N20568:819
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.
HERMENIGILDUS was a Gothic prince, being the eldest son of Leovigildus, king of the Goths, in Spain. This prince, who was originally an Arian, became a convert to the orthodox faith, by mea•• of his wife Ingonda. When the king heard that his son had changed his religious sentiments, •e stripped him of the command at Seville, where he was governor, and threatened to put him to death, unless he renounced the faith he had newly embraced.
THE prince, in order to prevent the execution of his father's menaces, began to put himself into a posture of defence; and many of the orthodox persuasion in Spain declared for him. The king, exasperated at this act of rebellion, began to puni•• all the orthodox christians who could be seized by his troops; and thus a very severe persecution commenced: he likewise marched against his […] at the head of a very powerful army. The prince, knowing that he was unable to oppose the formidable force that his father was bringing against him, implored •he assistance of the Roman troops that were left […] garrison those parts of Spain, which the emperor stil• possessed. The Roman commander engaged to assist Hermenigildus, but being bribe• by the king he broke his promise. Leovigild•• then made it his business, as much as possible, […] detach the orthodox christians from the interest […] his son; and in this he had great success, for it […] effected in 581, by convening the Arian prelates […] Toledo, who abolished the practice of re-baptizing those that came over to their sect, and drew up […] captious profession of faith which deceived […] ⟨p. 79⟩and prevailed upon them to quit the interest of Hermenigildus.
THE prince, in order to prevent the execution of his father's menaces, began to put himself into a posture of defence; and many of the orthodox persuasion in Spain declared for him. The king, exasperated at this act of rebellion, began to puni•• all the orthodox christians who could be seized by his troops; and thus a very severe persecution commenced: he likewise marched against his 〈…〉 at the head of a very powerful army. The prince, knowing that he was unable to oppose the formidable force that his father was bringing against him, implored •he assistance of the Roman troops that were left 〈…〉 garrison those parts of Spain, which the emperor stil• possessed. The Roman commander engaged to assist Hermenigildus, but being bribe• by the king he broke his promise. Leovigild•• then made it his business, as much as possible, 〈…〉 detach the orthodox christians from the interest 〈…〉 his son; and in this he had great success, for it 〈…〉 effected in 581, by convening the Arian prelates 〈…〉 Toledo, who abolished the practice of re-baptizing those that came over to their sect, and drew up 〈…〉 captious profession of faith which deceived 〈…〉 ⟨p. 79⟩and prevailed upon them to quit the interest of Hermenigildus.
THE prince, thus forsaken by numbers of those whom he most confided in, was obliged to retreat towards Seville, in which city he soon after shut himself up, and sent to Constantinople for assistance from the emperor. The death of that monarch, however, prevented him from receiving any relief; for Maurice, who succeeded him, found his own hands too full to afford any succour to Hermenigildus. The king, who had information of every step which his son took, proceeded to Seville, and laid siege to it. The prince defended the place with great bravery, and even held out for the space of twelvemonths; but finding that the city must soon be taken, he privately made his escape, and fled to the Roman troops to beg protection. Being informed that they intended to give him up, he precipitately retired to Corduba, and from thence went to Asseto, which he fortified.
AFTER the escape of the prince from Seville that city surrendered, and the king having properly garrisoned it, pursued his son, laid siege to Asseto, and soon obliged it to surrender. The unfortunate prince being driven to this distress, flew to a church for sanctuary. The king having too much respect for the sanctity of the place to force him from it, sent an officer, named Reccaredus, to assure him of his pardon, upon his submitting to ask it. The prince believing his father to be sincere, immediately went to him, and threw himself most submissively at his feet. The king, however, instead of forgiving him, loaded him with chains, and carried him to Seville, where he endeavoured, both by promises and menaces, to make him renounce the orthodox faith.
THE prince remained constant to the truth; and at the feast of Easter, when the king sent an Arian bishop to him to administer the eucharist, Hermenigildus absolutely refused to receive it, which so enraged the king, that before he gave himself time to reflect, he ordered some of his guards to go and cut the prince to pieces, which they punctually performed, April the 13th, A. D. 586.
ANASTASIUS, a Persian, was brought up a pagan, and bore arms as a soldier under Cosroes, king of Persia, at the time that monarch plundered Jerusalem; and, among other things, carried off the very cross on which Christ was crucified. Anastasius could not imagine why the christians had such a veneration for a person who had died so mean a death as that of being crucified; for that mode of death was, by the Persians, held in the greatest contempt, and none but the very lowest and most despicable malefactors were executed in that manner. Applying to some christian captives, he was instructed in the whole christian mystery, and being charmed with the purity of a faith which inspired such fortitude, he left the army, and retired to Syria: here he learned the trade of a goldsmith, and then going to Jerusalem, he supported himself by that business; was baptized by Modestus, vicar-general of Jerusalem: and staid a week with Elijah, his godfather.
ANASTASIUS, a Persian, was brought up a pagan, and bore arms as a soldier under Cosroes, king of Persia, at the time that monarch plundered Jerusalem; and, among other things, carried off the very cross on which Christ was crucified. Anastasius could not imagine why the christians had such a veneration for a person who had died so mean a death as that of being crucified; for that mode of death was, by the Persians, held in the greatest contempt, and none but the very lowest and most despicable malefactors were executed in that manner. Applying to some christian captives, he was instructed in the whole christian mystery, and being charmed with the purity of a faith which inspired such fortitude, he left the army, and retired to Syria: here he learned the trade of a goldsmith, and then going to Jerusalem, he supported himself by that business; was baptized by Modestus, vicar-general of Jerusalem: and staid a week with Elias, his godfather.
WHEN that time was over, and he was now to quit the white clothes which he wore at his baptism, according to the then practice of the church, he desired the priest would put him in a way of renouncing the world entirely, and fulfilling the obligations of his profession without interruption. Elijah recommended him to Justin, abbot of a seminary four miles from Jerusalem, who employed a proper person to instruct him in the Greek tongue, and to teach him the Psalms; and then admitted him into his religious community. Anastasius passed seven years in that house, where he divided his time between the most humble domestic employments, and the truly christian entertainments of the word of God, the lives of the fathers, and the acts of the martyrs. He was most sensibly affected with those monuments of pagan barbarity, and christian courage; and conceived a strong desire to lay down his life for Jesus Christ.
WHEN that time was over, and he was now to quit the white clothes which he wore at his baptism, according to the then practice of the church, he desired the priest would put him in a way of renouncing the world entirely, and fulfilling the obligations of his profession without interruption. Elias recommended him to Justin, abbot of a seminary four miles from Jerusalem, who employed a proper person to instruct him in the Greek tongue, and to teach him the Psalms; and then admitted him into his religious community. Anastasius passed seven years in that house, where he divided his time between the most humble domestic employments, and the truly christian entertainments of the word of God, the lives of the fathers, and the acts of the martyrs. He was most sensibly affected with those monuments of pagan barbarity, and christian courage; and conceived a strong desire to lay down his life for Jesus Christ.
GOING to Caesarea, which was then in the hands of the Persians, he was taken up as a spy, and brought before Marzabanes, governor of that city, to whom he […] that he was a christian, and was on that […] sent to prison. When he had lain there some time, Marzabanes sent for him, and gave him fresh assurances of favour and promotion, ⟨p. 80⟩if he would but renounce his religion: but he despised and rejected every mark of friendship and respect, that would endeavour to divorce him from his God; and the governor ordered him to be beaten till he should agree to his proposals. He then remanded him to prison, where he spent his time in prayer, and such labours as were imposed on him as part of his punishment. Justin being apprized of his sufferings, recommended him to the prayers of the whole community, and sent two of his people to encourage him to perseverance.
GOING to Caesarea, which was then in the hands of the Persians, he was taken up as a spy, and brought before Marzabanes, governor of that city, to whom he 〈…〉 that he was a christian, and was on that 〈…〉 sent to prison. When he had lain there some time, Marzabanes sent for him, and gave him fresh assurances of favour and promotion, ⟨p. 80⟩if he would but renounce his religion: but he despised and rejected every mark of friendship and respect, that would endeavour to divorce him from his God; and the governor ordered him to be beaten till he should agree to his proposals. He then remanded him to prison, where he spent his time in prayer, and such labours as were imposed on him as part of his punishment. Justin being apprized of his sufferings, recommended him to the prayers of the whole community, and sent two of his people to encourage him to perseverance.
AT length, the governor wrote to the king concerning Anastasius, and on receiving an answer, told the prisoner, that he would give him his liberty if he would •enounce the christian religion, only before him and two witnesses, and that his renunciation should not be known. Anastasius heard this proposal with horror, and rejected it with disdain; when the governor sent him bound in chains to Persia, there to be dealt with as the king should direct.
THE king did all in his power to engage him to renounce his religion, but finding his endeavours in vain, he ordered him to be executed, which was performed in this manner: he was laid upon his back, with a piece of wood across his legs, pressed down with the whole weight of two lusty men; he was then severely beaten, hung up by one hand, with a weight fastened to his foot; and after being strangled, his head cut off, and sent to the king.
MARTIN, bishop of Rome, was born at To••, in Italy. He was naturally inclined to virtue, and his parents bestowed upon him an admirable education. He had every liberal endowment that the sciences could bestow, and all the worthiness that a mortal could derive from the saving grace of the gospel. He took orders, and on the death of Theodore, bishop of Rome, was advanced to that important see, by an unanimous election, in which all parties gave him the fullest praises, and admitted, that he well merited a trust of such great consequence.
HIS character hath been thus drawn by a masterly hand:
"HIS compassion for the poor appeared in large contributions for their relief, and the offices of hospitality which he performed in favour of strangers. His fasts were rigorous and frequent, and prayer employed a very considerable part of his time. He was always ready to receive returning sinners; took no small pains to lead such through the pat•• of repentance, as testified their sorrow by tear•; and comforted them by letting them see what reason they had to confide in God's infinite goodness. He loved his clergy with a brotherly tenderness, and honoured the episcopal character wherever it was found.
THE first trouble he received in his episcopal capacity, was from a set of heretics, called Monothelites; who not daring, after the express decisions of the council of Chalcedon, to maintain the unity of nature in Christ, asserted artfully, that he had but one will and operation of mind. This sect was patronized by the emperor Heraclius; and the first who attempted to stop the progress of these errors, was Sophronius, bishop of Jerusalem.
THE first trouble he recei••d in his episcopal capacity, was from a set of heretics, called Monothelites; who not daring, after the express decisions of the council of Chalcedon, to maintain the unity of nature in Christ, asserted artfully, that he had but one will and operation of mind. This sect was patronized by the emperor Heraclius; and the f•rst who attempted to stop the progress of these errors, was Sophronius, bishop of Jerusalem.
MARTIN, who perfectly coincided in sentiments with the bishop of Jerusalem, called a council• which consisted of 105 bishops, and they unanimously condemned the errors in question.
INCENSED at these proceedings, the emperor ordered Olympius, his lieutenant in Italy, to repair to Rome, and seize the bishop, provided it could be done without causing an insurrection. The lieutenant performed the journey; but on his arrival at Rome, he found the people too unanimous in their opinions, and the prelate too much beloved, to attempt any thing by open violence. Hence he had recourse to treachery▪ and suborned a ruffian to assassinate the bishop at the altar; but the fellow, after promising to execute the bloody deed, was seized with such horrors of mind, that he had not the power to perform his promise. Olympius, finding it would be very difficult to perform any thing against Martin, withdrew from Rome, and ⟨p. 81⟩putting himself at the head of his troops, marched against the Saracens, who had made some inroads into Italy, but he died in the expedition.
