A67926:904
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.
IN a certain village named Schlat, in the country of Brisgois, there was a vigilant minister, a man very well learned in the Scriptures, of a good name, for that he lived a godly & a blameless life, having long time faithfully done his office and duty, being also courteous and gentle,1 and well beloved of men, but specially of the Bysh. of Constance, with whom he was in great authority, peaceable and quiet with all men that he had to do withal. He quieted discords and contentions with a marvellous prudence, exhorting ⟨p. 881⟩all men to mutual charity & love. In all assembles wheresoever he came, he greatly commended honest life & amendment of manners. When the purity of the gospel began to shine abroad, he began to read with great affection the holy Scriptures, which long time before he had read, but without any understanding. When he had recovered a little judgement, and came to more understanding by continual reading, being also further grown in age, he began to consider with himself, in how great darkness and errors the whole order of priests had been a long time drowned. O good God (said he) who would have thought it, that so many learned and holy men have wandered out of the right way, and could have so long time been wrapped in so great errors, or that the holy Scripture could have been so deformed with such horrible abuses, for he never well understood before (he said) that the Gospel was the verity of God, in that order wherein it is written, seeing it contained so much touching the Cross, persecution, and ignominious death,2 and yet the Priests lived in great prosperity, and no man durst maintain any quarrel against them, without great danger? He also saw that the hour was come that the Gospel should be displayed, that persecution was at hand, that the enemies of the truth began now to rage, that the wicked and proud lifted up their heads on high,3 and feared not to enterprise and take in hand all kind of mischief and wickedness against the faithful, that the Bishops which ought by their virtue and power to defend the word, were more barbarous and cruel then any tyrants had been before.
IN a certaine village named Schlat, in the countrey of Brisgois, there was a vigilant minister, a man very wel learned in the Scriptures, of a good name, for that he liued a godly & a blamelesse life, hauing lōg time faithfully done his office and dutie, being also courteous and gentle,