N20568:896
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.
ADALBERT, bishop of Prague, was a Bohemian by birth. His parents were persons of rank, but more distinguished for their virtues and piety than for their opulence or lineage. They were happy in a son, whose dawning perfections gave them a pleasing hope, that he would one day become a shining ornament to his family. That he might fulfil their expectations, they gave him a complete education; but their joy was in some measure damped, by his falling into a dropsy, from which he was with difficulty recovered.
WHEN he was effectually cured, they sent him to Magdaburg, and committed him to the care of the archbishop of that city, who completed his education, and confirmed him in piety and virtue. The rapid progress which Adalbert made in human and divine learning, made him dear to the prelate, who, to the authority of a teacher, joined all the tenderness of a parent for his amiable pupil.
HAVING spent nine years at Magdaburg, he retired to his own country upon the death of the archbishop, and entered himself among the clergy at Prague. Dithmar, bishop of Prague, died soon after the return of Adalbert to that city; and, in his expiring moments, expressed such contrition for having been ambitious, and solicitous of worldly honours and riches, as surprised every one who heard it. Adalbert, who was among the number present, was so sensibly affected at the bishop's dying sentiments, that he received them as an admonition to the strict practice of virtue, which he afterwards exercised with the greatest attention, spending his time in prayer, and relieving the poor with a cheerful liberality.
HAVING spent nine years at Magdaburg, he retired to his own country upon the death of the archbishop, and entered himself among the clergy at Prague. Dithmar, bishop of Prague, died soon after the return of Adalbert to that city; and, in his expiring moments, expressed such contrition for having been ambitious, and solicitous of worldly honours and riches, as surprized every one who heard it. Adalbert, who was among the number present, was so sensibly affected at the bishop's dying sentiments, that he received them as an admonition to the strict practice of virtue, which he afterwards exercised with the greatest attention, spending his time in prayer, and relieving the poor with a cheerful liberality.
A few days after the decease of Dithmar, an assembly was held for the choice of a successor, which consisted of the clergy of Prague, and the chief quality of Bohemia. Adalbert's character for every virtue that important post required, soon determined them to raise him to the vacant see, which they did on the 19th of February, 983. Messengers were immediately dispatched to Verona, to desire Otho II. would confirm the election. The emperor granted the request, ordered Adalbert to repair to court for investiture, gave him the ring and crosier, and then sent him to the archbishop of Mentz for consecration. The ceremony was performed on the 29th of June the same year; and he was received at Prague with all possible demonstrations of public joy. He divided the revenue of his see into four parts, according to the direction of the canons extant in the fifth century. The first was employed in the fabric, and ornaments of the church; the second went to the maintenance of the clergy; the third was laid out for the relief of the poor; and the fourth reserved for the support of himself and family; which was always made to include twelve indigent persons, to whom he allowed daily subsistence.
HE now performed his duty with the utmost assiduity, and spent a great portion of his time in preaching to and exhorting the people. His conduct was discreet and humane; and his manner neither too severe nor too indulgent; so that his flock were not terrified into despair, or flattered into presumption. But some things which he could not remedy gave him great uneasiness, particularly the having a plurality of wives, and selling the ⟨p. 93⟩christians to the Jews, for trivial offences. Hence he determined to consult the pope, and made a journey to Rome. Accordingly, John, who then sat in the papal chair, received him with great cordiality, and having heard his grievance, advised him to give up his bishopric, rather than be the witness of enormities which he could not remedy. He determined to take the pope's advice, and to devote the remainder of his days to mortification, poverty, and silence; which design he began, by giving all his treasures to the poor. He was, however, before he entirely secluded himself from mankind, desirous of seeing the Holy Land, and set off accordingly, with three persons in his company.
IN their way they arrived at Mount Casino, where the heads of the monastery of that place received them in a very friendly manner, and entertained them as well as the rules of their order would admit. Being apprized of the cause of their journey, when they were about to depart, the superior of the monastery addressed himself to Adalbert, and observed to him, that the journey he had undertaken would give him more trouble and uneasiness than he was aware of; that the frequent desire of changing place and travelling, often proceeded more from a restless disposition, and eager curiosity, than real religion, or solid devotion. "Therefore, said he, if you will listen to my advice, leave the world at once with sincerity, and settle in some religious community, without desiring to see more than you have already seen." Adalbert listened attentively, and came readily into the sentiments of the superior, which soon determined him to take up his residence in that monastery, where he then thought he might live entirely recluse, and, being unknown, might pass unhonoured to the grave. But in the latter particular he was mistaken; for the priests, by accident, coming to a knowledge of the rank and former dignity of their colleague, began to treat him with great deference and respect, which occasioned him to leave the place. Nilus, a Grecian, was then at the head of a community not far from Mount Casino; Adalbert made his way to him, and begged to be received into his monastery. He assured him he would willingly comply with his request, if he thought the rule and practice of his religious family would be agreeable to a stranger; besides which, he told him that the house in which he and his people lived was given to them by those of Mount Casino; and therefore it might not be safe for him to receive one that had left that community. When Nilus had thus excused himself, he advised him to return to Rome, and apply himself to Leo, an abbot of his acquaintance there, to whom he gave a letter of recommendation. Adalbert went to Rome, where he found Leo, who, before he would admit him, put his virtue and courage to proper trials, by speaking roughly to him, and giving him a terrible account of the labours and severities of the state in which he desired to engage.
IN their way they arrived at Mount Cassino, where the heads of the monastery of that place received them in a very friendly manner, and entertained them as well as the rules of their order would admit. Being apprized of the cause of their journey, when they were about to depart, the superior of the monastery addressed himself to Adalbert, and observed to him, that the journey he had undertaken would give him more trouble and uneasiness than he was aware of; that the frequent desire of changing place and travelling, often proceeded more from a restless disposition, and eager curiosity, than real religion, or solid devotion. "Therefore, said he, if you will listen to my advice, leave the world at once with sincerity, and settle in some religious community, without desiring to see more than you have already seen." Adalbert listened attentively, and came readily into the sentiments of the superior, which soon determined him to take up his residence in that monastery, where he then thought he might live entirely recluse, and, being unknown, might pass unhonoured to the grave. But in the latter particular he was mistaken; for the priests, by accident, coming to a knowledge of the rank and former dignity of their colleague, began to treat him with great deference and respect, which occasioned him to leave the place. Nilus, a Grecian, was then at the head of a community not far from Mount Cassino; Adalbert made his way to him, and begged to be received into his monastery. He assured him he would willingly comply with his request, if he thought the rule and practice of his religious family would be agreeable to a stranger; besides which, he told him that the house in which he and his people lived was given to them by those of Mount Cassino; and therefore it might not be safe for him to receive one that had left that community. When Nilus had thus excused himself, he advised him to return to Rome, and apply himself to Leo, an abbot of his acquaintance there, to whom he gave a letter of recommendation. Adalbert went to Rome, where he found Leo, who, before he would admit him, put his virtue and courage to proper trials, by speaking roughly to him, and giving him a terrible account of the labours and severities of the state in which he desired to engage.
But, finding his resolution was not moved or weakened by the prospect of the most austere mortifications, he conducted him to the pope, and, with the consent of that pontiff and the whole college of cardinals, gave him the habit on Holy Thursday in the year 990. We have already said, that he had been attended only by three select persons ever since he had the pope's advice for resigning his bishopric; two of them left him now; but the third, who was his own brother Gaudentius, followed his example, and engaged in the same community. Adalbert, full of the most profound humility, took a particular pleasure in the lowest employments of the house, and lived here an excellent pattern of christian simplicity and obedience.
THE archbishop of Mentz, as metropolitan, was exceedingly afflicted at the disorders in the church of Prague, and wished for the return of the bishop, with whose retreat he was not▪ for some time, acquainted. At length, after five years absence, he heard that Adalbert was at Rome, when he sent a deputation to the pope to press his return to his diocese. The pope summoned a council to consider of the deputation, and after a warm dispute between the monks and the deputies, the latter carried their point, and Adalbert was ordered to return to his diocese; but, at the same time, had permission to quit his charge again, if he found his flock as incorrigible as before. The inhabitants of Prague met him, on his arrival, with great joy, and promised obedience to his directions; but they soon forgot their promises, and relapsed into their former ⟨p. 94⟩vices, which obliged him, a second time, to leave them, and return to his monastery.
THE archbishop of Mentz sent another deputation to Rome, and desired that his suffragan might be again ordered back to his diocese. Gregory V. who was then pope, commanded him to return to Prague; and he obeyed, though with great reluctance.
THE Bohemians, however, did not look upon him as before, but deemed him the censor of their faults, and the enemy to their pleasures, and threatened him with death upon his arrival; but not having him yet in their power, contented themselves with falling on his relations, several of whom they murdered, plundered their estates, and set fire to their houses. Adalbert had intelligence of these outrageous proceedings, and could not judge it prudent to proceed on his journey. He therefore went to the duke of Poland, who had a particular respect for him, and engaged that prince to sound the Bohemians in regard to his return; but could get no better answer from that wretched people, than "that they were sinners, hardened in iniquity: and Adalbert a saint, and consequently not •it to live among them; for which reason he was not to hope for a tolerable reception at Prague." The bishop thought this message discharged him from any farther concern for that church, and began to direct his thoughts to the conversion of infidels; to which end he repaired to Dantzick, where he converted and baptized many, which so enraged the pagan priests, that they fell upon him, and dispatched him with darts, on the 23d of April, A. D. 997.
ALPHAGE▪ archbishop of Canterbury, was descended from a considerable family in Gloucestershire, and received an education suitable to his illustrious birth. His parents were worthy christians, and Alphage seemed to inherit all their virtues. He was prudent and humble, pious and chaste: he made a rapid progress both in polite literature and scripture learning, and was, at once, the admired scholar, and devout christian: he strove to make the arts useful to the purposes of life, and to render philosophy subservient to the cause of religion. In order to be more at leisure to contemplate the divine perfections, he determined to renounce his fortune, quit home, and become a recluse. He accordingly retired to a monastery of Benedictines, at Deerhurst, in Gloucestershire, and soon after took the habit.
CONSIDERING that the principal business of a christian was to subdue his passions, and mortify his appetites, he lived with the utmost temperance, and spent the greatest part of his time in prayer. But not thinking the austerities he underwent in this monastery sufficiently severe, he retired to a lonely cell near Bath, and lived in a manner still more rigid and mortifying. Here he thought to remain unknown, but some devout persons finding out his retreat, his austere life soon became the subject of conversation in the neighbouring villages, where many flocked to him, and begged to be taken under his pastoral care. He yielded to their importunities, raised a monastery near his cell, by the contributions of several well-disposed persons; formed his new pupils into a community, and placed a prior over them. Having prescribed rules for their regulation, he again retired to his beloved cell, fervently wishing to pass the remainder of his days in religious security; when the following affair once more drew him from his retreat:
THE see of Winchester being vacant by the death of Ethelwold, it was no easy matter to agree upon the choice of a successor to that bishopric. The clergy had been driven out of the cathedral for their scandalous lives, but were admitted again by king Ethelred, upon certain terms of reformation. The monks, who had been introduced upon their expulsion, looked upon themselves as the chapter of that church; and hence arose a violent contest between them, and the clergy who had been readmitted, about the election of a bishop; while both parties were hot, and vigorously set upon promoting each their own man. This dispute at last ran so high, that Dunstan, archbishop of Canterbury, as primate of all England, was obliged to ⟨p. 95⟩interpose in the affair, who consecrated Alphage to the vacant bishopric, to the general satisfaction of all concerned in the election, or interested in the affair.
ALPHAGE'S behaviour was a sufficient proof of his being equal to the dignity of his vocation. Piety flourished in his diocese; unity was established among his clergy and people; and the church of Winchester recovered its lustre in such a manner, as made the bishop the admiration of the whole kingdom.
DUNSTAN had an extraordinary veneration for Alphage, and when at the point of death, made it his ardent request to God, that he might succeed him in the see of Canterbury; which accordingly happened, though not till about eighteen years after Dunstan's death. In the course of that period the metropolitan church was governed by three successive prelates; the last of whom was Alfrick; upon whose decease, in 1006, Alphage was raised to the sea of Canterbury.
