A08486:235
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.
From this time forwards the heresy of the Anabaptists began to burgeon, who would not permit that1 little Children should be baptised, & after rebaptized them selves, and proceeding with an enraged mind, they rushed into the most horrible heresies that ever reigned. As soon as Zuinglius perceived this, for that y• principal Authors▪ were his friends, learned men, of Zuricke and of his flock, he endeavoured by familiar conference to reduce them to •anity of mind. But when he saw, that what they concluded2 in his presence, revolting anon after, they observed no part of their promise, and heaped numbers of disciples sequestering them from the Church, and framing another new, it was expedient for him to resist Satan, and publicly confound them ⟨image 91⟩Believe me Agathy, I was present at nine several times, and heard their friendly conference and vehement disputations, it shall be superstitious to enlarge any further hereof. Certainly their mouths so swarmed with injurious3 reports & blasphemies, that they abashed not to charge and lay on Zuinglius all the evils & mischiefs which are figuratly set forth in the revelation of S. John. This pestiferous sect was of this nature, the more we travailed to repress their insolencye, the more they increased in their furor and raging heat. Wherefore the Senate was enforced to proceed against them by way of imprisonment exile, and death, as not against Anabaptists, but perjured, rebel, & seditious parsons, for y• they esteemed vanity, more then verity, preferred vice above virtue, & embracing sedition, hated security. And it was necessary to sense & fortify y• godly with books, least they might be seduced. The last that was found of this sect was Balthasar Hubmer ensign bearer of the Anabaptists, who of a friend & fellow of y• Gospel was become a mischievous foe. ⟨image 92⟩