A08486:193
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.
And therefore Ecolampadius1 was first assigned Governor of that Church, where having resided six weeks, he procured liberty to return to Heidelberg to increase his studies, thinking him self not then able to discharge the office of a Preacher, which he well weighed to be no trivial matter. But first of all he cam to Tubinge, and at Stuttgart he conferred with Capnion, a man at those days ⟨image 64⟩very perfect and skilful in the knowledge of the tongues. Who in few days gave him some […] of Greek, which he augmented after with private study, that at his return to Heidelberg, he wrote a Grammar, which he entitled Dragmata, the which since was imprinted. And at y• time he learned the Hebrew tong of a Spaniard, who sometime was my schoolmaster a perverse man, and or an evil conversation, for he hated us because we studied that holy tongue. Even then I was Preacher at Bruschel, and followed the Bishops Court, about whose affairs, I had occasion oftentimes to visit Heidelberg, which ministered opportunity to enter in familiarity with him, and to entertain the same with gratifying one an other as time required. This friendship flourished betwixt us without violation, or semblant of unkindness till the latter day. For each of us was participant of others affairs, and we disposed and ordered all our acts and intents with mutual advise and counsel, saving when he attempted the Monkish estate, which was contrary ⟨image 65⟩to my will. And now that he is departed out of this mortal life: I will not omit to love him, the which Christ helping me, I will largely declare in his Children, committed to my tuition. Then he thought good to repair to his habitation to discharge his office,2 and preserve the same from all contagion, which might happen to his Church by the frequency of such preposterous and vain heads, as •u•ked in great numbers in the Universities. During which time I was called to Basil, there to preach, and then he preached Christ in his Country, to the great admiration of all faithful & learned people, albeit then he intermeddled many things of the ancient superstition, yet some affirmed he was a very severe Preacher, because he roared not out in the Pulpit, & with pleasant gesture could not move laughter among his gloming Auditors, as was the bestial onkes custom, for he ever observed modesty & gravity in his eraunce.