N20568:7605
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.
RIGHT reverend, and my good lord, after my hearty thanks for your good cheer at my last being with your lordship, this shall be to certify you, that as soon as cardinal Poole arrived, I gave him your letters, but I had much work to obtain any thing of him for you. For there hath been very evil informations given of you, and it hath been said, that you have concurred with all manner of evil proceedings, which have for some years been in England, as well against the holy sacrament of the altar, and against the supreme authority of Christ's vicar upon earth, as with the use of the late abominable communion, and with the marriage of priests, as well religious as secular; and that you have given orders to (I cannot tell how many) base, unlearned, and evil-disposed people, by reason of which they have taken upon them to preach, and thereby have done much hurt in Kent. So that men think, that yet if any new mutation (which God forbid) should happen, you would be as ready to change as any other. And indeed it maketh me to fear the same, by reason that notwithstanding it hath pleased Almighty God to provide, that our absolution was sent unto you, (when you little thought of it) absolving you from all past offences, yet your lordship (more regarding the vanity •f the world than the offence of God, which he only knoweth how much it grieves me for the due love I bear unto you) presumed to sing mass in pontificials, the holidays immediately following, and also to ministrate to children the sacrament of confirmation, because that one (being a member of the devil) did somewhat comfort you so to do. OH my lord, what honour should it have been both to God and to yourself, and also edification to all good people, (though all worldly men and heretics would have laughed you to scorn) if you considering your great offences towards God, and his goodness towards you, would, as you have offended in the face of the world, to the damnation of many, likewise have showed yourself penitent in the face of the world, to the edification of many, and not so soon to have celebrated for vanity pontificially; but for a time to have abstained for reverence altogether from the altar, according to the ancient custom of the church. Which I have also seen observed by some honest men, not being enjoined thereto by any man, but as their own consciences obliged them.
RIGHT reverend, and my good lord, after my hearty thanks for your good cheer at my last being with your lordship, this shall be to certify you, that as soon as cardinal Poole arrived, I gave him your letters, but I had much work to obtian any thing of him for you. For there hath been very evil informations given of you, and it hath been said, that you have concurred with all manner of evil proceedings, which have for some years been in England, as well against the holy sacrament of the altar, and against the supreme authority of Christ's vicar upon earth, as with the use of the late abominable communion, and with the marriage of priests, as well religious as secular; and that you have given orders to (I cannot tell how many) base, unlearned, and evil-disposed people, by reason of which they have taken upon them to preach, and thereby have done much hurt in Kent. So that men think, that yet if any new mutation (which God forbid) should happen, you would be as ready to change as any other. And indeed it maketh me to fear the same, by reason that notwithstanding it hath pleased Almighty God to provide, that our absolution was sent unto you, (when you little thought of it) absolving you from all past offences, yet your lordship (more regarding the vanity •f the world than the offence of God, which he only knoweth how much it grieves me for the due love I bear unto you) presumed to sing mass in pontificials, the holidays immediately following, and also to ministrate to children the sacrament of confirmation, because that one (being a member of the devil) did somewhat comfort you so to do. OH my lord, what honour should it have been both to God and to yourself, and also edification to all good people, (though all worldly men and heretics would have laughed you to scorn) if you considering your great offences towards God, and his goodness towards you, would, as you have offended in the face of the world, to the damnation of many, likewise have shewed yourself penitent in the face of the world, to the edification of many, and not so soon to have celebrated for vanity pontificially; but for a time to have abstained for reverence altogether from the altar, according to the ancient custom of the church. Which I have also seen observed by some honest men, not being enjoined thereto by any man, but as their own consciences obliged them.
But what is past cannot be recalled. And I thought it not my part to […] your lordship, mine own friend and master, in the mire. Wherefore I ceased not so solicit your […] with my lord's grace, till at last I obtained […] his grace for your lordship all the faculties of […] send you a copy here enclosed, partly for your own consolation, and partly for the comfort of others, desiring your lordship to use them to the honour of God that there come to me thereof no rebuke: not publishing them to any person, but to such as you know will gladly receive them. For hitherto there is never a bishop in England, who hath granted him so great authority concerning those which be under his cure. Only Mr. Archdeacon hath the like, and in one thing, more great than be these your lordship's. Wherefore your lordship shall do well to remit unto him all such priests as have cure of souls, whether they be beneficial men or parish priests. For he hath not only authority to absolve them, as you have, but also to give them authority to absolve such as be underneath their cures. And thus I commit your lordship to the protection of Almighty God. Written at Brussels the 16th of June, 1554. Your lordship's be•dman, THOMAS GOLDWELL.
But what is past cannot be recalled. And I thought it not my part to 〈…〉 your lordship, mine own friend and master, in the mire. Wherefore I ceased not so solicit your 〈…〉 with my lord's grace, till at last I obtained 〈…〉 his grace for your lordship all the faculties of 〈…〉 send you a copy here enclosed, partly for your own consolation, and partly for the comfort of others, desiring your lordship to use them to the honour of God that there come to me thereof no rebuke: not publishing them to any person, but to such as you know will gladly receive them. For hitherto there is never a bishop in England, who hath granted him so great authority concerning those which be under his cure. Only Mr. Archdeacon hath the like, and in one thing, more great than be these your lordship's. Wherefore your lordship shall do well to remit unto him all such priests as have cure of souls, whether they be beneficial men or parish priests. For he hath not only authority to absolve them, as you have, but also to give them authority to absolve such as be underneath their cures. And thus I commit your lordship to the protection of Almighty God. Written at Brussels the 16th of June, 1554. Your lordship's bedman, THOMAS GOLDWELL.
AND thus much by way of digression, concerning the bishop of Dover. Now to return again to the examination of Mr. Bland: let us hear his own report of his answers, as followeth.
Here followeth mine answer, as nigh as I can call to remembrance, every word and sentence; yet if any that was present can help to perfect it, I would be glad. But yet this I dare say, that there is never one sentence, but it was openly spoken the 9th of March in the Chapter-house of Cree-church, in the presence of as many as they had chosen, the mayor of the city being called to be an assistant, and all others shut out.
MR. COLLINS said: Mr. Bland, you know that you are presented unto us as one suspected of heresy. How say you, be you contented to reform yourself to the laws of this realm, and of the holy church?
Bland. I deny that I am justly suspected of heresy, and […] heard when I was presented, that I denied the […] to be just, but to defend the unjust pun•••ment that I have suffered: neither can you prove that any occasion hath been given by me, whereby any man should suspect me therein. But if you have any ••w or authority to proceed against me for any thing done for a whole year ago and more▪ I will answer to it.
Bland. I deny that I am justly suspected of heresy, and 〈…〉 heard when I was presented, that I denied the 〈…〉 to be just, but to defend the unjust pun•••ment that I have suffered: neither can you prove that any occasion hath been given by me, whereby any man should suspect me therein. But if you have any ••w or authority to proceed against me for any thing done for a whole year ago and more▪ I will answer to it.
Collins. You were convented before Mr. Archdeacon and me, and matter of heresy laid to your charge.
Bland. That matter was done and said a whole year ago, for I have been in prison this year and more. If you have any thing against me by law, I desire that you let me know the law and matter, and I will answer according to the law.
THEN said my lord suffragan: But that I am one of the judges I would rise, and stand by thee, and accuse thee to be a sacramentary, and bring witness to prove it; yea, and further, that thou hast called▪ the mass an abominable idol.
Bland. You, my lord, never heard me say so: but I heard you once say, That in your conscience you had abhorred the mass three years. Thou liest, says he, I never said so.
Bland. My lord, if they might be heard, I can bring witness to prove it, with the day, time, and place; and I once did hear Mr. Collins at a visitation in Wingham say, That Christ was a full satisfaction for all sin, present and to come, contrary to that he saith now.
