Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

In Sanct. Martyrum historiam, Abrah. Hartwelus.

ELoquio, venerande, tuo non 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ipsi Sed nos: non Coelum, Foxe, sed orbis eget. Illorum creuisse malis laetho{que} putatum est Quos nunc ipse vides degenerare greges. Illorum, crede, historia velut ignibus antè Calsiet quod nunc friget Euangelium. Certabit{que} aetas veniens millesima, quorum Fortia facta leget, fortia facta sequi. Et calamo seruata tuo tot flagra, tot ignes, Funera tot, lacrymas, damna, pericla, neces, Nulla dies tollet, non qui malus intulit hostis: Non quamuis omni cum Phlegetone velit. Non renuente deo, quondam qui saeuijt hostis, Non, renuente deo, bis violentus erit. Bis fremat: innocuo rapietur cum grege pastor, Grex cadet & pastor, spes{que} futura gregis. Nullus restabit laceris in ouilibus agnus, Nulla, deus, recta simplicitate pecus. Omnia victa malis bona cedent omnibus: alma Simplicitas fuco, perfidiae{que} fides: Iniusto, falso, scelerato, sanguineo{que} Virtutum sacer Euangelium{que} chorus. Quid facient disce exfactis: ventura probantur praeteritis. Ni tua de coelo veniat Clementia, cuius tolluntur digito parua, superba cadunt. Et venias aeterne, potens, inuicte, triumphans: Sic, vt in Aegypto vel Babylone, veni. Non tanti Babylone Draco Belus{que} fuere, Cultus{que} insani, & foeda superstitio. Et licet Aegypti crudelia facta legentur, Aegyptus non tam saeua minax{que} fuit. Vtra{que}, nec satis est, monstrum concreuit in vnum. Et si qua ambabus tetrior hydra fuit. Quid contra fidus praeco, styliue magister? Doctae quid poterunt veriparae{que} scholae? Quid mitis toto laniatus corpore Martyr? Martyre quid plenus sanguifluus{que} liber? Qui truculenta liber, qui viuos vndi{que} testes, Factores viuos, & modò gesta canit? Scilicet vt monstret sanctorum Ecclesia qualis, Collecti quales ex Acheronte lupi. Vt doceat, firmet, soletur cordapiorum: Dedoceat, vincat, excrucietue malos. Vt tibi parta, deus, stet semper gloria, nati Vt possit teoum gloria stare tui: Sanguinis vt sacri, non occultanda trophaea. Vtra{que} posteritas, sancta, maligna, sciat. Haec, venerande, tibi tanto quaesita labore, Tot votis optata, & tot vigilata modis, Noctibus exant lata tot, & sudata diebus, Tot placitura bonis, obruitura malos. Christi, non hominum, laudes sparsuraper orbem Facta{que} (credo) aetas qualiarara feret: Haec, oro, tibi Summipotens nobis{que} secundet, Numinis in laudem perpetuum{que} decus. Inuideat Sathanas, & Zoilus iliarumpat, Obtrectet mendax cum grege Roma suo.