The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being…
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].
John Foxe 1516–1587New-York: printed by William Durell, 1794
2 v. : ill. ; 28 cm. (4to) · 1.2M words · Evans 26991
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.
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.
AS nature doth me bind,
Because thou art my blood,
According to my kind,
To give thee of my good.
That thou mayst have in mind
How I have run my race,
Although thou stayest behind
But for a little space.
I give thee here a pearl,
The price of all my good,
For which I leave my life,
To buy it with my blood▪
Mor• worth than a•• the world,
Or aught that I can note,
Although it be be-••ad
In such a simple coat.
For when I had obtained
This pearl of such a price,
Then was I sure I gained
The way for to be wise.
It taught me how to fight.
My flesh for to despise,
To stick unto the light,
Also to leave the lies▪
In sending out my seed,
With bonds and bitter tears,
That I might reap with joy,
In everlasting years.
And have for all my loss
My travel and my pain,
A thousand times and more,
Of better goods again.
And for because the good,
That hath been got and gained,
And that the Lord's elect,
Hath ever more obtained,
Is closed in this book
Which I do give to thee,
Wherein I have my part,
As thou thyself mayst see.
In which I hope thou hast
A stock also in sto•e:
And will not cease to fail,
Till God hath made it more.
I will thee to beware,
Be sure thou keep it well:
For if thou do it lose,
Thy part shall be in hell.
And here I testify
Before the living God,
That I detest to do
The things that are forbid.
And as my judgment is,
My body to be burnt,
My heart is surely set,
Therewith to be content.
And since it is his will,
To put me in his power,
Upon his holy hill
To fight against this whore;
Full well I am content,
If he allow it so,
To stand with all my might,
The whore to overthrow.
Even with a willing mind,
The death I will outface:
And as I am assured,
The battle to embrace.
That they which hear the truth
How I have past the pike,
May set aside their youth,
And learn to do the like.
And though it be my lot,
To let her suck my blood,
⟨p. 760⟩
Yet I am well assured,
It shall do her no good.
For she is set to kill
The things she thinks accurst,
And shall not have her fill
Of blood until she burst.
And when thou shalt perceive,
Or hear of my decease,
Pray to the living God,
That I may sleep in peace.
And when I am at rest,
And rid out of my pain;
Then will I do the like,
For thee to God again.
And to my woeful wife,
And widow desolate,
Whom I do leave behind,
In such a simple state;
Encompassed with tears,
And mournings many a one;
AS nature doth me bind,
Because thou art my blood,
According to my kind,
To give thee of my good.
That thou may'st have in mind
How I have run my race,
Although thou stay'st behind
But for a little space.
I give thee here a pearl,
The price of all my good,
For which I leave my life,
To buy it with my blood▪
Mor• worth than a•• the world,
Or aught that I can note,
Although it be be-••ad
In such a simple coat.
For when I had obtain'd
This pearl of such a price,
Then was I sure I gain'd
The way for to be wise.
It taught me how to fight.
My flesh for to despise,
To stick unto the light,
Also to leave the lies▪
In sending out my seed,
With bonds and bitter tears,
That I might reap with joy,
In everlasting years.
And have for all my loss
My travel and my pain,
A thousand times and more,
Of better goods again.
And for because the good,
That hath been got and gain'd,
And that the Lord's elect,
Hath ever more obtain'd,
Is closed in this book
Which I do give to thee,
Wherein I have my part,
As thou thyself may'st see.
In which I hope thou hast
A stock also in sto•e:
And will not cease to fail,
Till God hath made it more.
I will thee to beware,
Be sure thou keep it well:
For if thou do it lose,
Thy part shall be in hell.
And here I testify
Before the living God,
That I detest to do
The things that are forbid.
And as my judgment is,
My body to be burnt,
My heart is surely set,
Therewith to be content.
And since it is his will,
To put me in his power,
Upon his holy hill
To fight against this whore;
Full well I am content,
If he allow it so,
To stand with all my might,
The whore to overthrow.
Even with a willing mind,
The death I will outface:
And as I am assur'd,
The battle to embrace.
That they which hear the truth
How I have past the pike,
May set aside their youth,
And learn to do the like.
And though it be my lot,
To let her suck my blood,
⟨p. 760⟩Yet I am well assur'd,
It shall do her no good.
For she is set to kill
The things she thinks accurst,
And shall not have her fill
Of blood until she burst.
And when thou shalt perceive,
Or hear of my decease,
Pray to the living God,
That I may sleep in peace.
And when I am at rest,
And rid out of my pain;
Then will I do the like,
For thee to God again.
And to my woful wife,
And widow desolate,
Whom I do leave behind,
In such a simple state;
Encompassed with tears,
And mournings many a one;
Be thou her staying staff
When I am dead and gone.
My mouth may not express
The dolours of my mind:
Nor yet my heaviness,
To leave her here behind.
But as thou art my bone,
My brother and my blood,
So let her have thy heart,
If it may do her good.
I took her from the world,
And made her like the cross,
But if she hold her own,
She shall not suffer loss.
For where she had before
A man unto her make,
That by the force of fire
Was strangled at the stake:
Now shall she have a king
To be her helping hand:
To whom pertain all things
That are within the land.
Also my daughter dear
Whom I bequeath to thee,
To be brought up in fear,
And learn the A B C.
That she may grow in grace,
And ruled by the rod:
To learn and lead her life
Within the fear of God.
And always have in mind,
Thy brother being dead,
That thou art left behind
A father in my stead.
And thou, my brother dear,
Who art my mother's son,
Come forth out of all fear,
And do as I have done.
And God shall be thy guide,
And give thee such increase,
That in the flames of fire
Thou shalt have perfect peace.
Into eternal joy,
And pass out of all pain;
Where we shall meet with mirth,
And never part again.
