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1007 [1007]

K. Henry. 8. Prophesies going before Martyn Luther.

Ioh. Hus. Hieronymus.
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For these images, see above 'The true plate of Hus and Hierome'. [1570, p. 912] CUL copy: metallic colour to the edges (probably indicates silver detail, now worn, since this appears to be the base colour used prior to applying silver). Note that this additional detail was carefully added, since it does not envelope the writing. WREN copy: there is no metallic colour here.

Centū reuolutis annis deo respondebitis. Post centū annos vos omnes cito.

This Hierome was burnt an. 1416. and Luther began to write an. 1516, whiche was the iust hundreth yeare after, accordyng to the ryght accompt of Hieromes prophecie.

MarginaliaAn other prophecie of reformation by Iohn Hilton Monke of Thuringe.Philip. Melancthon in his Apologie, cap. De votis monast. testifieth  

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The story of John Hilton, including the citation of Philip Melanchthon, is taken from Mathias Flacius, Catalogus testium veritatis (Basel, 1562), p. 572.

of one Iohn Hilton a mōke in Thuringe, who for speakyng agaynst certeine abuses of the place and order where he lyued, was cast in prison. At length beyng weake & feable through imprisonment, he sent for the warden of the couent, desiryng and besechyng hym, to haue some respect of his wofull state, and pitifull case. The warden rebukyng and accusing him, for that he had done and spoken: MarginaliaEx Phil. Melanc. in Apologia. cap. de vot. Monast.He aunswered agayn and sayd, that he had spoken nothyng whiche myght bee preiudiciall or hurtfull to their monkery, or against their religion: But there should come one (and aßigned the yeare. anno. 1516) who should vtterly subuert all monkery, and they should neuer bee able to resiste hym. &c.

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Long it were to induce here all prophecies that bee read in histories. Certeine I minde briefly to touch and passe ouer. And first, to omitte here the reuelations of Brigit (wherunto I do not much attribute)  

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Note Foxe's reluctance to appear to be giving too much credence to a Catholic saint and mystic.

who prophesying of the destruction of Rome in her 4. booke, cap. 17. sayth:  
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Foxe had already quoted this passage earlier in his text: See Memoriale effigatum librorum prophetiarum seu visonum B. Brigidae (Rome, 1556), sig. S4v. For those using a different edition of St. Bridget's writings, it should be noted that Foxe's citation of the book and chapter are correct..

MarginaliaEx Reuelat. Brigit. lib. 4. cap. 57.
Brigitte prophecieth of reformation.
That Rome shalbe scoured & purged with 3. thinges, with sword, fire, and the plough: resemblyng moreouer the sayd Church of Rome, to a plant remoued out of the old place into a new: Also to a body condemned by a Iudge, to haue the skinne flayne of, the bloud to be drawen from the flesh, the fleshe to be cut in peeces, and the bones therof to be broken, and all the marye to be squysed out from the same, so that no part thereof remaine whole and perfect. &c. But to these speculations of Brigit, I geue no great respecte, as neither I doe to the predictions of Katherine De Senis.  
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Again, Foxe is reluctant to credit the visions of a Catholic saint. But Foxe is also probably referencing the criticisms made of Catherine of Siena by Mathias Flacius, in his Catalogus testium veritatis, which is Foxe's source for her prophecy.

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MarginaliaAntonin. part. 3. hist. titul. 23. cap. 14.And yet notwithstandyng, Antoninus writyng of the same Katherine in his 3. parte. Tit. 23. cap. 14. reciteth her woordes thus, prophesying of the reformation of the Churche, to Frier Raymund her gostly father:  

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This prophecy (including the citation of St. Antoninus) is taken from Mathias Flacius, Catalogus testium veritatis (Basel, 1562), p. 523.

MarginaliaKatherina Senensis, prophecying of reformation.By these tribulations (sayth she) God after a secret maner vnknowen to man, shall purge his holy Churche, and after those thinges shall folow such a reformation of the holy Churche of God, and such a renouation of the holy pastours, that the onely cogitatiō and remembraunce therof maketh my spirite to reioyse in the Lord: And, as I haue ofte tymes told you heretofore, the spouse whiche is now all deformed and ragged, shalbe adourned and decked with most riche and precious ouches & brouches: and all the faithfull shal bee glad and reioyse to see them selues so bewtified with so holy pastours. Yea and also the infidels then allured by the swete sauour of Christ, shall returne to the Catholique folde, and bee conuerted to the true Bishop and shepharde of their soules. Geue thankes therfore to God, for after this storme, he will geue a great calme. &c.

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Of the authoritie of this prophetisse, I haue not to affirme or iudge, but rather to heare what the Catholique iudges will saye of this their owne Saint and Prophet. For if they doe not credite her spirite of prophesie, why then doo they authorise her for a pure Saint, among the Sisters of deare S. Dominicke? If they warrant her prophesie, let them say then, when was this glorious reformation of the Churche euer true or like to bee true, if

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it bee not true nowe in this maruelous alteration of the Church, in these our latter dayes? Or when was there any such conuersion of Christen people in all countreys euer heard of, since the Apostles tyme, as hath bene since the preachyng of Martin Luther?

MarginaliaThe prophecie of Hieron. Sauonarola.
Vid. supr. pag. 867. & 920.
Of Hieronimus Sauonarola I wrote before,  

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Matthew 10:26; Luke 12:2.

pag. 867, shewing þt he prophecied: That one should passe ouer the Alpes like to Cyrus, who should subuerte and destroye all Italy. Which may well bee applyed to Gods worde, and the Gospell of Christ, spreadyng nowe in all places since Luthers tyme.

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MarginaliaThe prophecie of Theodoricus.Theodoricus Byshop of Croacia, lyued  

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The prophecy of Theodoric is taken from Mathias Flacius, Catalogus testium veritatis (Basel, 1562), p. 541.

neare about the tyme, whē Hus and Hierome were martyred. Who in the ende of his propheticall verses, whiche are extant in print, declareth: That the Sea of Rome, which is so horriblie polluted with Simonie and auarice, shall fall, and no more shall oppresse men with tyranny, as it hath done: and that it shalbe subuerted by his owne subiectes, and that the Churche and true pietie shall flourish again more thē euery it did before.

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MarginaliaThe prophecie of Doct. Weselus.Nouiomagus testifieth,  

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This prophecy comes Mathias Flacius, Catalogus testium veritatis (Basel, 1562), p. 562.

that hee in the yeare of our lord. 1520. heard Ostendorpius, a canon of Dauentrie, say: that whē he was a young mā, Doct. Veselus a Phrysian, whiche was then an olde man, tolde him, That hee should lyue to see this new schole diuinitie of Scotus, Aquinas, & Bonauenture, to be vtterly forsaken and exploded of all true Christians.

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MarginaliaA prophecie of the popes head.In a booke of Carolus Bouillus, mention is made of a certeine vision, which one Nicolas,  

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The vision of Nicholas and the anecedote of Nicholas Medler are taken from Mathias Flacius, Catalogus testium veritatis (Basel, 1562), p. 571.

an heremite of Heluetia, had: in which visiō he saw the popes head crowned with iij. swordes procedyng from his face, and iij. swordes commyng toward it. This vision is also imprinted in the bookes of Martin Luther, with his preface before it.

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Nicolaus Medlerus beyng of late superintendent of Brunswyke, affirmed and testified: That he heard & knew a certeine priest in his countrey, whiche told the priestes there, that they layd aside Paul vnder their deskes and pues: but the time would come, when as Paul should come abroad, and driue them vnder the deskes and darke stalles, where they should not appeare. &c.

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MarginaliaEx Flaccio de testibus veritatis.Matthias Flaccius in the end of his boke, intituled: De testibus veritatis, speaketh of one Michaell Stifelius,  

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Mathias Flacius, Catalogus testium veritatis (Basel, 1562), pp. 583-4.

whiche Michaell beyng an olde mā, told him that he heard the priestes & monkes say many times, by old prophecies, that a violent reformation must nedes come amongest them: and also that the said Michael heard Conradus Stifelius his father, many times declare the same: who also for the great hatred he bare against this filthy secte of monkes and priestes, told to one Peter Pirer a frend and neighbour of his, that he should lyue and see the day, and therfore desired him, that when the day came, besides those priestes whiche he should kill for him selfe, he would kill one priest more for his sake. &c. Hæc ex Flaccio. MarginaliaThe gospell beginneth his reformation with peace and quietnes.This Stifelius thought belike, that this reformation should be wrought by outward violence, & force of sworde, but he was therin deceaued. Although the aduersary vseth all forceable meanes, and violent tyrannie, yet the procedynges of the Gospell alwayes begynneth with peace, and quyetnes.

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In þe table of Amersham men I signified a litle before, pag. 956. howe one Haggar  

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John Hacker was an extraordinarily influential Lollard with a long career; see J. A. F. Thomson, The Later Lollards, 1414-1520 for details. Hacker will be arrested in London in 1527 and in 1528, he would abjure and give the names of over 40 other Lollards to the authorities (1563, p. 418 and BL, Harley 421, fos. 11r-14r).

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of London, speaking of this reformation to come, declared: That the priestes should make battaile, and haue the vpperhand a while, but shortly they should be vanquished, and ouerthrowen for euer.

MarginaliaThe fall of the Popedome signified by the fall of the Angell, frō the churche toppe of the popes Castle.In the time of Pope Alexander the vi. and about the yeare of our Lord. 1500. as is before specified,  

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The stories of Alexander VI's death and of the statue of the angel struck by lightning are from Bale, Catalogus, p. 634

pag. 870. the high Angell, which stoode in the toppe of the Popes church and Castle of S. Angell, was throwen downe with a terrible thunder, into the ryuer of Tybris: wherby might seme to be declared the ruine and fall of the Popedome.

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To this may be adioyned,  

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The portents in 1505 and 1516 come from John Bale, Scriptorum Illustrium maioris Brytanniae…Catalogus (Basel, 1557), pp. 645-6.

whiche in certeine Chronicles, and in Iohn Bale is recorded: MarginaliaEx Baleo Centur. 8.whiche sayth, that in the yeare of our Lorde. 1516. whiche was the same yeare when Martin Luther began, Pope Leo the x. dyd create xxxi. Cardinals: In the whiche yeare and day of theyr creatiō, there fell a tempest of thunder and lightnyng in Rome, whiche so strake the Church where the Cardinals were made,

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that