A67922:1269
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.
Sabellicus in his vij. Ennead. and viij. book, saith that that christened man, which tore and pulled down the wicked Edict of the Emperor in Nicomedia, being stripped and beaten that the bones appeared, and after washed in salt and vinegar, was then slain with this cruel kind of torment. But Platina writeth that Dorotheus and Gorgonius exhorteth him to dye so constantly.
Sabellicus in his vij. Ennead. and viij. booke, sayth that that christened man, which tore and pulled down the wicked Edict of the Emperour in Nicomedia, beyng stript and beaten yt the bones appeared, and after washed in salt and vineger, was then slaine with this cruell kind of torment. But Platina writeth that Dorotheus and Gorgonius exhorteth him to dye so constantly.
But as all their torments were for their horribleness, marvellous and notable, and therewithal so studiously, devised, & no less grievous and sharp: so notwithstanding therewith were these Martyrs neither dismayed, nor overcome, but rather thereby confirmed and strengthened, so merrily and joyfully sustained they what so ever was put unto them.1 Eusebius saith that he himself beheld and saw the huge and great persecution that was done in Thebaid, in so much that the very swords of the hangmen and persecutors being blunt with the great and often slaughter, they themselves for weariness sate down to rest them, and other were fain to take their places. And yet all this notwithstanding the murdered christians, showed their marvellous readiness▪ willingness, and divine fortitude, which they were endued with, with stout courage, joy, and smiling, receiving the sentence of death pronounced upon them, and song even unto the last gasp,2 Hymns and Psalms to God. So did also the Martyrs of Alexandria, as witnesseth Phileas above mentioned. The holy martyrs (saith he) keeping Christ in their minds, being led with the love of better rewards, sustained not only at one time, whatsoever labour and devised punishments they had to lay upon them: but now also the second time have done the same, and have borne all the menaces of the cruel soldiers, not only in words, wherewith they threatened them, but also whatsoever in deed and work they could devise to their destruction, and that with most manly stomachs, excluding all fear, with the perfection of their inspeakable love towards Christ, whose great strength and fortitude cannot by words be expressed. And Sulpitius saith in the second book of his sacred history, that then the Christians with more greedy desire pressed and sought for Martyrdom,