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.

¶ A Notice touching the miserable persecu∣tion, slaughter and captiuity of the Chri∣stians vnder the Turkes.

* 1.1HEtherto thou hast heard (Christian Reader) the lamē∣table persecutions of these latter dayes, wrought by y^e Turkes agaynst the people and seruauntes of Christ. In the reading wherof, such as sitte quietly at home, & be farre frō ieopardy, may see what misery there is abroad, y^• know¦ledge and reading wherof, shall not be vnprofitable for all christians earnestly to wey & consider, for that many there be, which falsely deceauing themselues, imagin that Chri∣stianity is a quiet and restrull state of life, full of pleasure & solace in this present worlde, when in deede it is nothing lesse, testified by the mouth of our Sauiour himselfe, who rightly defining his kingdome, teacheth vs that his king∣dome is not of this world, premonishing vs also before, y^t in this worlde we must looke for affliction, but in hym wee shall haue peace. Examples hereof in all partes of thys hy∣story through all ages are plenteous and euidēt to be sene, whether we turne our eyes to the first x. persecutiōs in the primitiue Church during the first 3. hundreth yeares after Christ: or whether we consider the latter 3. hūdreth yeares in this last age of the Churche, wherein the poore flocke of Christ hath bene so afflicted,* 1.2 oppressed & deuoured, y^e it is hard to say whether haue bene more cruell agaynst y^e Chri∣stians, the infidel Emperors of Rome in the primitiue age of the Church, or els those barbarous Turkes in these our latter times of the Church now present.

Thus from time to time the Churche of Christ almost hath had litle or no rest in this earth, what for the Heathen Emperours on the one side, what for the proude Pope on the other side, and on the third side what for the barbarous Turke: for these are and haue bene from the beginning the three principall & capital enemies of the Church of Christ, signified in the Apocalips by the beast, the false Lamb, and the false Prophet, from whom wēt out three foule spirites like frogges, to gather together all the kinges of the earth to the battell of the day of the Lord God almighty.* 1.3 Apocal. 16. The cruelty and malice of these 3. enemyes agaynst Christes people hath bene such, that to iudge which of thē did most exceede in cruelty of persecution, it is hard to say: but y^• it may be thought that the bloudy & beastly tyrannye of the Turkes especially aboue the rest, incomparably sur∣mounteth all the afflictions and cruell slaughters that euer were seene in any age, or read of in any story: In so much y^• there is neither history so perfect, nor writer so diligēt, who writing of the miserable tyranny of the Turkes, is able to expresse or comprehend the horrible examples of theyr vn∣speakable cruelty and slaughter exercised by these 12. Tur∣kish tyrants,* 1.4 vpon poore Christē mens bodies, within the compasse of these latter 3. hūdreth yeares, wherof although no sufficient relation can be made, nor nūber expressed: yet to geue to the Reader some generall gesse or view thereof: let vs first perpend and consider what dominions & Em∣pyres, how many countries, kingdomes, prouinces, cities townes, strong holdes and fortes, these Turkes haue sur∣prised and wonne from the Christians. In all which victo∣ries, being so many, this is secondly to be noted, that there is almost no place, which the turkes euer came to and sub∣dued, where they did not either slay all y^e inhabitants ther∣of, or led away the most part therof into such captiuity and slauery, that they continued not long after aliue: or els so li¦ued, that death almost had bene to them more tollerable.

Like as in the time of the first persecutions of the Ro∣mayne Emperors, the saying was, that no man could step with his foote in all Rome, but should tread vpon a Mar∣tyr: so here may be sayd, that almost there is not a towne, city, or village in all Asia, Grecia, also in a great part of E∣uropa, and Aphrica, whose streetes haue not flowed with bloud of the Christians, whom the cruell turks haue mur∣thered. Of whom are to be sene in histories, heapes of soul¦diours slaine, of mē & womē cut in pieces, of childrē sticked vpō poles & stakes, whō these detestable turks most spite∣full (& y^• in the sight of theyr parentes) vse to gore to death: some they drag at theyr horse tailes & famish to death: some they teare in pieces, tying theyr armes and legges to foure horses: other some they make marks to shoot at: vpō some they trye theyr swords, how deep they can cut and slash, as ye before haue read, pag. 777, The aged & feeble they tread vnder theyr horses: womē w^t child they spare not, but ripp theyr bodyes, and cast the infants into the fire, or otherwise destroy them▪* 1.5 Whether the Christians yeld to them, or yeld not, all is a matter As in theyr promises there is no truth: so in theyr victoryes there is no sense of manhood or mercy in them, but they make hauocke of all.

So the Citizens of Croia, after they had yelded & were all promised theyr liues, were all destroyd and that horri∣bly. In Mysia, after the king had geuen himselfe to the turkes hand, hauing promise of life, Mahumet the Turke slew him with his owne hands. The Princes of Rasia had both theyr eies put out with ••asens redde hoate set before them. Theodosia, otherwise called Capha, was also surrē∣dered to the Turke, hauing the like assuraunce of life and safety: & yet contrary to the league, the Citizens were put to the sword and slaine. At the winning and yelding of Le••∣bos, what a number or young men and children were put vpon sharpe stakes and poles, and so thrust thorough? At the winning of the Citty of Buda,* 1.6 what tyrannye was shewed and exercised agaynst the poore Christians, whiche had yelded themselues, and agaynst the two Dukes Chri∣stopher Bisserer and Ioannes Tranbinger, cōtrary to the promise and handwriting of the Turke, is to be sene in the story of Melchior Soiterus, de Bello Pannonico.

The like also is to be read in the story of Bernardus de Breydenbach,* 1.7 who writing of the taking of Hydrimtum, a City in Apulia, testifieth of the miserable slaughter, of the young men there slayne, of old men troden vnder the horse feet, of matrons & virgines rauished, of women with child cut & rent a pieces, of the Priestes in the Churches slayne, & of the Archbishop of that Citty,* 1.8 who being an aged man and holding the crosse in his hands, was cut a sonder with a woodden saw. &c. The same Bernerdus also wryting of the ouerthrow of Nigropontus, otherwise called Chalci∣des, an. 1471. describeth the like terrible slaughter: whiche there was exercised: where the Turke, after hys promise geuē before to the cōtrary,* 1.9 most cruelly caused all the youth of Italy to be pricked vpon sharp stakes: some to be dashed against the hard stones,* 1.10 other some to be cut in sonder in y^e middest, and other mo with other kinds of forments to be put to death: in so much that all the streetes and wayes of Chalcides did flowe with the bloud of them, whiche were there slayn. In which history the foresayd writer recordeth one memorable example of maydēly chastity, worthy of all Christians to be noted and commended.* 1.11 The story is tolde of the Pretors daughter of that City, who being the onely daughter of her father, & noted to be of an exceeding singu∣ler beuty, was saued out of the slaughter, & brought to Ma¦humet the turke, to be his concubine: But she denying to consent to his turkishe appetite and filthynes, was com∣maunded therewith to be slayne and murthered, and so di∣ed she a Martyr, keping both her fayth and her body vnde∣filed vnto Christ Iesus her spouse. Ibid.

The like cruelty also was shewed vpon them whiche kept the Castle, & afterward yelding themselues vpō hope of the turkes promise, were slayne euery one. What should I speake of the miserable slaughter of Methone, & the Ci∣tizēs therof dwelling in Peloponesus: who seing no other remedy but needes to come into the Turkes hands, set the barne on fire where they were gathered together, mē, wo∣men, and children:* 1.12 some women also with child volūtarily cast themselues into the Sea, rather then they would su∣stayne the Turkes captiuity. Vide pag. 734.

Miserable it is to beholde,* 1.13 long to recite, incredible to beleue all the cruel parts and horrible slaughters wrought by these miscreantes, agaynste the Christians, through all places almost of the world, both in Asia, in Africa, but espe∣cially in Europa. Who is able to recite the innumerable so∣cietyes and companyes of the Grecians Martyred by the Turkes sword in Achaia, Attica, Thessalia, Macedonia, Epirus, and all Peloponesus? besides y^e Iland of Rhodes and other Ilandes, and Cyclades adiacēt in the sea about, numbred to 52. of the which also Pathmos was one, wher S. Iohn being banished, wrote his reuelations. Where did euer the Turkes sette any foote, but the bloud of Chri∣stians there, without pitty or measure, went to wracke? & what place or prouince is there almost thorow y^e world, wher y^e turks either haue not perced, or are not like shortly

to enter?* 1.14 In Thracia, & through all the coastes of Danu∣bius, in Bulgaria, Dalmatia, in Seruia, Transiluania, Bosna, in Himgaria, also in Austria, what hauocke hath bene made by them, of Christen mens bodies, it will rue a∣ny Christen hart to remember. At the siege of Moldauio, at the winning of Buda, of Pesta, of Alba, of Walpo, Stri∣gonium, Sociosia, Tathe, Wizigradum, Nouum, Castel∣lum in Dalmatia, Belgradum, Uaradinum, Quinque ec∣clesie: also at the battel of Uerna, where Ladislaus king of Polonie with all his army almost, through the rashnes of the Popes Cardinall were slayne: at the winning moreo∣uer of Xabiacchus, Lyssus, Dinastrum: at the siege of Guntza, and of the faythfull towne Scorad, where the nū∣ber of the shotte agaynst theyr walles,* 1.15 at the siege thereof, were reckoned to 2539. likewise at the siege of Uienna where all the Christian captiues were brought before the whole army and slayne, and diuers drawne in pieces with horses: but especially at the winning of Constantinople a∣boue mentioned, pag. 706. also at Croia & Methone, what beastly cruelty was shewed, it is vnspeakeable. For as in Constantinople, Mahumer the dronken Turk neuer rose from diner, but he caused euery daye, for his disport. 300. Christiā captiues of the nobles of that City to be slayn be∣fore his face:* 1.16 So in Methone, after that his captayn Oma∣res had sent vnto him at Constantinople 500. prisoners of the Christians, the cruell tyraunt commaunded them all to be cut and deuided in sonder by the middle, & so being slain to be throwne out into the fieldes.

Leonicus Chalcondyla, writing of the same story, ad∣deth moreouer a prodigious narratiō (if it be true) of a brute Oxe, whiche being in the fieldes, and seing the carcases of the dead bodies so cut in two, made there a loud noise after the lowing of his kind and nature: & afterward comming to the quarters of one of the dead bodyes lying in the field, first tooke vp the one halfe,* 1.17 & then comming agayne, tooke vp likewise the other halfe, and so (as he could) ioyned thē both together. Which being espyed of them which saw the doing of the brute Oxe, and maruelling thereat, and word being brought thereof to Mahumet, he commaunded the quarters agayne to be brought, where they were before, to proue whether the beast would come agayne: who fayled not (as the author recordeth) but in like sort as before, ta∣king the fragmentes of the dead corps, layde them agayne together. It foloweth more in the author, howe that Ma∣humet being astonied at the straunge wonder of the Oxe,* 1.18 commaunded the quarters of the christiā mans body to be interred, and the Oxe to be brought to his house, and was much made of. Some sayd it to be the body of a Uenetian: some affirmed, that he was an Illyrian: but whatsoeuer he was certayne it is, that the Turk himselfe was much more beastiall then was the very brute Oxe: which being a beast shewed more sence of humanity to a dead man, thē one mā did to an other Ex Leonic. Chalcondyla.

* 1.19To this crueltye adde moreouer, that beside these 500. Methonians thus destroyed at Constantinople, in the said City of Methone, all the townes men also were slayne by the forsayd Captayn Omares, and among them theyr Bi∣shop likewise was put to death. Ex Andrea de Lacuna, & ex Wolfgango & alijs.

Iohn Faber in his Oration made before king Henrye the 8. at the appointment of king Ferdinandus, and decla∣ring therin the miserable cruelty of the Turkes toward al christians, as also toward the bishops and ministers of the church, testifieth how that in Mitilene, in Constantinople, and Trapezunda, what Byshops & Archbishops, or other ecclesiasticall and religious persons the Turks could find they brought them out of the cityes into the fieldes, there to be slaine like Oxen and Calues. The same Faber also wri∣ting of the battell of Solyman in Hungary, where Ludo∣uicus the king of Hūgary was ouerthrown, declareth that 8. Byshops in the same field were slayne. And moreouer, when the Archbishop of Strigon,* 1.20 and Paulus the Arch∣bishop Colossensis were found dead, Solyman caused thē to be taken vp, & to be beheaded and chopt in small pieces. an. 1526.

What christian hart will not pity the incredible slaugh∣ter done by the Turkes in Euboia, where as the sayd Fa∣ber testifieth that innumerable people were sticked & gored vpon stakes, diuers were thrust through with a hoat iron, childrē and infants not yet wayned from the mother were dashed agaynst the stones, & many cut a sūder in the midst. Ex Iohan Fabro & alijs.

* 1.21But neuer did country taste and feele more the bitter & deadly tyranny of the Turkes, then did Rasia, called My∣sia inferior, & now Seruia. Where (as writeth Wolfgangus Dreschlerus) the prince of the sayde countrey being sent for, vnder fayre pretence of words & promises, to come & speak with the Turke, after he was come of his own gentlenes, thinking no harme,* 1.22 was apprehended & wretchedly & fasly put to death, & his skin flain of, his brother & sister brought to Constantinople for a triumph, and all the nobles of his country (as Faber addeth) had theyr eyes put out. &c.

Briefly to conclude, by the vehement and furious rage of these cursed cayrifes, it may seme that Satan the old dra∣gon, for the great hatred he beareth to Christ, hath styred them vp to be the butchers of all christen people, inflaming theyr beastly hartes with suche malice & cruelty against the name and religion of Christ, that they degenerating frō the nature of men to deuils,* 1.23 neither by reason wil be ruled, nor by any bloud or slaughter satisfied. Like as in the primitine age of the Church, and in the time of Dioclesian and Max∣imiliā, whē the deuil saw that he could not preuaile against the person of Christ which was risen agayne, he turned all his fury vpon his sely seruants, thinking by the Romayn Emperours, vtterly to extinct the name and profession of Christ, out from the earth: So in this latter age of y^e world Satan being let lose agayne rageth by the Turkes, thin∣king to make no end of murdering and killing, till he haue brought (as he entendeth) the whole church of Christ, with all the professors therof, vnder foot. But the Lord (I trust) will once send a Constantinus to vanquish proud Maxē∣tius: Moyses to drowne indurate Pharao: Cyrus to sub∣due the stout Babilonian.

And thus much hitherto touching our christian brethrē,* 1.24 which were slain & destroied by these blasphemous turks. Now forsomuche as besides these aforesayde, many other were pluckt away violently from theyr country, from their wiues & children from liberty, & from all their possessions, into wretched captiuity and extreme pouerty, it remaineth likewise to entreat somewhat also cōcerning the cruel ma∣ner of the Turkes handling of the sayd christian captiues. And first here is to be noted that y^t turke neuer cōmeth in∣to Europe to war against the christiās,* 1.25 but there foloweth after his army, a great number of brokers & marchaunts, such as buy men & children to sell again, bringing with thē long cheines in hope of great cheates: In y^e which cheynes they linke thē by 50. & 60. together, such as remayne vnde∣stroyd with the sword, whō they buy of the spoiles of thē y^t rob & spoyle the Christian countryes: Which is lawfull for any of the Turkes armye to doe, so that the tenth of their spoyle or pray (whatsoeuer it be) be reserued to the head Turke, that is, to the great mayster theefe.

Of such as remayne for tithe,* 1.26 if they be aged (of whom very fewe be reserued aliue, because little protite commeth of that age) they be solde to the vse of husbandry or keeping of beastes. If they be young men or women, they be sent to certein places, there to be instructed in theyr language and Artes, as shall be most profitable for theyr aduauntage, & such are called in theyr tongue Sarai: and the first care of the Turkes is this, to make them deny the Christian reli∣gion, and to be circumcised: and after that they are appoin∣ted euery one as he semeth most apte, either to the learning of their lawes, or els to learn the feates of war. Their first rudimēt of war is to handle the bow, first beginning with a weake bow, and so as they growe in strength, comming to a stronger bow, & if they misse the marke, they are sharp∣ly beaten:* 1.27 & theyr allowance is two pence or three pence a day till they come & take wages to serue in war. Some are brought vp for the purpose to be placed in the number of y^e wicked Ianizarites, that is, the order of the Turks cham∣pions, which is the most abhominable cōdition of al other. Of these Ianizaraites,* 1.28 see before pag. 736. And if any of the foresayd yong men or children shal appeare to excell in any beuty, him they so cutte, that no part of that whiche nature geueth to man, remayneth to be seene in all his body, wher¦by while the freshnes of age continueth, he is compelled to serue theyr abhominable abhomination: and when age cō∣meth, then they serue in stead of Eunuches to wayte vp∣on Matrones, or to keepe horses and Mules, or els to be scullians and drudges in theyr kitchins.

Such as be young maydens & beautifull, are deputed for concubines.* 1.29 The whiche be of meane beautye serue for matrones to theyr drudgery worke in theyr houses & chā∣bers, or els are put to spinning and such other labors, but so that it is not lawful for them either to professe their chri∣stian religiō, or euer to hope for any liberty. And thus much of them which fall to the Turke by tithe.

The other which are bought and sold amongst priuate subiects, first are allured with faire words and promises to take circumcision. Which if they will doe, they are more fa∣uourably entreated, but all hope is taken from them of re∣turning agayne into theyr country, which if they attempt the payne therof is burning. And if such comming at lēgth to liberty, will mary, they may: but then theyr children re∣mayne

boud to the Lord, for him to sell at his pleasure: and therfore such as are wise amongst thē wil not mary. They which refuse to be circumcised, are miserably handled: for example wherof, the author (which geueth testimony here∣of) doth inferre his owne experience.

Such captiues as be expert in any manuall art or occu∣pation can better shift for thēselues: but contrariwise, they whiche haue no handycraft to liue vpon, are in worse case. And therfore such as haue bene brought vp in learning, or be priests or noble men,* 1.30 & such other, whose tēder educatiō can abide no hardnes, are the least reputed, & most of all o∣ther neglected of him that hath y^e sale or keping of thē, for y^t he seeth lesse profit to rise of them, then of the other: & ther∣fore no cost of raymēt is bestowed vpon them, but they are caried about bare head, & barefoote, both sommer & winter in frost and snow. And if any faynt and be sicke in the way, there is no resting in any Inn, but first he is driuē forward with whips, and it that will not serue, he is let peraduen∣ture vpon some horse: or if his weakenesse be such, that hee cannot sit, then is he layde ouerthwart the horse vpon hys belly, like a Calfe, and if he chaunce to dye, they take of hys garment such as he hath, and throw him in a ditch.

In the way moreouer, beside the cōmon chayne, which doth inclose thē all the hads also of euery one are manicled which is because they shoulde not harme theyr leaders, for many times it happened y^t x. persons had the leading of 50. captiues: & whē night came, theyr feet also were fettered, so y^• they lodged in no house, but lay vpon the groūd al night.

* 1.31The yong women had a litle more gentlenes shewed, being caried in paniers on the day time. But when nyght came, pity it was to heare the miserable crying out of such as were inclosed w^tin by reason of the filthy iniuries which they suffred by their cariers, in so much that the yong tēder age of 7. or 8. yeres, as wel of y^e one sexe as of y^e other could not saue thē frō y^e most filthy villany of the bestiall turkes.

When the morning cometh, they are brought foorth to the market, to sale, where the buyer if he be disposed pluc∣king of theyr garments, vieweth all the bones & ioynts of theyr body: and if he like them, he geueth his price, and ca∣rieth thē away into miserable seruitude, either to tilling of their groūd, or to pasture their cattel, or some other straūge kind of misery incredible to speake of: In so much that the author reporteth, that he hath sene himselfe, certeine of such Christen captiues yoked together like horse and oxen,* 1.32 and to draw the plough. The maid seruaunts likewise are kept in perpetuall toile and work in close places, where neither they come in sight of any man, neither be they permitted to haue any talke with theyr fellowe seruauntes. &c. Such as are committed to keep beastes, lye abroad day and night in the wilde fieldes, without house and harbor, and so chaun∣ging their pastour, goe from mountayne to mountayne: of whom also, beside the office of keeping the beastes, other handy labour is exacted at spare houres, such as pleaseth theyr maysters to put vnto them.

* 1.33Out of this misery there is no way for them to flye, es∣pecially for them that are caryed into Asia beyond the seas: Or if any do attempt so to do, he taketh his time chiefely a∣bout haruest, when he may hide himselfe all the day time in the corne, or in woodes, or marishes, and finde foode: and in the night onely, hee flyeth and had rather bee de••••outed of wolues and other wild beastes, then to returne agayne to his maister.* 1.34 In theyr flying they vse to take with them an hatchet and coardes, that when they come to the sea side, they may cut downe trees, and binde together the endes of them, and so, where the sea of Helle••pontus is narrowest, about the Sestos and Abidos, they take the sea, sitting vp∣on trees, where, if they wurde & tide do serue luckely, they may cut ouer in foure or fiue houres: But the most part ei∣ther perish in the floudes,* 1.35 or are driuen backe agayne vpon the coastes of Asia, or els be deuoured of wilde beastes in woodes, or perish with hunger and famine. If any escape ouer the seas aliue into Europe, by the way they enter in∣to no towne, but wairder vpon the moūtaynes, following onely the Northftarre for theyr guide.

* 1.36As touching such townes & prouinces, which are won by the Turke, and wherein the Christians are suffered to liue vnder tribute: first all the nobility there they kill and make away, the churchmen and Clergy hardly they spare The Churches with the belles & all the furniture thereof, either they cast down, or els they com••ert to the vse of their owne blasphemous Religion, leauing to the Christians, certayn olde and blinde chappels, which when they decay, it is permitted to our me to repayre the agayne, for a great somme of mony geuen to the Turke: Neither be they per∣mitted to vse any open preaching or ministration. But on∣ly in silence and by stealth, to frequent together. Neither is it lawfull for any Christian to beare office within the ci∣ty or prouince, nor to beare weapon, nor to weare any gar∣ment like to the Turkes.* 1.37 And if any contumely or blasphe∣my, be it neuer so great, be spoken agaynst the, or agaynst Christ, yet muste thou beare it, and holde thy peace. Or if thou speake one word agaynst theyr religion, thou shalt be compelled (whether thou wilt or no) to be circumcised: And then if thou speake one word agaynst Mahumet, thy pu∣nishment is fire and burning. And if it chaunce a Christian being on horsebacke, to meet or passe by a Musulman, that is a Turkish priest, he must light from his horse, & with a lowly looke, deuoutly reuerēce & adore y^e Musulman: Or if he do not, he is beatē down frō his horie w^t clubs & slaues.

Furthermore, for theyr tribute they pay the fourth part of theyr substance and gayne to the Turke: beside the ordi∣nary tribute of the Christians, whiche is to paye for euery polle within his family, a ducket vnto the Turke: which if the parentes cannot doe, they are compelled to sell theyr children into bondage. Other being not able to pay go chei¦ned in fetters from dore to dore begging, to make vp theyr payment, or els must lye in perpetuall prison.

And yet notwithstanding, whē the christians haue dis∣charged all duties:* 1.38 it remaineth free for the turkes to take vp among the christians children, whom the best like, and thē to circumcise and to take them away being yong, from the sight of theyr parēts, to far places, to be brought vp for the Turkes wars, so that they may not returne to them a∣gayne: but first are taught to forget Christ, & then theyr pa∣rents: so that if they come agayne amongst thē, yet are they not able to know theyr kinsfolkes and parents.

This misery passing all other miseries, no man is able w^e toung to vtter,* 1.39 or with words to expresse. What weping & teares, what sorow and lamentatiō, what groning, sighes, and deep dolor doth teare & rent a sonder the woefull harts of the sely parents, at the plucking away of their babes and children? to see theyr sonnes & theyr own childrē, whō they haue borne and bred vp to the seruice of Christ Iesus the sonne of God, now to be drawn away violētly frō thē to y^e warfare of Satan, and to fight agaynst Christ? to see theyr babes borne of christiā bloud, of christiās to be made turks and so to be pluckt out of their armes and out of their sight without hope euer to returne to them agayne:* 1.40 to liue per∣petually with aliens, barbarous & blasphemous Turkes, and so to become of the number of them which are called fatherles and motherles.

Albeit the same childrē afterward do greatly degenerate from the fayth of Christ, yet very many of them haue pri∣uily about them the gospell written of S. Iohn,* 1.41 In princi∣piō erat verbum. &c. Which for a token of remembraunce of theyr christian fayth, they cary vnder theyr arme hole, wri∣ten in greek and araby. Who greatly desire, and long looke for the reuenging sword of y^e Christians to come & deliuer them out of theyr dolorous thraldome and captiuity accor∣ding as the Turkes themselues haue a prophecy,* 1.42 & greatly stand in feare of the same. Wherof more shalbe said (Christ willing) in the chapter folowing.

¶ And thus haue ye heard y^e lamētable afflictiōs of our christian brethren vnder the cruell tyranny & captiuity of y^e turks, passing all other captiuityes that euer haue bene to Gods people, either vnder Pharao in Egipt, or vnder Na¦buchodonoser in Babilō, or vnder Antiochus in y^e tyme of the Machabees. Vnder the which captiuity, if it so please the Lord to haue his spouse the church to be nurtered, hys good will be done and obeyed. But if this misery come by the negligence & discorde of one christian guides & leaders, then haue we to pray and cry to our Lord God, ••yther to geue better harts to out guiders and rulers, or els better guides and rulers to his flocke.

And these reoubles and afflictions of our Christen bre∣thren suffered by the Turkes, I thought good and profit∣able for our countrey people here of Englande to knowe, for so much as by the ignoraunce of these, and such like hy∣storyes worthy of consideration, I see much inconnenēce doth folow. Whereby it commeth to passe, that because we English men being far of from these countryes,* 1.43 and little knowing what misery is a broad, are the lesse moued with zeale & compassion to tender theyr greuaunces, and to pray for them, whose troubles we know not. Whereupō also fo∣loweth, that we not cōsidering the miserable state of other are the les gratefull to God, when any tranquility by hym to vs is graunted. And if any-title cloud of pert••rhation a∣rise vpon vs, be it neuer so ••ile, as pouerty, lesse of liuing, or a litle banishment out of our countrey for the Lordes cause, we make a great matter the reat, and all because wee going no further then on•• own country, and onely feeling our own crosse, do not compare that which we f••ele, with the great crosses, where unto the Churches of Christ com∣monly in other places abroad are subiect. Which if we dyd

rightly vnderstand, & earnestly consider, and pōder in our mindes, neither would we so excessiuely forgette our sel∣ues in time of our prosperity geuen vs of God: nor yet so impatiētly be troubled, as we are in time of our aduersity, and all because either we heare not, or els we pōder not the terrible crosses which the Lord layeth vpon our other bre∣thren abroad in other nations, as by this present story here prefixed may appeare.

* 1.44NOw consequently remayneth, as I haue shewed hi∣therto what tyranny hath bene vsed of the Turkes a∣gaynst Christes people, so to declare likewise, how far this tyranny of the Turkes hath extended and spread it selfe, de¦scribing as in a table, to the Christē Reader, what landes, countryes and kingdomes the Turkes haue wonne, and got from Christendome, to the intent that when Christen princes shal behold the greatnes of the Turks dominions spread almost through al the world, and how litle a part of Christianity remayneth behinde, they may thereby vnder∣stand the better, howe it is time now for them to bestyrre them, if euer they thinke to do any good in Gods Church. And therefore to make a cōpendious draught as in a briefe table, of such countryes, kingdomes, and dominions, gott from vs by the Turkes, we will first beginne with Asia, describing what tractes, countryes, cityes and Churches, the Turke hath surprised, and violently pluckt away from the society of Christian dominions, taking onely suche, as be most principall, and chiefely them that be in Scripture conteyned, for that it were to long to discourse all and sin∣gular such places by name, as the Turke hath vnder hys subiection.

The world being deuided commonly into three parts, Asia, Africa, and Europa, Asia is counted to be the grea∣test in compas, conteining as much as both the other, and is deuided into 2. portions, the one called Asia Maior: the other called Asia minor. And although the Empery of the Turke extendeth vnto them both: yet especially his domi∣nion standeth in the other Asia, which is called Asia Mi∣nor, which reacheth from the coastes of Europa, vnto Ar∣menia Maior, beyond the riuer Euphrates, and compre∣hendeth these regions and Cityes vnder written.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Persecution vnder the turkes.
• * 1.2

  Compari∣son betwene the persecu∣tions of the primitiue church and of the latter church. Three speci∣all enemies of Christes Church.
• * 1.3

  Apoc. 16. The crueltie of the furi∣ous turkes described.
• * 1.4

  Two things to bee noted in the turks: how many victories they haue got, & howe cruelly they haue vsed their victo∣ries.
• * 1.5

  Ex Marino Bar∣letio de Scodr. ex pugnat. lib. 2.
• * 1.6

  Ex Michael. Sottero. lib. 1. de Bello Panno∣nico fol. 525.
• * 1.7

  Ex Bernardo de Breydenbach Decano Eccl. Maegun••.
• * 1.8

  The superstiti∣ous vse of the materiall crosse.
• * 1.9

  Vide supra. pag. 755.
• * 1.10

  Ex Bernardo Breydenb.
• * 1.11

  A notable ex∣ample of may∣denly chastitie.
• * 1.12

  Vid. supra. pag. 7••4.
• * 1.13

  The miserable spillyng of Christen mens bloud by the wretched turk••.
• * 1.14

  A briefe recitall of Christen townes & forts wonne of the tu••ke in Europe.
• * 1.15

  The crueltie of the turk against the Citizens of Constantinople Vide supra. pag. 706.
• * 1.16

  The crueltie of the turk against the prisoners of Methone. Ex Leonico Chalcondyla de rebus Turci∣cis. lib. 10.
• * 1.17

  A straunge and a prodigious wonder of a brute beast to∣warde a dead Christian body.
• * 1.18

  More humani∣tie seene in a brute beast then in the turke.
• * 1.19

  The Byshop with the Citi∣zens of Methone slayne of the turke. Ex Andrea de L••cuna, & a∣liss. Ex Ioanne Fa∣bro, in oratione ad Regem. Henr. 8.
• * 1.20

  The crueltie of the turke in Eubo••a.
• * 1.21

  The prince of Seruia slayne & slayne of the turke.
• * 1.22

  ••et neuer Christen prince trust the turke. The turkes stirred vp of the deuil to fight against Christ.
• * 1.23

  The turkes are butchers of the Chri∣stians.
• * 1.24

  The misera∣ble state of the Christi∣an captiues vnder the turke.
• * 1.25

  The buying and sellyng of Christen captiues vn∣der the turks
• * 1.26

  Christen capriues ty∣thed of the turke.
• * 1.27

  O wicked∣nes passing all miserie.
• * 1.28

  O miserie aboue all miseries.
• * 1.29

  The serui∣tude of yong women cap∣tiues.
• * 1.30

  Ex Bartho∣lomeo Geor∣gioniz Pe∣regrina lib. de afflictio∣nibus Chri∣stianorum sub Tuica.
• * 1.31

  The mise∣rable cala∣mitie of Christen women be∣ing in capti∣nitie vnder the turkes. The maner of Christen captiues, how they are brought to markets and solde.
• * 1.32

  Christians in their cap∣tiuitie, put to drawe in the plough like horses.
• * 1.33

  The great daungers of Christen captiues which flye out of turky.
• * 1.34

  The maner and shift of our men in getting o∣uer the sea.
• * 1.35

  The mani∣fold daun∣gers by the way in fly∣ing.
• * 1.36

  The mysery of Christian cities & pro∣uinces which line vnder the turkes tri∣bute.
• * 1.37

  If Christians may not goe lyke turkes, why should our Gos∣pellers goe like Papistes? The turkes haue their fire & fa∣gots, as well as our papistes. The Christians must light from their horse, me∣ting a turkish priest, and adore hym.
• * 1.38

  An other mise∣rie most lamen∣table, in takyng away Christen mens children from their pa∣rentes, to serue the turke.
• * 1.39

  O myserie.
• * 1.40

  This is with teares rather thē with words to be expressed.
• * 1.41

  Priuy Gospel∣lers in Turkie,
• * 1.42

  An olde Pro∣phesie of the turkes touching the sword of the Christian.
• * 1.43

  Necessary for many causes that the trou∣bles of the church bekno∣wen.
• * 1.44

  The largenes of the Turkes dommions de∣clared.