A67922:2467
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.
And thus much of Roman matters, Now to our country story again. After the death of Anselm before mentioned (who deceased the year of our Lord.1 1109. after he had been sit the sea 16. years) the Church of Cant. stood void 5. years: and the goods of the Church were spent to the Kings use. And when he was prayed to help the Church that was so long without a pastor, his answer was: pretending that where his father and brother, had accustomed ⟨p. 198⟩there to set the best, tried and approved men that might be found: to the intent therefore that he might do the same (in choosing such, which either should equal the former examples of them before, or at least follow their footsteps as near as they could) he took therein the more time and leisure.2 And so with shift of answer dallied out the time, while he had filled his coffers with the commodities of that benefice. The same year (after the death of Anselm) the King converted the Abbey of Ely to a Bishopric, which before was under the Bishopric of Lincoln: placing there Henry Bishop of Bangor the first bishop of that sea. And as of late years before this, divers wonders were scene: as stars falling from heaven so thick, that they could not be numbered, at the setting forth of the Christians to the holy land: Jornalens. A blazing star over Constantinople: A spring boiling out blood (seen at Finchamstede in Berkshire) three weeks together. An. 1090. Gisburnons. After that, the firmament appearing so red, as it had been all on fire: Also two full Moons appearing together, one in the East, the other in the West (on maundy thursday) with a blazing star in the same year appearing about the taking of Duke Robert, having a white circle inclosing it. An. 1106. Jornalens. Also with an Eclipse of the Sun darkened after that: so likewise about this present year, An. 1110. was seen the flood of Trent, about Nottingham,3 so dried up from morning to 3. of the clock at after noon, that men might go over it drishodde, Gisburnens. Also in Shrewsbury a great earthquake happened:4 And after that followed a sharp winter, great moraine of beasts, and pestilence of men, as Gualterius Guisburnens recordeth: Moreover the same author mentioneth that next about the same year, the like vading of water also happened in the flood of Medway: