A67927:6022
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.
Wood. You have told a great tale and a long, as it were against me (as you think) saying, I hold this and that: I judge my Father and my Grandfather, and almost all the world, without it be a few that be of our sect. But I judge no man. But the xij. of John declareth, who it is that judgeth, and shall judge in the last day. The father shall not bear the sons offences, nor the son the fathers offences: but that soul that sinneth shall dye, as saith the Prophet. And again,1 we may not follow a multitude to do evil, as saith the Prophet: For the most go the wrong way. And Christ saith in the xij. of Luke, that his flock is a little flock. Here be places enough to discharge me, although I do not as the most do. But can any man say, that I do not as I ought to do? where be my accusers?
Wood. You haue told a great tale and a long, as it were agaynst me (as you thinke) saying, I hold this and that: I iudge my Father and my Graundfather, and almost al the world, without it be a few that be of our sect. But I iudge no manne. But the xij. of Iohn declareth, who it is that iudgeth, and shall iudge in the last day. The father shal not beare the sonnes offences, nor the sonne the fathers offences: but that soule that sinneth shall dye, as sayth the Prophet. And agayne,1 we may not folow a multitude to do euill, as sayth the Prophet: For the most goe the wrong way. And Christ sayth in the xij. of Luke, that his flock is a litle flock. Here be places enough to discharge me, although I do not as the most doe. But can any man say, that I do not as I ought to do? where be my accusers?
Lang. What, you be full of scripture me think, and call for your accusers, as though you were afraid to utter your mind to me. But I would have you not to be afraid to talk with me: For I mean no more hurt to you then I do to my self, I take God to my record.
Lang. What, you be full of scripture me thinke, and call for your accusers, as though you were afrayde to vtter your mind to me. But I woulde haue you not to be afrayde to talk with me: For I meane no more hurt to you then I do to my selfe, I take God to my record.
Wood. I cannot tell. It is hard trusting of fair words, when a man cannot trust his father nor brother,1 nor other that have been his familiar friends, but they deceive him. A man may lawfully follow the example of Christ towards them that he never saw before, saying: Be as wise as Serpents, and as innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they go about to betray you. And it maketh me suspect you much, because you blame me for answering with the scriptures. It maketh me to doubt that you would take vantage of me, if I should speak mine own words. Wherefore I will take as good heed as I can, because I have been deceived already by them I trusted most. Wherefore blame me not though I answer circumspectly. It shall not be said, by Gods help, that I will run wilfully into mine enemies hands, and yet, I praise God, my life is not dear to my self, but it is dear with God: Wherefore I will do the uttermost that I can to keep it.
Wood. I cannot tell. It is hard trusting of fayre wordes, when a man cannot trust his father nor brother,1 nor other that haue bene his familiar frendes, but they deceiue him. A man may lawfully follow the example of Christ towardes them that he neuer saw before, saying: Be as wise as Serpentes, and as innocent as doues. Beware of men, for they goe about to betray you. And it maketh me suspect you much, because you blame me for answering with the scriptures. It maketh me to doubt that you would take vauntage of me, if I should speake mine owne wordes. Wherefore I will take as good heede as I can, because I haue bene deceiued already by them I trusted most. Wherefore blame me not though I aunswere circumspectly. It shall not be sayd, by Gods helpe, that I will run wilfully into mine enemyes handes, and yet, I prayse God, my life is not deare to my selfe, but it is deare with God: Wherfore I will do the vttermost that I can to keepe it.
Lang. You be afraid where no fear is,1 for I was desired of Master Sheriff and his brother, and of other of your friends, to talk with you, and they told me that you were desirous to talk with me, and now ye make the matter as though you had nothing to do with me, & as though you were sent to prison for nothing: for you call for your accusers, as though there were no man to accuse you. But if there were no man to accuse you, your own hand writing did accuse you enough, that you set upon the Church door (if you be remembered) and other letters that you let fall abroad, some at one place, and some at an other. Wherefore you need not to call for your accusers. Your own hand will accuse you enough, I warrant you: it is kept safe enough. I would not for two hundred pound there were so much against me.
Lang. You be afrayd where no feare is,1 for I was desired of Mayster Sheriffe and his brother, and of other of your frendes, to talke with you, and they told me thot you were desirous to talke with me, and now ye make the matter as though you had nothing to doe with me, & as though you were sent to prison for nothing: for you call for your accusers, as though there were no man to accuse you. But if there were no man to accuse you, your own hand writing did accuse you enough, that you set vpon the Church doore (if you be remembred) and other letters that you let fall abroad, some at one place, and some at an other. Wherefore you need not to cal for your accusers. Your own hand wil accuse you enough, I warrant you: it is kept safe enough. I would not for two hundred pounde there were so much agaynst me.
Wood. I will not deny mine own hand, by Gods help. For it cannot be lightly counterfeited. I do not deny but I wrote a letter to the priest and other of the parish, declaring to them their folly and presumption, to come into my house without my love or leave and fet out my child, and use it at their pleasure.1 Which moved me to write my mind to them: and because I could not tell how to convey it to them, I set it on the Church door. Which letter my Lord of Chichester hath: for he showed it me when I was before him: wherein is contained nothing but the very scriptures, to their reproach. Let it be laid before me when you or he will: I will answer to it by the help of God, to all their shames that I wrote it to. And as for any other letters, I wrote none, as you say I did, neither had I wrote that, if they had done like honest neighbours. Wherefore if they be offended with me, for that I will answer them with Christs words, in the 18. of Math. woe unto themselves, because they gave me the occasion. And whereas you said, I was desirous to speak with you, and that Master Sheriff and his brother, and other of my friends willed me to talk with you, and that I fare now as though I had nothing to do with you, and as though I were sent to prison for nothing: the truth is, I know no more wherefore I am sent to prison, than the least child in this town knoweth. And as for me, I desired not M. Sheriff to speak with you: but in deed he desired me that I would speak with you, & to utter my faith to you.2 For he supposed that I did not believe well: & he reported you to be learned. But I refused to talk with you at the first. For I remembered not that you were the parson of Buxted: wherefore I said to him, I would not utter my faith to any but to the bishop. I said, he is mine Ordinary: wherefore I appeal unto him. I am commanded by S. Peter in the first Epistle the third chap. to render account of my hope that I have in god, to him that hath authority: wherefore I will talk with none in that matter, but with him. Wherefore send me to him, if you will, or else there shall no man know my faith, I tell you plainly. These words then made the Sheriff angry, and he went his way:
Wood. I will not deny mine owne hand, by Gods helpe. For it cannot be lightly counterfayted. I doe not deny but I wrote a letter to the priest and other of the parish, declaring to them theyr folly and presumption, to come into my house without my loue or leaue and fet out my childe, and vse it at their pleasure.
and when he was gone from me, I remē bred that it was you that he would have me to talk with, and then I remembered that I had made a promise to my father, and goodman Day of Uefield, not past a fortnight before I was taken,1 that when so ever you came into the country, I would speak with you by Gods help, because they praised you so much, that ye were learned, and they would fain here us talk. So all these things called to remembrance, I desired my keeper, which was the Sheriffs man to show his master that I would fain speak with him: for I had remembered things that were not in my mind before, when I spake to him. So he went to his master, & showed him the matter, ⟨p. 1994⟩and he came to me: and then I told him my mind, & what promise I had made: and he said, he would send for you on the morrow, as he did, and the messenger brought word you could not come: you preached before the Queen, he said. Whereupon the Sheriff came up himself, and spake to the Bishop that he should come down, but he was sick. So when he came home again, he sent me to the Bishop, and I have talked with him twice already,2 and I am sure he can find no fault in me, if he say justly: and yet I know not wherefore I was sent to prison: For I was not guilty of that which was laid to my charge, that I had baptised children, the which I never did, as God knoweth: wherefore I have wrong to be thus handled.
and when he was gone from me, I remē bred that it was you that he would haue me to talke with, and then I remembred that I had made a promise to my father, and goodman Day of Uefield, not past a fournight before I was taken,1 that when so euer you came into the country, I would speak with you by Gods helpe, because they praysed you so muche, that yee were learned, and they would fayne here vs talke. So al these thinges called to remēbrance, I desired my keeper, which was the Sheriffes man to shew his maister that I would fayne speake with him: for I had remēbred things that were not in my mind before, when I spake to him. So he went to his maister, & shewed him the matter, ⟨p. 1994⟩
D. Lang. In deed it hath been reported that you have christened children, & that you christened your own child: but since I heard say you would not have the child christened, which is a damnable way, if you deny baptism: and they said, your child was not christened in a fortnight or three weeks after it was borne, and the chiefest of the Parish were fain to fetch it out of your house against your will. Wherefore you wrote railing words against the Priest and them for their good will:1 the which declareth that you allow not baptising of children. And if the child had dyed, it had been damned, because it was not Christened, and you should have been damned, because you were the let thereof.
D. Lang. In deed it hath bene reported that you haue christened children, & that you christened your owne child: but since I heard say you would not haue the child christened, which is a damnable way, if you deny baptisme: and they sayd, your child was not christened in a fourtnight or three weekes after it was borne, and the chiefest of the Parishe were fayne to fetch it out of your house agaynst your wyll. Wherefore you wrote rayling wordes agaynst the Prieste and them for theyr good will:1 the which declareth that you allowe not baptising of children. And if the childe had dyed, it had bene damned, because it was not Christened, and you shoulde haue bene damned, because you were the lette thereof.
Wood. What abominable lies have you told? Be you not ashamed to speak such words as you have done? First you say, I christened mine own child, and by and by you said, I denied baptising of children, and that my child was a fortnight or three weeks old ere it was baptised. What abominable lies be these? I neither baptised my child my self, neither held against the baptising of it, but did most gladly allow it: for it was baptised as soon as it was borne, and I was glad thereof: therefore you be to blame to report so of me.
Wood. What abhominable lies haue you told? Be you not ashamed to speake such wordes as you haue done? Fyrste you say, I christened mine owne childe, and by and by you sayd, I denyed baptising of childrē, and that my child was a fortnight or three weekes old ere it was baptised. What abhominable lyes be these? I neither baptised my child my selfe, neither held agaynst the baptising of it, but did moste gladlye allowe it: for it was baptised as soone as it was borne, and I was glad therof: therfore you be to blame to report so of me.
Wood. Nay surely the Midwife baptised it.
Lang. But it was your mind that it should be so.
Wood. Nay sure, I was not me home by almost xx. miles nor heard that my wife was brought to bed four days after the child was christened. For it was not like to live: & therefore the Midwife baptised it.
Wood. Nay sure, I was not me home by almost xx. miles nor heard that my wife was brought to bed four dayes after the child was christened. For it was not like to liue: & therfore the Midwife baptised it.
Wood. That is no matter what I would have yon. I am sure you can not deny but it is sufficiently done, if the Midwife do it, and I hold not against the doing of it, neither did I it my self, as you said I did.
Wood. That is no matter what I woulde haue yone. I am sure you can not denye but it is sufficiently done, if the Midwife do it, and I hold not agaynst the doing of it, neither did I it my selfe, as you sayd I did.
Lang. Wherefore were you displeased with them that fet it to Church?
Lang. Wherfore were you displeased with them that fet it to Church?
Wood. First tell me whether the child were not truly baptised by the Midwife?
Wood. First tell me whether the child were not truely baptised by the Midwife?
