A67922:1784
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.
By the contents hereof may well be understand (as where he saith, pro amore caelestis patriae, pro remedio animae, pro liberation animae, & absolution delictorum, &c) how great the ignorance and blindness of these men was: who lacking no zeal, only lacked knowledge to rule it withal: seeking their salvation not by Christ only, but by their own deservings and meritorious deeds. Which I recite not here to any infamy or reprehension of them, but rather to put us in mind and memory, how much we at this present are bound to God, for the true sincerity of his truth: hidden so long before to our foreauncetors, and opened now to us by the good will of our God, in his son Christ Jesus. This only lamenting by the way, to see them to have such works, and to lack our faith: and us to have the right faith, and to lack their works. And this blind ignorance of that age, thus above prenoted, was the cause not only why these kings builded so many Monasteries upon zealous superstition, but also why so many of them, forsaking their orderly vocation of Princely regiment, gave themselves over to Monastical profession, or rather wilful superstition. Concerning the names and number of which kings that were professed Monks, is sufficiently in the story before declared:1 the names of whom we showed to be seven or eight, within the space of these two hundred years. Such was then the superstitious devotion of kings & Princes in that age: and no less also to be noted in Queens and kings daughters, with other noble women, of the same age and time. The names of whom, it were to long here to recite. As Hilda daughter to the nephew of Edwin king of Northumberland. Abbess of the house of Ely. Erchengoda with her sister Ermenilda daughters of Ercombertus king of Kent:2 which Erchengoda was professed in Saint Briget's order in France. Item Edelberga wife and Queen to King Edwin of Northumberland, and daughter of king Anna, which was also in ⟨p. 134⟩the same house of S. Brigit made a Nun. Item, Etheldreda whom we term S. Eldride, wife to king Ekfride of Northumberland, who being married to two husbands, could not be obtained to give her consent to either of them during the space of 12. years, but would needs live a Virgin, and was professed Nun at Helings.3