N20568:4430
The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being Fox's Book of martyrs, revised and corrected, with additions and great improvements. : Containing an authentic account of the lives, persecutions and sufferings of the holy martyrs; and the many dreadful persecutions against the Church of Christ in all parts of the world, by pagans, Jews, Turks, papists, and others, from earliest ages of the church to the present period. ... The whole forming at once a general Christian martyrology, and a complete history of persecutions. / By the Rev. Mr. John Fox, M.A. late of Magdalen College, Oxford. ; Now revised, corrected and improved, with many additional articles, relating to the acts and monuments of the church. By Paul Wright, D.D. ; Embellished with forty elegant copper plate engravings. ; In two volumes. Vol. I[-II].The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being Fox's Book of marytrs, revised and corrected, with additions and great improvements. : Containing an authentic account of the lives, persecutions and sufferings of the holy martyrs; and the many dreadful persecutions against the Church of Christ in all parts of the world, by pagans, Jews, Turks, papists, and others, from earliest ages of the church to the present period. ... The whole forming at once a general Christian martyrology, and a complete history of persecutions. / By the Rev. Mr. John Fox, M.A. late of Magdalen College, Oxford. ; Now revised, corrected and improved, with many additional articles, relating to the acts and monuments of the church. By Paul Wright, D.D. ; Embellished with forty elegant copper plate engravings. ; In two volumes. Vol. I[-II].
New-York: printed by William Durell, 1794
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
AFTER our hearty commendations unto your good lordship: whereas it hath pleased Almighty God amongst other his infinite benefits of late most graciously poured upon us and this whole realm, to extend his benediction upon the queen's majesty in such sort, as she is conceived and quick of child: whereby her majesty (being our natural liege lady, queen, and undoubted inheritor of this imperial crown) good hope of certain succession in the crown is given unto us, and consequently the great calamities (which for want of such succession might otherwise have fallen upon us and our posterity) shall by God's grace be well avoided, if we thankfully acknowledge this benefit of Almighty God, endeavouring ourselves with earnest repentance to thank, honour and serve him, as we are most bounden: these are not only to advertise you of these good news, to be by you published in all places within your diocese, but also to pray and require you, that both yourself do give God thanks with us for this his especial grace, and also give order that thanks may be openly given by singing of Te Deum in all the churches within your said diocese; and that likewise all priests and other ecclesiastical ministers, in their masses, and other divine services, may continually pray to Almighty God so to extend his holy hand over her majesty, the king's highness, and this whole realm, as this thing, being by his omnipotent power graciously thus begun, may by the same be well continued and brought to good effect, to the glory of his name. Whereupon, albeit we doubt not, ye would of yourself have had special regard without these our letters, yet for the earnest desire we have to have this thing done out of hand, and diligently continued, we have also written these our letters, to put you in remembrance; and so bid your lordship most heartily well to fare. From Westminster, the 27th of November, 1554. Your assured loving friends, S. Winton Arundel F. Shrewsbury Edward Darby Henry Sussex John Bathon R. Rich Thomas W•tthom John Huddilstone R. Southwell.
AFTER our hearty commendations unto your good lordship: whereas it hath pleased Almighty God amongst other his infinite benefits of late most graciously poured upon us and this whole realm, to extend his benediction upon the queen's majesty in such sort, as she is conceived and quick of child: whereby her majesty (being our natural liege lady, queen, and undoubted inheritor of this imperial crown) good hope of certain succession in the crown is given unto us, and consequently the great calamities (which for want of such succession might otherwise have fallen upon us and our posterity) shall by God's grace be well avoided, if we thankfully acknowledge this benefit of Almighty God, endeavouring ourselves with earnest repentance to thank, honour and serve him, as we are most bounden: these are not only to advertise you of these good news, to be by you published in all places within your diocese, but also to pray and require you, that both yourself do give God thanks with us for this his especial grace, and also give order that thanks may be openly given by singing of Te Deum in all the churches within your said diocese; and that likewise all priests and other ecclesiastical ministers, in their masses, and other divine services, may continually pray to Almighty God so to extend his holy hand over her majesty, the king's highness, and this whole realm, as this thing, being by his omnipotent power graciously thus begun, may by the same be well continued and brought to good effect, to the glory of his name. Whereupon, albeit we doubt not, ye would of yourself have had special regard without these our letters, yet for the earnest desire we have to have this thing done out of hand, and diligently continued, we have also written these our letters, to put you in remembrance; and so bid your lordship most heartily well to fare. From Westminster, the 27th of November, 1554. Your assured loving frinds, S. Winton Arundel F. Shrewsbury Edward Darby Henry Sussex John Bathon R. Rich Thomas W•tthom John Huddilstone R. Southwell.
THE same day, in the afternoon, cardinal Poole came to the parliament house, which at that time was kept in the great chamber of the court at Whitehall, for that the queen was then sick, and could not go abroad: where the king and queen's majesty sitting under the cloth of state, and the cardinal sitting on the right hand, with all the other estates of the parliament being present, the bishop of Winchester, being lord chancellor, began in this manner:
MY lords of the upper house, and you my masters of the nether house; here is present the right reverend father in God my lord cardinal Poole, come from the apostolic see of Rome, as ambassador to the king and queen's majesties, upon one of the weightiest causes that ever happened in this realm, and which pertaineth to the glory of God, and your universal benefit. The which embassy their majesties' pleasure is to be signified unto you all by his own mouth, trusting that you will receive and accept it in as benevolent and thankful wise as their highnesses have done, and that you will give a• attentive and inclinable ear unto him.
MY lords of the upper house, and you my masters of the nether house; here is present the right reverend father in God my lord cardinal Poole, come from the apostolic see of Rome, as ambassador to the king and queen's majesties, upon one of the weightiest causes that ever happened in this realm, and which pertaineth to the glory of God, and your universal benefit. The which ambassage their majesties' pleasure is to be signified unto you all by his own mouth, trusting that you will receive and accept it in as benevolent and thankful wise as their highnesses have done, and that you will give a• attentive and inclinable ear unto him.
THE lord chancellor having ended, the cardinal began his oration, wherein he declared the causes of his coming, and what were his desires and requests. In the mean time, the court gate was kept shut until he made an end of his oration.
MY lords all, and you that are in the commons of this present parliament assembled, which in effect is nothing else but the state and body of the whole realm▪ as the cause of my coming hither hath been most wisely and gravely declared by my lord chancellor, so, before I enter upon the particularities of my commission, I have somewhat touching myself, and to give most humble and hearty thanks to the king and queen's majesties, and after them to you all, which of a man exiled and banished from ⟨p. 401⟩this commonwealth, have restored me to be a member of the same, and of a man having no place either here, or elsewhere, within this realm, have admitted me in a place, where to speak and to be heard. This I protest unto you all, that though I was exiled my native country without just cause, as God knoweth, yet the ingratitude could not take from me the affection and desire that I had to profit and do you good. I• the offer of my service might have been received, it was never to seek; and where that could not be taken, you never fa•led of my prayer, nor ever shall.
BUT leaving the rehearsal thereof, and coming more […] to the matter of my commission, I signify unto you all, that my principal travel is for the restitution of this noble realm to the ancient nobility, and to declare unto you, that the see apostolic, from whence I come, had a special respect to this realm above all other, and not without cause, seeing that God himself, as it were by providence, hath given this realm prerogative of nobility above others: which to make more plain unto you, it is to be considered that this […] first of all islands received the light of Christ's […]. For […], it was the first that embraced the christian […].
BUT leaving the rehearsal thereof, and coming more 〈…〉 to the matter of my commission, I signify unto you all, that my principal travel is for the restitution of this noble realm to the ancient nobility, and to declare unto you, that the see apostolic, from whence I come, had a special respect to this realm above all other, and not without cause, seeing that God himself, as it were by providence, hath given this realm prerogative of nobility above others: which to make more plain unto you, it is to be considered that this 〈…〉 first of all islands received the light of Christ's 〈…〉. For 〈…〉, it was the first that embraced the christian 〈…〉.
[…]
〈…〉
[…]
〈…〉
[…] great learned man, who first brought learning to that university, whereby it seemeth that the greatest part of the world derived the light of religion from England.
〈…〉 great learned man, who first brought learning to that university, whereby it seemeth that the greatest part of the world derived the light of religion from England.
ADRIAN the Fourth, being an Englishman, converted Norway from infidelity, which Adrian afterwards, upon great affection and love that he bare to this realm, being his native country, gave to Henry II. king of England, the right and seignory of the dominion of Ireland which pertaineth to the see of Rome.
I will not rehearse the manifold benefits that this realm hath received from the apostolic see, nor how ready the same hath been to relieve us in all our necessities. Nor will I rehearse the manifold miseries and calamities that this realm hath suffered by swerving from that unity. And even as in this realm, so also in all other countries, which, refusing the unity of the catholic faith, have followed fantastical doctrine, the like plagues have happened. Let Asia and the empire of Greece be a spectacle unto the world, who, by swerving from the unity of the church of Rome, are brought into captivity and subjection of the Turks. All stories are full of the like examples. And to come unto the later time, look upon our neighbours in Germany, who, by swerving from this unity, are miserably afflicted with diversity of sects, a•d divided into factions.
I will not rehearse the manifold benefits that this realm hath received from the apostolic see, nor how ready the same hath been to relieve us in all our necessities. Nor will I rehearse the manifold miserie• and calam••ies that this realm hath suffered by swerving from that unity. And even as in this realm, so also in all other countries, which, refusing the unity of the catholic faith, have followed ••ntastical doctrine, the like plagues have happened. Let Asia and the empire of Greece be a spectacle unto the world, who, by swerving from the unity of the church of Rome, are brought into captivity and subjection of the Turks. All stories are full of the like examples. And to come unto the later time, look upon our neighbours in Germany, who, by swerving from this unity, are miserably afflicted with diversity of sects, a•d divided into factions.
WHY should I rehearse unto you the tumults and ••• sion of blood that hath happened there of late days▪ […] trouble you with the rehearsal of those plagues that […] happened since this innovation of religion, whereof you ••ve felt the bitterness, and I have heard the report? Of all which matters I can say no more, but such was the misery of the time. And see how far forth this […] went. For those that live under the Turks, may freely live after their conference, and so was it not lawful […].
WHY should I rehearse unto you the tumults and ••• sion of blood that hath happened there of late days▪ 〈…〉 trouble you with the rehearsal of those plagues that 〈…〉 happened since this innovation of religion, whereof you ••ve felt the bitterness, and I have heard the report? Of all which matters I can say no more, but such was the misery of the time. And see how far forth this 〈…〉 went. For those that live under the Turks, may freely live after their conference, and so was it not lawful 〈…〉.
IF m•n examine well upon what grounds th•s• […] began, they shall well find the root of this […] other mischiefs, was […], and that the lust and […] affection of one man confounded all laws both […]. And notwithstanding all th•se devices and […] within this realm against the church […] they needed not to have lost you, but that th•• […] as friends to reconcile you, than a great […]. For they wanted not […] mighty […] in all Europe to […] that […]. Than mark the […] these […] to rise a great fac• of riches […] came to great misery and lack. […] […] confound the wisdom of the wise, and […] unjust […] to […], and that thing which seemed to be […] for relief, was cause of plain ruin and decay. […] see that goodness of God, which at no time failed us, but most […] offered his grace, when it was of our parts […] deserved.
IF m•n examine well upon what grounds th•s• 〈…〉 began, they shall well find the root of this 〈…〉 other mischiefs, was 〈…〉, and that the lust and 〈…〉 affection of one man confounded all laws both 〈…〉. And notwithstanding all th•se devices and 〈…〉 within this realm against the church 〈…〉 they needed not to have lost you, but that th•• 〈…〉 as friends to reconcile you, than a great 〈…〉. For they wanted not 〈…〉 mighty 〈…〉 in all Europe to 〈…〉 that 〈…〉. Than mark the these to rise a great fac of riches came to great misery and lack. confound the wisdom of the wise, and unjust to , and that thing which seemed to be for relief, was cause of plain ruin and decay. see that goodness of God, which at no time failed us, but most offered his grace, when it was of our parts diserved.
AND when all light of true religion seemed utterly extinct, the churches defaced, the altars overthrown, the ministers corrupted; even like as in a lamp the light being covered, yet it is not quenched, even so in a few remained the confession of Christ's faith, namely, in the breast of the queen's excellency, of whom, to speak without adulation, the saying of the prophet may be verified, "Behold, she is as one forsaken!"
