1576 Edition | Book 12 | Page 2016 
CloseIf the providential rescue of the godly was of great importance to Foxe and his contemporaries, then the providential punishment of persecutors was of at least equal importance. (On the importance of providential punishments in early modern England, see Alexandra Walsham, Providence in Early Modern England [Oxford: 1999], pp. 65-115; on the importance of the topic to Foxe see Thomas S. Freeman, 'Fate, Faction and Fiction in Foxe's "Book of Martyrs"', Historical Journal 43 [2000], pp. 601-23).
[Back to Top]This section contrasting the putative success of Elizabeth with the putative failure of Mary was effectively the introduction to this section, by showing the providential punishment of England as a whole for Mary's policies. It was added in 1570 and replaced, and intensified, passages on a similar theme, drawn from Aylmer's Harborow for Faithfull and trew subiects, which were printed in the 1563 edition.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe reigne of Queene Mary how vnprosperous it was both to her and to her realme in all respectes.NOw, for so much as Queene Mary, duryng all the tyme of her reigne, was such a vehement aduersary and persecutour agaynst the sincere professours of Christ Iesus and of his Gospell: for the whiche there be many whiche do hyghly magnifie and approue her doynges therein, reputyng her Religion to be sounde and Catholicke, and her proceedynges to be most acceptable and blessed of almighty God: to the intent therfore, that all men may vnderstand, how the blessing of the Lord God did not onely not proceede with her proceedynges, but contrary, rather how his manifest displeasure euer wrought agaynst her, in plagyng both her and her Realme, and in subuertyng all her Counsailes and attemptes, what so euer she tooke in hand: we will bestow a litle tyme therein, to perpende and suruey the whole course of her doynges and cheuaunces: and consider what successe she had in the same. Which beyng well considered, we shall finde neuer no reigne of any Prince in this land, or any other, which had euer to shew in it (for the proportion of tyme) so many Argumentes of Gods great wrath and displeasure, as was to be sene in the reigne of this Queene Mary,MarginaliaQ. Mary neuer had good successe in any thing shee went about. whether we behold the shortnes of her tyme, or the vnfortunate euent of all her purposes: who seemed neuer to purpose any thyng that came luckely to passe, neither dyd any thyng frame to her purpose what soeuer she tooke in hād touchyng her owne priuate affaires.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaA good king alwayes maketh a florishing realme.Of good kynges we read in the Scripture, in shewyng mercy and pitie, in seekyng Gods will in his word, & subuertyng the monumentes of Idolatry, how GOD blessed their wayes, encreased their honours, and mightely prospered all their proceedynges: as we see in kyng Dauid, Salomon, Iosias, Iosaphath, Ezechias, wt such other. Manasses made þe streetes of Hierusalē to swymme with the bloud of his subiectes, but what came of it the text doth testifie.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaComparison betwene the reigne of Q. Mary and Quene Elizabeth.Of Queene Elizabeth, which now reigneth among vs, this we must needes say, whiche we see, that she in sparyng the bloud, not onely of Gods seruauntes, but also of Gods enemyes, hath doubled now the reigne of Queene Mary her sister, with such aboundaunce of peace and prosperitie, that it is hard to say, whether the Realme of England felt more of Gods wrath in Queene Maryes tyme, or of Gods fauour and mercy in these so blessed and peaceable dayes of Queene Elizabeth.
[Back to Top]Gamaliell speakyng his mynde in the Counsell of the Phariseis concernyng Christes Religion, gaue this reason,MarginaliaGamaliels reason. Actes. v. that if it were of God, it should continue, who soeuer sayd nay: If it were not, it could not stand. So may it be sayd of Queene Mary and her Romishe Religion, that if it were so perfect and Catholicke as they pretend, and the contrary fayth of the Gospellers were so detestable and hereticall as they make it, how commeth it then, that this so Catholicke a Queene, such a necessary piller of his spouse his Church, continued no longer, till she had vtterly rooted out of the land this hereticall generation? Yea how chaunced it rather, that almighty God, to spare these poore heretickes, rooted out Queene Mary so soone from her throne, after she had reigned but onely fiue yeares and fiue monethes?
[Back to Top]Now furthermore, how GOD blessed her wayes and endeuours in the meane tyme, while she thus persecuted the true seruauntes of GOD, remayneth to be discussed. Where first this is to be noted, MarginaliaQ. Mary prospered so long as shee went not agaynst the Lord.that when she first began to stand for the title of the Crowne, and yet had wrought no resistaunce agaynst Christ and his Gospell, but had promised her fayth to the Suffolke men, to mainteine the Religion left by kyng Edward her brother, so long God went with her, aduaunced her, and by the meanes of the Gospellers brought her to þe possession of þe Realme. MarginaliaQ. Maries promise to the Gospellers broken.But after that she breakyng her promise with GOD and man, began to take part with Steuen Gardiner, and had geuen ouer her supremacie vnto the Pope, by and by Gods blessyng left her, neither did any thinge well thriue with her afterward duryng the whole tyme of her Regiment.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe ship called great Harry burned.For first incontinently the fayrest and greatest Shyp she had called great Harry, was burned, such a vessell as in all these partes of Europe was not to be matched.
MarginaliaQ. Maryes mariage with a straunger.Then would she needes bryng in kyng Philip, and by her straunge Mariage with him, make the whole Realme of Englād subiect vnto a straūger. And all þt notwtstāding, either that she did or was able to do, MarginaliaQ. Mary disappoynted of her purpose in crowning king Phillip.she could not bring to passe to set the crowne of Englād vpon his head. With king Philip also came in the Pope and his Popish Masse: MarginaliaQ. Mary stopped of her will in restoring Abbey landes.with whom also her purpose was to restore agayne the Monkes and Nunnes vnto their places, neither lacked there all
[Back to Top]kynde of attemptes to the vttermost of her abilitie: and yet therein also GOD stopt her of her will, that it came not forward. After this, what a dearth happened in her tyme here in her land? the lyke whereof lightly hath not in Englād bene sene, in so much that in sundry places her poore subiectes were fayne to feede of accornes for want of Corne.
[Back to Top]Futhermore, where other Kynges are wont to be renowmed by some woorthy victory and prowes by them achieued, let vs now see what valiant victory was gotten in this Queene Maryes dayes. Kyng Edward the vj. her blessed brother, how many rebellions did he suppresse in Deuonshyre, in Northfolke, in Oxfordshyre, and els where? MarginaliaThe victory of K. Edward 6. in Scotland.what a famous victory in his tyme was gottē in Scotlād, by the singular workyng (no doubt) of Gods blessed hād, rather then by any expectation of man? Kyng Edward the iij. (which was the xj. kyng frō þe cōquest) by princely puissāce purchased Calice vnto Englād, which hath bene kept english euer since, til at length came Queene Mary, the xj. likewise from the sayd kyng Edward, MarginaliaThe ill lucke of Q. Mary in losing of Calice.MarginaliaThe xj king after the Conquest got Calice, and the xj. agayne after him lost it.which lost Calyce from England agayne: so that the wynnynges of this Queene were very small: what the losses were, let other men iudge.
[Back to Top]Hetherto the affaires of Queene Mary haue had no great good successe, as you haue heard. MarginaliaThe ill lucke of Q. Mary in her childbyrth.But neuer worse successe had any womā, thē had she in her childbyrth. For seyng one of these two must nedes be graūted, that either she was with child or not with child, if she were with child and did trauaile, why was it not seene? if she were not, how was all the Realme deluded? And in the meane while where were all the prayers, the solēne processions, the deuout Masses of the Catholicke Clergy? why did they not preuayle with God, if their Religiō were so godly as they pretend? If their Masses Ex opere operato
Closeex opere operato
Not translated.
from the work performed
This website states: The Catholic teaching that the grace of a sacrament is always conferred by the sacrament itself.Ex opere operatoliterally means 'from the work performed.' Provided that the Catholic receiving the sacrament freely chooses to receive its graces, the grace conferred by the sacrament will be efficacious (effective).
[Back to Top]Queene Mary, after these manifold plagues and corrections, which might sufficiently admonish her of Gods disfauour prouoked agaynst her, would not yet cease her persecutiō, but stil continued more & more to reuenge her Catholicke zeale vpon the Lordes faythfull people, settyng fire to their poore bodies by dosens & halfedosens together. Wherupon Gods wrathfull indignation increasing more & more agaynst her, ceased not to touche her more neare with priuate misfortunes and calamities. For after that he had taken frō her the fruite of children (which chiefly and aboue all thyngs she desired) then he bereft her of that, whiche of all earthly thyngs should haue bene her chief stay of honour, and staffe of her comfort, MarginaliaQ. Mary left desolate of King Phillip her husband.that is, withdrew from her the affection and company of her owne husband, by whose Mariage she had promised before to her selfe whole heapes of such ioye and felicitie: but now the omnipotent gouernour of all thynges so turned the wheele of her owne spynning agaynst her, that her hygh buildynges of such ioyes & felicities, came all to a Castlecomedowne, her hopes beyng confounded, her purposes disappointed, and she now brought to desolation: who seemed neither to haue the fauour of GOD, nor the hartes of her subiectes, not yet the loue of her husband:MarginaliaThe ill lucke of Q. Mary with her husband. who neither had fruite by him while she had him, neither could now enioye him whom she had maryed, neither yet was in libertie to mary any other whō she might enioy. Marke here (Christian Reader) the wofull aduersitie of this Queene, and learne with all, what the Lord can do when mans wilfulnes will needes resiste him, and will not be ruled.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe finall end and death of Q. Mary.At last, when all these fayre admonitions would take no place with the Queene, nor moue her to reuoke her bloudy lawes, nor to stay the tyranny of her Priestes, nor yet to spare her owne subiectes, but that the poore seruaunts of GOD were drawen dayly by heapes most pitifully as sheepe to the slaughter, it so pleased the heauenly Maiestie of almighty God, when no other remedy would serue, by death to cut her of, which in her lyfe so litle regarded the lyfe of others: giuyng her throne, whiche she abused to the destruction of Christes Churche and people, to an other who more temperatly and quietly could guide the same, MarginaliaQ. Mary raigned 5 yeares and 5 monethes.after she had reigned here the space of fiue yeares and fiue monethes. MarginaliaThe shortnes of Queene Maries reigne noted.The shortnes of whiche yeares and reigne, vnneth we finde in any other story of Kyng or Queene since the Conquest or before (beyng come to their owne gouernement) saue onely in kyng Richard the thyrd.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaAn admonition to all Christen rulers.And thus much here, as in the closing vp of this story, I thought to insinuate, touchyng the vnlucky and ruefull reigne of Queene Mary: not for any detraction to her place and state Royall, wherunto she was called of the Lord, but to this onely intent and effect, that for somuch as she would needes set her selfe so confidently to woorke and striue agaynst the Lord and his proceedyngs, all readers and rulers
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