A67922:1257
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.
Hermanus also that monster, caused Serena the wife of Diocletian the Emperor, to be martyred for the Christian Religion: so much did the rage of persecution utterly forget all natural affects. Other Martyrs of Nichomedia doth Nicephorus in his vii. book and xiiii. chapter recite, as Eulampius and Eulampia, Agapen, Irenea, Chionia, and Anastasia, under Illyricus, chief officer, were bound hand & foot to a post and burnt. Vincentius. Lib. 12 cap. 66. And also Euseb. Lib. 8. cap. 6. mentioneth such an other like matter full of horror and grief. There assembled together in their temple many Christian men to celebrate the memory of the Nativity of Christ, of every age and sort some: There Maximianus thinking to have been given a very fit occasion to execute his tyranny upon the poor Christians, sent thither such as should burn the temple, the doors being shut and closed round about. Thither came they with fire, but first they commanded the crier with a loud voice to cry, that who soever would have life, should come out of the temple, & do sacrifice upon the next altar they came unto of Jupiter, and unless they would do this, they should all be burnt with the temple. Then one stepping up in the temple, answered in the name of all the rest with great courage & boldness of mind, that they were all Christians, & believed that Christ was their only God & king,1 and that they would do sacrifice to him, with his father and holy Ghost, & that they were now all ready to offer unto him. With these words the fire was kindled and compassed about the temple, and there were burnt of men, women, and children certain thousands. There were also in Arabia, very many martyrs slain with axes, as Eusebius. Lib. 8. cap. 12. There was in Phrygia a city, unto which the Emperor sent his Edicts that they should do sacrifice to the gods, and worship Idols, all which Citizens the Major himself, ⟨p. 79⟩the Quaestor, and chief Captain confessed that they were all Christians. The City upon this was besieged & set on fire,2 and all the people, Euseb. Lib. 8. cap. 11. In Melitina a region of Armenia, the bishops and Elders were cast in prison. Eusebius eodem cap. 6. In Arabrace a region near adjoining to Armenia Eustratius was Martyred, as Nicephorus declareth, Lib 7 cap. 14.