A67922:30
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.
Whereupon, considering with my self what should move them thus to rage, first I began with more circumspect diligence to overlook again that I had done. In searching whereof, I found the fault both what it was, and where it lay: which was in deed, not so much in the Book it self (to say the truth) as in an other certain privy mystery and working of some: of whom Joannes Aventinus shall tell us in his own words, & show us who they be: Quibus, inquit, audiendi quae fecerint, pudor est: nullus faciendi, quae audire erubescunt. Illic ubi opus nihil verentur: hic ubi nihil opus est, ibi verentur. &c. Who being ashamed belike to hear their worthy stratagems like to come to light, sought by what means they might, the stopping of the same. And because they could not work it per brachium secular, by public authority (the Lord of heaven long preserve your noble Majesty) they renewed again an old wonted practise of theirs: doing in like sort herein as they did sometimes with the holy Bible in the days of your renowned father of famous memory king Henry the viij. who when they neither by manifest reason could gainstand the matter contained in the book, nor yet abide the coming out thereof, then sought they by a subtle devised train to deprave the translation, notes and Prologues thereof, bearing the king in hand and ⟨image 11⟩all the people, that there was in it a thousand lies, and I cannot tell how many mo: Not that there were such lies in it in very deed: but because the coming of that book should not bewray their lying falsehood, therefore they thought best to begin first to make exceptions themselves against it: playing in their stage like as Phormio did in the old Comedy, who being in all the fault himself, began first to quarrel with Demipho, when Demipho rather had good right to lay Phormio by the heels.
Whereupon, considering with my selfe what should mooue them thus to rage, first I beganne with more circumspect diligence to ouerlooke agayne that I had done. In searching whereof, I found the fault both what it was, and where it lay: which was in deede, not so much in the Booke it selfe (to say the truth) as in an other certayne priuy mysterie and working of some: of whome Ioannes Auentinus shall tel vs in his own words, & shew vs who they be: Quibus, inquit, audiendi quae fecerint, pudor est: nullus faciendi, quae audire erubescunt. Illic vbi opus nihil verentur: hic vbi nihil opus est, ibi verentur. &c. Who beyng ashamed belike to heare their worthy stratagemes lyke to come to light, sought by what meanes they might, the stopping of the same. And because they could not worke it per brachium seculare, by publike authoritie (the Lord of heauen long preserue your noble Maiestie) they renewed again an old wonted practise of theirs: doyng in like sort herein as they did sometymes with the holy Bible in the dayes of your renowmed father of famous memory king Henry the viij. who when they neither by manifest reason could gainstand the matter contained in the booke, nor yet abide the comming out thereof, then sought they by a subtile deuised traine to depraue the translation, notes and Prologues thereof, bearing the king in hand and