The Church Historians of England - 1870 Author:John Foxe Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: In 1573 issued from the press of John Day " the whole works of Tyudale, Frith, and Barnes," collected and edited by John Foxe, and recommended to the reader by a... more »n excellent preface from his pen. We have frequently observed, in reply to the charge that the Church of England has persecuted aa well as the Church of Borne, and therefore that the cruelty of the latter is to be forgotten, because of the same error in the former, that the great difference between the two churches in this matter consists in this—that the Church and State of England have rescinded all claims to persecution, and made the duty of toleration an axiom in Christian government: while the Church of Rome has not rescinded one decree or canon, one papal bull, one conciliar or pontifical law, which affirms the right of the church to govern conscience without conviction ; and to punish, coerce, and compel, even by death, the resisters and oppugners of that authority. The charge of persecution against the Protestant Church of England has been sustained by the conduct of Elizabeth to some wretched sectarians in the year 1575. In the beginning of that year a conventicle of Dutch Anabaptists was discovered in Aldgate; of whom twenty-seven were seized and committed. Four recanted. Some were so firm in their opinions, that neither instruction nor punishment could make any impression upon them. They were, however, treated mercifully, and banished, without any further punishment. This encouraged others, and it was at length thought necessary to proceed to greater extremities. Foxe interceded for two of these, named John Peters and Henry Turwest Flemings, when under condemnation ; and while he expressed his hatred of their principles, he strongly reprobated the putting them to death. " I have never," says he, " been annoyi...« less