gratify the bishops, and others whom he thinketh this will be pleasing to, or of his own hard disposition towards me, construeth it more strictly against me than the meaning of the high commission was. For I take that upon experience of the multitudes that visited me the last time I was in prison, (as much to my misliking as theirs,) they sent the warrant of this restraint. Yet dare I not complain of the hard usage of me more than other keepers to their prisoners, lest he might use that for a mean to cause the BB. [bishops] to restrain them also of the access of their friends. But it is a thing which I can, I thank God, well bear. And therefore will not trouble your honour with the suit of so small a matter. Again, if I should make suit in regard of my infirmities, the gout especially, which gaineth on me, it is like that the council is informed that I complained of them without a cause. For the bishop of London speaking openly, that I had therein abused her majesty's privy-council, they would not, although I humbly beseeched him to suffer me to answer one word unto it. For if he would, I could have alleged the testimony of the physician, who had witnessed it under his hand: which the archbishop taking from my wife, would not restore again. I could also have brought good testimony, how having but small comfort from the physician that physic would do me good in prison, (as that which the air itself would give the check unto,) yet was I fain to take divers strong purgations, one within three or four days of another, to such a pulling down of my body, as I was scarce able to bear mine own clothes. Now to do all this without cause of disease, I think, might be rather judged phrensy than hypocrisy. And surely I was far from being ambitious in laying down my infirmities before the board of her majesty's most honourable privy-council, that I did not once make mention of the sciatica, wherewith I have been exercised many years. ANNO 1591. But I perceive I have too much given the reins to the grief of my mind; out of the which my pen hath been very liberal to utter my complaint unto your honour. Wherefore I will make an end, leaving all to your honourable consideration, what to keep to yourself, and what to communicate to his lordship, what to ask, or what to leave unasked: that is to say, what you think his lordship can conveniently and with his good liking effect, making no doubt but that his honour standeth favourably inclined toward If I obtain nothing else, yet I most humbly pray his lordship that I may remain still in his good opinion that he hath conceived of me; at least so far as to be free from those misdemeanours which the L. BB. do surmise. And thus with my humble thanks for all your honourable favour and care of me, I commend your honour and your whole household, and children especially, unto the gracious keeping and blessing of God in Jesus Christ. Fleet, the 13th of August, an. 91. 52 me. Your honour's humbly to command, This letter was sent to the lady Russel, who had offered to Cartwright to intercede (for any request he had to make to the lord treasurer) for him. And she sent the whole letter to him, with these words of her writing set in the superscription; "Good my lord, rede this thorow; and do what good you can to the poor man." 66 Number XXXIX. Cartwright to the lord treasurer, dated October the 4th. Cited before the commissioners, and apprehensive of great troubles to follow upon the queen's displeasure with him. So it is, if it please your good lordship, that with much grief of mind I have understood of her majesty's heavy displeasure against me, in whose gracious favour, next under God, the comfort of my life and of all those that depend 1591. upon me doth consist. Wherefore it may be, that at this ANNO time I stand under the arrest of her high commission, in causes ecclesiastical, for appearance upon Thursday next: when what matters may be objected I know not. But this I well know, that from the writing of my last book, which was thirteen years ago, I never wrote, nor procured any thing to be printed, which might be in any sort offensive to her majesty or the estate; much less had any hand, or so much as a finger, in the books under Martin's name. And although there have been divers books of Antimartin printed, and read by all; wherein I have not only been contemptuously derided, as unlearned, but my good name most slanderously rent and torn in pieces; as, to be a dicer, to have thrust one through the leg with a knife; also, that I love a cup of sack and sugar, and other such like; (whereof, I thank God, there is not the least suspicion ;) yet am I able to make good proof, that from the first beginning of Martin unto this day I have continually, upon any occasion, testified both my dislike and sorrow for such kind of disorderly proceeding. For my ministry also, which I have exercised now almost five years sithence my return out of the Low Countries. [When he was at Antwerp.] Notwithstanding, there have 53 been directed to the place of my abode, twice or thrice, men that have made whole arguments and invectives against me, yet have I as sparingly spoken of any matter in controversy between us and our brethren as any whatsoever in the country having the same judgment which I have. Wherefore my most humble suit unto your lordship is, that it would please you either by counsel, favour, or both, which the Lord hath so plentifully bestowed upon you, to relieve me against the troubles that are coming upon me; especially against her majesty's heavy displeasure, &c. This Sunday morning, October the 4th. |