A67927:411
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.
To his brother.
To hys brother.
AS nature doth me bind, Because thou art my blood According to my kind To give thee of my good, That thou mayest have in mind How I have run my race Although thou bide behind But for a little space, I yeave thee here a pearl The price of all my good For which I leave my life, To buy it with my blood More worth then all the world Or ought that I can note, Although it be yclad, In such a simple cote. For when I had obtained This pearl of such a price Then was I sure I gained The way for to be wise. It taught me for to fight My flesh for to despise To stick unto the light And for to leave the lies In sending out my seed With bonds and bitter tears That I might reap with Joy In everlasting years, And have for all my loss My travail and my pain A thousand times and more Of better goods again. And for because the good That hath been got and gained And that the Lords elect Hath evermore obtained Is closed in this book Which I do give to thee Wherein I have my part As thou thy self mayest see. In which I hope thou hast A stock also in store: And wilt not cease to sail Till God have made it more, I will thee to beware▪ Be sure thou keep it well For if thou do it lose Thy part shall be in hell. And here I testify Before the living God, That I detest to do The things that are forbod. And as in judgement is My body to be burnt, My hart is surely set Therewith to be content. And sith it is his will, To put in me his power Upon his holy hill To fight against this whore, Full well I am content, If he allow it so To stand with all my might The whore to overthrow. Even with a willing mind The death I will outface And as I am assured The battle to embrace, That they which hear the truth How I have past the pike May set aside their youth And learn to do the like. ⟨p. 1699⟩And though it be my lot, to let her suck my blood Yet am I well assured, it shall do her no good. For she is set to kill The things she thinks accurst, And shall not have her fill, of blood until she burst. And when that thou shalt see, or hear of my disease: Pray to the living God, that I may pass in peace. And when I am at rest, and rid out of my pain: Then will I do the like, for thee to God again. And to my woeful wife, and widow desolate: Whom I do leave behind, In such a simple state.