N20568:5612
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.
ALMIGHTY GOD by many and sundry ways hath admonished men of all nations in these latter years to embrace, and not violently to resist the light of his gospel; as first, by preaching of his word: secondly, by the blood of the martyrs: and thirdly, by terrible examples from time to time showed upon his adversaries. In the number of whom cometh here to be remembered, the notable working of God's hand upon a certain priest in Kent, named Nightingale, parson of Crondal, near Canterbury, who upon Shrove-Sunday, which was about the 3d day of the said month of March, rejoicing greatly at the alteration of religion, began to make a sermon to his parishioners, taking his theme out of the words of St. John: "He that saith he hath no sin, is a liar, and the truth is not in him," &c. and upon the same very impertinently declared to them all such articles as were set forth by the pope's authority, and by the commandment of the bishops of this realm; saying moreover unto the people in this wise, Now, masters and neighbours, rejoice and be merry, for the prodigal sort is come▪ I know that most part of you be as I am, for I know your hearts well enough. And I shall tell you what hath happened in this week past: I was before my lord cardinal Poole, and he made me as free from sin as I was at the font-stone: and on Thursday last being before him, he hath appointed me to notify (I thank him for it) the same unto you. And I will tell you what it is. Then reading the pope's bull of pardon that was sent into England, he said, he thanked God that he had lived to see that day; adding moreover, that he believed by the virtue of that bull he was as clean from sin as the night he was born: and immediately upon the same fell suddenly down out of the pulpit, and never stirred hand nor foot. Testified by Robert Austen of Chatham, who both heard and saw the same, and is witnessed also by the country round about.
ALMIGHTY GOD by many and sundry ways hath admonished men of all nations in these latter years to embrace, and not violently to resist the light of his gospel; as first, by preaching of his word: secondly, by the blood of the martyrs: and thirdly, by terrible examples from time to time shewed upon his adversaries. In the number of whom cometh here to be remembered, the notable working of God's hand upon a certain priest in Kent, named Nightingale, parson of Crondal, near Canterbury, who upon Shrove-Sunday, which was about the 3d day of the said month of March, rejoicing greatly at the alteration of religion, began to make a sermon to his parishioners, taking his theme out of the words of St. John: "He that saith he hath no sin, is a liar, and the truth is not in him," &c. and upon the same very impertinently declared to them all such articles as were set forth by the pope's authority, and by the commandment of the bishops of this realm; saying moreover unto the people in this wise, Now, masters and neighbours, rejoice and be merry, for the prodigal sort is come▪ I know that most part of you be as I am, for I know your hearts well enough. And I shall tell you what hath happened in this week past: I was before my lord cardinal Poole, and he made me as free from sin as I was at the font-stone: and on Thursday last being before him, he hath appointed me to notify (I thank him for it) the same unto you. And I will tell you what it is. Then reading the pope's bull of pardon that was sent into England, he said, he thanked God that he had lived to see that day; adding moreover, that he believed by the virtue of that bull he was as clean from sin as the night he was born: and immediately upon the same fell suddenly down out of the pulpit, and never stirred hand nor foot. Testified by Robert Austen of Chatham, who both heard and saw the same, and is witnessed also by the country round about.
ON the 2d of April, John Awcock died in prison, and was buried in the fields, as the manner of the papists was, to deny christian burial to such as di•• out of their popish antichristian church.
HAVING now entered into the month of April, we will set down in order out of the public records what happened in the said month. The 1st of April, 1555, a letter was sent to the sheriff of Kent, to apprehend Thomas Woodgate and William Maynard, for preaching secretly, and to send them up to the council.
THE 7th day of the said month, another letter was sent to the sheriff for the apprehension of one Ha• with, who went about with him, preaching from place to place.
THE 7th day of the said month, another letter was sent to the sheriff for the apprehension of one Ha• wich, who went about with him, preaching from place to place.
THE 15th of April, a letter was directed to sir Nicholas Hare, and sir Thomas Cornwallis, requiring them to examine Mr. Flower, alias Branch, what he meant by wearing about his neck this motto, Deum time, idolum fuge. "Fear God, beware of idolatry;" and whom else he knew to wear the like; praying them also to speak to Bonner, bishop of London, speedily to proceed against him for his religion according to the laws, and that the justices of peace of Middlesex should likewise proceed against him for shedding of blood in the church, according to the statute, so as if he continued in his opinion, he might be executed at the farthest by the latter end of this week, and that his right hand be struck off the day before his execution, or the same day.
THE 22d of April, there was a like letter sent to the justices of peace of Middlesex, with a writ for the execution of the said Flower, commanding them to see his hand struck off before his burning.
THE 29th of April, Mr. Robert Horneby, servant then to lady Elizabeth, was convened before the council for his religion: and standing constantly to the truth, notwithstanding their threats and other persuasions, was therefore committed to the Marshalsea.
GEORGE MARSH was born in the parish of Dean, in the county of Lancaster, and was well brought up in learning and honest trade of living by his parents; who afterwards, about the 25th year of his age, took to wise and honest maiden of the country: with whom he continued, earning their living upon a farm, having children between them lawfully begotten: and then God taking his wife out of this world, he (leaving his household and children in good order) went unto the university of Cambridge, where he studied▪ and much increased in learning, and was a minister of God's holy word and sacraments, and for a while was curate to the Rev. Mr. Saunders, as himself reporteth. In which condition of life he continued for a space, earnestly setting forth God's true religion, to the defacing of Antichrist's false doctrine, by his godly readings and sermons▪ as well there and in the parish of Dean, as elsewhere in Lancashire.
GEORGE MARSH was born in the parish of Deane, in the county of Lancaster, and was well brought up in learning and honest trade of living by his parents; who afterwards, about the 25th year of his age, took to wise and honest maiden of the country: with whom he continued, earning their living upon a farm, having children between them lawfully begotten: and then God taking his wife out of this world, he (leaving his houshold and children in good order) went unto the university of Cambridge, where he studied▪ and much increased in learning, and was a minister of God's holy word and sacraments, and for a while was cura•e to the Rev. Mr. Saunders, as himself reporteth. In which condition of life he continued for a space, earnestly setting forth God's true religion, to the d•facing of Antichrist's false doctrine, by his godly readings and sermons▪ as well there and in the parish of Deane, as elsewhere in Lancashire.
AT length, he was apprehended, and kept close prisoner in Chester, by George Cotes, then bishop of that see, within the precinct of the bishop's house▪ about the space of four months, being not permitted to have relief and comfort of his friends; but charge being given unto the porter, to mark who they were that asked for him, and to signify their names unto the bishop▪ as by the particular description of his story, testified and recorded with his own pen, more evidently will appear in what followeth.
ON the Monday before Palm-Sunday, which was the 12th of March, it was told me at my mother's house, that Roger Wrinstone, with other of Mr. Barton's servants, did make diligent search for me in Bolton; and when they perceived that I was not there, they gave strict charge to Robert Ward and Robert Marsh, to find and bring me to Mr. Barton the next day following, with others, to be brought before the honourable earl of Derby, to be examined in matters of religion, &c.
I knowing this, by my friends, was diversely affected; my mother, and other my friends advising me to fly, and to avoid the peril, which thing I had intended, after a week then next ensuing, if this in the mean while had not chanced; seeing that if I were taken, and would not recant in matters of religion, (as they thought I would not, and as God strengthening and assisting me in his Holy Spirit I never will) it would not only have put them to great sorrow, heaviness, and losses, with costs and charges, to their shame and rebuke in this world, but also my own self, after troubles and painful imprisonment, unto shameful death.
THIS considered, they advised and counselled me to depart and fly the country, as I intended to have ⟨p. 538⟩done, if this had not happened. To whose counsel my weak flesh would gladly have consented, but my spirit did not fully agree; thinking and saying thus •o myself, that if I fled away, it would be thought, reported, and said, that I did not only fly the country, and my nearest and dearest friends, but much rather from Christ's holy word, according as these years past I had with my heart, or at least with mine outward living professed, and with my word and mouth taught, according to the small talent given me of the Lord. I being thus with their counsel and advice, and the thoughts and counsels of my own mind, drawn as it were divers ways, went from my mother's house, saying, I would come again at evening.
IN the mean time I ceased not by earnest prayer to ask and seek counsel of God, (who is the giver of all good gifts) and of other my friends, whose pious judgments and knowledge I much trusted to. After this I met with one of my friends on Dean-moor, about sun setting, and after we had consulted together of my business, not without hearty prayer, we departed. I not fully determining what to do, but taking my leave of my friend, said, I doubt not but God (according as our prayer and trust was) would give me such wisdom and counsel, as should be most to his honour and glory, the profit of my neighbours and brethren in the world, and obtaining my eternal salvation by Christ in heaven.
IN the mean time I ceased not by earnest prayer to ask and seek counsel of God, (who is the giver of all good gifts) and of other my friends, whose pious judgments and knowledge I much trusted to. After this I met with one of my friends on Deane-moor, about sun setting, and after we had consulted together of my business, not without hearty prayer, we departed. I not fully determining what to do, but taking my leave of my friend, said, I doubt not but God (according as our prayer and trust was) would give me such wisdom and counsel, as should be most to his honour and glory, the profit of my neighbours and brethren in the world, and obtaining my eternal salvation by Christ in heaven.
