A67926:1088
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.
Which done, then the Friars asked whether he believed the Bishop of Rome to be Christs Vicar, and head of the Church, having all the treasures of the Church in his own power, being able to bind and loose:1 also to make new articles, & abolish the old, at his own will & arbitrement. Hereunto Frances answered again, that he believed none of all this, but contrary did affirm, that the Pope was Antichrist, borne of the devil, being the enemy of Jesus Christ, transferring to himself Gods honour: & which more over being incited by the devil, turned all things up side down, & corrupted the sincerity of Christs religion, partly by his false pretences beguiling, partly by his extreme cruelty destroying the poor flock of Christ.2 &c. With the like boldness he uttered his mind likewise against the Mass & Purgatory. The Fryers could suffer him meanly well to speak, till he came to the pope, & began to speak against his dignity, & their profit: then could they abide no longer, but thundered against him words full of cruelty & terror. As they were burning of his books, and began also to cast the new testament into the fire. Frances seeing that, began to thunder out against them again. The Spaniards then supposing him not to be in his right senses, conveyed him into a Tower 6. miles distant from Antwerp,3 where he was detained in a deep cave or dungeon, with much misery, the space of 8. months. In which time of his imprisonment, many grave, and discreet persons came to visit him, exhorting him that he would change his opinion, & to speak more modestly. Frances answered again, that he maintained no opinion erroneous or heretical: & if he seemed to be somewhat vehement with the Friars, that was to be ascribed not to him so much, as to their own importunity: hereafter he would frame himself more tempora••y. Whereupon the spaniards thinking him better come to himself,4 discharged him out of prison. Which was about the time when the Emperor was in his counsel at Ratisbone. an. 1541. San Roman thus being freed out of Prison, came to Antwerp, where he remained above twenty days. From thence he went to Lovane, unto a certain friend of his, named Franciscus Driander,