A67926:2131
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.
Here may your grace well perceive, that except you suffer their hypocrisy to be disclosed, all is like to run into their hands, and as long as it is covered, so long shall it seem to every man to be a great impiety, not to give them.* For this I am sure your grace thinketh (as the truth is) I am as good a man as my Father: why may I not as well give them as much as my father did? And of this mind I am sure, are all the Lords, knights, squires, gentlemen, & yeomen in England: yea and until it be disclosed, all your people will think that your statute of Mortmain was never made with no good conscience, seeing that it taketh away the liberty of your people, in that they may not as lawfully buy their souls out of Purgatory by giving to the spiritualty, as their predecessors did in times past.
Here may your grace well perceiue, that except you suffer their hipocrisy to be disclosed, all is like to runne into theyr handes, and as long as it is couered, so long shal it seme to euery man to be a great impiety, not to geue them.* For this I am sure your grace thinketh (as the truth is) I am as good a man as my Father: why may I not as well geue them as much as my father did? And of this minde I am sure, are all the Lordes, knightes, squires, gentlemē, & yeomen in England: yea and vntill it be disclosed, all your people will think that your statute of Mortmaine was neuer made with no good cōscience, seing that it taketh away the liberty of your people, in that they may not as lawfully buy their soules out of Purgatory by geuing to the spiritualty, as theyr predecessors did in times past.
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Wherefore, if you will eschew the ruin of your crown & dignity, let their hypocrisy be uttered, & that shall be more speedful in this matter, then all the laws that may be made, be they never so strong. For to make a law for to punish any offender, except it were more for to give other men an ensample to beware how they commit such like, offence, what should it avail?