zealous men and women, as, by the wonderful operation of his Holy Spirit, of weak, were made so valiant and strong in him, as well against all idolatry, superstition, false doctrine and corrupted religion, as against their own old blemishes and sins, that they have turned to flight, and confounded the whole rabble of such mischievous papists, as were the persecutors and murderers of them.

Whereby they that list not still to be blind, may plainly behold and see, not only the terrible judgments of God over, and against the wicked, but also his wonderful doings, mixed with mercy in and towards his chosen. Unto whom, as unto them that love Him, he causeth all things to work for the best. So that with Him, by the heavenly light of steadfast faith, they see life even in death. With Him, even in heaviness and sorrow, they fail not of joy and comfort; with Him, even in poverty, affliction, and trouble, they neither perish nor are forsaken. How else could they be so patient, so quiet of mind, so cheerful and joyful in adversity, and strait captivity; some being thrown into dungeons, ugsome holes, dark, loathsome, and stinking corners; other some lying in fetters and chains, and loaded with so many irons that they could scarcely stir; some tied in the stocks with their heels upward; some having their legs in the stocks, and their necks chained to the wall with gorgets of iron; some both hands and legs in the stocks at once; sometimes both hands in and both legs out, sometimes the right hand with the left leg, or the left hand with the right leg, fastened in the stocks with manacles and fetters, having neither stool nor stone to sit on, to ease their woful bodies withal. Some standing in most painful engines of iron with their bodies doubled. Some whipped and scourged, beaten with rods, and buffeted with fists. Some having their hands burned with a candle, to try their patience, or force them to relent; some hunger pined and most miserable famished. All these torments and many more, even such as cruel Phalaris could not devise worse, were practised by the papists, the stout sturdy soldiers of Satan, thus delighting in variety of tyranny and torments, upon the saints of God, as it is full well and too well known, and as many can testify which are yet alive, and have felt some smart thereof. Yea, and furthermore, so extremely were these dear servants of God dealt withal, that although they were most desirous by their pen and writing, to edify their brethren, other poor lambs of Christ,

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and one to comfort another in him, yet were they so narrowly watched and straitly kept from all necessary helps, as paper, ink, books, and such like, that great marvel it is how they could be able to write any one of these or other so excellent and worthy letters. For so hardly were they used, as I said before, for the most part, that they could not end their letters begun. Sometimes for lack of ease, being so fettered with chains, and otherwise handled as you have heard; sometimes for lack of light, when they could neither see to write well, nor to read their letters again. Sometimes through the hasty coming in of the keepers or officers, who left no corner or bedstraw unsearched; yea, sometimes they were put to so hard shifts, that like as for lack of pens they were fain to write with the lead of their windows, so for want of ink they took their own blood, as yet it remaineth to be seen, and yet sometimes they were fain to tear and rend what they had written at the hasty coming in of the officers.

Thus, thus unkindly, thus churlishly, thus cruelly and unnaturally were even they entreated and handled, whose most notable and godly writings are here set forth in this book. For the which, and such other monuments, great cause have we to praise God; which he himself hath preserved and brought to light, no doubt by his singular great providence, that hereby, we being taught to have his mighty mercy and merciful working, yet more in reverent and thankful regard, might not only consider what heavenly strength and rich possession of constant faith, of ardent zeal, of quiet patience, of peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, he useth to arm them, that can find in their hearts to abhor all ungodliness, both of doctrine and life; but also to join with them ourselves in such sort, that looking to Jesus our Captain, abiding the cross and despising the shame, as they did for the joy that was set before them, may with much quietness of a good conscience, end this our short course, to his glory, to the edifying of his church, to the confusion of Satan, to the hinderance of all false doctrine, and to our own eternal comfort, in the same our Lord and alone Saviour Jesus Christ. To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour, all glory, all thanks, and all praise, world without end. Amen.