A67927:1406
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.
These church robbers be also much more false, crafty, and deceitful then the thieves upon the borders, for these have not the craft so to commend their theft, that they dare avouch it, and therefore as acknowledging themselves to be evil, they steal commonly upon the night,1 they dare not appear at judgements and Sessions, where Justice is executed, and when they are taken and brought thither, they never hang any man, but they be oft times hanged for their faults. But these Church robbers can so cloak & colour their spiritual robbery, that they can make the people to believe falsehood to be truth, and truth falsehood, good to be evil, and evil good, light to be darkness, and darkness light, superstition to be true religion, and Idolatry to be the true worship of God, and that which is in substance the creature of bread and wine, to be none other substance but only the substance of Christ the living Lord both God and man. And with this their falsehood & craft, they can so juggle and bewitch the understanding of the simple, that they dare avouch it openly in Court and in Town, and fear neither hanging nor heading, as the poor thieves of the borders do, but stout and strong like Nembroth, dare condemn to be burned in flaming fire, quick and alive, whosoever will go about to bewray their falsehood.
These church robbers be also much more false, crafty, and deceitfull then the theeues vpon the borders, for these haue not the craft so to commend their theft, that they dare auouch it, and therefore as acknowledging themselues to be euill, they steale commonly vpon the nyght,1 they dare not appeare at iudgements and Sessions, where Iustice is executed, and when they are taken and brought thether, they neuer hang any man, but they bee oft tymes hanged for theyr faults. But these Church robbers can so cloke & colour their spiritual robbery, that they can make the people to beleeue falshood to be truth, and truth falshood, good to be euill, and euill good, lyght to be darknesse, and darknesse lyght, superstition to be true religion, and Idolatry to be the true worship of God, and that which is in substance the creature of bread and wyne, to bee none other substaunce but onelye the substaunce of Christ the liuyng Lord both God and man. And with this their falshoode & craft, they can so iuggle and bewitch the vnderstanding of the simple, that they dare auouch it openly in Courte and in Towne, and feare neyther hangyng nor headyng, as the poore theeues of the borders doe, but stout and strong lyke Nembroth, dare condemne to bee burned in flamyng fire, quicke and alyue, whosoeuer wil go about to bewray their falshood.