L

LIF E*

OF

MR. FOX, THE MARTYROLOGIST.

MR.

R. John Fox was born at Bofton, in Lincolnthire, A. D. 1517; the very year, when Luther began the Reformation, in Germany.

His father died when he was very young; and, his mother marrying again, he came under the tutelage of a father-in-law: with whom he dwelt, until the age of fixteen, at which time he was entered of Brafen-Nose College, Oxford; and was chamber-fellow with the celebrated Dr. Alexander Nowel, afterwards dean of St. Paul's. Mr. Fox plied his academical ftudies, with equal affiduity, improvement, and applaufe. In 1538, he took the degree of Bachelor in Arts; and that of Mafter, in 1543. The fame year, he was elected Fellow of Magdalen College.

When he first removed to the University, and for fome time after, he was ftrongly attached to the herefies and fuperftitions of Popery. To his zeal for thefe, he added a life strictly regular and moral : and, laughing at the idea of juftification by faith in the imputed righteoufnefs of Chrift, thought himfelf fufficiently fafe in the imaginary merit of his own felf-denial, penances, alms-deeds and compliances

with the rites of the Church.

But he was a chofen veffel; and, therefore, divine grace would not let him remain a pharifee. Through the effectual breathings of God's holy fpirit, his ftu

* Biogr. Britannica.

dies were over-ruled, not only to the abundant advantage of pofterity at large; but, alfo, to the endlefs benefit of his own foul in particular. His indefatigable and profound researches, into ecclefiaftical history, and the writings of the primitive fathers; and, above all, his thorough acquaintance with the Holy Scripture, in its original languages; became the means of convincing him, to what an immenfe distance the Romish Church has departed, from the faith, practice, and spirit, of Christianity.

In order to make himself a yet more competent judge of the controverfies, then in debate between Proteftants and Papists, he searched, with indefatigable affiduity, into the antient and modern hiftory of the Church. Here he learnt, at what periods, and by what means, the religion of Chrift flourished; and by what errors it began to decline. He confidered the caufes, and weighed the importance, of those various diffentions, which had, from time to time, obtained in the profeffing world: and quickly perceived, that, in every age, the mistakes, follies, and vices of mankind, are more fimilar, in their nature, operations, and effects, than is generally imagined. What is the far greater part of civil and ecclefiaftical history, but a register of the weaknefs and wickednefs which divide almost the whole human race between them?

With fuch zeal and induftry did Mr. Fox apply himself to these inquiries, that, before he was thirty years of age, he had read over all the Greek and all the Latin fathers; all the fcholaftic writers; together with the acts of all the councils: and, moreover, made himself mafter of the Hebrew language. But, from this ftrict and fevere application, by night as well as by day; from forfaking his old Popish friends, and courting the most fequeftered retirement; from the dubious and hesitating manner, in which, when he could not avoid being in company, he spoke of religious fubjects; and,

above all, from his fparing attendance on the public worship of the Church, which he had, before, been remarkable for ftrictly and conftantly frequenting; arofe the first furmises of his being alienated from the reigning fuperftitions, and infected with (what the bigotted Romanists had either the ignorance, or the infolence, to term) the "new herefies."

Thus, even the humble and benevolent Mr. Fox was not without his enemies; who narrowly watched his conduct, and waited for an opportunity to injure him. His fingular openness and fincerity did not long leave them at a lofs for ways or means. Snares were laid for him, and his generous honefty betrayed him into them. A moderate portion of diffimulation (commonly called, prudence and circumfpection) would, perhaps, have fecured him, a while, from the machinations of his adverfaries. But he chose rather to fuffer affliction, with the people, and for the cause, of God; than to enjoy the pleasures of fin, for a feafon: mindful of that decifive and alarming declaration, Whofoever is afhamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and finful generation, of him fhall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with his holy angels. Through grace, our author determined to venture the lofs of all things, for Chrift's fake in confequence of which, he openly profeffed the gospel, and was publicly accused of herefy. His college paffed judgment on him, as an heretic convicted; and, presently after, he faw himself expelled from the University. His enemies maintained, that he was favourably dealt with by that fentence; and might think himself happily off, to incur expulfion, inftead of death.

Mr. Fox's troubles fat the heavier on him, as they loft him the countenance and good offices of his friends, who were afraid to affift and protect a perfon condemned for a capital offence. His father

in-law,

in-law, particularly, feized this opportunity to withhold from Mr. Fox the eftate which his own father had left him : thinking, that he, who stood in danger of the law himself, would with difficulty find relief by legal methods.

Being thus forfaken and oppreffed, he was reduced to great ftraights: when God raifed him up an unexpected patron in Sir Thomas Lucy, of Warwickihire; who received him into his house, and made him tutor to his children. Here he married a citizen's daughter, of Coventry; and continued in Sir Thomas's family, until his pupils were grown up: after which, he, with fome difficulty, procured entertainment with his wife's father, at Coventry; from whence, a few years before the death of Henry VIII, he removed to London.

For a confiderable time after his arrival in the capital, being without employment or preferment, he was again reduced to extreme want. But the Lord's good providence relieved him, at length, in the following extraordinary manner. As he was fitting, one day, in St. Paul's church, his eyes hollow, his countenance wan and pale, and his whole body emaciated (or, rather, within a little of being literally ftarved to death); a perfon, whom he never remembered to have feen before, came and fat down by him and accofting him familiarly, put a refpectable sum of money into his hand, faying, Be of good comfort, Mr. Fox; take care of yourself, and use all means to preferve your life: for, depend upon it, God will, in a few days, give you a better profpect, and more certain means of fubfiftence. He, afterwards, ufed his utmost endeavours, to find out the perfon, by whose bounty he had been fo feasonably relieved: but he was never able to gain any difcovery. However, the prediction was fulfilled : for, within three days from that memorable incident, he was taken into the duchefs of Richmond's family, to be tutor to her nephew the earl of Surrey's chil

dren,

dren, who (on the imprisonment of the earl, and of his father the duke of Norfolk, in the tower) were committed to the care of the duchefs for education.

Mr. Fox lived with this family, at Ryegate, in Surrey, during the latter part of Henry VIII's reign, the five years' reign of king Edward VI, and part of queen Mary's. Gardiner, the bloody bishop of Winchester, in whofe diocefe this good man fo long lived, would have foon brought him to the fhambles, had he not been protected by one of his noble pupils, then duke of Norfolk. Gardiner always hated Mr. Fox (who, it is faid, was the firft perfon that ventured to preach the gofpel at Ryegate); and faw, with deep concern, the heir, of one of the nobleft families in the kingdom, trained up in attachment to Proteftantifin, under Mr. Fox's influence. The prelate, therefore, formed various defigns against the fafety of the latter; and fought, by many artifices and ftratagems, to work his ruin. The holy man, who was no lefs fufpicious of the bishop, than the bifhop was of him, found himself obliged in prudence (though much against the duke's inclination, who loved and revered him as a father) to quit his native land, and feek fhelter abroad. His grace of Norfolk, perceiving that no arguments nor intreaties could induce his honoured tutor to remain in England, took care to provide him with every accommodation, requifite for his voyage. Mr. Fox, accordingly, fet fail from Ipswich haven: accompanied by his wife, who was then pregnant; and by feveral other perfons, who were leaving their country on a religious account. The veffel had not been very long at fea, ere a ftorm arofe; which, the next day, drove them back, into the port from whence they had fet out. Having, with great difficulty. and danger, reached the land, Mr. Fox was faluted with indubitable information, that bifhop Gardiner had iffued a warrant for apprehending him, and was caufing the moft diligent fearch to be made after VOL. IV. (16.)

C

him.