TO MY BELOVED WIFE HELENER PENRY, partaker with me in this life of the sufferings of the Gospel in the kingdom and patience of jesus Christ: And resting with me in undowbted hope of the glory that shallbe revealed: all strength and comfort, with all other spiritual graces be multiplied through Christ jesus our Lord.  
I see my blood laid for (my beloved) and so my days and testimonies drawing to an end for aught I know: and therefore I think it my duty to leave behind me this testimony of my love towards so dear a sister and so loving a wife in the Lord as you have been unto me. First then I beseech you stand fast in that truth which you and I profess at this present in much outward discomfort and danger. Let nothing draw you to be subject to antichrist in any of his ordinances. Let your soul and pour body be far from those assemblies which yield either known or secret submission unto the ordinances of the beast. that is to receive his marks either in the right hand or the forehead/ as the spirit of God sayeth. Rev. 13.16. For this are you forbidden to do under the pain of God's eternal wrath. Rev. 14.9.10.11. 2 Cor. 6.14.15.16. & 1 Cor. 3.16.17. Rev. 22.18.19. Deu. 12.30.31.32. etc. Again (my beloved)/ continue a member of that holy society whereof now you are/ where the Lord in his ordinances reigneth: for here and in all such assemblies the Lord dwelleth by the presence and power of his spirit Mat. 18.20. & 28.20. Exod. 29.45. Levi. 26.11.12. Here he is a mighty protection and defence ready at hand Isay. 26.1. & 4.6 .. And his ordinances you know/ hath he greatly commanded to be kept and observed. Psal. 119.4. Oh our souls are to rejoice in these ways more than in all substance and treasure Psal. 119.14. And the loving kindness of the eternal is for ever and ever towards them and their seed that remember his ordinances to do them. Psal. 103.17 18. Whereas all those are accursed that ere from his statutes and diminish from the obedience they own unto his Majesty. Psal. 119.21. Reu. 22: 19 Psal. 119.118. I pray you mark these places with all such like in the word/ against all those that maketh a slayght matter either not to walk in the ways of God or to be subject unto small corruptions as they account them & be enarmed with the power of the word against all such lying delusions. Lok. 2 Cor. 6.14.15.17. In conclusion my dear wife and sister/ look not at any earthly thingh/ consecrate yourself wholly/ both soul/ body/ husband/ children/ and whatsoever you have unto the Lord your God/ let them not be dearer unto you then his worship and service/ know/ it know it to be an unspeakable preferment for you/ that he voutchsafeth to take either yourself/ or any of yours to suffer afflictions with him and his gospel here upon earth. Luk. 18.30. Mat. 19.29. And I am persuaded that you have undergone the profession of the truth upon the condition set down by our saviour Christ. Luk. 14.26.27. that is to hate all in respect of his gospel. Fear not the want of outward things/ for the Lord careth for you and yours. Remember what is set down. Heb. 13.5. Luk. 12.31. The Lord is my God and yours/ and the God of our seed. I know if you and our poor children continue/ that they shall see a blessed reward even in this life for these small and weak sufferings of ours for the interest and right of Christ jesus/ for I am assured that the Lord will give a breathing time/ a comfortable rest unto his poor Church in this life. And my good wife/ if you or any of mine live to see those days: remember and let my poor children remember to declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God and the vengeance of his temple against babel: and that the Lord God hath brought forth our righteousness in rewarding that wicked antichristian religion as it hath done unto us. jer. 50.28. and 51.10.35.36. and 50.15. Reu. 18.6. In the mean time wait patiently the Lords leisure/ he is not forgetful of you and yours especially of his poor Church/ he cannot deny himself and the truth of his promises you know 2 Tim. 6.5. Be much and often in prayer day and night/ much in reading and meditation of his word/ and you shall find that he will grant you yours hearts desiere/ according to his good pleasure & will. Pray with your poor family & children morning and eavening as you do. Instruct them and your maid in the good ways of God. See that no day pass over your head wherein you have not taught them (especially her) some one principal of the truth. Think the time greatly gained/ as I have often told you that is spent in the word of the lord Psal. 1.1.2. Josh. 1.8. Amongst other places of the word wherein I would have you to be conversant in regard of these times/ I pray you to read Mat. 10. Luc. 12. john. 14.15.16. and 17. chapters. Psal. 37. Isay. 60.61.62.63. chapters: Mark every day what petitions you make unto the Lord/ that you may have either strength and comfort of your faith in the injoing of the things you ask and so may return thankfulness unto him/ or continuance of patience in expecting and waiting for his mercy/ And be not weary in attending upon his good leisure/ for in due time shall we receive if we faint not/ for yet a very little while/ and he that shall come will come and will not car●e. Heb. 10.37. Above all things pray that the Lord would restore beauty unto his Church and so would overthrow the cursed religion of the Gomaine Antichrist in every part thereof/ observe your own especial infirmeties and wants/ and be earnest with the Lord that he would do them away/ and consume them by the power of his spirit. Remember me also and my brethren now in bonds/ that the Lord would assist us with the strength and comfort of his spirit to keep a good conscience and to bear a glorious testimony unto the end: yea be not void of hope/ but I may be restored again unto you by your prayers/ and therefore also be earnest with him for my deliverance. If the Lord shall end my days in this testimony/ as blessed be his name howsoever it goeth/ I am ready and content with his good pleasure/ keep yourself my good Helen here with this poor Church/ you may make as good refuge and stay here as any where else for your outward estate/ though you could not/ yet I know that you had rather dwell under the wings of the God of Israel in poverty with godly Ruth/ then to possess kingdoms out of the land of Canaan/ and whatsoever shift you make keep our poor children with you that you may bring them up yourself in the instruction and information of the Lord Ephes. 6.4. I leave you and them indeed nothing in this life/ but the blessing of my God and his blessed promises made unto me a poor wretched sinner/ that my seed/ my habitation and family should be blessed and happy upon the earth/ and this my sister I doubt not shallbe found an ample portion both for you and them/ though you know that in hunger often in could often/ in poverty and nakedness we must make an account to profess the Gospel in this life. And teach them I beseech you even now in their youth that lesson indeed/ which was the last that I taught them in word/ and that is/ that/ If they will reign with Christ they must suffer with him: and acquaint them now in their youth with the baseness and means of the Gospel: teach them that they are not to look for great things in this life/ but every day to make account that they are to yield their lives and whatsoever they have for the truth. Break their affections betimes while they are yet green/ by instructions out of the word and corrections meet for them yet you know that parents must not be bitter unto their children. Eph. 6.4. especially smiete not the elder child over hard/ because you know the least word will restrain her/ when they are capabell of any handy labour/ I know you will not let them be idle If possiebell you can/ let them learn/ both to read and also to write/ howsoever it be whether their bringing up be better or worse under your hand or under the hands of others I their father do here charged them when they come to years of discretion as they shall answer in that great day of judgement that they join themselves with the true profession and Church of Christ/ wherein now I go before them/ the which charge of mine that they may keep/ I beseech you my good wife to put them often in mind of the fame and what a blessing will ensue unto them if they keep it/ as also what a judgement will surely follow if they neglect it. jer. 15.18. And withal be careful in case you should not be able to keep them all with you that they be brought up with some of the Church with bread and water rather than be clad with gold with any (how forward soever they seem to profess) that yield any obedience unto the antichristian ordinances/ for with such they cannot choose but be leveaned with corruptions. I know my good Helen that the burden which I lay upon thee of. 4. infants whereof the elder is not. 4. years old will not seem any wise burdensome unto thee/ yea thou shalt find that our God willbe a father unto the fatherless and a stay unto the widow.  
But here my most dear sister and wife/ I agaiene advise you not to be a widow long after my days/ for you know the ordinance of God/ that it is good for a man not to be alone/ so is it a great blessing for a woman to have an head. And although to be married bringeth care and trouble with it outwardly/ yet is that holy order accompanied with that comfort in this life/ as of all outward things I judge it to be one of the greatest blessings for man or woman to be married in the Lord if they cannot contain. Only take heed in your choice/ that first he with whom you match be of the same holy faith and profession with you/ next that he be meet to be your h●ad/ even such a one as you think fit to govern you as a head and rule you as a Lord: And in this choice look not unto wealth or estimation in the world/ yet rather choose many blessings than one if you may but only respect the fear of God and the meetness of the party. Thus having hitherunto disburdened myself of my duty towards you and care over you and your poor children/ in some part/ now to come unto myself/ I am I thank my God in great comfort in him though under great trials of my weaknesses/ not for fear of any flesh I thank my God but in consideration of mine own wants/ rebellion/ disobedience and unthankfulness unto his majesty/ but in regard of men and in respect of the cause of my GOD wherein I stand. I fear not any power or strength of man whatsoever and I am this hour most willing to lay down my life for the word of my testimony/ and I trust shall be onto the end. I was taken you know at Ratliffe the 22. of the 3. month March 1592. carried the 24. before M. young committed by him close unto the Counter Poultry: carried before M. Young again the 26. of the same month 1593. where was D. ●angham and his brother preachers both/ sent as M. Young said by my Lord Keeper to confer with me. I answered that I reverenced the authority of my Lord Keeper and the rest of her majesties Counsel/ but as for private conference/ in as much as my cause was made public and that my adversaries had my writings in their hands/ whereby I moved the Parliament in the cause/ I saw no reason why I should yield unto any. I desired public vpō●quall conditions: hear after great heat uttered by M. vaugham/ and some warmness on my part I was sent again close whence I came. The 28. of the same month I was called for by M. Young to confer with M. D. Balgue of the Temple/ where again I desired an equal trial set down 4. of the special heads/ and the conditions/ took a copy of them/ and so departed/ after many reasonable words given unto me by M. Young The 2. of the 5. month April came M. D. Crook. M. Grennham and M. Temple vn●● the prison to confer with me, both of christian charity/ and also having authority thereunto as they said: I refused all private intermeddling in so public an action/ showed them the things offered by me unto M. Young and accepted for the time in good part by him/ demanded whether they had authority to condescend unto those equal conditions/ and so I would confer with them or with any: They said no: and therefore after much needle's speech departed/ M. Temple very jniuriously taking away whether I would or not/ the copy of that which I gave unto M. Young/ whereof he sent me a copy the 5. of the same month but retained mine own. Upon which day I was sent for to the session's house where was Sir Georg Barnes as I take it M. Young M. Dale the Dean of westminster and an other of the Clergy/ they offered me an oath which I refused because it was against conscience and law: protesting notwithstanding that I healed lawful to take an oath before a magistrate: then they examined me of my going with Edward Graves/ I answered in deed that I lay at an jnn at Hodsden with him about the time than spoke/ but I would go no f●rther to answer them in this point thus far but no further I answered he●●● both because they knew of it before and especially for some other respects then moving me. After this they dealt with me about my being in Scotland and/ in the midst of which discourse they sent me away/ It was plain with the but especially with M. Young: Herein this is most memorable that alleging Numb 35. 33. they set it down as an article against me though I read the very words unto them they are so lamentably ignorant/ and lay wait for blood so cruelly that certainly th● Lords hand is not far of. The Lord show mercy unto us and them/ from my har●… I wish it. I cannot see but that they thirst after my blood: Therefore pray for me and desire all the Church to do the same.  
To draw to an end/ salute the whole Church from me especially those in bunds/ and be you all much and heartily saluted in the Lord. Let none of you be dismayed. Th●… Lord will send a glorious issue to Zion's troubles. Yet you must all be prepared for sufferings/ I see no other likelihood: Let not those which are abroad miss to frequen●… the holy meetings: Salute my mother and yours in Wales: my brethren/ sisters an●… kindred ther. And my God knoweth/ yea yourself knoweth how earnestly and often I have desired that he would vouchsafe my service in his Gospel among them t●… the winning of their souls for evermore unto him. Salute your parents and mine i●… Northampthone/ with my poor Kinsman jenkin jones and M. David also/ thoug●… I had not thought that any outward respects would have made him withdraw hi●… shoulders from the Lords ways/ but the Lord will draw him forward in his goo●… tyme. Salute all ours in Scotland upon the borders and every way northward/ especially M. I●ell/ always dear unto me. Christ jesus bless thee and them all my beloved even for ever and ever. Let it not be known unto any save unto the party tha●… shall read this unto you/ that I have written at all as yet/ I got means this day t●… writ thus much whereof no creature living knoweth. The 6. of the 4. month April 1593. in great haste with many tears and yet in the great spiritual comfort of my soul  
Your husband now for a season/ and your beloved brother for evermore John Penry an unworthy witness of Christ's Testament/ against the abominations of the Roman Antichrist and his soldiers/ sure of the victory by the blood of the lamb.