N20568:1213
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.
I. FRANCIS ROMANS, a native of Spain, being of a mercantile turn of mind, was employed by the merchants of Antwerp, to transact some business for them at Bremen. He had been educated in the Romish persuasion, but going one day into a protestant church, he was struck with the truths which he heard, and beginning to perceive the errors of popery, he determined to search farther into the matter.
I. FRANCIS ROMANES, a native of Spain, being of a mercantile turn of mind, was employed by the merchants of Antwerp, to transact some business for them at Breme. He had been educated in the Romish persuasion, but going one day into a protestant church, he was struck with the truths which he heard, and beginning to perceive the errors of popery, he determined to search farther into the matter.
READING the sacred scriptures attentively, and perusing the writings of some protestant divines, he plainly perceived how erroneous the principles were he had formerly embraced; and renounced the impositions of popery for the doctrines of the reformed church, in which religion appeared in all its genuine purity.
DETERMINING to give over worldly thoughts, and think of his eternal salvation, he studied religious truths more than trade, and purchased books rather than merchandise, convinced that the riches of the body are trifling to those of the soul.
DETERMINING to give over worldly thoughts, and think of his eternal salvation, he studied religious truths more than trade, and purchased books rather than merchandize, convinced that the riches of the body are trifling to those of the soul.
HE now resigned his agency to the merchants of Antwerp, giving them an account at the same time ⟨p. 134⟩of his conversion; and then resolving, if possible, to convert his parents, he went to Spain for that purpose. But the Antwerp merchants writing to the inquisitors, he was seized upon, imprisoned for some time, and then condemned to be burnt as an heretic.
HE was led to the place of execution in a garment painted over with devils, and had a paper mitre put upon his head, by way of derision. As he passed by a wooden cross, one of the priests bade him kneel to it; but he absolutely refused so to do, saying, It is not for christians to worship wood.
BEING placed upon a pile of wood the fire quickly reached him, when he lifted up his head suddenly; the priests thinking he meant to recant, ordered him to be taken down. Finding, however, that they were mistaken, and that he still retained his constancy, he was placed again upon the pile, where, as long as he had life and voice remaining, he kept repeating the seventh psalm.
BEING placed upon a pile of wood the fire quickly reached him, when he lifted up his head suddenly; the priests thinking he meant to recant, ordered him to be taken down. Finding, however, that they were mistaken, and that he still retained his constancy, he was placed again upon the pile, where, as long as he had life and voice remaining, he kept repeating the se•enth psalm.
II. AT St. Lucar in Spain resided a carver named Rochus, whose principal business was to make images of saints and other popish idols. Becoming, however, convinced of the errors of the Romish persuasion, he embraced the protestant faith, left off carving images, and for subsistence followed the business of a seal engraver only. He had, however, retained one image of the virgin Mary for a sign; when an inquisitor passing by, asked if he would sell it; Rochus mentioned a price; the inquisitor objected to it, and offered half the money: Rochus replied, I would rather break it to pieces than take such a trifle. "Break it to pieces!" said the inquisitor, "break it to pieces if you dare!"
ROCHUS being provoked at this expression, immediately snatched up a chisel, and cut off the nose of the image. This was sufficient, the inquisitor went away in a rage, and soon after sent to have him apprehended. In vain did he plead that what he had defaced was his own property, and that if it was not proper to do as he would with his own goods, it was not proper for the inquisitor to bargain for the image in the way of trade. Nothing, however, availed him; his fate was decided: he was condemned to be burnt: and the sentence was executed accordingly.
ROCHUS being provoked at this expression, immediately snatched up a chissel, and cut off the nose of the image. This was sufficient, the inquisitor went away in a rage, and soon after sent to have him apprehended. In vain did he plead that what he had defaced was his own property, and that if it was not proper to do as he would with his own goods, it was not proper for the inquisitor to bargain for the image in the way of trade. Nothing, however, availed him; his fate was decided: he was condemned to be burnt: and the sentence was executed accordingly.
III. DOCTOR Cacalla, his brother Francis, and his sister Blanch, were burnt at Valladolid, for having spoken against the inquisitors.
IV. AT Seville, a gentlewoman with her two daughters and her niece, were apprehended on account of their professing the protestant religion. They were all put to the torture: and when that was over, one of the inquisitors sent for the youngest daughter, pretended to sympathize with her, and pity her sufferings; then binding himself with a solemn oath not to betray her, he said, "If yo• will disclose all to me, I promise you I will procure the discharge of your mother, sister, cousin, and yourself.
MADE confident by his oath, and entrapped by his promises, she revealed the whole of the tenets they professed; when the perjured wretch, instead of acting as he had sworn▪ immediately ordered her to be put to the rack, saying, "Now you have revealed so much, I will make you reveal more." Refusing, however, to say any thing further, they were all ordered to be burnt, which sentence was executed at the next Auto de Fe.
MADE confident by his oath, and intrapped by his promises, she revealed the whole of the tenets they professed; when the perjured wretch, instead of acting as he had sworn▪ immediately ordered her to be put to the rack, saying, "Now you have revealed so much, I will make you reveal more." Refusing, however, to say any thing further, they were all ordered to be burnt, which sentence was executed at the next Auto de Fe.
V. THE keeper of the castle of Triano, belonging to the inquisitors of Seville, happened to be of a disposition more mild and humane than is usual with persons of his situation. He gave all the indulgence he could to the prisoners, and showed them every favour in his power with as much secrecy as possible. At length, however, the inquisitors became acquainted with his kindness, and determined to punish him severely for it, that other gaoler• might be de•erred from showing the […] traces of that compassion which ought to glow in the breast of every human being. With this view they superseded, threw him into a dismal dungeon, and used him with such dreadful barbarity that he lost his senses.
V. THE keeper of the castle of Triano, belonging to the inquisitors of Seville, happened to be of a disposition more mild and humane than is usual with persons of his situation. He gave all the indulgence he could to the prisoners, and shewed them every favour in his power with as much secrecy as possible. At length, however, the inquisitors became acquainted with his kindness, and determined to punish him severely for it, that other gaoler• might be de•erred from shewing the 〈…〉 traces of that compassion which ought to glow in the breast of every human being. With this view they superceded, threw him into a dismal dungeon, and used him with such dreadful barbarity that he lost his senses.
