A67927:888
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 Augustine Bernher.
1Brother Augustine, I bless God with all my hart in his manifold merciful gifts, given unto our dear brethren in Christ, especially to our brother Rogers, whom it pleased to set forth first, no doubt but of his gracious goodness and fatherly favour towards him. And likewise blessed be God in the rest, as Hopper, Saunders, and Taylor, whom it hath pleased the Lord likewise to set in the forefront of the battle against his adversaries, and hath endued them all (so far as I can hear) to stand in the confession of his truth,2 and to be content in his cause, and for his Gospels sake to lose their life. And evermore and without end blessed be even the same our heavenly father for our dear and entirely beloved brother Bradford, whom now the Lord (I perceive) calleth for: for I ween he will no longer vouchsafe him to abide among the adulterous and wicked generation of this world,. I do not doubt but that he (for those gifts of grace which the Lord hath bestowed on him plenteously) hath holpen those which are gone before in their journey, that is, hath animated and encouraged them to keep the high way, & sic curer uti tandem acciperent praemium. The Lord be his comfort, whereof I do not doubt, and I thank God heartily that ever I was acquainted with him, and that ever I had such a one in my house.3 And yet again I bless GOD in our dear brother, and of this time Protomartyr Rogers, that he was also one of my calling to be a Prebendary Preacher of London. And now because Grindall is gone (the Lord I doubt not hath and knoweth wherein he will bestow him) I trust to God it shall please him of his goodness to strengthen me to make up the trinity out of Pauls Church, to suffer for Christ, whom God the father hath anointed, the holy spirit doth bear witness unto, Paul & all the Apostles preached. Thus fare you well. I had no paper: I was constrained thus to write.