A67926:2360
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.
Amongest all other chances lamentable, there hath ben none a great time which seemed unto me more grievous,1 then the lamentable death and cruel handling of John Frith, so learned and excellent a young man, which had so profited in all kind of learning and knowledge, that scarcely there was his equal amongest all his companions and besides withal had such a godliness of life joined with his doctrine,2 that it was hard to judge, in whether of them he was more commendable, being greatly praise worthy in them both. But as touching his doctrine, by the grace of Christ, we will speak hereafter. Of the great godliness which was in him, this may serve for experiment sufficient for that notwithstanding his other manifold and singular gifts & ornaments of the mind in him most pregnant where withal he might have opened an easy way unto honour & dignity, notwithstanding he chose rather wholly to consecrate himself unto the Church of Christ, excellently showing forth & practising in himself the precept so highly con mended of the Philosophers, touching the life of man, which life they say, is given unto us in such sort, that how much better the man is, so much the less he should live unto himself, but unto other, serving for the common utility, & that we should think a great part of our birth to be due unto our parents, a greater part unto our country, & the greatest part of all to be bestowed upon the Church if we will be counted good men. First of all he began his study at Cambridge.3 In whom nature had planted being but a child marvellous instructions & love unto learning, whereunto he was addict. He had also a wonderful promptness of wit & a ready capacity to receive and understand any thing, in so much that he seemed not to be sent unto learning, but also borne for the same purpose: neither was there any diligence wanting in him, equal unto that towardness, or worthy of his disposition.4 Whereby it came to pass that he was not only a lover of learning, but also became an exquisite learned man. In the which exercise, when he had diligently laboured certain years, not without great profit both of Latin and Greek, at the last he fell into knowledge and acquaintance with William Tyndale, through whose instructions, he first received into his hart the seed of the Gospel and sincere godliness.