BOOK

I

And according to Grindal's advice in the foregoing letter,

Fox soon applied himself to Peter Martyr in this affair, Anno 1557, accosting him with this letter, (for I had rather give the Fox writes reader the author's own words, than my translation of them.)

to Pet.

Martyr for

his advice.

Foxii MSS.

Salutem in Christo. Vir doctissime, prolixa ista disputatio Domini Archiepiscopi, quam amicorum suasu, tuâque occasione vertendam suscepi, vix credas, quantis mihi constat laboribus. Oratione Wintoniensis nihil vidi insuavius, confragosius, aut magis spinosum, in qua nonnunquam sic vorticosus est, ut Sibillâ potius aliquâ, quàm interprete indigeat: imo nescio an ulla Sibylla sit tam ænigmatistes, aut Delius tantus vates, qui sensum ubique expiscari possit. In tertio libro unus est aut alter locus, ubi aquam ex pumice citius quàm sententiæ lucem invenias. In periodis plerùmque tam profusus vel infinitus magis est, ut bis sui oblitus videatur, quàm sui reperiat finem. Tota phrasis etiam ferè structuram habet, ut maxima quidem parte constans ex relativis, omnem ferè translationis gratiam respuat. Ex quo quanta mihi nascitur difficultas, tibi haud difficile divinatu fuerit. Cantuariensis aliquanto mollior, sed idem tanto prolixior, quo si non plus mihi molestiæ, certè tantundem laboris affert. Accidit porro ad hos griphos librorum ac doctorum, qui passim hic citantur, inopia. Et scis quàm non concinnum sit, doctores aliter quàm verbis propriis loquentes introducere. Ea res me coget brevi repetere Argentinam vestram per mensem unam aut alteram, ut subsidium Tñç ßißrobýxns alicujus emendicem. In primo libro tuum nomen cum Luthero et Bucero citat Wintoniensis, impingens tibi falsarii aut mendacis alapām. Sed Cantuariensis contrà, Petri sui nominis nihil prætermittit ad defensionem. Locum ipsum ad te versum transmittam, simul cum reliqua parte quæ jam absoluta est, &c. The tenor of which letter is to this import:

"Health in Christ. Most learned Sir, you would scarce "believe, what great pains that large dispute of my "Lord of Canterbury cost me; which by means of you, " and the persuasion of my friends, I undertook to translate.

66

II.

Winches

"I never saw any thing more unpleasant, rough, and intan- CHAP. "gled, than Winchester's discourse: wherein sometimes he "is so full of depths, that he needs some Sibyl rather than Anno 1557. an interpreter. Yea, I doubt whether any Sibyl be such ter's style "a riddle resolver, or Apollo so great a prophet, to be able harsh. "every where to comprehend his sense. In the third book 16 "there be one or two places, where you may sooner draw "water from a pumice, than find light for the sentence. In "his periods, for the most part, he is so profuse, or rather "infinite, that he seems twice to forget himself, rather "than to find his end. The whole phrase hath in effect "that structure, that consisting for the most part of relatives, "it refuses almost all the grace of translation. Whence "how great difficulty arises upon me, it will be easy for you "to guess. The Archbishop of Canterbury is somewhat "softer, but so much the longer; whereby, if it doth not "create me more trouble, yet certainly as much labour. "To these dark sentences happeneth moreover the want of "books and doctors, cited up and down herein. And you "know, how it is not handsome to bring in doctors speaking "otherwise than in their own words. This thing will oblige "me shortly to resort to your Strasburgh for a month or "two, to beg the aid of some library. In the first book "Winchester cites your name with Luther and Bucer, "laying to your charge the imputation of a forger or a liar. "But the Archbishop of Canterbury, on the other hand, "omits nothing for the defence of the name of his friend "Peter. I shall send over to you the very place translated, "together with the remaining part now finished, &c."

eth with

ing a trans

But after all Fox's pains and labour in this translation, Fox consult his book translated never yet, I think, came forth: which is Grindal pity, for the general usefulness thereof, and for the spreading about printof the just fame of that excellent Archbishop and martyr, and being a piece so correctly and accurately A good part of the original writing is in my hands. the reason it was not printed was partly the want wealthy printer in those times to undertake it. Fox, for me.

holy lation of done. book

Cranmer's

But against

of a

Gardiner.
MSS. penes

I.

BOOK this purpose, had desired his friend Grindal to treat with one Wendelin, a printer in Strasburgh, about it. But Anno 1557. Grindal in his answer told him, that, in truth, to speak what he thought, he dared not to discourse Wendelin in that affair: for he was a morose man, and strongly addicted to that opinion in matter of the Sacrament which they ascribed to Luther; so that there was no hope that he would take it in hand: but there was one Augustin Frisius, another printer there, but very poor; who, if the charges were supported by others, was a man that would strenuously go about it. Yet that, in his own judgment, Froscover, a printer at Zurick, was the fittest person to commit the business to; who, as he was rich enough, so upon Bullinger's motion to him, and encouragement, he would no doubt undertake it.

But while Fox was thus busy in preparing to publish his work, an order was set forth in those parts, forbidding printing of any books: which put him to some melancholy stand; for he depended in a great measure upon the benefit of his books for his subsistence. Of this, when he had complained to his good friend aforesaid, as he was sorry for that unseasonable edict, so he made his own conjecture of it; 17 viz. that it might proceed from the advice of the German princes, that the contest about the Sacrament might not be revived; as it might be, if more books of this argument should be exposed to the world. For, as Grindal added, the report now went, that the princes were wholly taken up about composing that controversy; and in the mean time were willing, that there should be some intermission of writing pro & con. And so, finally, he exhorted the trans lator to stay a little, and expect what good issue time would produce as to this matter, seeing there was a necessity for him so to do: promising him, that afterwards, if he could not obtain the work to be perfected there, his pains should not be wanting, if he could do any thing by prayer and interest, that he might have a supply to go and try elsewhere. But, in fine, Froscover, according as Grindal had devised, undertook the printing of the book, and Fox delivered part

II.

of his copy to him. But the business still underwent CHAP. delay; and Fox himself seemed to be cooler in it, knowing how exulcerated those times were with sacramental contro- Anno 1557. versies. Yet the laborious man, by Grindal's and his other friends' persuasions, went on with his translation, till he had fully finished all; which was done by June in the year 1557. Which when Grindal understood, he congratulated to him the conclusion of this long work with these words; Gaudeo te tandem opus illud Domini Cantuariensis ad exitum perduxisse. Longum opus fuit, et in quo necesse erat multis cum difficultatibus luctari; i. e. that he was glad that he had at length brought the Archbishop of Canterbury's work to an end. And that it was a long labour, and in which he must needs have met with many difficulties.

Something of this laborious work was set forth in print ; but that was only some small part at the beginning, which was but as a specimen to the whole: which, when printed, he sent to Grindal. Upon the receipt whereof, as a taste of the work, he declared himself much pleased.

in his His

'tory of the

tions.

The other great work our painful countryman laboured in Assists Fox this time of his exile, and wherein he had the concurrent and constant assistance of Grindal, was the History of the PersecuPersecutions of the Church of Christ, and especially in the later times of it. Many accounts of the acts and disputations, of the sufferings and ends of the godly men under Queen Mary, came from time to time to Grindal's hands: who had a correspondence with several in England for that end and purpose. And as they came to his hand, he conveyed them to Fox. Nor did he only do this; but withal frequently gave Fox his thoughts concerning them, and his instructions and counsels about them; always shewing a most tender regard to truth; and suspending upon common reports and relations brought over, till more satisfactory evidence came from good hands. And because a complete account of all particulars of those that suffered in that sharp persecution could not so soon be procured, he advised Fox, for the present, to print separately the acts of

1.

BOOK some particular men, of whom any sure and authentic relations came to hand: and that a larger and completer Anno 1557. history of these martyrs should be printed together after18 wards, when he should be supplied with fuller accounts of

Sends Fox:
Bradford's

the whole persecutions. And, finally, that his history might be both in Latin and English, for the more general benefit.

I find Grindal, soon after Bradford's martyrdom, sending martyrdom. Fox his history, together with many of his holy letters, which Fox thanked him for; and added, that he saw what a good performer of his word he was: wishing, that all the rest of the martyrs' histories might be composed after the same diligence. Grindal wrote him likewise, that he had a farrago, i. e. a great heap of such papers. To whom Fox, that he doubted not, that he would, with the like vigilancy and faithfulness, peruse and digest them. But to return to Bradford. He communicated to Fox (beside what he had sent him before) Bradford's examinations, and some other of his writings: telling him, that when he had translated them, (for his Latin Martyrology) and had sent them back to him, he would send more of Bradford's writings to him. He added, that he wanted much of what that holy man had writ; but what he had of his might be depended on; and perhaps he should scarce find so many of his composures any where else. For indeed Grindal had greater opportunities of knowing Bradford, and getting his papers, than others; they two having been fellow-chaplains together to the Bishop of London, and the King; and fellow prebendaries of St. Paul's; and I might add also, fellows of the same college.

An inform

ation about

Again, in the year 1556, soon after the burning of ArchCranmer's; bishop Cranmer, Fox requested Grindal to take some pains to describe the life and death of the said most reverend father. To whom he gave this answer ; that a certain learned and pious man in England had already wrote a faithful and exact account of his death to Peter Martyr. Grindal added, that it was not then come to his hands, but that he heard by those that had seen and read it, that it was