N20568:4456
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.
WHEREUPON we most humbly beseech your majesties, as persons undefiled in the offence of this body towards the the said see, which nevertheless God by his providence hath made subject unto your majesties, so to set forth this our most humble suit, that we may obtain from the see apostolic, by the said most reverend father, as well particularly as universally, absolution, release, and discharge from all danger of such censures and sentences, as by the laws of the church we be fallen in; and that we may, as children repentant, be received into the bosom and unity of Christ's church; so as this noble realm, with all the members thereof, may in unity and perfect obedience to the see apostolic, and pope for the time being, serve God and your majesties, to the furtherance and advancement of his honour and glory. Amen.
THE supplication being read, the king and queen delivered the same unto the cardinal, who, (perceiving the effects thereof to answer his expectation) did receive the same most gladly from their majesties: and after he had in a few words given thanks to God, and declared what great cause he had to rejoice above all others, that his coming from Rome into England had taken such happy success, he, by the pope's authority, did give them this absolution following:
OUR Lord Jesus Christ, who with his most precious blood hath redeemed and washed us from all our sins and iniquities, that he might purchase unto himself a glorious spouse without spot or wrinkle, and whom the Father hath appointed head over all his church, he by his mercy absolve you. And we by apostolic authority given unto us (by the most holy l••d pope Julius third, his vicegere•t on earth) do absolve and deliver you, and every of you, w•th the whole realm an• dominions thereof, from all heresy and schism, and from […] and every judgment, censures, and […] for that cause […]; and also we do restore you […] the unit […] mother the holy church, as in our letters mor• […] shall appear: in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
OUR Lord Jesus Christ, who with his most precious blood hath redeemed and washed us from all our sins and iniquities, that he might purchase unto himself a glorious spouse without spot or wrinkle, and whom the Father hath appointed head over all his church, he by his mercy absolve you. And we by apostolic authority given unto us (by the most holy l••d pope Julius third, his vicegere•t on earth) do absolve and deliver you, and every of you, w•th the whole realm an• dominions thereof, from all heresy and schism, and from 〈…〉 and every judgment, censures, and 〈…〉 for that cause 〈…〉; and also we do restore you 〈…〉 the unit 〈…〉 mother the holy church, as in our letters mor• 〈…〉 shall appear: in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
HAVING finished this business, they went into the chapel, and there singing Te Deum, with great solemnity, declared the joy that for this reconciliation was pretended.
THE report of which was with great speed sent unto Rome; as well by the king and cardinal's letters, which hereafter follow, as also otherwise. Whereupon the pope caused three processions to be made at Rome, and thanks to be given to God, with great joy, for the conversion of England to his church; and therefore praising the cardinal's diligence, and the devotion of the king and queen, on Christmas eve, by his bulls he set forth a general pardon to all such as did truly rejoice for the same.
MOST holy father, I wrote yesterday unto Don John Maurique, that he should declare by word of mouth, or else write, to your holiness, in what good state the matter ⟨p. 404⟩of religion stood in this realm, and of the submission to your holiness, as to the chief. As this day, which is the feast of St. Andrew, late in the evening, we have done God that service (to whose only goodness we must impute it, and to your holiness, who have taken so great pains to gain these souls) that this realm with full and general consent of all them that represent the state, being very penitent for what was past, and well bent for that they come to do, submitted themselves to your holiness, and to that holy see; whom, at the request of the queen and me, your legate did absolve. And forasmuch as the said Don John shall signify unto your holiness all that passed in this matter, I will write no more thereof, but only that the queen and I, as most faithful and devout children of your holiness, have received the greatest joy and comfort thereof, that may be expressed with tongue; considering that besides the service done to God hereby, it hath chanced in the time of your holiness, to place as it were in the lap of the holy catholic church such a kingdom as this. And therefore I think I cannot be thankful enough for that it is done this day. And I trust in him, that your holiness shall always understand, that the holy see hath not had a more obedient son than I, nor more desirous to preserve and increase the authority of the same. God guide and prosper the most holy personage of your holiness as I desire.
Your holiness's most obedient son the king, &c. London, Nov. 30th, 1554.
THOSE things which I wrote unto your holiness of late of that hope which I trusted would come to pass, that in a short space this realm would be reduced to the unity of the church, and obedience of the apostolic see, though I did write then not without great cause; yet nevertheless I could not be void of all fear, not only for that difficulty which the minds of our countrymen did show, being so long alienated from the see apostolic, and for the old hatred which they had borne so many years to that name: but much more I feared, lest the first entry into the cause itself should be put off by some other matter or convention coming betwixt. FOR the avoiding whereof, I made great means to the king and queen, which little needed▪ for their own godliness, forwardness▪ and earnest desire to bring the thing to pass, far surmounted my great and earnest expectation. This day in the evening, being St. Andrew's day, (who first brought his brother Peter to Christ) it is come to pass, by the providence of God, that this realm is reclaimed to give due obedience unto Peter's seat and your holiness, by whose means it may be conjoined to Christ the head, and his holy body, which is the church. The thing was done and concluded in parliament (the king and queen being present) with such full consent and great rejoicing, that incontinently, after I had made my oration, and given the benediction, with a great joy and shout there was divers times said, Amen, Amen. Which doth evidently declare that that holy seed, although it had been long oppressed, yet was not utterly quenched in th••; which […] was declared in the nobility. Returning home to my house, these things I wrote unto your holiness, upon the sudden rejoicing that I had so luckily brought to pass so weighty a matter by the divine providence, thinking to have sent my letters by the king's post, who (as it was said) should have departed shortly; but afterwards changing my purpose, when I had determined to send one of mine own men, I thought good to add thus much to my letters, for the more ample gratulation and rejoicing at that good chance;
THOSE things which I wrote unto your holiness of late of that hope which I trusted would come to pass, that in a short space this realm would be reduced to the unity of the church, and obedience of the apostolic see, though I did write then not without great cause; yet nevertheless I could not be void of all fear, not only for that difficulty which the minds of our countrymen did shew, being so long alienated from the see apostolic, and for the old hatred which they had borne so many years to that name: but much more I feared, lest the first entry into the cause itself should be put off by some other matter or convention coming betwixt. FOR the avoiding whereof, I made great means to the king and queen, which little needed for their own godliness, forwardness and earnest desire to bring the thing to pass, far surmounted my great and earnest expectation. This day in the evening, being St. Andrew's day, (who first brought his brother Peter to Christ) it is come to pass, by the providence of God, that this realm is reclaimed to give due obedience unto Peter's seat and your holiness, by whose means it may be conjoined to Christ the head, and his holy body, which is the church. The thing was done and concluded in parliament (the king and queen being present) with such full consent and great rejoicing, that incontinently, after I had made my oration, and given the benediction, with a great joy and shout there was divers times said, Amen, Amen. Which doth evidently declare that that holy seed, although it had been long oppressed, yet was not utterly quenched in th; which was declared in the nobility. Returning home to my house, these things I wrote unto your holiness, upon the sudden rejoicing that I had so luckily brought to pass so weighty a matter by the divine providence, thinking to have sent my letters by the king's post, who (as it was said) should have departed shortly; but afterwards changing my purpose, when I had determined to send one of mine own men, I thought good to add thus much to my letters, for the more ample gratulation and rejoicing at that good chance;
which thing as it was right great gladness to me, through the event of the same (being itself very great and so holy, so profitable to the whole church, so healthful to this my country which brought me forth, so honourable to the same which received me), so likewise I took no less rejoicing of the princes themselves, through whose virtue and godliness the matter did take success and perfection. Of how many, and how great things may the church (which is the spouse of Christ, and our mother) make her account through those her children? Oh notable […] of godliness! Oh ancient faith! which undoubtedly doth •o manifestly appear in them both, that whoso seem them, […] needs (whether he will or no) say the same which the prophet spake of the first children of the church: "These are the seed which the Lord hath blessed. This is the Lord's planting to glory in." How holily did your holiness with all your authority and earnest affection favour this marriage! which truly seemeth to express a great similitude of the highest king, which being heir of the world, was sent down by his Father from the regal sent, to be spouse and son of the virgin, and by this means to comfort all mankind: for even so this king himself, the greatest heir of all men which are in the earth, leaving his father's kingdoms that are most great, is come into this little kingdom, and is become both the spouse and son of this virgin, (for he so behaveth himself as though he were a son, whereas indeed he is a husband) that he might, as he hath in effect already […], show himself an alder and helper go reconcile this people to Christ and his body, which is the church. Which things, seeing they are so, what may not our mother the church herself look for at his hands, that hath brought this to pass, to convert the hearts of the fathers towards their sons, and the unbeliever• to the wisdom of the righteous! which virtue •••ly doth wonderfully shine in him. But the queen, which at that time, when your holiness sent me legate unto her, did rise up as a rod springing out of trees of myrrh, and is frankincense out of the desert: she, I say, which a little before was forsaken of all men, how wonderfully doth she now shine! What a savour of mirth and frankincen•• doth she give unto her people!
which thing as it was right great gladness to me, through the event of the same (being itself very great and so holy, so profitable to the whole church, so healthful to this my country which brought me forth, so honourable to the same which received me), so likewise I took no less rejoicing of the princes themselves, through whose virtue and godliness the matter did take success and perfection. Of how many, and how great things may the church (which is the spouse of Christ, and our mother) make her account through those her children? Oh notable of godliness! Oh ancient faith! which undoubtedly doth o manifestly appear in them both, that whoso seem them, needs (whether he will or no) say the same which the prophet spake of the first children of the church: "These are the seed which the Lord hath blessed. This is the Lord's planting to glory in." How holily did your holiness with all your authority and earnest affection favour this marriage! which truly seemeth to express a great similitude of the highest king, which being heir of the world, was sent down by his Father from the regal sent, to be spouse and son of the virgin, and by this means to comfort all mankind: for even so this king himself, the greatest heir of all men which are in the earth, leaving his father's kingdoms that are most great, is come into this little kingdom, and is become both the spouse and son of this virgin, (for he so behaveth himself as though he were a son, whereas indeed he is a husband) that he might, as he hath in effect already , shew himself an alder and helper go reconcile this people to Christ and his body, which is the church. Which things, seeing they are so, what may not our mother the church herself look for at his hands, that hath brought this to pass, to convert the hearts of the fathers towards their sons, and the unbeliever to the wisdom of the righteous! which virtue ly doth wonderfully shine in him. But the queen, which at that time, when your holiness sent me legate unto her, did rise up as a rod springing out of trees of myrrh, and is frankincense out of the desert: she, I say, which a little before was forsaken of all men, how wonderfully doth she now shine! What a savour of myrth and frankincen doth she give unto her people!
which (as the prophet saith of the mother of Christ) brought forth before she laboured, before ⟨p. 405⟩she was delivered, brought forth a man-child: who ever heard of such a thing? and who hath seen the like of this? shall the earth bring forth in one day, or shall a whole nation be brought forth together? But she hath now brought forth a whole nation before the time of •at delivery, whereof we are in most great hope. HOW great cause is given us to rejoice? how great cause have we to give thanks to God's mercy, your holiness, and the emperor's majesty, which have been causers of so happy and so godly a marriage; by which we being reconciled, are joined to God the Father, to Christ, and to the church? Of the which although I cannot comprehend in words the joy that I have taken, yet I cannot keep silence of it. And to this my rejoicing this also was joined, (which when I had perceived by the letters of the reverend archbishop of Confine, your holiness's nuncio with the emperor's majesty, brought me marvellous great gladness) that your said holiness began to restore to the ancient beauty those things, which in the church of Rome, through the corruption of times were deformed, which truly, when it shall be finished▪ then indeed may we well cry out with the prophet, and speak unto your holiness with these words: "Put off the stole of sorrow and vexation and put on comeliness, which thou hast of God in everlasting glory. For thy name shall be named of God everlasting, peace of righteousness, and honour of godliness; and then it shall be said, Look about and see thy sons gathered together from the sun-rising, to […] down of the same, rejoicing in the holy word." Those is nothing truly (to speak of the children gathered together in the west, which prepare themselves to meet their mother) which they had rather see, than her apparelled (that I may use the words of the prophet) in the garment of righteousness, wherewith God adorned her in times ••st. This one thing remaineth, that your holiness's joy, and the joy of all the universal church may be perfected, which together with us her […] children, cease not to pray to God for it. The Almighty God preserve your holiness long to continue […] for the profit of his church. From London, the last of November, 1554. Your most humble servant. REGINALD POOLE, Cardinal.
which (as the prophet saith of the mother of Christ) brought forth before she laboured, before
ON Sunday, December 2d. Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, and lord chancellor of England, preached at Paul's-Cross, at which sermon the king and cardinal Poole were present. He took for his text the […] chapter of the epistle of St. Paul to the Romans, "This also we know the season, brethren, that we should now awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed," &c.
ON Sunday, December 2d. Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, and lord chancellor of England, preached at Paul's-Cross, at which sermon the king and cardinal Poole were present. He took for his text the 〈…〉 chapter of the epistle of St. Paul to the Romans, "This also we know the season, brethren, that we should now awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed," &c.
FIRST, He showed how the saying of St. Paul was verified upon the Gentiles, who had a long time slept in dark ignorance, not knowing God: therefore St. Paul, said he, to stir up their heavy dullness, willed them to awake out of their long sleep, because their salvation was nearer, than when they believed. In amplifying this matter, and comparing our times with their's, he took occasion to declare what difference the Jewish sacraments had from those of the Christians, wherein he used these words:
FIRST, He shewed how the saying of St. Paul was verified upon the Gentiles, who had a long time slept in dark ignorance, not knowing God: therefore St. Paul, said he, to stir up their heavy dulness, willed them to awake out of their long sleep, because their salvation was nearer, than when they believed. In amplifying this matter, and comparing our times with their's, he took occasion to declare what difference the Jewish sacraments had from those of the Christians, wherein he used these words:
"Even as the sacrament of the Jews did declare Christ to come, so do our sacraments declare Christ to be already come: but Christ to come, and Christ to be come, is not all one. For now that he is come, the Jews' sacraments are done away, and our's only remain which declare that he is already come, and is nearer us, than he was to the fathers of the old law; for they had him but in signs, but we have him in the sacrament of the altar, even his very body. Wherefore now also it is time that we awake out of our sleep, who have slept, or rather dreamed these twenty years past, as shall more easily appear by declaring at large some of the properties and effects of a sleep or a dream. And first, As men int•••ing to sleep, do separate themselves from company, and desire to be alone; even so have we separated ourselves from the see apostolic of Rome, and have been alone, unlike any other realm in Christendom.
SECONDLY, As in sleep men dream sometimes of killing, sometimes of maiming, sometimes of drowning or burning, sometimes of such beastliness as I dare not name, but will spare your ears; so we have in this our sleep, not only dreamed of beastliness, but we have done it indeed. For in this our sleep hath not one brother destroyed another? Hath not half our money been wiped away at one time? And again, those that would defend their conscience, were slain, and others also otherwise troubled; besides infinite other things, which you all know, as well as I, whereof I appeal to your own consciences. Further, in a man's sleep all his senses are stopped, so that he can neither see, smell, nor hear; even so, whereas the ceremonies of the church were instituted to move and stir up our senses, they being taken away, were not our senses (as ye would say) stopped, and we fast asleep? Moreover, when a man would ⟨p. 406⟩gladly sleep, he will put out the candle, lest peradventure it may hinder his sleep, and awake him: so of late all such writers as did hold any thing with the apostolic see, were condemned and forbidden to be read: and images (which were laymen's books) were cast down and broken.
