N20568:1053
The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being Fox's Book of martyrs, revised and corrected, with additions and great improvements. : Containing an authentic account of the lives, persecutions and sufferings of the holy martyrs; and the many dreadful persecutions against the Church of Christ in all parts of the world, by pagans, Jews, Turks, papists, and others, from earliest ages of the church to the present period. ... The whole forming at once a general Christian martyrology, and a complete history of persecutions. / By the Rev. Mr. John Fox, M.A. late of Magdalen College, Oxford. ; Now revised, corrected and improved, with many additional articles, relating to the acts and monuments of the church. By Paul Wright, D.D. ; Embellished with forty elegant copper plate engravings. ; In two volumes. Vol. I[-II].The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being Fox's Book of marytrs, revised and corrected, with additions and great improvements. : Containing an authentic account of the lives, persecutions and sufferings of the holy martyrs; and the many dreadful persecutions against the Church of Christ in all parts of the world, by pagans, Jews, Turks, papists, and others, from earliest ages of the church to the present period. ... The whole forming at once a general Christian martyrology, and a complete history of persecutions. / By the Rev. Mr. John Fox, M.A. late of Magdalen College, Oxford. ; Now revised, corrected and improved, with many additional articles, relating to the acts and monuments of the church. By Paul Wright, D.D. ; Embellished with forty elegant copper plate engravings. ; In two volumes. Vol. I[-II].
New-York: printed by William Durell, 1794
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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 martyrdom of Almericus and his pupils, did not, however, prevent many from acknowledging the justness of his notions, and seeing the purity of the reformed religion, so that the faith of Christ continually increased, and in time not only spread itself over many parts of France, but diffused the light of the gospel over various other countries.
THE martydom of Almericus and his pupils, did not, however, prevent many from acknowledging the justness of his notions, and seeing the purity of the reformed religion, so that the faith of Christ continually increased, and in time not only spread itself over many parts of France, but diffused the light of the gospel over various other countries.
IN the year 1524, at a town in France, called Melden, one John Clark set up a bill on the church door, wherein he called the pope Antichrist. For this offence he was repeatedly whipped, and then branded in the forehead: his mother, who stood by at the time, cried with a loud voice, "Blessed be Christ, and welcome these ••arks for his sake." Going afterwards to Metz, in Lorraine, he demolished some images, for which he had his right hand and nose cut off, and his arms and breasts torn by sharp pincers. He sustained these cruelties with amazing fortitude, and was even sufficiently cool to sing the 115th psalm, which expressly forbids idolatry.
AFTER having sung this psalm with admirable patience, he was thrown into the fire, and burnt to ashes.
MANY persons of the reformed persuasion, were, about this time, beaten, racked, scourged, and burnt to death, in several parts of France; but more particularly at Paris, Malda, and Limosin.
A native of Malda was bunrt in a slow fire for saying that mass was a plain denial of the death and passion of Christ. At Limosin, John de Cadurco, a clergyman of the reformed religion, was apprehended, degraded, and ordered to be burnt.
AT his degradation a friar undertook to preach a sermon upon the occasion; when opening the New Testament he pitched upon this text, in the first epistle o• St. Paul the apostle to Timothy, chap. iv. ver. 1. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the l•tter times some shall depart from the faith, giving •eed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." The friar began to expound this verse in favour of the Roman catholic persuasion, and in condemnation of the reformed religion, when John de Cadurco called to him, and begged, that before he proceeded in his sermon, he would read the two verses which followed that he had chosen for his text. The friar again opened the Testament, but on casting his eye on the passage, he stood mute and confounded. John de Cadurco then desired that the book might be handed to him; this request being complied with, he read thus, "Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron. Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." The Roman catholics plainly saw, but had not candour sufficient to own their error; but instead of thanking the person who pointed out their being wrong, they condemned him to the flames, and was burned accordingly.
AT Paris, Alexander Kanus, a reformed clergyman, was burnt in a slow fire; four men were committed to the flames for distributing about papers that ridiculed their saying mass. One had his tongue bored through for speaking ill of the Romish superstitions. Peter Gaudet, a Genoese, was burnt by the desire of his own uncle, a bigoted Roman catholic; and John Pointer, a surgeon, had his tongue cut out, and was then committed to the flames.
AT Arras, Foutanis, and Rutiers, many were martyred for being of the reformed religion; in particular, at the latter place, one Stephen Brune was condemned to be burnt for refusing to attend mass. When the fire was kindled, the flames were driven from him by a brisk gale of wind: this occasioned the executioner to heap more faggots round him, and pour oil on them. Still, however, the wind blew the flames in a contrary direction, when the executioner absurdly grew angry with Stephen Brune, and in his passion struck him on the head. Brune very calmly said in return, "As I am condemned only to be burnt, why do you strike me wit• a staff like a dog." This expression so greatly ••raged the executioner, that he ran him through with a pike, and then burnt the body when dead.
AYMOND de Lavoy, a minister of Bordeaux, had a complaint lodged against him by the Romish ⟨p. 115⟩clergy of that city. On hearing this, his friends advised him to abscond; but he absolutely refused so to do, and told them, "That should he be absent himself, the people might well imagine what he had preached consisted only of dreams and fables, and not extracted from the pure word of God; but to prevent them from entertaining such a notion, he determined to seal his testimony of the truth with his blood." When he was seized upon, the people would have rescued him, but he desired them to forbear, saying, "Since it is the will of God that I should suffer for him, I will not resist his will." He remained nine months in prison on the information only, and patiently suffered all the inclemencies of a gaol. Being brought to trial, he was ordered to be racked; when in the extremity of the torture he comforted himself with this expression; "This body must once die, but the soul shall live; for the kingdom of God endureth for ever." At length he swooned away; but on recovering, prayed for his persecutors. The question was then put to him, "Whether he would embrace the Roman catholic persuasion; which positively refusing, he was condemned to be burnt. At the place of execution he said, "O Lord, make haste to help me; tarry not; despise not the work of thy hands." And perceiving some who used to attend his sermons, he addressed them thus, "My friends. I exhort you to study and learn the gospel; for the word of God abideth for ever. Labour to know the will of God, and fear not them that kill the body▪ but ha•e no power over the soul." The executioner then strangled him, and afterwards burnt his body.
AYMOND de Lavoy, a minister of Bourdeaux, had a complaint lodged against him by the Romish ⟨p. 115⟩clergy of that city. On hearing this, his friends advised him to abscond; but he absolutely refused so to do, and told them, "That should he be absent himself, the people might well imagine what he had preached consisted only of dreams and fables, and not extracted from the pure word of God; but to prevent them from entertaining such a notion, he determined to seal his testimony of the truth with his blood." When he was seized upon, the people would have rescued him, but he desired them to forbear, saying, "Since it is the will of God that I should suffer for him, I will not resist his will." He remained nine months in prison on the information only, and patiently suffered all the inclemencies of a gaol. Being brought to trial, he was orderd to be racked; when in the extremity of the torture he comforted himself with this expression; "This body must once die, but the soul shall live; for the kingdom of God endureth for ever." At length he swooned away; but on recovering, prayed for his persecutors. The question was then put to him, "Whether he would embrace the Roman catholic persuasion; which positively refusing, he was condemned to be burnt. At the place of execution he said, "O Lord, make haste to help me; tarry not; despise not the work of thy hands." And perceiving some who used to attend his sermons, he addressed them thus, "My friends. I exhort you to study and learn the gospel; for the word of God abideth for ever. Labour to know the will of God, and fear not them that kill the body but hae no power over the soul." The executioner then strangled him, and afterwards burnt his body.
WILLIAM Husson, an apothecary of Blois, went from that city to Rouen, and there privately distributed and scattered about several small pamphlets, explaining the tenets of the reformed church, and exposing the Romish superstitions. These books gave a general alarm, and a council being called, an order was issued for diligent search to be made for the author and distributor. With some difficul•• it was at length discovered that Husson had brought them to Rouen, and that he was gone towards Di•pp•. Orders for a pursuit were given, and Husson being apprehended, was brought back to Rouen, where he confessed he was both author and distributer of the books in question. This confession occasioned his condemnation, when he was executed in the following manner. His tongue being cut out, his hands and feet were tied behind, and he was drawn up by a pulley to a gibbet, and then let down into a fire kindled beneath; in which situation he called upon the Lord, and soon expired.
WILLIAM Husson, an apo••ecary of Blois, went from that city to Rouen, and there privately distributed and scattered about several small pamphlets, explaining the tenets of the reformed church, and exposing the Romish superstitions. These books gave a general alarm, and a council being called, an order was issued for diligent search to be made for the author and distribut•r. With some difficul•• it was at length discovered that Husson had brought them to Rouen, and that he was gone towards Di•pp•. Orders for a pursuit were given, and Husson being apprehended, was brought back to Rouen, where he confessed he was both author and distributer of the books in question. This confession occasioned his condemnation, when he was executed in the following manner. His tongue being cut out, his hands and feet were tied behind, and he was drawn up by a pulley to a gibbet, and then let down into a fire kindled beneath; in which situation he called upon the Lord, and soon expired.
FRANCIS Bribard, secretary to cardinal de Bellay, for speaking in favour of the reformed, had his tongue cut out, and was then burnt, A. D. 1544. James Cobard, a school-master in the city of St. Michael, was burnt, A. D. 1545, for saying, "That mass was useless and absurd; and about the same time, fourteen men were burnt at Malda, their wives being compelled to stand by and behold the execution.
A. D. 1546, Peter Chapot brought a number of bibles in the French tongue to France, and publicly sold them there; for which being apprehended, he was condemned to be burnt; which sentence was executed a few days after it was passed. Soon after a cripple of Meaux, a school-master of Fera, named Stephen Polliot, and a man named John English, were burned for the faith.
THE choice being offered to Michael Michelot, either to recant and be beheaded, or to persevere and be burned; he chose the latter, making use, at the same time, of these words: God, who has given me grace not to deny the truth, will give me strength to endure the fire." Many, about the same time were burnt at Paris, Bar, &c. and at Langres, five men and two women were, by the Roman catholics, committed to the flames for being of the reformed religion: when the youngest woman encouraged the other, saying, "This day shall we be married to Jesus Christ, and be with him for ever."
MONSIEUR Blondel, a rich jeweller, was, A. D. 1548, apprehended at Lyons, and sent to Paris; where he was burnt for the faith, by order of the high court, A. D. 154•. Hubert, a youth of nineteen years of age, was committed to the flames at Dijon; as was Flo•ert V•note, in the same year.
A lady, named Ann Ard•ber• ▪ designing, on ⟨p. 116⟩account of her faith, to retire to Geneva, was s•i• ed and sent to Paris. Being condemned, she was led to execution by a rope placed round her waist. This rope she called her wedding girdle; and as it was on a Saturday, she said, "I was once married to a man on a Saturday, and now I shall be married to God on the same day of the week." She was at length fastened to the stake, and burnt, meeting her fate with the most exemplary fortitude.
SOME singular circumstances happened immediately after the coronation of Henry the Second, king of France, which we shall relate. A tailor was apprehended for working on a saint's day; being asked why he gave such offence to religion, his reply was, "I am a poor man, and having nothing but my labour to depend upon; necessity requires that I should be industrious, and my conscience tells me there is no day but the sabbath which I ought to keep sacred from labour." Having expressed himself thus, he was committed to prison, and the affair being soon after rumoured at court, some of the nobles persuaded the king to be present at the trial. On the day appointed, the monarch appeared in a superb chair of state, and the bishop of Mascon was ordered to interrogate the prisoner. The Taylor, on perceiving the king, paid his obedience to him in the most respectful manner, saying, "I thank God for honouring me thus, and for permitting me to vindicate the light of his gospel before so great a prince." The prelate then questioned him concerning the tenets of his faith, when the clearness and spirit of his answers amazed all that heard him. The king was much affected and seemed to muse, when the bishop exclaimed, "He is an obstinate and impudent heretic; let him be taken back again to prison, from thence conveyed to the place of execution, and there burnt to death." As the king did not oppose what the bishop said, the officers proceeded to do as they were ordered; and, in the mean time, lest what the tailor had uttered might alarm the conscience of the king, the bishop artfully insinuated, "That the heretics (as he called the reformed) had many specious arguments in their mouths, which, at their first hearing, appeared conclusive, but on serious examination, they were found to be false and deceitful. He then used his utmost endeavours in persuading the king to be present at the execution, who at length consented▪ and repaired to a balcony which overlooked the place where persons under condemnation were usually put to death. When the tailor saw the king, he fixed his eyes steadfastly upon him, and even while the flames were consuming him, he kept gazing in such a manner, as threw the monarch into visible confusion, and obliged him to retire before the martyr gave up the ghost. The king was so shocked upon this occasion, that he could not recover his spirits for some time;
SOME singular circumstances happened immediately after the coronation of Henry the Second, king of France, which we shall relate. A taylor was apprehended for working on a saint's day; being asked why he gave such offence to religion, his reply was, "I am a poor man, and having nothing but my labour to depend upon; necessity requires that I should be industrious, and my conscience tells me there is no day but the sabbath which I ought to keep sacred from labour." Having expressed himself thus, he was committed to prison, and the affair being soon after rumoured at court, some of the nobles persuaded the king to be present at the trial. On the day appointed, the monarch appeared in a superb chair of state, and the bishop of Mascon was ordered to interrogate the prisoner. The Taylor, on perceiving the king, paid his obedience to him in the most respectful manner, saying, "I thank God for honouring me thus, and for permitting me to vindicate the light of his gospel before so great a prince." The prelate then questioned him concerning the tenets of his faith, when the clearness and spirit of his answers amazed all that heard him. The king was much affected and seemed to muse, when the bishop exclaimed, "He is an obstinate and impudent heretic; let him be taken back again to prison, fom thence conveyed to the place of execution, and there burnt to death." As the king did not oppose what the bishop said, the officers proceeded to do as they were ordered; and, in the mean time, lest what the taylor had uttered might alarm the conscience of the king, the bishop artfully insinuated, "That the heretics (as he called the reformed) had many specious arguments in their mouths, which, at their first hearing, appeared conclusive, but on serious examination, they were found to be false and deceitful. He then used his utmost endeavours in persuading the king to be present at the execution, who at length consented and repaired to a balcony which overlooked the place where persons under condemnation were usually put to death. When the taylor saw the king, he fixed his eyes stedfastly upon him, and even while the flames were consuming him, he kept gazing in such a manner, as threw the monarch into visible confusion, and obliged him to retie before the martyr gave up the ghost. The king was so shocked upon this occasion, that he could not recover his spirits for some time;
