A67922:821
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.
1And as this wrathful vengeance of God thus hath ben showed upon this rebellious people both of the Jews and of the Romans, for their contempt of Christ, whom God so punished by their own Emperors, so neither the Emperors themselves, for persecuting Christ in his members escaped without their just reward. For amongest so many Emperors, which put so many christian Martyrs to death, during the space of these first 300. years, few or none of them scaped either not slain themselves, or by some miserable end or other, worthily revenged. First, of the poisoning of Tiberius, & of the slaughter of the other three Neroes after him,2 sufficiently is declared before. After Nero, Domitius Galba. within 7. months was slain by Ottho. And so did Ottho afterward slay himself, being overcome by Vitellus. And was not Vitellus shortly after drawn through the city of Rome, and after he was tormented, was thrown into Tiber Titus a good Emperor, is thought to be poisoned of Domitian his brother. The said Domitian after he had been a persecutor of the christians, was slain in his chamber, not without the consent of his wife. Likewise Commodus was murdered of Narcissus. 3The like end was of Pertinax and Julianus. Moreover, after that Severus was slain here in England, and lieth at York, did not his son Bassianus slay his brother Geta, and he after slain of Martialis▪ Macrinus with his son Diadumenus were both slain, of their own soldiers. After whom Heliogabalus that mom strous bellypanch, was of his own people slain, & drawn through the city, and cast into Tiber. Alexander Severus, that worthy and learned Emperor, which said he would not feed his servants doing nothing, with the bowels of the common wealth, although in life and virtues, was much unlike other Emperors, yet proved the like end, being slain at Mentz, with his godly mother Mammea by Maximinus whom the Emperor before of a Muleteer had advanced to great dignities. The which Maximinus also after three years was slain himself of his soldiers. What should I speak of Maximus, and Balbinus, in like sort both slain in Rome? Of Gordian slain by Philip: of Philip the first christened Emperor, slain or rather martyred for the same cause? of wicked Decius, drowned, and his son slain the same time in battle?