An epistle unto the right honourable and christian Prince, the Duke of Somerset written unto him in Latin, anon after his deliverance out of trouble, by the famous clerk doctor Peter Martyr, and translated into english by Thomas Norton.  
Anno a verbo incarnato. M.D.L. Regni Edwardi sexti. iii  when I was in trouble, I called vpon the lord,& he hard my voice. psal. 120. a Ion. 2. a. 
 decorative border  statue of Justice (left) 
IVSTITIA   statue of Prudence (right) 
PRVDENTIA   royal coat of arms of Edward VI (bottom center) dieu ET MON DROYT   

YOu may peradventure think it a strange& marvelous thing, most excellent Duke, that I am so bold as now to begin to write unto you. It had ben my duty to haue done it rather before, when the tempest had almost drowned you, and we( which began to rejoice for the enterprised, but not fully ended, restorynge of religion) were in maner overcome with sorrow and great heaviness. And peradventure it would not haue displeased you, yf I or any such as I should haue written unto you. For where tentation doth abound, there a frendlye& Christian confortynge being used goeth not without his effect. But I and other of my profession, in that perilous time were little less troubled than you. Yea, I dare say for you, that you yourself were of better cheer in the mids of the water, than we that stood vpon the shore and beheld your wreck. wherefore I thought it meetest to spend that time in weeping and in prayers, for to obtain, both preservation for you which haue done so much good in religion, and also a sure stay for the church, for as much as it was already shaken. And now that you may haue a testimony of the joy, which I haue conceived by your deliverance,& of my sorrow past, I thought it best not to let go this occasion, but by this my epistle, such as it is, with such reverence as is meet, with such modesty as becometh, both rejoice of your happy lucke, and comfort you touching those things which haue of late dayes happened unto you, not without the ordinance of almighty God. For them that haue ben once vexed with grievous miseries, the remnantes of myschieffes are wont often to grieve, and make them not a little sorry that they were driven to suffer that, which they were as little worthy of, as they little thought that any such thing should chance. As for that which I haue taken vpon me, yf I perform it not so well as my will is, yet I pray you to take it in good parte, and at the least yet gentlye to accept this token of my heart toward you. It is set forth in the history of the holy gospel, that the disciples were in a ship Christ being absent, there rose a mighty storm, the wind was so sore against them, and the waves did so well that they had no hope of saving their lives. Then Christ, which always at such time bestirreth himself to help us, when we are in maner brought even to despeire, about the latter end of the night came unto them. When they saw him go vpon the water, they were the more afraid, because they thought that he was a spirit or fantastical thing. But when he bade them be of good cheer, Peter( which did always bear a burning love toward christ) as soon as he heard him thus speak, said. master, yf it be thou, bid me to come unto the vpon the water. He thought himself, yf he were once in his masters company, saffer from the storm, than yf he had kept himself still within the defence of the ship. When he had obtained Iesus commandment, he made hast toward him vpon the water, and as long as he looked vpon christ, and cleaved unto his word by faith, he did well enough. But when he looked but a little a side from Christ, and considered the boysteousnes of the wind and raginge of the waves, his faith wavered and he began to sink. Then, the so great danger did thus much profit him, that he looked up again to Christ, and cried out: help me, o lord, else I perish. Christ gave him his hand, whereby he plainly taught, that the danger that he was in, came not of the rage, other of wind or waves, but by the weakness of his faith. For, said he, why didst thou stumble by reason of thy weak and feeble faith. while I consider this noble history, good lord, I do gather and perceive many things in it that do fytlye agree with your chance. For all men do know, that to rule a commune weal is as it were to sail over a deep sea, which is always tossed with tempests, and always swelleth with mighty storms of wind. Herein were you, and when there was almost no hope of your preservation, christ was with you, and suffered you not to perish, seeing that you haue so advanced his religion, which others esteemed not to be true, but a spirit, a fantasy, a thing made to deceive, and never thought that your confidence in the gospel of Christ would do you any good. But it hath so helped you that you haue trodden under your feet the ragynge waves and mighty storm. And, seethe we ar men, it was possible, that your faith,( although by the help of God it be fervent,) might waver. Therefore, when you considered yourself to be almost drowned, I dowbte not that you cried out. Oh lord, yf I haue believed no lies, yf thy gospel be true which I haue promoted, yf thy word hath not beguiled me, save me this hour that I perish in. wherefore he to deliver his truth of wholesome and sure faith from the despite of scorners, by and by he gave you his right hand to help you, and set you in safety, so that I doubt not, it hath been both a great pleasure to all godly men, and shal be greatly profitable unto you. For thus you do perceive, not onely by faith, but also by experience, how sure a stay it is to lean unto true godliness. And now you haue no need of any other man to preach unto you that which we rede written to the romans. Who shall pluck us from the love that God beareth toward us? shal trouble? shal sorrow? shal persecution? shal hunger? shall nakedness? shall danger? shal the sword? No. Yea he addeth further, we overcome in al these things through him which loveth vs. surely( most noble Duke) grievous things in dede haue happened unto you. Al things in maner were stirred up against you alone. But who overcame thē in you but christ? who hath calmed so great a storm raised up against you but Christ? The wicked still looked for you to haue no other chance but extremity. But who did wrestle for you against present death, and destruetion hanging over your head but christ? Beware, yf you be wise, that you think no otherwise. As for al us that do embrase godliness, we do confess with one mouth with one accord, that Christ hath taken your parte: And I doubt not that you yourself haue boldly said with paul. If God be on our side, who is against vs. This sure comfort godly men haue always at hand in aduersitye. We are Goddes, we do belong unto Christ. God hath taken vpon him our defence. They say that they be mighty which fight against us, but what? are they stronger than God? We know and stedfastlye believe that God is almighty, who shall overcome him that is almighty. O wholesome comfort? O sure tour of Christian faith? O faith builded not vpon sand but vpon a most strong rock? pompey in his desperate state could not so comfort himself, nor Cicero in his banishment, on the last hour of his miserable destruction could strengthen his courage being weakened on every side, with any such comfort. I could rehearse Brutus, Cato, and many other noble men after the iudgement of the world, which while they were in state other prosperous or tolerable, seemed both wise and valiant men, but when they saw themselves brought to the extremity that there was no remedy or help, we rede that they other cried out, Oh never was I wise, or blamed both God and men, and knowing not what to do, now laid the fault vpon destiny, now vpon fortune, now vpon falsehood of men. sometimes desperatli they would accuse and lay the fault vpon their own blind councils. And many times, which they had in readiness, they would comfort themselves with the abominable and mischievous remedy to kill themselves. But we, yf we purely agree unto the gospel do undoubtedly believe, that God our father and christ is almighty. him we haue put in trust to defend our cause. Therfore so we do reason with ourselves, when we are in any great danger. They that come against us, must prepare themselves to fight not against men, but against God. Whom he that striveth against, hurteth not him, but maketh himself onely miserable. Therfore God said from heaven to Saul that most earnest persecutor of Christians, it is hard for the to kick against the prick. For the prick is not hurt thereby, but it woundeth the heles that do strike at it. wherefore we must not despeire, we must not disquiet ourself with to much care. We must not go to it with crying, with weeping, with stirring up of troublesone seditions, we rest under the shadow of goddes wings, christ shall care for vs. We are covered with the shield of Gods mercy. Nothing can happen unto us, but it maketh for our profit and the glory of God. hereby am I persuaded to believe that you did comfort yourself in the mids of your trouble, which I know the flesh is wont to wrestle against, and bringeth forth these reasons. These comforts in dede that you speak of ar somewhat worth. But tell me not that in these grievous troubles Christian men do suffer nothing. I perceive, I se by experience that they take not away our sorrow, our vexations, wherewith we are almost oppressed are no less grievous, our pains wherewith we are sore punished are nothing eased by these comforts. While they are spoken in dede they encourage our heart, but that doth profit nothing, but to fall again,& is more hurt by the new fall than if it had been in one state still. For when a man hath taken a good heart unto him, if deliverance do not strait way follow, a greater heap of mischiefs without remedy assaileth a fresh, yea and that so hard, that it whorleth down with more hedlonge destruction than before. So is the flesh wont to trouble the refreshinges by the gospel and to bark against the heavenly comfort. But least the power of the flesh make us lese so great fruit, we must consider the plenteous and full light of Christian doctrine, least while we be to earnestly moved with those things which the flesh putteth in our head, we take the less hede to those things which we ought to love. What can happen more happy to a christian man than both to be& be accounted the scholar of christ? what more lucky thing can he desire, than to reign for ever with his master? what more to bee wished for, than to obtain everlasting life with great glory. But these things are not attained but by the cross. The sons of zebedee moved by a certain greediness of honour, set their mother to require that they should sit next to Christ in his kingdom as head& chief. To whom he answered. Can ye drink of the cup which I shall drink? Can ye be washed with the baptism wherwt I shalbe washed? By which words he plainly declared that all they that will reign forever, must drink up the cup of adversity. And as many as are true suitors for the heavenly kingdom must be washed with the baptism of persecution. Finnallye without circumstances our master whom we profess Iesus christ hath taught that none shall bee his disciple, which will not willingly take vpon him his cross, whereupon let him see that he nail both himself, his flesh, and the lusts therof. For the which cause also saint paul writing to the Romaines doth diligently instruct the congregation, saying: if we suffer with him, we shalbe glorified with him, and he addeth a comfort saying that he doth not esteem the troubles of this world to be like the glory which shalbe declared in vs. And to Timothe he saieth that he bringeth a sure and approved saying, that if we die together with Christ, we shall live together with him,& if we suffer together with him we shal reign with him. And unto the same man in the first epistle he saith that all they that intend to live godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecution. And it is no otherwise meet. For it is no reason that we should entre into the inheritance and kingdom an other way, than christ himself entred into it. He obtained the kingdom by obedience, glory by shane, freedom from death by cross and death. Further it is meet that the means and the end should haue a convenient likelhode. Seing therfore we be called thereunto of God our father( which we must consider with ourselves now and thē) to be changed into the image and likeness of his son our Lord Iesu Christ, that even so as he triumphing after he had overcome death, and other temptations of this life, entred into everlasting life, so it may at length be in us which are accounted his membres, as we se hath been done already in our head. Therfore it is meet that they which intend to obtain the same kind of reward, should practise the same kind of maisteries and labours. The which thing the Apostle of Christ gave us warning of when he said. Those whom he hath foreknowen, he hath appointed before to be like to the image of his son. Whereby it appeareth how excellent the state of the chosen is. These things did God of his own free will give us before we were, when we looked for no such things: he gave us greater things than we durst ask, and more than we would haue hoped for. saint Paul addeth farther and saith. whom he hath appointed before, them he hath called, whom he hath called, them he hath made righteous, whom he hath made righteous, them he hath also made glorious. These so many and so great gifts our most gentle father hath appoynted and given us, not that we should give place to the frowarde counsels of our flesh, which other refuseth the cross, or will not suffer itself but softlye and pleasauntlye to be nailed unto it. And howe fonde a thing is it to turn the cross to a couch,& the sorrowful gallows in to a soft featherbed. such things, I say, were not given us, that we should be afraid by adversity, misfortune, or misery,& leave the steps of christ, to follow our senses or the iudgement of reason. But when we haue considered that all these things are given us so liberally of the bountefulnes of God, above the desert, above the worthiness, above the strength of our nature that we be not unmindful, unthankful, foolish, as they are, which by following the flesh& commodities therof, to avoyde adversities, and sorrows, that are but short and continue for a time, do cruelly rob themselves of eternal life, and do wickedly forsake the ways of godliness. even as job answered his wife, when( in stede of the comfort which she should haue given her afflicted husband) she cast his pure godliness in his teth: even so ought we to answer our flesh when it beginneth to be so bold as to rail and babble against the heauenlye comforts. Why( saith job) hast thou spoken as one of the foolish women? Seing we haue received good things of the lord, why should we not receive the evil also? O marvelous and incredible stead fastness of the man of God? Howe circumspectely, how wisely, howe godly, he answered here? Ther can nothing be immagyned more foolish than the flesh, specially when it bableth against the word of god It seeth nothing, it regardeth things present only, it never understandeth that which the Apostle preached. We rejoice in trouble, knowing that trouble engendereth sufferance, sufferance engendereth proof, proof engendereth hope. So the spirit of God poureth out itself, that out of the storms of miseries he may bring fourth strength whereby we may be able to abide them: and out of this sufferance he bringeth fourth the tried knowledge of ourselves. whereby we easily perceive, howe frail we are of ourselves, and howe strong we are by the help of christ. By the which knowledge when we haue so proved what is ours and what is Gods, we conceive in our mind a great boldness of the help of god For we doubt not that god which hath once laid his hand under us when we were ready to fall, will do the same when other like or harder danger shall assail vs. For by the benefits which we receive, the love of God toward us is so far from being unknown, that it poureth itself into every corner of our hartes. Wherefore there is no longer any excuse left for us to doubt therof, whereby in us also is stirred up a love toward god, to set more by him, his will and commandments than all our own commodities, profits, desires& purposes. Behold these be the grievous damages, these be the losses, these be the hindrances, these be the evils that godly men gather of adversity. Surely seing so plentiful fruits, and large profits come to the chosen thereby, the wise forseing gentleness of our almighty father did not il provide for us, which hath opened us the way to heaven through cross& troubles. For we are lead unto this by the degrees aforesaid, chiefly to trust to our creator, and all our affections most fervently to leave vpon him alone. Therefore( unless we to foolish as sone as we haue escaped afflictions& trouble, we must give our hearty thankes to the mercy of god. For in them the power of God doth appear more than in any other thing. This one thing in dede doth often grieve the chosen of God in afflictions, that they see the ungodly and thē that haue utterly put away al care of godliness, to live in quiet, to possess their goods, commodities and honours unto their lives end, while they are shaken with most mighty temptations, with sundry& manifold engines of the devil, but they do not consider, that the level is gentle enough to them that trouble him not, that while he seemeth in manner to flatter his, least they should forsake him, by this train he may entyse many more unto him. A snake hurteth no man that toucheth him not, but yf thou press him never so little, straight way he riseth up against thee with fearful hyssinge and armed with poison. A scorpion seemeth very gentle, and as though he would embrase a man, but touch him never so little, and he will turn the daungerous sting in his tail against the. You( right excellent lord) haue sore hurt the devil which is both a snake and a scorpion, and ruler of the darkness of this world, wherefore what marvel you if he labour to destroy you? Sureli, if I might se it otherwise chance, I would much muse and be dismayed at the contrary fashion of things. He sore suspecteth that he shall not be able to fray the people of christ from the gospel, unless he rage against you, by whom superstition is maruelouslye broken, by whom the light of godliness hath geuerallie shined vpon this realm. But comfort yourself and be strong. His power hath an end, he can not pass his bonds. But beware of this one thing that you nether consider nor remember to oft, your old state, wherein you were before your fall. For as oft as any such thought cometh in your mind, the flesh complaineth again that much goods is taken away, without which it iudgeth escaping with life not to be sweet, and murmureth that it were better to haue died at once, than to haue recovered a life so brought out of fashion. But we must not suffer our mind so to be moved with them, but that it may put away the mist when it will& se that with taking away of great authorities, heaps of honours,& chief orderinge of matters, great cares are also cut away. You may not learn of me how busy& how painful a thing it is to rule a commune weal with counsel& good provision. For that you yourself haue ben sufficiently taught by experience to know. Now at length( as I think) you may haue more leisure to study godliness and knowledge of things belonging to god wherefore I would haue you thus to think, that you must needs haue ransomed this quietness and peasable life, with some loss of those goods, which( I dare say for you) you never greatly passed for, although the commune people do singularly esteem& specially regard them. paul doth very wholesomely instruct us concerning this matter writing unto the romans. Raunsoming the time because the dayes are evil. These words are few& shortly spoken, and that they may be fully and perfectly vnderstanded, they must thus be expoundded. In the nature of the dayes, yf they be considered alone and by themselves, there is no evil, seeing they run divided with a pleasant diuersyte, and carry and recarrye into the world darkness and light, the one to follow the other in most goodly order. But the Apostle calleth them evil, because that in their time. ii. great evils chance unto men, I mean misery and sin. Howe miserable a life we line in this world, this plainly proveth, that no parte therof is without misery. When are we not other troubled or tempted with the needs of nature? In what parte of our age is not our life laid in wait for, other of diseases, of outward chances, or noughtye men for to destroy us? How innumerable are the dangers which do besege us on every side? grant that al things be now and than quiet, who is out of the danger of false brethren? finally, who is he that professeth christ, and is not grieved, troubled, and miserablie vexed in his mind other with his own sins or other mens? All these things without doubt do heap up the misery of our dayes. Sin also groweth, increaseth& goeth forward more and more the longer that we live, unless it be resisted, with great hede and diligence. For our nature is so infected and corrupted with our natural disease which they call original sin that we carry about us even within ourselves the beginning and fountanie of al sins, which yf a man do diligently mark he shall perceive that the Apostle hath truly written that goodness dwelleth not in our flesh. Out of this natural corruption procede always frowarde intents, violent fumes,& appetites in manner unable to be vanquished, that strive against the law of god, which( alas) oftentimes( such is our weakness) our will( which should stoutly keep them under) unhappily obeyeth unto. Yea( and that more pity is) it is so established in thē by custom& use, that every day it waxeth harder to heal than other. Therefore seeing our dayes are so evil, both by reason of misery& also of sin, by abundaunte wealth, great authority, high honor, men become never the better, but wax the prouder thereby. He that ruleth a commune weal though he haue high dignity, yet oftentimes lacketh he good health. For of continual cares& troubles of the mind, breed evil humors in the body, whereupon cometh plenty of diseases. As for outward perils and chances that come by hap run most abroad there where they find meetest & largest rome. where( I pray you) do the blasts of envy, the waves of wrath, the heat of hatred& enmity more cruelly rage than there. many times rise up vain perils, and destruction prepareth itself an easy way to creep in, by our familiars, even those whom we take to be our most faithful& secret friends. I speak nothing how grievously the mind is tormented, when wise rulers do perceive that oftentimes in the governance of the commune weal, those faults which they or other do commit, cannot be redressed by their power& authority. Is ther not also a great number of miseries heaped up to increase all these things which they must needs suffer that rule in the commune weal? And although all men live miserable dayes, yet they most miserable of all whom the people thinketh happy. But now let us look aside to the wretched pestilence of vices, whether you reckon those which be natural unto us, or passions that violently burste out, or evil works which are purposed& agreed unto, or noughtye customs and ancient uses,& we shal sone perceive, that men that be advanced to honourable estate, haue less leisure to fight against them than private men haue. For while all the senses of the mind are occupied about commune and other mens affairs, O lord, what darkness? how great a mist, keepeth them from seeing their own? In no state we know ourselves worse than in that, and all our labour tendeth to this end, rather to make others better, than to fashion our own affections, works and customs of our mindes according to the law of God and heavenly doctrine. Therfore on both sides the state of them that rule& govern realms, is vnhappier than theirs which live a private& their own life. For they are loaden with the heavier burden of miseries,& abide greater occasions of vices,& they can least labour to amend themselves. wherefore God almighty sometime pitieth their case, and findeth means for them to ransom the dayes that be so evil. But unless we give somewhat for to receive somewhat again, it is no raunsominge. For we use to call them ransomed, which being bonde to some necessity pay somewhat else to obtain their liberty. There to avoyde evils we must be content to suffer some loss. wise and thrifty men do provide to put away the less good for to obtain the greater, and take vpon thē the lesser evil for to avoyde the greater. This doth the word ransom signify in our commune speech. Thus cometh it to pass, that that is rather to be rejoiced at, which blind love complaineth of in the flesh. Therfore yf it at any time lament the loss of the dygnite you had before, of the ordering of the commune weal, of the governance of the realm, and other like, let God be thanked which hath partly given you a raunsomynge of the evil dayes. Therfore I say, partly, because while we are in this life, they shall never be perfectly good, but we say that they haue ransomed them that for some loss haue obtained to haue them not so evil as they were. I haue read that it is a commune proverb among the people of Affrike. The plague standeth at thy door to beg a penny of thee, give him two to get him away. surely godly men ought to spend away much riches, specially such as the ignorant people doth most esteem, for to obtain more greater sound and certain riches. We are wont to recover our health by letting of blood, often times we put away by coarsynge certain bushes or painful botches in our body, partly with cutting, partly with searinge, partly with pluckynge away parte of the member. Why should we not also be content to coarse the misery of our life,& more pure affection of our mind with some loss. It is like to happen that they which do not here ransom the evil dayes with putting away the commoditees of this life, and pleasures of the body, at the last day of iudgement, they shal haue them worse, and that not for a short time, but for ever. And the wretches shal aby their foolishness, that caused them to set more by the less good than the greater. This we ought surely to believe that God our father doth order al these things. And yf we that be evil, can give good gifts unto our children, howe much more shal our heavenly father provide well for his children? He taketh away sometimes earthly riches and worldly glory, that we may learn the frailtye therof. Are we so foolish, that( although we do see hard stones broken in process of time)& buildings settled and strongly joined with lime, iron and lead at length to decay, yet we think that good fortune and prosperity of this world will abide for ever? With which error we being lead( sometimes far from the truth) do set more by these goods which brute bestes haue as well as we, and evil men as well as the good, than those which the lord of his goodness hath appointed for his chosen both in this life and in the world to come. And yet I do not writ this unto your grace( most excellent Duke) as though you had not these remedies and far better thē these in store. For I do well know what knowledge& wisdom the spirit of Christ hath given you, but that you should take some pleasure in reading these, considering that through the self same spirit of Christ, concerning the self same things, all they that saver of christ agree in one selfe same tale, and thereby you may be the more encouraged to use thē. I wish your grace in the lord well to fare, and offer unto you( as I am no less bound both by your love and benefits) myself and my service ready at al assays.  
Your graces most humble Peter Martyr.   
seek peace and ensue it. Psal. xxxiii. i. Pet. iii. 
 bookseller's device of Walter Lynne (McKerrow 103): "A ram marked with a W and a goat marked with an L."  The fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom Psalm. cxi. b. prou. ix. b. job. xxviii. Eccle. i. c. 
¶ imprinted at London for Gaulter Lynne, dwelling on Somers Kaye, by Byllynges gate.  
In the year of our lord M. D. L.  
¶ And they be to be sold in Paules church yard, next the great school, at the sign of the spread eagle.  
Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.