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.

To hys brother.

AS nature doth me binde, Because thou art my bloud According to my kinde To geue thee of my good, That thou mayest haue in minde How I haue runne my race Although thou bide behynde But for a little space, I yeaue thee here a pearle The price of all my good For whiche I leaue my life, To buy it with my bloud More worth then all the world Or ought that I can note, Although it be yclad, In such a simple cote. For when I had obtayned This pearle of such a price Then was I sure I gayned The way for to be wise. It taught me for to fight My flesh for to despise To sticke vnto the light And for to leaue the lyes In sending out my seede With bondes and bitter teares That I might reape with Ioye In euerlasting yeares, And haue for all my losse My trauayle and my payne A thousand tymes and more Of better goodes agayne. And for because the good That hath bene gotte and gayned And that the Lordes elect Hath euermore obtayned Is closed in this booke Which I do geue to thee Wherein I haue my parte As thou thy selfe mayest see. In which I hope thou hast A stocke also in store: And wilt not cease to sayle Till God haue made it more, I will thee to beware▪ Be sure thou keepe it well For if thou do it lose Thy part shalbe in hell. And here I testifie Before the liuing God, That I detest to doe The thinges that are forbod. And as in iudgemente is My body to be brent, My hart is surely sette Therewith to be content. And sith it is his will, To put in me his power Vpon his holy hill To fight agaynst this whore, Full well I am content, If he allowe it so To stand with all my might The whore to ouerthrow. Euen with a willing minde The death I will outface And as I am assured The battayle to embrace, That they which heare the truth How I haue past the pike May set aside theyr youth And learne to do the like.

And though it be my lotte, to let her suck my bloud Yet am I well assured, it shall do her no good. For she is set to kill The thinges she thinkes accurst, And shall not haue her fill, of bloud vntill she burst. And when that thou shalt see, or heare of my disease: Pray to the liuing God, that I may passe in peace. And when I am at rest, and rid out of my paine: Then will I do the like, for thee to God agayne. And to my woefull wyfe, and widow desolate: Whome I doe leaue behynd, In such a simple state. And compassed with teares, and morninges many one Be thou her staying staffe, when I am dead and gone. My mouth may not expresse, the dolours of my minde: Nor yet my heauines, to leaue her here behinde. But as thou art my bone, my brother and my bloud: So let her haue thy hart, if it may do her good. I tooke her from the world, and made her like the crosse: But if she hold her owne, she shall not suffer losse. For where she had before, a man vnto her make That by the force of fire, was stranged at a stake, Now shall she haue a king, to be her helpyng hand: To whom pertayne all thinge, that are within the land. And eke my daughter deare, whome I bequeath to thee: To be brought vp in feare, and learne the A.B.C. That she may grow in grace, and ruled by the rod: To learne and lead her lyfe, within the feare of God: And alwayes haue in minde, thy brother beyng dead That thou art lefte behynde a father in my stead. And thou my brother deare, and eke my mothers sonne Come forth out of all feare, and do as I haue done, And God shall be thy guide, and geue thee such encrease That in the flames of fire, thou shalt haue perfect peace. Into eternall ioy, and passe out of all payne: Where we shall meete with mirth, and neuer part agayne.

If thou wilt do my daughter good, Be mindfull of thy brothers bloud.