Changes

==Critical response==

==Critical response==

The criticism which the work provoked in all quarters led to the publication of a "corrected" edition in 1570, two more during his life (1576 and 1583) and five more revisions within another one hundred years (1596, 1610, 1632, 1641, 1684). The edition of 1684 consists of three folio volumes of 895, 682, and 863 pages respectively. Each page has two columns and over eighty lines. Besides introductory material the first volume contains the story of early Christian persecutions, a sketch of medieval church history and an account of the [[John Wyclif|Wyclifite movement]] in England and on the continent; the second volume treats the reigns [[Henry VIII]] and [[Edward VI]]; and the third volume that of [[Mary I|Catholic Mary]] ("''Bloody Mary''", Queen of England)<ref>See article [https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/from-tablet-to-tablet/final-projects/-the-politics-of-tudor-england-in-early-print-yasmeen-naoum-14 The Politics of Tudor England in early print, (Yasmeen Naoum '14) (sites.google.com)]</ref>. A large number of official documents have been included, injunctions, articles of accusation, letters. The book is illustrated throughout by woodcuts, some symbolizing the triumph of the Reformation, most depicting the sufferings of the martyrs. Two modern editions, both unsatisfactory, in eight volumes, were published in 1837-41 and 1877.  

The criticism which the work provoked in all quarters led to the publication of a "corrected" edition in 1570, two more during his life (1576 and 1583) and five more revisions within another one hundred years (1596, 1610, 1632, 1641, 1684). The edition of 1684 consists of three folio volumes of 895, 682, and 863 pages respectively. Each page has two columns and over eighty lines. Besides introductory material the first volume contains the story of early Christian persecutions, a sketch of medieval church history and an account of the [[John Wyclif|Wyclifite movement]] in England and on the continent; the second volume treats the reigns [[Henry VIII]] and [[Edward VI]]; and the third volume that of [[Mary I|Catholic Mary]] ("''Bloody Mary''", Queen of England).<ref>See article [https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/from-tablet-to-tablet/final-projects/-the-politics-of-tudor-england-in-early-print-yasmeen-naoum-14 The Politics of Tudor England in early print, (Yasmeen Naoum '14) (sites.google.com)]</ref> A large number of official documents have been included, injunctions, articles of accusation, letters. The book is illustrated throughout by woodcuts, some symbolizing the triumph of the Reformation, most depicting the sufferings of the martyrs. Two modern editions, both unsatisfactory, in eight volumes, were published in 1837-41 and 1877.  

The passionate intensity of the style, the vivid and picturesque dialogues, made it very popular among [[Puritans|Puritan]] and Low Church families up into the nineteenth century, who loved hearing a good story. The polemical version of church history in the earlier portion of the book, with its grotesque and fantastically partisan stories of [[pope]]s and [[monk]]s and its assorted succession of witnesses to the truth (including the [[Albigenses]], [[Grosseteste]], [[Dante]], and [[Girolamo Savonarola|Savonarola]]) was accepted among simple folk having little or no education or learning, and must have substantially contributed to anti-Catholic [[prejudice]]s in England. When Foxe treats of his own times his work has greater value, having much documentation, but is largely based on the reports of eyewitnesses; however, he sometimes dishonesty mutilates his documents (the expression today is "carefully edited and doctored") and is quite untrustworthy in his treatment of evidence, as attested by historians with access to the original documents he cites. He was criticized in his own day by Harpsfield and Parsons and by practically all serious ecclesiastical historians. Students of Christian history of every persuasion have often been appalled at the number of inaccuracies and the plainly evident [[libel]]ous intention they have discovered in the motive of the author John Foxe, after consulting other historically documented sources in seeking for independent verification and substantiation of his work. As already mentioned, a number of works have been published critiquing this work since the sixteenth century, and some are devoted in particular to refuting his bias and distortions of fact.

The passionate intensity of the style, the vivid and picturesque dialogues, made it very popular among [[Puritans|Puritan]] and Low Church families up into the nineteenth century, who loved hearing a good story. The polemical version of church history in the earlier portion of the book, with its grotesque and fantastically partisan stories of [[pope]]s and [[monk]]s and its assorted succession of witnesses to the truth (including the [[Albigenses]], [[Grosseteste]], [[Dante]], and [[Girolamo Savonarola|Savonarola]]) was accepted among simple folk having little or no education or learning, and must have substantially contributed to anti-Catholic [[prejudice]]s in England. When Foxe treats of his own times his work has greater value, having much documentation, but is largely based on the reports of eyewitnesses; however, he sometimes dishonesty mutilates his documents (the expression today is "carefully edited and doctored") and is quite untrustworthy in his treatment of evidence, as attested by historians with access to the original documents he cites. He was criticized in his own day by Harpsfield and Parsons and by practically all serious ecclesiastical historians. Students of Christian history of every persuasion have often been appalled at the number of inaccuracies and the plainly evident [[libel]]ous intention they have discovered in the motive of the author John Foxe, after consulting other historically documented sources in seeking for independent verification and substantiation of his work. As already mentioned, a number of works have been published critiquing this work since the sixteenth century, and some are devoted in particular to refuting his bias and distortions of fact.

*[http://www.truthbeknown.com/victims.htm Victims of the Christian Faith, by Kelsos (truthbeknown.com)] - ''this is an anti-Christian site, and an outstanding example of polemical libel and misrepresentation worthy of an atheist''.

*[http://www.truthbeknown.com/victims.htm Victims of the Christian Faith, by Kelsos (truthbeknown.com)] - ''this is an anti-Christian site, and an outstanding example of polemical libel and misrepresentation worthy of an atheist''.

[[category:Protestantism]]

[[Category:Protestantism]]

[[category:Catholic Church]]

[[Category:Catholic Church]]

[[category:Christianity]]

[[Category:Christianity]]

[[category:History]]

[[Category:History]]