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.

¶A letter sent to maystres Wilkinson of London widowe, from mayster Hugh Latimer out of Bocardo in Oxford.

IF the gifte of a pot of a cold water, shall not bee in obli∣uion with God, how can God forget your manifolde & bountifull giftes, when he shall say to you: I was in pry∣son and you visited me. God graunt vs all to do and suf∣fer while we be here, as may be to hys will and pleasure. Amen.

Yours in Bocardo Hugh Latimer.

Touching the memorable actes and doynges of thys worthye man, among many other this is not to bee neg∣lected, what a bold enterprise he attempted, in sendyng to kyng Henry a present, the maner whereof is this. There was then, and yet remayneth still, an old custome recea∣ued from the old Romaynes, that vpon Newyeares day being the first day of Ianuary, euery Bishoppe with some handsome Newyeares gifte, shoulde gratify the king:* 1.1 and so they did, some with golde, some with siluer, some with a purse full of money, and some one thing, some an other: but maister Latimer being bishoppe of Worcester then, a∣mong the rest presented a new Testament, for his New∣yeares gifte: with a napkyn hauing this posie aboute it: Fornicatores & adulteros iudicabit Dominus.

And thus hast thou gentle reader, the whole life, both of maister Ridley, & of mayster Latimer, two worthy do∣ers in the churche of Christ, seuerally and by themselues sette foorthe, and descrybed with all theyr doynges, writinges, disputations, sufferinges, their paynefull trauayles, faythfull preachinges,* 1.2 studyous seruice in Christes Churche, their patiente imprisonmente, and constaunt fortitude in that whiche they had taught, with all other their proceedinges from time to time, synce theyr first springinge yeares, to thys present tyme and Moneth of Queene Mary,* 1.3 beyng the Moneth of Oc∣tober. Anno. 1555. In the whiche Moneth they were bothe brought foorth together, to theyr finall examina∣tion and execution. Wherfore, as we haue heretofore de∣clared, both theyr liues seuerallye, and distinctlye one from the other, so nowe ioyntly to couple them bothe

together, as they were together both ioyned in one society of cause and Martyrdome, we will by the grace of Chryst prosecute the rest that remayneth, concerning their latter examination, disgrading, and constant suffering, with the order and maner, also of the Commissioners, which were Mayster White Byshop of Lincolne,* 1.4 Mayster Brookes Bishop of Glocester, with others: and what were theyr wordes, theyr obiections, theyr Orations there vsed, and what againe were the aunsweres of these men to the same as in the processe here followeth to be seene.

Notes

• * 1.1

  M. Latimers Newyeares gift sent to K. Henry.
• * 1.2

  B. Ridley, and M. Latimer brought forth to examination▪
• * 1.3

  October. 1.
• * 1.4

  M. White B. of Lincolne M. Brokes B. of Glocester the Popes deputies.