A67927:4915
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.
By all which proofs and circumstances thus debated, it remaineth manifest for all men to perceive, what cruelty, and wrong was wrought against these poor women above specified, and no less matter offered, in a case so unjust, justly to expostulate, or rather to wonder at the hard hearts of these men, but especially of the catholic Clergy of Guernsey, who professing the Gospel of peace & charity, should after the example of Christ, walk in the steppes of meekness, and mercy, and yet contrary, not only to all Christian charity and mansuetude, but also against all order of equity, or humanity, were so extreme and rigorous,1 to condemn them to the burning fire, under the pretensed colour of heresy. Who if they had been heretics in deed, yet mercy would have corrected the error, and save life, equity would have considered mans weak fragility at least true justice would have heard both the parties advisedly, & also substantially have surveyed the cause, and not to •ash out the sentence of death so hastily, as they did: yea, and though they had been heretics in deed, yet true christian charity would have stretched farther, and at least to have given them leisure, and respite of time, to reclaim themselves. But now what is here to be said, they being no heretics at all, as neither it could then, nor yet can be proved? For if king Edwards Religion (which was objected to them) were heresy, yet were they then no heretics, when they revoked the same: and if Queen Mary's Religion were heresy, then were they much more heretics themselves, which condemned them of heresy.2
By all which proofes and circumstances thus debated, it remayneth manifest for all men to perceiue, what cruelty, and wrong was wroughte agaynst these poore women aboue specified, and no lesse matter offered, in a case so vniust, iustly to expostulate, or rather to wonder at the harde hartes of these men, but especially of the catholicke Clergy of Garnesey, who professing the Gospell of peace & charity, should after the example of Christ, walke in the steppes of meekenesse, and mercy, and yet contrary, not onely to al Christian charity and mansuetude, but also agaynst all order of equity, or humanity, were so extreme and rigorous,1 to condemne them to the burning fire, vnder the pretensed colour of heresy. Who if they had bene heretickes in deede, yet mercy would haue corrected the errour, and saue life, equity would haue cōsidered mans weak fragility at least true iustice would haue heard both the parties aduisedly, & also substancially haue surueyed the cause, and not to ash out the sentence of death so hastely, as they did: yea, and though they had bene heretickes in deed, yet true christian charity woulde haue stretched farther, and at least to haue geuen them leisure, and respite of time, to reclayme themselues. But now what is here to be said, they being no heretickes at all, as neither it could then, nor yet can be proued? For if king Edwardes Religion (which was obiected to them) were heresy, yet were they then no hereticks, when they reuoked the same: and if Queene Maries Religion were heresy, then were they much more heretickes themselues, which condemned them of heresy.