A67922:822
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.
Of Gallus and Volusianus his son, Emperors after Decius, both slain by conspiracy of Aemilianus, who rose against them both in war, and within three months after was slain himself? Next to Aemilianus succeeded Valerianus and Galianus his son, of whom Valerianus (who was a persecutor of the Christians) was taken prisoner of the Persians, and there made a riding fool of Sapores their king, who used him for a stool to leap up upon his horse, while his son Galienus sleeping at Rome, either would not, or could not once proffer to revenge his fathers ignominy. For after the taking of Valerian, so many Emperors rose up as were provinces in the Romaine Monarch: At length Galienus also was killed by Aureolus, which warred against him. It were too long here to speak of Aurelianus an other persecutor,1 slain of his Secretary: Of Tacitus and Florinus his brother, of whom the first reigned 6. months, and was slain at Pontus, the other reigned two months, and was murdered at Tarsis. Of Probus, 2who although a good civill Emperor, yet was he destroyed by his soldiers. After whom Carus the next emperor was slain by lightning. Next to Carus followed the impious and wicked persecutor Diocletian, with his fellows Maximian, 3Galerius, Maximinus, Maxentius, and Licinius, under whom all at one time (during the life of Diocletian) the greatest and most grievous persecution was moved against the Christians x. years together. Of which, Diocletian and Maximinian deposed themselves from the Empire. Galerius the chiefest minister of the persecution, after his terrible persecutions, fell into a wonderful sickness, having such a sore risen in the nether part of his belly, which consumed his privy members, and so did swarm with worms, that being not curable, neither by Surgery nor Physic, he confessed, that it happened for his cruelty toward the Christians, and so called in his proclamations against them. Notwithstanding, he not able to sustain (as some say) the stench of his sore slue himself. Maximinus in his war being tormented with pain in his guts, there died. Maxentius was vanquished by Constantine, and drowned in Tiber. Licinius likewise being overcome by the said Constantine the great, was deposed from his Empire, and afterward slain of his soldiers.