Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

*The first Persecution.

THe first of these x. persecutions, was stirred vp by Nero Domitius,1 1.1 the vj. Emperour before mentioned, about the yeare of our Lord, 67. The tyrannous rage of which Emperour, was so fierce against the Christians (as Euse∣bius recordeth) Vs{que} adeò vt videres repletas humanis corpori∣bus ciuitates,* 1.2 iacentes mortuos simul cum paruulis senes: foemi. narúm{que} abs{que} vlla sexus reuerentia nudata in publico,* 1.3 reiectá{que} starent cadauera. That is, In so much that a man might then see cities lye full of mens bodies, the old there lying toge∣ther with the yong, and the dead bodies of women cast out naked,* 1.4 without all reuerence of that sexe in the opē streets. &c. Likewise Orosius writing of the said Nero, saith, that he was the first which in Rome did raise vp persecution a∣gainst the Christians, and not onely in Rome, but also through all the prouinces therof, thinking to abolish and to destroy the whole name of Christians in all places, &c. Whereunto accordeth moreouer the testimonie of Hierome vpon Daniel, saying: thàt many there were of the Christi∣ans in those dayes, which seyng the filthy abominations, and intollerable crueltie of Nero, thought that he should be Antichrist, &c.

In this persecution,* 1.5 among many other Saintes the blessed Apostle Peter was condemned to death, and cru∣cified as some doe write, at Rome, albeit othersome, and not without cause doe doubt thereof, concerning whose lyfe and hystory, because it is sufficiently described in the text of the Gospell, and in the Actes of S. Luke. chap. 4.5. 12. I neede not heere to make any great repetytion therof. As touching the cause and maner of hys death, diuers ther be,* 1.6 which make relation, as Hierome, Egesippus, Eusebius, Abdias, and other: although they doe not all precisely agree in the tyme. The wordes of Hierome be these: Simon Pe∣ter the sonne of Iona, of the prouince of Galile, and of the Towne of Bethsaida, the brother of Andrew. &c. After hee had bene Byshop of the Church of Antioch, and had prea∣ched to the dispersion of them that beleued, of the Circum∣cision in Pontus, Galacia, Capadocia, Asia, and Bithinia in the second yeare of Claudius, the Emperour, (whiche was about the yeare of our Lord. 44.) came to Rome, to withstand Simon Magus, and there kept the priestly chayre, the space of * 1.7 25. yeares, vntill the last yeare of the foresayd Nero, which was the 14. yeare of hys raygne, of whome he was crucified, hys head being downe, and his feete vp∣ward, himselfe so requiring, because he was (he sayd) vn∣worthy to be crucified after the same forme and maner, as the Lord was. &c. Egesippus, prosecuting this matter some∣thing more at large, and Abdias, also, (if any authoritie is to be geuen to hys booke, who following not onely the sense, but also the very forme of wordes of Egesippus in this Hystory, seemeth to be extracted out of him, and of other authors) sayth, that Simon Magus being then a great man with Nero, and his president and keeper, of hys life, was required vppon a tyme to be present at the raysing vp of a certayne noble young man in Rome,* 1.8 of Neros kindred, lately departed. Wheras Peter also was desired to come to the reuiuing of the sayd personage. But when Magus in the presence of Peter could not doe it: Then Peter calling vp∣on the name of the Lord Iesus, dyd rayse him vp, and re∣stored him to hys mother, wherby the estimation of Simon Magus, began greatly to decay, and to be detested in Rome. Not long after the sayd Magus threatned the Romaynes, that he would leaue the Citie and in their light flye away from them into heauen. So the day being appoynted Ma∣gus taking hys winges in the Mounte Capitolinus, began to flye in the ayre. But Peter by the power of the Lord Iesus brought him downe with his winges headlong to the ground, by the whiche fall hys legges and ioyntes were broken, and he thereupon dyed. Then Nero sorrowing for the death of him, sought matter agaynst Peter to put hym to death. Which when the people perceiued, they entreated Peter with much a doe, that he would flye the Citie. Peter through their importunitie at length perswaded, prepared himselfe to auoyd. But comming to the gate he sawe the Lord Christ come to meete him, to whom he worshipping sayd: Lord whether doest thou goe? To whome he aun∣swered and sayd, I come agayne to be crucified. By this Peter perceauing hys suffering to be vnderstanded, retur∣ned backe into the Citty agayne. And so was he crucified, in maner as is before declared. And this out of Egesippus.

Eusebius moreouer, writing of the death not onely of Peter,* 1.9 but also of his wife, affirmeth, that Peter seeing his wife goyng to her Martyrdom (belike as he was yet han∣ging vpon the crosse) was greatly ioyous and glad there∣of, who crying vnto her with a loud voyce,* 1.10 and calling her by her name, bade her remember the Lord Iesus. Such was then (saith Eusebius) the blessed bonde of Mariage a∣mong the Saintes of God. And thus much of Peter.

Paule the Apostle, which before was called Saule, af∣ter his great trauail and vnspeakable labours in promoo∣ting the Gospell of Christ, suffred also in this first persecu∣tion vnder Nero, and was beheaded. Of whom thus wri∣teth Hierome in his Booke De viris illustr. Paule, otherwise called Saule, one of the Apostles, yet out of the number of xij. was of the tribe of Beniamin, and of a towne of Iew∣rie called Gisealis:* 1.11 which towne beyng taken of the Ro∣mains, he with his parents fled to Tharsus a town of Ci∣licia. Afterward was sent vp by his parents to Hierusalē,

and there brought vp in the knowledge of the law, at the feete of Gamaliel,* 1.12 and was at the death of Stephen a doer. And when he had receiued letters from the high Priest to persecute the Christians, by the way going to Damascus, was stroken downe of the Lordes glory, and of a persecu∣tor, was made a professor, an Apostle, a Martyr, a witnesse of the Gospell, and a vessell of election.

Among his other manifold labors & trauails in sprea∣ding the doctrine of Christ, he wan Sergius Paulus, the Pro∣consul of Cyprus, to the faith of Christ, whereupon he tooke his name as some suppose,* 1.13 turned from Saulus to Paulus. After he had passed through diuers places and countries in his laborious peregrinations, he tooke to him Barnabas, and went vp to Hierusalem, to Peter, Iames, and Iohn, where he was ordained and sent out with Barnabas to preach vnto the Gentils.

And because it is in the Actes of the Apostles sufficient∣ly comprehended, concerning the admirable conuersion, & conuersation of this most worthy Apostle, that which re∣maineth of the rest of his history, I will here adde, how the sayd Apostle Paule, the 25. yere after the passion of the lord, in the second yeare of Nero, what tyme Festus ruled in Iew∣rie, was sent vp in bondes to Rome,* 1.14 where he remaining in his free hosterie two yeares together, disputed daily a∣gainst the Iewes, proouing Christ to be come. And here is to be noted, that after his first answer or purgation there made at Rome, the Emperor Nero, not yet fully confirmed in his Empire, & yet not bursting out into those mischiefs, which histories report of him, he was at that tyme by Nero discharged, and dismissed to preach the Gospell in the West partes and about the coastes of Italy, as he himselfe wri∣ting vnto Timothie, afterward in his second apprehensi∣on, in his second Epistle witnesseth,* 1.15 saying: In my first purgation, no man stoode with me, but did all forsake me, the Lord lay it not to their charge. But the Lord stood with me, & did comfort me, that the preaching of his word might proceed by me, & that all the Gentiles might heare and be taught, and I was deliuered out of the Lions mouth, &c. In which place by the Lion he plainly meaneth Nero. And afterward likewise saith: I was deliuered from the mouth of the Lion, &c. And againe, the Lord hath deliuered me out from all euill workes, and hath saued me vnto his hea∣uenly kingdom, &c. speaking this, because he perceiued thē the tyme of his Martyrdome to be nere at hand. For in the same Epistle before. he saith: I am now offred vp, and the tyme of my dissolution draweth on.

Thus then, this worthy preacher and messenger of the Lord, in the 14. yeare of Nero, and the same day in which Peter was crucified (although not in the same yeare as some write, but in the next yeare following) was behea∣ded at Rome for the testimonie of Christ, and was buried in the way of Ostia.* 1.16 The yeare after the passion of the Lord 37. He wrote ix. Epistles to seuen Churches: to the Ro∣mains one, to the Corinthians two, to the Galathiās one, to the Ephesians one, to the Philippians one, to the Co∣lossians one, to the Thessalonians two. Moreouer, he wrote to his Disciples, to Timothie two, to Titus one, to Philemon one.

The Epistle which beareth the title to the Hebrues, is not thought to be his, for the difference of the stile & phrase, but either iudged to be written of Timothie, as Tertullian supposeth, or of S. Luke as other do thinke: or els of Cle∣ment afterward Bishop of Rome, who as they say, was adioyned with Paul, and compiling together his sayings and sentences, did phrase them in his stile and maner. Or els,* 1.17 as some do iudge, because S. Paul wrote vnto the He∣brues, for the odiousnes of his name among that people, therefore he dissimuled, and confessed his name in the first entre of his salutation, contrary to his accustomed condi∣tion. And as he wrote to the Hebrues he being an Hebrue, so he wrote in Hebrue, y^t is, in his own tongue more elo∣quently. And that is thought to be the cause why it diffe∣reth from his other Epistles, and is after a more eloquent maner translated into the Greeke, then his other Epistles be.* 1.18 Some also read the Epistle written to Laodicea, but that is explosed of all men. Thus much Hierome.

As touching the tyme and order of the death and Mar∣tyrdome of S. Paule, as Eusebius, Hierome, Maximus and o∣ther authors doe but briefly passe ouer: So Abdias (if his booke be of any substātial authoritie) speaking more large∣ly of the same doth say:* 1.19 that after the crucifying of Peter, & the ruine of Simon Magus, Paule yet remayning in free cu∣stody, was dimissed and deliuered at that time from Mar∣tyrdome by Gods permission, that all the Gentiles might be replenished with preaching of the Gospell by him.

And the same Abdias proceeding in his story, declareth moreouer, that as Paule was thus occupied at Rome, he was accused to the Emperour, not onely for teaching new doctrine,* 1.20 but also for stirring vp sedition against the Em∣pire. For this he being called before Nero, and demaunded to shew the order and maner of his doctrine, there declared what his doctrine was, to teach all men peace and charitie how to loue one an other, how to preuent one an other in honor,* 1.21 rich mē not to be puft in pride, nor to put their trust in their treasures, but in the liuing God. Meane men to be contented with foode and rayment, and with their pre∣sent state. Poore mē to reioyce in their pouertie with hope. Fathers to bring vp their children in the feare of God. Children to obey their parents. Husbandes to loue their wiues. Wiues to be subiect vnto their husbands. Citizens and subiects to giue their tribute vnto Caesar and to be sub∣iect to their magistrates. Maisters to be curteous not cur∣rish to their seruaunts. Seruants to deale faithfully with their maisters. And this to be the summe of his teaching, which his doctrine he receiued not of men nor by men, but by Iesus Christ, and the father of glory, which spake to him from heauen, the Lord Iesus saying to him, that he should goe and preach in his name, and that he would be with him, and would be the spirit of life to all that beleued in him, and that whatsoeuer he did or said, he would iustifie it, &c. After that Paule had thus declared vnto the Empe∣rour, shortly after sentence of death was pronounced a∣gainst him,* 1.22 that he should be headed. Unto whose execut••ō then Nero sent two of his Esquiers Ferega, and Parthemius to bring him word of his death. They comming to Paule, instructing then the people, desired him to pray for them that they might beleue. Who told them that shortly after they should beleue, and be baptised at his Sepulchre (as Abdias writeth.* 1.23) This done, the souldiours came and led him out of the Citie to the place of execution, where he af∣ter his prayers made, gaue his necke to the sword. Abdias reporteth,* 1.24 that as his head was strokē off, in stead of blood issued out white milke, and that at laying downe his head he signed himselfe with the signe of a crosse in his forehead, but this being found in no other historie,* 1.25 Abdias semeth ei∣ther to adde of his own, or els to borow out of the Legend as he doth many other things beside, wherof more shalbe sayd (Christ willing) hereafter. Although the same mira∣cle of milke flowing out of his necke, is referred also vnto Ambrose, who in his sermon 68. (if it be not counterfaited) seemeth to affirme the same. Of the tyme and yeare when these blessed Apostles did suffer, histories doe not all agree. They that follow the commō opinion,* 1.26 and the Popes de∣crees say, that both Peter and Paul suffred both in one day and in one yeare, which opinion semeth to be taken out of Dionysius bishop of Corinth. Hierome in his booke De viris illustr. affirmeth that they suffred both in one day, but he ex∣presseth not the yeare.* 1.27 So doth Isodorus and Eusebius. Symon Metaphrastes bringeth in the opinion of some, which thinke that Paul suffred not with Peter, but after Peter. Pruden∣tius in his Peristephanō, noteth that they both were put to death vpon the same day, but not in the same yere, and saith that Paule followed Peter a yeare after.

Abdias aboue mentioned, recordeth that Paule suffered two yeares after Peter. Moreouer, if it be true which Ab∣dias saith, that after the crucifiyng of Peter, Paul remained in his fyare custody at Rome, mētioned in the Actes of the Apostles, which was as Hierom witnesseth the 3. or 4. yere of Nero, then must it be x. yeare betwixt the Martyrdome of Peter and of Paule, for as much as it is by all writers confessed, that Paule suffered the 14. yeare, which was the last yeare of Nero. And so Abdias seemeth neither to agree with other authors, nor with himselfe. And thus much of the first persecution.

Notes

• 1 1.1

  The first perse∣cution.
• * 1.2

  Anno. 67.
• * 1.3

  Histor. Ecclesi. Lib. 2. Cap. 24.25.26.
• * 1.4

  Orosius. Lib. 7. Nero thought to be Anti∣christ.
• * 1.5

  S. Peter the Apostle, crucified at Rome.
• * 1.6

  Hieron. lib. Deuiris il∣lustris.
• * 1.7

  This report seemeth neyther to come of Ie∣rome not to be true in Peter. Egesippus. Lib. 3. De excidio Hieroso. cap. 2.
• * 1.8

  Abdias. lib. 1. De vitae Patri.
• * 1.9

  Euseb. lib. 30 hist. eccle. c. 30.
• * 1.10

  Peters wife put to death for Christ. The wordes of Peter to hys wife, goyng to death. Paule the Apostle.
• * 1.11

  Ex Hieroni∣mo. Lib. de viris illust.
• * 1.12

  Saule brought vp vnder Ga∣maliell. Saule a per∣secutor. Saule con∣uerted.
• * 1.13

  Saulus tur∣ned to Paulus. Paule sent to the Gen∣tiles.
• * 1.14

  Act. 28.
• * 1.15

  2. Tim. 4.
• * 1.16

  The epi∣stles of S. Paule to vi•• Chur∣ches.
• * 1.17

  The Epistle to the He∣brues.
• * 1.18

  The Epistle to Laodicia
• * 1.19

  Abdias de viris. lib. 2.
• * 1.20

  Paule declareth his doctrine to the Emperour.
• * 1.21

  The summe of Paules doctrine.
• * 1.22

  Paule condem∣ned.
• * 1.23

  Paule suffe∣reth.
• * 1.24

  A Legende mi∣racle.
• * 1.25

  The story of Abdias suspe∣cted.
• * 1.26

  Historyes doe varry about the tyme of their Martyrdome.
• * 1.27

  If this be true that Prudētius. recordeth of Paule to suffer vnder Nero, and the yeare after Peter. then is it false, which Hierome before testifieth, Peter to suffer the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yeare of Nero.