A08486:225
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.
Above all the rest, he inveighed against the Pensionaries, the oppressors of the poor, & the dissolute, idle, & delicious livers. He used such a majesty in rebuking, as never none the like before, when he thundered with terrible ⟨image 86⟩words against the Pensions & dissolute living, because he would not seem to dash and astonish the Estates, or such of the Commonty, as thronged among the perverse, & reprobate in hearing his sermons, he ever more added this: That this my vehement rebuke may not aggrieve & trouble thee, O virtuous man, understand I touch thee not, nor in this matter I have to do with thee. Sometime he digressed from his theme, when matters interceding enforced him too surcease his begun purpose. But now the blessed & happy time expired, the soundest and best part of the people embraced truth, he discoursed in his sermons against things less tolerable in the Church, he condemned the private gains of Priests, & such as by private power abused the church, which moved the priests and laity to omit no time of consultation, by what wile, or policies they might entrap him. But of this perhaps I will discourse more at large. Now let us return to his studies: Among so1 many laborious affairs, he ceased not to read all approved Greek authors, ⟨image 87⟩as Homer, Thucydides and Lucian, that is more plain and easy, Theocritus, Hesiodus, Aristophanes and other, till he had read and revolved them all.
Aboue al the rest, he inueyed agaynst the Pensionaries, the oppressors of the poore, & the dissolute, ydle, & delicious lyuers. He vsed such a maiesty in rebukyng, as neuer none the lyke before, when he thundred wt terrible ⟨image 86⟩wordes agaynst the Pensions & dissolute lyuing, because he woulde not seeme to dashe and astonyshe the Estates, or suche of the Commonty, as thronged among the peruers, & reprobate in hearyng his sermons, he euer more added thys: That thys my vehement rebuke may not agreue & trouble thee, O vertuous man, vnderstād I touch thee not, nor in thys matter I haue to do with thee. Sometime he digressed from hys theame, when matters interceadyng enforced hym too surcease hys begunne purpose. But now the blessed & happy tyme expired, the soūdest and best part of the people embraced truth, he discoursed in hys sermons against thynges lesse tollerable in the Church, he condempned the priuate gaynes of Priestes, & suche as by priuate power abused the church, whych moued the priestes and laity to omit no time of consultacion, by what wyle, or policies they myght entrap hym. But of thys perhaps I wyl discourse more at large. Now let vs returne to hys studies: Emong so