N20568:5150
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.
IN the life of bishop Hooper, mention was made of judge Hales, of whom we shall more particularly speak in this place; beginning with the conference between the bishop of Winchester and him, declaring withal how false the excuse is of the papists, who so precisely by the law, defend themselves, and say that in all their doings they did nothing but by the law, to bear them out. Which if it be so, how did they to Anne Askew? What law had they, when they had condemned her, afterwards to rack her? By what law did they call up Mr. Hooper, and imprison him for the queen's debt, when the queen owed him fourscore pounds, and kept him a year and a half in prison, and gave him never a penny? By what law did Bishop Bonner condemn and burn Richard Mekins, a lad of 15 years, when the first jury had acquitted him, and he at the stake revoked all heresies, and praised the said Bonner to be a good man; and also having him in prison, would not suffer his father and mother to come to him, to comfort their own child? What law had they to put Mr. Rogers in prison, when he did neither preach nor read lectures after the time of the queen's prohibition, and when they had kept him in his own house half a year, being not deprived of his living, yet would not let him have a shilling of his own livings to relieve him, his wife, and eleven children? By what law was Thomas Tomkins's hand burnt, and afterwards his body consumed to ashes? What good law or honesty was there to burn three poor women at Guernsey, with the infant child falling out of the mother's womb, when they all before their death had recanted their words and opinions, and were never abjured before? So here likewise in this case, what order or right of laws did Stephen Gardiner follow in troubling and imprisoning judge Hales, when he had done nothing either against God's law or man's, in proceeding by order of law against certain presumptuous persons, who both before the law, and against the law then in force, took upon them to say their mass? The truth of all which fully appears in the following facts and records.
LORD CHAN. MR. Hales, you are to understand, that as the queen's highness hath heretofore conceived a good opinion of you, especially for that you stood both faithfully, and lawfully in her cause of just succession, refusing to set your hand to the book among others that were against her grace in that behalf; so now, through your own late deserts against some of her highness's proceedings, you stand not well in her grace's favour; and therefore before you take any oath, it will be necessary for you to clear yourself.
J. HALES. I pray you, my lord, for what cause.
L. CHAN. Information is given, that you have indicted several priests in Kent for saying mass.
J. HALES. My lord, it is not so, I indicted none; but certain indictments of the like nature were brought before me at the last assizes there held, and I gave order therein as the law required. For I have professed the law, against which, in cases of justice, I will never, God willing, proceed, nor in any wise dissemble, but with the same show forth my conscience; and if it were to do again, I would do no less than I did.
J. HALES. My lord, it is not so, I indicted none; but certain indictments of the like nature were brought before me at the last asszes there held, and I gave order therein as the law required. For I have professed the law, against which, in cases of justice, I will never, God willing, proceed, nor in any wise dissemble, but with the same shew forth my conscience; and if it were to do again, I would do no less than I did.
L. CHAN. Yes, Mr. Hales, your conscience ⟨p. 495⟩is known well enough; I know you want not conscience.
J. HALES. My lord, you may do well to search your own conscience, for mine is better known to myself than to you: and to be plain, I did as well use justice in your said mas• case by my conscience, as by law, wherein I am fully bent to stand trial to the uttermost that can be objected. And if I have herein done any injury or wrong, let me be judged by the law; for I will seek no better defence, considering that it is chiefly my profession.
L. CHAN. Why, Mr. HALES, although you had the rigour of the law on your side, you might have had regard to the queen's highness's present doings in that case. And further, although you seem to be more than precise in the law, yet I think you would be very loth to yield to the extremity of such advantage as might be gathered from your proceedings in the law, as you have sometimes taken upon you in place of justice; and if it were well tried, I believe you should not well be able to stand honestly thereto.
J. HALES. My lord, I am not so perfect, but I may err for want of knowledge. But both in conscience, and such knowledge of the law as God hath given me, I will do nothing but I will maintain it, and abide in it: and if my goods and all that I have be not able to counterpoise the case, my body shall be ready to serve the turn; for they be all at the queen's highness's pleasure.
L. CHAN. Ah sir, you be very quick and stout in your answers. But as it should seem, that which you did was more of favouring the opinion of your religion against the service now used, than for any occasion or zeal for justice, seeing the queen's highness doth set it forth as yet, wishing all her subjects to embrace it accordingly: and where you offer both body and goods in your trial, there is no such matter required at your hands▪ and yet you shall not have your own will neither.
J. HALES. My lord, I desire not an obstinate will, but to show my love to God, and obedience to the queen's majesty, in whose cause willingly for justice sake, all other respects set apart, I did of late, as your lordship knoweth, adventure as much as I had. And as for my religion, I trust it be such as pleaseth God, wherein I am ready to adventure as well my life as my substance, if I be called thereunto. And so instead of my own power and will, the Lord's will, will be fulfilled.
J. HALES. My lord, I desire not an obstinate will, but to shew my love to God, and obedience to the queen's majesty, in whose cause willingly for justice sake, all other respects set apart, I did of late, as your lordship knoweth, adventure as much as I had. And as for my religion, I trust it be such as pleaseth God, wherein I am ready to adventure as well my life as my substance, if I be called thereunto. And so instead of my own power and will, the Lord's will, will be fulfilled.
L. CHAN. Seeing you be at this point, Mr. Hales, I will presently make an end with you. The queen's highness shall be informed of your opinion and declaration. And as her grace shall thereunto determine, you shall have knowledge. Until such time you may depart as you came, without your oath; for as it appeareth, you are scarce worthy the place appointed.
