A67922:2671
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 copy of the Epistle written and sent by two Cardinals to the Pope, concerning the matter of the Archbishop Becket. William, & Otho, Cardinals of the Church of Rome, to Alexander the Pope, &c. Coming to the land of the K. of England we found the controversy betwixt him and the Archb. of Canterbury, more sharp and vehement then we would. For the king and the greater part of them about him said, that the Archbishop ⟨p. 206⟩had stirred up the French king grievously against him.1 And also, the Earle of Flanders his kinsman (who bare no displeasure to him before) he made his open adversary, ready to war against him, as is by divers evidences most certain. Thus when we came to Cadomus first to the kings speech, we gave the letters of your fatherhood to his hands: which after that he had received and considered (bringing forth withal other letters received from you before, something divers and altering from these which he received of us (was moved & stirred with no little indignation, saying▪ that the Archbishop after our departure from you, had received of you other contrary letters, by the virtue whereof he was exempted from our judgement: so that he should not be compelled to answer us. Moreover the said king to us added and affirmed (and so did the bishops there present testifying the same) that concerning the old and ancient customs of his progenitors, (whereof complaint, was made to you) all that, for the most part was false & untrue which was intimate to you. Offering farther to us, that if there were any such customs or laws in his time that seemed prejudicial or disagreeable to the statutes of the Church, he would willingly be content to revoke and disannul the same. Whereupon, we with other Archbishops, Bishops, & Abbots of the land (hearing the king so reasonable) laboured by all means we might that the king should not utterly break from us, but rather should incline to us to have the matter brought before us betwixt him & the forenamed Archbishop: By reason whereof, we directed out our own Chaplains with letters unto him, appointing him both time and place where safely he might meet with us in the feast of S. Martin. Nevertheless, he pretending certain excuses made his dilatories, driving of the time from the day of S. Martin to the Octaves following: which thing stirred the kings hart more then is to be thought.