A67927:1157
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 2] 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 2] 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.
Therefore good king, seeing that the right David, that is to say, our Saviour Christ hath sent his Servants, that is to say, true preachers, and his own word also to comfort our weak and sick souls, let not these worldly men make your Grace believe that they will cause insurrections and heresies, and such mischiefs as they imagine of their own mad brains,1 least that he be avenged upon you and your Realm, as was David upon the Ammonites, and as he hath ever been avenged upon them which have obstinately withstand and gainsaid his word. But peradventure they will lay this against me, and say that experience doth show, how that such men as call them selves followers of the Gospel, regardeth not your Graces commandment, neither set by your Proclamation, and that was well proved by these persons which of late were punished in London for keeping of such books as your grace had prohibited by proclamation: and so like as they regarded not this, so they will not regard or esteem other your Graces laws, statutes and ordinances. But this is but a crafty persuasion. For your grace knoweth that there is no man living, specially that loveth worldly promotion, that is so foolish to set forth, promote, or enhance his enemy, whereby he should be let of his worldly pleasures and fleshly desires: but rather he will seek all the ways possible that he can, utterly to confound, destroy and put him out of the way. And so as concerning your last proclamation, prohibiting such books, the very true cause of it, and chief Counsellors (as men say, and of likelihood it should be) were they whose evil living and cloaked hypocrisy these books uttered and disclosed. And howbeit that there were 3. or 4. that would have had the Scripture to go forth in English, yet it happened there, as it is evermore seen, that the most part overcometh the better, and so it might be that these men did not take this proclamation as yours, but as theirs set forth in your name, as they have done many times moe, which hath put this your Realm in great hinderance and trouble, and brought it to great penury,2 and more would have done if God had not mercifully provided to bring your Grace to knowledge of the falsehood and privy treason, which their head and Captain was about: and be you sure not without adherents, if the matter be duly searched.
Therefore good king, seeyng that the right Dauid, that is to say, our Sauiour Christ hath sent his Seruauntes, that is to say, true preachers, and his owne worde also to comfort our weake and sicke soules, let not these worldlye menne make your Grace beleue that they wil cause insurrections and heresies, and such mischiefes as they imagine of theyr owne madde braynes,