A08486:182
A famous and godly history containing the lives a[nd] acts of three renowned reformers…A famous and godly history contaynyng the lyues a[nd] actes of three renowmed reformers…
A famous and godly history containing the lives a[nd] acts of three renowned reformers of the Christia[n] Church, Martin Luther, John Ecolampadius, and Huldericke Zuinglius. The declaration of Martin Luther's faith before the Emperor Charles the fifth, and the illustre estates of the empire of Germany, with an oration of his death, all set forth in Latin by Philip Melanchthon, Wolfgangus Faber, Capito. Simon Grineus, [and] Oswald Miconus, newly Englished by Henry Bennet Callesian.A famous and godly history contaynyng the lyues a[nd] actes of three renowmed reformers of the Christia[n] Church, Martine Luther, Iohn Ecolampadius, and Huldericke Zuinglius. The declaracion of Martin Luthers faythe before the Emperoure Charles the fyft, and the illustre estates of the empyre of Germanye, with an oration of hys death, all set forth in Latin by Philip Melancthon, Wolfgangus Faber, Capito. Simon Grineus, [and] Oswald Miconus, newly Englished by Henry Bennet Callesian.
London: printed by John Awdely, 1561London: printed by Iohn Awdely, 1561
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
To the right honourable and his singular good Lord, the Lord Mountjoy, his humble Orator Henry Bennet Callesian, wisheth long life with increase of honour. (⸫)
To the ryght honourable and his syngular good Lord, the Lord Montioy, hys humble Oratour Henry Bennet Callesian, wysheth long lyfe with encrease of honour. (⸫)
THAT virtue and felicity have their beginning of laborious and dangerous attempts, Demetrius the Pagan Philosopher abundantly declares. For if blessed estate is accident to none, but to such as fast and endure adversity, & those that live in pleasure & perpetual rest, are esteemed inglorious Epicures, whom God neglects & judgeth unworthy to conten•e with calamity. How famous & excellent were the ancient Greeks and victorious Romans (right honourable, & my singular good Lord) whose virtuous deeds & notable exploits, not without great perils & honourable ⟨image 58⟩death achieved, mystify to all posterity their incredible desire, as well to enlarge the ••myts of their […] and illustrate with victories their flourishing public weals, as also their intolerable pains & prudent considerations to attain to felicity by the ragged hills, & sharp thorny ways, which lead to virtue. Hercules, worthily Prince of all Grecia: what labours sustained he? What ugly Monsters did he overcome and with what magnanimity did he penetrate the grisly den of Pl•toes ghastly kingdom? By what other counsel did Homer (•udged of y• learned divine) set before our eyes wandering Ulysses as an absolute Image of wisdom, tossed with many irksome travails: but to signify this to be the ready way to clime to the palace of all felicity, and commendable virtue. Such were Epaminondas, Alcibiades, Phociō, Alexander the great, Cam•llus, Scipio, Paulus, Aemilius, Pompeius, Augustus, Brutus, Cato & Cicero, no es ornaments of their Country then express patterns of virtue. These worthy personages as they shined in glory