A67922:1148
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 pestiferous mortality (by the occasion whereof Cyprian took the ground to write hys book De mortalitate) began as is said, immediately after the death of Decius the persecutor,1 in the beginning of the reign of Vibias Gallus, and Volusianus his son: who succeeded through treason, next unto Decius, about the year of our Lord. 255. and continued their reign but two years.
This pestiferous mortalitie (by the occasion whereof Cyprian tooke the ground to write hys booke De mortalitate) began as is sayd, immediately after the death of Decius the persecutor,1 in the beginning of the raigne of Vibias Gallus, and Volusianus hys sonne: who succeeded through treason, next vnto Decius, about the yeare of our Lord. 255. and continued their raygne but two yeares.
- 1Cyprianus Lib. de mortalitate. Gallus and Volusianus Emperors.Cyprianus Lib. de mortalitate. Gallus and Volusianus Emperours.
This Gallus although the first beginning of the reign was some thing quiet,1 yet shortly after following the steps of Decius, by whom rather he should have taken better heed, set forth Edicts in like manner, for the persecution of Christians, albeit in this Edict we find no number of Martyrs to have suffered, but only all this persecution to rest only in the exilement of bishops or guides of the flock. Of other sufferings or executions we do not read: for the terrible pestilence following immediately, kept the barbarous heathen otherwise occupied. Unto this time of Gallus, rather then to the time of Decius, 2I refer the banishment of Cyprian, who was then bishop of Carthage. Of the which banishment, he himself testifieth in divers of his epistles, declaring the cause thereof to rise upon a commotion or sedition among the people, out of the which he withdrew himself, lest the sedition should grow greater. Notwithstanding the said Cyprian, though being absent, yet had no less care of his flock and of the whole church, then if he had been present with them. And therefore never ceased in his Epistles continually to exhort and call upon them to be constant in their profession,