378 The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. VIII. Queen " fhould bring his if with blood to a violent end; eJpeciallyJiving they are Elizabeth, « mull private andfa imperfect, as they have no coherence at all in them, IE 53y " and in moll places carry no true Englifh. " Though my innocence may fend me in no Read before an earthly " tribunal, yet I know that I (hall have the reward thereof before the " judgment feat of the great king;. and the merciful -Lord, who relieves " the widow and fatherlefs, will reward my defolate orphans and friend. " ° lets widow that I leave behind me, and even hear their cry, for he is " merciful. " Being like to trouble your lordfhip with no more letters, I do " with t-hankfulnefs acknowledge your honour's favour in receiving the f` writings I have prefumed to fend to you from time to time; and in " this my laß1, I proteft I have writ nothing but the truth from time to " time. " Thus preparing myfelf, not fo much for anunjuft verdiét, and an aa- " deferved doom in this life, as unto that bleffed crown of glory, which " of the great mercy of my God is ready for me in heaven, I humbly be- " take your lordfhip unto the hands of the juft Lord. May zed. t 593 Your lordfhip's molt humble in-the Lord, yohn Penry. In the prcteflation enclofed in this letter he declares, that he wrote his obirvations in Scotland; that they were the fum of certain objeftions made by peoplein thofe parts againft her majefty andher government, which he intended to examine, but had not fo much as looked into them for four- teen or fifteen months paft, that even in thefe writings fo impeded, unfinifhed, and inclofed within his private ftudy, he had (hewn his du- tifulnefs to the queen, nor had he ever a fecret wandering thought of the Haprate a- leaft difloyalty to her majefty : " -I thank the Lord (lays he) I reinem- taon. " ber not, that that day has pall over my head, fince under her govern. ment I came to the knowledge of the truth, wherein I have not com- " mended her eftate unto God. Well, I may be indidled and condemn- " ed, . and end my days as a felon or a traitor againft my natural fovereign, butheaven and earth (hall not be able toconviét me thereof. Whenfoever " an end of my days comes (as I look not to live this week to an end) I L. of Whit- e (hall die queen Elizabeth's moll faithful fubjei, even in the confciences gift, inRec. « of mine enemies, if they will be beholders thereof. P° 176. " I never took myfelf fora rebuker, much leis for a reformer of Rates and kingdoms ;. far was that from me ; yet in the difcharge ofmy eon- " fcience all the world mutt bear with me, if I prefer my teflimonyto the truth of Jefus Chrift beforethe favour of any creature. An enemy to " good order and policy either in the church or commonwealth was'L never,
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