N20568:9197
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].
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.
MOST REVEREND GOVERNOR, HAD not sickness prevented me, I had myself waited on you at your palace; but these fresh troubles have brought on me a sharp return of an old distemper, so that I can't be able to wait on you to-day; I can't, I say, without great pain, but that your lordship might no longer in vain expect my coming, I have sent these lines scribbled with mine own hand to your grace, as to a most upright judge, of my excuse, in which I wish I had more time or more judgment to frame a just expostulation with your grace for detaining me so long against my will from my cure, and that so unseasonably, at a time when it most behoves every pastor to be with his flock. But what shall I say, if it is lawful for so mean a prisoner to plead with so great a father? If we esteem a priest good for doing his duty, who, while he remains in this earthly tabernacle, never ceaseth to teach and admonish his congregation, and so much the more as he draws nearer his last home, what must we think of those who neither preach themselves now, (at which I should not wonder had they not been used to it before) nor permit those who are desirous to do it, unless they are bound to do and say nothing ⟨p. 828⟩but what they please. At first I thought it safe to submit myself entirely to your clemency, but now it seems as safe to justify myself a little, since one thing was pretended in the beginning, but now another, and what will be the end I have great room to doubt, but I hope truth only will be used. St. Jerome on these words (which I hope I shall never forget) "The Lord who preserveth truth, for ever shall deliver thee," writes thus, Whatsoever I suffer for truth's sake shall never trouble me, for the Lord liveth and careth for me. First I was sent to London, where I was before the court of Canterbury, then all was stopped that had been done, and the matter had bounds and limits set to it by him who sent me; but so the business was handled and brought into doubt, that at length there seemed no end to it, but that it must be infinitely prolonged. For while, without either method or design, I was questioned of one thing after another, whether pertinent or impertinent, now by one, and then by another, if I gave them no answer, or if I answered them to the purpose (which I thought was not imprudent sometimes to put an end to the dispute) I was equally uncivil;
MOST REVEREND GOVERNOR, HAD not sickness prevented me, I had myself waited on you at your palace; but these fresh troubles have brought on me a sharp return of an old distemper, so that I can't be able to wait on you to-day; I can't, I say, without great pain, but that your lordship might no longer in vain expect my coming, I have sent these lines scribbled with mine own hand to your grace, as to a most upright judge, of my excuse, in which I wish I had more time or more judgment to frame a just expostulation with your grace for detaining me so long against my will from my cure, and that so unseasonably, at a time when it most behoves every pastor to be with his flock. But what shall I say, if it is lawful for so mean a prisoner to plead with so great a father? If we esteem a priest good for doing his duty, who, while he remains in this earthly tabernacle, never ceaseth to teach and admonish his congregation, and so much the more as he draws nearer his last home, what must we think of those who neither preach themselves now, (at which I should not wonder had they not been used to it before) nor permit those who are desirous to do it, unless they are bound to do and say nothing