N20568:5300
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.
TO the fifth, until this clause [and so was it in very deed] they answer and believe the same to be true. And unto that clause [and so was it in very deed], they answer negatively, and believe that it was not in very deed.
TO the sixth, seventh, and eighth, they answer and believe the same to be true.
TO the ninth, they answer and say, that they think they have a just and lawful cause and ground to swerve and go from the said faith and religion, because they have now read more scripture, than either themselves, or their parents and kinsfolk, godfathers or godmothers have read or seen heretofore in that behalf.
TO the tenth, they answer, say, and believe, that the said persons articulate, have been named, taken, and counted for heretics, and so condemned for heretics; yet about three years past they were taken for good christian persons. And forasmuch as these respondents did never hear them preach concerning the sacrament of the altar, they say that they preached well, in that they said and preached that Christ is not present really and truly in the sacrament, but that there is remaining the substance of bread and wine.
TO the eleventh, they answer and say, that however others do repute and take the said persons, yet these respondents themselves did never, nor yet do so account and take them. And further they say, that in case the said persons named in this article have preached, that in the sacrament of the altar is very material wine, and not the substance of Christ's body and blood under the forms of bread and wine, then they preached well and truly, and these respondents themselves do so believe.
TO the twelfth, they answer and say, that where other people have dispraised the said persons, and disallowed their opinions, these respondents (for ought that they at any time have heard) did like and allow the said persons, and their sayings.
TO the thirteenth, they answer and say, that they have not broken or condemned any promise made by their godfathers and godmothers for them at their baptism, and that they are no heretics nor misbelievers, in that they believe that there remaineth only bread and wine in the sacrament of the altar, and that Christ's natural body is not there, but in heaven; for they say, that the scriptures so teach them.
TO the fourteenth, they answer and believe, that the premises before by them confessed be true, notorious, and manifest.
AFTER these answers exhibited and perused, the bishop spake unto them after this manner; beginning first (as he did before) with Thomas Causton: because you shall not be suddenly trapped, and that men shall not say that I go about to seek snares to put you away; I have hitherto respited you, that you should weigh and consider with yourself your state and condition; and that you should, while you have time and space, acknowledge the truth, and return to the unity of the catholic church. Then the bishop, reading their former articles and answers to the same, asked them if they would recant: which when they denied, they were again dismissed, and commanded to appear the Wednesday after, at two o'clock in the afternoon, there to receive their definitive sentence: which (as it seemeth) was yet deferred.
THE next Friday, being the 8th of March, the said Tomas Causton, was first called to examination before the bishop, Mr. Fecknam and Dr. Stempe being in his palace, and there had read unto him his foresaid articles with his answers thereunto, and after some exhortations to recant his former profession, and to be conformable to the unity of their mother church, they promised him (so doing) willingly to receive him again thereunto. To whom he answered, You go about to catch us in snares and gins. But mark, by what measure you measure us, look you to be measured with the same again at God's hands. The bishop still persuaded him to recant. To whom he answered, No, I will not abjure. You said that the bishops that were lately burned are heretics: but I pray God make me such a heretic as they were.
THE bishop then leaving Mr. Causton, called for Mr. Higbed: using with him the like persuasions that he did with the other: but he answered, I will not abjure. For I hare been of this mind and opinion that I am now, these sixteen years, and do what you can, you shall do no more than God will permit you to do, and with what measure you measure us, look for the same again at God's hands.
FECKNAM asked him his opinion in the sacrament of the altar. To whom he answered, I do not believe that Christ is in the sacrament as you will have him, which is of man's making: both their answers thus severally made, they were again commanded to depart for that time, and to appear the next day in the consistory at St. Paul's, between the hours of one and three o'clock in the afternoon.
THE ninth of March, they were both brought thither: where the bishop caused Mr. Thomas Causton's articles and answers first to be read openly, and after persuaded him to recant and abjure his heretical opinions, and to come home now at the last to their mother the catholic church, and save himself.
BUT Mr. Thomas Causton answered again, and said, No, I will not abjure; for I came not hither for that purpose: and therewithal did exhibit in writing unto the bishop (as well in his own name, as also in Mr. Thomas Higbed's name) a confession of their faith, to which they would stand: and required leave to read the same, which (after great suit) was obtained, and so he read it openly in the hearing of the people, as followeth.
