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II.

inen con

tained in

BOOK "the several affairs, doings, and proceedings of the church " and churchmen. And wherein might be seen the whole Anno 1587.“ order, state, descent, course, and continuance of the same; "the increase and decrease of true religion, the creeping in this book." of superstition, the horrible troubles of persecution, the won❝derful assistance of the Almighty in maintaining his truth, "the glorious constancy of Christ's martyrs, the rage of his "enemies, the alteration of times, the travails and troubles "of the church, from the first primitive age of Christ's gospel, to the end of queen Mary, and the beginning of gra"cious queen Elizabeth, during the time of her happy reign, which had hitherto continued, through the glorious "protection of the Lord, the space of 24 years."

Fox's judgment of episcopacy.

Defence,

p. 421.

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This book was at other times reprinted. As in the year 1610, by the company of Stationers, and of later times with new copper cuts. I add, that this history of the church was of such value and esteem for the use of it to Christian readers, and the service of our religion reformed, that it was in the days of queen Elizabeth enjoined to be set up in some convenient place in all the parish-churches, together with the Bible, and Bishop Jewel's Defence of the Apology of the Church of England; to be read at all suitable times by the people before or after service.

I shall insert here one passage out of this book, cited by Dr. Whitgift, occasioned by a controversy between T. Cartwright and him, about the government of this church by archbishops and bishops; alleging Fox's judgment in that Whitgift's point. "I conclude," saith Whitgift, "with the very words "of that worthy man, (who hath so well deserved of this "church of England,) master Fox: In the ecclesiastical "state we take not away the distinction of ordinary degrees, such as by the scripture be appointed, or by the "primitive church allowed; as patriarchs, archbishops, bi"shops, ministers, and deacons. For of these four we especially read as chief. In which four degrees, as we grant diversity of office, so we admit in the same also diversity "of dignity; neither denying that which is due to each de"gree, neither yet maintaining the ambition of any singu

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"lar person. For as we give to the minister place above CHAP. "the deacon, to the bishop above the minister, to the arch

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XIV.

bishop above the bishop; so we see no cause of inequality, Anno 1587. "why one minister should be above another minister, one "bishop in his degree above another bishop, to deal in his “diocese, or an archbishop above another archbishop. And "this is to keep an order duly and truly in the church, ac

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cording to the true nature and definition of order by the authority of Augustine; Ordo est parium dispariumque 504 "rerum, sua cuique loca tribuens, dispositio.' Hitherto Mr.

"Fox."

vit.

And then Whitgift applies the above period (which is Lib. de Cifound in the 20th page of his first tome) unto his adversary in these words: "Now let the indifferent reader judge, whe"ther these offices be strange and unheard of in the church "of Christ," as T. C. and his accomplices had affirmed in their Admonition to the parliament.

I cannot but observe the esteem and character that Dr. The esteem and respect Whitgift expressed of that reverend man by his words sub-had of Fox. joined, with respect to the matter before argued; viz. “That "the words above-mentioned were Fox's own, and expressed "his own judgment of these degrees and offices in the "church of England. And that he had shewn himself (in "the place before cited) to be no enemy either to arch66 bishops, primates, or bishops: for I am sure, as he pro"ceeded, he spake as he thought; and that he was not a "man that would be corrupted with praise. And that he "thought of Mr. Fox as of one that he loved and reve"renced." For some further notice of this reverend man, and the respect Whitgift (when archbishop) had for him, Life of see the Life of that Archbishop.

Archbishop
Whitgift,

p. 254.

Under the year 1587, Camden, in the Latin MS. of his b. iii. c. 16. Annals of Queen Elizabeth, took notice of Fox's death, in Camden's these words: (which shew the great respect they had for character him in those days:) Anno 1587. Ex eruditorum numero obiit Oxford liJohannes Foxus, Oxoniensis, qui ecclesiasticam Angliæ brary. historiam, sive Martyrologiam, indefesso veritatis studio,

of him,

1718.

BOOK conscripsit: quem Latine primum, postea Anglice auctius, II. summa cum laude, contexuit. Which words the late reveAnno 1587. rend and learned Dr. Charlet, some time master of UniverMay 7, sity college, Oxon, deceased, was pleased to transcribe, and send me in a letter: which he rather did (as he wrote) upon a scandalous character of the said Fox in a preface before the said Camden's Elizabeth, of late printed at Oxford; using these words in his said letter: "We of the univer"sity, and I in particular, are much offended at Mr. T. H. "his injurious character of J. F. his Martyrology, which he "calls, Magna ex parte mendaciorum farrago. Whereas "Camden speaks of him with very great honour in the "MS." I forbear to add what some others of our modern writers tell the world of him, different from the esteem had of him and his works in the age wherein he lived and was better known.

Fox's monument.

No. XLVI.

His Life

writ by his

son in Latin.

Fox (of whom we have been speaking) was buried in the parish-church of St. Giles, Cripplegate, in which parish he lived; where in the chancel, against the south wall, remains his monument, with an inscription in marble, set up by his eldest son, Samuel: and near unto it is a flat stone over his body: under which are two other eminent persons; viz. Rich. Bullen, and William Bullen, M. D. brothers, interred; with some Latin verses engraven, giving characters of all three. These verses, accompanying the writing upon the monument, the reader may find in the Appendix.

The Life of this memorable and laborious writer and pious confessor was composed at good length, in an elegant Latin style, by his said son, Samuel Fox, a learned man. The original MS. whereof I have: which a relation of his 505 having read, earnestly requested him to publish, as highly useful, as also for preserving the memory of so well deserving a man. Thus addressing unto him:

Dignissime vir, legi et perlegi, cum delectatione et approbatione, literatum et elaboratum tractatum tuum de vita et morte spectatissimi patris tui, viri certe divinissimi: qui in doctrinæ sanitate evangelicus, et vitæ sanctitate angeli

XIV.

cus, extitit. In cujus ore fuit verbum vitæ, et in cujus mo- CHAP. ribus fuit vita verbi. Verba enim in opera convertebat; et ut dixit, vixit.

Delicia nostri temporis ille fuit.

Talis erat, de quo mentiri fama veretur.

Phoenix Arabicus, felix Aristotelicus. Quæ cum ita sint, (lectissime et dilectissime cognate,) quid jam restat, quin ut libellus iste aureus, et laureus, quam citissime, tua bona cum venia, prelo committatur; ut publici juris fiat.

This Life of Fox was afterwards printed both in Latin and English, and placed before his book of the Acts and Monuments in the edition anno 1641. In the said Life are specified the divers other writings of this laborious author, besides his Book of Martyrs, viz.

Comœdiarum libri 2.

Syllogisticon.

Admonitio ad Parliamentum.

De Lapsis per Errorem in Ecclesiam restituendis.

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Contra Osorium, de Justitia.

Meditationes super Apocalypsim.

Actorum et Monumentorum Ecclesiæ; Latine.

Anno 1587.

Fox's writings.

Sam. Fox.

As to the posterity of this reverend man, he left two Fox's possons, Samuel and Simeon; both bred up to learning, and terity. well deserving men, and of note in their times. Samuel, the Magdalen eldest, was bred up in the same college in Oxford, where his college. father formerly was a student. He married Anne Leveson, Diary of of a knightly family, at Estwel in Kent; and had issue by her four sons, Thomas, John, John, and Robert; and as many daughters, viz. Anne, Ursula, Jane, and Sarah. Whereof Anne married to Christopher Botteler, esq. at Aston Berry, in Hertfordshire; and Ursula to Henry Wollaston, esq. Of his sons, Thomas and Robert survived.

As to Samuel, he lived to a great age, and lived to see

II.

BOOK his children's children. He enjoyed the prebend of Shipton Underwich Wood, Oxon, with the manor annexed, granted Anno 1587. by special favour to his father; which was granted to Samuel his son, by the means of Whitgift, archbishop of Canterbury, and the readiness of Pierse, bishop of Sarum, (in whose diocese it was,) to confirm it. And here he sometimes lived. As also afterwards at Havering at the Bower in Essex, (an ancient seat of the kings of England,) and at Copthal, near Waltham, in the same county; being dear to sir Thomas Heneage, treasurer of the queen's chamber; and so appointed by the said Heneage to be steward and receiver of the queen's revenues in those manors.

506

Dr. Tho.
Fox.

Dr. Simeon
Fox.

His eldest son Thomas studied physic, and after divers years spent at Magdalen college, he removed and practised physic in London, and was of the college of physcians, and lived in Amen Corner, near Paternoster-row, where the college of physicians was long after, till the fire of London. He married Anne Honywood, of a worshipful family in Kent; and by her had an only daughter named Allice: which Allice matched with sir Richard Willis of Cambridgeshire, bart. by whom she had a daughter, Anne, and a son named by his grandfather, Thomas-Fox Willis. And upon his father's death the honour descended upon him, and his name and title was, sir Thomas-Fox Willis. He died young, a lunatic. Robert, the younger son of Samuel, was a sea-captain, and died without issue.

Now as for Simeon, the younger son of John Fox; he was bred up at Eaton college, and preferred either there or at King's college, Cambridge. He was afterwards received by archbishop Whitgift unto some honourable place in his family. Afterwards he travelled abroad, and at length came to Italy; and settled to his studies at Padua, where he was made a doctor, and a syndic too. And after divers years spent there, returned home; and was a noted learned physician in London, and lived in Amen Corner, where his nephew Dr. Tho. Fox lived with him; and was president divers years of the college of physicians there. He lived to a great age, even to fourscore; dying the 19th of April, in

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