A67922:532
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.
Secondly, where Platina and Sabellicus say that Constantine moved with the holiness of Pope Benedict the first made that constitution, how seemeth that to stand with truth, when both the Emperor was so far of from him being at Constantinople, & also for that the said Pope reigned but x. months? which was but a small time to make his holiness known to the Emperor so far of. And give he were so holy, yet that holiness might rather be an occasion for the Emperor so to confirm and maintain the old received manner of his institution, then to alter it.
Secondly, where Platina and Sabellicus say that Constantine moued with the holynes of Pope Benedict the first made that cōstitutiō, how seemeth that to stād with truth, when both the Emperour was so farre of from him being at Constantinople, & also for that the sayd Pope raigned but x. monethes? which was but a small tyme to make his holines knowen to the Emperour so farre of. And giue he were so holy, yet that holynes might rather be an occasiō for the Emperour so to confirme and maintaine the olde receaued maner of his institution, then to alter it.
The third conjecture is this, for that the said constitution was not observed, but shortly after by the said Benedict was broken in the election of Pope Conon. And yet notwithstanding albeit the constitution were true, yet the election there by was not taken away from the people, and limited to the Clergy only, and much less might be taken away from the Clergy, and be limited only to the Cardinals, without the consent of their Prince and ruler, according to their own Rubric in their Decrees, where the Rubrice sayth:1 De ordinatione Episcopi: Nullus inuitis detur Episcopus, cleri, plebis, & ordinis consensus & desiderium requiratur, &c. That is: Let no Bishop be given to any people against their wills: but let the consent & desire both of the Clergy and of the people, and of the order, be also required. &c. And in the same Dist. also, cap. Sacrorū, we read the same liberty & interest to be granted by Carolus Magnus, and Ludovicus his son, not to a few Cardinals only, but to the order as well of the Clergy, as of the people, to choose not only the Bishop of Rome, but any other Bishop within their own Diocese whatsoever, and to the Monks likewise, to choose their own Abbot, setting aside all respect of persons and gifts, only for the worthiness of life, and gift of wisdom, so as might be most profitable for doctrine, and example unto the flock. &c. And this continued till the time of the foresaid Carolus Magnus, and