A08486:203
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 what shall I say (my dear friend Capito) what this meaneth, or how it happeneth, that a thing deliberately & with leisure done in a famous & large city, in the face & audience of a great •omber, can breed any doubt, much less be taken in contrary part •• his adversaries, so as he who finished his mortal life most blessedly, & was lamented of all good persons, should be defan•ed to have been murdered (a horrible matter) & that he which was all his life time of a m•ke & gentle nature, should be reported •• the information of impudent Asses, […] cruel and bloody hand to have pulled cut the wretched and miserable ghost ⟨image 72⟩Can there be any so senseless, so infamous, so malevolent to impair the good renown of an other, or with violent irruption to invade a silly dead carcass▪ But such is the order of destiny & course of humane affairs. Certainly the clear sun of righteousness, never riseth charged with dark clouds, but a so••yn tempest, storm and hurl wind follow, menacing the members of Christ a thousand calamities and deaths: furious wrath & cankered malice spread their force & impudent slanders reign in every place. But as it is our part to endure and despise these evils, with an invincible courage, and heart prepared to the cross of Christ, and disposed to patience, so it behoveth us not to dissimule a lye against the honour of God, nor quail to clear the truth. We therefore that were present in these affairs, answer compendiously and faithfully the truth, touching the departure of this godly man, as well to refute the detractacion of the Sycophants, as to satisfy the desires of the honest, and bear witness of his innocency, as reason moveth us.
And what shal I say (my deare friende Capito) what thys meaneth, or how it happeneth, that a thing deliberatly & with leisure done in a famous & large citie, in the face & audience of a great •ōber, can breede any doubt, much lesse be taken in contrary part •• his aduersaries, so as he who finished his mortal life most blessedly, & was lamented of al good persons, should be defaned to haue bene murdered (a horrible matter) & that he which was al his life tyme of a mke & gentle nature, should be reported ye informacion of impudent Asses, cruel and bloudy hand to haue pulled cut the wretched and miserable ghost