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

¶Wo be vnto the Idolatrous Shepeherds of England that feede themselues. Should not the Shepeherdes feede the flocke? but ye haue eaten the fatte, ye haue clothed you with the wooll, the best fed haue ye slayne, but the flocke haue ye not nourished, the weake haue ye not holden vp, the sicke haue ye not healed, the broken haue ye not bound together, the outcastes haue ye not brought agayne, the lost haue ye not sought, but churlishly and cruelly haue ye ruled them. Ezech. 34.

FOr as much my Lord as my busines is such that I can not come vnto your Lordshippe accordyng to my pro∣mise, I haue bene so bold to write these few wordes vnto you, partly to excuse myne absence, and partly to answere your Lordships demaunds at my last most happy depar∣ture from you. As touchyng the breache of my promise w^t you in not commyng agayne at the hower appoynted, your Lordship shall vnderstand that I take the counsaile of the Angell, which warned the wyse men not to come a∣gayne to Herode accordyng to their promise, but to turne home agayne another way. Now my Lord I perceiuyng your Lordship to be a more cruell tyraunt then euer was Herode, and more desirous to destroy Christ in hys poore members then euer was he, which to destroy Christ killed hys owne sonne, I thought good to take the Angels coun∣saile, and to come no more at you, for I see that you are set all in a rage lyke a rauenyng wolfe agaynst y^e poore lambs of Christ appoynted to the slaughter for the testimonye of the truth. In deed you are called the common cut throte & generall slaughter slaue to all the Bishops of Englande, and therefore it is wisedome for me and all other simple sheepe of the Lord, to keepe vs out of your butchers stalle as long as we can: especially seyng that you haue suche store alredy, that you are not able to drinke al their bloud, least you should breake your belly: and therefore let them lye still and dye for hunger. Therefore my L. I thought it good to tary a tyme vntill your Lordships stomacke were come to you a little better, for I do perceyue by your great fat cheekes that you lacke no lambes fleshe yet, and belike you are almost glutted with suppyng so much bloud, and therefore you wyll let some of the leanest dye in prysonne, which wyll then bee meate good enough for your barkyng beagles Harpsfield and hys fellowes, but yet my Lord it were a great deale more for your Lordshippes honour, if your chaplaines myght haue the meat roasted in Smith∣field at the fire of the stake, yea, and when it is somethyng fat and fayre likyng, for now they haue nothyng but skin and bones, and if the dogges come hastily to it, they maye chance shortly to be choked, and then your huntyng wyll be hindered greatly if it be not altogether marred. I heare say my Lord y^t some of the butcherly curres came of late to my house to seeke their pray, & that they go round about y^e citie (as Dauid sayeth) grinnyng and grudgyng that they haue not meat enough, therefore belyke they haue kylled my poore brethren and sistern that haue lyen so long vpon the butcherly stall, and eaten them vp: for I heare say their friends could not be suffred to see them this three dayes & more, therefore I perceyue now that if I had come againe accordyng to my promise, that your Lordship lyke a raue∣nyng Wolf, or els some of your helhounds would quickly haue weried me: but I see wel my appoynted time is not yet come, therefore I wyll yet lyue and thanke him for my deliueraunce, with continuall songs of laude and prayse.

Thus haue I ben bold to trouble your lordship w^t telling you the truth, and the very cause that I came not vnto you again accordyng to my vnpurposed promise, I trust your Lordship wil take this in good part, and accept it as a law¦full excuse, not doubtyng but your Lordship would haue done the lyke, if you had bene in my case.

Now as concernyng the second part that caused me to write vnto your Lordship, which is to answer vnto your subtile or rather cruell demaund of my iudgement of the death of that blessed Martyr of Christ Iesus, good maister Iohn Philpot, I will not aunswer your Lordship simply and plainly, what perill so euer shall come thereof. Truly my Lord I do not onely thinke, but I am also most cer∣tayne and sure, that he as a very man of God, dyed a true Martyr and constant confesser of hys deare Lord and Sa∣uiour Iesus Christ, to whō he did most faithfully commit his sweete soule, who will surely kepe the same with hym in ioy and felicitie for euermore. Also my Lord I do veri∣ly beleeue and know that your Lordship hath committed an horrible and most cruell murder in the vniustly con∣demnyng and killyng of hym, and that you shall make as heauy an account for hys bloud, which shortly shall be re∣quired at your handes, as euer your great graundfather cruell Caine did or shall do for his innocent brother Abell. Moreouer,* 1.1 because I am crediblye informed that your Lordship doth beleeue, and haue in secrete sayd, that there is no hell, I certifie you that your Lordship did neuer any thyng in all your lyfe that so much did redounde to your Lordships dishonor, and perpetual shame and infamy, as your killyng the body of this blessed Prophet doth, especi∣ally seeyng that he was none of your Dioces, nor had not offended any of your Lordships diuelish and cruel lawes. Uerily I heare almost euery body say in all places where I come, that your Lordship is made the common slaugh∣ter slaue to all your fellows, bitesheep Bishops I would say: yea the very papists themselues beginne now to ab∣horre your bloudthirstines, and speake shame of your ti∣ranny. Lyke tiranny beleeue me my Lord, euery chylde that can any whit speake, can call you by your name & say, bloudy Boner is bishop of London, and euery man hath it as perfect vppon hys fingers endes, as his Pater noster, how many you for your part haue burned with fire, and famished in prison, they say the whole summe surmoun∣teth to forty personnes within this three quarters of this yeare. Therefore my Lord, though your Lordship belee∣ueth that there is neither heauen, nor hell, nor God, nor deuill: yet if your Lordship loue your own honesty which was lost long agone, you were best to surcese frō this cruel burnyng of true christian men, and also from murderyng of some in prison, for that in deed offendeth mens myndes most, yea euen your olde friendes the rankest papists that be. For say they Felix the Heathen ruler did not forbidde Paules friends to visite hym in prison, and to bring hym necessary reliefe, and therfore it is a very great shame and sinne, to see a Bishop that beareth the name of a christian, to be more cruell vpon his poore brethren, then an Hea∣then, Turke, or Infidell.

This is mens saying in euery place, not onely of this Realme, but also of the most part of the world, & the com∣mon talke they haue of your Lordship, therfore I thought to be so bold with your Lordship as to tell you of it, thogh perchance you wil geue me but small thanks for my labor. Well, as for that I put it to your Lordships choise, for I haue as much alredy as I looke for. Finally, my L. I will geue you to vnderstande, that the death of this constant Martyr and valiaunt souldiour of Iesus Christ, hath ge∣uen a greater shake towards the ouerthrowyng of your papisticall kyngdome, then you shall euer be able to reco∣uer agayne this 7. yeres, do the best ye can, and set as ma∣ny crafty dawbers to patch it vp with vntempered clay as you wyll, yea, though pratyng Pendleton that wycked Apostata, apply all hys wily wits to helpe them. Uerilye my Lord, by all mens reports, his blessed lyfe could neuer ha••e done the lyke sorrow to Satans Synagoge, where∣of some say your Lordship is a mightye member, as hys happy death hath done. You haue broken a pot in deede, but the precious worde conteined therein, is so notably therewithall shed abroad, that the sweete sauour thereof hath woonderfully well refreshed all the true household or congregation of Christ, that they cannot abyde any more the stinkyng sauour of your filthy ware that came from the dunghill of Rome, though your Lordships Iudasses do set them a sayle euery where to fill your bagges, I put your Lordship out of doubt, that if you do breake mo such pots, you will marre your owne market altogether: for I promise you most men beginne to mislike your diuelish doyngs, and wonderfully to lothe your popishe pedlary wares.

Thus haue I accordyng to your Lordships comman∣dements, shewed you simply what I thinke of that good mans death, whose bloud cryeth for vengeaunce agaynst your Lordships butcherly bloudy proceedings in y^e eares of the Lord of hostes, who will shortly reuenge the same, vpon your pilled pate, and vpon the rest of all your poll∣shorne brethren, the very marked cattell of the great Anti∣christ of Rome. The measure of your iniquitie is filled vp to the brimme, therefore will God shortly poure in double vnto your deserued destruction. And then I weene your new made Prosolites will be glad to couer their crowns with a Cowe turd (sauyng your Lordships reuerence I should haue sayd first. Well, I rather desire the conuersi∣on then confusion, the Lord send the one of them shortly as may be most to his glory. Amen.

I signifye also vnto your Lordshyp, that the raylyng words which your lying preacher shewed forth of hys fil∣thy fountayne vpon Sonday, agaynst the deare seruaunt of God good M. Philpot, doth greatly redounde to your Lordships dishonesty, and much deface your spiritual ho∣nour. Uerily I see that the great wrath of GOD hath so blynded your eyes, that you see not what is with you, nor what is against you, but still you vomite out your owne shame, and make all the world wonder vpon you. Was it not enough for you to condemne hym most vniustly, ye contrary to your own lawes, and to kill his innocent bo∣dy most tirannously, but you must also set a lying limme of the Deuill, to blaspheme, slaunder, and belye him now he is dead. Oh viperous generation▪ seed of the serpent, & right children of the deuill, full well doe you counterfaite the fathers steps, whom Christ calleth a murderer, and a lyer from the beginnyng, which two thinges be the onely weapons of your war, wherwith you maintaine all your mischiefe, that is to say, lying and murder: for those whom ye cannot ouercome w^t your lying perswasions, them you kill most cruelly, and then blaspheme & belye them with railyng sentenses when they are deade. But all this will not blynd the people of God, nor yet make them any whit the lesse beleeue the truth, nor abate their loue from y^e true preachers thereof, yea it is a true signe and token that they are the very disciples of Christ: for he hath sayd, Blessed are ye when men reuile you and say all maner of euill say∣ings agaynst you for my names sake. Reioyce & be glad, for great is your reward in heauen. And doubtlesse great is that good mans reward in heauen by this time, as your Lordships damnation shall be great in hel, except you re∣pent and surcease from sheddyng innocent bloud. But it is to be feared your hart is hardned as Pharaoes was, se∣yng that with Iudas ye haue sold and betraied your mai∣ster. Take heed my Lord lest you come to the same ende or a worse then he did. For verily I cānot perceiue how you should escape it long: Therfore say not but a womā gaue you warning if you list to take it. And as for the obteining of your popish purpose in suppressing the truth. I put you out of doubt, you shall not obtaine it so long as ye go this way to worke as you doe: for verily I beleeue that you haue lost the harts of 20000. that were ranke papists with in this 12. months.

It is found very true that one holy doctor sayeth, the bloud of the Martyrs, is the seed of the Gospel, when one is put to death, a thousand doth rise for hym. And that this is true, you may well perceiue by the harty loue that the people shewed vnto good M· Philpot at his goyng to his death. They went not about to make an Idoll of hym as your adders brood would beare mē in hand, but they wor∣shipped God which gaue such strength to his deare child, to die so constantly for the testimony of his truth, to y^e vt∣ter destruction of that detestable idolatry which your lord∣ship doth most diuelishly maintaine with the force of fire fagots, and sword: yea, & rather then faile, to famish men in prison agayne as ye haue done already. It is reported of your owne tormenters, that the 6. prisoners that you haue in your prison, be put into 6. seueral places al the day and euery night brought together and set in the stockes. Forsooth my L. this doth get you a foule name all abroad the countrey, and yet all will not helpe your lordships pe∣stilent purpose, but euery way hinder the fame. For Zo∣robabell will bee founde no lyer, which sayd, The truth should haue victory, you do but striue agaynst the streame and kicke against the pricke, the Lord doth laugh your do∣yngs to scorne, and will bring all your counsailes and de∣uises to naugh (as knoweth the Lord God) who of hys great mercy shortly conuert your Lordship, or vtterly cō∣found you, and get his name a glory ouer you. Amen.

Your Lordships Oratour, who praieth daily to God that he may rewarde you according to your deeds.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Your deedes de∣clare and beare witnes to the same.