A67926:907
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.
As they were departing out of the house, the good priest could not refrain himself from weeping, saying unto them, I tell you before, these your unordinate doings will redound to some great mischief to your self. For what madness is this, what meaneth this rage and tumult, wherein you keep no order or equity, neither have any respect between friend and foe? Who thus stirreth you up? what coū sell do you follow, or to what end do you this? Like thieves you spoil what so ever you can lay hands upon. And think you not but these things which you now rob, raven, and steal, you shall be compelled hereafter to restore again, to your great detriment? What sedition did ever come to good end?1 You pretend the Gospel, and have no peace of the Gospel either in your mouths, or in your hearts. These excesses (said he) ye never learned of me, which ever have taught you the true word of God. This your Gospel (saith he) is rather the Gospel of the devil, then of God, which vexeth all the world with violence and wrong, spoiling and robbing without regard.2 The true Gospel of Jesus Christ, teacheth you to do good unto all men, to avoid dissentions and perjury. This I say unto you, that in these your doings you offend God, and provoke his just vengeance to plague you, which will never suffer these evils to escape unpunished. You find written in the Gospel: That which thou wouldest not should be done to thee, do not to other. You offend also all the nobility, and your lawful magistrates, whom you are sworn and bound unto. It is no small matter I tell you, to raise up sedition, to stir up other, and to disturb the state of the common wealth: and when this tumult shall be ceased, what then shall your noble men do? shall they not rifle you as fast, & of your goods make themselves rich? and then shall one of you betray an other. These with such other words he stood preaching unto them, almost naked, but all this would not prevail with those men, who after all these gentle admonitions and fair words, departed out of his house giving him foul language, and calling him old Dotard. Amongest all other, one more wicked then the residue, said unto him in this manner: O master Curate, we have been long deceived by your selling of masses, by fearing us with Purgatory, by your Diriges and Trentals, and so have we been spoiled:
As they were departing out of the house, the good priest could not refrain himselfe from weeping, saying vnto thē, I tell you before, these your vnordinate dooynges will redound to some great mischiefe to your selfe. For what madnes is this, what meaneth this rage and tumult, wherein you keepe no order or equity, neither haue any respect betwene frend and foe? Who thus styrreth you vp? what coū sell do you folow, or to what end do you this? Like theues you spoyle what so euer you can lay handes vpon. And thinke you not but these thinges which you now rob, rauen, and steale, you shalbe compelled hereafter to restore agayn, to your great detrimēt? What sedition did euer come to good end?