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.

A preface to the reader.

ACcording to the fiue sondry diuersities and alterations of the Churche, so haue I deuided hetherto the order of thys presente Church story into fiue principall partes, euery part containing 300. yeares. So that nowe comming to the laste 300. yeares, that is, to the last times of the Church, counting from the time of Wickleffe: For as muche as in the compasse of the sayd last 300 yeres, are contained great troubles and perturbations of the Church, with the meruailous reformation of the same through the wonderous o∣peration of the almighty, all which things cannot be comprehended in one booke, I haue therefore disposed the sayd latter 30. yeares, into diuers bookes, beginning nowe with the sixt booke, at the raigne of king Henry the vj. In which booke, beside the greeuous and sundry persecutions raised vp by Antichrist, to be noted, here in is also to be obserued, that where as it hath of long time bene recey∣ued and thought of the common people, that this religion now generally vsed, hath sprong vp and risen but of late, euen by the space (as many do thinke) of 20. or 30. yeares, it may now manifestly appeare, not onely by the Acts and Monuments heretofore passed, but also by the hystories here after following, howe this profession of Christes religion hath bene spread abroade in Englande of olde and auncient time, not onely from the space of these 200. late yeares, from the time of Wyckleffe, but hathe continually from time to time sparkled abroade, although the flames thereof haue neuer so perfectly burst out, as they haue done within these hundred yeares and more: As by these hystories here collected & gathered out of Registers, especially of the Diocesse of Norwich, shall manifestly appeare: wherein may be seene what men, and how many both men and women within the sayde Diocesse of Norwich, haue bene, which haue defended the same cause of doctrine, which now is receiued by vs in the Church. Which persones althoughe then they were not so strongly armed in their cause and quarel, as of late yeres they haue bene, yet were they warriours in Christes churche, and fought for their power, in the same cause. And although they gaue backe through tyrannie, yet iudge thou the best good Reader, and referre the cause therof to God, who reuealeth all things according to his determined will and appoynted time.