epistle

1. (chiefly literary or humorous) A letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly.Examples: "After that John Frauncis [i.e., Giovanni Francesco Pico della Mirandola], the neuiew of Picꝰ [Picus], had (as it appeareth in the firſt epiſtle of Picus to him) begon a chaunge in his liuyng: […]"; "Plato alſo, that diuine Philoſopher, hath many Godly medicines agaynſt the poyſon of vayne pleaſure, in many places, but ſpecially in his Epistles to Dioniſius the tyrant of Sicilie: […]"; "I vvill drop in his vvay ſome obſcure Epiſtles of loue, vvherein by the colour of his beard, the ſhape of his legge, the manner of his gate, the expreſſure of his eye, forehead, and complection, he ſhall finde himſelfe moſt feelingly perſonated."humorousliterary

2. (chiefly literary or humorous) A letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly.Examples: "[I]n the Epiſtle Dedicatorie thereof to a great man of this land, whom he calls his verie right honourable good Lord, he recounteth his large bounties beſtowed upon him, and talkes of the ſecret favours which hee did him in his ſtudie or cloſet at court."; "[L]eſt a longer Epiſtle may diminiſh your pleaſure, I ſhal not adventure to make this Epiſtle longer then to add this follovving truth, That I am really, Sir, Your moſt affectionate Friend, and moſt humble Servant, Iz[aak] Wa[lton]."historicalhumorousliteraryspecifically

3. (Christianity)Examples: "The Evangiles and Acts, teach us vvhat to beleeve, but the Epiſtles of the Apoſtles vvhat to do."; "[T]he Doctrine of Faith, and Myſtery of Salvation, vvas more fully explained, in the Epiſtles vvrit by the Apoſtles."; "Even last century scholars had begun to search for the cities in Asia Minor whose names have become so familiar to the Christian world through the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles of St. Paul. Where were the places whose inhabitants received the famous Epistle to the Galatians?"

4. (Christianity)Examples: "The Collectes ended, the prieſt, or he that is appointed, ſhall reade the Epiſtle, in a place aſſigned for the purpoſe, ſaying. The Epiſtle of ſainct Paule written in the [blank] Chapiter of [blank] to the."; "EPISTLER, He vvho reads the Epiſtles in a Cathedral Church, &c."