A67922:1435
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.
It is credibly informed us, that in those days, Apollo gave answers but not by any mans mouth, but out of a certain cave & dark place (saying) that he was much disquieted by those that were the just men and livers upon the earth, so that he could or would not for them, declare a truth of such things as others demanded: & hereby it came to pass that such false divinations were given from the golden tables in Apollos temple. And this thing did his prophetical priest complain of, when he took up again the hear of his head, that other had contemptuously cast down, & that the neglecting of his divination was the cause of so many evils, amongst men. But let us see what was the end hereof: we now boldly & without all fear invocate & worship the omnipotent God▪ when I was a child I heard, that he which then was chief Emperor of Rome, unhappy, yea, most unhappy man being seduced, and brought into error, by his soldiers, curiously inquired who were those just men upon the earth that Apollo meant: and one of his priests which was near about him, made answer that they were the christians. This answer hereupon unto him being as delectable, as honey unto the mouth, drew the sword given unto him to be a revenger upon evil doers and malefactors against the professors of the irreprehensible sanctimony and religion.1 And straight way he gave forth a commission (to bloody homicides as I may well call them) & gave commandment to all the Judges, that they should endeavour themselves with all the cunning they had to the devising of more greevouser, & sharper punishments against the poor Christians. Then, then I say, a man might have seen, how greatly the honest professors of that religion, were molested with cruelty, and daily suffered no small injuries and contumelies,2 and that also they suffered and sustained the same with such temperance as though they had had no injuries done unto them at all. Which temperance and patience of theirs was the cause why the furious citizens were the more madder & raging against them. What fires, what tortures, what kind of torments were there, but they without respect either of age, or sex were enforced to feel?
It is credibly informed vs, that in those daies, Apollo gaue aunsweres but not by any mans mouth, but out of a certaine caue & darke place (saying) that he was much disquieted by those that were the iust men and liuers vpon the earth, so that he could or would not for them, declare a truth of such things as others demaunded: & hereby it came to passe that such false deuinations were geuen from the golden tables in Apollos temple. And this thing did his propheticall priest complayne of, when he tooke vp againe the heare of his head, that other had cōtemptuously cast down, & that the neglecting of his diuination was the cause of so many euils, amongst men. But let vs see what was the ende hereof: we now boldly & without all feare inuocate & worship the omnipotent God when I was a childe I heard, that he which then was chiefe Emperour of Rome, vnhappy, yea, most vnhappy man being seduced, and brought into errour, by his souldiers, curiously inquired who were those iust men vpō the earth that Apollo ment: and one of his priests which was nere about him, made answere that they were the christiās. This answere hereupon vnto him beyng as delectable, as hony vnto the mouth, drew the sword giuen vnto him to be a reuenger vpon euill doers and malefactours against the professors of the irreprehensible sanctimony and relygion.