The peace of the Lord be with you. Amen. Grace be to you; and peace, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
A most affectionate greeting with the peace of the Lord to you, my dear brother Nathanael, I, your imprisoned brother Lauwerens, wish you the grace of the Lord for a greeting, and inform you, that I am of reasonably good cheer, the Lord be praised; which, I trust, will continue so unto the end through the grace of the Lord; yea, I hope thus to appear in the day of the Lord. Know that we are waiting for the redemption of our flesh from day to day. Know further that I send you two hymns composed by Lauwerens de Huyvemaecker in his bonds. My dear brother, let us always hold fast those things which we have wrought, that we receive a full reward (2 John 8); and let us not be moved from our purpose, since we are certain that we have the truth; and that no other will ever be found; of this our conscience assures us. I am heartily sorry that I frittered away my time so long with the wicked and blind world, and did not improve it better. But though I have not been long in the better way, and am now a prisoner, I hope nevertheless to keep what I have, trusting in the grace of the Lord that he will not forsake me.
Know dear brother, that I should have written you much more Scripture; but you are yourself taught of God, and know the truth. See that you continue in it; may the Lord preserve you and all friends therein.
Herewith I commend you to the Lord, and to the word of his grace. We twelve, imprisoned together, greet you all with the peace of the Lord.
Andries Langedul, Sander Hendericks, Anthonis Claes, Hans de Luyckener, Mattheus de Pottebacker, Lauwerens van der Leyen, Lauwerens de Huyvemaecker. The women, Adriaentgen, wife of Jochem; Kalleken, wife of Lauwerens de Pesemaecker; Claertgen, wife of Jan Beun; Catelijntgen, wife of Lauwerens de Huyvemaecker; Maeyken, daughter of Andries Langedul; Grietgen Bonaventuers, old Maeyken, and Maeyken de Korte.
_By me_, LAUWERENS VAN DER LEYEN.
Greet all the friends much, especially Tanneken and Pierijntgen, in the Blind Ass, and Maeyken, daughter of Andries. Greet Tanneken much, Lauwerens de Huyvemaecker, and his wife, greet Prijntgen with the peace of the Lord.
I, Lauwerens, your brother, bid you farewell; my dear brother, farewell.