A67922:910
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 forenamed authors Anton. and Equilius make mention moreover of Nereus and Achilleus, who in this persecution of Trajan, had the crown of Martyrdom, being put to death at Rome. Eusebius in his iiij. book cap. 26. maketh mention of one Sagaris, who about the same time suffered Martyrdom in Asia, Seruilius Paulus being then Proconsul in that Province.
The forenamed authors Anton. and Equilius make mē tion moreouer of Nereus and Achilleus, who in this persecution of Traiane, had the croune of Martyrdom, being put to death at Rome. Eusebius in his iiij. booke cap. 26. maketh mention of one Sagaris, who about the same tyme suffered Martyrdome in Asia, Seruilius Paulus beyng then Proconsul in that Prouince.
1In this persecution beside many other, suffered the blessed Martyr of Christ Ignatius, who unto this day is had in famous reverence among very many.2 This Ignatius was appointed to the bishopric of Antioch next after Peter in succession. Some do say, that he being sent from Syria to Rome,3 because he professed Christ, was given to the wild beasts to be devoured. It is also said of him, that when he passed through Asia, being under the most straight custody of his guarders, he strengthened and confirmed the parishes through all the cities as he went, both with his exhortations and preaching of the word of God: and admonished them especially and before all other things, to beware and shun those heresies risen up, and sprung newly among them, and that they should cleave and stick fast to the tradition of the Apostles, which he for their better safeguard, being about to denounce or put in writing, thought it a thing very necessary to travail in. And thus when he came to Smyrna, where Polycarpus was, he wrote one epistle to the congregation of Ephesus,4 wherein he made mention of Onesimus their Pastor, & an other he wrote to the congregation of Magnesia, being at Meander, wherein also he forgetteth not Dama their Bishop. Also an other he wrote to the congregation of Trallis: the governor of which City at that time he noteth to be one Polybius. Unto which congregation he made an exhortation, lest they refusing Martyrdom, should loose the hope that they desired.