To His Beloved Mother

The desire that I have to heare of your continuance, which Christ Jesus in the day of this his battell which shortly shall end to the confusion of his proud enimies, neither by tong, neither yet by penne can I expresse, beloued Mother. Assuredly it is such that it vanquisheth, and ouercommeth all remembrance & solicitude, which the fleshe vseth to take for feeding and defence of herselfe. For in every realme and nation God wil stirre up some one or other to minister those thinges that appertaine to this wretched life, and if men wil ceasse to doe their office, yet will hee sende his rauens: so that in every place, perchance I may finde some fethers to my body. But alas where I shal finde children to be begotten to God by the worde of life, that can I not presently consider. And therfore the spiritual life of such as somtime boldly professed Christ (god knoweth) is to my hearte more deare then all the glory, riches, and honor in the earth. And the falling backe of such men, as I heare dayly to turne backe to that idol againe, is to mee more dolorous, then I trust the corporal death shalbe, when ever it shal come at God his appointment. Some wil aske then, why did I flie? Assuredly I cannot tel. But of one thing I am sure that the feare of death was not the chiefest cause of my flying, I trust that one cause has beene to let mee see with my corporall eies, that al had not a true heart to Christ, that in the day of rest and peace, bare a faire face. But my flying is no matter, by God his grace I may come to battel, before al the conflict be ended. And haste the time O Lord, at your good pleasure, that once againe my tongue may praise your holy name before the congregation, if it were but euen in the very houre of death.

I have written a large treatise touching the plagues that assuredly shall apprehende obstinate Idolaters and those also that dissembling with them, deny Christ, in obeying to idolatrie, which I woulde you should reade diligently. If it come not to you from the South, I shal prouide that it shal come to you by some other meanes. Touching your continual trouble giuen to you by God, for better purpose then wee can presently espie: I have begunne to you the exposition of the sixth Psalme. And as God shal graunt to me opportunitie and health of body which now is very weake, I purpose to absolue the same.