A67922:1721
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.
About the latter time of the reign of Offa, 1king of Mercia: Ethelbert being then king of Eastangles (a learned and a right godly Prince) came to the Court of Offa: provoked by the counsel of his Nobles, to sue for the marriage of his daughter, well accompanied like a prince, with his men about him. Whereupon, the Queen conceiving a false suspicion, and fearing that which was never minded: that Ethelbert with his company under the pretence and made matter of marriage,2 was come to work some violence against her husband, and the kingdom of Mercia, so she persuaded with king Offa: and cettrine of her counsel that night: that the next day following, Offa caused him to be trained into his palace alone from his company, by one called Guymbertus: who took him and bound him, & there stroke of his head,3 which forthwith he than presented to the king & Queen. And thus the innocent king Ethelbert was wrongfully murdered, about the year of our Lord, 793. but not without a just revenge at Gods hand. For as the story recordeth, the foresaid Queen worker of this villainy, lived not iij. months after: and in her death was so tormented, that she was fain to bite and rent her tong in pieces with her own teeth. Offa understanding at length the innocency of this king, and the heinous cruelty of his fact: gave the tenth part of his goods to holy church and to the church of Hereford, in remembrance of this Ethelbert, he bestowed great lands.4 Moreover, builded the Abbey of S. Albans, with certain other monasteries beside. And so afterward he went up to Rome for his penance, where he gave to the Church of S. Peter a penny through every house in his dominion, which was called commonly Romeshot, or Peterpence, payed to the Church of S. Peter: and there at length was transformed from a king to a monk, about the year of our Lord .794. with Kenredus ⟨p. 130⟩king of Northumberland above mentioned, although some stories deny that he was a Monk.5