N20568:9703
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.
ON the 15th day in the morning, Dr. Brooks, bishop of Gloucester, and the vice-chancellor of Oxford, Dr. Marshall, with divers other of the chief and heads of the same university, and many others accompanying them, came to the house of Mr. Irish, then mayor of Oxford, where Dr. Ridley, late bishop of London, was close prisoner. And when the bishop of Gloucester came into the chamber where the said Dr. Ridley did he, he told him for what purpose their coming was unto him, saying, That yet once again the queen's majesty did offer unto him by them▪ her gracious mercy, if that he would receive the same, and come home again to the faith which he was baptized in an• revoke his erroneous doctrine that he of late had tau••t abroad, to the destruction of many. And further said, That if he would not recant and become one of the catholic church with them, then they must needs (against their wills) proceed according to the law, which they would be very loth to do, if they might otherwise. But, said he, we have been oftentimes with you, and have requested that you would recant this your fantastical and devilish opinion, which hitherto you have not, although you might in so doing win many, and do much good. Therefore, good Mr. Ridley, consider with yourself the danger that shall ensue both of body and soul, if that you shall so wilfully cast yourself away in refusing mercy offered unto you at this time.
MY lord, said Dr. Ridley, you know my mind fully herein; and as for the doctrine which I have taught, my conscience assureth me that it was sound, and according to God's word (to his glory be it spoken); which doctrine, the Lord God being my helper, I will maintain so long as my tongue shall wag, and breath is within my body, and in confirmation thereof seal the same with my blood.
BROOKS. Well, it were best, Mr. Ridley, not to do so, but to become of the church with us. For you know this well enough, that whosoever is out of the catholic church cannot be saved. Therefore I say once again, that while you have time and mercy ⟨p. 902⟩offered you, receive it, and confess with us the pope's holiness to be the chief head of the same church.
RIDLEY. I marvel that you will trouble me with any such vain and foolish talk. You know my mind concerning the usurped authority of that Romish antichrist. As I confessed openly in the schools, so do I now, that both by my behaviour and talk I do no obedience at all unto the bishop of Rome, nor to his usurped authority, and that for divers good and godly considerations. And here Dr. Ridley would have reasoned with the said Brooks, bishop of Gloucester▪ concerning the bishop of Rome▪ authority, but could not be suffered, and yet he spake so earnestly against the pope therein, that the bishop told him, if he would not hold his peace, he should be compelled against his will. And seeing, saith he, that you will not receive the queen's mercy now offered unto you, but stubbornly refuse the same, we must, against our wills, proceed according to our commission to degrading, taking from you the dignity of priesthood. For we take you for no bishop, and therefore we will the sooner have done with you: so committing you to the secular power, you know what doth follow.
RIDLEY. Do with me as it shall please God to suffer you, I am well content to abide the same with all my heart.
BROOKS. Put off your cap, and put on you this surplice.
RIDLEY. Not I truly.
BROOKS. But you must.
RIDLEY. I will not.
BROOKS. You must, therefore make no more ado but put this surplice upon you.
RIDLEY. Truly if it come upon me, it shall be against my will.
BROOKS. Will you not put it upon you?
RIDLEY. No, that I will not.
BROOKS. It shall be put upon you by one or other.
RIDLEY. Do therein as it shall please you, I am well content with that, and more than that the servant is not above his master. If they dealt so cruelly with our Saviour Christ, as the scripture maketh mention, and he suffered the same patiently, how much more doth it become us his servants? And in saying these words they put upon the said Dr. Ridley a surplice, with all the trinkets appertaining to the mass. And as they were putting on the same, Dr. Ridley did vehemently inveigh against the Romish bishop, and all that foolish apparel, calling him Antichrist, and apparel foolish and abominable, yea, too foolish for a device in a play, insomuch that Brooks was exceeding angry with him, and bade him hold his peace, for he did but rail. Dr. Ridley answered him again, and said, So long as his tongue and breath would suffer him, he would speak against their abominable doings, whatsoever happened unto him for so doing.
RIDLEY. Do therein as it shall please you, I am well content with th•t, and more than that the servant is not above his master. If they dealt so cruelly with our Saviour Christ, as the scripture maketh mention, and he suffered the same patiently, how much more doth it become us his servants? And in saying these words they put upon the said Dr. Ridley a surplice, with all the trinkets appertaining to the mass. And as they were putting on the same, Dr. Ridley did vehemently inveigh against the Romish bishop, and all that foolish apparel, calling him Antichrist, and apparel foolish and abominable, yea, too foolish for a device in a play, insomuch that Brooks was exceeding angry with him, and bade him hold his peace, for he did but rail. Dr. Ridley answered him again, and said, So long as his tongue and breath would suffer him, he would speak against their abominable doings, whatsoever happened unto him for so doing.
BROOKS. Well, you had best hold your peace, lest your mouth be stopped. At which words one Edrige, the reader then of the Greek lecture, standing by, said to Dr. Brooks, Sir, the law is that he should be gagged, therefore let him be gagged. At which words Dr. Ridley looking earnestly upon him that so said, shook his head at him, and made no answer; but said with a sigh, Oh well, well, well. SO they proceeded in their doings, yet nevertheless Dr. Ridley was ever speaking things not pleasant to their ears, although one or other bade him hold his peace, lest he should be caused against his will. BUT when they came to that place where Dr. Ridley should hold the chalice and the wafer cake (called singing-bread) they bade him hold the same in his hands: Dr. Ridley said, They shall not come into my hands; for if they do, they shall fall to the ground for me. Then there was one appointed to hold them in his hand, while bishop Brooks read a certain thing in Latin, touching the degradation of spiritual persons, according to the pope's law. THEN they put a book in his hand, and read another thing in Latin, the effect whereof was, "We do take from thee the office of preaching the ⟨p. 903⟩gospel," &c. At which words Dr. Ridley gave a great sigh, looking up towards heaven, saying, O Lord God, forgive them this their wickedness. HAVING put on him the mass-gear, they began to take it away (beginning with the uppermost garment), again reading a thing in Latin, according to the pope's law. Now when all was taken from him, saving only the surplice left on his back, as they were reading and taking it away, Dr. Ridley said unto them, Lord God, what power be you of, that you can take from a man that which he never had? I was never a singer in all my life, and yet you will take from me that which I never had. SO when this their abominable and ridiculous degradation was ended very solemnly, Dr. Ridley said unto Dr. Brooks, Have you done? If you have done, then give me leave to talk a little concerning these matters. Brooks answered and said, Mr. Ridley, we ma• not talk with you, you be out of the church▪ and our law is, that we may not talk with any that be out of the church. Then Dr. Ridley said Seeing that you will not suffer me to talk▪ neither will vouchsafe to hear me, what remedy but patience?
BROOKS. Well, you had best hold your peace, lest your mouth be stopped. At which words one Edrige, the reader then of the Greek lecture, standing by, said to Dr. Brooks, Sir, the law is that he should be gagged, therefore let him be gagged. At which words Dr. Ridley looking earnestly upon him that so said, shook his head at him, and made no answer; but said with a sigh, Oh well, well, well. SO they proceeded in their doings, yet nevertheless Dr. Ridley was ever speaking things not pleasant to their ears, although one or other bade him hold his peace, lest he should be caused against his will. BUT when they came to that place where Dr. Ridley should hold the chalice and the wafer cake (called singing-bread) they bade him hold the same in his hands: Dr. Ridley said, They shall not come into my hands; for if they do, they shall fall to the ground for me. Then there was one appointed to hold them in his hand, while bishop Brooks read a certain thing in Latin, touching the degradation of spiritual persons, according to the pope's law. THEN they put a book in his hand, and read another thing in Latin, the effect whereof was, "We do take from thee the office of preaching the
