1570 Edition | Book 7 | Page 1112 
Click on this link to switch between the Modern pagination for this edition and Foxe's original pagination when searching for a page number. Note that the pagination displayed in the transcription is the modern pagination with Foxe's original pagination in square brackets.
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. A Table of the Jtalian Martyrs.
and you princes, why conspire you so together agaynst Christ, and agaynst his holy one? Psal. 2. How long will you seke after lies, and hate the truth? Turne you to the Lorde and harden not your hartes. For this you must nedes confesse, that they which persecute the Lordes seruaūts, do persecute the Lord him selfe. For so hee sayth hym self: What soeuer mē shall do to you, I will count it to be done, not as vnto you, but to me selfe. And now let this carnall politicke Counseller and disputer of this world, tell, wherein haue they to blame me, if in myne examinations I haue not aunswered so after their mynde and affection, as they required of me? seyng it is not our selues that speake, but the Lord that speaketh in vs, as he hym self doth forewitnes, saying: Whē ye shal be brought before rulers and Magistrates, it is not you your selues that speake, but the spirite of my father, that shal be in you. Mat. 10. Wherfore if the Lord bee true and faithfull of his word, as it is most certeine, then is there no blame in me: for hee gaue the wordes that I did speake, and who was I, that could resiste his will? If any shall reprehend the thinges that I sayd, let hym then quarell with the Lord, whō it pleased to worke so in me. And if the Lord be not to be blamed, neither am I herein to be accused, which did that I pnrposed not, and that I forethought not of. The things which there I did vtter and expresse, if they were otherwise then well, let them shewe it, and then will I say, that they were my wordes, & not the Lordes? But if they were good, & approued, & such as can not iustly bee accused, then must it nedes be graunted, spyte of their teeth, that they proceeded of the Lorde: and then who bee they, that shall accuse me? A people of prudence. Or who shall condemne me? Iust Iudges. And thoughe they so do, yet neuertheles, the worde shall not be fru- strate, neither shall the Gospell be foolishe, or therfore decay: but rather the kyngdome of God shall the more prospere and florish vnto the Israelites, and shall passe the sooner vnto the electe of Christe Iesu: And they whiche shall so do, shall proue the greuous iudgement of God, neither shall they escape without punishment, that be persecuters and murderers of the iust. My wel- beloued, lift vp your eyes, and consider the counsails of |
God. He shewed vnto vs a late, an Image of hys plague, whiche was to our correction. And if we shall not receaue him, he will draw out his sword, and strike with sword, pestilence, and famine, the nation that shall rise agaynst Christ. These haue I written to your com- fort, deare brethrē. Pray for me. I kisse in my hart, with an holy kisse, my good masters, Siluius, Pergula, Iu- stus, also Fidell Rocke, and him that beareth the name of Lelia, whom I know, although being absent. Item, the gouernour of the Vniuersitie, Syndicus, and all other, whose names be written in the booke of life. Fare well all my felow seruauntes of God: fare ye well in the Lord, and pray for me continually. From the delectable horchyard of Leonine prison. 12. cal. Aug. an. 1555. ¶ It is writtē of one Theobrotus, that when hee had read the booke of Plato De Immortalitate am- mæ, hee was so moued and persuaded therwith, that he cast him selfe downe headlong from an hygh wall, to be rydde out of this present lyfe. If those heathen Philosophers, hauyng no worde of God, nor promise of any resurrection and life to come, could so soone be persuaded by reading the wordes of Plato, to con- temne this world & life here present: how much more is it to be required in Christians, instructed wt so ma- ny euidences & promises of Gods most perfect word, that they should learne to cast of þe carnall desires & af- fections of this miserable peregrinatiō, and that for a double respect, not onely in seing, reading, & vnderstā- ding so many examples of þe miseries of this wretched world: but also much more in cōsidering, & pondring the heauenly ioyes & consolations of the other world, remayning for vs hereafter to come. For a more full euidence wherof, I thought good to geue out this present letter of Algerius aboue prefixed, for the taste of þe same, & a liuely testimony for all true Christians to read and consider. Now let vs procede further (the Lord willyng) in our Table of Italian Martyrs. |
| Persecuters. | Martyrs. | The Causes. |
| MarginaliaIoan Aloisius, Martyr. | Ioan. A- loisius. At Rome. an. 1559. | Of Ioannes Aloisius we finde mention made in a letter of Sy- mon Florillus: which Aloisius was sent downe from Geneua, to the parties of Calabria, there to be their minister, who after- ward was sent for vp to Rome, and there suffered. Ex Epist. D. Simonis Florilli. |
| MarginaliaIacobus Bouellus, Martyr. | Iacobus Bouellus At Mes- sina. an. 1559. | Iacobus Bouellus was like- wise sent from Geneua to the sayd parties of Calabria, with Aloisius, who also being sent for, vp to Rome, was sent downe to the Citie of Meßina, and there was martyred. Ibidem. |
Pope Pius the fourth. | Diuers that suffe- red in the kingdome of Na- ples. | After Pope Iulius the third, came Macellus the second. Af- ter him succeded Pope Paule the fourth. This Paule beyng dead, folowed Pope Pius the fourth. Who beyng aduaunced to that rowme, began hoate persecu- tion in all the territories of the Churche of Rome, agaynst them whiche were suspected for Lu- therans. Wherupon ensued great |
| Persecuters. | Martyrs. | The Causes. |
At Nea- ples. an. 1560. | trouble and persecution in the kingdome of Neaples, in such cruell sort, that many noble men with their wiues, & others, are reported there to be slayne. Vid. Pantal. lib. xi. |
Pope Pius 4. | Lxxxviij Martyrs in one day, with one butcher- lye knife, slayne like shepe. 1600. other, also condēned. | In Calabria lykewise the same tyme, suffered a blessed number of Christes welbeloued Saintes, both olde & young, put together in one house, to the num ber of 88. personnes, all which, one after an other, were taken out of the house, and so beyng layd vppon the butchers Stall, like shepe in the shambles, with one bloudy knife, were all killed in order. A spectacle most tra- gicall, for all posteritie to remem- ber, and almost incredible to be- leue. Wherefore for the more cre- dite of the matter, lest we shall seme either light of credite, to be leue that is not true, or rashely to committe to penne, thynges without due profe and authori- tie, we haue here annexed a peece of an Epistle, written by master |
Symon
NNn.iiij.