N20568:9913
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.
Volume 2 › Chapter 1: The HISTORY of STEPHEN GARDINER, Bishop of WINCHESTER.
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.
AND therefore as in the true knowledge of God's holy word and scripture he appeareth nobody; so in his pen and style of writing no less far is he from commendation, than he is from all plainness and perspicuity. In whose obscure and perplexed kind of writing, although peradventure some sense may be found with some searching, yet shall no reader find any sweetness in his reading.
WHAT moved him to be so sturdy against Mr. Cheek, and sir Thomas Smith, for the Greek pronunciation, others may think what they please; I speak but what I think, that so he did, for that he saw it a thing rather newly begun, than truly impugned. Such was the disposition of that man (as it seemeth) that of purpose he ever affected to seem to be a patron of old customs, though they were ever so rotten with age. Amongst other matters, this one I cannot but marvel at in my mind, when I see how proudly he braggeth, and vainly he vaunteth himself (as well in his letters to the lord protector, and others of king Edward's council, as also in his long matter articulated and exhibited before the archbishop of Canterbury, and other the king's commissioners) of the high favour he had of the noble king of famous memory, king Henry the Eighth, when indeed nothing was less true; neither did the king less favour any of his council, than him, affirming very often, that he greatly suspected the said bishop to be a secret maintainer of the bishop of Rome's usurped authority, and a stout disturber and hinderer of his proceedings in reformation of religion. And therefore he did so much dislike him, that he did not only mind (if it had pleased God to grant his highness longer life) to have used the extremity of the law against him, upon very s•re and just matter of old committed by him (and yet not taken away by any pardon), thereupon often commanding the lord Pag•t, then his secretary, to ke•p safe certain writings which he had against him; but also he commanded that he should be put clean out of his l•st will and testament, not suffering him either to be one of his executors, or in any case to be of his son's council, no, although he were earnestly entreated to the contrary by sundry of the lords, and others of his highness's council, saying, he was a wilful, troublesome, and headstrong man, and not meet to be about his son, or to have any thing to do by his will. New, amongst other causes that moved the king thus to suspect his fidelity towards his godly proceedings in religion, I find this to be one.