1570 Edition | Book 7 | Page 1145 
Ministers, whiche were at the doyng therof, with the like fayth and simplicitie we haue collected partly out of the Italian, partly out of the Frenche tongue: for in both the languages it is written, althoughe in the Frenche tongue, it is much more largely discoursed, which boke most principally herein we haue folowed. MarginaliaEx Histor. Gallica. & Italica.The title wherof thus begynneth. Histoire des persecutions & Guerres faites contre le people appellé Vaudois. &c.
[Back to Top]Now, that we haue finished these forreine histories, concernyng such matters as haue bene passed in other realmes and nations, of Germanie, Italie, Spayne, Fraunce, and Sauoy: consequently it remayneth after this digresse, to returne and reduce our storye agayne, to our own countrey matters, here done and passed at home, after that first we shall haue added one forrein story more, concerning the Martyrdome of a Christian Iewe, whiche suffered about these yeares, in Constantinople, among the Turkes, in this wise as foloweth.
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CloseThis story first appeared in the 1563 edition of Foxe's martyrology (1563, p. 440). We have not located it in any of the common sources that Foxe used, and its origin is something of a mystery, but it was commonly repeated in English martyrologies after Foxe as a striking example of persecution being attributable to the Turks.
[Back to Top]| Persecuters | Martyrs. | The Causes. |
| MarginaliaA Christian Iewe, Martyr. An. 1528The Turkes of Constanti- nople. | A Iewe Christen- ned and Martyred. At Constā tinople. an. 1528. | TO these forreine Martyrs aforesayd, we will also ad- ioyne the Historie of a certeine Iewe, who in the yeare our Lord. 1528. dwellyng in the Citie of Constantinople, and there receauyng the Sacra- ment of Baptisme, was cōuer- ted, and became a good Chri- stian. When the Turkes vnder- stode hereof, they were vehe- mently exasperated agaynste hym, that hee forsakyng his Iewesnes, should bee regene- rate to the fayth of Christ: and fearyng least hys conuersion should be a detriment to their Mahometicall law, they sought meanes howe to put hym to death, whiche in short tyme af- ter, they accomplished. And for |
| the greater infamie to bee done vnto the man, they cast |
| Persecuters | Martyrs. | The Causes. |
hys dead corps into the streetes, commaundyng that no man shoulde be so hardie as to burie the same. |
MarginaliaThe Martyrdome of a Christian Iewe.
CloseWherin the meruelous glorie and power of Christ ap peared. For the dead corps lying so by the space of ix. dayes in the middest of the streetes, reteined so his na- tiue colour, and was so freshe, without any kynd of fil- thynes or corruption, & also not without a certeine plea- saunt & delectable sent or odour, as if it had bene la- tely slayne, or rather not slayne at all: whiche when the Turkes beheld, they were thereat meruelously astonied, and being great- ly afrayed they them selues tooke it vp, and caryed it to a place nere, without the towne, and buryed it. |
HAuyng thus comprehended the troubles and persecutiōs of such godly Saintes, & blessed Martyrs, which haue suffered in other foreine nations aboue mentioned, here now endyng with thē, & begynnyng the viij. booke, we haue (God willyng) to returne agayne to our owne matters, and to prosecute such Actes and recordes, as to our owne countrey of England do apperteine. MarginaliaThe contentes of the booke following.In the proces whereof among many other thynges, may appeare the meruelous woorke of Gods power and mercy in suppressyng and banishyng out of this realme, the long vsurped supremacie of the Pope: also in subuerting and ouerthrowing the houses of Monkes, and Friers, with diuers other matters perteinyng to the reformation of Christes true Churche and religion. All which thinges, as they haue bene long wished, & greatly groned for in times past, of many godly learned mē: so much more ought we now to reioyse and giue God thankes, seyng these dayes of reformation, whiche God hath giuen vs. Yf Iohn Hus, or good Hierome of Prage, or Iohn Wickleffe before them both, or William Brute, Thorpe, Swynderby, or the lord Cobham, if Zisca with all þe company of the Bohemians, if þe Earle Raymundus, with all þe Tholossians, if the Waldoys, or the Albingenses with infinite other, had bene either in these our tymes now, or els had sene then this ruine of the Pope, and reuelyng of Antichrist, whiche the Lord now hath dispensed vnto vs, what ioye and triumphe would they haue made? Wherfore now beholdyng that thyng, whiche they so long tyme haue wished for, let vs not thinke the benefite to be small, but render therfore most humble thākes to the Lord our God: MarginaliaAntichrist long hyd, and now reueiled.Who by his mighty power and brightnes of his worde, hath reueled this great enemy of his so manifestly to the eyes of all men, who before was hid in the Churche, so colorablye, that almost fewe Christians coulde espie hym. For who would euer haue iudged or suspected in his mynde, the Byshop of Rome (commonly receaued and beleued almost of all men, to be the vicare and vicegerent of Christ here in earth) to be Antichrist, and the great aduersary of God., whom S. Paul so expresly prophesieth of, in these latter dayes to be reueled, by the brightnes of the Lordes commyng, as all men now, for the most part, may see is come to passe. Wherfore to the Lord and father of lightes, who reueleth all thynges in his due tyme, be prayse and glory for euer. Amen.
[Back to Top]The ende of the seuenth booke.