A67922:1092
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.
We read in a certain treatise of Chrysostom, entitled Contra Gentiles, 1a notable and a long history of one Babylas a martyr, who about these times was put to death for resisting a certain Emperor, not suffering him to enter into the temple of the Christians, after a cruel murder committed, the story of which murder is this: There was a certain Emperor, who upon conclusion of peace made with a certain nation, had received for hostage or surety of peace the son of the king being of young and tender age, with conditions upon the same, that neither he should be molested of them, nor that they should ever be vexed of him. Upon this the kings son was delivered not without great care and fear of the father unto the Emperor, whom the cruel Emperor, contrary to promise, caused in short time, without all just cause to be slain. This fact so horrible being committed, the tyrant with all hast would enter into the temple of the christians:2 Where Babylas being bishop or minister withstood him that he should not into the place approach. The Emperor therewith not a little incensed, in great rage commanded him forthwith to be laid in prison with as many irons as he could bear, & from thence shortly after to be brought forth to death and execution. Babylas going constantly and boldly to his Martyrdom, desired after his death to be buried with his irons and bands, & so he was. The story proceedeth moreover, and saith, that in continuance of time in the reign of Constantinus, Gallus then made the overseer of the East parts, caused his body to be translated into the suburbs of Antioch called Daphnes, where was a temple of Apollo, famous with devilish Oracles & answers, given by that Idol, or by the devil rather in that place. In the which temple after the bringing of the body of Babylas, the idol ceased to give any more Oracles, saying, that for the body of Babylas, he could give no moe answers, but complaining that that place was wont to be consecrated unto him, but now it was full of dead mens bodies. And thus the Oracles there ceased for that time, till the coming of Julianus: who inquiring out the cause why the Oracles ceased, caused the bones of the holy Martyr to be removed again from thence by the christians, whom he then called Galileans.
We read in a certaine treatise of Chrysostome, intituled Contra Gentiles, 1