A67922:2644
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.
A letter of Becket to the B. of Norwich. 1HE bindeth himself to the penalty of the crime, whosoever receiving power and authority of God, useth and exerciseth not the same with due severity, in punishing vice: but (winking & di•simuling) doth minister boldness to wicked doers, maintaining them in their sin. For the blood of the wicked is required at the hand of the Priest, which is negligent or dissembleth. And as the Scripture saith, thorns and brambles grow in the hands of the idle drunkard. Wherefore, least (through our too much sufferance and dissembling) the transgressions of manifest evil doers should also be laid to our charge, and redound to the destruction of the Church through our guilty silence: We therefore (following the authority of the Popes commandment) have laid our sentence of curse & excommunication, upon the Earle Hugo: commanding you throughout all your Diocese publicly to denounce the said Earle as accursed: so that (according to the discipline of the Church) he be sequestered from the fellowship of all faithful people. Also, it is not unknown to your brotherhood, how long we have borne with the transgressions of the Bishop of London. Who (amongest other his facts) I would to God were not a great doer and fautor of this schism, and subverter of the right and liberties of holy Church.2 Wherefore, we (being supported with the authority of the Apostolic sea) have also excommunicated him, besides also the Bishop of Salisbury, because of his disobedience and contempt: and others likewise (upon divers and sundry causes) whose names here follow subscribed. Hugo Bernardes son, Radolph of Brock, Robert of Brock a clerk, Hugo de of S Clear, and Letardus a clerk of Norfolk, Nigellus of Scacavil, and Richard Chaplain, William of Hasting, and the Friar which possesseth my Church of Monchote. We therefore, charge and command you by the authority Apostolical and ours, and in the virtue of obedience, and in the peril of salvation, and of your order: that ye cause these openly to be proclaimed excommunicate, throughout all your Diocese, and to command all the faithful to avoid their company. Fare ye well in the Lord. Let not your heart be troubled, nor fear:
A letter of Becket to the B. of Norwitch. 1