Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 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.

¶The wordes of the Acte.

ALbeit we the Lordes spirituall and temporal, & the commons in this present parliament assembled,* 1.1 haue firme hope & con∣fidence in the goodnes of almighty God, that like as he hath hi∣therto miraculously preserued the Queenes maiesty from many great imminent perils and daungers: euen so he will of his infi∣nite goodnes, geue her highnes strength, the rather by our conti∣nuall prayers to passe well the danger of deliuerance of chylde,* 1.2 wherwith it hath pleased him (to al our great comforts) to blesse her: Yet forasmuch as all things of this world be vncertaine, and hauing before our eyes the dolorous experience of this incon∣stant gouernment during the tyme of the raigne of the late king Edward the 6. do plainly see the manifold inconueniences, great dangers and perils that may ensue to this whole realme, if fore∣sight be not vsed to preuent all euill chances if they should hap∣pen: For the eschewyng hereof, we the Lordes spirituall & tem∣porall, and the commons in this present Parliament assembled, for and in consideration of a most speciall trust and confidence, thot we haue and repose in the kings maiesty,* 1.3 for and cōcerning the politike gouernment, order, and administration of this realm in the tyme of the yong yeres of the issue or issues of her maiesties body to bee borne, if it should please God to call the Queenes highnes out of this present lyfe, during the tender yeares of such issue or issues (which God forbid) according to such order and maner, as hereafter in this present Acte his highnes most graci∣ous pleasure is, should be declared and set forth, haue made our humble sute by the assent of the Queenes highnes, that his maie∣stie would vouchsafe to accept and take vppon hym the rule, or∣der, education, and gouernment of the sayd issue or issues to bee borne, as is aforesayd, vpon which our sute beyng of his said ma∣iestie most graciously accepted, it hath pleased his highnesse not onely to declare, that like as for the most part his maiesty verely trusteth that almighty God (who hath hitherto preserued the Queenes maiesty) to geue this realme so good an hope of cer∣tayne succession in the bloud royall of the same realme, will assist her highnes with his graces and benedictions, to see the fruite of her body well brought forrh,* 1.4 lyue and able to gouerne (whereof neither all this realme, ne all the world besides, should or coulde receiue more comfort then his maiesty should and would) yet if such chaunce should happen, hys maiesty at our humble desires is pleased and contented, not onely to accept and take vpō him the cure and charge of the education, rule, order, and gouernmēt of such issues as of this most happy Mariage, shall be borne be∣tweene the Queenes highnes and him: but also during the time of such gouernment, would by all wayes and meanes, study, tra∣uaile, and employ hymselfe to aduance the weale both publike & priuate, of this realme and dominions thereunto belonging, ac∣cording to the sayd trust in his maiestye reposed, with no lesse good will and affection, then if his highnesse had bene naturally borne amongst vs. In consideration whereof, be it enacted by the King and the Quenes most excellent maiesties, by the assent of the Lordes spirituall and temporall, and the commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authoritie of the same, &c. as it is to be seene in the Acte more at large ratified and confirmed at the same Parliament, to the same entent and purpose.

¶Thus much out of the Acte and statute I thought to rehearse, to the entent the Reader may vnderstand, not so much how Parliaments may sometimes be deceiued (as by this childe of Queene Mary may appeare) as rather what cause we Englishmen haue to render most earnest thanks vnto almighty god, who so mercifully against the opinion, expectatiō, and working of our aduersaries, hath helped & deliuered vs in this case, which otherwise might haue opened such a window to the Spaniardes to haue entred and replenished this land, that peraduēture by this tyme Englishmen should haue enioyed no great quiet in their owne countrey: the Lord therefore make vs perpe∣tually myndfull of his benefits, Amen.

Thus we see then, how man doth purpose, but God disposeth as pleaseth him. For all this great labour, proui¦sion, and order taken in the Parliament house for their yōg maister long looked for, commyng so surely into the world in the end appeared neither yong maister, nor young mai∣stresse, that any man yet to this day can heare of.

Furthermore, as the labour of the lay sort was herein deluded:* 1.5 so no lesse ridiculous it was to behold what litle effect the prayers of the Popes Churchmen had wyth al∣mighty God, who trauailed no lesse with their processions Masses, and Collects, for the happy deliueraunce of thys yong maister to come, as here followeth to be seene.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ex s••at. ••n. 1. & 2. Phil. & Mar. cap. 10.
• * 1.2

  The iudge∣ment of the 〈…〉〈…〉 in God 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.3

  Order taken by Parliament for Q. Maries child.
• * 1.4

  Trust disapoyn∣ted.
• * 1.5

  The Prayers of the Papistes of what litle effect they are with God.