N20568:6479
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.
WHEREAS by the statute made in the second year of king Henry IV. concerning the repressing of heresy, there is ordained and provided a great punishment, not only for the authors, makers, and writers of books containing wicked doctrine, and erroneous and heretical opinions, contrary to the catholic faith and determination of holy church, and likewise for their favourers and supporters; but also for such as shall have or keep any such books of writings, and not make delivery of them to the ordinary of the diocese or his ministers, within a certain time limited in the said statute, which act or statute being by authority of parliament of late revived, was also openly proclaimed, to the intent the subjects of the realm upon such proclamation should the rather eschew the danger and penalty of the said statute; and as yet nevertheless in most parts of the realm the same is neglected, and little regarded: the king and queen our sovereign lord and lady, therefore, &c. straitly charge and command, that no person or persons, of what estate, degree, or condition soever he or they be, from henceforth presume to bring or convey, or cause to be brought or conveyed into this realm, any books, writings or works hereafter mentioned▪ that is to say, any book or books, writings or works made or set forth, by, or in the name of Martin Luther, or any book or books, writings or wo•ks made and set forth, by, or in the name of Oecolampadius, Zuinglius, John Calvin, Pomeran•, John Alasco, Bullinger, Bucer, Melanchthon, Bernardinus, Ochinus, Erasmus, Sarcerius, Peter Martyr, Hugh Latimer, Robert Barnes, otherwise called Friar Barnes, John Bale, otherwise called Friar Bale, Justus Jonas, John Hooper, Miles Coverdale, William Tyndale, Thomas Cranmer, late archbishop of Canterbury, William Turner, Theodore Basil, otherwise called Thomas Beacon, John Frith, Roy, and the book commonly called Hall's Chronicle, or any of them in the Latin tongue, Dutch tongue, English tongue, Italian tongue, or French tongue, or any other like book, paper, writing, or work, made, printed, or set forth, by any other person or persons, containing false doctrine contrary and against the catholic faith, and the doctrine of the catholic church.
WHEREAS by the statute made in the second year of king Henry IV. concerning the repressing of he•esy, there is ordained and provided a great punishment, not only for the authors, makers, and writers of books containing wicked doctrine, and erroneous and heretical opinions, contrary to the catholic faith and determination of holy church, and likewise for their favourers and supporters; but also for such as shall have or keep any such books of writings, and not make delivery of them to the ordinary of the diocese or his ministers, within a certain time limited in the said statute, which act or statute being by authority of parliament of late revived, was also openly proclaimed, to the intent the subjects of the realm upon such proclamation should the rather eschew the danger and penalty of the said statute; and as yet nevertheless in most parts of the realm the same is neglected, and little regarded: the king and queen our sovereign lord and lady, therefore, &c. straitly charge and command, that no person or persons, of what estate, degree, or condition soever he or they be, from henceforth presume to bring or convey, or cause to be brought or conveyed into this realm, any books, writings or works hereafter mentioned▪ that is to say, any book or books, writings or works made or set forth, by, or in the name of Martin Luther, or any book or books, writings or wo•ks made and set forth, by, or in the name of Oecolampadius, Zuinglius, John Calvin, Pomeran•, John Alasco, Bullinger, Bucer, Melancthon, Bernardinus, Ochinus, Erasmus, Sarcerius, Peter Mart•r, Hugh Latimer, Robert Barnes, otherwise called Friar Barnes, John Bale, otherwise called Friar Bale, Justus Jonas, John Hooper, Miles Coverdale, William Tindal, Thomas Cranmer, late archbishop of Canterbury, William Turner, Theodore Basil, otherwise called Thomas Beacon, John Frith, Roy, and the book commonly called Hall's Chronicle, or any of them in the Latin tongue, Dutch tongue, English tongue, Italian tongue, or French tongue, or any other like book, paper, writing, or work, made, printed, or set forth, by any other person or persons, containing false doctrine contrary and against the catholic faith, and the doctrine of the catholic church.
And also that no person or persons presume to write, print, •tter, sell, read, or keep any, or cause to be written, printed, uttered, or kept any of the said books, papers, works, or writings, or any other book or books written or printed in the Latin or English tongue, concerning the common service and administration set forth in English to be used in ⟨p. 605⟩the churches of this realm, in the time of king Edward VI. commonly called the communion book, or book of common service and ordering of ministers, otherwise called, The book set forth by the authority of parliament, for common prayer and administration of the sacraments, or to be […] in the mother tongue within the church of England, but shall within the space of fifteen days next after the publication of this proclamation, bring or deliver, or cause the said books, writings, and works, and every of them remaining in their custody and keeping, to be brought and delivered to the ordinary of the diocese, where such books, works, or writings be or remain, or to his chancellor or commissaries, without fraud, colour or deceit, at the said ordinaries will and disposition to be burnt, or otherwise to be used or ordered by the said ordinaries, as by the canons or spiritual laws it is in that case limited and appointed, upon pain that every offender contrary to this proclamation, shall incur the danger and penalties contained in the said statute, and as they will avoid their majesties high indignation and displeasure, and further answer to their uttermost perils.
And also that no person or persons presume to write, print, •tter, sell, read, or keep any, or cause to be written, printed, uttered, or kept any of the said books, papers, works, or writings, or any other book or books written or printed in the Latin or English tongue, concerning the common service and administration set forth in English to be used in ⟨p. 605⟩
And their majesties by this proclamation give full power and authority to all the bishops and ordinaries, and all justices of the peace, mayors, sheriffs, bailiffs of cities and towns corporate, and other head officers within this realm and the dominions thereof, and expressly commandeth and willeth the same and every of […], that they and every of them, within their several limits and jurisdictions, shall in default and negligence of the said subjects, after the said fifteen days expired, ••quire and search out the said books, writings, and works▪ and for this purpose enter into the house or houses, closet and secret places of every person, of whatsoever degree, being negligent in this behalf, and suspected to keep any such books, writings, or works, contrary to this proclamation: and that the said justices, mayors, sheriffs, bailiffs, and other head officers above specified, and every of them within their said limits and jurisdictions finding any of the said subjects negligent and faulty in this behalf, shall commit every such offender to ward, there to remain without bail or main-prize, till the same offender or offenders have received such punishment as the said statute doth limit and appoint in this behalf. Given under our signs manual, […] our manor of Hampton-court, the 13th day of June, the […] and second years of our reign.
And their majesties by this proclamation give full power and authority to all the bishops and ordinaries, and all justices of the peace, mayors, sheriffs, bailiffs of cities and towns corporate, and other head officers within this realm and the dominions thereof, and expressly commandeth and willeth the same and every of 〈…〉, that they and every of them, within their several limits and jurisdictions, shall in default and negligence of the said subjects, after the said fifteen days expired, ••quire and search out the said books, writings, and works▪ and for this purpose enter into the house or houses, closet and secret places of every person, of whatsoever degree, being negligent in this behalf, and suspected to keep any such books, writings, or works, contrary to this proclamation: and that the said justices, mayors, sheriffs, bailiffs, and other head officers above specified, and every of them within their said limits and jurisdictions finding any of the said subjects negligent and faulty in this behalf, shall commit every such offender to ward, there to remain without bail or main-prize, till the same offender or offenders have received such punishment as the said statute doth limit and appoint in this behalf. Given under our signs manual, our manor of Hampton-court, the 13th day of June, the and second years of our reign.
1. WHETHER they have seen any of the aforesaid books.
2. WHETHER they have heard any of the said books.
3. WHERE they were, and in what place they have seen them.
4. WHOM they know to have lately come from beyond the sea, especially from Zurich, Strasburgh, Frankfort, Wesel, Embden, and Doesburg
5. WHOM they know or vehemently suspect to be common carriers of letters, or money thither from hence.
6. THAT they bring to my lord mayor all such seditious books as they have, or shall have found hereafter.
IN this proclamation the reader will easily discover the profound and learned censure of the Roman catholic church, what books they dislike and reject as heretical, schismatical, and pernicious. On which catholic censure of the learned fathers, we have not leisure at present to enlarge; neither is it necessary in this place to enter into a particular defence of the authors here condemned. Suffice it therefore to take a general view of the ridiculous (not to say blasphemous) matter contained in some of the popish books; which by being contrasted with the doctrines of the opposite side, may give an opportunity of judging the better, which is most agreeable to God's holy word and truth, and of discerning between the true catholic church and the mother of abominations.
AND first to begin with the primmer in English, for children, printed with a privilege according to the king and queen's majesty's letters patent, in the reign of queen Mary. Let us repeat and survey some part of the said primmer, (for to express all, would be too tedious) beginning with the first lesson of our lady, in these words:
"Holy Mary, mother of virgins all;
Mother and daughter of the king celestial,
