A67922:1888
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
Book 3 › In Regem Alfredum, & virtutum illius claram memoriam.
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.
Who then marching toward Rome, was there resisted by the Romans from entering. But in the siege (sayeth the author) the Romans within so plaid the Lyons, that a poor Hare (or such a like thing) coming toward the City: the host of Arnulphus followed after with such a main cry, that the valiant Romans upon the walls for very fear, (where there was no hurt) cast themselves desperately over the walls: so that Arnulphus with little labour scaled the walls, and gate the City. Thus Arnulphus obtaining the City of Rome, rescueth Pope Formosus, and beheadeth his adversaries, whom the Pope, to gratify with like recompense again, blesseth and crowneth him for Emperor. Thus Formosus sitting fast about the space of 4. or 5. years followed his predecessors: after whose time (as I said) within the space of ix. years were ix. Bishops as followeth. But in the mean time concerning the story of this Formosus declared by Sigebert, and many other Chroniclers: this thing would I gladly ask, and more gladly learn of some indifferent good Catholic person, which not of obstinacy, but of simple error being a papist would answer his conscience. Whether doth he think the holy order of Priesthood, which he taketh for one of the seven Sacraments, to be Character indelebilis or not? If it be not indelebilis, 1that is, if it be such a thing, as may be put of: why then doeth the Popes doctrine so call and so hold the contrary, pretending it to be indelebile, unremovable? If it be in deed, so as they teach and affirm, indelebilis character, why then did Pope John, or could Pope John, annihilate & cuacuate one of his vij. Popeholy Sacraments: making of a Priest a non Priest, or a layman: uncharactering his own order, which is (as he sayeth) a Character, which in no wise may be blotted out, or removed? Again, ⟨p. 146⟩how soever Pope John is to be judged in this matter, to do either well or not well,2 this would I know, if he did well in so dispriesting and discharactering Formosus, for such private offences? If yea, how then standeth his doing with his own doctrine, which teacheth the contrary? If he did not well, how then standeth his doctrine with his doings to be true, which teacheth that the Pope with his Synod of Cardinals can not err? Moreover if this Pope John did not err in his disordering Formosus: