A67927:1423
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.
Farewell now all ye Citizens that be of God, of what state and condition so ever ye be.1 Undoubtedly in London ye have heard Gods word truly preached. My hearts desire and daily prayer shall be for you (as for whom, for my time, I know to my Lord God, I am countable) that ye never swerve, neither for loss of life nor worldly goods, from Gods holy word, and yield unto Antichrist: whereupon must needs follow the extreme displeasure of God, and the loss both of your bodies and souls into perpetual damnation for evermore.
Farewell now all ye Citizens that be of God, of what state and condition so euer ye be.1 Undoubtedly in London ye haue heard Gods word truely preached. My hartes desire and dayly prayer shalbe for you (as for whome, for my time, I know to my Lord God, I am countable) that yee neuer swarue, neyther for losse of life nor worldly goodes, from Gods holy word, and yelde vnto Antichrist: wherevpon must needes folow the extreame displeasure of God, and the losse both of your bodies and soules into perpetuall damnation for euermore.
- 1To the Citizens of London.
Now that I have gone through the places where I have dwelt any space in the time of my pilgrimage here upon earth, remembering that for the space of king Edwards reign, which was for the time of mine office in the Seas of London and Rochester, I was a member of the higher house of the Parliament:1 therefore (seeing my God hath given me leisure and the remembrance thereof) I will bid my Lords of the temporalty farewell. They shall have no just cause (by Gods grace, to take it that I intend to say, in ill part. As for the spiritual Prelacy that now is, I have nothing to say to them, except I should repeat again a great part of that I have said before now already to the Sea of London. To you therefore my Lords of the temporalty will I speak, and this would I have you first to understand, that when I wrote this, I looked daily when I should be called to the change of this life, and thought that this my writing should not come to your knowledge, before the time of the dissolution of my Body and soul should be expired, and therefore know ye, that I had before mine eyes only the fear of God, and christian charity toward you, which moved me to write: for of you hereafter I look not in this world, either for pleasure or displeasure. If my talk shall do you never so much pleasure or profit, you cannot promote me, nor if I displease you ye cannot hurt me or harm me, for I shall be out of your reach. Now therefore if you fear God, & can be content to hear the talk of him that seeketh nothing at your hands, but to serve God and to do you good: hearken what I say. I say unto you, as S. Paul saith to the Galatians: