A67927:1161
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.
And though it be so that your Grace may by other books, and namely by the Scripture it self know & perceive the hypocrite Wolves clad in sheep's clothing, yet I think my self bound in conscience to utter unto your grace such things as God put in mind to write.1 And this I do (God so judge me) not for hate of any person or persons living, nor for that that I think the word of GOD should go forth without persecution, if your Grace had commanded that every man within your Realm should have it in his mothers tongue. For the Gospel must needs have persecution unto the time that it be preached throughout all the world, which is the last sign that Christ showed to his Disciples that should come before the day of judgement: so that if your grace had once commanded that the scripture should be put forth, the devil would set forth some wile or other to persecute the trueth. But my purpose is, for the love that I have to God principally, & the glory of his name, which is only known by his word, and for the true allegiance that I owe unto your Grace, and not to hide in the ground of my hart the talent given me of God, but to chaffer it forth to other, that it may increase to the pleasure of God, to exhort your grace to avoid and beware of these mischievous flatterers and their abominable ways and counsels.
And though it bee so that your Grace maye by other bookes, and namely by the Scripture it selfe know & perceiue the hipocrite Wolues clad in sheepes clothing, yet I thinke my selfe bounde in conscience to vtter vnto your grace such thinges as God put in mind to write.1 And this I do (God so iudge me) not for hate of any person or persons liuing, nor for that that I thinke the word of GOD should go forth without persecution, if your Grace hadde commaunded that euery man within your Realme should haue it in his mothers tongue. For the Gospell must needes haue persecution vnto the time that it bee preached throughout all the world, which is the last signe yt Christe shewed to his Disciples that should come before the daye of iudgement: so that if your grace had once commaunded that the scripture shoulde be put forth, the deuill would set forth some wyle or other to persecute the trueth. But my purpose is, for the loue that I haue to God principally, & the glory of his name, which is only known by his word, and for the true allegiaunce that I owe vnto your Grace, and not to hide in the grounde of my hart the talent geuen me of God, but to chaffer it forth to other, that it may encrease to the pleasure of God, to exhort your grace to auoid and beware of these mischieuous flatterers and their abhominable wayes and counsels.