A67926:654
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 Church burdened with number of holy days.
¶The Churche burdened with number of holy dayes.
Moreover, the common people are not a little oppressed with the great number of holy days, for that there are now so many holy days, that the husbandmen have scarcely time to gather the fruits of the earth which they have brought forth with so great labour & travail,1 being often in daū ger of hail, rain, and other storms: which fruits notwithstanding, if they were not letted with so many holy days, they would gather & bring home without any loss. Besides that, upon those holy days, innumerable offences are committed & done, rather then God honoured or worshipped. Which thing is so manifest, that it needeth no witness. For that cause the estates of the sacred Empire think it best & most profitable for the Christian common wealth, that this great number of holy days, should be diminished, which ought rather to be celebrate in spirit & verity, then with the external worship, and be better kept with abstinence from sin.
MOreouer, the common people are not a litle oppressed with the great nūber of holy dayes, for that there are now so many holy dayes, that the husbādmē haue scarcely tyme to gather ye frutes of ye earth which they haue brought forth with so great labour & trauayle,1 beyng often in daū ger of hayle, rayne, and other stormes: which fruites notwithstandyng, if they were not letted with so many holy daies, they would gather & bring home without any losse. Besides that, vpon those holy daies, innumerable offences are committed & done, rather then God honoured or worshipped. Which thing is so manifest, that it nedeth no witnes. For that cause the estates of the sacred Empire thinke it best & most profitable for the Christian common wealth, that this great nūber of holy dayes, should be diminished, whych ought rather to be celebrate in spirite & veritie, then wyth the externall worship, and be better kept with abstinence from sinne.