His distress.-Tutor to the duke of Norfolk's children. iii abode there, he married the daughter of a citizen of Coventry. His departure from this situation was hastened by the inquisitions which the papists began to make into private families. For a time he seems to have found shelter with his wife's father, and also with his mother's husband; but the assistance rendered him was small. His son states that by these means he kept himself concealed, but that he always forbore to speak of this part of his story, not wishing to notice the lack of kindness from his relatives as their conduct deserved.

About the end of the reign of Henry VIII. or the commencement of that of Edward VI. Fox removed to London. The rage of persecution was then abated, but having no regular employment, his scanty means were soon exhausted. His biographer relates a singular incident which befell him at this time.

"As master Fox one day sat in Paul's church,* spent with long fasting, his countenance thin and eyes hollow, after the ghastful manner of dying men; every one shunning a spectacle of so much horror, there came to him one whom he never remembered to have seen before; who sitting by him and saluting him with much familiarity, thrust an untold sum of money into his hand, bidding him be of good cheer; adding that he knew not how great were the misfortunes which oppressed him, but suspected it was no light calamity. He should, therefore, accept in good part from his countryman that small gift which courtesy enforced him to offer; he should go and make much of himself, and take all occasions to prolong his life; adding, that within a few days new hopes were at hand, and a more certain condition of livelihood." Fox never could learn to whom he was indebted for this relief, though he earnestly endeavoured to ascertain. Some believed that the bearer was sent by others who were anxious for the welfare of Fox. However that might be, in a few days he was invited to reside with the duchess of Richmond, to become tutor to the grandsons of the duke of Norfolk, then a prisoner in the Tower. With this family Fox lived at Ryegate till after the death of Edward VI. having under his charge Thomas, afterwards duke of Norfolk, Henry, afterwards earl of Northampton, and Jane, countess of Westmoreland; all of whom made considerable progress under his tuition. Herein was a remarkable instance of the interference of divine providence; the old duke of Norfolk was a papist, but the duchess of

The body of St. Paul's church at that period, and long after, was the daily resort of great numbers of people, especially of those who had business to transact, or were in search of employment. Crowds of idlers of every description were also seen there, and the buzz of conversation, according to the descriptions given by contemporary writers, seems to have exceeded that of the Royal Exchange when fullest at the present day. "He is as well known as the middle walk in Paul's," was a common proverb. A description of London by Lupton in the following century, contains an allusion to "the dinnerless pedestrians" who frequented St. Paul's church, in the hope of finding some one who would invite them to a dinner.

Richmond, the aunt to the late earl of Surrey, was favourably inclined to the truth. During his residence at Ryegate, Fox did not confine his labours to the family wherein he was tutor. On June 24, 1550, he received ordination from bishop Ridley; at that time he was living with the duchess of Suffolk. From a dedication to the translation of his Christ Triumphant, by Richard Day, afterwards himself minister of Ryegate, it also appears that Fox preached the gospel in that neighbourhood, and was instrumental to the removal of popish idolatries. Day, addressing himself to the earl of Northampton, son of one of Fox's pupils, says,

"In the time of his youth, and under the wings of that great lord of Reigate, Thomas duke of Norfolk, he may be truly said to plant the gospel of Jesus Christ there; to that work he was encouraged and maintained, without fee or salary from any other than of your honourable house of Howard. To their great honour be it spoken, he was the first man that ever preached the gospel in that place, even when idolatry was yet in great strength. Exceedingly did his free and voluntary labours fructify among them, for many were there converted from darkness to the light, and from the power of Satan unto God; witness thereof, the old superstitious and idolatrous lady of Ouldsworth, an image, or idol saint, who was worshipped at Reigate, in place of God, for her miraculous power of saving health.* Ouldsworth was an honourable name among the old English Saxons: there are of the name in London to this hour; but this old saint lost her name, her place, her power, and friarly false miracles there, through the ministry of this good man."

That any one instrumental to such a work should have been patronised by the ducal family of Norfolk is surprising, but we may remember that the Reformation was then countenanced by authority, and the family appear to have entertained a strong personal regard for Fox.

An undeniable proof of this regard was manifested soon after the accession of queen Mary. The measures in progress for the restoration of popery and the persecution of the protestants, caused Fox to think of following his friends into exile, but the young duke was unwilling that Fox should leave him, thinking his honour was concerned to protect his tutor. Fox knew this proceeded from sincere feelings of regard, and said it was indeed for the duke's honour so to act, but it was his duty to take care that the duke should not be involved in trouble on his account. The matter did not remain long in suspense. One so active against image worship, in the diocese of Gardiner, could not escape the notice of that bigoted papist, who was intimate with the family, and several times requested to see the tutor. His designs were suspected. The old duke died September, 1554, and had been succeeded by his grandson, the pupil of Fox, who being

* See note on the worship of saints, images, and pilgrimage, Lord bham, p. 137.

Persecuted by Gardiner.-Escapes to the continent.

V

anxious for the safety of his preceptor, made excuses to keep him from the sight of Gardiner. But one day Fox, not knowing Gardiner was at the house, entered the room. On seeing the bishop he quickly withdrew; Gardiner inquired who that was, the duke said it was his physician, who being newly come from the university, was somewhat uncourtly. "I like his countenance and aspect well," said the bishop, "and when occasion shall be, will make use of him." The duke knew what that occasion would be, and concluded it was no longer safe for Fox to remain in England. He sent a servant to Ipswich to hire a bark, while a retreat was provided for Fox, accompanied by his wife, at a farmer's house near the sea-shore, till all was ready. They had scarcely put to sea when a contrary wind arose; after beating about the next night and the following day, in the evening they regained the port they had left. As soon as Fox landed he was informed that a pursuivant from the bishop of Winchester had searched the farmer's house for him, but after following him to the port, and finding the vessel was out of sight, he had departed. Upon this Fox took horse and left the town, but returning in the night he persuaded the pilot again to set sail, and after a rough passage of two days was landed safely at Nieuport in Flanders. "An evident argument," as Samuel Fox observes," of the certain course of Providence and the uncertainty of all human forecast."

From Nieuport Fox proceeded to Antwerp, and from thence to Basle, where at that time many of the English refugees were kindly received. The city of Basle was celebrated for superiority in the art of printing. Fox, and some of his countrymen found employment in correcting the press, and other literary labours connected therewith.

Here Fox engaged with Oporinus, a celebrated printer, to whom he presented the first sketch of his history of the church. It was written in Latin, and accompanied by a letter to Oporinus, in which he desired to be received into his service, and that Oporinus would vouchsafe to be his learned patron, under whom he might pursue his studies, being one that would be content with a small salary; and if he would employ him there, or at Strasburg, or at some university, which latter he would prefer, either," added he, "I will be destitute of all things, or, by the help of Christ, I will cause that all men of literature shall know how much they are indebted to the name and to the press of Oporinus."

While employed as corrector of the press, Fox continued his studies; he especially laboured at his great work on ecclesiastical history, which he compiled at first in Latin. Several publications containing parts of it, were set forth by him, among them were Philpot's examinations. He wrote an earnest address to the nobility of England, beseeching them to desist from the cruelties then practised towards the protestants. He also translated Cranmer's answer to Gardiner on the sacrament. The printing

of this was begun in 1557, but upon consideration it was thought more advisable to stop the progress of the work on account of the bitterness with which the sacramental controversy at that time raged in Germany and Switzerland. In a letter to Peter Martyr, Fox complains much of the difficulty he experienced from the studied obscurity of Gardiner's style. He says, "I never saw any thing more unpleasant, rough, and entangled, than Winchester's discourse; wherein sometimes he is so full of depths that he needs some sibyl rather than an interpreter. In the third book there are one or two places where you may sooner extract water from a pumice-stone than find light from the sentence." An instance of the craft for which Gardiner was so remarkable.

In this work, Grindal, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury, gave Fox considerable assistance, also in the more important labour of his Martyrology. Grindal then resided principally at Strasburg, and was able to maintain a constant correspondence with England, by which means he obtained many accounts of the examinations and sufferings of the martyrs. These he conveyed to Fox, to arrange and insert in his work. Many letters which passed between them are extant, they show, as Strype observes, a most tender regard to truth and suspending upon common reports and relations brought over, till more satisfactory evidence came from good hands." With one letter Grindal sent Fox two dollars, from the monies remitted out of England to assist for supporting the martyrs. In these works Fox was also assisted and encouraged by Aylmer, tutor to lady Jane Grey, afterwards bishop of London, and by other English divines.

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Fox was engaged in more painful transactions while on the continent, namely, the disputes which arose among the exiles, respecting certain matters of ecclesiastical discipline and the use of the English liturgy. The particulars of these differences need not be entered into here, they are to be found in the work entitled the Troubles of Frankfort, and in Strype.

Fox deeply regretted the lengths to which matters proceeded. In a letter to Peter Martyr, written from Frankfort, he says that these disputes had made them unfruitful nearly the whole winter; he attributes much to the youth and inexperience of some who engaged in the controversies. "I have discovered what otherwise I could not have believed, how much bitterness is to be found among those whom continual acquaintance with the sacred volume ought to render gentle, and incline to all kindness. As far as in me lies, I persuade parties to concord." After stating the substance of the advice he had given, he adds, “Our last anchor is cast upon Christ himself, who for his mercy's sake will deign to turn our hearts to those things which make for peace and real tranquillity. His main endeavour was to be a peace maker, and to persuade both parties to concord. In this he appears to have partly prevailed, so far as to induce them to debate the matter more mildly by letter and conference. He

also urged Peter Martyr to settle at Frankfort, as lecturer on divinity to the English, which might induce them to collect there.

Part of a letter written by Fox about this period, to a person and his wife that left England under queen Mary,* is as follows: "The grace of God in Jesus Christ, which aideth, governeth, and conducteth all such in truth as put their confidence in him, be multiplied upon you and your virtuous yokefellow, that as by the holy institution of the Lord, ye are called to be one flesh, so, by faith you being one in mind, may, in the unity of Christ's spirit, like true yokefellows, bear the cross with patience, and follow our guide and fore-leader, Christ Jesus. Amen.

"When I understood, by your friendly letters sent to my brother, what our good God and most sweet Father hath done for you and other members of his mystical body, in delivering you out of that miserable land, from the danger of idolatry and fearful company of Herodians; I was compelled, with a glad heart, to render unto his Divine Majesty most humble thanks, beseeching him that as he hath delivered you from their contagious venom and deathly sting with a safe conscience, so he will vouchsafe to protect and preserve it still undefiled. To forsake your country, to despise your commodities at home, to contemn riches, and to set naught by honours which the whole world hath in great veneration, for the love of the sweet gospel of Christ, are not works of the flesh, but the most assured fruits of the Holy Ghost, and undeceivable arguments of your regeneration, or new birth, whereby God certifieth you that ye are justified in him, and sealed to eternal life. And therefore ye have great cause to be thankful; first that he hath chosen you to life, and, secondly, that he hath given you his Holy Spirit, which hath altered and changed you into a new creature, working in you through the word such a mind, that these things are not painful but pleasant unto you. Again, to be delivered from the bondage of conscience, from the

The labours of Fox while in exile were very severe; his son speaks of him “ as having been inured to hardness from his youth, therefore labour, and what to others seemed the greatest misery, to suffer want, to sit up late, and to keep hard diet, gave him no concern." He adds, "This may appear strange to many who remember master Fox to have been all his life long but a slender bodied man, and in his elder years somewhat sickly. But let no man compare his old age, worn out and eaten up with cares, and even by the course of nature ruinous, with the flourishing

*This fragment of a letter is among the Harleian manuscripts in the British Museum. It does not show to whom the letter was addressed, but as it was to a person and his wife who are described as setting honours at naught for the sake of religion, it may have been the Hon. Robert Bertie and his wife the duchess of Suffolk, whose escape is narrated by Fox in the Acts and Monuments.