A67922:1652
Acts and monuments of matters most special and memorable, happening in the Church. [vol.…Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol.…
Acts and monuments of matters most special and memorable, happening in the Church. [vol. 1] with an universal history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitive age to these latter times of ours, with the bloody times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions against the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperors, as now lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realm of England and Scotland. Newly revised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time again published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the help of Christ our Lord) John Fox, which desireth thee good reader to help him with thy prayer.Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.
London: printed by John Daye, 1583London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1583
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.
Of this Berinus Malmesbury, Polychronicon, with divers other writers do report, a thing strange and miraculous which if it be a fable as no doubt it is,1 I cannot but marvel that so many authors so constantly agree in reporting and affirming the same. The matter is this: this Berinus being sent as is said, by Honorius to preach in England promiseth him to travel to the uttermost borders thereof, and there to preach the Gospel, where the name of Christ was never heard. Thus he setting forward in his journey passeth through France, and so to the sea side, where he found a passage ready, and the wind served so fair, that he was called upon in such hast, that he had no leisure to remember himself to take all things with him, which he had to carry. At length as he was on the sea sailing and almost in the middle course of his passage, remembered himself of a certain relic left behind him for hast: which Honorius had given him at his coming out. Malmesberiensis calleth it Corporalia. Historia Jornalensis calleth it Pallulam super quam Corpus Christi consecraret, which we call a Corporas or such a like thing, and what else enclosed with in it I can not tell. Here Berinus in great sorrow could not tell what to do, if he should have spoken to the Heathen mariners, to turn their course back again, they would have mocked him,2 and it had bin in vain. Wherefore as the stories write, he boldly steppeth into the Sea, and walking on foot back again, taketh with him that which was left behind, & so returneth to his company again, having not one thread of his garments wet. Of his miracle, or whether I should call it a fable rather, let the reader judge thereof, as he thinketh, because it is not written in the Scripture we are not bound to believe it. But if it were true, it is then thought to be wrought of god not for any holiness in the man: or in the Corporas, but a special gift for the conversion of the heathen, for whose salvation God suffereth oft many wonders to be done. This Berinus being received in the ship again with a great admiration of the Mariners, being therewith converted and Baptised: was driven at last by the weather, to the coast of the Westsaxons, where Kynigilsus and his brother Quicelinus above mentioned did reign.3
Of this Berinus Malmesbery, Polychronicon, with dyuers other writers do report, a thing straunge and myraculous which if it be a fable as no doubt it is,