A67926:2516
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.
The kings Oration to his subjects. Our trusty & well-beloved subjects, both you of the nobility, & you of the meaner sort, it is not unknown both how that we, both by Gods provision and true and lawful inheritance, have reigned over this realm of England, almost the term of 20. years. During which time, we have so ordered us, thanked be God, that no outward enemy hath oppressed you, nor taken any thing from us, nor we have invaded no realm, but we have had victory & honour, so that we think that you nor none of your predecessors never lived more quietly, more wealthily, nor in more estimation under any of our noble progenitors. But when we remember our mortality, and that we must die, then we think that all our doings in our life time, are clearly defaced, & worthy of no memory, if we leave you in trouble at the time of our death, for if our true heir be not known at the time of our death, see what mischief and trouble shall succeed to you and to your children. The experience thereof some of you have seen after the death of our noble grandfather, king Edward 4. and some have heard what mischief and manslaughter continued in this realm between the houses of York and Lancaster: by the which dissension, this realm was like to have been clearly destroyed. And although it hath pleased almighty God to send us a fair daughter of a noble woman, and of me begotten, to our great comfort and joy, yet it hath been told us by divers great Clerks that neither she is our lawful daughter, nor her mother our lawful wife, but that we live together abominably and detestably, in open adultery: insomuch, that when our Ambassade was last in France, and motion was made that the Duke of Orleans should marry our said daughter, one of the chief Counsellors to the French king, said: It were well done, to know whether she be the king of Englands lawful daughter or not, for well known it is, that he begot her on his brothers wife, which is directly against Gods law and his precept. Think you my Lords, that these words touch not my body and soul? Think you that these doings do not daily and hourly trouble my conscience, and vex my spirits? Yes we doubt not, but and if it were your cause, every man would seek remedy, when the peril of your soul, and the loss of your inheritance is openly laid to you.
The kings Oration to his subiects. OVr trustie & welbeloued subiects, both you of the nobility, & you of the meaner sort, it is not vnknowē both how that we, both by Gods prouision and true and lawfull inheritaunce, haue raigned ouer this realme of England, almost the terme of 20. yeares. During whiche time, we haue so ordered vs, thanked be God, that no outward enemy hath oppressed you, nor taken anye thing from vs, nor we haue inuaded no realme, but we haue had victory & honor, so that we think that you nor none of your predecessors neuer liued more quietly, more wealthely, nor in more estimation vnder any of our noble progenitors. But when we remē ber our mortality, and that we must die, then we think that all our doings in our life time, are clearely defaced, & worthy of no memory, if we leaue you in trouble at the time of oure deathe, for if our true heir be not known at the time of our death, see what mischiefe and trouble shall succeede to you and to your children. The experience thereof some of you haue seene after the death of our noble grandfather, king Edward 4. and some haue heard what mischief and manslaughter continued in this realme betwene the houses of Yorke and Lancaster: by the which dissention, this realme was like to haue bene clearely destroyed. And although it hath pleased almighty God to send vs a faire daughter of a noble woman, and of me begotten, to our greate comfort and ioy, yet it hath bene tolde vs by diuers great Clearks that neither she is our lawfull daughter, nor her mother our lawfull wife, but that we liue together abhominably and detestably, in open adulterie: in somuch, that when our Ambassade was last in France, and motion was made that the Duke of Orleance should marry our sayde daughter, one of the chiefe Counsailours to the French king, sayd: It were well done, to know whether she be the king of Englands lawfull daughter or not, for well knowen it is, that he begot her on his brothers wife, which is directly againste Gods law and his precept. Thinke you my Lords, that these words touch not my body and soule? Thinke you that these doings doe not daily and hourely trouble my cōscience, and vexe my spirits? Yes we doubt not, but and if it were your cause, euery man wold seeke remedy, when the pearil of your soule, and the losse of your inheritance is openly laide to you.