A67922:2072
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.
The Earls and Barons, by their common assent and counsel: sent unto Normandy for these two brethren, Alfred and Edward: intending to crown Alfred the elder brother, & to make him king of England. And to this the Earls and Barons made their oath: but the Earle Godwin of Westsaxe (falsely and traitorously) thought to slay these two brethren, as soon as they came into England, to that intent to make Harold his son king: which son he had by his wife Hardeknoutes daughter that was a Dane. And so this Godwin went privily to Southampton, to meet there with the two brethren at their landing. And thus it fell, that the messengers that went (saith mine author) into Normandy, found but only Alfred the elder brother. For Edward his younger brother was gone to Hungary, to speak with his cou•in the outlaw, which was Edward Ironside's son.
The Erles and Barons, by their common assent and counsaile: sent vnto Normandy for these two brethren, Alphred and Edward: intending to crowne Alphred the elder brother, & to make him king of England. And to thys the Earles and Barons made their othe: but the Earle Godwine of Westsaxe (falsly and traiterously) thought to slea these two brethren, assoone as they came into Englad, to that intēt to make Harold his sonne king: which sonne he had by his wife Hardeknoutes daughter that was a Dane. And so this Godwine went priuily to Southampton, to meete there with the two brethren at their landing. And thus it fell, that the messengers that went (saith mine author) into Normandie, found but onely Alphred the elder brother. For Edward his younger brother was gone to Hungarie, to speake wyth his cou•in the outlaw, which was Edward Ironsides sonne.
When Alfred had heard these messengers and perceived their tidings:1 he thanked God, and in all hast sped him to England, arriving at Southampton. There, Godwin the false traitor (having knowledge of his coming) welcomed & received him with much joy: pretending to lead him unto London, where the Barons waited for to make him king. And so they together passed forth toward London. But when they came to Guild down, the traitor commanded all his men to slay all that were in Alphredes company, which came with him from Normandy. And after that to take Alfred, & to lead him into the Isle of Ely, where they should put out both his eyes: and so they did. For they slew all the company that were there, to the number of xij. Gentlemen, which came with Alfred from Normandy: and after that they took Alfred, and in the Isle of Ely they executed their commission. That done, they opened his body, took out his bowels set a stake into the ground and fastened an end of his bowels thereunto, & with needles of on they pricked his tender body, thereby causing him to go about the stake, till that all his bowels were drawn out. And so died this innocent Alfred or Allured, being the right heir of the crown: through treason of wicked Godwin. When the Lords of England heard thereof, and how Alfred, that should have ben their king, was put to death through the false traitor Godwin, they were wondrous wroth: and sware between God and them, that he should die a worse death then did Edrith which betrayed his Lord Edmund Ironside: and would immediately have put him to death, but that the Traitor fled thence into Denmark: and there held him iiij. years and more, and lost all his lands in England.