A67922:935
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 congregation which is at Smyrna, to the congregation which is at Philomilium, 1and to all the congregations throughout Pontus, mercy to you, peace, and the love of God our father, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, be multiplied, Amen. We have written unto you brethren of those men which have suffered Martyrdom, and of blessed Polycarpus which hath ended and appeased this persecution, as it were by the shedding of his own blood. And in the same epistle, before they enter into farther matter of Polycarpus, 2they discourse of other Martyrs, describing what patience they abode and showed in suffering their torments: which was so great and admirable (saith the Epistle) that the lookers on were amazed,3 seeing and beholding. how they were so scourged and whipped, that the inward veins & arteries appeared, yea even so much that the very entrails of their bodies, their bowels and members were seen, & after that, were set upon sharp shells taken out of the sea, edged, and sharp,4 and certain nails and thorns for the Martyrs to go upon, which were sharpened and pointed called Obelisci. Thus suffered they all kind of punishment and torment that might be devised: and lastly, were thrown unto the wild beasts to be devoured. But especially in the foresaid Epistle, mention is made of one Germanicus, how he most worthily persevered and overcame by the grace of God,5 that fear of death which is engrafted in the common nature of all men, whose notable patience & sufferance was so notable, that the whole multitude wondering at this beloved Martyr of God, for this his so bold constancy, and also for the singular strength and virtue proceeding of the whole multitude of the Christians: began suddenly to cry with a loud voice, saying: destroy the wicked men, let Polycarpus be sought for. And whilst a great uproar and tumult began thus to be raised upon those cries: A certain Phrygian named Quintus, 6lately come out of Phrygia, who seeing and abhorring the wild beasts, and the fierce rage of them, of an over light mind betrayed his own safety.