A67922:1942
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.
Where, as concerning this matter between Monks and other of the clergy, first it is to be understand: that in the realm of England,1 heretofore before the time of Dunstan: the Bishops seas and cathedral churches were replenished with no monks, but with priests and canons (called then clerks or men of the clergy) After this beginneth to rise a difference or a sect betwixt these two parties, in straitness of life and in habit:2 so that they which lived after a straiter rule of holiness, were called monks, & professed chastity: that was, to live from wives, (for so was chastity then defined in those blind days) as though holy matrimony were no chastity, according as Paphnutius did well define it in the council of Nice. The other sort which were no monks but priests or men of the clergy called, lived more free from these monkish rules and observances: and were then commonly (or at least lawfully) married,3 and in their life and habit, came nearer to the secular sort of other christians. By reason whereof great disdain & emulation was among them: in so much that in many Cathedral churches, where as priests were before, there monks were put in. And contrary, sometime where as Monks were intruded, there priests and canons again were placed, and monks thrust out: whereof more shall appear here after (by the grace of Christ) when we come to the life of Dunstan. In the mean time, something to satisfy the cogitation of the reader, which peradventure either is ignorant, or else would know of the first coming in of monks, into this realm and Church of England in the Saxons time:4 this is to be noted, according as I find in old Chronicles, namely in the latin history of Guliel. de gestis pontificum Angl. recorded, touching the same. That about this time of king Edmund or shortly after, when hardness and straitness of life, joined with superstition, was had in veneration, and counted for great holiness: Men therefore, either to win public same with men, or merits with God, gave themselves to lead a strait life: thinking thereby, the stranger their conversation was,5 and farther from the common trade of vulgar people, the more perfect to be toward God and man. There was at that time (and before that) a monastery in France named Floriake, after the order and rule of Benedict: from the which Monastery did spring a great part of our english monks.