A07225:1448
Christs victory over Satan's tyranny Wherein is contained a catalogue of all Christs faithful…Christs victorie ouer Sathans tyrannie Wherin is contained a catalogue of all Christs faithfull…
Christs victory over Satan's tyranny Wherein is contained a catalogue of all Christs faithful soldiers that the Devil either by his grand captains the emperors, or by his most dearly beloved sons and heirs the popes, have most cruelly martyred for the truth. With all the poisoned doctrines wherewith that great read dragon hath made drunken the kings and inhabitants of the earth; with the confutations of them together with all his traitorous practises and designs, against all Christian princes to this day, especially against our late Queen Elizabeth of famous memory, and our most religious Sovereign Lord King James. Faithfully abstracted out of the Book of martyrs, and divers other books. By Thomas Mason preacher of Gods Word.Christs victorie ouer Sathans tyrannie Wherin is contained a catalogue of all Christs faithfull souldiers that the Diuell either by his grand captaines the emperours, or by his most deerly beloued sonnes and heyres the popes, haue most cruelly martyred for the truth. With all the poysoned doctrins wherewith that great redde dragon hath made drunken the kings and inhabitants of the earth; with the confutations of them together with all his trayterous practises and designes, against all Christian princes to this day, especially against our late Queen Elizabeth of famous memorie, and our most religious Soueraigne Lord King Iames. Faithfully abstracted out of the Book of martyrs, and diuers other books. By Thomas Mason preacher of Gods Word.
London: printed by George Eld and Ralph Blower, 1615
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
For this purpose this man seemed to be raised up of God, to subvert the dens of sloth and idleness, where if they had remained, the Pope could not be excluded out of England; for there was an incredible number of Monasteries in England: There riches and possessions were so great, that they upbraided even unto Kings and No•les beggary: and there houses were no less sumptuous, which for the most part were plucked down to the ground, and their revenues and substance the King partly converted unto his own Coffers, and partly distributed amongst his Nobility; but many reprehend the subversion of these Abbeys & say they might have been converted to other good uses which indeed would have been good and godly, if in this Kingdom there should be continually a succession of good Princes: but if it should happen to be a King of a contrary Religion, it would have been otherwise, as we may see by the example of Queen Mary: If the Monasteries had been left standing until her superstitious days, they should have been restored again, and filled with Monks and Fryers. For if the goods and possessions of the religious, being in the hands of the Dukes and Nobility, could scarce withstand the Queens power, how should the meaner sort have retained them. Wherefore no doubt Gods great providence did foresee these things in this man: Whereupon as often as he sent any man to suppress any Monastery, he would charge them that they should subvert their houses from there foundation.
For this purpose this man seemed to be raised vp of God, to subuert the dens of sloth and idlenes, where if they had remained, the Pope could not be excluded out of England; for there was an incredible number of Monasteri•s in England: There riches and possessions were so great, that they vpbraided euen vnto Kings and No•les beggery: and there houses were no lesse sumptuous, which for the most part were plucked down to the ground, and their reuenues and substance the King partly conuerted vnto his own Coffers, and partly distributed amongst his Nobilitie; but many repr•hend the subuersion of these Abbies & say they might haue béen conuerted to other good vses which indéed would haue béen good and godly, if in this Kingdome there should bee continually a succession of good Princes: but if it should happen to be a King of a contrarie Religion, it would haue been otherwise, as we may see by the example of Quéene Mary: If the Monasteries had been left standing vntill her superstitious daies, they should haue been restored againe, and filled with Monkes and Fryers. For if the goods and possessions of the religious, being in the hands of the Dukes and Nobility, could scarce withstand the Quéenes power, how should the meaner sort haue retained them. Wherefore no doubt Gods great prouidence did fresée these things in this man: Wherevpon as often as he sent any man to suppresse any Monastery, hee would charge them that they should subuert their houses from there foundation.