The 4th International Conference
Antwerp, Belgium


Back to the Future: John Foxe, John Day and
the Whole Works of Tyndale, Frith and Barnes


Thomas S. Freeman
British Academy/University of Sheffield, UK

Abstract

In 1570, John Foxe had attained a position where he was free from the need for patronage and was able to write whatever pleased him. He believed (erroneously as it turned out) that his great book, the Acts and Monuments, was finished. His choice of topic, then, reveals a great deal about his interests and concerns at this stage of his life. In the second edition of the Acts and Monuments, published in 1570, he listed three projects which he would be working on:

The works of Tyndale, Frith and Barnes was the only one of these he actually completed.

My talk will examine why Foxe chose to work on this edition and the purposes which this work was supposed to achieve. It will also examine the influence which Tyndale's writings had on Foxe's later thought and argue that editing this work marked a turning point in Foxe's life and writings. Finally, I will discuss the importance of this edition and the editorial strategies behind it.


Valid HTML 4.01!