A67926:676
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.
*Complaint against incorporations or improperations and other pilling of the people, by Churchmen.
Many parish churches are subject unto monasteries, & to the persons of other churches, by means of incorporations (as they call them) or otherwise,1 which they are bound also, according to the canon laws, to foresee & look unto, by themselves, when as they do put them forth unto others to be governed, reserving for the most part unto themselves, the whole stipend of the benefices and tithes: and moreover, aggravate & charge the same with so great pensions, that the hireling priests and other ministers of the Church, can not have thereupon a decent or competent living: whereby it cometh to pass, that these hireling priests (for that they must needs have whereupon to live) do with unlawful exactions, miserably spoil and devour the poor sheep committed unto them, & consume all their substance. For when as the Sacraments of the altar and of Baptism are to be administered, or when the first, the seventh, the thirty, and year day must be kept, when auricular confession cometh to be heard,2 the dead to be buried, or any other ceremony whatsoever, about the funeral is to be done: they will not do it freely, but extort and exact so much money, as the miserable commonalty is scarce able to disburse, and daily they do increase and augment these their exactions, driving the simple poverty to the payment thereof, by threatening them with excommunication, or by other ways, compelling them to be at charge: which otherwise through poverty, are not able to maintain obsequies, year minds, and such other like ceremonies, as to the funerals of the dead be appertaining.
MAny parish churches are subiect vnto monasteries, & to the persons of other churches, by meanes of incorporations (as they call them) or otherwise,