Answer To The Letter Of John Fox; Written By The Prisoners At London, A. D. 1575.

Therefore those who should deal with us on this wise, offer us this alternative, either temporal or eternal death: temporal, if we adhere to what our conscience declares to be right, or the truth; eternal, if we act and speak contrary to our conscience. But we have a better hope of her Royal Grace, which has hitherto not deemed it well to put [any one] to death for the matter of religion; well knowing 972 that the true faith is a special gift of God, implanted in man, not by fire and sword, but through the Holy Ghost and the preaching of the external word of God. And we ought to consider well, that formerly we were all heretics here, who if we had been made to die in such a condition, would all have had to suffer the death of both body and soul. But we will here conclude this matter, thanking you for the trouble to which you have been pleased to go for us, and requesting you that you will do the best in our cause, with the council, and especially before Her Royal Majesty, who, if our point were well known to her, we doubt not, would, according to her excellent wisdom and usual grace, deal mercifully with us, since we willingly show Her Majesty all reverence and subjection, praying for her long life and prosperous reign. Amen.

Subscribed to by:

Gerrit van Byler,
Hendrick Terwoort,
Hans van Straten,
Jan Pieterss,
Christiaen Kemels.