N20568:919
The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being…
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.
Volume 1 › Chapter 3 › An Account of the Persecutions in the Eleventh Century.
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.
HIS conquests over idolatry were not confined to his own diocese, but extended to the adjacent country, where his doctrines successfully spread, and many became converts to the pure faith of Christ. Wherever the faith made its way by his ministry, he took care to establish ecclesiastical discipline for the preservation of religion, and made several useful regulations in the public service of the church. His exemplary conduct was at least as instructive as his sermons and exhortations, and went a great way in convincing his converts of the truth and dignity of their new profession: for who could doubt of the excellency of a religion, that raised him above the weaknesses and passions of human nature; and appeared divine, by placing him at a distance from all that flatters or delights the senses? He visited his diocese, and was remarkable for a• uncommon tenderness for the poor, especially such as had the misfortune of sickness, or were incapable of following their accustomed employments.
DURING the life of Stephen, Gerard received every kind of assistance which that excellent monarch could afford him; but on the demise of Stephen, his nephew Peter, who succeeded him, was of so different a temper, that Gerard was greatly perplexed during his government.
AT length, the tyranny of Peter exasperated his subjects so much against him, that they deposed him, and placed Ouvo on the throne. They, however, soon found, that they had changed from bad to worse; for Ouvo proved a greater monster of cruelty than his predecessor. At Easter, Ouvo repaired to Chonad, in order to receive the crown ⟨p. 97⟩from the hands of Gerard. When he arrived at the place, the other prelates of the kingdom, who were assembled on that solemn occasion, assured the prince of their affections for his person, and promised to concur in his coronation; but Gerard absolutely refused to pay that compliment to a public and malicious enemy; and took the liberty of letting the intruder know, that he could not look on Peter's exclusion as regular, and consequently should not proceed to do any thing to the prejudice of his title: he then told him, that if he persisted in his usurpation, the Divine Providence would soon put an end to his life and reign. Ouvo, growing more insupportable than his predecessor, was brought to the scaffold in the year 1044; upon which Peter was recalled, and placed on the throne a second time; but his disposition and retirement had made no alteration in his temper, so that he was again deprived of the royal dignity after two years possession.