A67922:1339
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.
In stead of tears,1 sighs & groans, Romanus song psalms all the time of his whipping, requiring them not to favour him for nobilities sake, not the blood of my progenitors (said he) but Christian profession maketh me noble. Then with great power of spirit he inveighed against the captain, laughing to scorn the false gods of the heathen, with the idolatrous worshipping of them, affirming the God of the Christians to be the true God that created heaven and earth, before whose judicial seat all nations shall appear. but the wholesome words of the Martyr were as oil to the fire of the captains fury. The more the Martyr spake, the madder was he, in so much that he commanded the Martyrs sides to be lanced with knives, until the bones appeared white again. Sorry am I, O captain (quod the Martyr) not for that my flesh shall be thus cut and mangled, but for thy cause am I sorrowful, who being corrupted with damnable errors, seducest others. The second time he preached at large, the living God, and the Lord Jesus Christ his well-beloved son,2 eternal life through faith in his blood, expressing therewith the abomination of idolatry, with a vehement exhortation to worship & adore the living God. At these words Asclepiades commanded the tormentors to strike Romanus on the mouth, that his teeth being stricken out, his pronunciation at least wise might be impaired: The commandment was obeyed, his face buffeted, his eye lids torn with their nails, his cheeks scorched with knives, the skin of his beard was plucked by little and little from the flesh, finally his seemly face was wholly defaced. The meek Martyr said: I thank thee, O Captain, that thou hast opened unto me many mouths, whereby I may preach my Lord & Saviour Christ. Look how many wounds I have, so many mouths I have lauding and praising God. The captain astonished with this singular constancy, commanded them to cease from the tortures. He threateneth cruel fire, he revileth the noble martyr,3 he blasphemeth god, saying: Thy crucified Christ, is but an yesterdays God, the gods of the Gentiles are of most antiquity.
In stede of teares,1 sighs & grones, Romanus song psalmes al the time of his whipping, requiring them not to fauour him for nobilities sake, not the bloud of my progenitours (said he) but Christian profession maketh me noble. Then with great power of spirit he inueied against the capitain, laughing to scorne the false gods of the heathen, with the idolatrous worshipping of them, affirming the God of the Christians to be the true God that created heauen and earth, before whose iudiciall seat all nations shall appeare. but the wholsome wordes of the Martyr were as oyle to the fire of the captaines fury. The more the Martyr spake, the madder was hee, in so much that he commaunded the Martyrs sides to be launced with kniues, vntil the bones appeared white againe. Sorie am I, O captain (quod the Martyr) not for that my flesh shall be thus cut and mangled, but for thy cause am I sorowfull, who being corrupted with damnable errours, seducest others. The seconde time hee preached at large, the liuing God, and the Lorde Iesus Christ his welbeloued sonne,