A67927:4916
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.
But most of all we have herein to wonder at Master Harding, who in his late rejoinder, written against the Bishop of Salisbury, notwithstanding all these evidences, and demonstrations so certain, & manifestly appearing, yet goeth about, first to deny the story, terming it to be a fable, and afterward being forced to fly a statu inficiali, and to admit the story, he removeth ad translationem criminis, & there seeking, by all means, to clear the Clergy from the spot of cruelty, transferreth the whole blame only, upon the women that suffered, but principally upon poor Perotine:1 whom he specially charged with two capital crimes, to wit, whoredom, and murder.
But most of all we haue herein to wonder at Mayster Harding, who in his late reioynder, written agaynst the Bishop of Salisbury, notwithstanding all these euidēces, and demonstrations so certayne, & manifestly appearing, yet goeth about, first to denye the storye, terming it to be a fable, and afterward being forced to flye a statu inficiali, and to admit the story, he remoueth ad translationem criminis, & there seeking, by all meanes, to cleare the Cleargy frō the spot of cruelty, trasferreth the whole blame onely, vpō the womē that suffered, but principally vpon poore Perotine:1 whome he specially charged with two capitall crimes, to wit, whoredome, and murder.
- 1Two crimes objected against Perrotine Massey.Two crimes obiected agaynst Perrotine Massey.
And first, touching his accusation of whoredom, let us hear, how he proveth this matter.1 Because (saith he) by story it is granted, that she was with child: and yet the Historiographer doth not declare (neither durst for shame) who was her husband, or father to the child. &c. As though that Historiographers being occupied in setting forth the persecution of Gods people, suffering death for religion, and doctrine of Christ, were bound, or had nothing else to do, but to play the sumner, and to bring forth, who were husbands to the wives, and fathers to their children: which newfound law of history being never required before, nor observed of any Story writers, if M. H. now shall exact of me, first let him begin with himself, and show us (as wise as he is) who was his own father, if he can. And yet I think not contrary, but his mother was an honest woman. And no less do I think also of this Perotine aforesaid, whereof more shall be said (God willing) hereafter.