A67926:2055
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.
Now if this vain of yours, which so extremely raileth and fareth against the poor Martyrs & servants of Christ, be so copious that you dare take in hand any false matter to prove, and to make men believe, that Bilney dyed a Papist, yet the manner of handling hereof would have required some more artificial conueyaunce: Mendacem enim (ut scis) memorem esse oportet: that men, although they see the matter to be false, yet might commend the workmanship of the handler, which (to say the trueth) neither hangeth with it self, nor beareth any semblance of any truth. But because M. More is gone and dead, I will cease any further to insult upon him, least I may seem to incur the same vice of his in mordendo mortuos. Yet for so much as his books be not yet dead, but remain alive to the hurt of many, having therefore to do, notwt him, but with his book disciples, this would I know how hangeth this gear together: Bilney was heard,1 and yet not heard he spake so softly & yet not softly. Some said he did recant, some said he did not recant. Over and besides, how will this be answered, that for so much as the said Bilney (as he saith) revoked many days before his burning, & the same was known to him at London, then how chanced the same could not be as well known to them of Norwich? who (as his own story affirmeth) knew nothing thereof before the day of his execution, then seeing a certain bill in his hand, which some said was a bill of his revocation, some other heard it not. All this would be made •layne, especially in such a matter as this is, which he knew himself peradventure to be false, at least, he knew would be doubted,2 suspected, and contraried of a great multitude.
Nowe if this vayne of yours, which so extremely rayleth and fareth agaynst the poore Martyrs & seruauntes of Christ, be so copious that you dare take in hand anye false matter to proue, and to make men beleue, that Bilney dyed a Papist, yet the maner of handling hereof woulde haue required some more artificiall conueyaunce: Mendacem enim (vt scis) memorem esse oportet: that mē, although they see the matter to be false, yet might commend the workmanship of the handler, which (to say the trueth) neither hangeth wt it selfe, nor beareth any semblance of any truth. But because M. More is gone and dead, I will cease anye further to insult vpon him, least I may seeme to incur ye same vice of hys in mordendo mortuos. Yet for somuche as his bookes be not yet dead, but remayne aliue to the hurt of many, hauing therfore to do, notwt him, but with his book disciples, this would I know how hangeth this geare together: Bilney was heard,