A67922:2015
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.
First, after that Dunstan and Oswald, with other Bishops,1 Abbots, and certain Lords & Dukes of that faction, for the maintenance of Monkery, had advanced Edward to be king against Queen Alfrith mother of Ethelred, & Alferus duke of Mercia, and certain other Nobles, which held with the contrary side of the Priests against the Monks. In process of time the monks that came after to write stories, perceiving Dunstan to be reputed in the Church of Rome for an holy Saint, and the said king Edward for an holy Martyr, and partly also to bolster up their own religion of Monkery so much as they could: to the intent therefore they would save the credit both of Dunstan and of the king, and especially bearing ⟨p. 158⟩favour to their own religion, and partly that the reputation of the church of Rome should not be distained by opening the truth of this matter, either did not see, or would not confess herein what they knew, but rather thought best to blanch the story, and colourably to hide the simple truth thereof, making the people falsely believe, that Elfleda the mother of Edward was wife to king Edgar, and Edward to be lawfully borne, and also that Editha was born after Edward, & to be the child for which the king was enjoined penance. All which is false and contrary both to the order of time above declared, and also to the plain words of Malmesbury, which speaking of king Edgars last concubine, saith in plain words:2 Dilexit unicè, integram lecto uni deferens sidem, quoad legitimam uxorem accepit Elfthride, filiam Ordgari. That is, he had a concubine whom he loved entirely, keeping true faith of his bed to her alone, until the time he married for his lawful wife Elfride the daughter of duke Ordgare, &c. Whereby we have to understand that whatsoever concubine this was which Malmesbury speaketh off, certain it is, that Edgar lived in whoredom till time he married his lawful wife. Furthermore, and finally to conclude, beside these arguments and allegations above recited,3 let this also be perpended, how the said Dunstan with his complices, after the killing of king Edward, leaving the right heir of the crown (which was Ethelred) went about, as Capgrave and their own Legend confesseth, to set up Editha the other bastard to possess the crown, but that she more wise then her brother Edward, refused the same.