dies were over-ruled, not only to the abundant advantage of posterity at large; but, also, to the endless benefit of his own soul in particular. His indefatigable and profound researches, into ecclesiastical 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 immense 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 controversies, then in debate between protestants and papists, he searched, with indefatigable assiduity, into the ancient and modern history of the church. Here he learnt at what periods, and by what means, the religion of Christ flourished; and by what errors it began to decline. He considered the causes, and weighed the importance, of those various dissensions, which had, from time to time, obtained in the professing world: and quickly perceived, that, in every age, the mistakes, follies, and vices of mankind, are more similar in their nature, operations, and effects, than is generally imagined. What is the far greater part of civil and ecclesiastical history, but a register of the weakness and wickedness which divide almost the whole human race between them?

With such zeal and industry 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 scholastic writers; together with the acts of all the councils: and, moreover, made himself master of the Hebrew language. But, from this strict and severe application, by night as well as by day; from forsaking his old popish friends, and courting the most sequestered retirement; from the dubious and hesitating manner, in which, when he could not avoid being in company, he spoke of religious subjects; and,

above all, from his sparing attendance on the public worship of the church, which he had before been remarkable for strictly and constantly frequenting; arose the first surmises of his being alienated from the reigning superstitions, and infected with (what the bigotted Romanists had either the ignorance or the insolence to term) the "new heresies."

Snares

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 singular openness and sincerity did not long leave them at a loss for ways or means. were laid for him, and his generous honesty betrayed him into them. A moderate portion of dissimulation (commonly called, prudence and circumspection) would perhaps have secured him a while, from the machinations of his adversaries. But he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people, and for the cause of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: mindful of that decisive and alarming declaration, Whosoever is ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall 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 loss of all things, for Christ's sake in consequence of which, he openly professed the gospel, and was publicly accused of heresy. His college passed judgment on him, as an heretic convicted; and, presently after, he saw himself expelled from the university. His enemies maintained, that he was favourably dealt with by that sentence; and might think himself happily off, to incur expulsion instead of death.

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

in-law, particularly, seized this opportunity to withhold from Mr. Fox the estate 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 forsaken and oppressed, he was reduced to great straights: when God raised him up an unexpected patron in sir Thomas Lucy, of Warwickshire; 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' family, until his pupils were grown up: after which, he with some 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 considerable 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 sitting 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 starved to death); a person whom he never remembered to have seen before, came and sat down by him and accosting him familiarly, put a respectable sum of money into his hand, saying, Be of good comfort Mr. Fox; take care of yourself, and use all means to preserve your life: for, depend upon it, God will, in a few days give you a better prospect, and more certain means of subsistence. He afterwards used his utmost endeavours to find out the person, by whose bounty he had been so seasonably relieved: but he was never able to gain any discovery. However, the prediction was fulfilled: for, within three days from that memorable incident, he was taken into the duchess of Richmond's family, to be tutor to her nephew the carl of Surrey's chil

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 duchess 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 whose diocese this good man so long lived, would have soon brought him to the shambles, had he not been protected by one of his noble pupils, then duke of Norfolk. Gardiner always hated Mr. Fox (who it is said was the first person that ventured to preach the gospel at Ryegate); and saw with deep concern, the heir of one of the noblest families in the kingdom, trained up in attachment to protestantism, under Mr. Fox's influence. The prelate, therefore, formed various designs against the safety of the latter; and sought, by many artifices and stratagems, to work his ruin. The holy man, who was no less suspicious of the bishop, than the bishop 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 seek shelter 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 requisite for his voyage. Mr. Fox, accordingly set sail from Ipswich haven; accompanied by his wife, who was then pregnant, and by several other persons, who were leaving their country on a religious account. The vessel had not been very long at sea, ere a storm arose; which, the next day, drove them back into the port from whence they had set out. Having, with great difficulty and danger, reached the land, Mr. Fox was saluted with indubitable information, that bishop Gardiner had issued a warrant for apprehending him, and was causing the most diligent search to be made after

him. On this, he made interest with the master of the ship to put to sea again without delay; though at evident hazard of their lives, as the tempest had not yet subsided. Through God's goodness, however, they all arrived in two days at Nieuport in Flanders: from whence Mr. Fox and his company travelled to Antwerp and Franckford; and so to Basil, in Switzerland, whither great numbers of the English resorted in those times of domestic persecution.

The city of Basil was then one of the most famous in Europe for printing: and many of the learned refugees who retired thither, got their subsistence by revising and correcting the press. To this employment, Mr. Fox betook himself: and it was here that he laid the first plan of his inestimable history and martyrology, intitled, Acts and Monuments of the Church.

Queen Mary the bloody died in the month of November, 1558. And, the day before she died in England, Mr. Fox, in a sermon then preached by him at Basil, publicly and positively predicted, that the day then next ensuing would be the last of her life. An event, so circumstantially foretold by one at such a distance from the place of Mary's residence; and so punctually accomplished, by the hand of divine providence; could only be made known to the predictor, by revelation from God.

Elizabeth's accession encouraged Mr. Fox to return home: where, on his arrival, he still found a faithful and serviceable friend, in his late pupil the duke of Norfolk; who hospitably and nobly entertained him, at his manor of Christ church, in London, until his [i. e. until the duke's] death: from which latter period, Mr. Fox inherited a pension, bequeathed to him by his deceased benefactor, and ratified by his son the earl of Suffolk.

Nor did the good man's successes stop here. On being recommended to the queen, by her secretary of