A67926:2076
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.
By these words of Bilney written by him in Latin, although it may be thought how ignorant & gross he was after the rudeness of those days, yet by the same notwithstanding it may appear, how falsely he is noted & slandered by M. More, and Cope my friend, to have recanted the Articles, which he did never hold or maintain otherwise in all his life. And therefore (as I said) though it be granted to M. More, or in his absence, to my friend Cope, that Bilney was assoiled, was confessed, & houseled before his burning, yet all this argueth not that he recanted.
By these wordes of Bilney written by him in Latine, although it may be thought how ignorant & grosse he was after the rudenes of those dayes, yet by the same notwithstanding it may appeare, how falsely he is noted & sclaundered by M. More, and Cope my friend, to haue recanted the Articles, which he did neuer hold or mayntayne otherwise in all his life. And therefore (as I sayde) though it be graunted to M. More, or in his absence, to my friende Cope, that Bilney was assoyled, was cōfessed, & housseled before his burning, yet all this argueth not yt he recanted.
Now that I have sufficiently (I trust) put of the reasons of M. More and of others,1 whereby they pretend falsely to face us out, that Bilny the second time again recanted at his death: it remaineth on the other part, that I likewise do infer my probations, whereby I have to argue & convince, that Bilney did not the second time recant, as he is untruly slandered. And first I will begin even with the words and testimony of M. Mores own mouth, who being Lord Chancellor when message was sent to him for a writ of discharge to burn Bilney,2 speaking in this wise to the messengers, that came: Go your ways (said he) and burn him first, and then afterward come to me for a bill of my hand. Which words may give us evidence enough, that Bilney was not thought then to have recanted, for then the Lord Chancellor would not have been so greedy and hasty (no doubt) to have him dispatched. And how standeth this with M. Mores words now, which beareth us in hand that he recanted many days before his burning?