A67922:850
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.
*The first Persecution.
The first of these x. persecutions, was stirred up by Nero Domitius, 1the vj. Emperor before mentioned, about the year of our Lord, 67. The tyrannous rage of which Emperor, was so fierce against the Christians (as Eusebius recordeth) Usque adeò ut videres repletas humanis corporibus civitates, 2jacentes mortuos simul cum paruulis senes: foemi. narúmque absque ulla sexus reverentia nudata in publico, 3reiectáque starent cadavera. That is, In so much that a man might then see cities lye full of mens bodies, the old there lying together with the young, and the dead bodies of women cast out naked,4 without all reverence of that sex in the open streets. &c. Likewise Orosius writing of the said Nero, saith, that he was the first which in Rome did raise up persecution against the Christians, and not only in Rome, but also through all the provinces thereof, thinking to abolish and to destroy the whole name of Christians in all places, &c. Whereunto accordeth moreover the testimony of Hierome upon Daniel, saying: thàt many there were of the Christians in those days, which seeing the filthy abominations, and intolerable cruelty of Nero, thought that he should be Antichrist, &c.
THe first of these x. persecutions, was stirred vp by Nero Domitius, 1the vj. Emperour before mentioned, about the yeare of our Lord, 67. The tyrannous rage of which Emperour, was so fierce against the Christians (as Eusebius recordeth) Vsque adeò vt videres repletas humanis corporibus ciuitates,