To Dominus Christopher Goodmann the Englishman at Geneva.

The day before your messenger came, that man about whom you write, the servant of Robert Stephanus,¹Robert Estienne (Stephanus) had moved his printing house from Paris to Geneva in 1551. I take it (see my note to Goodman’s letter to Cole at p. [58]) that Goodman had advised Cole to take (poorly paid) work for Stephanus. He would have been well qualified. left. If that messenger had come first, what you advise would have been well able to be done. And I would indeed have done it assiduously, if that necessity had then demanded which pressed upon me in the month now past. For toward the end of March Dominus Coke denied his patronage to me even for a day, and I was at that time absolutely destitute. But not so long afterwards I found a situation not only better – for many reasons – than the former one, but one which I would even have preferred to all others. Therefore, since my interests have now been taken care of in accordance with my wishes and intention, I do not want you to be distressed any longer in this matter. – There are many things which, hindered by time, I would not now be able to pursue in writing; I will soon deal with them at greater length and in your presence. For it is fully my intention to journey to you [plural].

Our Spenser²If this is Thomas Spenser, his job in Antwerp didn’t last long: ‘on 5 November 1556 he became a member of Knox’s congregation at Geneva’ (Garrett, p. 292). quite recently, when he was at the market, accepted a situation. It is in Antwerp, where, though there is danger from the Papists, yet he is permitted to preserve his conscience uninjured and safe from all compulsion. Dominus Mullincaens³I presume this is John Mullins, whose name is spelt ‘Mullings’ in Troubles begonne at Franckford, p. LX. writes that in Frankfort in a full church your Gill⁴Presumably Michael Gill. openly acknowledged his sin and that he was led to that because he was not admitted to communion with you [plural]. By this appeal for pity for his fault he has obtained pardon from Alford.⁵Presumably Hugh Alford.

Your Termagnus still remains in Argentina [Strasbourg], but Arnold has left with Dominus Cheke. Concerning the Lord Canterbury, concerning our people who [p. 60] were thrown into the Tower for treason, concerning our people being forbidden to sail overseas there is no point in saying anything, since all these things are well enough known to you from the report of others. Dominus Martyr has learned that the king of Poland is greatly importuned by the Pope to act in concert with him, the emperor, and his son Philip in a single league, and he bids that league of his to be called in Italian Liga santa. There is no one who does not think that in that league he is hammering out something that would result in the ruin of the Germans and the overthrow of the Gospel. Whatever it is that they are striving for, God is to be implored that he might wish to protect and defend his own in this distress and to blunt the wicked efforts of the adversaries.

Your Julius along with his wife greets you and promises that he will write back very soon. I think that I will not set out for you before this messenger returns again. Accordingly, if you write back, you will do something most pleasing. Farewell. From the house of Dominus Peter Martyr. At Argentina [Strasbourg]. 13 April (in the year 1556)

Your William Cole.

D. Christophoro Goodmanno Anglo   Genevae. /   /

Pridie quam venit nuncius vester, discessit ille, de quo scribis, Roberti Stephani famu-/lus. Si  nuncius ille venisset prior, optime potuisset agi quod consulis: et fecissem / illud quidem diligenter, si ea tum postulasset necessitas, quae mihi mense iam elap-/so incumbebat: nam sub finem Martii negabat mihi vel in unum diem clientelam / suam D. Cokus, et eram eo tempore omnino destitutus. Sed non ita multo post inve-/ni conditionem non modo priori multis de causis meliorem, sed quam unam etiam / aliis omnibus praetulerim. Quocirca cum iam ex animi mei sententia mihi sit consultum, / nolo te diutius in ea re torqueri. – Multa sunt quae interclusus tempore nunc [horizontal stroke at end of line] / scriptis non possim prosequi, ea brevi tractabo fusius et coram. nam omnino animus / est ad vos proficisci. Spenserus noster nuper admodum, cum esset ad nundinas, con-/ditionem accepit: ea est Antwerpiae, ubi licet periculum sit a Papistis, conceditur ta-/men, ut illaesam conscientiam servet, et ab omni coactione immunem. Scribit D. / Mullincaens[?] Gillum vestrum Francofurti palam in frequenti ecclesia peccatum suum / agnovisse, atque eo adductum, quod apud vos[?] ad communionem non admitteretur. Hac / culpae suae deprecatione veniam impetravit ab Alphordo. Termagnus tuus adhuc ma-/net Argentinae, Arnoldus autem discessit cum D. Chaeco. De Domino Cantuariensi, de nos-/tris in turrim / [p. 60]   tris in turrim propter laesam maiestatem coniectis, de transmarina navigatione nostris / interdicta. nihil attinet commemorare, cum haec omnia ex aliorum relatione tibi satis / innotescant. Accepit D. Martyr regem Poloniae sollicitari multum a Papa, ut in uno foe-/dere conspiret cum illo, Caesare, et Philippo filio: foedusque illud suum Italice Liga Santa [Italian distinguished by larger characters] / vocari iubet. Nemo est qui non putet illum in eo foedere aliquid cudere, quod cedat / in Germanorum perniciem, et evangelii eversionem. Quicquid est quod moliuntur, im-/plorandus est deus ut suos velit in angustiis istis tueri ac defendere, adversariorum / autem improbos conatus retundere. Julius tuus cum uxore sua te salutat, et se / rescripturum proxime pollicetur. Puto me ad vos non esse profecturum ante alterum / huius nuncii reditum: proinde si rescripseris facies gratissimum. Vale. Ex aedibus / D. Petri Martyris. Argentinae. Aprilis 13°. (a°[?] 1556) / Tuus  Gulielmus Colus.