A67922:1003
Acts and monuments of matters most special and memorable, happening in the Church. [vol.…Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol.…
Acts and monuments of matters most special and memorable, happening in the Church. [vol. 1] with an universal history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitive age to these latter times of ours, with the bloody times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions against the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperors, as now lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realm of England and Scotland. Newly revised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time again published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the help of Christ our Lord) John Fox, which desireth thee good reader to help him with thy prayer.Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.
London: printed by John Daye, 1583London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1583
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
This Commodus is said in stories to be so sure & steady handed in casting the dart, that in the open Theatre before the people, he would encounter with the wild beasts, and be sure to hit them in place where he appointed. Among divers other his vicious and wild parts he was to far surpressed in pride & arrogancy,1 that he would be called Hercules, and many times would show himself to the people in the skin of a Lion, to be counted thereby the king of men, like as the Lion is of the beasts.
This Commodus is said in stories to be so sure & steddy handed in casting the dart, that in the open Theatre before the people, he would encounter with the wild beasts, and be sure to hit them in place where he appointed. Among diuers other his vicious and wild parts he was to farre surpressed in pride & arrogancy,1 that he would be called Hercules, and many times would shewe himselfe to the people in the skinne of a Lion, to bee counted thereby the king of men, like as the Lion is of the beastes.
- 1The ridiculous pride of the Emperor.The ridiculous pride of the Emperour.
Upon a certain time being his birth day, this Commodus, calling the people of Rome together, in a great royalty having his lions skin upon him, made sacrifice to Hercules & Jupiter, causing it to be cried through the City that Hercules was the patron and defender of the City. There were the same time at Rome. Vincentius, Eusebius, Peregrinus, Potentianus, learned men, and instructors of the people,1 who following the steps of the Apostles, went about from place to place where the Gospel was not yet preached, converting the Gentiles to the saith of Christ, These hearing the madness of the Emperor & of the people, began to reprove their idolatrous blindness, teaching in villages & towns all that heard them, to believe upon the true and only God, and to come away from such worshipping of devils, and to give honour to God alone, which only is to be worshipped, willing them to repent and to be Baptised,