TO THE READER.

AMongst the diuers reportes of
the behavior of M Campion,
M. Sherwin, & M Brya~ at their
death passing among freindes from
hand to hand I hapned vpon one geven
out as it seemeth by a Catholike
priest, who as it apereth pressed to obserue
& marke those dealings: which
report I have here published, co~sidering
the divers & many slaunders raised
since by some maliciously blinded
to satisfie & content all such as do
desire to vnderstand the manner of
the same: I hope that consideration
which hath movid me hereto, wil also
perswade that priest to the wel liking
of this my doing? & I dout not
but that the relation it self will content
the reader throughly touching
their words, and behaviour at the tyme
of execution, Notwithstanding
those slaunders which were since spred
to diminish the honour of their
resolute departure & Martirdome, as
that M Campion was timerous and
fearfull, & that M Sherwin died a
protestant, with other such false reportes,
as thov shalt see in pervsing
this short relation here exhibitid for
thy satisfaction: wherin is a lively Image
of resolute martirs, constantly
professing their faith & belief, resolutly
disclaming from all treasons and
treacheryes falslie intendid againste
them: and loyaly behaving them selues
towards our queene & country.
Who as they were in their lives lanterns
of piety & vertue, so in their deathes
made themselves paternes and
examples for all good christian subiectes
to follow.
And here by the way I might point
out M. Elmers folly, as not one of the
least, who notwithstanding the knowen
lerning of M. Campion he him
selfe a man of knowen wisedome, &
iudgement, was not ashamed, at a
Sessions at Newgate, vpon the apparance
of the Cutler of Holborne, to
say openly, that M. Campion was
vnlerned, and that a Note booke or
two of his felowes being taken from
him, he had nothing in him, as it was
manifest in his disputations in the
Tower. Further that al the Papistes
in the worlde coulde not answere
Whitakers booke against the saide
M Campion. Which his censure, I
referre vnto the iudgement of the
lerned discret and wise, who I know
do condemne the babbling of that
barren declaymer, as voyde of witte,
discretion, lerning, modestie, & truth.
But howe friuolous and vayne these
slaunders are, although the whole
world filled nowe with the fame of
his lerning doth know, yet it shal be
made more manifest and apparant
euen vnto him selfe by those Disputations
had in the Tower, to the honor
of M Campion and furthering
of his cause, at suche time as by the
grace of God they shal be published.
This rehearsal good Reader I confesse
is impertinent to the purposse
of that Preist who gaue out the report
folowing, and yet I thought it
not altogether amisse to touch those
slaunders so false and malicious, as
many good Gentlemen can not but
confesse. Muche more M Elmer
spake that day, as he thought, to the
discredite of M. Campion, but I pray
God giue him better consideration
both of this and of further iustice,
and so shall the poore Poulter at his
nexte complaynt be heard, euen of
himself, beeing as he himself said, a
Bishop, a Lorde, and of some credite
Farewell