A67926:1108
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.
Whereof, when one of the magistrates officers brought him word the next day, he rejoiced thereat, and gave the messenger thanks, and began to preach a long sermon to them that were about him, of the felicity and beatitude of the life to come. Then the messenger exhorted him, that in case he would change his opinion, he should save both this life, & enjoy that to come. An other asked him in what case he should leave his little children and his wife, or what stay should they be at, he so leaving them: wherefore he desired him to have respect both to himself, and to them. Faninus answered, that he had left them with an overseer, which would see unto them sufficiently. And being asked who he was, the Lord Jesus Christ (said he) a faithful keeper and a conserver of all that is committed to him.1 After that the messenger was thus departed from Faninus all full of tears and sorrow: the next day following he was removed into the common prison, and delivered to the secular magistrate. Who in all his ways, his words, his gestures and countenance, declared such constancy of faith, such modesty of manners, and tranquillity of mind, that they which before were extreme against him, thinking him rather to have a devil, began now favourably to hearken to him, and to commend him. With such grace and sweetness he cal•ed, ever speaking of the word of God, ⟨p. 936⟩that divers of the Magistrates wives in hearing him, could not abstain from weeping. The executioner also wept himself. One of the public Scribes then came to him and said, that if he would relent from his opinion, the Popes pleasure was, that he should be saved: but that he refused. This was marvellous,2 that he having but small skill in the Latin yet recited so many and sundry places of the Scripture without book, and that so truly and promptly, as though he had studied nothing else. One seeing him so jocund and merry going to his death, asked why he was so merry at his death, seeing Christ himself sweat blood and water before his passion? Christ (said he) sustained in his body,3 all the sorrows and conflicts with hell and death, due unto us: by whose suffering we are delivered from sorrow and fear of them all. Finally, early in the morning he was brought forth where he should suffer.