A67922:1131
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.
Vincentius in his xj. book, maketh also mention, citing Ex Hugone, 1of certain children suffering Martyrdom under the same persecution, in a City of Tuscia called Aretium: whose names I find not, except they be ••rgentius & Laurentius mentioned in Equilinus, Lib. 5. cap. 80.
Vincentius in his xj. booke, maketh also mention, citing Ex Hugone, 1of certaine children suffering Martyrdome vnder the same persecution, in a Citie of Tuscia called Aretium: whose names I finde not, except they be ••rgentius & Laurentius mentioned in Equilinus, Lib. 5. cap. 80.
- 1Children Martyrs. Ex vincent lib. 11. cap. 52.
Now that I have recorded of them sufficiently, which under this tempest of Decius, 1constantly gave their lives to Martyrdom for the testimony of Christ: it remaineth, that a few words also be spoken of such that for fear or frailty in this persecution did shrink back, & slide from the truth of their confession. In the number of whom first cometh in the remembrance of Serapion an aged old man. Of whom writeth Dionysius Alexandrinus, unto Fabius, declaring: that this Serapion was an old man,2 which lived amongest them a sincere and upright life of long time, but at length fell. This Serapion oft and many times desired to be received again, but no man listened to him, for he had sacrificed before.3 After this not long after he fell into sickness where he remained three days dumb, and benumbed of all his senses. The fourth day following, beginning a little to recover, he called to him his sisters son, & said: how long, how long (my son) do ye hold me here? Make hast I pray you, that I were absolved. Call hither some of the ministers to me, and so saying no more, held his peace, as dumb & speechless. The boy ran, it was then night, unto the minister, who at the same time being sick, could not come with the messenger, but said: for so much as he willed heretofore (as he said) that such as lay a dying, if they covet to be received & reconciled, and especially if they required it earnestly, should be admitted, whereby with the better hope & confidence they may depart hence: therefore he gave to the boy a little of the