N20568:9161
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.
IT would require a long discourse to declare what a stir there was in Cambridge upon this preaching of Mr. Latimer. Belike Satan began to feel himself and his kingdom to be touched too near, and therefore thought it time to look about him, and to make out his men of arms.
FIRST came out the prior of the Black-Friars, called Buckneham, who thinking to make a great hand against Mr. Latimer, about the same time of Christmas, when Mr. Latimer brought forth his cards to deface belike the doings of the other, brought out his Christmas dice, casting there to his audience Cinque and Quarter, meaning by the Cinque five places in the New Testament, and the four doctors by the Quarter; by which his Cinque and Quarter, he would prove that it was not expedient for the scriptures to be in English, lest the ⟨p. 823⟩ignorant and vulgar sort, through the occasion thereof, might aptly be brought in danger to leave their vocation, or else to run into some inconvenience; as for example:
THE ploughman, when he heareth this in the gospel, "No man that layeth his hand on the plough and looketh back, is meet for the kingdom of God;" might, peradventure hearing this, cease from his plough. Likewise the baker, when he hears that a little leaven corrupteth a whole lump of dough, may perchance leave our bread unleavened, and so our bodies shall be unseasoned. Also the simple man, when he heareth in the gospel, "If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee," may make himself blind, and so fill the world with beggars. These, with some others, this clerkly friar brought out, to the number of […], to prove his purpose.
THE ploughman, when he heareth this in the gospel, "No man that layeth his hand on the plough and looketh back, is meet for the kingdom of God;" might, peradventure hearing this, cease from his plough. Likewise the baker, when he hears that a little leaven corrupteth a whole lump of dough, may perchance leave our bread unleavened, and so our bodies shall be unseasoned. Also the simple man, when he heareth in the gospel, "If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee," may make himself blind, and so fill the world with beggars. These, with some others, this clerkly friar brought out, to the number of 〈…〉, to prove his purpose.
MR. Latimer hearing this sermon of Dr. Buck••ham, came again in the afternoon, or shortly after, to the church to answer the friar, where resorted to him a great multitude, as well of the university as of the town, both doctors and other graduates, with great expectation to hear what he could say: among whom also, directly in the face of Latimer, underneath the pulpit, sat Buckneham the aforesaid friar, prior of the Black-Friars, with his black friar's cowl about his shoulders.
THEN Mr. Latimer first repeating the friarly reasons of Dr. Buckneham, whereby he would prove it a dangerous thing for the vulgar people to have the scriptures in the vulgar tongue, so refuted the friar, so answered to his objections, so dallied with his bald reason of the ploughman looking back, and of the baker leaving his bread unleavened, that the vanity of the friar might to all men appear, well proving and declaring to the people, that there was no such fear•nor danger for the scriptures to be in English, as the friar pretended; at least requiring this, that the scriptures might be so long in the English tongue, till Englishmen were so mad, that either the ploughman durst not look back, or the baker should leave his bread unleavened. And proceeding moreover in his sermon, he began to discourse of the mystical speeches and figurative phrases of the scriptures; which phrases he said were not so diffuse and difficult, as they were common in the scriptures, and in the Hebrew tongue are commonly used and known: and not only in the Hebrew tongue, but also every speech (saith he) hath its like metaphors and figurative significations, so common and vulgar to all men, that the very painters do paint them on walls and on houses.
AS for example (saith he, looking towards the friar that sat over against him) when they paint a fox preaching out of a friar's cowl, none is so mad to take this to be a fox that preacheth, but know well enough the meaning of the matter; which is to paint out unto us, what hypocrisy, crafts, and subtle dissimulation lieth hid many times in these friars cowl's, willing us thereby to beware of them. ln fine friar Buckneham was so dashed with this sermon, that he durst never after peep out of the pulpit against Mr. Latimer.
BESIDES this Buckneham, there was also another railing friar, not of the same coat, but of the same note and faction, a grey friar and a doctor, an outlandish man, named Dr. Venetus, who likewise in his brawling sermons railed and raged against Mr. Latimer, calling him a mad and brainless man, &c. To whom Mr. Latimer answering again, taketh for his ground the words of our Saviour Christ, Matt. v. Thou shalt not kill, &c. But I say unto you, Whosoever is angry with his neighbour shall be in danger of judgment; and whosoever shall say unto his neighbour Racha, (or any other like words of rebuking, as brainless) shall be in danger of council: and whosoever shall say to his neighbour, Fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire.
BESIDES this Buckneham, there was also another railing friar, not of the same coat, but of the same note and faction, a gray friar and a doctor, an outlandish man, named Dr. Venetus, who likewise in his brawling sermons railed and raged against Mr. Latimer, calling him a mad and brainless man, &c. To whom Mr. Latimer answering again, taketh for his ground the words of our Saviour Christ, Matt. v. Thou shalt not kill, &c. But I say unto you, Whosoever is angry with his neighbour shall be in danger of judgment; and whosoever shall say unto his neighbour Racha, (or any other like words of rebuking, as brainless) shall be in danger of council: and whosoever shall say to his neighbour, Fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire.
IN discussing of which place, first he divideth the offence of killing into three branches. One to be with hand, the other with heart, the third with word. With hand, when we use any weapon drawn, to spill the life of our neighbour. With heart, when we be angry with him. With word, when in word or countenance we disdainfully rebuke our neighbour, or despitefully revile him. Words of rebuking are, when we speak any opprobrious or unseemly thing, whereby the patience of our neighbour is moved, as when we call him ⟨p. 824⟩ma•• (said he) or brainless, or such like, which are guil•• •o council: words of spite, or reviling are, when we call him fool; which Christ saith is guilty of hell-fire.
THUS Mr. Latimer in handling and trimming this matter, after that with the weight of Christ's words, and the explaining of the same, he had sufficiently borne the friar clean down, then he turned to the fifth chapter of the book of Wisdom. Out of which chapter he declared to the audience, how the true servants and preachers of God in this world, commonly are scorned and reviled by the proud enemies of God's word, which account them here as mad-men, fools, brainless, and drunken: so did they (said he) in the scripture call them which most purely preached, and set forth the glory of God's word. But (said he) what will be the end of these jolly fellows, or what will they say in the end? We madmen, we mad fools, we, we ourselves, &c. And that he will be their end except they repent. And thus ending his sermon, he so confounded the poor friar, that he drove him not only out of countenance, but also clean out of the university.
BUT what should I here stand deciphering the names of his adversaries, when whole swarms of friars and doctors flocked against him on every side, almost through the whole university, preaching and likewise barking against him? Amongst whom was Dr. Watson, master of Christ's college, whose scholar Latimer had been before, Dr. Notaries, master of Clare-hall, Dr. Philo, master of Michael-house, Dr. Metcalfe, master St. John's, Dr. Blithe, of the King's-hall, Dr. Bullock, master of the Queen's college, Dr. Cliff, of Clement-house, Dr. Dons, of Jesus college, Dr. Psalms, master of St. Nicholas Hostel, Bain, Rud, and Greenwood, bachelors of divinity, all three of St. John's college; also Brickenden, bachelor of divinity, of the same house, and scholar sometime to the said Latimer. In short, almost as many as were heads there of houses, so many enemies did this worthy standard-bearer of Christ's gospel sustain.
BUT what should I here stand deciphering the names of his adversaries, when whole swarms of friars and doctors flocked against him on every side, almost through the whole university, preaching and likewise barking against him? Amongst whom was Dr. Watson, master of Christ's college, whose scholar Latimer had been before, Dr. Notaries, master of Clare-hall, Dr. Philo, master of Michael-house, Dr. Metcalfe, master St. John's, Dr. Blithe, of the King's-hall, Dr. Bullock, master of the Queen's college, Dr. Cliffe, of Clement-house, Dr. Donnes, of Jesus college, Dr. Psalms, master of St. Nicholas Hostel, Bain, Rud, and Greenwood, bachelors of divinity, all three of St. John's college; also Brickenden, bachelor of divinity, of the same house, and scholar sometime to the said Latimer. In short, almost as many as were heads there of houses, so many enemies did this worthy standard-bearer of Christ's gospel sustain.
THEN came at last Dr. West, bishop of Ely, who preached against Mr. Latimer at Barwell-abbey, forbade him within the churches of that university to preach any more. Notwithstanding, so the Lord provided, that Dr. Barnes, prior of the Augustine friars, did license Mr. Latimer to preach in his church of the Augustines, and he himself preached at the next church, called St. Edward's church, which was the first sermon of the gospel that Dr. Barnes preached, being Sunday and Christmas Eve. Whereupon certain articles were gathered out of his sermon, and were commenced against him by Mr. Tyrell, fellow of King's-hall, and so by the vice-chancellor presented to the cardinal.
THEN came at last Dr. West, bishop of Ely, who preached against Mr. Latimer at Barwell-abbey, forbad him within the churches of that university to preach any more. Notwithstanding, so the Lord provided, that Dr. Barnes, prior of the Augustine friars, did license Mr. Latimer to preach in his church of the Augustines, and he himself preached at the next church, called St. Edward's church, which was the first sermon of the gospel that Dr. Barnes preached, being Sunday and Christmas Eve. Whereupon certain articles were gathered out of his sermon, and were commenced against him by Mr. Tyrell, fellow of King's-hall, and so by the vice-chancellor presented to the cardinal.
THUS Mr. Latimer (as you have heard) being baited by the friars, doctors, and masters of that university, about the year aforesaid, 1529, notwithstanding the malice of these malignant adversaries, continued yet in Cambridge preaching for the space of three years together, with favour and applause of the godly, also with such admiration of his enemies that heard him, that the bishop himself coming in, and hearing his gift, wished himself to have the like, and was compelled to commend him upon the same.
SO Mr. Latimer and Mr. Bilney, after this, continued in Cambridge for some time, where they so frequently conferred together, that the field wherein they usually walked, was for a long time after called, The heretics' hill.
THE society of these two, as it was much noted by many in that university, so it was full of many good examples, to all such as would follow them, both in visiting the prisoners, relieving the needy, and in feeding the hungry. Mr. Latimer maketh mention of a certain history which happened about this time in Cambridge, between them both and a certain woman then prisoner in the castle or tower of Cambridge, which I thought here worthy to be mentioned. The story is this: It so happened, that after Mr. Latimer had been so acquainted with the aforesaid Mr. Bilney, he went with him to visit the prisoners in the tower of Cambridge, and being there, among other prisoners, there was a woman who was accused that she had killed her own child, which act she plainly and steadfastly denied. Whereby it gave them an occasion to search ⟨p. 825⟩for the matter, and at length they found that her husband loved her not, and therefore sought all means he could to make her away. The matter was thus:
THE society of these two, as it was much noted by many in that university, so it was full of many good examples, to all such as would follow them, both in visiting the prisoners, relieving the needy, and in feeding the hungry. Mr. Latimer maketh mention of a certain history which happened about this time in Cambridge, between them both and a certain woman then prisoner in the castle or tower of Cambridge, which I thought here worthy to be mentioned. The story is this: It so happened, that after Mr. Latimer had been so acquainted with the aforesaid Mr. Bilney, he went with him to visit the prisoners in the tower of Cambridge, and being there, among other prisoners, there was a woman who was accused that she had killed her own child, which act she plainly and stedfastly denied. Whereby it gave them an occasion to search ⟨p. 825⟩for the matter, and at length they found that her husband loved her not, and therefore sought all means he could to make her away. The matter was thus:
A child of her's had been sick a whole year, and at length died in harvest time, as it were in a consumption: which when it was gone, she went to have her neighbours to help her at the burial, but all were abroad in the harvest, whereby she was enforced with heaviness of heart, alone to prepare the child for the burial. Her husband coming home, and not loving her, accused her of murdering the child. This was the cause of her trouble; and Mr. Latimer, by earnest inquisition, of conscience thought the woman not guilty. Then immediately after he was called to preach before king Henry the eighth at Windsor, where after his sermon the king's majesty sent for him, and talked familiarly with him. At which time Mr. Latimer, finding an opportunity, kneeled down, opened the whole matter to the king, and desired her pardon, which the king most graciously granted, and gave it to him at his return homeward. In the mean time the woman was delivered of a child in the prison, whose godfather was Mr. Latimer, and Mrs. Cheek godmother. But all the while he would not tell her of the pardon, but laboured to have her confess the truth of the matter. At length the time came when she expected to suffer, and Mr. Latimer came, as he was wont, to instruct her; unto whom she made great lamentation and moan, to be purified before her suffering, for she thought she must be damned if she died without purification.
THEN Mr. Bilney being with Mr. Latimer, both told her, that that law was made for the Jews, and not for us, and that women be as well in the favour of God before they be purified as after; and rather it was appointed for a civil and political law, for natural honesty's sake, than that they should any thing the more be purified from sin thereby, &c. So thus they argued with this woman till they had better instructed her, and at length showed her the king's pardon, and let her go.
THEN Mr. Bilney being with Mr. Latimer, both told her, that that law was made for the Jews, and not for us, and that women be as well in the favour of God before they be purified as after; and rather it was appointed for a civil and political law, for natural honesty's sake, than that they should any thing the more be purified from sin thereby, &c. So thus they argued with this woman till they had better instructed her, and at length shewed her the king's pardon, and let her go.
