N20568:5152
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.
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.
J. HALES. I thank your lordship: and as for my vocation, being both a burden and a charge more than ever I desired to take upon me; whensoever it shall please the queen's highness to ease me thereof, I shall most humbly with due content obey the same; and so he departed from the bar.
A few days after, Mr. Hales, at the command of the bishop, was committed to the King's-Bench, where he remained constant until Lent; then he was removed to the Compter in Bread-street, and from thence to the Fleet.
