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There are certain facts in history which the world tries hard to forget and ignore. 在历史中有某些事实是世人竭力想要忘记和忽视的。
These facts get in the way of some of the world’s favorite theories, and are highly inconvenient. 这些事实妨碍了世人所喜爱的某些理论，并且极为不便。
The consequence is that the world shuts its eyes against them. 结果是世人对它们闭目不看。
They are either regarded as vulgar intruders, or passed by as tiresome bores. 它们要么被视为粗俗的入侵者，要么被当作令人厌倦的烦扰而略过。
Little by little they sink out of sight of the students of history, like ships in a distant horizon. 它们渐渐从历史研究者的视线中消失，就像远方地平线上的船只。
Of such facts the subject of this paper is a vivid example: “The Burning of our English Reformers; and the Reason why they were Burned.” 在这类事实中，本文的主题就是一个生动的例子：”我们英国改教家的焚烧；以及他们被焚烧的原因。”
It is fashionable in some quarters to deny that there is any such thing as certainty about religious truth, or any opinions for which it is worth while to be burned. 在某些圈子里，否认关于宗教真理有任何确定性，或有任何值得为之被焚烧的观点，是很时髦的。
Yet, 300 years ago, there were men who were certain they had found out truth, and were content to die for their opinions. 然而，三百年前，有些人确信他们已经找到了真理，并甘愿为他们的观点而死。
It is fashionable in other quarters to leave out all the unpleasant things in history, and to paint everything with a rose-colored hue. 在其他圈子里，把历史中所有不愉快的事情都略去，并用玫瑰色调描绘一切，是很时髦的。
A very popular history of our English Queens hardly mentions the martyrdoms of Queen Mary’s days! 一本非常流行的关于我们英国女王的历史书几乎没有提到玛丽女王(Queen Mary)时代的殉道！
Yet Mary was not called “Bloody Mary” without reason, and scores of Protestants were burned in her reign. 然而玛丽被称为”血腥玛丽”(Bloody Mary)并非没有理由，在她的统治期间有数十名新教徒被焚烧。
Last — but not least, it is thought very bad taste in many quarters to say anything which throws discredit on the Church of Rome. 最后——但并非最不重要的，在许多圈子里，说任何使罗马教会(Church of Rome)蒙羞的话被认为是非常不得体的。
Yet it is as certain that the Romish Church burned our English Reformers — as it is that William the Conqueror won the battle of Hastings. 然而罗马教会(Romish Church)焚烧了我们英国的改教家——这就像征服者威廉(William the Conqueror)赢得黑斯廷斯战役(battle of Hastings)一样确定。
These difficulties meet me face to face as I walk up to the subject which I wish to unfold in this paper. 当我走向本文中我想要展开的主题时，这些困难与我迎面相遇。
I know their magnitude, and I cannot evade them. 我知道它们的重要性，我无法回避它们。
I only ask my readers to give me a patient and indulgent hearing. 我只请求我的读者给我一个耐心和宽容的聆听。
After all, I have great confidence in the honesty of Englishmen’s minds. 毕竟，我对英国人心思的诚实有很大的信心。
Truth is truth, however long it may be neglected. 真理就是真理，无论它被忽视多久。
Facts are facts, however long they may lie buried. 事实就是事实，无论它们被埋藏多久。
I only want to dig up some old facts which the sands of time have covered over, to bring to the light of day some old English monuments which have been long neglected, to unstop some old wells which the prince of this world has been diligently filling with earth. 我只想挖掘一些被时间之沙掩盖的旧事实，将一些长期被忽视的英国古老纪念碑带到日光之下，疏通一些被这世界的王子殷勤地用泥土填满的古井。
I ask my readers to give me their attention for a few minutes, and I trust to be able to show them that it is good to examine the question, “Why were our Reformers burned?” 我请求我的读者给我几分钟的关注，我相信能够向他们表明，考查”为什么我们的改教家被焚烧？”这个问题是有益的。
TABLE OF CONTENTS 目录
Introduction 引言
I. Outline of the Facts 一、事实概要
II. Who were the leading English Reformers that were Burned? 二、被焚烧的主要英国改教家是谁？
III. The Special Reason Why our Reformers were Burned 三、我们的改教家被焚烧的特别原因
IV. The Bearing of the Whole Subject on Our Own Position and on Our Own Times 四、整个主题对我们自身立场和我们自己时代的意义