A67926:1053
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. 2, part 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. 2, part 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
No title page in the transcription: set from the catalogue record.
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.
for all the villains and thieves there, were let out of their holes and stinking caves, and the poor Christians placed in their rooms. Besides these manifold wrongs & oppressions done to these poor innocents, followed them (which was worst of all) the cruel & slanderous reports of the friars and priests,1 who in their railing sermons & other talk, cried out to the Lutherans, persuading the people most falsely, that they assembled together to make a banquet in the night, and there putting out the candles, they went together, Jack with Jill (as the said) after a filthy and beastly manner. Adding moreover (to make the lye more likely) that certain Nuns also & Monks were with them. Also that they should conspire against the king, and other like heinous crimes, whatsoever their malice could invent, for defacing of the Gospel. With such like malicious misreports & slanders, Satan went about to extinguish the ancient church of Christ in the primitive time, accusing the innocent Christians then of incest, conspiracy, killing of infants, putting out of candles,2 & filthy whoredom. &c. Vide supra. pag. 36. These sinister rumours, & cursed defamations were no sooner given out, but they were as soon received, and spread far, not only to them of the vulgar sort, but also among the states of the Court, and even to the kings •ares. The Cardinal of Lorraine the same time bare a great sway in the court, who then procured a certain Judge of the Castle, to come in declaring to the king that he found there lying in the floor of the foresaid house, divers couches & pallets, upon which they intended to commit their whoredom: also much other furniture and preparation appointed for a sumptuous feast or banquet: wherewith the king was mightily inflamed against them, neither was there any one person that durst contrary it. Here the enemies began highly to triumph, thinking verily that the gospel, with all the friends thereof, were overthrown for ever. On the other side, no less perplexity and lamentation was among the brethren, sorrowing not so much for themselves, as for the imprisonment of their fellows. Albeit they lost not their courage so altogether, but as well as they could, they exhorted one another, considering the great favour and providence of God, in delivering them so wonderfully out of the danger.
for all the villaines and theeues there, were let out of theyr holes and stinking caues, and the poore Christians placed in theyr roomes. Besides these manifolde wronges & oppressions done to these poore innocēts, folowed thē (which was worst of all) the cruell & slaunderous reportes of the friers and priestes,