A67926:5253
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.
Hitherto I have repeated that which Saint Augustine writeth of the Monks in his time whereby I would as it were paint out in a table, what manner of Monkery there was in the old time, that all men might understand how great difference there is between that and the monkery in these our latter days. For he would have all extreme compulsion to be taken away in such things as by the word of God are left to us at liberty.1 But now a days there is nothing more severely and cruelly exacted. For they say it is a remediless offence if any do but never so little swerve from their prescript order in colour or kind of garment, or in any kind of meat or in any other frivolous or vain ceremony.
Hetherto I haue repeated that which Saint Augustine writeth of the Monkes in his tyme wherby I would as it were paint out in a table, what maner of Monkery there was in the old tyme, that all men might vnderstand how great difference there is betweene that and the monkery in these our latter dayes. For he would haue all extreme compulsion to be taken away in such things as by the worde of God are left to vs at libertye.1 But nowe a dayes there is nothing more seuerely and cruelly exacted. For they say it is a remedilesse offence if any do but neuer so little swarue from their prescript order in coulor or kind of garment, or in any kynd of meat or in any other friuolous or vayne ceremony.
- 1Precepts of men more cruelly exacted then the precepts of god.Precepts of mē more cruelly exacted then the precepts of god.
Saint Augustine doth straightly affirm that it is not lawful for Monks to live idle upon other mens labour, he plainly denieth that in his time there was any such example of any well ordered Monastery: but our Monks do constitute the principal part of holiness in idleness, which they call a contemplative life, wherefore the state of Monkery of the old time, and of these our days, is in all points so divers,