A67922:1712
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.
The copy and tenor of the Letter of Boniface Archbishop of Mentz, and Martyr of God (an Englishman) sent to Ethelbald king of Mercia, freely and yet charitably admonishing him of his adulterous life, and oppression of Churches. Regi & filio charissimo,1 & in Christi amore caeteris regibus Anglorum praeferendo Ethelbaldo, Bonifacius Archiepiscopus legatus Germanicus Romanae Ecclesiae perpetuam in Christo charitatis salutem. Consistemus coram Deo, qui novit an verè atque ex animo dicam: Quando prosperitatem vestram, & fidem, & bona opera audimus, laetamur. Quando autem aliquid aduersum vel in eventu bellorum, vel de periculo animarum de vobis cognoscimus, tristamur. Audivimus enim quòd eleemosinis intentus, furta & rapinas prohibes, & pacem diligis, & defensor viduarum & pauperum es, & inde gratias Deo agimus. Quòd verò legitimum matrimonium spernis, si pro castitate faceres, esset laudabile. Sed quia in luxu & adulterio & cum sanctimonialibus volutaris, est vituperabile, & damnabile. Nam & famam gloriae vestrae, coram Deo & hominibus confundit, & inter idololatras constituit, quia templum Dei violasti. Quapropter filly Charissime poenitere, & memorare oportet, quàm turpe sit, ut tu qui multis gentibus, dono dei, dominaris, ad iniurià eius sis libidinis •er uus. Audivimus praeterea quòd optimates penè omnes gentis Merciorum, tuo exemplo legitimas uxores deserant, & adulteras & sanctimoniales constuprent. Quod quàm sit peregrinum ab honéstate, doceat vos alienae gentis institutio. Nam in antiqua Saxonia, ubi nulla est Christi cognitio: si virgo in materna domo, vel maritata, sub coniuge suerit adultera, manu propria strangulatam cremant, & supra fossa sepultae corruptorem suspendunt, aut cingulo tenus (vestibus abscissis) flagellant eam castae matronae, & cultellis pungunt. Et de villa in villam missae occurrunt novae flagellatrices: donec interimant. Insuper & vinuli, quod est faedissimum genus hominum, hunc habent morem ut mulier viro mortuo, see in rogo cremantis pariter arsura praecipiter. Si ergo gentiles Deum ignorantes, tantum zelum castitatis habent: quid tibi conuenit fili Charissime, qui Christianus & rex es' Parce ergo animae tuae: Parce multitudini populi tui pereùtis exemplo tuo: de quorum animabus redditurus es rationem.
The copy and tenor of the Letter of Boniface Archbishop of Mentz, and Martyr of God (an Englishman) sent to Ethelbald king of Mercia, freely and yet charitably admonishing him of his adulterous lyfe, and oppression of Churches. REgi & filio charissimo,