1570 Edition | Book 7 | Page 1064 
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1. Henry VIII's reign2. Dissension among mendicant orders3. Persecution of Lollards4. Richard Hun5. Lollard martyrs6. Persecution in diocese of Lincoln7. Colet, Chaucer and Gower8. Prophecies preceeding Luther9. Martin Luther10. Adrian VI11. Final years of Luther12. Swiss Reformation13. German martyrs14. French martyrs15. Spanish martyrs16. Italian martyrs17. Merindol and Cabriers18. Angrogne
K. Henry. 8. Persecution in Germanie. Germane Martyrs.
| Persecutors. | Martyrs. | The Causes. |
MarginaliaThe assault of the Spanyardes, agaynst the Citie of Constance.ted hys purpose. Among them whiche withstode this Spanishe Interim, besides other, were also the Citizens of Constantia. For the whiche, iij. thousande Spanyardes priuyly by night came agaynst the towne of Constance, where they kylled iij. of the watchmen of the towne, whiche watchyng in the suburbes, went forth to vewe the noyse whiche they heard in the woodes. The deuise of the Spanyardes was, in the mornyng, when the Citizens were at the Sermō, sodenly to set vpon the Citie and take it, so (no doubt) intēding to haue gone further. But as the Lord would, some thyng began to bee suspected in the night, by the watchemen in the suburbes, on the otherside the water, wherby the Consul and Citizens had intelligence to bee in readynes. When the mornyng came, the Spanyardes were ready at the gate to breake into þe Citie. But being driuen frō thence & their Captaine Alphonsus slaine, they went to the bridge which goeth ouer þe Rhene. But being beaten also from thence, with shot and great peeces from the walles, and a great number of them drowned in the ryuer, the Spanyardes, breakyng down the hynder part of the bridge, because þe Citizens should not pursue them, they recoyled backe into the suburbes, and burned them with the dead bodyes also that were slayne, so that the number of þe Spanyardes that there were killed, could not be knowen: Onely a hundreth of honest Citizens of Con stance were missing. Ex Ioan. Sled. lib. 21. At þe same tyme, 
CloseFoxe pursued the narratives of martyrdom as conscientiously as his sources allowed. He turned initially to Sleidan. The imprisonment, and eventual release, of a woman in Augsburg for questioning a priest who carried a lighted candle to the bedside of an individual who was close to death in 1552 he had diligently found there (Sleidan [book 22], 3, pp. 214-5). Equally, stretching the embrace of those who 'suffered' for the faith to include those who were deprived of their livings, he found a place for Johannes Frisius, abbot of Neustadt, deprived in 1554 of his clerical positions. In the same vein, Foxe included the exile of around 200 suspect ministers (actually somewhat under that number) from Bohemia, to which Sleidan had alluded (Sleidanus [book 25], 3, p. 488). [Back to Top]in Germany were in great daunger, especially such as re- fused to receaue the Interim: of whom some were cast in to prison. In which nūber of prisoners was Mart. Frech- tius Superintendent of Vlmes, with iiij. other preachers moe: also his brother George, for commyng but to hys house to comfort hym. For the whiche cause Musculus the same tyme, with other preachers moe, went from Aus- burge, Brentius from Hala, Blaurerus from Constance, Bu- cer from Strausburgh. |
MarginaliaThe Martyrdome of a godly priest.A Bishop in Vnga- rie. | A godly Priest in Vngarie. | In Vngary a certeine godly priest preached, that the eatyng of fleshe is not prohibited in the scripture: for the which the cruel Bishop, after he had emprisoned him certeine weekes, caused him to be brought out, and his body to bee tyed ouer with Hares, geese, and hennes hanging round about him: and so the beastly bi- shop made dogges to be set vpon him, whiche cruelly rente and tore what soeuer they coulde catch. And thus the good mini- ster of Christ, being driuen about the Citie with the barking of |
dogges, dyed & was martyred. The sight wher- of, as it was lamētable to the godly, so it semed ridiculous to the wicked. But within few days MarginaliaIust punishment of God vpon a cruell persecution.after, the impious Bishop by the stroke of Gods iust hand, fell sicke, and became horne madde, & so rauing without sense or witte, miserably dyed. Ex tomo. 2. Conuiualium Sermo. Ioan. Gastij. |
| MarginaliaIohn Fridericke Duke of Saxonie. | Iohn Fri dericke of Saxo- nie Ele- ctour. 1547. | Among these godly and con- stant Saintes of Christ, may well be recounted Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxonie. Who when he had recouered agayne all his do- minions (whiche Duke Maurice had takē from him before, beyng in Sueuia with his army) and at last was takē prisoner of the Em perour at Albis, 24. of Aprill. an 1557. yet could neuer be induced to yeld to the Emperour in reuo- king his faith and doctrine of the Gospell wherin he stode: For the which he was deteined from his wife and children, and berei- |
| Persecutors. | Martyrs. | The Causes. |
ued of all his goodes, and caryed about with the Emperour the space of v. yeares. This admirable constācie of that duke was a wonder to all his aduersaries. At last, in the yeare of our Lord. 1552. through the benefite of almighty God, he was set agayne at libertie, and returning home to his wife and children, continued in his Religion till the houre of hys death. Ex Ioan. Sled. lib. 19. MarginaliaThe Lantgraue of Heße.Much like was the case also of Philip Lātgraue of Hesse, who likewise beyng taken and spoyled of the Emperour, con tinued the space of fiue yeres in the cruell custody of the Spa- nyardes, and albeit he had fined vnto the Emperour, & was promised to be set free out of prison, the Emperour and his counsaile dalying with their promise, expounded his prison- ment not to be perpetuall. And though great labour and in- terceßiō was made for him: yet all would not helpe. For whē the Emperour sent him away, thē Mary the Emperours Si- ster tooke him by the way, findyng cauillations against him: wherby he was agayne committed to the handes of Spany- ardes, till at length, through the disposing of Gods mercy, first the Duke of Saxonie, and then 6. dayes after, the Lantgraue also, were both freed out of long captiuitie, and sent home. Ex Commen. Sled. lib. 19. 24. |
MarginaliaHermannus Archb. of Colen.Charles Empe- rour. | Herman- nus Arch bishop of Colen. An. 1547. | With These holy martyrs a- boue recited, may also be nūbred Hermannus Archbish. of Colen. Who a litle before the Empe- rour had warre against the Pro- testātes, had reformed his church from certeine papisticall super- stitions, vsing therein the ayde and aduise of Martine Bucer. Wherfore Charles the Emperour sent woorde to Colen, that hee should be deposed, whiche he pa- ciently did suffer. In his roume was set Adolphus earle of Schau uenburge. Ex Sled. lib. 18. |
MarginaliaNicolas Frenchman. Marion, wife of Augustiuus, Martyrs.The Pre sident or Maior of Dornic. | M. Nico- las, Frēch man. Marion wife of Augusti- nus. An. 1549. | M. Nicolas and Barbara his wife: also Augustinus a Barber, & Marion his wife borne about Hennegow, after they had bene at Geneua a space, came into Germanie, thinking that way to passe ouer into England. By the way comming to Hennegow, Au gustine desired M. Nicolas (be- ause he was learned) to come to Bergis to visite and comfort cer- eine brethren there, whiche he willingly did. From thence pas- ing by Dornic (or Tornay) they helde on theyr iorney toward En gland. But in the way Austen and his wife beyng knowē, were detected to the Lieutenaunt of Dornic, who in all spedy hast fo- owyng after them, ouertooke thē iiij. myles beyond Dornic. Aug stine (how I can not tell) escaped |
at that time out of their handes, and could not be found. The souldiours then laying handes vpon Nicolas and the ij. we- en, brought them backe agayne to Dornic. In returning by the way, when M. Nicolas at the table gaue thankes (as the maner is of the faithfull) the wicked ruler scorning them, and MarginaliaBlasphemie of a Papist.swearyng like a Tyrant, sayd: Now let vs see, thou lewd he reticke, whether thy God cā deliuer thee out of my hand. To whō Nicholas aūsweryng agayne modestly, asked what had Christ euer offended him, that he with his blasphemous swe ryng did so teare him in peeces, desiryng him, that if he had anythyng agaynst Christ, rather he would wreke his anger vpon his poore body, and let the Lord alone. Thus they being bound, handes and feete, were brought to Bergis, and there layd in the doungeon. Then Duke Ariscote accompanied with a great number of priestes, and Franciscan Friers, and |
with
IIi.iiij.