N20568:9715
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.
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?
I refer my cause to my heavenly Father, who will reform things that be amiss, when it shall please him. AT which words they would have been gone, but Mr. Ridley said, My lord I would wish that your lordship would vouchsafe to read over and peruse a little book of Bertram's writing, concerning the sacrament. I promise you, you shall find much good learning therein, if you will read the same with an indifferent judgment. To which Dr. Brooks made no answer, but was going away. Then said Dr. Ridley, Oh, I perceive you cannot away with this manner of talk. Well, as it is to no purpose, I will say no more; I will speak of worldly affairs. I pray you therefore, my lord, hear me, and be a means to the queen's majesty, in behalf of a great many poor men, especially my poor sister and her husband, who standeth there. They had a poor living granted unto them by me when I was in the see of London, which is taken away from them, by him that occupieth the same room, without all law or conscience. HERE I have a supplication to the queen's majesty in their behalf. You shall hear the same read, •o shall you perceive the matter better. Then he read the same, and when he came to the place in the supplication that touched his sister by name, he wept, so that for a little time he could not speak for weeping. But recovering himself, he said; This is nature that moveth me, but I have now done: and with that read out the rest, and delivered the same unto his brother, commanding him to put it up to the queen's majesty, and to sue not only for himself, but also for such as had any leases or grants by him, and were put from the same by Dr. Bonner, then bishop of London. Whereunto Brooks said, Indeed, M•. Ridley, your request in this supplication is very lawful and honest: therefore I must needs in conscience speak to the queen's majesty for them.
RIDLEY. I pray for God's sake do so.
BROOKS. I think your request will be granted, except one thing hinder it, and that is (I fear) because you do not allow the queen's proceedings, but obstinately withstand the same, that it will hardly be granted.
RIDLEY. What remedy? I can do no […] but speak and write. I trust I have discharged […] conscience therein, and God's will be done.
RIDLEY. What remedy? I can do no 〈…〉 but speak and write. I trust I have discharged 〈…〉 conscience therein, and God's will be done.
BROOKS. I will do what lieth in me.
Dr. Ridley to the Queen's majesty. MAY it please your majesty, for Christ our Saviour's sake, in a matter of conscience (and not for myself, but for other poor men) to vouchsafe to hear and understand this humble supplication. It is so (honourable princess) that in the time while I was in the ministry of the see of London, divers poor men, tenants thereof, have taken new leases of their tenantries and holdings: and some have renewed and changed their old, and therefore have payed fines and sums of money, both to me and to the chapter of St. Paul's, for the confirmation of the same. ⟨p. 904⟩NOW I say, that the bishop, who at present occupieth the same room, will not allow the aforesaid leases, which must redound to many a poor man's utter ruin and decay. Wherefore is is mine humble supplication unto your honourable grace, that it may please the same, for Christ's sake, to be unto the aforesaid poor men their gracious patroness and defender, either that they may enjoy their aforesaid leases and years renewed, as I suppose when their matter shall be heard with conscience, both justice, conscience, and equity shall require, for that their leases shall be found (I trust) made without fraud or cunning, either on their part, or of mine, and always also the old rents reserved to the see, without any kind of damage thereof: or if this will not be granted, that then it may please your gracious highness, to command that the poor men may be restored to their former leases and years, and to have rendered to them again such sums of money as they paid to me and to the Chapter-house for their leases and years, so now taken from them. Which thing, concerning the fines paid to me, may be easily done, if it shall please your majesty to command some portion of those goods which I left in my house, when I fled in hope of pardon for my trespass towards your grace, which goods (as I have heard) be yet reserved in the same house. I suppose that half the value of my plate that I left in mine offices, and especially in an iron chest in my bed-chamber, will go nigh to restore all such fines received, the true sums and parcels whereof are not set in their leases: and therefore if that way shall please your highness, they must be known by such ways and means as your majesty, by the advice of men of wisdom and conscience, shall appoint:
but yet, for Christ's sake, I crave and humbly beseech your majesty, of your gracious pity and mercy, that the former way may take place. I have also a poor sister that came to me out of the north, with three fatherless children, whom I married after to a servant of mine own house; she is put out of that which I did provide for them. I beseech your honourable grace, that her case may be mercifully considered, and that the rather, in contemplation that I never had of him, which suffered endurance at my entrance into the see of London, not one penny of his moveable goods, for it was almost half a year after his deposition before I entered into that place; yea, and also if any were left, known to be his, he had license to carry it away, or there for his use it did lie safe, as his officers do know. I paid for the lead which I found there, when I occupied any of it to the behoof of the church or of the house. And moreover, I had […] part of his moveable goods, but also (as his ol• receiver, and then mine, called Mr. Stanton, can testify) I paid for them towards his servants' common liveries and wages, after his deposition, fifty-three or fifty-five pounds, I cannot tell which. IN all these matters I beseech your honourable majesty to h•ar the advice of men of conscience▪ •nd especially the archbishop of York; which for that he was continually in my house a year and more, before mine imprisonment, I suppose he is not altogether ignorant of some part of these things; and also his grace doth know my sister, for whose succour, and some relief, now unto your highness I make humble suit. N. R. October 16, 1555.
but yet, for Christ's sake, I crave and humbly beseech your majesty, of your gracious pity and mercy, that the former way may take place. I have also a poor sister that came to me out of the north, with three fatherless children, whom I married after to a servant of mine own house; she is put out of that which I did provide for them. I beseech your honourable grace, that her case may be mercifully considered, and that the rather, in contemplation that I never had of him, which suffered indurance at my entrance into the see of London, not one penny of his moveable goods, for it was almost half a year after his deposition before I entered into that place; yea, and also if any were left, known to be his, he had license to carry it away, or there for his use it did lie safe, as his officers do know. I paid for the lead which I found there, when I occupied any of it to the behoof of the church or of the house. And moreover, I had part of his moveable goods, but also (as his ol receiver, and then mine, called Mr. Stanton, can testify) I paid for them towards his servants' common liveries and wages, after his deposition, fifty-three or fifty-five pounds, I cannot tell which. IN all these matters I beseech your honourable majesty to har the advice of men of cscience nd especially the archbishop of York; which for that he was continually in my house a year and more, before mine imprisonmnt, I suppose he is not altogether ignorant of some part of these things; and also his grace doth know my sister, for whose succour, and some relief, now unto your highness I make humble suit. N. R. October 16, 1555.
THE degradation being past, and all things finished, Dr. Brooks called the bailiffs, delivering to them Dr. Ridley, with this charge, to keep him safely from any man speaking with him, and that he should be brought to the place of execution when they were commanded Then Dr. Ridley in praising God, burst out in these words, and said, God, I thank thee, and to thy praise be it spoken, there is none of you all able to lay to my charge any open or notorious crime: for if you could, it would surely be laid in my lap, I see very well. Whereunto Brooks said, he played the part of a proud pharisee, exalting and praising himself.
BUT Dr. Ridley said, No, no, no; as I have said before, to God's glory be it spoken. I confess myself to be a miserable sinner, and have great need of God's help and mercy, and do daily call and cry for the s•me: therefore I pray you have no such opinion of me. Then they departed, and in going away, a certain warden of a college, of whose name I am not sure, advised D• Ridley to repent and forsake that erroneous opinion. Whereunto Dr. ⟨p. 905⟩Ridley said, Sir, repent you, for you are out of the truth: and, I pray God, (if it be his blessed will) have mercy upon you, and grant you the understanding of his word. Then the warden, being in a passion thereat, said, I trust that I shall never be of your erroneous and devilish opinion, either yet to be in that place whither you shall go. He is, saith he, the most obstinate and wilful man that I ever heard talk since I was born.
THE night before he suffered, his beard was washed and his legs; and as he sat at supper, the same night, at the house of Mr. Irish, (who was his keeper) he asked his hostess, and the rest at the table, to his marriage: for, said he, tomorrow I must be married, and so showed himself to be as merry as ever he was at any time before. And wishing his sister at his marriage, he asked his brother, sitting at the table, whether she could find in her heart to be there or no: and he answered, Yea, I dare say, with all her heart. At which word he said, He was glad to hear of her so much therein. At this discourse Mrs. Irish wept.
THE night before he suffered, his beard was washed and his legs; and as he sat at supper, the same night, at the house of Mr. Irish, (who was his keeper) he asked his hostess, and the rest at the table, to his marriage: for, said he, to•morrow I must be married, and so shewed himself to be as merry as ever he was at any time before. And wishing his sister at his marriage, he asked his brother, sitting at the table, whether she could find in her heart to be there or no: and he answered, Yea, I dare say, with all her heart. At which word he said, He was glad to hear of her so much therein. At this discourse Mrs. Irish wept.
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 t•lk 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?
