A67922:2486
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.
Certain histories make mention of one Arnulphus in the time of this Pope Honorius.1 ii. Some say he was Archbish. of Lugduneias Hugo, Platina, Sabellicus. Trithemius saith, he was a priest, whose history, as it is set forth in Trithemius, I will briefly in English express. About this time (saith he) in the days of Honorius, ii. one Arnulphus Priest (a man zealous and of great devotion, and a worthy preacher) came to Rome, which Arnulphus in his preaching rebuked the dissolute and lascivious looseness incontinence, avarice, and immoderate pride of the clergy, provoking all to follow Christ and his Apostles in the poverty rather, and in pureness of life. By reason whereof, this man was well accepted, and highly liked of the nobility of Rome, for a true disciple of Christ, but of the Cardinals and the clergy no less hated; then favoured of the other. In so much, that privily in the night season they took him and destroyed him. This his martyrdom (saith he) was revealed to him before, from God by an Angel, he being in the desert, when he was sent forth to preach, whereupon, he said to them publicly with these words: I know (saith he) ye seek my life, and know, ye will make me away privily. But why? because I preach to you the truth, and blame your pride, stoutness, avarice, incontinence, ⟨p. 200⟩with your unmeasurable greediness in getting and heaping up riches, therefore be you displeased with me. I take here heaven and earth to witness, that I have preached to you, that I was commanded of the Lord. But you contemn me and your creator, who by his only son hath redeemed you. And no marvel if ye seek my death being a sinful person preaching to you the truth: when as if S. Peter were here this day, and rebuked your vices (which do so multiply above all measure) you would not spare him neither. And as he was expressing this with a loud voice, he said moreover: For my part I am not afraid to suffer death for the truth sake, but this I say to you, that God will look upon your iniquities, and will be revenged.2 You being full of all unpuritie, play the blind guides to the people committed to you, leading them the way to hell. A God he is of revengeaunce. Thus the hatred of the Clergy being incensed against him for preaching truth, conspired against him, and so laying privy wait for him, took him and drowned him. Sabellicus & Platina say, they hanged him.