^, ^^^.' ^^> IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 11.25 1^121 §15 ■so ^^ ■■■ mm m m 118 m u KO U 11.6 0/ Photographic Sdmces Corporation 23 WBT MAIN STRUT VVIUTIR,N.Y. 14SM (71*)«72-4S03 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical IVIicroreproductions / Institut Canadian da microraproductions historiquas Technical and Bibliographic Notos/Notas tachniquat at bibllographiquaa Tha Inatituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibliographicaily uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction, or which may aignificantiy changa tha uauai mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. D D GZ D Coiourad covara/ Couvartura da coulaur nn Covara damagad/ Couvartura andommagAa Covara raatorad and/or iaminatad/ Couvartura raatauria ot/ou pailicuite Covar titia miaaing/ La titra da couvartura manqua Coiourad mapa/ Cartaa gAographiquaa an coulaur Coiourad inic (i.a. othar than biua or black)/ Encra da coulaur (i.a. autra qua biaua ou noira) I I Coiourad plataa and/or illuatrationa/ D Planchaa at/ou illuatrationa an coulaur Bound with othar matariai/ RalM avac d'autraa documanta Tight binding may cauaa ahadowa or diatortlon along Intarior margin/ La r^ iiura aarrto paut cauaar da I'ombra ou da la diatortlon la long da la marga intiriaura Blank laavaa addad during raatoratlon may appaar within tha taxt. Whanavar poaaibia, thaaa hava baan omittad from filming/ II aa paut qua cartalnaa pagaa blanchaa ajoutAaa lora d'una raatauratlon apparaiaaant dana la taxta, mala, loraqua cala Atalt poaaibia, caa pagaa n'ont paa «t« filmiaa. Additional commanta:/ Commantairaa auppMmantairaa: L'inatitut a microfiimi la malllaur axampiaira qu'ii lul a 4tA poaaibia da aa procurer. Laa ditaiia da cat axampiaira qui aont paut-Atra uniquaa du point da vua bibliographiqua, qui pauvant modlfiar una imaga raproduita, ou qui pauvant axigar una modification dana la mAthoda normala da filmaga aont indiquia ci-daaaoua. I — I Coiourad pagaa/ D Pagaa da coulaur Pagaa damagad/ Pagaa andommagtea Pagaa raatorad and/oi Pagaa raataur^aa at/ou paiiiculAaa Pagaa diacolourad, atainad or foxai Pagaa dteolortea, tachatAaa ou piquAaa Pagaa datachad/ Pagaa dAtachAwi Showthrouglv Tranaparanca Quality of prir Quallt* in^gaia da i'impraaaion Includaa aupplamantary matarii Comprand du matiriel suppMmantaira Only aditlon availabia/ Saula Mition diaponlbia I — I Pagaa damagad/ r~1 Pagaa raatorad and/or iaminaiad/ Fyl Pagaa diacolourad, atainad or foxad/ I — I Pagaa datachad/ r^ Showthrough/ r~n Quality of print variaa/ r~~| Includaa aupplamantary material/ I — I Only aditlon available/ Pagaa wholly or partially obacurad by errata alipa, tiaauaa, etc., hava been refilmed to enaura tha beat poaaibia image/ Lea pagaa totalament ou partiallement obacurciae par un fauillet d'erreta, una palure. etc., ont 4ti filmAea A nouveau da fapon k obtanir la mailleure image poaaibia. Thia item la filmed at tha reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document eat film4 au taux da rMuctton IndiquA cl*deeaoua. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X y 3 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X Th« copy film«d h«r« has b««n r«produe«d thanks to tha ganarosity of: York University Toronto Scott Library Tha imagas appaaring hara ara tha bast quality possibia considaring tha condition and lagibility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract spacif icationa. L'axamplaira film* f ut raproduit grica A la gAnirositA da: York Univtnity Toronto Scott Library Laa imagas suivantas ont 4ti raproduitas avac la plus grand soln, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattat* da l'axamplaira film*, at an conformitA avac las conditions du contrat da fiimaga. Original oopiaa in printad papar covars ara filmad baginning with tlw front covar and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or illustratad impraa- sion. or tha back covar whan approprlata. Ail othar original copiaa ara filmad baginning on tha first paga with a printad or illuatratad impras- sion. and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or illustratad impraaaion. Las axamplalras originaux dont la couvartura an papiar ast imprimto sont fiimte wn commandant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant soit par la darnlAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'imprassion ou d'illustratlon. soit par la sacond plat, salon la caa. Tous las autras axamplalras originaux sont filmis an commandant par la pramMra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'imprassion ou d'illustratlon at an tarminant par la darniira paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Tha laat racordad frama on aach microficha shall contain tha symbol —i^-i moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol V (moaning "END"), whichavar applias. Un das symbolos suivants apparattra sur la damiira imaga da chaqua microficho, salon la caa: la symbolo -^ signifia "A SUIVRE", la symbols y signifia "FIN". Maps, platas, charts, ate, may b» filmad at diffarant raduction ratios. Thosa too larga to ba antiraly includad in ona axposura ara filmad baginning in tha uppar laft hand comor, loft to right and top to bottom, as many framaa as raquirad. Tha following diagrams illustrata tha mathod: Laa cartas, planchas, tablaaux. ate, pauvant Atra filmte A das taux da reduction diffirants. Lorsquo la documant ast trop grand pour Atra raproduit on un soul cllch4, 11 ast film* i partir da I'angla sup4riaur gaucha, da gaucha i droito, at da haut an baa, an pranant la nombra d'imagaa n^cassaira. Las diagrammas suivants iilustrant la mithoda. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 ' i •«> s h « » 4 FtlOttt.'' >>\ r'iriiiH Eni/raved fry UoolittUic^ifitnson .v.%- Blastfid Hopo,s! Miscval)je»l'iuii"tv !! ^-»l.< ^.ji» V Tof|;etl iiiU sioiii Like COM! <^; i'lililislifij ti\- A.^'lliihiusoii •■iuiinniiti Ohio. •' . If ' - ^ "4: i BOOK OF MARTYRS, OR, A HISTORY OF THE LIVES, SUFFERINGS, AND TRIUMPHANT DEATHS OF THE ■ ^-[^ PRIMITIVE AND PROTESTANT MAKTYRS, , ( . ■ • u FROM THE 3:^; INTRODUCTIOiN OF CHRISTIANITY, 0"i ra^'j ?? -«-'!.'' TO THE LATEST PERIODS OF ' ''"' PAGAN, POPISH, PROTESTANT, AND INFIDEL ..0;;i«,: -:■(.■ PERSECUTIONS. E3IBRACIN0, 4. ,,JJ- "^ Togethei with the usual subjects contained in similar worivS ; the recnnt perserutiAns ill tJie Cantons of Switv.e.lan'l; the |i«rs«ciiti<)ns of llie Methodist and liaptist n^is- sionaiies in tlie West India Islands; and the narrative of the conveision, rapture, lon^ inipiisnnnient, and eruel sntrerint^s of ADaad Niidiak, •« native **( Palestine. Likewise, a sketch uf tlie French iiuvulutioa, as connected witli pei-se«'iit.on. COMPILED FROM FOx's BOOK OF MARTYRSj ANO OTIIBTl AUTHENTIC SOURCES. ./ BY AMOS gLANCHARD, Editor of Uie Cincinnati Journal. I j?^-.- . I » ! .-V EMBFJLLIStlED WITH TWENTY-FOUR ENQKAVINGS. TENTH EDITION. « ■iil If jSh M KINGSTON, U. C: FUBU8HE0 BY BLACKSTONE, ELLIS AND GSAYB. 1835. ,"i"- I ^-SIR Ni ^ DISTRICT OP OHIO, Set, BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the 8th day of April, Anno Domi ni eiffhteeo hundred and thirty-one, Robinson & Fairbank, have deposited in this office, the title of a book, the title of which ii> in the words foUowinif, to wit: <*Book of Martyrs, or, a history of the lives, snfTerings, and trium- phant deaths of tho primitive and protestant Martyrs, from the iotro- Quotion of Christianity to the latest periods of pagan, popish, protestant, and infidel persecutions, embracing togetiier with the usual subjects contained iu similar works, the recent persecutions in the cantons of Switzerland — the persecution of the Methodist and Baptist mission- tries in the West India Islands — and the narrative of the conversion, capture, long imprisonment, and cruel sufferings of Asaad Shidiak, a native of Palestine. Compiled from Fox*s Book of Martyrs and other authentic sources, by Amos Bianchard, editor of the Cincinnati Jour- nal. Embellished with engravings." The right whereof they claim as proprietors, in conformity with an tct of congress entitled, **An act to amend the several acts respecting oopy rights.'* Attest, WILLIAM MINER, Clerk of the District of Ohio. > ♦ ( ft' traanrvrto bt j. a. JA«Ba....oiitoiNNATi. I Jaanes and Gsslayf Printnsi Mo. If Bakei Stnet, Chidunatl, Ohio. ■ k^;.«>' I r *j*y • ..f^r>^: . ( n.-^ ,r\\.'i. :.N ;.■". ^ t ¥ 4!- PREFACE. i Tim work is stricter what its title page imports, a comfilv TiON. Fox*8 **Boolc of Martyrs" has been made the basis of this volume. Liberty, however, lias been talcen to abridge wherever it was thought necessary; — to alter the antiquated form of th6 phraseology; to introduce additional information; and to correct any inaccuracy respecting matters of fact, which had escaped the author of the original work, or which has been found erroneous by the investigation of modern research. The object of this work, is to give a brief history of persecu- tion since the first introduction of Christianity, till the present time. In doing this, we have commenced with the martyrdom of Stephen, and following the course of events, have brought the his^ tory of persecution down to the year 1830. In all ages, we find that a disposition to persecute for opinion^s sake, has been mani- fested by wicked men, whatever may have been their opinions or sentiments on religious subjects. The intolerant jew, and the bigoted pagan, have exhibited no more of a persecuting spirit, than the nominal professor of Christianity, and the infidel and the avowed atheist. Indeed, it seems to be an ^^nhcrent vice," in unsanctified nature to endeavour by the pressure of physical force, to restrain obnoxious sentiments, and to propagate favouiv ite opinions. It is only when the heart has been renewed and sanctified by divine grace, that men have rightly understood and practised the true principles of toleration. We do not say that none but real christians nave adopted correct views respecting civil and religious liberty; — but we affirm that these views owe their origin entirely to Christianity and its genuine disciples, v Though nearly all sects have persecuted their opponents, dxh ring a brief season, when men^s passions were highly excitecl, t^nd true religion had mournfully declined, yet no denomination except the papal hierarchy, has adopted as an article of reli- gious belief, and a principle of practical observance, the right to destroy heretics for opinion^s sake. The decrees of councils^ and the bulls of popes, issued in conformity with those decrees, place this matter beyond a doubt. Persecution, therefore, and popery, are inseparably connected; because claiming infallibili- ty, what she has once done is right for her to do again; yea* must be dobe under similar circumstances, or the claims of iiifkl- ip^ I m 4f t: rl PREFACE. libility given up. There is no escaping this conclusion. It isi right, therefore, to charge upon popery, all the persecutions and horrid cruelties which have stained the annals of the papal church during her long and bloody career of darkness and crime Every sigh which has been heaved in the dungeons of the In quisition — every groan which has been extorted by the racks and instruments of torture, which the iiaHce of her bigoted vo- taries, stimulated by infernal wisdom, ever invented, has witness- ed in the ear of God, against the **Mothcr of Harlots;" and those kings of the earth, who giving their power to the "Beast" have aided her in the cruel work of desohition and death. The vallies of Piedmont, the mountains of Switzerland, the vine crowned hills of Italy and France — and all parts of Germany and the low countries, have by turns, been lighted by the tires of burn- ing victims, or crimsoned with the b'ood of those who have suf- fered death at the hands of the cruel emissaries of popery. England too, hui^ drunken Jeep of the "wine of the fierceness of her wrath," as the blood of Cobham, and the ashes of the Smithtield martyrs can testify. Ireland and Scotland, likewise, have each been mado the theatre of her atrocities. But no where has the system been exhibited in its native unalleviated de- formity, as in Spain, Portugal and their South American depen- dencies. For centuries, such a system of police was established by the Holy Inquisitors, that these countries resembled a vast whispering gallery, where the slightest murmur of discontent coula be heard and punished. Such has been the effect of su- perstition and the terror of the Holy Oiiice, upon the mind, as completely to break the pride of the Castillian noble, and make him the unresisting victim of every mendicant friar and "hemp- sandaled monk." Moreover, the papal system has opposed the march of civili- sation and liberty throughout the world, by denouncing the circulation of the Bible, and the general diffusion of knowledge. Turn to every land where popery predominates, and you will find an ignorant and debased peasantry, a profligate nobility, and a priesthood, licentious, avaricious, domineering and cruel. But it may be asked, is popery the same system now as in the days of Cardinal Bonner and the "Bloody Mary." Wo answer y^es. It is the boast of all catholics that their chutxh never varies, either in spirit or in practice. For evidence of this, look at the demonstrations of her spirit in the persecutions in the south of France, for several years after the restoration of the Bourbons, in I8I4. All have witnessed with feelings of de- testation, the recent efibrts of the apostolicals in Spain and Poi* tugal, to crush the friends of civil and religious liberty in thosf PRSVACB. Vil ill-fated countries. The narrative of Asaad Shidiak, clearly Indi- cates that the spirit of popery, has lost none of its ferocity and bloodthirstiness since the Piednjontese war, and the Bartliolo- mew massacre. Where it has power, its victims are still crushed by the same means which filled the dungeons of tlie inquisition^ and fed the fires of the auto defe. This is the religion, to diffuse which, strenuous efforts are now makine in this country. Already the papal church numbers more than half a million of communicants. This number is ra- pidly augmenting by emigration from catholic countries, and by the conversion of protestant children who are placed in their schools for instruction. The recent events in Europe, will, no doubt, send to our shores hundreds of Jesuit priests, with a por- tion of that immense revenue which the papal church has hith- erto enjoyed. Another thing, which will, no doubt, favour their views, is the disposition manifested among some who style thenv selves liberalista, to aid catholics in the erection of mass houses, colleges, convents and theological seminaries. This has been done in numerous instances; and when a note of warning i» raised by the true friends of civil and religious liberty, they are treated as bigots by those very men who are contributing of their substance to diffuse and foster the most intolerant System of bigotry, and cruel, unrelenting despotism, the world has ever seen. Other sects have persecuted during some periods of their history; but all now deny the right, and reprobate the practice except catholics. The right to destroy heretics, is a funda- mental article in the creed of the papal church. And wherever her power is not cramped, she still exercises that power to the destruction of all who oppose her unrighteous usurpation. All the blood shed by all other christian sects, is no more in compar- ison to that shed by the papacy, than the short lived flow of a feeble rill, raised by the passing tempe^i, io the deep overwhelm- ing tide of a mighty river, which receives as tributaries, the wa- ters of a thousand streams. We trust the present work, thei*efbre, will prove a salutafy check to the progress of that system whose practical eflfects have ever been, aund ever must be, licentiousness, cmeltyj and blood. The narratives of Asaad Shidiak, Mrs. Judson, the persecu- tions in the West Indies, and in Switzerland, have never before been incorporated in any book of Martyrs. They serve to show the hideous nature of persecution, and the benefit of christian missions. At the close of this volume will be found a sketch of the French revolution of 1789, as connected with persecution. It has long 'li V , i V '.. lii I w ,1 vm been the practice of infidels to sneer at Christianity, because lome of its nominal followers have exhibited a persecuting spir* it. And although they knew that Christianity condemns perse- cution in the most pointed manner, yet they have never had the generosity to discriminate between the system, and the abuse of lie system by wicked men. Infidelity on the other hand, has nothing to redeem it. It imposes no restraint on the violent and headlong passions of men. Coming to men with the Circean cup of licentiousness in her hand, with fair promises of freedom, she first stupifies the conscience, and brutifies the affections; and then renders her votaries the most abject slaves of guilt and crime. This was exemplifird in the French revolution. For centuries, the bible had been taken away, and the key of knowl- edge wrested from the people. For a little moment, France broke the chains which superstition had flung around her. Not content, however, with this, she attempted to break the yoke of God: she stamped the bible in the dust, and proclaimed the ju- bilee of licentiousness, unvisited, either by present or future retri- bution. Mark the consequence. Anarchy broke in like a flood, from whose boiling surge blood spouted up in living streams, and on whose troubled waves floated the headless bodies of the ' learned, the good, the beautiful and the brave. The most mer- ciless proscription for opinion's sake, followed. A word, a sigh, or a look supposed inimical to the ruling powers, was followed with instant death. The calm which succeeded, was only the less dreaded, because it presented fewer objects of terrific inter> est, as the shock of the earthquake creates more instant alarm, than the midnight pestilence, when it walks unseen, unknown sunidst the habitations of a populous city. The infidel persecutions in France and Switzerland, afibrd a solemn lesson to the people of this country. We have men among us now, most of them it is true, vagabond foreigners, who are attempting to propagate the same sentiments which produced s ich terrible consequences in France. Under various names they are scattering their pestilent doctrines through the country. As in France, they have commenced their attacks up- on the bible, the Sabbath, marriage, and all the sociid and do- mestic relations of life. With flatteries and lies, they are at- tempting to sow the seeds of discontent and future rebellion among the people. The ferocity of their attacks upon those who dificr from them, even while restrained by public opinion, shews what they would do, provided they could pull down our institutions and introduce disorder and wild misrule. We trust, therefore, that the article on the revolution in France, will he found highly instructive and useful. ' ^ CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. ' uaroKT or oHmitruii makttrb to thi nwn oimiraii fibmcvtiov . VNDIR NKftO. Martyrdom of St. Stephen, James the Great, and Philip, Matthew, James the Less, Matthias, An- drew, St. Mark and Peter, Paul, Jude, Bartholomew, Thomas, Luke, ' Simon, John, and Barnabas, CHAPTER n. Ta ■.1^ THI TIM PBIMITIVI PIRSIOUTIOIII. -.' if The first persecution under Nero, A D. 67, - . •* ,The second persecution under Domitian, A. D. 81, % --. The third persecution under Trajan, A. D. 108, 90 The fourth persecution under Marcus Aurelius Antoniiu, A. D. 162, ..... 89 The fifth persecution commencing with Severus, A. D. lOS, ,97 The sixth persecution under Maximinus, A. D. 235, 90 The seventh persecution under Decius, A. D. 240, The eighth persecution under Valerian, A. D. 257, The ninth persecution under Aurelian, A. D. 274, The tenth persecution under Diocletian, A. D. 303, CHAPTER in. PBRSBCVXIONS OF THE CHRISTIANS IN PIRMA. Persecutions under the Arian heretics, • • Persecutions under Julian the Apostate, Persecutions of the Christians by the Goths and Vandals, : ,• Persecutions from about the middle of the Fifth, to the con- clusion of the Seventh century, ... Persecutions from the early part of the Eighth, to near the n > >>.. conclusion of the Tenth century, ... ,, ^ Persecutions in the Eleventh century, • - • >, • CHAPTER IV. PAPAL PBRSECVTIONS. Persecutions of the Waldenses in France, • - •<^^■'■■ Persecutions of the Albigenses, ... ^. >■, ,■> The Bartholomew massacre at Paris, &c. From the revocation of the edict of Nantes, to the French Revolution, in 1789, - - - - - Martyrdom of John Calas, 81 09 m m 9 t n .1 >! w I S OONTINTS. CHAPTER V. AN ACCOUNT Or THI INqUISITION. An aooount of the cruel handlinff and burniofp of Nicholas BurtoD, an English merchant, in Spain, Some private enormities of the Inquisition laid open by a ▼ery singular occurrence, ... The life of William Gardiner, An account of the life and sufferings of Mr. Wm. Lithgow, a native of Scotland, .... Groly on the Inquisition, ' " ' * Pags. 80 100 103 111 CHAPTER VI. AN ACOOVNT OF THI PIR8BCUTION8 IN ITALY, VNDIR THI PAPACY. An account of the persecutions in Calabria, Account of the persecutions in the Valleys of Piedmont, Account of the persecutions in Venice, An account of several remarkable individuals who were martyred in different parts of Italy, on account of their religion, .-.-.- An account of the persecutions in the mavquisate of Saluces, Persecutions in Piedmont in the Seventeeth century* Further persecutions in Piedmont, • • • Narrative of the Piedmontese War, • - • Persecution of Michael de Molinos* a native of Spain* 110 123 139 131 134 140 148 CHAPTER VII. AN ACCOUNT Of THB PBKSECUTIONS IN BOBIMIA VNDIB TUB PAPACY. Persecution of John Huss, .... 104 Persecution of Jerom of Prague, ... Persecution of Zisca, . . . • CHAPTER VIII. OBNBBAL PERSBCUTIONS IN OBBMANY. An account of the persecutions in the Netherlands, CHAPTER IX. An account of the persecutions in liithuania and Poland, CHAPTER X. An account of the persecutions in China and several other countries, ...... An account of the persecutions in Japan, Persecutions against the Chiistians in Abyssinia or Ethiopia, Persecutions against the Christians in Turkey, Persecutions and oppressions in Georgia and Miogrelia, An account of the persecutions in tho States of Barbary, Piprsecutions in Spanish America, - - • ' CHAPTER XI. An account of the persecutions in Great Britain and Ireland, prior to the reign of Queen Mary I. » « m 190 i«e i 309 « OONTINTt JU CHAPTER XII Paft. Aa tccoiint of the pertecutioni id Scotland, duriD(f the rcig^n of kifiQ^ Henry VIII. .... 210 An account of thu Life, Suflering and Death of George Wuhart,Acc 213 CHAPTER XIII. PBRflRrVTIONH IN ENOT.AND DURING THE REION OP QUEEN MARY, 218 An account of Lady .lane (jray, .... 219 The wor}t. Sepulchre's, &c. - - 221 The Rev. Mr. Latvrence Saunders, ... 2223 History, imprisonment, and examination of John Hooper, 225 Life and conduct of Dr. Rowland Taylor, of Hadley, 228 Martyrdom of Tomkius, Pygot, Knight, and others, • 2S3 Dr. Robert Farrar, .... 282 Martyrdom of Rawlins White, .... 233 The Rev. Mr. George Marsh, .... 234 William Flowei, 2:)6 The Rev. John Cardmaker, and John Warne, - 237 Martyrdom of Simpson, Ardeley, Hawkes, and otben, 238 Rev. John Bradford, and John Leaf, an apprentice, - 239 Martyrdom of Bland, Middleton, Hall, Carver and many othcn, ...... 241 John Deuley, Packingham, and Newman, - - 242 Coker, Hooper, Lawrence and others, . . • 243 Bishops Ridley and Latimer, .... 247 Mr. John Philpot and others, .... 251 Martyrdom of Rev. F. Whittle, B. Greene, Anna Wi Ight, and others, ...... 268 An account of Archbishop Cranmer, <■ • 254 Martyrdom of Agnes Potten, Joan Trunchfield and otherii 268 Preservation of George Crow and hit Testament} - 267 Executions at Stratford le Boir, - - • —— An account of Rev. Julius Palmer, ... 268 Persecution of Joan Waste, .... 260 Persecutions in the Diucess of Canterburj) • 271 Executions in Kent, ..... 273 Execution cf ten martyrs at LewM, • - 274 Executions at Colchester, .... 275 Executions at Islington, .... 279 Apprehensions at Islington, .... 2bS Fla«;ellations by Bonner, .... 291 WUliam Fetly scourged to death, ... 302 Deliverance of Dr. Sands, ... 305 Queen Mary's treatment of her sister, the Prinoeu Eliza- beth, - 806 Ood's punishments upon some of the persecutor! of hit peo> pie in Mary's reign, .... 815 CHAPTER XIV. The Spanish Armada, - • - - * 818 A conspiracy by the Papists for the destruction of Jamei I. the Royal Family, and both houses of Parliament; com- V monly known by the name of the Gunpowder Pl"'' iAi i li ' iiU Wi OONTKHTS. CHAPTER XV. P8|e. 837 Riao and pro^fress of the protestant religion in Ireland, with an account of the barliaruus massacre of 1641, ^j» . CHAPTER XVI. . M THB RISE, PROGRESS, PER8RCCTIONB AND SVFFERINQS OF THE qUAKERS, 354 An account of tlie persecutions of Friends in tiie United Sthtes, • - - - - - 860 Proceedings at a General Court in Boston, 1A56, - 861 Proceedings at a General Court in Boston, 1A57, > 862 Ao act made at a General Court at Boston, 1658, 863 CHAPTER XVII mi ■ rniSECOTIONS OF THE FRENCH PROTESTANTS IN TRI SOOTH Or DURING TUB YEARS 1814 AMD 1820, The arrival of king Louis XV III. at Paris, The history of the Silver Child, ... Napoleon's return from the Isle of Elba, The catholic arms at Beaucaire, . H , » • • Massacre and pillage at Nismes, - • • Interference of government against the proteatants, Letters from Louvois to Marillac, ... Hoyal decree in favour of the persecuted, • « . Petition of the protestant refugees, • * Monstrous outrage upon females, Arrival of the Austrians at Nismes, Outrages commiited iu the Villages, &o. Further account of the Proceedings of the Catholics at Kismes, - - . . , Attack upon th» protestant churches. Murder of general La Garde, ... Joierference of the British government, Parjury in the case of general Gilly, &c. Vltimate resolution of the protestants at Nismes, Kj,- CHAPTER XVUI. ASAAD BKIMAK. .C!i Narrative of the conversion, imprisonment, and sufferiofi of Asaad Shidiak, a native of Palestine, who has been confined for several years in the Convent oq Mount Le» banon, --.-,.. Public statement of Asaad Shidiak, in 1826, . ' Brief istory of Asaad Esh Shidiak, from the time of has ^,, being betrayed into the hands of the Maronite Patri- arch, in the Spring of 1826, .... >^ CHAPTER XIX. Persecutions of the Baptist Missionaries in India, during the year 1824, ...... Removal of the prisoners to Oung-pen-la— >Mr8. Judson fol- lows them, ...... \ niAKCB, 867 868 869 870 871 873 873 874 876 877 876 879 882 883 986 887 388 -, ■> ■< -I', 1 890 899 432 489 4»i CONTBNT8. xiH CHAPTER XX. Page. Persecution of the Wesleyan Missionariea Id the V/est In* dies, ---.--. 407 Case of Rev. John Smith, .... 47 1 Porsecutioas of the Wesleyan Methodists in St. Domingo, 47:^ CHAPTER XXI. Persecutions in Switzerland from 1813 to 1830, • 478 Persecutions in the Pays de Valid, ... 4<>(3 CHAPTER XXII. ,8KETCHE9 OF THE LIVES OF SOME OF TUE MO.>T EMINENT REFORMERH. John Wicklifle, ----._ 4^0 Martin Luther, - - - . . 41)1^) John Calvin, ...... 41)5 Agency uf Calvin iu the death of Michael Servctus, 4*.)7 Calvin as a friend of Civil Liberty, ... fino The life of the Kev. Jolin Fux, ... 5^4 Errors, rites, cercniouies, and superstitious practices of ti^e Romish church, ..... 50O CHAPTER XXIII. Sketch of the French Rcvolntiuu of 1790, as corxoccted with the history of persecution. ... 5^] !l!l .'I BOOK OF MARTYRS. // CHAPTER I. HXSTOHr OF CHBISTIAN XABTYBS TO THE FIBST GENERAL VEBSBCtlTION UNDEB NERO. The history of the church may almost be said to be a history of the trials and sufferings of its members, as experienced at the hands of wicked men. At one time, persecution, as waged against the friends of Christ, was confined to those without; at another, schisms and divisions have arrayed brethren of the same name against each other, and scenes of cruelty and woe have been exhibited within the sanctuary, rivalling in horror the direst cruelties ever inflicted by pagan or barbarian fanaticism. This, however, instead of imph ing any defect in the gospel system, which breathes peace and love; only pourtrays in darker colours the deep and universal depravity of the human heart. Pure and unsophisticated morality, especially when attempted to be inculcated on mankind, as essential to their pre- serving an interest with their Creator, have constantly mei with opposition. It was this which produced the premature death of John the Baptist. It was the cutting charge of adultery and incest, which excited the resentment of Ilerodias, who never ceased to persecute him, until she had accomplished his destruction. The same observa- tion is equally applicable to the Jewish doctors, in their treatment of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In the sudden martyr- dom of John the Baptist, and the crucifixion of our Lord, the history of christian martyrdom must be admitted to commence; and from these, as a basis for the subsequent occurrences, we may fairly trace the origin of that hostility, which produced so lavish an cff^isiun of christian blood, and led to so much slaughter in the progressive state of Christianity. As it is not our business to enlarge upon our Saviour^s history, either before or afler his crucifixion, we shall only find it necessary to remind our readers of the discomfiture of the Jews by his sul sequent resurrection. Though one apostle had betrayed hiuj; though another had denied him, under the sjlemn sanction of an onth; and though the rest had f)rsakcn him, unless we mav e.vce))t ^Hhe disciple who was known imto the high-priest;^' the history of his resurrection fave a new direction to all their hearts, and, after the mission of the [oly Spirit, imparted new confidence to their minds. The powers 2 1& m '«■,! 'i fl M 16 BOOK OF MARTVRd. m It with which they were endued emboldened them to proclaim his name, to the confusion of the Jewish rulers, and the astonishment of Gentile proselytes. *** /. St. Stephen, St. Stepheh suffered the next in order. His death was occasion- ed by tlie faithful manner in which he preached the gospel to the be- trayers and murderers of Christ. To such a degree of madness wero they excited, that they cast him out of the city and stoned him to death. The time when he suffered is generally supposed to have been ttt the passover which succeeded to that of our Lord^s crucifixion, and to the sera of his ascension, in the following s[>ring. Upon this a great persecution was raised against all who professed their belief in Christ as the Messiah, or as a prophet. We are im« mediately told by St. Luke, that "there was a great persecution a- gainst the church, which was at Jerusalem ;^* and that "they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, excq>t the apostles.^* About two thousond christians, with Nicanor, one of the seven dea- cons, suffered martyrdom during the "persecution which arose about Stephen.^' //. James the Great. The next martyr we meet with, according to St. Iiuke, in the His- tory of the Apostles^ Acts, was James the son of Zebedee, the elder brother of John, and a relative of our Lord; for his mother Salome was cousin-german to the Virgin Mary. It was not until ten years after the death of Stephen, that the second martyrdom took place; for no sooner had Herod Agrippa been appointed governor of Judea, than, with a view to ingratiate himself with them, he raised a sharp persecution against the christians, and determined to make an effect- ual blow, by striking at their leaders. The account given us by an eminent primitive writer, Clemens Alcxandrinus, ought not to be overlooked; that, as James was led to the place of martyrdom, his ac- cuser was brought to repent of his conduct by the apostle^s e.vtraor- dnary courage and undauntedness, and fell down at his feet to re- quest his pardon, professing himsolf a christian, and resolving that James should not receive the crown of martyrdom alone. Hence they were both beheaded at the same time. Thiis did the first apostolic martyr <:heerf.illy and resolutely receive that cup, which he had told our Saviour he was ready to drink. Timon and Parmenas Siiffered martyrdom about the same time; the one at Phillippi, and the other in Macedonia. These events took place A. D. 44. in. Philip. Was born at Bethsaida, in Galilee, anl was the first called by the name of "Disciple." He laboured diligently in Upper Asia, and BOOK OF MARTYRS. VI suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged, thrown into prison, and nAerwards crucified, A. D. 54. jr. Matthew, • Whose occupation was (liat of a toll-gatherer, was born at Nazareth. He wrote his gospel in Hebrew, which was afterwards translated into Greek by James the Less. The scene of his labours was Parthia, and Ethiopia, in which latter country he suffjred martyrdom, being slain with a halberd in the city of Nadabah, A. D. 60. V. James the Less, Is supposed by some to hav^^ been the brother of our Lord, by a fOiTAVtr wife of Joseph. This is very doubtful, and accords too much WkU: \\>s catholic superstition, that Mary never had any other children excc)).'. our Saviour. He was elected to the oversight of the churches of Jeiv.ulem; and was the author of the epistle ascribed to James in the sac\ V. canon. At the age of ninety-four, he was beat and stoned by the 4t\««; and finally had his brains dashed out with a fuller^s clab. VI. Matthias, Of whom *\8a is known than of most of the other disciples, was elected to 6}. ;he vacant place of Judas. He was stoned at Jeru- salem and thuu beheaded. VII. Andrew Was the brother of Peter. He preached the gospel to many Asiatic nations; but on \ub arrival at Edessa, he was taken and crucified on a cross, the two ends of which were fixed transversely iu the ground. Hence the derivation of the term, St. Andrew^s Cross. Vin. St. Mark Was born of Jewish parents of the tribe of Levi. He is supposed to have been converiod to Christianity by Peter, whom ho served as an amanuensis, and under whose inspection he wrote his gospel in the Greek language. Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria, at the great solemnity of Serapis their idol, ending his life under their mer- ciless hands. IX. Peter Was born at Bethsaida, in Galilee. He was by occupation a fish- man. Christ gave him a name which in Syriac implies a rock. Peter is supposed to have suffered martyrdom at Rome, during the reign of the emperor Nero, being crucified with his head downward, at his own request. [It is, however, very uncertain, whether Peter ever visited Rome nt all. The evidence rather fivouririg the supposition that he ended his days in some other country. — Ed.] erman. «. 18 BOOK or XARTTSS. t. ' I K^l 'ri ; The great apostle of the Gentiles, was a Jew of the tribe of Ben- janiiu,a native of Tarsus in Ciiicia^and before his conversion was called Saul. Afier sufioring various persecutions at Jerusalem, Iconum, Lys- tra, Phillippi and Thessaiunica, he was carried prisoner to Rome, where he continued for two years, and was then released, lie afterwards visit ed the churches of Greece and Rome, and preached the gospel in Spain and France, but returning to Rome, he was apprehended by order of Nero, and beheaded. XI. JvdCy The brother of JameSi was commonly called Thaddeus. He Mras cniciiBed At Odessa, A. D. 72. XIL Bartholomew' Preached in several countries, and having translated the gospel of Matthew into the lauguase of India, he propagated it in that country. He wiis at length cruelly beaten and then crucified by the impatient idolaters. XIIL ThonuUf CiUed Didymus, preached the gospel in Parthia and India, where, exciting the rage m the pagan priests, he was martyred by being thrust through with a spear. Z/F. iMkCf The evai^list, was the author of the gospel which goes under his name. He travelled with Paul through various countries, and is supposed to have been hanged on an olive tree, by the idolatrous pnests of Greece. Sumamed Zelotes, preached the gospel in Mauritania, Africa, and eveo in Jkitaini which latter country he was crucified, A. O. 74. XVI. John, The "beloved disciple,^ was brother to James the Groat. The churches of Smyrna, Peigamos, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and Thyatira, were foutxied by him. From Ephesus he was ordered to be sent to Rome, where it is affirmed he was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil. He escaped by miracle, without injury. Domitian aflcr^ wanb banished him to the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Nerva, the successor of Domitian, recalled him. He was the only apostle who escaped a violent death. ^ XYIL Bamabtu Was of Cyprus, but of Jewish descent; his death is supposed to have taken place about A. D. 73. ^ WOOK OF XASTYBS. iU \1^ Bil- led ya- sit liii of ras of ■y- »nt re, ^18 18 lis d CHAPTER n. THB TEN PBIMITIVE FEKSECUnOm. The First Persecution under Nero, A.D.&7. The first persecution of the church took place in the year 67, un- der Nero, the sixth emperor of Rome. This monarch reigned for the iipace of five years, with tolerable credit to himself, but then gave way to the greatest extravagancy of temper, and to the most atrocious bar- barities. Among other diabolical whims, he ordered, that the city of Rome should be set on fire, which order was executed by his of5- cers, guards, and servants. While the imperial city was in flames, he went up to the tower of Macsenas, played upon his harp, sung the song of the burning of Troy, and openly declared, "That he wished the ruin of all things before his death." Besides the noble pile, called the circus, many other palaces and houses were consumed; several thousands perished in the flames, were smothered in the smoke, or buried leneath the ruins. This dreadful conflagration continued nine days; when Nero, finding that his conduct was greatly blamed, and a severe odium cast upon him, determined to lay the whole upon the christians, at once to excuse himself, and have an opportunity of glutting his sight with new cruelties. This was the occasion of the first persecution; and the barbarities exercised on the christians were such as even excited the commisscration of the Romans themselves. Nero even refined upon cruelty, and contrived all manner of punishments for the chris- tians that the most infernal imagination could design. In particular, he had some sewed up in the skins of wild beasts, and then worried by dogs till they expired; and others dressed in shirts made stiflT with wax, fixed to axleirees, and set on fire in his gardens, in order to illuminate them. This persecution was general throughout the whole Roman empire; but it rather increased than diminished the spirit oit Christianity. In the course of it, St. Paul and St. Peter were mar- tyred. To their names may be added, Erastus, chamberlain of Corinth; Aristarchus, the Macedonian; and Trophimus, an Ephesian, con- verted by St. Paul, and fellow-labourer with hiin; Joseph, commonly called Barsabas; and Ananias, bishop of Damascus ; each of tfa^ ■eventy. •' ■ • ■ -'- : ^ ■ ..■■ .--rji/l-^ The Second Perseeutfon, under Domitian, A.D.S\. '^-^^z The emperor Doraitian, who was naturally inclined to cruelty, first slew his brother, and then raised the second persecution against the christians. In his rage he put to death some of the Roman senators; some throu{;h malic? ; and others to confiscate thii r estates. He then commanaed all the .incage of David to be put tQ 3cath. 2* f^-pi !■■ m .1 90 BOOK OF MARTYRS. Among the numerous martyrs that suffered during tliis persecution, was Simeon, bishop of Jerusalem, who was crucifieil ; and St. John, who was boiled in oil, and afterward banished to Patmcs. Flavia, the daughter of a Roman senator, was likewise banished to Pontus; and a law was made, **That no christian, once brought before the tri- bunal, should be exempted from punishment without renouncing his religion." A variety of fabricated tales were, during this reign, composed in order to injure the christians. Such was the infatuation of the pa- ABUS, that, if famine, pestilence, or earthquakes afflicted any of the Roman provinces, it was laid upon the christians. These persecu- tions among the christians increased the number of informers; and many, for the sake of gain, swore away the lives of the in- nocent. Another hardship was, that, when any christians were brought be- fore the magistrates, a test oath was proposed, when, if they refused to take it, death was pronounced against them; and if they confessed themselves christians, the sentence was the same. The following were the most remarkable among the numerous mar- tyrs who suffered during this persecution. Dionysius, the Areopagite, was an Athenian by birth, and educated in all the useful and ornamental literature of Greece. He then travelled to Egypt to study astronomy, and made very particular ob- servations on the great and supernatural eclipse, which happened Bt the time of our Saviour^s crucifixion. The sanctity of his conversation, and the purity of his manners, recommended him so strongly to the christian** in general, that he was appointed bishop of Athens. Nicodemus, a benevolent christian of some distinction, suffered at Rome during the rage of Domitian^s persecution. Protasius and Gervasius were martyred at Milan. . Timothy was the celebrated disciple of St. Paul, and bishop of Ephesus, where he zealously governed the church till A. D. 97. At this period, as the pagans were about to celebrate a feast called Catagogion, Timothy, meeting the procession, severely reproved them f for their ridiculous idolatry, which so exasperated the people, that they fell upon him with their clubs, and beat him in so dreadful a man- ner, that he expired of the bruises two days afler. The Third PersecttHotif under TVtyan, A. D. 108. Nerva, succeeding Domitian, gave a respite to the sufferings of the christians; but reigning only thirteen months, his successor Trajan, in the tenth year of his reign A. D. 108, began the third persecu- tion against the christians. While the persecution raged, Piiny 2d, a heathen philosopher wrote to the emperor in favor of the Chris- tians; to whose epistle Trajan returned this indecisive answer: ''The christians ought not to be sought after, but when brought before the ** BOOK OF MARTYRS. 21 magistracy, they should bo punished." Trajan, however, soon aAer wrote to Jerusalem, and gave orders to his othcers to exterminate the stock of David; in consequence of which, all that could be found of that race were put to death. Symphorosa, a widow, and her seven sons, were commanded by the emperor to sacrifice to the heathen deities. She wap carried to the temple of Hercules, scourged, and hung up, fur some time, by the hair of her head; then being taken down, a large stone was fastened to her neck, and she was thrown into the river, where she expired. With respect to the sons, they were fastened to seven posts, and being drawn up by puUies, their limbs were dislocated : these tortures, not affecting their resolution, they were martyred by stabbing, except £u- genius, the youngest, who was sawed asunder. Phocas, bishop of Pontus, refusing to sacrifice to Neptune, was, by the immediate order of Trajan, cast first into a hot lime-kiln, and then thrown into a scalding bath till he expired. Trajan likewise commanded the martyrdom of Ignatius, bishop of Antioch. This holy man was the person whom, when an infant, Christ took into his arms, and showed to his disciples, as one that would be a pattern of humility and innocence. He received the gospel afterward from St. John the Evangelist, and was exceedingly zeal- ous m his mission. He boldly vindicated the faith of Christ before the emperor, for which he was cast into prison, and tormented in a most cruel manner. Afler being dreadfully scourged, he was compelled to hold fire in his hands, and, at the same time, papers dipped in oil were put to his sides, and set on fire. His flesh was then torn with red hot pincers, and at last he was despatched by being torn to pieces by wild beasts. Trajan being succeeded by Adrian, the latter continued this third persecution with as much severity as his predecessor. About this time Alexander, bishop of Rome, with his two deacons, were martyr- ed; as were Quirinus and Hemes, with their familjes; Zenon, a Ro- man nobleman, and about ten thousand other christians. In Mount Ararat many were crucified, crowned with thorns, and spears run into their sides, in imitation of Christ^tj passion. Eusta- chius, a brave and successful Roman commander, was by the empe* ror ordered to join in an idolatrous sacrifice to celebrate some of his own victories; but his faith (being a christian in his heart) was so much greater than his vanity, that he nobly refused it. ffnraged at the denial, the ungrateful emperor forgot the service of this skilful com- mander, and ordered him and his whole family to be martyred. At tlie martyrdom of Faustines and Jovita, brothers and citizens ' of Brescia, their torments were so many, and their patience so great, that Calocerius, a pagan, beholding them, was struck with admiration, and exclaimed in a kind of ecstacy, ^'Great is the God of the chris tians!" for which he was apprehended, and suffered a similai fate. Many other similar cruelties and rigours were exercised against the christians, until Quadratus, bishop of Athens, made a learned apolo- ti h' If '■tf «, BOOK OF MARTVRA. ^ gy in their favour before the emperor, who happened to be there, and Aristides, a philosopher of the same city, wrote an elegant epistloi which caused Adrian to relax in his severities, and relent in their favour. Adrian dying A. D. 138, was succeeded by Antoninus Pius, one of the most amiable monarchs that ever reigned, and who stayed the persecution against the christians. The fourth perBecution, under Marcus Aureliut AtUoninutf A. D, 162. Tins commenced A. D. 162, under Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Philosophus, a strong pagan. The cruelties used in this persecution were such, that many of the spectators shuddered with horror at the sight, and were astonished at the intrepidity of the sufferers. Some of the martyrs were obliged to pass, with their already wounded feet, over thorns, nails, sharp shells, &.C. upon their points, others were scourged till their sinews ond veins lay bare, and after suffering the most excruciating tortures that could be devised, they were destroyed by the most terrible deaths. Germanicus, a young man, but a true christian, being delivered to the wild beasts on account ofhis faith, behaved with such astonishing courage, that several pagans became converts to a faith which inspired such fortitude. Polycarp, the venerable bishop of Smyrna, hearing that persons were seeking for him, escaped, but was discovered by a child. Af\er feasting the guards who apprehended him, he desired an hour in prayer, which being allowed, he prayed with such fervency, that his guards repented that they had been instrumental in taking him. lie was, however, carried before the proconsul, condemned, and burnt in the market-place. Twelve other christians, who had been intimate with Polycarp, were soon after martyred. The circumstances attending the execution of this venerable old man, as they were cfno common nature, so it would be injurious to the credit of our professed history of martyrdom to pass them over in , silence. It was observed by the spectators, that, after finishing his prayer at the stake, to which he was only tied, but not nailed as usual, as he assured them he should stand immoveable, the flames, on their kindling the fagots, encircled his body, like an arch, without touch- ing him ; and the executioner, on seeing this, was ordered to pierce him with a sword, when so great a quantity of blood flowetl out as extinguished the fire. But his body, at the instigation of the enemies of the gospel, especially Jews, was ordered to be consumed in the pile, and the request of his friends, who wished to give it christian burial, rejected. They nevertheless collected his bones and as much of his remains as possible, ond caused them to be decently interred. Metrodorus, a minister, who preached boldl}'; and Pionius, who made some excellent apologies for the christian faith ; were likewise burnt. Carptis and Papilus, two worthy christians, and Agathonica, a pious woman, suffered martyrdom at Pergamopolis, in Asia. Fclicitalis, an illustrious Roman lady, of a considerable family, ( BOOK OF XARTYMlt. 23 Burning of Polycarp. - V ^i^i5^*>i- --;-- ^^^ = -: <^-^^ ^^^=^ I^^^^^H ^Hl^^^ "i^ ^w ^fl Slow tortures of Christians by the Pagans during the two first centuries. 1 fi !• ..'I'll I 4 l\*f ■f^wssKw^nM" BOOK or MABTYM. 25 and the most shining virtues, was a devout christian. She had seven ■ons, whom §l)e had educated with the mi«t cxemiilary piety. Jaauarius, tiid eldest, was scourged, and pressed to death with weights; Felix and Philip, the two next had their hrains dashed out with cliiLs; Silvanus, the fuiirth, was murdered by being thrown from a precipice; and the tt)ree younger suns, Alexander, Vitalis, and Mar- tial, were bch aded. Tlie mother was beheaded with the same sword as the three latter. Justin, the celebrated philosopher, fell a martyr in this persecution He was a native of Neapolis, in Samaria, and was born A. D. 103. Justin was a great lover of truth, and a universal scholar; he investi- gated the Stoic and Peripatetic philosophy, and attempted the Pytha gorean ; but the behaviour of one of its professors disgusting him, he applied himself to the Platonic, in which he took great delight. About the year 133, when he was thirty years of age, he became a convert to Christianity, and then, for the hrst time, perceived the real nature of truth. He wrote an elegant epistle to the Gentiles, and employed his talentB in convincing the Jews of the truth of the christian rites; spending a great deal of time in travelling, till he took up his abode in BLome, and xed his liabitation upon the nminal mount. ^ He kept a public school, taught many who afterward became great men, and wrote a treatise to confute heresies ot all kinds. As the pagans began to treat the christians with great severity, Justin wrote his first apology in their favour. This piece displays great learning and genius, and occasioned the emperor to publish an edict in favour of the christians. Soon after, he entered into frequent contests with Crescens, a person of a vicious life and conversation, but a celebrated cynic philosopher; and his arguments appeared so powerful, yet disgusting to the cynic, that he resolved on, and in the sequel accomplished, his destruction. The second apology of Justin, upon certain severities, gave Crescens the cynic an opportunity of prejudicing the emperor against the writer of it; upon which Justin, and six of his companions, were apprehend- ed. Being commanded to sacrifice to the pagan idols, they refused, and were condemned to be scourged, and then beheadeNd; which sen- tence was executed with all imaginable severity. Several were beheaded for refusing to sacrifice to the image of Jupi- ter; in particular Concordus, a deacon of the city of Spolito. Some of the restless northen nations having risen in arms againit Rome, the emperor marched to encounter them. He was, however, drawn mto an ambuscade, and dreaded the loss of his whole army. Enveloped with mountains, surrounded by enemies, and perishing with thirst, the pagan deities were invoked in vain ; when the men belong- ing to the militine, or thundering legion, who were all christians, were commanded to call upon their God for succour. A miraculous deliv- erance immediately ensued; a prodigious quantity of rain fell, which, being caught by the men, and filling their dykes, afforded' a stidden .^i' -* 'I '* 26 BOOK OF MARTYRS. and astonishing relief. It appears, that the storm which miraculously flashed in the faces of the enemy, so intimidated them, that part desert' ed to the Roman army ; the rest were defeated, and the revolted provin> ces entirely recovered. This affiiir occasioned the persecution to subside for some time, at least in those parts immediately under the inspection of the emperor; but we find that it soon afler raged in France, particularly at Lyons, where the tortures to which many of the christians were put, almost ex- ceed the powers of description. The principal of these martyrs were Vetius Agathus, a young man; Blandina, a christian lady, of a weak constitution; Sanctus, a deacon of Vienna; red hot plates of brass were placed upon the tenderest parts of his body; Biblias, a weak woman, once an apostate. Attains, of Pergamus; and Pi^thinus, the venerable bishop of Lyons, who was ninety years of age Blandina, on the day when she and the three other champions were first brought into the amphitheatre, she was suspended on a piece of wood fixed in the ground, and exposed as food for the wild bcrsts; at which time, by her earnest prayers, she encour- aged others. But none of the wild beasts would touch her, so that she was remanded to prison. When she was agairi produced for the third and last time, she was accompanied by Ponticus, a youth of fifteen ; and the constarcy of their faith so enraged the multitude, that neither the sex of the one nor the youth of the other were respected, being exposed to all manner of punishments and tortures. Being strength- ened by Blandina, he persevered unto death; and she, afler enduring all the torments heretofore mentioned, was at lengtli slain with the sword. When the christians, upon these occasions, received martyrdom, they were ornamented, and crowned with garlands of flowers; for which they, in heaven, received eternal crowns of glory. The torments were various; and, exclusive of those already men- tioned, the martyrs of Lyons were compelled to sit in red-hot iron chairs till their flesh broiled. This was inflicted with peculiar severity tm Sanctus, already mentioned, and some others. Some were sewed up in nets, and thrown on the horns of wild bulls; and the carcases of those who died in prison, previous to the appointed time of execution were thrown to dogs. Indeed, so far did the malice of the pagans pro- ceed, that they set guards over the bodies while the beasts were devour- ing them, lest the friends of the deceased should get them away by stealth; and the oflfals left by the dogs were ordered to be burnt. The martyrs of Lyons, according to the best accounts we could ob- tain, who suffered for the gospel, were forty-eight in number, and their executions happened in the year of Christ 177. Epipodius and Alexander were celebrated for their great friendship, and their christian union with each other. The first was born at Lyons, the latter at Greece. Epipodius, being compassionated by the governor of Lyons, and exhorted to join in their festive pagan worship, replied, "Your pretended tenderness is actually cruelty ; and ^ by lob- lieir at |by in Ind BOOK OF BIAKTYR9. 27 the agreeable life you describe is replete with everlasting death. Christ suffered for us, that our pleasures should be immortal, and hath prepared for his followers an eternity of bliss. The frame of man being composed of two parts, body and soul, the first, as mean and perishable, should be rendered subservient to the interests of the last. Your idolatrous feasts may gratify the mortal, but they injure the immortal part; that cannot therefore be enjoying life which de- stroys the most valuable moiety of your frame. Your pleasures lead to eternal death, and our pains to perpetual happiness.^^ Epipodius was severely beaten, and then put to the rack, upon which being ■tretched, hut flesh was torn with iron hooks. Having borne his tor- ments with incredible patience and unshaken fortitude, he was taken from the rack and beheaded. Valerian and Marcellus, who were nearly related to each other, were imprisoned at Lyons, in the year 177, for being christians. The father was fixed up to the waist in the ground; in which position, after remaining three days, he expired, A D. 179. Valerian was be- headed. ApoUonius, a Roman senator, an accomplished gentleman, and a sin- cere christian, suffered under Commodus, because he would not worship him as Hercules. Eusebius, Vincentius, Potentianus, Peregrinus, and Julius, a Roman senator, were martyred on the same account. The Fifth Persecution, commencing with SeveruSj A. D. 192. Severus, having been recovered from a severe fit of sickness by a christian, became a great favourer of the christians in general; but the prejudice and fury of the ignorant multitude prevailing, obsolete laws were put in execution against the christians. The progress of Christianity alarmed the pagans, and they revived the stale calumny of placing accidental misfortunes to the account of its professors, A. D. 192. But, though persecuting malice raged, yet the gospel shone with resplendent brightness; and, firm as an impregnable rock, withstood the attacks of its boisterous enemies with success. Turtuliian, who lived in this age, informs us, that if the christians had collectively withdrawn themselves from the Roman territories, the empire would have been greatly depopulated. Victor, bishop of Rome, suffered martyrdom in the first year of the third century, A. D. 201. Leonidus, the father of the celebrated Ori gen, was beheaded for being a christian. Many of Origon's hear- ers likewise suffered martyrdom; particularly two brothers, named Plutarchus and Serenus; another Serenus, Heron, and Heraclides, were beheaded. Rhais had boiled pitch poured upon her head, and was thea burnt, as was Marceila her mother. Potamiena, the sister of Rhais, was executed iu the same manner as Rliuis had been; but Ba- silitles, an otlicer beloiij«i;ig to the army, andon'ored to attend her exe- cution, became her convert. 1 m :t ■ ii" -rl U i^K W^ nti ! ■ ir •t i i U^ .< * K:i 'i 28 BOOK OF MAKTTKS. Basilides being, as an officer, required to take a certain oath, refused, saying, that he could not swear by the Roman iduis, as he was a christian. Struck with surprise, the people could not, at first, believe what they heard; but he had no sooner confirmed tlie same, than he was dragged before the judge, committed to prison, and speedily after- ward beheaded. Irensus, bishop of Lyons, was born in Greece, and received both a polite and a christian education. It is generally supposed, that the ac- count of the persecutions at Lyons was written by himself. He suc- ceeded the martyr Pothinus as bishop of Lyons, and ruled his diocess with great propriety; he was a zealous opposcr of heresies in general, and, about A. D. 187, he wrote a celebrated tract against heresy. Vic- tor, the bishop of Rome, wanting to impose the keeping of £aster there, in preference to other places, it occasioned some disorders among the christians. In particular, Irenaciis wrate him a synodical epistle, in the name of the Gallic churches. This zeal, in Cj our of Christianity, pointed him out as an object of resentment to the emperor; and in A. D. 202, he was beheaded. The persecutions now extending to Africa, many were martyred in that quarter of the globe; the most particular of whom we shall mention. Perpctua, a married lady, of about twenty-two years. Those who suffered with her were, Felicitas, a marri^ lady, big with child at the time of her being apprehended; and Revocatus, catechhmun of Carthage, and a slave. The names of the other prisoners, destined to suflfer upon this occasion, were Saturninus, Secundulus and Satur. On the day appointed for their execution, they were led to the amphitheatre. Satur, Saturninus, and Revocatus, were ordered to run the gauntlet between the hunters, or such as had the care of the wild beasts. The hunters being drawn up in two ranks, they ran be- tween, and were severely lashed as they passed. Felicitas uid Perpe- tua were stripped, in order to be thrown to a mad bull, which made his first attack upon Perpetua, and stunned her; he then darted at Fe- licitas, and gored her dreadfully; but not killing them, the executioner did that office with a sword. Revocatus and Sat jr were destroy- ed by wild beasts; Saturninus was beheaded; and Secundulus died in prison. These executions were in the year 205, on the 8th day of March. Speratus, and twelve others, were likewise beheaded; as was Ando- cles in France. Asclepiades, bishop of Antioch, suffered many tor- tures, but his life was spared. Cecilia, a youiig lady of good family in Rome, was married to a gen- tleman named Valerian. She converted her husband and brother, who were Leheaded ; andihe maximus, or officer, who led them to execution, becoming their convert, s.ifTored the same fate. The lady was placed naked in a scalding bath, and having continued there a considerable time, her head was struck oi7 with a sword, A. D. 222. Calls, us, bishop ot Rome, was martyred, A. D. 224; but the e r c ( t I \ s € C h I ' rfs ? BOOK OF MARTYRS. 29 manner of his dr^ath is not recorded; and Urban, bisliop of Rome, met the same fate A, . '^-32. 4 The Sixth PersccutUm^ under Maximinus, A. D. 235. A. D. 235, was in the time of Maximinus. In Cappadocia, the president, Seremianus, did all he could to exterminate the christians from that province. The principal persons who perished under this reign were Pontia- nus, bishop of Rome; Anteros, a Grecian, his successor, who gave offence to the governnien', by collecting the acts of the martyrs; Pam- machius and Quiritus, Roman senators, with all their families, and many other chris.ians; Simplicius, senator; Calepodius, a christian minister, thrown into the Tyber; Martina, a noble and beautiful vir* gin; and Hippolitus, a christian prelate, tied to a wild horse, and drag- ged till he expired. During this persecution, raised by Maximinus, numberless chris> tians wore slain without trial, and buried indiscriminately in heaps, sometimes tifiy or sixty being cast into a pit together, without the least decency. The tyrant Maximinus dying, A. D. 238, was succeeded by Gor- dian, during whose reign, and that of his successor Philip, the church was free from persecution for the space of more than ton years; but A. D. 240, a violent persecution broke out in Alexandria, at the in- stigation of a pagan priest, without the knowledge of the cmp6> ror. The Seventh Persecution^ under Dedus A. D. 249. This was occasioned partly by the hatred he bore to his predeces- sor Philip, who was deemed a christian, and partly to his jealousy concerning the amazing increase of Christianity ; fur the heathen ten^' pies began to be forsaken, an 1 the christian chjrchcs thronged. Thuse reasons stimulated Decius to attempt the very extirpation of the name of christian; and it was unfortunate for the gospel, that many errors haJ, about this time, crept into the chsirch: the christians were at variance with each other; self-interest divided those whojn social love ought to have united; and tlie virulence of pride occasion* ed a variety of factions. Tha heathens in general were ambitious to enforce the imperial de» crecs upon this occasion, and looked upon the murder of a christian us a merit to themselves. The martyrs, upon this occasion, were in- numerable; but the principal we shall give some account of. Fabian, (h3 bish p of Rjme, was the first person of eminence who felt iho 83verity of this persecution. The daceased emperor, Philipi had, on account of his integrity, committed his treasure to the care of this gjod man. B it Decius, not finding as much as his ava- rice made him c.vpcct, determined to wreak his vengeance on the 1' -li! ■ . - ;y ~1*.; u lit:. . 'J' I I I 90 BOOK OF MARTYRS. good prelate. He was accordingly seized ; and on the 20th of January, A. D. 250, he safTered decapitation. Julian, a native of Cilicia, as we are informed by St. Chrysostoniy was seized upon for being a christian. He was put into a leather bag, together with a number of serpents and scorpions, and in that condi- tion thrown into the sea. Peter, a young man, amiable for the superior qualities of his body and minH, was beheaded for refising to sacrifice to Venus. He said, **l am astonished you should sacriiice to an infamous woman, whose debaucheries even your own historians record, and whose life consist- ed of such actions as your laws would punish. — ^No, I shall offer the true God the acceptable sacrifice of praises and prayers.^* Optimus, the proconsul of Asia, on hearing this, ordered the prisoner to be stretched upon a wheel, by which all his bones were broken, and then he was sent to be beheaded. Nichomachus, being brought before the proconsul as a christian, was ordered to sacrifice to the pagan idols. Nichomachus replied, "I cannot pay that respect to devils, which is only due to the Almighty .'' This speech so much enraged the proconsul, that Nichomachus was put to the rack. After enduring the torments for a time, he recanted; # but scarcely had he given this proof of his frailty, than he fell into the greatest agonies, dropped down on the ground, and expired imme- diately. Denisa, a young woman of only sixteen years of age, who beheld this terrible judgment, suddenly exclaimed, "O unhappy wretch, why would you buy a mementos ease at the expense of a miserable eterni- ty r^ Optimus, h;iaring this, called to her, and Denisa avowing her- self to be a christian, she was beheaded, by his order, soon afler. Andrew and Paul, two companions of Nichomachus the martyr, A. D. 251, s ifTered martyrdom by stoning, and expired, calling on their blessed Redeemer. Alexander and Epimachus, of Alexandria, were apprehended for being christians : and, confessing the accusation, were beat with staves, torn with hooks, and at length burnt in the fire; and we are informed, in a fragment preserved by Eusel ius, that ibur female martyrs sutler- ed on the same day, and at the same place, but not in the same man- ner; for these were beheaded. Lucian and Marcian, two wicked pagans, though skilful magicians, becoming converts to Christianity, to make amends for their former errors, lived the lives of hermits, and s ibsisted upon bread and wa- ter only. Afler some time spent in this manner, they became zeal- ous preachers, and made many converts. The persecution, howev- er, raging at this time, they were seized upon, and carried before Sa- binus, the governor of Bithynia. On being asked by what a-ithority they to ik upon themseives to preach, Lucian answered, "That the laws of charity and hiimanity obliged all men to endeavour the con- version of their neig!il)ours, an I to do every thing in their power to rescue them from the snares of the devil." \ n BOOK OF MARTYRS. 31 Lucian having answered in this manner, Marcian said, that "Their conversion was by the same grace which was given to St. Paul, whu, from a zealous persecutor of the church, became a pieacher of the gospel." The proconsul, fii.ding that he could not prevail with them to renounce their faith, condemned them to be burnt alive, wliich sentence was soon after executed. Trypho and Respicius, two eminent men, were seized as Chris- tians, and imprisoncMd at Nice. Their feet were pierced with nailsj they were dragged through the streets, scourged, torn with iron hook^ scorched with lighted torches, and at length beheaded, February 1, A. D. 251. Agatha, a Sicilian lady, was not more remarkable for her personal and acquired endowments, than her piety : her beauty was such, that Quintian, governor of Sicily, became enamoured of her, and made many attempts upon her chastity without success. In order to gratify his passions with the greater conveniency, he put the virtuous lady into the hands of Aphrodica, a very infamous and licentious woman. This wretch tried every artifice to win her to the desired prostitution; but found all her eflfurts were vain; for her chastity was impregnable, and she well knew that virtue alone could procure true happiness. Aphrodica acquainted Quintian with the in- efficacy of her endeavours, who, enraged to be foiled in his designs, changed his lust into resentment. On her confessing that she was a christian, he determined to gratify his revenge, as he could not his passion. Pursuant to his orders, she was scourged, burnt with red-hot irons, and torn with shurp hooks. Having borne these torments with admirable fortitude, she was next laid naked upon live coals, inter- mingled with glass, and then being carried back to prison, she there expired on the 5th of Feb. 251. Cyril, bishop of Gortyna, was seized by order of Lucius, the gov- ernor of that place, who, nevertheless, exhorted him to obey the im- perial mandate,^ perform the sacrifices, and save his venerable person from destruction; for he was now eighty-four years of age. The good prelate replied, that as he had long taught others to save their souls, he should only think now of his own salvation. The worthy prelate heard his fiery sentence without emotion, walked cheerfully to the place of execution, and underwent his martyrdom with great fortitude. The persecution raged in no place more than the Island of Crete; for the governor, being exceedingly active in executing the imperial decrees, that place streamed with pious blood. Babylas, a christian of a liberal education, became bishop of Anti- och, A. D. 237, on the demise of Zebinus. He acted with inimitable zeal, and governed the church with admirable prudence during the most tempestuous times. it' M li s 32 BOOK or MARTYRS. Tlie first misfortune that happened to Antioch during his mission, was the siege ot* it by Sapor, king of Persia; who, having overrun all Syria, took and plundered this city among others, and used the chris- tian inhabitants with greater severity than the rest; but was soon total- ly defeated by Gordian. AAer Gordion^s death, in the reign of Dccius, that emperor came tu Antioch, where, having a desire to visit an ossenibly of christians, Babylas opposed him, anJ absolutely ref ised to let him ccme in. The emperor dissembled his anger at that time; but s;)on sending for the bishop, he sharply reproved him for his insalence, and then ordered him to sacrifice to the pogan deities as an expiation for his offence. I'his being refused, he was committed to prison, loaded with chains, treated with, great severities, and then beheaded, together with three young- men who had been his pupils. A. D. 251. Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem, about this time wos cast into pri* son on account of his religion, where he died through the severity of his confinement. Julianus, an old man, lame with the gout, and Cronion, another christian, were bound on the backs of camels, severely scourged, ond then thrown into a fii-e and consumed. Also forty vii^ins, at Antioch, after being imprisoned and si^ourged, were burnt. In the year of our Lord 251, the emperor Decius having erected a pagan temple at Ephesus, he commanded all who were in that city to sacrifice to the idols. This order was nobly refused by seven of his own soldiers, viz. Maximianus, Martianus, Joannes, Malchus, Di the elder, was designed in marriage for Armentarius, a young noble- man; Secunda, the younger, for Verinus, a person of rank and opulence. The suitors, at the time of the persecution's commencing, were both christians; but when danger appeared, to save their for- tunes, they renounced their faith. They took great pains to per- suade the ladies to do the same, but, disappointed in their purpose, the lovers were base enough to inform against the ladies, who, being apprehended as christians, were brought before Junius Donatus, gov- ernor of Rome, where, A. D. 257, they sealed their martyrdom with their blood. 3* I M f I'll T ?'l il 36 BOOK OF IfARTYRS Stephen, bishop of Rome, was beheaded in the same year; and about that time Saturnius, the pious orthodox bishop of Thoulouse, refusing to sacrifice to idols, was treated with all the barlarous indig- nities imaginable, and fastened by the feet to the tail of a bull. Upon a signal given, the enraged animal was driven down the steps of the temple, by which the worthy martyr's brains were dashed out. Sextus succeeded Stephen as bishop of Rome. He is supposed to have been a Greek by birth or by extraction, and had for some time served in the capacity of a deacon under Stephen. His great fidel- ity, singular wisdom, and uncommon courage, distinguished him upon many occasions; and the happy conclusion of a controversy with some heretics is generally ascribed to his piety and prudence. In the year 258, Marcianus, who had the management ot the Ro- man government, procured an order from the emperor Valerian, to put to death all the christian clergy in Rome, and hence the bishop with six of his deacons, suffered martyrdom in 258. Laurentius, generally called St. Laurence, the principal of the dea- cons, who taught and preached under Sextus, followed him to the place of execution; when Sextus predicted, that he should, three days after, meet him in heaven. Laurentius, looking upon this as a certain indication of his own ap- proaching martyrdom, at his return gathered together all the christian poor, and distributed the treasures of the church, which had been com- mitted to his care, among them. This liberality alarmed the persecutors, who commanded him to give an immediate account to the emperor of the church treasures. This he promised to do in three days, during which interval, he collected together a great number of aged, help>c<*s, and impotent poor; he re- paired to the magistrate, and presenting them to him, said, <*These are the true treasures of the church." Incensed at the disappointment, and fancying the matter meant in ridicule, the governor ordered him to be imm^iately scourged. He was then beaten with iron rods, set upon a wooden horse, and had his limbs dislocated. These tortures ha endured with fortitude and perseverance; when he was ordered to be fastened to a large gridiron, with a slow fire under it, that his death might be the more lingering. His astonishing constancy during these trials, and serenity of countenance while under such excruciating tor- ments, gave the spectators so exalted an idea of the dignity and truth of the christian religion, that many became converts upon the occa- sion, of whom was Romanus, a soldier. In Africa the persecution raged with peculiar violence; many thou- sands received the crown of martyrdom, among whom the following were the most distinguished characters: Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, an eminent prelate, and a pious orna- ment of the church. Tlie brightness of his genius was tempered by the solidity of his judgment; and with all the accomplishments of the gentleman, he blended the virtues of a christian. His doctrines were BOOK or MARTVK4 37 aiid of sre orthodox and pure; his language easy and ^nnt; a; his mn graceful and winning: in tine, he was both the piuiis uml polite [• er. In his youth he was educated in the principles uf Gciitiltsi havin": a considerable fortune, he lived in the very cxtravugai splendour, and all the dignity of pomp. About the year 2 16, Coecilius, a christian minister of Carthage be- came the happy instrument of Cyprian's conversion: on which ac- count, and for the great love that he always afterward bore for the au> thor of his conversion, he was termed Coecilius Cyprian. Previous to his baptism, he studied the scriptures with care, and being struck with the beauties of the truths they contained, he determined to prac* tise the virtues therein recommended. iSuLscquent to his baptism, he sold his estate, distributed the money among the poor, dressed himself in plain attire, and commenced a life of austerity. He was soon af- ter made a presbyter; and, being greatly admired for his virtues and works, on the death of Dunntus, in A. l). 248, he was almost unani- mously elected bishop of Carthage. Cyprian's care not only extended over Carthage, but to Numidia and Mauritania. In all his transactions he took great care to ask the advice of his clergy, knowing, that unanimity alone could be of ser- vice to the church , this being one of his maxims, **That the bishop was in the church, and the church in the bishop; so that unity can only be preserved by a close connexion between the pastor and his flock." A. D. 250, Cyprian was publicly proscribed by the emperor De- cius, under the appellation of Coecilius Cyprian, bishop of the chris- tians; and the universal cry of the pagans was, "Cyprian to the lions, Cyprian to the beasts." The bishop, however, withdrew from the rage of the populace, and his effects were immediately confiscated. During his retirement, he wrote thirty pious and elegant letters to his flock; but several schisms that then crept into the church, gave him great uneasiness. The rigour of the persecution abating, he re- turned to Carthage, ond did every thing in his power to expunge er- roneous opinions. A terrible plague breaking out in Carthage, it was as usual, laid to the charge of the christians; and the magistrates be- gan to persecute accordingly, which occasioned an epistle from them to Cyprian, in answer to which he vindicates the cause of Christiani- ty. A. D. 257, Cyprian was brought before the proconsul Aspasius Paturnvas exhil itod: 300 Christiana were, by the orders uf the pruconsul, placed rouiul u burning limekiln. A pan uf cuals and incense bein^ prepared, thev were cummun led ei- ther to sacrifice to Jupiter, or to be thrown mto the kiln. Unani- mously rofiiHJng, tliuy bravely jumped into the pit» and were iiumedi- ately sufljcated. Fructuosus, bishop of Tarragon, in Spain, and his two deacons, Au- gurius and Eulogius, were burnt for being christians. Alexander, Malchus, and Priscus, three christians of Palestine, with a woman of the same place, voluntarily accused themselves of being christians; on which account they were sentenced to be de* voured by tigers, which sentence was executed accordingly. Maxima, Dunatilla, and Secunda, three virgins of Tuburga, had gall and vinegar given them to drink, were then severely scourged, tormented on a gibbet, rubbed with lime, scorched on a gridiron, wor- ried by wild beasts, and at length beheaded. It is here proper to take notice of the singular but miserable fate of the emperor Valerian, who had so long and so terribly persecuted the christians. This tyrant, by a stratagem, was taken prisoner by Sapor, empe- ror of Persia, who carried him into his own country, and there treated him with the most unexampled indignity, making him kneel down as the meanest slave, and treading upon him as a footstool when he mounted his horse. After having kept him for the space of seven years in this abject state of slavery, he caused his eyes to be put out, though he was then 83 years of age. This not satiating his desire uf revenge, he soon af- ter ordered his body to be flayed alive, and rubbed with salt, under which torments he expired; and thus fell one of the most tyrannical emperors of Rome, and one of the greatest persecutors of the chris- tians. A. D. 260, Gallienus, the son of Valerian, succeeded him; and du- ring his reign (a few martyrs excepted) the church enjoyed peace for some years. The Ninth Persecution under Aurelian, A. D. 274. The principal sufferers were, Felix, bishop of Rome. This prelate was advanced to the Roman see in 274. He was the flrst martyr to Aurelian^s petulancy, being beheaded on the 22d of December, in the same year. Agapetus, a young gentleman, who sold his estate, and gave the money to the poor, was seized as a christian, tortured, and then be- headed at Prajneate, a city within a day's journey of Rome. Theic are the only martyrs left upon record during this reign, as it was soon put a slop to by the emperor's being murdered by his own domestics, at By/antium. Aurelian was succeeded by Tacitus, who was followed by Probus, as the latter was by Carus : this emperor being killed by a thunder e( it] t BOOK OP HARTYIIS 39 in storm, his sonn, Carnioiis and Numerian, succeeded him, and during all thesis rei>^!.8 the church had peace. Diocletian mounted the imjieriul throne, A. D. 284 ; at first he show- ed great favour to the chris.iaiis. la the year 28U, he associated Max« imian with him in the emj>ire,' and some christians were put to death before any general persecution broke out. Among these were Felician a.'d Primus, two tiro.hers. Marcus and Marcel I ianus were twins, natives of Rome, and of n«jble des 'e it. Their parents were heathens, but the tutors, to whom the education of the children was intrusted, brought them up aa christiaiis. Their constancy at length stibdued those who wished them to be- come pagans, and their parents and whole family became converts to a faith they had before reprobated. They were martyred by being tied to posts, and having their feet pierced with nai's. After remaini' g in this situation for a day and a night, their sufferings were put an cad to by thrusting lances through their bodies. Zoe, the wife of the jailer, who had the care of the before-men- tioned martyrs, was also converted by them, and hung upon a tree, with a fire of straw lighted under her. When her body was taken down, it was thrown into a river, with a large stone tied to it, in order to sink it. In the year of Christ 286, a most remarkable affair occurred; a le- gion of soldiers, consisting of UtiUO men, contained none but christians. This legion was called the Theban Legion, because the men had been raisdd in Thebias: they were quartered in the east till the emperor Maximian ordered them to march to Gaul, to nssist him against the reb els of B irgundy. They passed the Alps into Gnul, under the command of Mauritius, Candidns, and Rxupernis, their worthy commanders, and at le igth jjined the emperor. Maximian, about this time, ordered a general sacrifice, at which the whole army was to assist ; and likewise he commanded, that they should take the oath of allegiance and swear, at the same time, to assist in the extirpation of Christianity in Gaul. Alarmed at these orders, each individual of the Theban Legion absolutely refused either to sacrifice or take the oaths prescribed. 1'his so greatly enraged Maximian, that he ordered the legion to be decimated, that is, every tenth man to be selected from the rest, and put to the sword. This bloody order ha\ ing been put in execution, those who remained alive were still inflexible, when a second deci- mation took place, and every tenth man of those living were put to death. This second severity made no more impression than the first had done; the soldiers preserved their fortitude and their principles, but by the advice of their ofHcers Ihsy drew up a loyal remonstrance to the emperor. This, it might have been presumed, would have soft- ened the emperor, but it had a contrary effect: for, enraged at theit perseverance and unanimity, he commanded, that the whole legion ^■'i m Wrfk er 1^! 40 BOOK OF IHARTYRS. should be put to death, which was accordingly executed Ly the other troops, who cut them to pieces witli their swords, 2i.M Sc[)t. 280. Alban, from whom St. Alban's, iu Hertfordshire, received its name, was the first British martyr. Great Britain had received the gospel of Christ from Lucius, the first christian king, but did not suffer from the rage of persecution for many years after. He was originally a pagan, but converted by a christian ecclesiastic, named Ami.\hibalus, whom he sheltered on account of his religion. The enemies of Arn- phibalus, having intelligence of the place where he was secreted, came to the house of Alban; in order to facilitate his escape, when the soldiers came, he offered himself up as the person they were seeking for. The deceit being detected, the governor ordered him to he scourged, and then he was sentenced to be beheaded, June 22, A. D. 287. The venerable Bede assures us, that, upon this occasion, the execu- tio er suddenly became a convert to Christianity, and entreated per> mission to die for Alban, or with him. Obtaining the latter request, they were beheaded by a soldier, who voluntarily undertook the task of executioner. This happened on the 22d of June, A. D. 287, at Verulam, now St. Alban^s, in Hertfordshire, where a magnificent church was erected to his memory about the time of Constantino the Great. This edifice, being destroyed in the Saxon wars, was rebuilt by OfTa, king of Mercia, and a monastery erected adjoining to it, some remains of which are still visible, and the church is a noble Gothic structure. Faith, a christian female, of Acquitain, in France, was ordered to be broiled upon a gridiron, and then beheaded ; A. D. 287. Quintin was a christian, and a native of Rome, but determined to at- tempt the propagation of the gospel in G-.ul, with one Liician, they preached together in Amiens; afler which Lucian went to Beaumaris, where he was martyred. Quintin remained in Picardy, and was very zealous in his ministry. Being seized upon as a christian, he was stretched with pullies till his joints were dislocated : his body was then torn with wire scourges, and boiling oil and pitch poured on his naked fiesh; lighted torches were applied to his sides and armpits; and afler he had been thus tortured, he was remanded back to prison, and died of the barbarities he had suffered; October 31, A. D. 287. His body was sunk in the Somme. The Tenih Persecution winter Diocletian^ A, D. 303, Under the Roman Emperors, commonly called the Era of the Mar- tyrs, was occasioned partly by the increasing numbers and luxury of the christians, and the hatred of Galerius, the adopted son of Diocletian, who, being stimulated by his mother, a bigoted pagan, never ceased persjading the emperor to enter upon the persecution, till he had accom- plished his purpose. The fatal day fixed upon to commence the bloody work, was th,e 4 very 3S till rges, rches thus rities n the I Mar- ry of ptian, Icom- tHo BOOK OF MARTYRS. 41 23d of February, A. D. 303, that being the day in which the Termi- nalia were celebrated, and on which, as the cruel pagans boasted, they hoped to put a termination to Christianity. On the appointed day, the persecution began in Nicomedia, on the morning of which the prefect of that city repaired, with a great number of oflicers and assistants, to the church of the christians, where, having forced open the doors, they seized upon all the sacred books, and committed them to the flames. The whole of this transaction was in the presence of Diocletian and Galerius, who, not contented with burning the books, had the church levelled with the ground. This was followed by a severe edict, commanding the destruction of all other christian churches and books; and an order soon succeeded, to render christians of all denoni> inations outlaws. The publication of this edict occasioned an immediate martyrdom; for a bold christian not only tore it down from the place to which it was affixed, but execrated the name of the emperor for his in- justice. A provocation like this was sufficient to call down pagan vengeance upon his head ; he was accordingly seized, severely tortured, and then burned alive. All the christians were apprehended and imprisoned; and Galerius privately ordered the imperial palace to be set on fire, that the chris- tians might be charged as the incendiaries, and a plausible pretence given for carrying on the persecution with the greatest severities. A general lacritice was commenced, which occasioned various martyr- doms. No distinction was made of age or sex ; the name of Chris- tian was so obnoxious to the pagans, that all indiscriminately fell sacrifices to their opinions. Many houses were set on fire, and whole christian families perished in the flames; and others had stones fastened about their necks, and being tied together were driven into the sea. The persecution became general in all the Roman provinces, but more particularly in the east; and as it lasted ten years, it is impossible to ascertain the numbers martyred, or to enumerate the v»> rious modes of martyrdom. Racks, scourges, swords, daggers, crosses, poison, and famine, were made usd of in various parts to despatch the christians; and invention was exhausted to devise tortures against such as had no crime, but thinking differently from the votaries of superstition. A city of Phrygia, consisting entirely of christians, was burnt, and all the inhabitants perished in the flames. Tired with slaughter, at length, several governors of provinces represented to the imperial court, the impropriety of such conduct Hence many were respited from execution, but, though they were not put to death, ns much as possible was done to render their lives miser- able, many of theui having their ears cut ofl*, their noses slit, their right eyes put out, their lirnhs rendered useless by dreadful disloca- tions, and tiieir flesh seared iii conspicuous places with red-hot irona J '■•<*\, ' I: ft' re M":=: l\ i lii ; 48 BOOK OF MARTYRS. It is necessary now to particularize the most conspicuous persons who laid down their Hves in martyrdom in th.d bloody persecution. Sebastian, a celebrated martyr, was born at Narbonue, iii (jiaul, in* structed in the principles of Christianity at Milan, and afterward be- came an officer of the emperor^s guard at Rome, lie I'emaiiied a true christian in the midst of idolatry; unallured by the splendours of a court, untainted by evil examples, and uucontaminated by the hopes of p'eferment. Refusing to be a pagan, the emperor ordered him to be taken tb a field near the city, termed the Campus Martins, and there to be shot to death with arrows; which ^sentence was executed accord- ingly. Some pious christians coming to the place of execution, in or- der to give his body "burial, perceived signs of life in him, and imme- diately moving him to a place of security, they, in a short timeeflected his recovery, and prepared him for a second martyrdom; for, as sjon as he was able to go out, he placed himself intentionally in the empe- ror's way as he was going to the temple, and reprehended him for his various cruelties and unreasonable prejudices against Christianity. As soon as Diocletian had overcome his surprise, he ordered Sebastian to be seized, and carried to a place near the palace, imd beaten to dea^h; and, that the christians should not eillier use means again to recover or bury his body, he ordered that it should be thrown into (he common sewer. Nevertheless, a christian lady, named L'lcina, found means to remove it from the sewer, and bury it in the catacumLs, or repositories of the dead. The christians, about this time, upon mature consideration, thought it unlawful to bear arms under a heathen emperor. Max- imilian, the son of Fabius Victor, was the first beheaded under this regulation. Vitus, a Sicilian of considerable family, was brought up a chris- tian; when his virtues increased wi :h his years, his constancy sup- ported him under all afflictions, and his faith was superior to the most dangerous perils. His father, Hylas, who was a pagan, finding that he had been instructed in the principles of chrislianity by the nurse who brought him up, used all his endeavours to bring him back to paganism, and at length sacrificed his son to the idols, June 14, A. D. 303. Victor was a christian of a good family at Marseilles, in France; he spent a great part of the night in visiting the afflicted, and confirm- ing the weak; which pious work he could not, consistently with \m own safety, perform in the daytime; and his fortune he spent in reliev- ing the distresses of poor christians. lie was at length, however, seized by the emperor's Maximiati's de- cree, who ordered him to be bou:id, and dragged through the streets. During the execution of this order, he was treated with all manner of cruelties aad i..<)igaitics by the enraged populace. Remaining sti.l in- flexible, his courage was deemed ol stinacy. B3ing by order stretched upon the rack, he turned ills eyes to- wards heaven, and prayed to Ciod to endue him with paiience; aAcr BOOK OF MARTYBS. 43 in- Some of the Modes of Torture during the ten Persecutions. 1 ui!; ! i i t« i.i Sebastian shot to death with Arrows. Hi n i I t. I,- t . -I \^¥ !.'^ :1 TV ,t; ,■; , V*'', ■-' i m ■t BOOK OF MARTYRS. 45 which he underwent the tortures with most admirable fortitude. After the executioners were tired with inflicting torments oit him, he was conveyed to a dungeon. In his confinement, he converted his jailers, named Alexander, Felician, and Longinus. This affair coming to the ears of the emperor, he ordered them immediately to be put to death, and the jailers were accordingly beheaded. Victor was then again put to the rack, unmercifully beaten with batoous, and again sent to prison. Uciiig a ihird time examined concerning his religion, he persevered in his principles; a small altar was then brought, and he was command- ed to offer incense upon it immediately. Fired with indignation at the request, he boldly ste|)ped forward, and with his foot overthrew both altar and idol. This so enraged the emperor Maximian, who was pre- sent, that he ordered the foot with which he had kicked the altar to be immeiliutely cut off; and Victor was thrown into a mill, and crushed to pieces with the stones, A. D. 303 Maximus, governor of Cilicia, being at Tarsus, three christians were brought before him; their names were Tarachus, an aged man; Probus, and Andronicus. After repeated tortures and exhortations to recant, they, at length, were ordered for execution. Being brought to the amphitheatre, several beasts were let loose upon them; but none of the animals, though hungry, would touch them. The keeper then brought out a large bear, that had that very day destroyed three men; but this voracious creature and a fierce lioness both refused to touch the prisoners. Finding the design of destroying them by the means of wild beasts ineffectual, Maximus ordered them to be slain by the sword, on the 11th of October, A. D. 303. Romanus, a native of Palestine, was deacon of the church of Ceesa- rea, at the time of the commencement of Diocletian^s persecution. Being condemned for his faith at Antioch, he was scourged, put to the rack, his body torn with hooks, his flesh cut with knives, his face scarified, his teeth beaten from their sockets, and his hair plucked up by the roots. Soon afler he was ordered to be strangled, Nov. 17, A. D. 303. Susanna, the niece of Caius, bishop of Rome, was pressed by the emperor Diocletian to marry a noble pagan, who was nearly related to him. Refusing the honour intended her, she was beheaded by the em- peror's order. Djrotheus, the high chamberlain of the household to Diocletian, was a christian, and took great pains to make converts. In his religious la- bours, he was joined by Gorgoniiis, another christian, and one belong- ing to the palace. They were first tortured and then strangled. Peter, a eunuch belonging to the emperor, was a christian of singular m tud, a deacon; and Desiderius, a reader; were all, on account of be- ing christians, condemned by the governor of Campania, to be devour- ed by the wild beasts. The savage animals, however, not touching them, they were beheaded. Quirinus, bishop of Siscia, being carried before Matenius, the gov- ernor, was ordered to sacrifice to the pagan deities, agreeably to the edicts of various Roman emperors. The governor, perceiving his constancy, sent him to jail, and ordered him to be heavily ironed . flattering himself, that the hardships of a ja^', some occasional tor* r) ( rere of in- ind Ibe- lur- U8 )r- BOOK OF MARTYItS. 40 tures and the weight of chains, might overcome his reH<)hitt>.n. Doing decided in his principles, he was sent to Amantius, the principal gov- ernor of Pannunia, now Hungary, who loaded him witli chuius, and carried him through the principal towns of the Danube, exposing him to ridicule wherever he went. Arriving at length at Sabaria, and find- ino^ that Qaiiinus would not renounce his faith, he ordered him to be cast into a river, " 'a a stone fastened about his neck. This sentence being put into execution, Quirinus floated about fur some time, and, ex- horting the people in the most pious terms, concluded his admonitions with this prayer: "It is no new thing, O all-powerful Jesus, for thee to stop the course of rivers, or to cause a man to walk upon the water as thou didst thy servant Peter; the people have already seen the proof of thy power in me; grant me now to lay down my life for thy sake, O my God." On pronouncing the last words he immediately sank, and died, June 4, A. D. 308 ; his body was aAerwa.rds taken up, and buried by some pious christians. Pamphilus, a native of Phcenicin, of a considerable family, was a man of such extensive learning, that he was called a second Origen, He was received into the body of the clergy at Csesarca, where he es- tablished a public library and spent his time in the practice of every christian virtue. He copied the grealesl part of the works of Origen with his own hand, and, assisted by Eusebius, gave a correct copy of the Old Testament, which had suffered greatly by the ignorance or negligence of former transcribers. In the year 307, he was apprehen- ded, and suffered torture and martyrdom. Marcellus, bishop of Rome, being banished on account of his faitli, fell a martyr to the miseries he suffered in exile, 16th Jan. A. D. 310. Peter, the sixteenth bishop of Alexandria, was martyred Nov. 25, A. D. 311, by order of Maximus Caesar, who reigned in the east. Agnes, a virgin of only thirteen years of age, was beheaded for be- ing a christian ; as was Serene, the empriess of Diocletian. Valentine, a priest, suffered the same fate at Ronde; and Erasmus, a bishop, was martyred in Campania. Soon afler this the persecution abated in the middle part i of the eii>> oire, as well as in the west; and Providence at length began to nnani- test vengeance on the persecutors. Maximian endeavoured to corrupt his daughter Fausta to murder Constantino her husband; which she discovered, and Constantino forced him to choose his own death, when he preferred the ignominious death of hanging, after being an emperor n^r twenty years. Galerius was visited by an incurable and intolerable disease, which began with an ulcer in his secret parts and a fistula in ano, that spread progressively to his inmost bowels, and baffled all the skill of physicians and surgeons. Untried medicines of some daring ; rofessors drove the evil through his bones to the very marrow, and worms began to breed in his entrails; and the stench was so preponderant as to be perceived in the citv ; all the passages separating the passages of the urine, and 4* 1 fV m m m ^ ' 1 iM 1 III I ''; ^' It.. !■ f! SO BOOK OP MABTraS. excrementfl being corroded and destroyed. The whole mass of hifl body was turned into universal rottenness; and, though living crea- tures, and boiled animals, were applied with the design of drawing out the vermin by the heat, by which a vast hive was opened, a second imposthume discovered a more prodigious swarm, as if his whole body was resolved into worms. By a dropsy also his body was grossly disfigured; for although his upper parts were exhausted, and dried to a skeleton, covered only with dead skin; the lower parts were swelled up like bladders, and the shape of his feet could scarcely bo per- ceived. Torments and pains insupportable, greater than those he had inflicted upon the christians, accompanied these visitations, and he bellowed out like a wounded bull, often endeavouring to kill himself, and destroying several physicians for the ineflicacy of their medicines. These torments kept him in a languishing state a full year, and his conscience was awakened, at length, so that he was com{)elled to Acknowledge the God of the christians, and to promise, in the inter- vals of his paroxysms, that he would rebuild the churches, and repair the mischief done to them. An edict in his last agonies, was publish- ed in his name, and the joint names of Constantino and Licinius, to permit the christians to have the free use of religion, and to suppli- cate their God for his health and the good of the empire ; on whic. many prisoners in Nicomedia were liberated, and amongst others Donatus. At length, Constantino the Great, determined to redress the griev- ances of the christians, for which purpose he raised an army of 30,000 foot, and 8000 horse, which he marched towards Rome against Maxentius, the emperor; defeated him, and entered the city of Rome in triumph. A law was now published in favour of the christians, in which Licinius v»'as joined by Constantino, and a copy of it was sent to Maximus in the east. Maximus, who was a bigoted pagan, greatly disliked the edict, but being afraid of Constantino, did not openly avow his disapprobation. Maximus at length invaded the territories x>f Licinius, but, being defeated, put an end to his life by poison. Li- cinius aflerwards persecuting the christians, Constantino the Great marched against him, and defeated him: he was aAerwards slain by his own soldiers. We shall conclude our account of the tenth and last general perse- cution with the death of St. Greorge, the titular saint and patron of England. St. George was born in Cappadocia, of christian parents; and giving proofs of his courage, was promoted in the army of the emperor Diocletian. During the persecution, St. George threw up his command, went boldly to the senate house, and avowed his being a christian, taking occasion at the same time to remonstrate against paganism, and point out the absurdity of worshipping idols. This freedom S3 greatly provoked the senate, that St. George was ordered to be tortured, and by the emperor^s orders was dragged through tlio streets, and beheaded the next day. BOOK OP MAHTYU. CHAPTER III. 51 ■} ^ srae- of nts; the his 3ing inst 'his jred tlie PERSECUTIONS OF THE CHRISTIANS IN PERSIA. The gospel having spread itself into Persia, the pagan priests, who worshipped the sun, were greatly alarmed, and dreaded the loss of that influence they had hitherto maintained over the people's minds and properties. Hence they tliought it expedient to complain to the emperor, that the christians were enemies to the state, and held a treasonable correspondence with the liomans, the great enemies of Persia. The emperor Sapores, being naturally averse to Christianity, easily believed what was said against the christians, and gave orders to per- secute them in all parts of his empire. On account of this mandate, many eminent persons in the church and state fell martyrs to the igno- rance and ferocity of the pagans. Constantine the Great being informed of the persecutions in Persia, wrote a long letter to the Persian monarch, in which he recounts the vengeance that had fallen on persecutors, and the great success that had attended those who had refrained from persecuting the christians. The persecution by this means ended during the life of Sapores; but it was again renewed under the lives of his successors. Persecutions under the Avian Heretics. The author of the Arian heresy was Arius, a native of Lybia, and a priest of Alexandria, who, in A. D. 318, began to publish his errors. He was condenmed by a council of Lybian and Egyptian bishops, and that sentence was confirmed by the council of Nice, A. D. 325. After the death of Constantine the Great, the Arians found means to ingra- tiate theniselves into the favour of the emperor Constantinus, his son and successor in the east ; and hence a persecution was raised against the orthodox bishops and clergy. The celebrated Athanasius, and other bishops, were banished, and their sees filled with Arians. In Egypt and Lybia, thirty bishops were martyred, and many other christians cruelly tormented; and, A. D. 386, George, the Arian bishop of Alexandria, under the authority of the em{)eror, began a persecution in that city and its environs, and carried it on with the most infernal severity. He was assisted in his diabolical malice by Catophonius, governor of E-;ypt; Sebastian, general of the Egyptian forces; Fausti- nus, the treasurer; and Heraclius, a Roman officer. The persecution now raged in such a manner, that the clergy were driven from Alexandria, their churches were shut, and the severities practised by the Arian heretics were as great as those that had been practised by the pagan idolaters. If a man, accused of being a chris- tian, made his escape, then his whole family were massacred, and his effects confiscated. '"*vA vr.l (1 (' i 14' ii '. «• 52 BOOK OF MARTTKS. Persecution under Julian the Apostate. This emperor was the son uf Julius Coustuntiiis, atid the nephew of Constanti:ie the Great. He studied the rudiments of grammar under the inspcctiun of Mardoniiis, a eunuch, and u heathen uf Con- staittinople. His father scat him some time atler to Nicumcdia, to be instructed in the christian religion, by the bishop of £usebius, his kins- man; but his princi{)lus were corrupted by the pernicious doctrines of Ecebcli IS the rhetorician, and Maximus the magician. Constantius dying in tlie year H(51, Julian succeeded him, and had no sooner attained the imperial dignity, than he renounced Christian- ity and embraced paganism, which had for some years fallen into great disrepute. Though he restored the idolatrous worship, he made no public edicts against Christianity. He recalled all banished pagans, allowed the free exercise of religion to ev6ry sect, but deprived all christians of offices at court, in the magistracy, or in the army. He was chaste, temperate, vigilant, laborious, and pious; yet he prohibited any christian from keeping a school or public seminary of learning, and deprived all the christian clergy of the privileges granted them by Constantine the Great. Bishop Basil made himself first famous by his opposition to Ariau ism, which brought upon him the vengeance of the Arian bisho}) of Constantinople; he equally opposed paganism. Tl»e emperor's agents in vain tampered with Baiil by means of promises, threats, and racks, he was firm in the faith, and remained in prison to undergo some other siiffjrings, when tlw emperor came accidentally to Ancyra. Julian determined to examine Basil himself, when that holy man being brought before him, the emperor did every thing in his power to dis- suade him from persevering in the faith. Basil not only contitiued as firm us ever, but, with a prophetic spirit foretold the clealh of the emperor, and that he should Le tormented in the other life. Enraged at what he heard, Julian commanded that the body of Basil ^ould be torn every day in seven different parts, till his skin and flesh were entirely mangled. This inhuman sentence was executed with rigour, and the martyr expired under its severities, on the 28th day of June, A. D. 362. Donatus, bishop of Arezzo, and Hilarinus, a hermit, s'lfTered about the same time; also Gordian, a Roman magistrate. Artemius, C(M- mander in chief of the Roman forces in Egypt, being a christian, was deprived of his commission, then of his estate, and lastly of his head. The persecution raged dreadfully about the latter end of the year 363; but, as many of the particulars have not been handed down to us, it is necessary to remark in general, that in Palestine many were burnt alive, others were dragged by their feet through the streets naked till they expired; same were scalded to death, many stoned, and great numbers had their brains beaten out with clubs. In Alex* andria, innumerable were the martyrs who suffered by the sword, burning, crucifixion, and being stoned. In Arethusa, several were i N BOOK OF MARTYRS. 58 ripped open, and corn being put into their bellies, swine were brought to feed therein, which, in devouring the grain, iikewiso devoured the entrails of the martyrs; and, in Thrace, Emilinnus was burnt at a stake; and Domitius murdered in a cave, whither ho had fled for refuge. The emperor, Julian the apostate, died of a wound which he receiv- ed ill his Persian expedition, A. D. 363, and even while expiring, uttered the most horrid blasphemies. He was succeeded by Joviani who restored peace to the church. After the decease of Jovian, Valentinian succeeded to the empire, and associated to himself Valens, who had the command in the east, and was an Arian, of an unrelenting and persecuting disposition. Persecution of the Christians by the Goths and Vandals. Many Scythian Goths having embraced Christianity about the time of Constantino the Great, the light of the gospel spread itself considera- bly in Scythia, though the two kings who ruled that country, and the majority of the people continued pagans. Fritegern, king of the West Goths, was an ally to the Romans, but Athanarick, king of the East Goths, was at war with them. The christians, in the dominions of the former, lived unmolested, but the latter, having been defeated by the Ro- mans, wreaked his vengeance on his christian subjects, commencing his pagan injunctions in the year 370. Eusebius, bishop of Samosata, makes a most distinguished figure in the ecclesiastical history, and was one of the most eminent champions of Christ against the Arian heresy. Eusebius, aAer l>eing driven from his church, and wandering about through Syria and Palestine, encourag- ing the orthodox, was restored witn other orthodox prelates to his see, which however he did not long enjoy, for an Arian woman threw a tile at him from the top of a house, which fractured his skull, and terminated his life in the year 380. The Vandals passing from Spain to Africa in the fifth century, under their leader Genseric, committed the most unheard-of cruelties. They persecuted the christians wherever they came, and even laid waste the country as they passed, that the christians left behind, who had escaped them, might not be able to subsist. Sometimes they freighted a vessel with rwartyrs, let it drid out to sea, or set fire to it, with the sufferers shackled on the decks. Having seized and plundered the city of Carthage, they put the bishop, and the clergy, into a leaky ship, and committed it to the mercy of the waves, thinking that they must all perish of course; but providentially the vessel arrived safe at Naples. Innumerable ortho- dox christians were beaten, scourged, and banished to Capsur, where it pleased God to make them the means of converting many of the Moors to Christianity; but this coming to the ears of Genseric, he sent orders that they and their new converts should be tied by the feet to chariots, and dragged about until tney were dashed to pieces. m 4 ■ ' w M} t * ' * ill :!' I fS4 BOOK OF MAHTYR8. Pampiiiian, the bislijp of Mansuetes, was tortured to death with plaids of hot iron; the bishop of Urice was burnt, atid the bishop' of Habensla was banished, for refusing to deliver up the sacred books which were in his possession. The Vandalian tyrant Genseric, having made an expedition itito Italy, and plundered the city of Rome, returned to Africa, flushed with the success of his arms. The Arians took this occasion to |)€r- suade him to persecute the orthodox christians, as they assured him that they were friends to the people of Rome. Afler the decease of Huneric, his successor recalled him, and the rest of the orthodox clei^y ; the Arians, taking the alarm, persuaded him to banish them again, which he complied with, when Eugenius, exiled to Languedoc in France, died there of the hardships he underwent on the 6th of September, A. D. 305. Persecutions from about the Middle of the Fifths to the Conclusion of the Seventh Century. Proterius was made a priest by Cyril, bishop of Alexandria, who was well acquainted with his virtues, before he appointed him to preach. On the death of Cyril, the see of Alexandria was filled by Discerns, an inveterate enemy to the memory and family of his pre- decessor. Being condemiied by the council of Chalcedon for having embraced the errors of Eutyches, he was deposed, and Proterius chosen to fill the vacant see, who was approved of by the emperor. This occasioned a dangerous insurrection, for the city of Alexandria was divided into two factions; the one to espouse the cause of the old^ and the other of the new prelate. In one of the commotions, the Eutychians determined to wreak their vengeance on Proterius, who fled to the church for sanctuary: but on Good Friday, A. D. 457, a large body of them rushed into the church, and barbarously murdered the prelate; afler which they dragged the body through the streets, insulted it, cut it to pieces, burnt it, and scattered the ashes in the air. Ilermenigildus, a Gothic prince, was the eklest son of Leovigildus, a king of the Goths, in Spain. This prince, who was originally an Arian, became a convert to the orthodox faith, by means of his wife Ingonda. When the king heard that his son had changed his reli- gious sentiments, he stripped him of the command at Seville, where ho was governor, and threatened to put him to death unless he re- nounced the faith he had newly embraced. The prince, in order to prevent the execution of his father^s menaces, began to put himself into a posture of defence; and many of the orthodox persuasion in Spain declareH for him. The king, exasperated at this act of rebel- lion, began to punish all the orthodox christians who could be seized by his troops; and thus a very severe persecution commenced: he likewise marched against his son at the head of a very powerful army. The prince took refuge in Seville, from which he fled, and was at length besieged and taken at Asieta. Loaded with chains, hoi i n . BOOK OF MARTYRS. 55 was sent to Seville, and at the feast of Easter refusing to receive the Eucharist from an Arian bishop, the enraged king '1 I 1^ .i r i 86 BOOK OF MASTTRS. found them. Passing through Lombardy and Bavaria, he came to Thuringia, which country had before received the light of the gospel ; he next visited Utrecht, and then proceeded to Saxony, where he con- verted some thousands to Christianity. During the ministry of this meek prelate, Pepin was declared king of France. It was that princess ambition to be crowned by the must holy prelate he could find, and Boniface was pitched on to perform that ceremony, which he did at Soissons, in 752. The next year, his great age and many infirmities lay so heavy on him, that, with the con- sent of the new king, the bishops, &.c. of his diocess, he consecrated LuUus, his countryman, and faithful disciple, and placed him in the - see of Mentz. When he had thus eased himself of his charge, he re- commended the church of Mentz to the care of the new bishop m very strong terms, desired he would finish the church at Fuld, and see him buried in it, for his end was near. Having left these orders, he took boat to the Rhine, and went to Frieslan I, where he converted and baptized several thousands of barbarous natives, demolished the tem- ples, and raised churches on the ruins of those superstitious struc- tures. A day being appointed for confirming a great number of new converts, he ordered them to assemble in a new open plain, near the river Bourde. Thither he repaired the day before; and, pitching a tent, determined to remain on the spot all night, in order to be ready early in the morning. Some pagans, who were his inveterate enemies, having intelligence of this, poured down upon him and the companions of his mission in the night, and killed him and fifty-two of his companions and atten- dants on June 5, A. D. 755. Thus fell the great father of the Ger- manic church, the honour of England, and the glory of the age in which he lived. Forty-two persons of Armorian in Upper Phrygia, were martyred in the year 845, by the Saracens, the circumstances of which trans- action are as follows : In the reign of Theophilus, the Saracens ravaged many parts of the eastern empire, gained several considerable advantages over the christians, took the city of Armorian, and numbers suffered mar- t}rrdom. Flora and Mary, two ladies of distinction, suffered martyrdom at the same time. Perfectus was born at Coruuba, in Spain, and brought up in the christian faith. Having a quick genius, he made himself master of all the useful and polite literature of that age; and at the same time was not more celebrated for his abilities than admired for his piety. At length he took priest^s orders, and performed the duties of his of- fice with great assiduity and punctuality. Publicly declaring Ma- homet an impostor, he was sentenced to I e beheaded, and was accor- dingly executed, A. D. 850; after which his body was honourably in- terred by the christians. Adalbert, bishop of Prague, a Bohemian by birth, afler being i 'the the lar- at the of me I of. la- or- in- iing II ■^ BOOK OF MARTYRS. 67 involved in many troubles, began to direct his thoughts to the conver- sion of the iafiJelS) to which ead he repaired to Dantzic, where he con- verted and baptised many, which so enraged the pagan priests, that they fell upon him, and despatched him with darts, on the 23d of April, A. D. »U7. Persecutions in the Eleoenih Century. Alphage, archbishop of Canterbury, was descended from a considera- ole family in Gloucestershire, and received an education suitable to hia illusiri )us birth. His parents were worthy christians, and Alphage seemed to inherit their virtues. The see of Winchester being vacant by the death of Ethelwold, Dun- 8tan, archbishop of Canterbury, as primate of all England, consecrated Alphage to the vacant bishopric, to the general satisfaction of all con- cerned in the diocess. Dunstan had an extraordinary veneration for Alphage, and, when at the point of death, made it his ardent request to God, that he might suc- ceed him in the see of Canterbury; which accordingly happened, though not till about eighteen years after Dunstan^s death in 1006. After Alphage had governed the see of Canterbury about four years, with great reputation to himself, and benefit to his people, the Danes made an incursion into England, and laid siege to Canterbury. _ When the design of attacking this city was known, many of the R principal people made a flight from it, and would have persuaded Alphage to follow their example. But he, like a good pastor, would not listen to such a proposal. While ho was employed in assisting and encouraging the people, Canterbury was taken by storm; the enemy poured into the ^wn, and destroyed all that came in their way by fire and sword. He had the courage to address the enemy, and offer himself to their swords, as more worthy of their rage than the people: he begged they might be saved, and that they would discharge their whole fury upon him. They accordingly seized him, tied his hands, insulted and abused him in a rude and barbarous manner, and obliged him to remain on the spot until his church was burnt, and the monks massacred. They then decimated all the in- habitants, both ecclesiastics and laymen, leaving only every tenth ptsrson alive; so that they put 7236 persons to death, and left only four monk<* and 800 laymen alive; after which they confined the archbishop in a dungeon, where they kept him close prisoner for Severn I months. During his confinement they proposed to him to redeem his lib- erty with the sum of £3000, and to persuade the kuig to purchase their departure out of the kingdom, with a further sum of j^ 10,000. As Alphnge^s circumstances would not allow him to satisfy the exor- bitant demand, they bound him, and put him to severe tor.ments, to oblige him to discover the treasure of the church ; upon which they assured him of his life and liberty, but the prelate piously persisted in refusing to give the pagans any account of it. They ruuianded 5 f: i **■'. m !1 1 1' m 58 BOOK OF MARTYBS. bim to prison again, confined him six days longer, and then, taking him prisoner with them to Greenwich, brought him to trial there. He still remained inflexible with respect to the church treasure; but exhorted them to forsake their idolatry, and embrace Christianity. This so greatly incensed the Danes, that the soldiers dragged him out of the camp, and beat him unmercifully. One of the soldiers, who had been converted by him, knowing that his pains would be lingering, as his death was determined on, actuated by a kind of barbarous compassion, cut off his head, and thus put the finishing stroke to his martyrdom, April 19, A. D. 1012. This transaction happened on the very spot where the church at Greenwich, which ia dedicated to him, now stands. After his death his body was thrown Lito the Thames, but being found the next day, it was buried in the cathedral of St. Paulas by the bishops of London and Lincoln; from whence it was, in 1023, removed to Canterbury by Ethelmoth, the archbishop of that province. Gerard, a Venitian, devoted himself to the service of God from his tender years: entered into a religious house for some time, and then de- termined to visit the Holy Land. Going into Hungary, he became ac« quainted with Stephen, the king of that country, who made him bishop of Chonad. Ouvo and Peter, successors of Stephen, being deposed, Andrew, son of Ladislaus, cousin-merman to Stephen, had then a tender of the crown made him upon condition that he wouid employ his authority in extir* patiiig the christian religion out of Hungary. The ambitious prince came into the proposal, but Gerard being informed of his impious bar- gain, thought it his duty to remonstrate against the enormity of An- drew's crime, and persuade him to withdraw his promise. In this view he undertook to go to that prince, attended by three prelates, full of like zeal for religion. The new king was at Alba Regalis, but, as the four bishops were going to cross the Danube, they were stopped by a par- ty of soldiers posted there. They bore an attack of a shower of stones patiently, when the soldiera beat them unmercifully, and at length despatched them with lances. Their martyrdoms happened in the year 1045. Stanislaus, bishop of Cracow, was descended from an illustrious Po- Lsh family. The piety of his parents was equal to their opulence, and the latter they rendered subservient to all the purposes of charity and benevolence. Stanislaus remained for some time undetermmed, whether he should embrace a monastic life, or engage among the secular clergy. He was at length persuaded to the latter by Lambert Zu!a, bishop of Cracow, who gave him holy orders, and made him a canon of his cathe- dral. Lambert died on November 2.^, 1071, when all concerned in the choice of a successor declared for Stanislaus, and he succeeded to the prelacy. Jt.>lislaus, the second king of Poland, had, by nature, many good q'ulitius, but giving way to his passions he ran into many enormities^ and at length had the appellation of Cruel bestowed upon him.-— 4 i BOOK OF MABTYRS. 80 Stanislaus alone had the courage to tell him of his faults, when, tak- ing a private opportunity, he freely displayed to him the enunnities of his crimes. The king, greatly exasperated at his repeated free- doms, at length determined, at any rate, to get the better of a prelate who was so extremely faithful. Hearing one day that the bishop was by himself, in the chapel of St. Michael, at a small distance &om tho town, he despatched some soldiers to murder him. The soldiers read- ily undertook the bloody task; but, when they came into the presunca of Stanislaus, the venerable aspect of the prelate struck them with such awe, that they could not perform what they had promised. On their return, the king, finding that they had not obeyed his orders, stormed at them violently, snatched a dagger from one of thom, and ran furiously to the chapel, where, finding Stanislaus at the altar, he plunged the weapon into his heart. The prelate immediately expired, on the 8th of May, A. D. 1079. CHAPTER IV PAPAL PERSECUTIONS. Thus far our history of persecution has been confined principally to the pagan world. We come now to a period, when persecution under the guise of Christianity, committed more enormities than ever dis- graced the annals of paganism. Disregarding the maxims and the spirit of the gospel, the papal church, arming herself with the power of the sword, vexed the church of God and wasted it for several cen- turies, a period most appropriately termed in history, the "dark ages." The kings of the earth, gave their power to the "beast," and submit- ted to be trodden on by the miserable vermin that often filled the pa- pal chair, as in the case of Henry, emperor of Germany. The storm of papal persecution first burst upon the Waldenses in France. Persecution of the Waldenses in France. Popery having brought various innovations into the church, and overspread the christian world with darkness and superstition, some few, who plainly perceived the pernicious tendency of such errors, determined to show the light of the gospel in its real purity, and to dis- perse those clouds which artful priesrs had raised about it, in order to blind the people, and obscure its real brightness. The principal among these was Berengarius, who, about the year 1000, boldly preached gospel truths, according to their primitive pu- rity. Many, from conviction, assjnied to his doctrine, and were, on that account, called Bereni^arians. To Berengarius succeeded Peter Bruis, who preached at Thoulouse, under the protection of an earl, named Hildephons is; and the whole tene's of the reformers, wiih the reasons of thjir separation from the ch irch of Rome, were published in a book written by Bruis, under the title of Anti-Cukist. I :^ 'M if'X id- "i' sr /; 60 BO*K OF ItARTVRS. J t-r- ,1 if . b'; i. f 3 |: :f By the year of Christ 1140, the number of the reformed was very great, and the probalility of its increasing alarmed the pope, who wrote to several princes to banish them from their dominions, and em- ployed many learned men to write against their doctrines. A. D. 1 147, Henry of Thoulouse, being deemed their most emi- nent preacher, they wore called liencriciuns; and as they would not admit of any priOfs relative to religion, but what could be deduced from the scriptures themselves, the popish party gave them the name of apostolics. At length, Peter Waldo, or Valdo, a native of Lyons, eminent for his piety an- 1 learning, became a strenuous opposer of po- pery ; and from him the reformed, at that lime, received the appella- tion of VValdensos or Waldoys. Pope Alexander III being informed by the bishop of Lyons of these transactions, excomnvmicated Waldo and his adherents, and com- manded the bishop to exterminate them, if possible, from the face of the earth; and hence began the papal persecutions against the Wal- dcnscs. The proceedings of Waldo and the reformed, occasioned the first rise of the inquisitors; for pope Innocent III. authorized certain monks as inquisitors, to inquire for, and deliver over, the reformed to the se- cular power. Tho process was short, as an accusation was deemed adequate to guilt, and a candid trial was never granted to the ac- cused. The pope, finding that these cruel means had not the intended effect, sent several learned monks to preach among the Waldenses, and to endeavour to argue them out of their opinions. Among these monks was one Dominic, who appeared extremely zealous in the cause of popery. This Dominic instituted an order, which, from him, was call- ed the order of Dominican friars; and the members of this order have ever since been the principal inquisitors in the various inquisi- tions in the world. The power of the inquisitors was unlimited; they proceeded against whom they pleased, without any considera- tion of age, sex, or rank. Let the accusers be ever so infamous, the accusation was deemed valid; and even anonymous informations, sent by letter, were thought sufhcient evidence. To be rich was a crime equal to heresy ; therefore many who had money were accused of heresy, or of being favourers of heretics, that they might be obliged to pay for their opinions. The dearest friends or nearest kindred could not, without danger, serve any one who was imprisoned on account of religion. To convey to those who were confined, a little straw, or give them a cup of water, was called favouring of the heretics, and they were prosecuted accordingly. No lawyer dared to plead for his own brother, and their malice even extended beyond the grave; hence the bones of many were dug up and burnt, as examples to the living. If a man on his death-bed was accused of being a follower of Waldo, his estates were confiscated, and the heir *.o them defrauded of his inheritance; and some were sent to the n 'V .■' -^ „ BOOK OF XARTTSf, 61 Ml •■ (•' The Pope putting his foot on the neck of the Emperor of Germany, in token of his superiority. m on ittle the ared the ' i Massacre at St. Bartholomow. w % r j: itj. '■'1' ^ 1 •I 'I* ; f' 1 1; BOOK OF MABTYB8. 63 Holy Land, while the Dominicans took possession of their houses and properties, and, when the owners returned, would often pretend not to know them. Tiiese persecutions ;vere continued fur several centuries under different popes and other great dignitaiies of the catholic church. PersectUians of the Albigenaes. The Albigenses were a people of the reformed rtugion, who inhab- ited the country of Albi. They were condemned on the score of religion, in the council of Lateran, by order of Pope Alexander IIL Nevertheless, they increased so prodigiously, that many cities were inhabited by persons only of their persuasion, and several eminent no- blemen embraced their doctrines. Among the latter were Raymond earl of Thoulouse, Raymond earl of Foix, the earl of Beziers, &c. A friar, named Peter, having been murdered in the dominions of the earl of Thoulouse, the pope made the murder a pretence to persecute that nobleman and his subjects. To eflTect this, ho sent persons throughout all Europe, in order to raise forces to act coercively against the Albigenses, and promised paradise to all thpt would come to this war, which he termed a Holy War, and bear arms for forty days. The same indulgences were likewise held out to all who entered themselves for the purpose as to such as engaged in crusades to the Holy Lund. The brave carl defended Thoulouse and other places with the most heroic bravery and various success against the pope^s legates and Simon earl of Montfort, a bigi^ted catholic nobleman. Unable to subdue the earl of Thoulouse openly, the king of France, and queen mother, and three archbishops, raised another formidable army, and had the art to persuade the earl of Thoulouse to come to a conference, when he was treacherously seized upon, made a prisoner, forced to appear bare-footed and bare-headed before his enemies, and compelled to subscribe an al ject recantation. This was followed by a severe persecution against the Albigenses; and express orders that the /aity should not be permitted to read the sacred scriptures. In the year 1620 also tl)e persecution against the Albigenses was very severe. In 1618 a heavy persecution raged throughout Lithuania and Poland. The cruelty of the Cossacks was so excessive, that the Tartars them- selves were ashamed of their barbarities. Among others who sufSired, was the Rev. Adrian Chalinski, who was roasted alive by a slow fire, and whose suflferings and mode of death may depict the horrors which the professors of Christianity have endured from the enemies, of' the Redeemer. The reformation of papistical error very early was projiected in France; for in the third century a learned man, named Almericus, and six of his disciples, were ordered to be burnt at Paris, for asserting that God was no otherwise present in the sacramental bread than in any other bread; that it was idolatry to build altars or shrines to saints; and that it was ridiculous to offer incense to them. 5* , •.: •ji^lj J :-'«i: !, ;M ' 1 II '■11 ' , T ii;;i 1 "^'T r ■>'■ r% m I*' 64 BOOK or MARTYBS. The martyrdom of Almericus and his pupils did not, however, pre- vent many from acknowledging the justitesH of his notions, and seeing the purity of the reformed religion, su that the faith of Christ continu* ally increased, and in time not only spread itsi)lf over many parts of France, but diilusud the light of the gospel over various other countries. In the year 1524, at a town in France, called Melden, one John Clark set up a bill on the church door, wherein he called the pope Anti-christ. For this offence he was repeatedly whipped, and then branded on the forehead. Going afterward to Mentz, in Lorraine, he demolished some images, for which he had his right hand and nose cut off, and his arms and breasts torn with pincers. He sustained these cruelties with amazing fortitude, and was even sufficiently cool to sing the 1 15th psalm, which expressly forbids idolatry ; aAer which he was thrown into the fire, and burnt to ashes. Many persons of the reformed persuasion were, about this time, beaten, racked, scourged, and burnt to death, in several parts of France- but more particularly at Paris, Malda, and Limosin. A native of Malda was burnt by a slow fire, for saying that mass was a plain denial of the death and passion of Christ. At Limosin^ John de Cadurco, a clergyman of the reformed religion, was appre- hended, degraded, and ordered to be burnt. Francis Bribard, secretary to cardinal de Pellay, for speaking in favour of the reformed, had his tongue cut out, and was then burnt, A. D. 1545. James Cobard, a schoolmaster in the city of St. Michael, was burnt, A. D. 1545, for saying "That mass was useless and absurd;" and about the same time, fourteen men were burnt at Malda, their wives being compelled to stand by and behold the execution. A. D. 1546, Peter Chapot brought a number of bibles in the French tongue to France, and publicly sold them there; for which he was brought to trial, sentenced, and executed a few days aAerward. Soon afler, a cripple of Meaux, a schoolmaster of Fera, named Stephen Pol- liot, and a man named John English, were burnt for the faith. Monsieur Biondel, a rich jeweller, was, A. D. 15-18, apprehended at Lyons, and sent to Paris; where he was burnt for the faith, by order of the court, A. D. 1549. Herbert, a youth of nineteen years of age, was committed to the flames at DJ .n : as was Florent Venote, in the same year. In the year 1554, two men of the reformed religion, with the son and daughter of one of them, were apprehended and committed to the castio of Niverne. On examination, they confessed their faith, and were ordered for execution; being smeared with grease, brimstone^ and gunpowder, they cried, "Salt on, salt on this sinful and rotten fleshP Their tongi^es were then cut out, and they were aflerward committed to the Oames, wl^ich soon consumed them, by means of the combustible matter with which thev were besmeared. -'%_ •'.BE; '.ll.t. _" r BOOK OF HARTYBS. 65 s, in son the and ktonO) [otten Iward Vthe i The Bartholomew Massacre at Parisj Sfc. On the 22d of August, 1572, commenced this diabohcal act of sanguinary brutality. It wns intended to destroy at one stroke the root of the protestant tree, which had only before partially suffered in its branches. The king of France had artfully proposed a marriage between his sister and the prince of Navarre, the captain and prince of the protestants. This imprudent marriage was publicly celebrated at Paris, August 18, by the cardinal of Bourbon, upon a high stage erected for the purpose. They dined in great pomp with the bishop, and supped with the king at Paris. Four days after this, the prince, as he was coming from the council, was shot in both arms; he then said to Maure, his deceased mother's minister, "O my brother, I do now perceive that I am indeed beloved of my God, since for his most holy sake I am wounded.^' Although the Vidam advised him to fly, yet he abode in Paris, and was soon after slain by Bemjus; who after- ward declared he never saw a man meet death more valiantly than the admiral. The soldiers were appointed at a certain signal to burst out instantly to the slaughter in all parts of the city. When they had killed the admiral, they threw him out at a window into the street, where his head was cut off, and sent to the pope. I'he savage papists, still raging against him, cut off his arms and private members, and, after dragging him three days through the streets, hung him up by th'j heels without the city. After him they slew many great and honour- able persons who were protestants; as count Rochfoucault, Teliiiius, the admiral's son-in-law, Antonius, Clarimontus, marquis of Ravely, Lewes Bussius, Bandineus, Pluvialius, Burneius, &.c. &lc. and falling upon the common people, they continued the slaughter for many days; in the three first, they slew of all ranks and conditions to the number of 10,000. Tlie bodies were thrown into the rivers, and blood ran through the streets with a strong current, and the river appeared presently like a stream of l>lood. So furious was their hellish rage, that they slew all papists whom they suspected to be not very staunch to their diabolical religion. From Paris ihe destruction spread to all quarters of the realm. At Orleans, a thousand were slain of men, women, and children, and 6000 at Rouen. At Meldith, two hundred were put into prison, and brought out by units, and cruelly murdered. At Lyons, eight hundred were massacred. Here children hang- ing about their parents, and parents affectionately embracing their children, were pleasant food fur the swords and blood-thirsty minds of those who call themselves the catholic church. Here 300 were slain only i.i the bishop's house; and the impious monks would suffer none to be buried. At Augustobonn, on the people hearing of the massacre at Paris, they shut their gates that no protestants might escape, and searching diligent- ly for every iadividual of the reformed church, imprisoned and then ' ■M I '!;i 4i' I -'i '• hi. -lit ^!!i-^« ■*w» # *>sl|| 66 BOOK or BIARTYKS. barbarously murdered them. The same cruelty they practised at Avaricum,at Troys, at Thoulousc, Ruiicn and many other places, run* ning frum city to city, towns, and vilhiges, through the kingdom. As a curruboration of this horrid carnage, the fulluwing interesting narrative, written by a sensible and learned Roman catholic, appears in this place, with peculiar propriety. "The nuptials (says he) of the young king of Navarre with the French king's sister, was solemnized with pomp; und all the endear- ments, all the assurances of friendship, all the oaths sacred among men, were profusely lavished by Catharine, the queen-mother, and by the king; during which, the rest of the court thought of nothing but festivities, plays, and masquerades. At last, at twelve o'clock at night, on the eve of St. Bartholomew, the signal was given. Imme- diately all the houses of the protestants were forced open at once. Admiral Coligni, alarmed by the uproar jumped out of bed; when a company of assassins rushed in his chamber. They were headed by one B>3sme, who had been bred up as a domestic in the family of the Guises. This wretch thrust his sword into the admiral's breast, and also cut him in the face. Besme was a German, and being aflerwards taken by the protestants, the Rochellers would have bought him, in order to hang and quarter him; but he was killed by one Bretanville. Henry, the young duke of Guise, who afterwards framed the catholic league, and was murdered at Blois, standing at the door till the horrid butchery should be completed, called aloud, 'Besme! is it done?' Im- mediately after which, the ruffians threw the body out of the window, and Coligni expired at Guise's feet. "Count de Teiigny also fell a sacrifice. He had married, about ten months before, Coligni's daughter. His countenance was so en- gaging, that the ruffians, when they advanced in order to kill him, were struck with compassion ; but others, more barbarous, rushing for- ward, murdered him. "In the meantime, all the friends of Coligni were assassinated throughout Paris; men, women, and children, were promiscuously slaughtered; every street was strewed with expiring bodies. Some priests, holding up a crucifix in one hand, and a dagger in the other, ran to the chiefs of the murderers, and strongly exhorted them to spare neither relations nor friends. "Tavannes, marshal of France, an ignorant, superstitious soldier, who j )ined the fury of religion to the rage of party, rode on horseback through the streets of Paris, crying to his men, 'Let blood ! let blood ! bleeding is as wholesome in August as in May.' In the memoirs of the life of this enthusiastic, written by his son, we are told, that the father, being on his death-bed, and making a general confession of his actions, the priest said to him, with surprise, 'What! no mention of St. Bartholomew's massacre?' to which Tavannes replied, 'I consider it as a meritorious action, that will wash away all my sins.' Such horrid seiitiments can a false spirit of religion inspire! •••fif BOOR or MARTTSS. 07 "The king^s palace was one of the chief scenes of the butchery : the king of Nuvurro had his lodgings in thu Louvre, and all his domes- tics were prolestunts. Many uf these were killed in bed with their wives; others, r.inning away ntiked, were pursued by the soldiers thruugli the several rooms of the palace, even to the king^s anli- chuHiLer. The young witb of Henry of Navarre, awaked by the dreudfil uproar, leing ufruid for her consort, and for her own lifO) seized with horror, an i half dead, Hew from her I >ed, in order to throw herself ut the feet of the king her brother. But sr^arce had she opened her chainber-.luor, when some of her protestant domestics rushed in f)r ruf 5, and was registered the 22d in the vacation, contrary to all form of law. Instantly the dragoons were quartered upon the protestants through- out the realm, and filled all France with the like news, that the king would no longer suffer any Huguenots in his kingdom, and therefore they must resolve to change their religion. Hereupon the intendants in every parish (which were popish governors and spies set over the protestants) assembled the reformed inhabitants, and told them, they must without delay turn catholics, either freely or by force. The protestants replied, "They were ready to sacrifice their lives and estates to the king, but their consciences being God's, they could not so dispose of tliem." Instantly the troops seized the gates and avenues of the cities, and placing guards in all the passages, entered with sword in hand, crying, "Die, or be catholics!" la short, they practised every wick- edness and horror they could devise, to force them to change their religion. They hung both men and women by their hair or their feet, and smoked them with hay till they were nearly dead ; and if they still re- fused to sign a recantation, they hung them up again and repeated their barbarities, till, wearied out with torments without death, they forced many to yield to them. Others, they plucked off all the hair of their heads and beards with pincers. Others they threw on great fires, and pulled them out again, repeating it till they extorted a promise to recant. Some they stripped naked, and after offering them the most infa- mous insults, they stuck them with pins from head to foot, and lanced them with penknives; and sometimes with red-hot pincers they dragged them by the nose till they promised to turn. Sometimes they tied fathers and husbands, while they ravished their wives and daughters before their eyes. Multitudes tliey imprisoned in the most o I 1. . : ^1: 4 if iJ'.^ 72 BOOK OP MARTYr.S 1' ' i (.<■ i noisome dungeons, where they practised all sorts of torments in secret. Their wives and children they shut up in monasteries. Such as endeavoured to escape by flight were pursued in the woods, and hunted in the fields, and shot at like wild beasts; nor did any con- dition or quality screen them from the ferocity of these infernal dra- goons: even the members of parliament and military officers, though on actual service, were ordered to quit their posts, and repair directly to their houses to suffer the like storm. Such as complained to the king were sent to the Bastile, where they drank of the same cup. Tha bishops and the intendants marched at the head of the dragoons, with a troop of missionaries, monks, and other ecclesiastics, to animate the soldiers to an execution so agreeable to their holy church, and so glo- rious to their demon god and their tyrant king. In forming the edict to repeai the edict of Nantes, the council were divided; some would have all the ministers detained and forced into po- pery as well as the laity : others were for banishing them, because their presence would strengthen the protestants in perseverance: and if they were forced to turn, they would ever be secret and powerful enemies iB the bosom of the church, by their great knowledge and experience in controversial matters. This reason prevailing, they were sentenced to banishment, and only fifteen days allowed them to depart the kingdom. The same day the edict for revoking the protestant^s charter was imblished, Ihey demolished their churches, and banished their min- islers, whom they allowed but twenty-four hours to leave Paris. The pnpists would not suffer them to dispose of their effects, and threw every obstacle in their way to delay their escape till the limited time was expired which subjected them to condemnation for life to the gal- leys. The guards were doubled at the seaports, and the prisons were filled with the victims, who endured torments and wants at which hu- man nature must shudder. The sufferings of the ministers and others, who were sent to the galleys, seemed to exceed alt. Chained to the oar, they were ex- posed to the open air night and day, at all seasons, and in all weathers; and when through weakness of body they fainted under the oar, instead of a cordial to revive them, or viands to refresh them, they received only the lashes of a scourge, or the blows of a cane or ropers end. For the want of sufficient clothing and necessary clean- liness, they were most grievously tormented with vermin, and cruelly pinched with the cold, which removed by night the executioners, who beat and tormented them by day. Instead of a bed, they were allowed, sick or well, only a hard board, eighteen inches broad, to Bleep on, without any covering but their wretched apparel; which was a shirt of the coarsest canvass, a little jerkin of red serge, slit wtt kmJ„ side up to the arm-holes, with open sleeves that reached not to the elbow ; and oace in three years they had a coarse frock, and a little cap to cover their heads, which were always kept close shaved, M a mark of their infamy. The allowance of provision was as I Sk' or as book' OF SURTYRS. 73 narrow as the sentiments of those who condemned them to such miseries, and their treatment when sick is too shocking to relate; doomed to die upon the boards of a dark hold; covered with vermin, and without the least convenience fur the calls of nature. Nor was it among the least of the horrors they endured, that, as ministers of Christ, and honest men, they were chained side by side to felons and the most execrable villains, whose blasphemous tongues were never idle. If they refused to hear mass, they were sentenced to the bastK nado, of which dreadful punishment the following is a description. Preparatory to it, the chai^is are taken off, and the victims delivered into the hands of the Turks that preside at the oars, who strip them quite naked, and stretching them upon a great gun, they are held so that they cannot stir; during which there reigns an awful silence throughout the galley. The Turk who is appointed the executioner, and who thinks the sacritice acceptable to his prophet Mahomet, most cruelly beats the wretched victim with a rough cudgel, or knotty rope's end, till the skin is flayed off his bones, and he is near the point of ex- piring; then they apply a most tormenting mixture of vinegar and salt, and consign him to that most intolerable hospital where thousands under their cruelties have expired. Martyrdom of John Colas. We pass over many other individual martyrdoms to insert that of John Galas, which took place so lately as 17G1, and is an undubitable proof of the bigotry of popery, and shows that neither experience nor improvement can root out the inveterate prejudices of the Roman catholics, or render them less cruel or inexorable to protcstants. John Galas was a merchant of the city of Thoulouse, where he had been settled, and lived in good repute, and had married an English woman of French extraction. Galas and his wife were protestants, and hod five sons, whom they educated in the same religioii; but Lewis, one of the sans, became a Roman catholic, having been con verted by a maid-servant, who had lived in the family about thirty years. The father, however, did not express any resentment or ill- will upon the occasion, but kept the maid in the family and settled an annuity upon the son. In Octol)er, 1761, the fannly consisted of John Galas and his wife, one woman servant, Mark Antony Galas, the eldest son, and Peter Galas, the second son. Mark Antony was bred to the law, but could not be admitted to practise, on account ot his being aprotestant; hence he grew melancholy, read all the books he could procure relative to s licide, and seeme:! determined to destroy himself. To this may be added, that he led a dissipated life, was great- ly addicted to garni ig, and did all which could consfituie the character of a libertine; on which account his father frequently reprehended him, and sometimes in terms of severity, which considerably added to the gloom that seemed to oppress him. On the 13th of October, 1701, Mr. Gober la Vaisse, a young gen- tleman about 19 years of age, tha son of La Vaisse, a celebrated I ii i • Mi- 1/ ., ■I I mm ''• M »4t BOOK OF MARTYRS. 74 advocate of Thoulouse, about five o'clock in the evening, was met by John Cuius, the lather, und the eldest son Murk Antony, who was his friend. Cuius, the tUther, invited him to supper, and the family and their guest sat down in a room up one pair of stairs; the whole company, consisting of Calas the father and his wife, Antony and Peter Calas, the sons, and La Vuisse the guest, no other person being in the house, except the maid-servant who has been already mentioned. It was now about seven o'cllx^k: the supper was not long; but before it was over, Antony left the table, and went into the kitchen, which was on the same floor, as he was accustomed to do. The maid asked him if he was cold? He answered, ^^Quitc the contrary, I burn;'' and then let\ her. In the mean time his friend and family left tiie room they had supped in, and went into a bed-chamber; the father and La Vaisse sat down together on a sofa; the younger son Peter in an elbow chair; and the mother in another chair; and, without making any inquiry at\er Antony, contiiuied in conversation together till between nine and ten o'clock, when La Vaisse took his leave, and Peter, who had fallen asleep, was awakened to attend him with a light. On the ground floor of Calas's house was a shop and a ware-house; the latter of which was divided from the shop by a pair of folding- doors. When Peter Calas and La Vaisse came down stairs into the shop, they were extremely shocked to see Antony hanging in his shirt, from a bar which he had laid across the top of the two folding-doors, having half opened them for that purpose. On discovery of this horrid spectacle, they shrieked out, which brought down Calas the father, the mother being seized with such terror as kept her trembling in the passage above. When the maid discovered what had happened, she continued below, either because she feared to carry an account of it to her mistress, or because she busied herself in doing some good oflice to her master, who was embracing the body of his sun, and bathing it in his tears. The mother, therefore, being thus lefl alone, went down and mixed in the scene that has been already described, with such emotions as it must naturally produce. In the mean time Peter had been seat for La Moire, a surgeon in the neighbourhood. La Moire was not at home, but his apprentice, Mr. Grosle, came instantly. Upon examination, he found the body quite dead; and by this time a papistical crowd of people were gathered about the house, and, having by some means heard that Antony Calas was suddenly dead, and that the surgeon who had examined the body, declared that he had been strangled, they took it into their heads he had been murdered ; and as the family was protestant, they presently supposed that the young man wau about to change his religion^ and had been put to death for that reason. The ptx)r father, overwhelmed with grief for the loss of his child, was advised by his friends to send for the ofiicers of justice to prevent his being torn to pieces by the catholic multitude, who supposed he had mui^ered his son. This was accordingly done: and David, the m 4m 1 ""^i oung that BOOK OF MARTVltS. 75 chief magistrate, or capitoul, took the father, Peter the son, the mother, La VaissD, and the maid, all into custody, and set a guard over them. He sent for M. de la Tour, a physician, and MM. la Marque and Per- ronet, surgeons, who examined ihe body for marks of violence, but found none except the mark of the ligature on the neck : they foMru^ also the hair of the deceased done up in the usual inanner, perfci'y smooth, and without the least disorder : his clothes were also regu.^r- ly folded up, and laid upon the counter, nor was his shirt either torn or unbuttoned. Notwithstanding these innocent appearances, the capitoul thought proper to agree with the opinion of the mob, and took it into his head that old Galas had sent for La Vaisse, telling him that he had a son to be hanged; that La Vaisse had come to perform the office of exe- cutioner: and that he had received assistance from the father and brother. As no proof of the supposed fact could be procured, the capitoul had recourse to a monitwy, or general information, in which the crime was taken for granted, and persons were required to give such testi- mony against it as they were able. This recites, that La Vaisse was oommissioned by the protestants to be their executioner in ordinary, when any of their children were to be hanged for changing their reli- gion : it recites also, that, when the protestants thus hang their chil- dren, they compel them to kneel, and one of the interrogatories was, whether any person had seen Antony Galas kneel before his father when he strangled him : it recites likewise, that Antony died a Roman catholic, and requires evidence of his Catholicism. But before this monitory was published, the mob had got a notion that Antony Galas was the next day to have entered into the fraterni' ty of the White Penitents. The capitoul therefore caused his body to be buried in the middle of St. Stephen's church. A few days after the interment of the deceased, the White Penitents performed a solemn service for him in their chapel ; the church was hung with white, and a tomb was raised in the middle of it, on the top of whidi was placed a human skeleton, holding in one hand a paper, on which was writ- ten, "Abjuration of heresy," and in the other a palm, the emblem of martyrdom. The next day the Franciscans perfornoed a service of the same kind for him. The capitoul continued the persecution with unrelenting seventy: and, without the least proof coming iji, thought fit to condemn the un- happy father, mother, brother, friend, and servant, to the torture, and put them all into irons on the 18th of November. From these dreadful proceedings' the sufferers appealed to the par- liament, which immediately took cognizance of the affair, and annul- led the sentence of the capitoul as irregular; but they continued the prosacution, and, upon the hangman deposing it was impossible An- tony shiuld hang himself ns was pretended, the majority of the parlia- ment were of the opinion, that the prisoners were guilty, and there- fore ordered them to be tried by the criminal court of Thoulouie. 6* -■■mi .\^'\ ««»' M '.Sim IT. 1 '„■« 1 ■f' *!<' ?1 1 E u'' T|'" '. ; li'VIIlH Ml. " tm ' il I: ml 76 BOOK OF MABTYRS. One voted him innocent, but ai\er long debates the majority was for the torture and wheel, and probably condemned the father by way of experiment, whether he was guilty or not, hoping he would, in the agony, confess the crime, and accuse the other prisoners, whose fate, therefore, they suspended. Poor Galas, however, an old man of 68, was condemned to this dreadful punishment alone. He suffered the torture with great con- stancy, and was led to execution in a frame of mind which excited the admiration of all that saw him, and particularly of the two Domini- cans (father Bourges and father Coldagues) who attended him in his last moments, and declared that they thought him not only innocent of the crime laid to his charge, but an exemplary instance of true christian patience, fortitude, and charity. When he saw the execu- tioner prepared to give him the last stroke, he made a fresh declara- tion to father Bourges, but while the words were still in his mouth, the capitoul, the author of this catastrophe, and who came upon the scaf- fold merely to gratify his desire of being a witness of his punishment and death, ran up to him, and bawled out, "Wretch, there are the fa- gots which are to reduce your body to ashes ! speak the truth.^^ M. Galas made no reply, but turned his head a little aside, and that mo- - ment the executioner did his office. The popular outcry against this family was so violent in Langue* doc, that every body expected to see tlie children of Galas broke upon the wheel, and the mother burnt alive. Young Donat Galas was advised to fly into Switzerland : he went, and found a gentleman who, at first, could only pity and relieve him, without daring to judge of the rigour exercised against the father, mother, and brothers. Soon after, one of the brothers, who was only banished, likewise threw himself into the arms of the same person, who, for more than a month, took every possible precaution to be assured of the innocence of the family. Once convinced, he thought himself obliged, in conscience, to employ his friends, his purse, his pen, and his credit, to repair ths fatal mistake of the seven judges of Thoulouse, and to have the proceedings reviseu by the king^s council. This revision lasted three years, and it is well known what honour Messrs. de Grosne and Bacquancourt acquired by investigating this memorable cause. Fifly masters of the Gourt of Requests unani- mously declared the whole family of Galas innocent, and recom- mended them to the benevolent justice of his majesty. The duke de Ghoiseul, who never let slip an opportunity of signalizing the great- ness of his character, net only assisted this unfortunate family with money, but obtained for them a gratuity of 36,000 livres from the king. On the ninth of March, 1765, the arret was signed which justified the family of Galas, and changed their fate. The ninth of March, 1762, was the very day on which the innocent and virtuous father of that family had been executed. All Paris ran in crowds to see them come out of prison, and clapped their hands for joy while the tears streamed from their eyes. ROOK OF MARTYB8. 77 This dreadful example of bigotry employed the pen of Voltaire in deprecation of the horrors of superstition; and though an infidel himself, his essay on toleration (i.^ honour to his pen, and has been a blessed means of abating K;, rigour of persecution in most European states. Gospel purity will equally shun superstition and cruelty, as the mildness of Christ's tenets teaches only to comfort in this world, and to procure salvation in the next. To persecute for being of a different opinion, is as absurd as to persecute for having a different countenance : if we honour God, keep sacred the pure doc- trines of Christ, put a full confidence in the pr Tiises contained in the holy scriptures, and obey the political laws of ttie state in which we reside* we have an undoubted right to protection instead of persecu- tion, and to serve heaven as our consciences, regulated by the gospel rules, may direct. > ■ ^*M CHAPTER V. «.iS AN ACCOUNT OF THE INQUISITION. king, tilled arch, er of them tears When the reformed religion began to diffuse the gospel light through- out Europe, pope Innocent the third entertained great fear for the Ro- mish church. He accordingly instituted a number of inquisitors, or persons who were to make inquiry after, apprehend, and punish, here- tics, as the reformed were called by the papists. At the head of these inquisitors was one Dominic, Avho had been ca- nonized by the pope, in order to render his authority the more respecta- ble. Dominic, and the other inquisitors, spread themselves into va- rious Roman catholic countries, and treated the protestants with the ut- most severity. In process of time, the pope, not finding these roving inquisitors so useful as he had imagined, resolved upon the establish- ment of fixed and regular courts of inquisUion. After the order for these regular courts, the first office of ir^quifition was established in the city of Thoulouse, and Dominic became the first regular inqui:::tor, as he had before been the first roving inquisitor. Courts of inquisition were now erected in several countries; but the Spanish inquisition became the most powerful, and the most dread- ed of any. Even tlie kings of Spain themselves, though arbitrary in all other respects, were taught to dread the power of the lords of the inquisition; and the horrid cruelties they exercised compelled multi- tudes, wh3 diff(;red in opinion from the Roman catholics, carefully to conceal their sentiments. The most zealous of all the popish monks, and those who most im plicitly obeyed the church of Rjme, were the Dominicaas and Fran . ■',( il\;ii fi i^ K BOOK OF MARTYBS { I 'St I 78 ciscans: these, thcrcfui-e, the pope thought proper to Livest with an exclusive right of pitisiiling over the ditTereiit courts uf inquisition, and gave them the most unlimited powers, rs judges delegated by him, and immediately ro'presaiitiiig his person : they were permitted to excommunicate, or sentence to death whom they tliought pro|)er, upon the most slight information of heresy. They were allowed to publish crusades against all whom they deemed heretics, and enter into leagues with sovereign princes, to join their crusades with their forces. In 1244, their power was farther increased by the emperor Frederic the Second, who declared himself the protector and friend of all the inquisitors, and published the cruel edicts, viz. 1. That all heretics who continued obstinate, should be burnt. 2. That all heretics who repented, should be imprisoned for life. This zeal in the emperor, for the inquisitors of the Roman catholic persuasion, arose from a report which had been propagated through- out Europe, that he intended to renounce Christianity, and turn Ma- hometan ; the emperor therefore, attempted, by the height of bigotry, to contradict the report, and to show his attachment to popery by cruelty. The officers of the inquisition are three inquisitors, or judges, a fis- cal proctor, two secretaries, a magistrate, a messenger, a receiver, a jailer, an agent of confiscated possessions; several assessors, coun- sellors, executioners, physicians, surgeons, door-keepers, familiars, and visiters, who are sworn to secrecy. The principal accusation against those who arc subject to this tri- bunal is heresy, which comprises all that is spoken, or written, against any of the articles of the creed, or the traditions of tlie Roman church. The inquisition likewise takes cognizance of such as are accused of being magicians, and of such who read tJie bible iu the common language, the Talmud of the Jews, or the Alcoran of the Mahome- tans. Upon all occasions the inquisitors carry on their pro(;esses with the utmost severity, and punish those who ofleud them with the must un- paralleled cruelty. A protestant has seldom any mercy shown him; and a Jew, who turns christian, is far from being secure. A defence in the inquisiiioa is of little use to the prisoner, for a auspir*on only is deeuKd sufficient cause of condemnation, and the greater his wealth the greater his danger. The principal part of the inquisitors^ cruelties is owing t4> their rapacity : they destroy the life to possess the property ; and, under the pretence of zeal, plunder each ob- noxious individual. A prisoner in the iiiquisition is never allowed to see the face of his accuser, or of the witnesses against him, but every method is taken by threats and tortures, to oblige him to accuse himself^ and by that means corroborate their evidence. If the jurisdiction of the inqui sitio.i is not fully allowed, vengeance is denounced against such as call it in question lor if any of its officers are oppobud, tliose who of his taken ly that inqui uch as la who ^ *» BOOK OF MARTYRS. 79 oppose them are almost certain to be sufforcrs for their temerity; the maxim of the inquisition being to striite terror, and awe those whu are the oljects of its powii- into obedience. High birth, distinguished rank, great dignity, or eminent employments, are no protection from its severi- ties; and tlie lowest officers of the inquisition can make the highest characters tremble. When tho person impeached is condemned, he is either severely whip* ped, violently tortured, sent to the galleys, or sentenced to death ; and in either case the effects are confiscated. Afler judgment, a procession is performed to the place of execution, which ceremony is called an auto DE FE, or act of faith. The following is an account of an auto de fe, performed at Madrid in the year lt$82. The officers of the inquisition, preceded by trumpets, kettle-drumsj and their banner, marched on the 30lh of May, in cavalcade, to the palace of the great square, where they declared by proclamation, that, on the 30tli f )f June, the sentence of the prisoners would be put in execution. Of these prisoners, twenty men and women, with one renegado Mahometan, were ordered to be burned; fifty Jews and Jewessesi having never before been imprisoned, and repenting of their crimes, were sentenced to a long confinement, and to wear a yellow cap. I 1 The whole court of Spain was present on this occasion. The grand inquisitor's chair was placed in a sort of tribunal far above that of the king. Among those who were to suffer, was a young Jewess of exquisite beauty, and but seventeen years of age. Being on the same side of the scaffold where the queen was seated, she addressed her, in hopes of obtaining a pardon, in the following pathetic speech : "Great queen, will not your royal presence l)e of some service to me in my miserable condition? Have regard to my youth; and, oh! consider, that I am about to die for professing a religion imbibed from my earliest infancy I" Her majesty seemed greatly to pity her distress, but turned away her eyes, as she did not dare to speak a word in behalf of a person who had been declared a heretic. Now mass began, in the midst of which the priest came from the altar, placed himself near the scaffold, and seated himself in a chair pre- pared for that purpose. The chief inquisitor then descended from the amphitheatre, dressed m his cope, and having a mitre on his head. After having bowed to the altar, he advanced towards the king's balcony, and went up to it, attended by some of his officers, carrying a cross and the gospels, with a book containing the oath by which the kings of Spain oblige them- selves to protect the catholic faith, to extirpate heretics, and to support with all their power and force the prosecutions and decrees of the in- quisition: a like oath was administered to the counsellors and whole assembly. The mass was begun about twelve at noon, and did not X <*.« i ■■•i: 'wlil'*' I ill J i t {' ili 80 BOOK OF MARTYRS. end till nine in thu evening, being pmlracted by n (>roclamHtiun of the sentences of tlio severnl criminals, which were ^ leaay deparatciy re- hearsed aloud one after the other. After this, followed the burning uf the twenty ^ne men and women, whose intrepidity in siifTcring that horrid death was truly astonisning. The king^s near situation to the criminals rendered their dying groans very ai dible to him; he could not, however, be absent from this dread- ful sctMie, as it is esteemed a religious one; and his coronation oath obliges him to give a sanction by his presence to all the acts of the tribunal. What wo have already said may be applied to inquisitions in general, as well as to that of Spain in particular. The inquisition belonging to Portugal is exactly upon a similar plan to that of Spain, having been instituted much about the same time, and put under the same regula- tions. The inquisitors allow the torture to be used only thix^ times, but during those times it is so severely inflicted, that the prisoner either dies under it, or continues always after a cripple, and suffers the severest pains upon every change of weather. We shall give an ample descrip- tion of the severe torments occasioned by the torture, from the account of one who suffered it the three respective times, but happily survived the cruelties he underwent. At the first time of torturing, six executioners entered, stripped him naked to his drawers, and laid him upon his back on a kind of stand, elevated a few feet from the floor. The operation commenced by putting an iron collar round his neck, and a ring to each foot, which fastened him to the stand. His limls being thus stretched out, they wound two ropes round each thigh; which ropes Leing passed under the scaffold, through holes made for that purpose, were all drawn tight at the same instant of time, by four of the men, on a given signal. It is easy to conceive that the pains which immediately succeeded wore intolerable; the ropes, which were of a small size, cut through the prisoner's flesh to the bone, making the blood to gush out at eight dif- ferent places thus bound at a time. As the prisoner persisted in not making any confession of what the inquisitors required, the ropes were drawn in this manner four times successively. The manner of inflicting the second torture was as follows: they forced his arms backwards so that the palms of his hands were turned outward behind him; when, by means of a rope that fastened them together at the wrists, and which was turned by an engine, they drew them by de- grees nearer each other, in such a manner that the back of each hand touched, and stood exactly parallel to each other. In consequence of this violent contortion, both his shoulders became dislocated, and a con- siderable quantity of blood issued from his mouth. This torture was repeated thrice ; after which he was again taken to the dungeon, and the surgeon set the dislocated bones. Two moiiths after the second torture, the prisoner being a little recovered, was again ordered to the torture-room, and there, for the last time, made to undergo another kind of punishment^ which was Pro BOOK or 1IABTVB8. 81 Procession of criminals condemned by the Inquisition on the Auta do Fe. Seizure of a person by order of the Inquisition. .f 1, 1 1 if" 'S I ■^l. tl- •yw A' .*■■■ H ■^ '■-4 i-'. #; 1 ft' •• 1 P> It- ^ - . * |j-^ ■ I. • 9 ■ i: I. i • BOOK OF MARTYRS S3 inflicted twice without any intermission. The executioners fastened a thick iron chain round his bcxly, which crossing at the breast, ter* minated at tlie wrists. They then placed him with his back against a thick board, at each extremity whereof was a pulley, through which there ran a rope that caught the end of the chain at his wrists. The executioner then, stretching the end of this rope by means of a roller, placed at a distance behind him, pressed or bruised his stomach in proportion as the ends of the chains were drawn tighter. They tor- tured him in this manner to such a degree, that his wrists, as well as his shoulders, wei9 quite dislocated. They were, ho; 'ever, soon set by the surgeons; but the barbarians, not yet satisfied with this species of cruelty, made him immediately undergo the like torture a second time, which he sustained (though, if possible, attended with keener pains,) with equal constancy and resolution. After this, he was again remanded to his dungeon, atttended by the surgeon to dress his bruises and adjust the part dislocated, and here he continued till their Auto de Fe, or jail delivery, when he was discharged, crippled and diseased for life. An account of the cruel Handling and Burning of Nicholas Burtottf an English Merchant^ in Spain. The fifth day of November, alwut the year of our Lord 1560, Mr. Nicholas Barton, citizen sometime of London, and merchant, dwelling in the parish of Little St. Bjirtholomew, peaceably and quiety follow- ing his traffic in the trade of merchandize, and being in the city of Cadiz, in the party of Andalusia, in Spain, there came into his lodg- ing a Judas, or, as they term them, a familiar of the fathers of the inquisition; who asking for the said Nicholas Burton, feigned that he had a letter to deliver into his own hands; by which means he spake with him immediately. And having no letter to deliver to him, then the said promoter, or familiar, at the motion of the devil his master, whose messotiger he was, invented another lie, and said, that he would take lading for London in such ships as the said Nicholas Burton had freighted to lade, if he would let any; which was partly to know where he loaded his goods, that they might attach them, and chiefly to protract the time until the sergeant of the inquisition might come and apprehend the body of the said Nicholas Burton; which they did in- continently. He then well perceiving that they were not able to burden or charge hirn that he had written, spoke, or done any thing there in that country against the ecclesiastical or temporal laws of the same realm, boldly asked them what they had to lay to his charge that they did so arrest him, and bade them to declare the cause, and he would answer them. Notwithstanding they answered nothing, but commanded him with threatening words to hold his |)eace, and not speak one word to them. And so they carried him to the filthy common prison of the town of Cadiz, where he remained in irons fourteen days amongst thieves. '<*lk ■ 'm iivi ' ■?' i * J i»1 « 1 "^"W I 1 I l?J-' !tM 84 ' »* BOOK 01' AIARTYBS. All which time he so instructed the poor prisoners in the word of God, according to the g>xKl talent which God had given hinn in that behalf, and alsj in the Sjianish tongue to utter the same, that in that short space he had well reclaimed several of those supeisruious and ignora;it Spaniards to embrace the word of God, and to reject their po- pish traditions. Which being known unto the officers of the inquisition, they con- veyed him laden with irons from thence to a city called Seville, into a more cruel and straiter prison called Triana, where the said fathers of the inquisition proceeded against him secretly according to theii accustomable cruel tyranny, that never after he could be suffered to write or speak to any of his nation : so that to this day it is unknown who was his accuser. Afterward, the 20th of December, they brought the said Nicholas B irton, with a great number of other prisoners, for professing the true Christian religi ^n, into the city of Seville, to a place where the said inquisitors sat in judgment which they called Auto, with a canvass coat, whereupon in divers parts was painted the figure of a huge devil, tormeiitiiig a soul in a flame of fire, and on his head a copping tank of the same work. His tongue was forced out of his mouth with a cloven stick fastened upon it, that he should not utter his conscience and faith to the people, and sj he was set. with another Englishman of Southampton, and divers other condemned men for religion, as well Frenchmen as Spaniards, up- on a scaff>ld over against the said inquisition, where thei*. sentences and jadgments were read and pronounced against them. And immediately after tlie said sentences j;;iven. they were carried from thence to the place of execution without the' Ity. ^berethey most cruelly burned them, for whose constant faith. God he praised. This Nicholas Burton by the way, and in the Hames of fire, had so cheei fal a countenance, embracing death with all patience and gladness, that the tormentors and enemies which stood by, said, that the devil had his S)ul before he came to the fire; and therefore they said his senses of feeling were past him. it happe:ied that afler the arrest of Nicholas Burton aforesaid, immediately all the gouds and merchandize which he brought with him into Spain by the way of traffic, were (according to their common usage) seized, and taken into the sequester; among which they also rolled up much that appertained to another English merchant, where- with he was credited as factor. Whereof so soon as news was brought to the merchant as well of the imprisonment of his factor, as of the arrest made upon his goods, he sent his attorney into Spain, with au- thority from him to make claim to his gcxxis, and to demand them; whose name was John Fronton, citizen of Bi istol. When his attorney was landed at Seville, and had shown all his letters a id writings to the holy house, reqniriijg them that such goods might he delivered into his possession, answer was made to him that he must sue by bill, and rolain an advocate (but ail was doubtless to up- r BOOK OF MARTYSS. 85 delay him,) and they forsooth of courtesy assigned him one to frame his supplication for him, and other such bills of petition, as he had to exhibit into their holy court, demanding for each bill eight rials, albeit they stood him in no more stead than if he had put up none at all. And for the space of three or four months this fellow missed not twice a day attending every morning and afternoon at the inquisitors' pal- ace, suing unlo them upon his knees for his despatch, but especially to the bishop of Tarracon, who was at that very time chief in the in- quisition at Seville, that he of his absolute authority would command restitution to be made thereof; but the booty was so good and great, that it was very hard to come by it again. At length, after he had spent four whole months in suits and re- quests, and also to no purpose, he received this answer from them, That he must show better evidence, and bring more sufficient certifi- cates out of England for proof of this matter, than those which he had already presented to the court. Whereupon the party forthwith posted to London, and with all speed returned to Seville again with more am- ple and large letters testimonial, and certificates, according to their re- quests, and exhibited them to the court. Notwithstanding the inquisitors still shifted him ofi', excusing them- selves by lack of leisure, and for that they w^ere occupied in more weighty affiiirs, and with such answers put him off, four months after. At last, when the party had well nigh spent all his money, and therefore sued the more earnestly for his despatch, they referred the matter whoUy to the bishop. Of whom, when he repaired unto him, he made tbife answer. That for himself, he knew what he had to do; howbeit he was but one man, and the determination appertained to the oth^ commissioners as well as unto him ; and thus by posting and passing it from one to another, the party could obtain no end of his suit. Yet for his importunity's sake, they were resolved to despatch him: it was on this sort: one of the inquisitors, called Gasco, a man ve- ry well eipperienced in these practices^, willed the party to resort unto him after dinner. The fellow being glad to hear this news, and supposing that his goods should be restored unto him, aad that he was called in for that purpose to talk with the other that was in prison to confer with him about their accounts, lather thrc v«h a little misunderstanding, hearing the inquisitors cast out a word, that it should be needful for him to talk with the prisoner, and being thereupon more than half persuaded, that at length they meant good faith, did so, and repaired thither about the evening. Immediately upof his coming, the jailer was forthwith charged with him, to shut him up close in such a prison where they appointed him. The party hoping at the first that he had been called for about some other matter, and seeing himself, contra "v to hia expectation, cast into a dark dungeon, perceived at length that the world went with him far otherwise than he supposed it would have done. 7 Wi "fii i > !] i }i 1 , u f^r I'T .. :(.: U'M' V. 'it 4 i ^ 66 BOOK OF MARTmS. But within two or three days after, he was brought into the court, where he began to demand his goods : and because it was a device that well served their turn without any more circumstance, they bid him say his Ave Maria; "Ave Maria gratia plena, Dominus tecum, bencdicta tu in mulieribus, et bonedictus fructus ventris tui Jesus, Amen." The same was written word by word as he spake it, and without any more talk of claiming his goods, because it was needless, they commanded him to prison again, and entered an action against him as a heretic, forasmuch as he did not say his Ave Maria after the Romish fashion, but ended it very suspiciously, for he should have added moreover; "Sancta Maria mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus :" by abbrevi|iting whereof, it was evident enough (said they) that he did not allow the mediation of saints. Thus they picked a quarrel to detain him in prison a longer season, and afterward brought him forth upon their stage disguised after their manner; where sentence was given, that he should lose all the goods which he sued for, though they were not his own, and besides this, suf- fer a year's imprisonment. Mark Brughcs, an Englishman, master of an English ship called the Minion, was burnt in a city in Portugal. William Hoker, a young man about the age of sixteen years, being an Englishman, was stoned to death by certain young men in the city of Seville, for the same righteous cause. i i ! , il'ti' Some private Enormities of the inquisition laid opeUf by a very sin- gular occurrence. When the crown of Spain was contested for in the beginning of the present century, by two princes, who equally pretended to the sover- eignty, France espoused the cause of one competitor, and England of the other. The duke of Berwick, a natural son of James II. who abdicated England, commanded the Spanish and French forces, and defeated the English at the celebrated battle of Almanza. The army was then di- vided into two parts ; the one consisting of Spaniards and French, head- ed by the duke of Berwick, advanced towards Catalonia; the other body, consisting of French troops only, commanded by the duke of Orleans, proceeded to the conquest of Arragon. As the troops drew near to the city of Arragon, thr magistrates came to offer the keys to the duke of Orleans; but he told them, haughtily, they were rebels, and that he would not accept the keys, for he had orders to enter the city through a breach. He acn.ordingly made a breach in the walls with his cannon, and then entered the city through it, together with his whole army. — When he had made every necessary regulation here, he departed to subdue other places, leaving a strong garrison at once to overawe and defend, under the command of his lieutenant-general M. de Legal. This gentleman, though brought up a Roman catholic, was 1 BOOK OF MARTYBS. 87 totally free from superstition: he united great talents with great bravery : and was, at cnce, the skilful officer, and accomplished gen- tleman. The duke, before his departure, had ordered that heavy contributions should be levied upon the city in the following manner: 1. That the magistrates and principal inhabitants should pay a thou- sand crowns per month for the duke's table. 2. That every house should pay one pistole, which would monthly amount to 18,000 pistoles. 3. That every convent and monastery should pay a donative, propor- tionable to its riches and rents. The two last contributions to be appropriated to the maintenance of the army. The money levied upon the magistrates and principal inhabitants, and upon every house, was paid as soon as demanded ; but when the proper persons applied to the heads of convents and monasteries, they found that the ecclesiastics were not so willing, as other people, to part with their cash. Of the donatives to be raised by the clergy: The college of Jesuits to pay - 2000 pistoles. Carmelites, - - 1000 Augustins, - - 1000 Dominicans, - - 1000 M. de Legal sent to the Jesuits a peremptory order to pay the money immediately. The superior of the Jesuits returned for answer, that for the clergy to pay money for the army was against all ecclesiastical im- munities; and that he knew of no argument which could authorize such a procedure. M. de Legal then sent four companies of dragoons to quarter themselves in the college with this sarcastic message, "To con- vince you of the necessity of paying the money, I have sent four sub- stantial arguments to your college, drawn from the system of military logic; and, therefore, hope you will not need any further admonition to direct your conduct." These proceedings greatly perplexed the Jesuits, who despatched an express to court to the king's confessor, who was of their order; but the dragoons were much more expeditious in plundering and doing mischief, than the courier in his journey: ^o that the Jesuits, seeing every thing going to wreck and ruin, thought proper to adjust the matter amicably, and paid the money before the return of their messenger. The Augustins and Carmelites, taking warning by what had happened to the Jesuits, p ^viently went and paid the money, and by that means escaped the study of military arguments, and of being taught logic by dragoons. But the Dominicans, who were all familiars of, or agents depen- dent on, the inquisition, imagined, that that very circumstance wouid be their protection; but they were mistaken, for M. de Legal neither feared nor respected the inquisition. The chief of. the Dominicans ">■ ■ ■■'. ■ \ .f : ^ 1;' I. i- -. I ' '*. ., :fi ■ J t it- 86 BOOK OF MARTYBS. sent word to the military commander that his order was poor, and had not any money whatever to pay the donative; for, says he, the wliole >vealth ol* tho DvUniniaiiis consists only in the silver images of the apos- tles and saints, as largo us liie, which arc placed in onr church, and which it would be sacriiege to roinove. This insinuation was meant to terrily the French commander, whom the inquisitors imagined would not dare to he so profane as to wish for the possossioa of the prccions idt)ls. lie, however, sent word that the silver images would make admira- ble substitutes lor money, and would Le more in character in his posses- sien, than in that of the Dominicans themselves, ^'For, (said he) while vou possess them in the manner you do at present, they stand up in niches, useless and motionless, without being of the least benefit to mankind in general, or even to yourselves; but, when they come into my possession, they shall be usct'ul; I will put them in motion; for I in- tend to have them coined, when they may travel like the apostles, be hcneticial in various places, and circulate for the universal service of mankind. The inquisitors were astonished at this treatment, which they never expected to I'eceive, even fi-om crowned heads ; they therefore determined to deliver their precious images in a solemn procession, that they might excite the people to an insurrection. The Domini- can friars were accordin,;>ly ordered to march to De LegaPs house, with the silver apostles and saints, in a mournful manner, having lighted tapers with them, and bitterly crying all the way, heresy, heresy. M. de Legal, hearing these proceedings, ordered four companies of grenadiers to line the street which led to his house; each grenadier was ordered to have his loaded fuzee in one hand, and a lighted taper in the other; so that the troops might either repel force with force, or do hon our to the farcical solemnity. The friars did all they could to raise the tumult, but the common people were too much afraid of the troops under arms to obey them; the silver images were, therefore, of necessity delivered up to M. de Legal, who sent them to the mint, and ordered them to be coined imme- diately. The project of raising an insurrection having failed, the inquisitors determined to excommunicate M. de Legal, unless he would release their prociou; jilvur saints from imprisonment in the mint, before they were melted «iown, or otherwi- 3 mutilated. The French commander absolutely r Vseti to releai^e tne images, but said they should certainly travel and do good ; upon which the inquisitors drew up the form of excommunication, and ordered their secretary to go and read it to M De Legal. The secretary punctually performed his commission, and read the exccr- imunication tleliberately and distinctly. The French commander heard it with great |>atience, and politely told the secretary he would answer it the next day. sent. of M the der BOOK OF MARTYRS. 80 When the secretary of the inquisition was gone, M. De Legal order- ed his own secretary to prepare a form of excommunication, exactly like that sent by the inquisition ; but to make this alteration, instead of his name to put in those of the inquisitors. The next morning he ordered four regiments under arms, and com- manded them to accompany his secretary, and act as he directed. The secretary went to the inquisition, and insisted upon admittance ; which, after a great deal of altercation, was granted. As soon as he entered, he read, in an audible voice, the excommunication sent by M. De Legal against the inquisitors. The inquisitors were all pre- sent, and heard it with astonishment, never having before met with any mdividual who dared behave so boldly. They loudly cried out against De Legal, as a heretic ; and said, this was a most daring insult against the catholic faith. But, to surprise them still more, the French secretary told them, they must remove from their present lodgings ; for the French commander wanted to quarter the troops in the inquisition, as it was the most commodious place in the whole city. The inquisitors exclaimed loudly upon this occasion, when the sec- retary put them under a strong guard, and sent them to a place ap- pointed by M. De Legal to receive them. The inquisitors, finding how things went, begged that they might be permitted to take their private property, which was granted, and they immediately set out for Madrid, where they made the most bitter complaints to the king; but the monarch told them, he could not grant them any redress, as the injuries they had received were from his grandfather, the king of France's troops, by whose assistance alone he could be firmly estab- lished in his kingdom. "Had it been my own trcops, (said he) I would have punished them; but as it is, I cannot pretend to exert any authority." In the mean time, M. De Legal's secretary set open all the doors of the inquisition, and released the prisoners, who amounted in the whole to 400; and among these were 60 beautiful young women, who appeared to form a seraglio for the three principal inquisitors. This discovery, which laid the enormity of the inquisitors so open, greatly alarmed the archbishop, who desired M. De Legal to send the women to his palace, and he would take proper care of them ; and at the same time he published an ecclesiastical censure against ail such as should ridicule, or blame, the holy office of the inquisition. The French commander sent word to the archbishop, that the pris- oners had either run away, or were sd securely concealed by their friends, or even by his own officers, that it was impossible fur him to send them back again; and, therefore, tho inquisition having commit- ted such atrocious actions, must now put up with their exposure. One of the ladies thus happily delivered from captivily, was after- ward married to the very French otficer who opened the door of her dungeon, and released her from* confinement. The lady related the 7* it ^ j^'i w 1^ 11' ■' ¥ ' *1 X II * ' !ir V k i:ii^ 00 BOOK OF MARTTB8. following circumstances to her husband, and to M.Gavin, (author of the Master Key to Popery) from the latter of whom we have selected the most material particulars. "1 went one day (says the lady) with my mother, to visit the coun- tess Attarass, and I met there Don Francisco Tirregon, her confessor, and second inquisitor of the holy office. After we had drunk chocolate, he asked me my age, my confessor^s name, and many intricate queUions alout religion. The severity of his countenance frightened me, which he perceiving, told the countess to inform me, that he was not so severe as he looked for. He then caressed me in a most obliging manner, presented his hand, which I kissed with great reverence and modesty ; and, as he went away, he made use of this remarkable expression : My dear child, I shall re- member you till the next time. I did not, at the time, mark the sense of the words; for I was inexperienced in matters of gallantry, being, at that time but fiileen years old. Indeed, he unfortunately did re- member me, for the very same night, when our whole family were in bed, we heard a great knocking at tlie door. The maid, who laid in the same room with n^e, went to the window, and inquired who was there. The answer wat The Holy Inquisi* TioN. On hearing this I screamed out. Father! father! dear fr^ther, 1 am ruined for ever! My father got up, and came to me to kuow the occasion of my crying out ; I told him the inquisitors ware at the door. On hearing this, instead of protecting me, he hurried down stairs as fast as possible ; and, lest the maid should be too slow, opened the street door himself; under such abject and slavish fears, are bigoted minds ! as soon as he knew they came for me, he fetched me with great solemnity, and delivered me to the officers with much submis- sion. I was hurried into a coach, with no other clothing than a petticoat and a mantle, for they would not let me stay to take any thing else. My fright was so great, I expected to die that very night; but judge my surprise, when I was ushered into an apartment, decorated with all the elegance that taste, united with opulence, could bestow. Soon after the officers left me, a maid servant appeared with a silver salver, on which were sweetmeats and cinnamon water. She desired me to take some refreshment before I went to bed ; I told her i could not, but should be glad if she could inform me whether I was to be put to de.ath that night or not "To be put to death! (exclaimed she) you do not come here to be put to death, but to live like a princess, and you shall want for nothing in the world, but the liberty of going out; so pray don't be afraid, but go to bed and sleep easy ; for to-morrow you shall see wonders within Qiis house; and as I am chosen to be your waiting-maid, I hope you'll be very kind to me." I was going to ask some questions, but she told me she must not answer any thing more till the next day, but assured me that nobody \. juld come to disturb me : I am going, said she, about a little businesa^ but BOOK OF HARTTR3. 01 out I will come back presently, for my bed is in the closet next yours so she left mo for about a quarter of an hour, and then returned. She Jien said, madam, pray let me know when you will bo pleased have your chocolate ready in the morning. This greatly surprised me, so that without replying to her question, I asked her name; — she said, my name is Mary. Mary, then, said I, for heaven^s sake, tell me whether I am brought here to die or not? — I have told you already, replied she, that you came here to be one of the happiest ladies in the world. We went to bed, but the fear of death prevented me from sleeping the whole night; Mary waked; she was surprised to find me up, but she soon rose, and after leaving me for about half an hour, she brought in two cups of chocolate, and some biscuit on a silver plate. I drank one cup of chocolate, and desired her to drink the other, which she did : when we had done, I saiJ, well, Mary, can you give me any account of the reasons for my being brought here? To which she an- swered, not yet, madam, you must have patience, and immediately slipped out of the room. About half an hour after, she brought a great quantity of elegant clothes, suitable to a lady of the highest rank, and told me, I must dress myself. Among several trinkets which accompanied the clothes, I ob- served, with surprise, a snuff-box, in the lid of which was a picture of Don Francisco Tirregon. This unravelled to me tht mystery of my confinement, and at the same time roused my imagination to contrive how to evade receiving the present. If I absolutely refused it, I thought immediate death must ensue; and to accept it, was giving him too much encouragement against my honour. At length I hit upon a medium, and said to Mary, pray present my respects to Don Francisco Tirregon, and tell him, that, as I could not bring my clothes along with me last night, modesty permits me to accept of these garments, which are re- quisite to keep me decent; but since I do not take snuff, I hope his lord- ship will excuse me in not accepting his box. Mary went with my answer, and soon returned with Don Francisco's portrait elegantly set in gold, and richly embellished with diamonds. This message accompanied it: "That his lordship had made a mistake; his intent not being to send me a snuff-box, but his portrait.'' I was at a great loss what to do; when Mary said, pray, madam, take my poor advice; accept of the portrait, and every thing else that his lordship sends you ; for if you do not, he can compel you to do what he pleases, and put you to death when he thinks proper, without any body being able to defend you. But if you are obliging to him, continued she, he will be very kind, and you will be as happy as a queen; you will have ele- gant apartments to live in, beautiful gardens to range in, and agreeable ladies to visit you : therefore, I advise you to send a civil answer, or even not to deny a visit from his lordship, or perhaps you may repent of your disrespect. O, my God ! exclaimed I, must I sacrifice my honour to my fears, and give up my virtue to his despotic power? Alas! what can I do? V,t i' ,■« ^y'-A • I i'" '^. t'liffe y2 BOOK OF HARTYKf, To resist, is vain. If I oppose his desires, force will obtain what chasti- ty refuses. I now fell into the greatest agonies, and told Mary to return what answer she thought proper. She said she was glad of my humble submission, and ran to acquaint Don Francisco with it. In a few minutes she retu. aed, with joy m her countenance, telling me his lordship would honour me with his com- pany to supper. "And now give me leave, rondam, (said she^ to call you mistress, for I am to wait upon you. 1 have lieen in a holy office fourteen years, and know all the customs pen fectly well ; but as silence is imposed upon me, under pain of death, I can only answer such ques- tions as immediately relate to your own person. But I would advise you never to oppose the holy father's will ; or if you see any young la- dies about, never ask them any questions. You may divert yourself sometimes among them, but must never tell them any thing: three days Ix-iice you willdine with them; and at all times you may have music, and other recreations. In fine, you will be so happy, that you will not wish to go abroad ; and when your time is expired, the holy fathers will send you out of this country, and marry you to some noble- man." After saying these words she left me, overwhelmed with as- tonishment, and scarce knowing what to think. As soon as I recover- ed myself, I began to look about, and finding a closet, I opened it, and perceived that it was filled with books: they were chiefly upon histori- cal and profane sabjects, but not any on religious matter. I chose out a book of history, and so passed the interval with some degree of satis- faction till dinner time. The dinner was served up with the greatest elegance, and consisted of all fhat could gratify the most luxurious appetite. When dinner was over, Mary left me, and told me, if I wanted any thing I might ring a hell, .vhich she pointed out to me. I read a book to amuse myself during the afternoon, and at seven in the evening, Don Francisco came to visit me in his night-gown and cap, not with the gravity of an inquisitor, but with the gayety of a gallant. He saluted me with great respect, and told me, that he came to see me in order to show the great respect he had for my family, and to in- form me that it was my lovers who had procured my confinement, hav- ing accused me in matters of religion ; and that the informations were taken, and tl santciicc pronounced against me. to be burnt in a dry pan, with a gradual fire; Lut that he, out of pity and love to my family, had stopped the execution of it. These words were like daggers to my heart; I dropped at his feet, and said, "Ah, my lord! have you stopped the execution for ever?" He replied, "that belongs to yourself only," and abruptly wished me good night. * As soon as he was gone I burst into tears, when Mary came r.nd ask- ed me what could. make me cry so bitterly. To which I answered, oh, Mary ! what is the meaning of the dry pan and gradual fire? for I am to die by them. r BOOK OF MAKTYRS. 93 at chasti- to return ac quaint joy in her i his co»n- le) to call tioly office aa silenqe juch ques- jld advise r young la- t yourself three days ave music, ou will not toly fathers ome noble- ed with as- 3 1 recover- ened it, and ipon hiatori- I chose out [ree of satis- nd consisted I dinner was (light ring a nd at seven it-gown and gayety of a came to see , and to in- nement, hav- nations were in a dry pan, family, had at his feet, 1 for ever?" wished me .0 me r.nd ask- nswered, oh, ire? for I am II Madam, said she, never fear, you shall sco, ere lons^, the dry pan and grailunl tire; liut they arc nmtle for tin so whooppi^so the holy fa- ther's will, nut l')r you w i».) arc a.) jujool as to olioy if. But pray, says she, was D.»n Frunciscj very obli'iiiig? I doirt know, said I, for he frightonjcl tne o\x\. of my wits by his discourse; he sulutcd nu) with ci- vility, but left mo abruptly. Well, saiil Mary, you do not yet know his temper: he is extremely obliging to them that arc kind to him; but it" they are disobedient he is unmerciful as Nero; Sf, for yo.ir own sake, take care to oblige him in all respects: and now, dear madam, pray go to supper, and be easy. I went to sipper, inJee.l, an;l allerwurd to bed; but I could neither eat nor sleep, for the thoughts of the dry pan and gradual fire deprived me of appetite, and banished drowsiness. Early the next morning Mai said, that as nobody was stirring, if I would promise her secrecy, slic would show me the dry pan and gradual fire; so taking me iown > airs, she brought me tea large room, with a thick iron door, ^ '"h she opened. Within it was an oven, wilh fire in it at the tinii , i large brass upon it, with a cover of the same, and a lock to it. in the next room there was a great wheel, covered on both siiies with thic k boards, opening a little win- dow in the centre, Mary desired me to look in with a candle; there I saw all the circumference of the wheel set with sharp razors, which made me shudder. She then took mo to a pit, which was full of venomous animals. On my expressing great horror at the sight, she said, "Now my good mistress, I'll tell you the use of these things. The dry pan is for her- etics, and those who oppose the holy father's will and pleasure; they are put alive into the pan, being first stripped naked; and the cover being locked down, the executioner begins to put a small fire into the oven, and by degrees he augments it, till the body is reduced to ashes. The wheel is designed for those who speak against the pope, or the holy fathers of the inquisition; for they arc put into the machine through the little wheel, which is locked after them, and then the wheel is turned swiftly, till they arc cut to pieces. The pit is for those who contemn the images, and refuse to give proper respect to ecclesiastical persons; for they are thrown into the pit, and so become the food of poisonous animals. We went back again to my chamber, and Mary said, that another day she would show me the torments designed for other transgressors; but I was in such agonies at what I had seen, that I begged to be ter- rified wilh no more such sights. She soon after left me, but not with- out enjoining my strict obedience to Don Francisco; for if you do not comply wilh his will, said she, the dry pan and gradual fire will be your fate. The horrors which the sight of these things, and Mary's exprea- sions, impressed on my mind, almost bereaved me of my senses, and left me in such a state of stupefaction, that I seemed to have no man- ner of will of my own. If >'"'M ^ '^ ^'»i| % ^t ! n-'i 1 i« m 11 ^>. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 11.25 liilM 125 |io "^^ HflH ■^ Uii |22 L£ 12.0 lU ill I c^ "^ ^ '/ ^ ^>; '>>' ^J" ■> Photograiiiic Sciences Corporalion ■1>^ <^ \ ^^*4 33 WKT MAIN STRHT WIISTIII,N.Y. U5M (71«)I72-4S03 ;\ Zi :\ 1^ 6^ fC^ ' -i-Jim^ mi ''hi' 1 ,:,|i . 94 BOOK OF MABTYR8. i! ;■ J;; :ii The next morning Mary said, now let me dress you as nice as pos sible, for you must go and wish Don Francisco good-morrow, and breakfast with him. When I was dressed, she conveyed me through a gallery into his apartment, where I found that he was in bed. He ordered Mary to withdraw, and to serve up breakfast in about two hours time. When Mary was gone, he commanded me to undress myself, and come to bed to him. The manner in which he spoke, and the dreadful ideas with which my mind was filled, so terribly frighten- ed me, tliat I pulled off my cloths, without knowing what I did, and stepped into bed, insensible of the indecency I was transacting: so totally ha^tlie care of self preservation absorbed all my other thoughts, and so eiitirely were the ideas of delicacy obliterated by the force of terror! Thus, to avoid the dry pan, did I entail upon myself perpetual infa- my; and to escape the so much dreaded gradual fire, give myself up to the iiames of iust. Wretched alternative, where the only choice is an excruciating death, or everlasting pollution! Mary cnme at the expiration of two hours, and served us with choc- olate in the most submissive manner; for she kneeled down by the bed- sido to present it. When I was dressed, Mary took me into a very delightful apartment, which I had never yet seen. It was furnished with the most costly elegance; but what gave me the greatest aston- ishment was, the prospect from its windows, of a beautiful garden, and a 5ne meandering river. Mary told me, that the young ladies she had mentioned would come to pay their compliments to me be- fore dinner, and begged me to remember her advice in keeping a pru- dent guard over my tongue. In a few minutes a great number of very beautiful young ladies, richly dressed, entered my room, and successively embracing me, wished me joy. I was so surprised, that I was unable to answer their compliments : which one of the ladies perceiving, said, "Madam, the solitude of this place will affect you in the beginning, but whenever you begin to feel the pleasures and amusements you may enjoy, you will quit those pensive thoughts. We, at present, beg the honour of you to dine with us to-day, and henceforward three days in a week." I returned them suitable (hanks in general terms, and so went to din- ner, in which the most exquisite and savoury dishes, of various kinds, were served up with the most delicate and pleasant fruits and sweet- meats. The room was long, with two tables on each side, and a third in the front. I reckoned fif)y-two young ladies, the eldest not exceed- ing twenty-four years of age. There were five maid-servants besides Mary, to wait upon us; but Mary confined her attention to me alone. Afler dinner we retired to a capacious gallery, where some played on musical instruments, a few diverted themselves with cards, and the rest amused themselves with walking about. Mary, at length, en- tered the gallery, and said, ladies, this is a day of recreation, and so you may go into whatever rooms you please till eight o^clock in the evenini;. panioi). BOOK OF UARTYRS. 05 They unanimously agreed to adjourn to my apartment. Here we found a most elegant cold collation, of which all the ladies partook, and passed the time in innocent conversation and harmless mirth ; but none mentioned a word concerning the inquisition, or the holy fathers, or gave the least distant hint concerning the cause of their confine- ment. At eight o'clock Mary rang a bell, which was a signal for all to retire to their respective apartments, and I was conducted to the chamber of Don Francisco, where I slept. The next morning Mary brought me a richer dress than any I had yet had; and as soon as I retired to my apartment, all the ladies came to wish me good- morning, dressed much richer than the preceding day. Wc passed the time till eight oVlock in the evening, in much the same manner as we had done the day before. At that time the bell rang, the sep- aration took place, and I was conducted to Don Francisco's chamber. The next morning I had a garment richer than the last, and they accosted me in apparel still more sumptuous than before. The trans- actions of the two former days were repeated on the third, and the eve- ning concluded in a similar manner. On the fourth morning Mary came into Don Francisco's chamber, and told me I must immediately rise, for a lady wanted me in her own chamber. She spoke with a kind of authority which surprised me; but as Don Francisco did not speak a syllable, I got up and obeyed. Mary then conveyed me into a dismal dungeon, not eight feet in length ; and said sternly to me. This is your room, and this lady your bed-fellow and companion. At which words she bounced out of the room, and lefl me in the utmost consternation. After remaining a considerable time in the most dreadful agonies, tears came to my relief, and I exclaimed, "What is this place, dear lady! Is it a scene of enchantment, or is it a hell upon earth! Alas! I have lost my honour and my soul forever!", The lady took me by the hand, and said in a sympathizing tone of voice, "Dear sister, (for this is the name I shall henceforth give you) forbear to cry and grieve, for you can do nothing by such an extrava- gant behaviour, but draw upon yourself a cruel death. Your mis- fortunes, and those of all the ladies you have seen, ure exactly of a piece: you suffer nothing but what we have suffered before you; but we dare not show our grief, for fear of greater evils. Pray take courage, and hope in God, for he will surely deliver us from this hellish place; but be sure you discover no uneasiness before Mary, who is the only instrument either of our torments or comfort. Have patience until we go to bed, and then I will venture to tell you more of the matter. My perplexity and vexation were inexpressible : but my new com- panion, whose name was Leonora, prevailed on me to disguise my uneasiness from Mary. I dissembled tolerably well when she came to bring our dinners, but could not help remarking, in my own mind, the difference between this repast, and those I had before partook of. ** :;).' •-<..., "^^ vfl.'^f,;v » 00 BOOR OF MARTYRS. This consisted only of plain, common food, and of that a scanty allow- ance, with one plate, and one knife and fork fur us both, which she took away as soon as we had diiied. When we were in bed, Leonora was as good as her word; and upon my solemn promise of secrecy, thus began to open her mind to me: "My dear sister, you think your case very hard, but I assure you all the ladies in the house have gone through the same. In time, you will know all their stories, as they hope to know yours. I suppose Mary has been the chief instrument of your fright, as she has been of ours; and I warrant she has shown you some horrible places, though not all ; and that, at the very thought of them you were so terrified, that you chose the same way we have done to redeem yourself from death. By what hath happened to us, we know that Don Francisco hath been your Nero, your tyrant; for the three colours of our clothes are the distinguishing tokens of the three holy fathers. The red silk belongs to Don Francisco, the blue to Don Guerrero, and the green to Don Aliga; and they always give those colours (after the farce of changing garments and the short-lived recreations are over) to those ladies whom they bring here for their respective uses. *'We are strictly commanded to express all the demonstrations of joy, and to be very merry for three days, when a young lady first comes amongst us, as we did with you, and as you must now do with others. But afterward we live like the most wretched prisoners, without seeing any body but Mary, and the other maid-servants, over whom Mary hath a kind of superiority, for she acts as house- keeper. We all dine in the great hall three days in a week ; and when any one of the inquisitors hath a mind for one of his slaves, Mary comes about nine o^clock, and leads her to his apartment. "Some nights Mary leaves the doors of our chambers open, and that is a token that one of the inquisitors hath a mind to come that night; but he comes so silent that we are ignorant whether he is our patron or not. If one of us happens to be with child, she is removed into a better chamber till she is delivered ; but during the whole of her pregnancy, she never sees any body but the person appointed to attend her. As soon as the child is born it is taken away, and carried we know not whither; for we never hear syllable mentioned about it after- ward. I have been in this hot* .x years, was not fourteen when the officers took me from my father's house, and have had one child. There are, at this present time, fifty-two young ladies in the house; but we annually lose six or eight, though we know not what becomes of them, or whither they are sent. This, however, does not diminish our number, for new ones are always brought in to supply the place of those who are removed from hence; and I remember, at one time, to have seen seventy-three ladies here together. Our continual torment is to reflect that when they are tired of any of the ladies, they cer- tainly put to death those they pretend to send away for it i3 natu* '$ j&^.I^L know after- when child, house; ecomea minish >lace of ime) to torment y cer- is natu* BOOK OF UARTYBfl. 97 ral to think, that they have too mjch policy to suffer their atrocious and infernal villanies to be discovered, by enlarging them. Hence our stiuation is miserable indeed, and we have only to pmy that the Al- mighty will pardon those crimes which we are compelled to commit. Therefore, my dear sister, arm yourself with patience, for that is the only palliative to give you comfort, and put a firm confidence in the providence of Almighty God.^' This discourse of Leonora greatly affected me; but I found every thing to be as she told r|fe, in the course of time, and I took care to appear as cheerful as possible before Mary. In this maimer I con- tinued eighteen months, during which time eleven ladies were taken from the house; but in lieu of them we got nineteen new ones, which made our number just sixty, at the time we were so happily re- lieved by the French officers, and providentially restored to the joys of society, and to the arms of our parents and friends. On that happy day, the door of my dungeon was opened by the gentleman who is now my husband, and who with the utmost expedition, sent both Leonora and me to his father^s; and (soon after the campaign was over) when he returned home, he thought proper to make me his wife, in which situation I enjoy a recompense for all the miseries I be- fore suffered. From the foregoing narrative it is evident, that the inquisitors are a set of libidinous villains, lost to every just idea of religion, and totally destitute of humanity. Those who possess wealth, beauty, or liberal sentiments, are sure to find enemies in them. Avarice, lust, and prejudice, are their ruling passions; and they sacrifice every law, human and divine, to gratify their predominant desire. Their supposed piety is affectation; their pretended compassion hy- pocrisy ; their justice depends on their will : and their equitable pun- ishments are founded on their prejudices. None are secure from them; all ranks fall equally victims to their pride, their power, their avarice, or their aversion. Some may suggest, that it is strange crowned heads and eminent no- bles, have not attempted to crush the power of the inquisition, and re- duce the authority of those ecclesiastical tyrants, from whose merciless fangs neither their families nor themselves are secure. But astonishing as it is, superstition hath, in this case, always overcome common sense, and custom operated against reason. One prince, indeed, intended to abolish the inquisition, but he lost his life before he became king, and consequently before he had the power so to do; for the very intimation of his design procured his destruc- tion. This was that amiable prince Don Carlos, son of Philip the Second, king of Spain, and grandson of the celebrated emperor Charles V. Don Carlos, possessed all the good qualities of his grandfather, without any of the bad ones of his father; and was a prince of great vivacity, admirable learning, and the must amiable disposition. — He had sense enough to see into the errors of popery, and abhorred ■•^*'*' I'f^ j ' M ■M j'l; k't^'i'v ^.'^■■■1 ^'i ^ : rJ ftt la i f itm.^xmt». 98 BOOK OF MARTYKS. Mi the very name of the inquisition. He inveighed publicly against the institution, ridiculed the affected piety of the inquisitors, did all he could to expose their atrocious deeds, and even declared, that if he ever came to the crown, he would abolish the inquisition, and exter- minate its agents. These things were sufficient to irritate the inquisitors against the prince : they, accordingly, bent their minds to vengeance, and deter- mined on his destruction. The inquisitors now employed all their agents and emissaries to spread abroad the most artful insinuations against the prince; and, at length, raised such a spirit of discontent among the people, that the king was under the necessity of removing Don Carlos from court. Not content with this, they pursued even his friends, and obliged the king likewise to banish Don John, duke of Austria, his own brother, end consequently uncle to the prince; together with the prince of Parma, nephew to the king, and cousin to the prince, because they well knew that both the duke of Austria, and the prince of Parma, had a most sincere and inviolable attachment to Don Carlos. Some few years afler, the prince having shown great lenity and favour to the protestants in the Netherlands, the inquisition loudly exclaimed against him, declaring, that as the persons in question were heretics, the prince himself must necessarily be one, since he gave them countenance. In short, they gained so great an ascen- d incy over the mind of the king, who was absolutely a slave to super- stition, that, shocking to relate, he sacrificed the feelings of nature to the force of bigotry, and, for fear of incurring the anger of the inquisition, gave up his only son, passing the sentence of death on him himself. The prince, indeed, had what was termed an indulgence; that is, he was permitted to choose the manner of his death. Roman like, die unfortunate young hero chose bleeding and the hot bath; when the veins of his arms and legs being opened, he expired gradually, falling a martyr to the malice of the inquisitors, and the stupid bigotry of his father. The Persecution of Dr. .^Igidio, Dr. ^gidio was educated at the university of Alcala, where he cook his several degrees, and particularly applied himself to the study of the sacred scriptures and school divinity. The professor of theolo- e^ dying, he was elected into his place, and acted so much to the sat- isfaction of every one, that his reputation for learning and piety was circulated throughout Europe. ^gidio, however, had his enemies, and these laid a complaint against him to the inquisitors, who sent him a citation, and when he appeared to it, cast him into a dungeon. As the greatest part of those who belonged to the cathedral church •t Seville, and many persons belonging to the bishopric of Dortois, iplaint hen he ) li BOOK OF MARTVR8. 09 nighly approved of the doctrines of iEgidio, which they thought perfect* ly consonant with true religion, they petitioned the emperor in his bo- half. Though the monarch had been educated a Roman catholic^lie had too much sense to be a bigot, and therefore sent an immediate d!fr* der for his enlargement. He soon afler visited the church of Valladolid, did every thing he could to promote the cause of religion, and returning home he soon afler fell sick, and died in an extreme old age. The inquisitors having been disappointed of gratifying their malice against him while living, determined (as the emperor^s whole thoughts were engrossed by a military expedition) to wreak their vengeance on him when dead. Therefore, soon alter he was buried, they or- dered his remains to be dug out of the grave; and a legal process be- ing carried on, they were condenmed to be burnt, which was executed accordingly. The Persecution of Dr. Constantine. Dr. Constantine, an intimate acquaintance of the already mentioned Dr. iEgidio, was a man of uncommon natural abilities and prufound learning; exclusive of several modern tongues, he was acquainted with the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages, and perfectly well knew not only the sciences called abstruse, but those arts which come under the denomination of polite literature. His eloquence rendered him pleasing, and the soundness of his doctrines a profitable preacher; and he was so popular, that he never preached but to a crowded audience. He had many opportunities of rising in the church, but never would take advantage of them; for if a living of greater value than his own was offered him, he would refuse it, saying, 1 am content with what 1 have; and he frequently preached so forcibly against simony, that many of his superiors, who were not so delicate upon the subject, took umbrage at his doctrinei upon that head. Having been fully confirmed in protestantism by Dr. ^gidio, he preached boldly such doctrines only as were agreeable to gospel purity, and un^.ontaminated by the errors which had at various times crept into the Re mish church. For these reasons he had many enemies among the Roman catholics, and some of them were fully determined on his destruction. A worthy gentleman named Scobaria, having erected a school for divinity lectures, appointed Dr. Constantine to 1^ reader therein. He immediately undertook the task, and read lectures, by portions, on the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Canticles; and was beginning to expound the book of Job, when he was seized by the inquisitors. Being brought to examination, he answered with such pi'ecaution that they could not find any explicit charge against him, but remained doubt- ful in what manner to proceed, when the following circumstances occur- ed to determine them; ■ *<** IfT • t ^' -liri. »,» ■;i )''\ W lit ;',l !|i* [■'^ c^ft' M \W: ' n i'i; * m:^ T" •■ 100 BOOK OF MARTYRS. Dr. Constantino had deposited with a woman named Isabella Martin, several books, which to him were very valuable, but which he knew, in the eyes of the inquisition, were exceptionable. I'his woman having been informed against as a protestant, was ap- prehended, and, after a small process, her goods were ordered to be con- fiscated. Previous, however, to the otlicers coming to her house, the woman^s son had removed away several chests full of the most valua- ble articles; and among these were Dr. Constantine^s books. A treacherous servant giving intelligence of this to the inquisitors, an officer was despatched to the son to demand the chests. The son, supposing the officer only came for Constantine^s books, said, I know what you come for, and I will fetch them to you immediately. Ho then fetched Dr. Constantine^s books and papers, when the officer was greatly surprised to find what he did not look for. He, however, told the young man, that he was glad these books and papers were produced, but nevertheless he must fulfil the end of his commission, which was, to carry him apd the goods he had embezzled before the in- quisitors, which he did accordingly ; for the young man knew it would be in vain to expostulate, or resist, and therefore quietly submitted to his fate. The inquisitors being thus possessed of Constantine^s books and writings, now found matter sufficient to form charges against him. When he was brought to a re-examination, they presented one of his papers, and asked him if he knew the hand writing? Perceiving it was his own, he guessed the whole matter, confessed the writing, and justified the doctrine it contained: saying, **h\ that, and all my other writings, I have never departed from the truth of the gospel, but have always kept in view the pure precepts of Christ, as he delivered them to mankind.^' Afler being detained upwards of two years in prison, Dr. Constan- tino was seized with a bloody flux, which put an end to his miseries in this world. The process, however, was carried on against his body, which, at the ensuing auto de fe, was publicly burnt. The Life of William Gardiner. William Gardiner was born at Bristol, received a tolerable education, and was, at a proper age, placed under the care of a merchant, named Paget. At the age of twenty-six years, he was, by his master, sent to Lisbon, to act as factor. Here he applied himself to the study of the Portuguese language, executed his business with assiduity and des- patch, and behaved with the most engaging affability to all persons with whom he had the least concern. He conversed privately with a few, whom he knew to be zealous protestants; and, at the same time, cautiously avoided giving the least offence to any who were Roman catholics; he 'had not, however, hitherto gone into any of the popish churches. ner; Bein« diner tiiefi] in- »nt to of the id des- lersons y with e tune, )man I popish BOOK or MARTYHfl. 101 A marriage being concluded between the king of Portugal's son, and the Infanta of Spain, upon the wedding-day the bride-groom, bride, and the whole court went to the cathedral church, attended by multi- tudes of all ranks of people, and among tho rest William Gardiner, who stayed during the whole ceremony, and was greatly shocked at the superstitions he saw. The erroneous worship which he had seen ran strongly in his mind; he was miserable, to see a whole country sunk into such idolatry, when the truth of the gospel might be so easily obtained. He, there- fore, took the inconsiderate, though laudable design, into his head, of making a reform in Portugal, or perishing in the attempt; and deter- mined to sacrifice his prudence to his zeal, though he became a mar- tyr upon the occasion. To this end, he settled all his worldly affairs, paid his debts, closed his books, and consigned over his merchandize. On the ensuing Sunday he went again to the cathedral church, with a New Testament in his hand, and placed himself near the altar. The king and the court soon appeared, and a cardinal began mass; at that part of the ceremony in which the people adore the wafer, Gardiner could hold out no longer, but springing towards the cardinal, he snatched the host from him, and trampled it under his feet. This action amazed the whole congregation, and one person draw- ing a dagger, wounded Gardiner in the shoulder, and would, by re- peating the blow, have finished him, had not the king called to him to desist. Gardiner, being carried before the king, the monarch asked him what countryman he was : to which he replied, I am an Englishman by birth, a protestant by religion, and a merchant by occupation. — What I have done is not out of contempt to your royal person, God forbid it should, but out of an honest indigpation, to see the ridiculous superstitions and gross idolatries practised here. The king, thinking that he had been stimulated t,y some other person to act as he had done, demanded who was his u i'lter, to which he replied. My own conscience alone. I would not hazard what 1 have done for any man living, but I owe that and all other services to God. Gardiner was sent to prison, and a general order issued to appre- hend all Englishmen in Lisbon. This order was in a great measure put into execution, (some few escaping^ and many innocent persons were tortured to make them confess it they knew any thing of tho matter; in particular, a person who resided in the same house with Gardiner, was treated with unparallelled barbarity to make him con- fess something which might throw a light upon the affair. Gardiner himself was then tormented in the most excruciating man- ner; but in the midst of all his torments he gloried in the deed. Being ordered for death, a large fire wa^ kindled near a gibbet, Gar- diner was drawn up to the gibbet by pulleys, and then let down near (the fire, but not so close as to touch it; for they burnt or rathar 8* 'i^-M *-,,. .*<* ^ite i^^ .? 'Hi m .■v ir' ;',: --.^i 103 BOOK OF MABTTBt. roasted him by slow degrees. Yet he bore his sufTerings patiently, and resigned his soul to the Lord cheerfully. It is observable that some of the sparks were blown from the fire, (which consumed Gardiner) towards the haven, burnt ono of the king^s ships of war, and did other considerable damage. The Englishmen who were taken up on this occasion were, soon afler Gardinor^s death, all discharged, except the person who resided in the same house with him, who was detained two years before he could procure his lib- erty. An account of the Life and Sirferings of Mr. WUUam LUkgovoy a native of Scotland. This gentleman was descended from a good family, and having a natural propensity for travelling, he rambled, when very young, over the northern and western islands; afler which he visited France, Germany, Switzerland and Spain. He set out on his travels in the month of March, 1600, and the first place he went to was Paris, where he stayed for some time. He then prosecuted his travels through Germany and other parts, and at length arrived at Malaga, in Spain, the seat of all his misfortunes. During his residence here, he contracted with the master of a French ship for his passage to Alexandria, but was prevented from going by the following circumstances. In the evening of the 17th of October, 1620, the English fleet, at that time on a cruise against the Algerine rovers, came to anchor before Malaga, which threw tho people of the town into the greatest consternation, as they imagined ihem to be Turks. The morning, however, discovered the mistake, and the governor of Malaga, perceiving the cross of England in their colours, went on board Sir Robert ManselPs ship, who commanded on that expedition, and after staying some time returned, and silenced the fears of the people. The next day many persons from on board the fleet came ashore. Among these were several well known by Mr. Lithgow, who, after reciprocal compliments, spent some days together in festivity and the amusements of the town. They then invited Mr. Lithgow to go on board, and pay his respects to the admiral. He accordingly accept- ed the invitation, was kindly received by him, and detained till the next day, when the fleet sailed. The admiral would willingly have taken Mr. Lithgow with him to Algiers ; but having contracted for his passage to Alexandria, and his baggage, &c. being in the town, he could not accept the offer. As soon as Mr. Lithgow got on shore, he proceedcu tow<^rds his lodg- ings by a private way, (being to embark the same night for Alexan- dria) when, in passing through a narrow uninhabited street, he found himself suddenly surrounded by nine sergeants, or ofiicers, who threw a black cloak over him, and forcibly conducted him to the governor's house. After some little time the governor appeared, lodg- lexan- I found who Ito the ired, DMK OW UAVtYWM. 108 when Mr. Lithgow earneitly begged he might bo informed of the cause of such violent treatment. The govet'nor only answered by shaking his head, and gave orders that the prisoner should be strictly watched till he (the governor) returned from his devotions; directing, at the same time, that the captain of the town, the alcade mnjor, and town notary, should be summoned to appear at his examination, and that all this should be done with the greatest secrecy, to prevent the knowledge thereof reaching the ears of the English merchants then re- siding in the town. These orders were strictly discharged, and on the governor's return, he, with the officers, having seated themselves, Mr. Lithgow was brought before them for exammation. The governor began by ask- ing several questions, namely, of what country he was, whither bound, and how long he had been in Spain. The prisoner, afler answering these and other questions, was conducted to a closet, where, in a short space of time, he was visited by the town-captain, who inquired whether he had ever been at Seville, or was lately come from thence; and patting his cheeks with an air of friendship, conjured him to tell the truth: ^*For (said he) your very countenance shows there is some hidden matter in your mind, which prudence should direct you to disclose.^' Finding himself, however, unable to extort any thing from the prisoner, he lefl him, and reported the same to the governor and the other officers; on which Mr. Lithgow was again brought before them, a general accusation was laid against him, and he was compelled to swear that he would give true answers to such questions as should be asked him. The governor proceeded to inquire the quality of the English com- mander, and the prisoner's opinion what were the motives that pre- vented his accepting an invitation from him to come on shore. He demanded, likewise, the names of the English captains in the squad ron, and what knowledge he had of the embarkation, or preparation for it before his departure from England. The answers given to the several questions asked were set down in writing by the notary ; but the junto seemed surprised at his denying any knowledge of the fitting out of the fleet, particularly the governor, who said he lied, that he was a traitor and a spy, and came directly from England to favour and assist the designs that were projected against Spain; and that he had been for that purpose nine months in Seville, in order to procure intelligence of the time the Spanish navy was expected from the Indies. They exclaimed against his familiarity with the officers of the fleet, and many other English gentlemen, between whom, they said, unusual civilities had passed, but all these transactions had been carefully noticed. Besides, to sum up the whole, and put the truth past all doubt, they said, he came from a council of war, held that morning on board the admiral's ship, in order to put in execution the orders assigned him. They upbraided him with being accessary to the burning of the island of St. Thomas, in the Wwt Indies; "Wherefore (said they) .. ♦■I. '. ■■•• IS? •] It ft; :r! t n f^llk i- :';l'f 104 BOOK OP atAHTTSfl. these Lutherans, and sons of the devil, ought to have no credit given to what they say or swenr." In vail) did Mr. Lithgo\v, endeavour to obviate every accusation laid against him, and to obtain belief from his prejudiced judges. He be<.'ged permission to send for his cloak-bag, which contoined his papers, and might serve to show his innocence. This request they complied with, thinking it would discover some things of which they were ignorant. The cloak-bag was accordingly brought, and being opened, among other things, wus found a license from king James the First, under tho sign manuel, setting forth the bearer^s intention to travel into Egypt ; which was treated by the haughty Spaniards with great contempt. Tho other papers consisted of passports, testimo* nials, &.C. of persons of quality. All those credentials, however, seemed rather to contirm than abate the suspicions of these prejudiced judges, who, after seizing all the prisoner's papers, ordered him again to withdraw. In the mean time a consultation was held to fix the place where the prisoner should be confined. The alcade, or chief judge, was for putting him into the town prison; but this was objected to, par- ticularly by the corregidor, who said, in Spanish, "In order to pre- vent the knowledge of his confinement from reaching his country- men, I will take the matter on myself, and be answerable for the consequences ;'' upon which it was agreed, that he should be confined in the governor's house with the greatest secrecy. This matter being determined, one of the sergeants went to Mr. Lithgow, and begged his money, with liberty to search him. As it was needless to make any resistance, the prisoner quietly complied, when the sergeant (after rifiing his pockets of eleven ducatoons) stripped him to his shirt; and searching his breeches he found, enclosed in the waistband, two canvass bags, containing one hundred and thirty- seven pieces of gold. The sergeant immediately took the money to the corregidor, who, after having told it over, ordered him to clothe the pris- oner, and shut him up close till after supper. About midnight, the sergeant and two Turkish slaves released Mr. Lithgow from his then confinement, but it was to introduce him to one much more horrible. They conducted him through several passages, to a chamber in a remote part of the palace, towaixls the garden, where they loaded him with irons, and extended his legs by means of an iron bar above a yard long, the weight of which was so great that he could neither stand nor sit, but was obliged to lie continually on his back. They ielt tiim in this condition for some time, when they returned with a refreshment of fx)d, consisting of a pound of boiled mutton and a loaf, together with a small quantity of wine; which was not only the first, but the best and last of the kind,, during his confinement in this place. After delivering these articles, the ser geant locked the door, and left Mr. Lithgow to his own private contem- plations. BOOK OF MARTTR8. 105 The next day he received a visit from the govnnior, who promiacd him his liberty, with many othur advantages, it he would contess being a spy; but on his protesting that hu wns ciitircly iiuutcent, li\e gov- ernor left him in a ragc>, Haying, He should see him nu more till far- ther torments construinud him to confess; cominanding the keeper, to whoso care ho wos committed, that ho stioidd permit nu person what- ever to have access to, or commune with him ; that his sustenance should not exceed three ounces of musty bread, and a pint of water every se- cond day; that he shall bo allowed neither bed, pillow, nor coverlid. "Close up ^said he) this window in his room with lime and stone; stop up the holes oi the door with double mats: let him have nothing that bears any likeness to comfort.^* Theso, and several other orders of the like severity, were given to render it impossible for his condi- tion to be known to those of the English nation. In this wretched and melancholy state did poor Lithgow continue without seeing any person for several days, in which time the governor received an answer to a letter he had written, relative to the prisoner, from Madrid; and, pursuant to the instructions given him, began to put in practice the cruelties devised, which they hastened, because Christ- mas holy-days approached, it being then the forty-seventh day since his imprisonment. About two o^clock in the morning, he heard the noise of a coach in the street, and some time after heard the opening of the prison doors, not having had any sleep for two nights; hunger, pain, and melancholy reflections having prevented him from taking any repose. Soon after the prison doors were opened, the nine sergeants, who had first seized him, entered the place where he lay, and without uttering a word, conducted him in hia irons through the house into the street, where a coach waited, and into which they laid him at the bottom on his back, not being able to sit. Two of tlto sergeants rode with him, and the rest walked by the coach side, but all observed the most pro- found silence. Tliey drove him to a vineprcss house, about a league from the town, to which place a rack had been privately conveyed be- fore; and here they shut him up for that night. At day-break the next morning, arrived the governor and the alcade, into whoso presence Mr. Lithgow was immediately brought to un- dergo another examination. The prisoner desired he might have an interpreter, which was allowed to strangers by the laws of that coun- try, but this was refused, nor would they permit him to appeal to Madrid, the superior court of judicature. After a long examination, which lasted from morning till night, there appeared in all his answers so exact a conformity with what he had before said, that they declared he had learned them by heart, there not being the least prevarication. They, however, pressed him again to make a full discovery ; that is, to accuse himself of crimes never committed, the governor adding, "You are still in my power; I can set you free if you comply, if not, I must deliver you to the alcade.^* Mr. Lithgow still persisting in his ■iM MliiikciVMilk,. ufiMttM- 106 BOOK OF HARTVBS. It m !l ''.Ml^ innocence, the governor ordered the notary to draw up a warrant for delivering him to the alcade to be tortured. In consequence of tliis he was conducted by the sergeants to the end of a stone gallery, where the rack was placed. The encarouador, or executioner, immediately struck off his irons, which put him to very great pains, the bolts being so close riveted, that the sledge hammer tor J away half an inch of his heel, in forcing off the bolt ; the anguish of which, together with his weak condition, (not having the least sus- tenance for three days) occasioned him to groan bitterly ; upon which the merciless alcade said, "Villain, traitor, this is but the earnest of what you shall endure." When his irons were off he fell on his knees, uttering a short prayer, that God would be pleased to enable him to be steadfast, and undergo courageously the grievous trial he had to encounter. The alcade and notary having placed themselves in chairs, he was stripped naked, and fixed upon the rack, the office of these gentlemen being to be witness of, and set down the confessions and tortures endured by the delin- quent. It is impossible to describe all the various tortures inflicted upon him. Suffice it to say, that he lay on the rack for above five hours, during which time he received above sixty different tortures of the most hel- lish nature; and had they continued tliem a few minutes longer, he must have inevitably perished. These cruel persecutors being satisfied for the present, the prisoner was taken from the rack, and his irons being again put on, he was con- ducted to his former dungeon, having received no other nourishment than a little warm wine, which was given him rather to prevent his dying, and reserve him for future punishments, than from any principle of charity or compassion. As a confirmation of this, orders were given for a coach to pass every morning before day by the prison ; that the noise made by it might give fresh terrors and alarms to the unhappy prisoner, and deprive him of all possibility of obtaining the least repose. He continued in this horrid situation, almost starved for want of the common necessaries to preserve his wretched existence, till Christmas day, when he received some relief from Mariane, waiting-woman to the governor's lady. This w(xnan having obtained leave to visit him, carried with her some refreshments, consisting of honey, sugar, raisins, and other articles : and so affected was she at beholding his situation, that she wept bitterly, and at her departure expressed tiie greatest con- cern at not being able to give him further assistance. In this loathsome prison was poor Mr. Lithgow kept till he was almost devoured by vermin. Thev crawled about his beard, lips, eye-brows, &c. so that he could scarce open his eyes; and his morti- fication was increased by not having the use of his hands or legs to defend himself, from his being so miserably maimed by the tortures. So cruel was the governor, that he even ordered the vermin to be •wept on him twice in every eight days. He, however, obtained a spy, cently: of the brough blessed your w vicar u '• Im he was rd, lips, is morti- legs to tortures, in to be obtained BOOK OF MARTYRS. 107 some little mitigation of this part of his punishment, from the humani- ty of a Turkish slave that attended him, who, when he could do it with safety, destroyed the vermin, and contributed every refreshment to him that laid in his power. From this slave Mr. Lithgow at length received information which gave him little hopes of ever being released, but, on the contrary, that he should finish his life under new tortures. The substance of this information was, that an English seminary priest, and a Scotch cooper, had been for some time employed by the governor to translate from the English into the Spanish language, all his books and observations; and that it was commonly said in the governor's house, that he was an arch heretic. This information greatly alarmed him, and he began, not without reason, to fear that they would soon finish him, more Especially as they could neither by torture or any other means, bring him to vary from what he had all along said at his difierent examinations. Two days after he had received the above information, the gover- nor, an inquisitor, and a canonical priest, accompanied by two Jesu- its, entered his dungeon, and being seated, after several idle questions, the inquisitor asked Mr. Lithgow if he was a Roman catholic, and acknowledged the pope's supremacy ? He answered, that he neither was the one or did the other; adding, that he was surprised at being asked such questions, since it was expressly stipulated by the articles of peace between England and Spain, that none of the English subjects should be liable to the inquisition, or any way molested by them on account of diversity in religion, dz.c. In the bitterness of his soul he made use of some warm expressions not suited to his circumstances: "As you have almost murdered me (said he) for pretended treason, so now you intend to make a martyr of me for my religion.'' He also expostulated with the governor on the ill return he made to the king of England, (whose subject he was) for the princely humanity exer- cised towards the Spaniards in 1588, when their armr t n ' -'m '■^■-m 108 BOOK OF MABTntS. their special appointment: thy books and papers are miraculouslj translated by the assistance of Providence influencing thy own coun- trymen." This trumpery being ended, they gave the prisoner eight days to consider and resolve whether he would become a convert to their re- ligion ; during which time the inquisitor told him he, with other reli- gious orders, would attend, to give him such assistance thereto as he might want. One of the Jesuits said, (first making the sign of the cross upon his breast) "My son, behold, you deserve to be burnt alive; but by the grace of our lady of Loretto, whom you have blasphemed, we will both save your soul and body." In the morning, the inquisitor with three other ecclesiastics returned, when the former asked the prisoner what difficulties he had on his conscience that retarded his conversion ; to which he answered, "he had not any doubts in his mind, being confident in the promises of Christ, and assuredly believing his revealed will signified in the gos- pels, as professed in the reformed catholic church, being confirmed by ?(race, and having infallible assurance thereby of the christian aith." To these words the inquisitor replied, "Thou art no chris- tian, but an absurd heretic, and without conversion a member of per- dition." The prisoner then told him, it was not consistent with the nature and essence of religion and charity to convince by opprobrious speeches, racks, and torments, but by arguments deduced from the scriptures; and that all other methods would with him be totally inef- fectual. The inquisitor was so enraged at the replies made by the prisoner, that he struck him on the face, used many abusive speeches, and at- tempted to stab him, which he had certainly done had he not been prevented by the Jesuits: and from this time he never again visited the prisoner. The next day the two Jesuits returned, and putting on a very grave supercilious air, the superior asked him, what resolution he had taken? To which Mr. Lithgow replied, that he was already resolved, unless he could show substantial reasons to make him alter his opinion. The superior, afler a pedantic display of their seven sacraments, the intercession of saints, transubstantiation, &c. boasted greatly of their church, her antiquity, universality, and uniformity ; all which Mr. Lithgow denied: "For (said he) the profession of the faith I hold hath been ever since the first days of the apostles, and Christ had ever his own church (however obscure) in the greatest time of your darkness." The Jesuits, finding their arguments had not the desired effect, that torments could not shake his constancy, nor even the fear of the cruel sentence he had reason to expect would be pronounced and executed on him, af>er severe menaces, left him. On the eighth day after, being the last of their inquisition, when sentence is pronounced, they returned again, but quite altered both in their words and behaviour After repeating much of the same kind of arguments as before, they, with seeming tears in their eyes, pretended they were sorry from their )inion. its, the of their ch Mr. dhath ver his mess." ct, that Bie cruel xecuted y after, ed,,they laviour e, they, om their BOOK OF UARTTRS. 100 heart he must be " ''ged to undergo a terrible death; but above all, for the loss of hi^ 3t precious soul ; and falling on their knees, cried out, "Convert, c j.i/ert, O dear brother, for our blessed lady's sake convert*.'' To which he answered, "1 fear neither death nor fire, being prepared for both." The first efiects Mr. Lithgow felt of the determination of this bloody tribunal was, a sentence to receive that night eleven different tortures, and if he did not die in the execution of them, ^which might be reason- ably expected frOm the maimed and disjointed condition he was in) he was, after Easter holy-days, to be carried to Grenada, and there burnt to ashes. The first part of this sentence was executed with great barbarity that night; and it pleased God to give him strength both of body and mind, to stand fast to the truth, and to survive the horrid punishments inflicted on him. Afler these barbarians had glutted themselves for the present, with exercising on the unhappy prisoner the most distinguished cruelties, they again put irons on, and conveyed him to his former dungeon. The next morning he received some little comfort from the Turkish slave before mentioned, who secretly brought him, in his shirt sleeve, some raisins and figs, which he licked up in the best manner his strength would permit with his tongue. It was to this slave Mr. Lith- gow attributed his surviving so long in such a wretched situation; for He found means to convey some of these fruits to him twice every week. It is very extraordinary, and worthy of note, that this poor slave, bred up from his infancy, according to the maxims of his prophet and parents, in the greatest detestation of christians, should be so affected at the miserable situation of Mr. Lithgow, that he fell ill, and continued so for upwards of forty days. During this period Mr. Lithgow was attended by a negro woman, a i^lave, who found means to furnish him with refreshments still more amply than the Turk, being conversant in the house and family. She brought him every day some victuals, and with it some wine in a bottle. The time was now so far elapsed, and the horrid situation so tnriy loathsome, that Mr. Lithgow waited with anxious expectation for the day, which, by putting an end to his life, would also end his torments. But his melancholy expectations were, by the interposition of Provi- dence, happily rendered abortive, and his deliverance obtained from the following circumstances. / It happened that a Spanish gentleman of quality came from Gren- ada to Malaga, who being invited to an entertainment by the governor, he informed him of what had befallen Mr. Lithgow from the time of his being apprehended as a spy, and described the various sufferings he had endured. He likewise told him, that after it was known the prisoner was innocent, it gave him great concern. That on this account he would gladly have released him, restored his money and papers, and made some atonement for the injuries he had received; but that, upon an inspection into his writings, several were found of ■%'■' Jllijff; '"■ .:»y- ■ '*4< !;:i:ii k!- ■iM^ U/'I 110 BOOK OF MARTYRfl. a very blasphemous nature, highly reflecting on their religion. That on his refusing to abjure these heretical opinions, he was turned over to the inquisition, by whom he was finally condemned. While the governor was relating this tragical tale, a Flemish youtli (servant to the Spanish gentleman) who waited at the table, was struck with amazement and pity at the sufferings of the stranger described. On his return to his master's lodgings he began to re- volve in his mind what he had heard, which made such an impression on him that he could not rest in his bed. In the short slumbers he had, his imagination painted to him the person described, o;i the rack, and burning in the fire. In this anxiety he passed the night; and when the morning came, without disclosing his intentions to any person whatever, he went into the town, and enquired for an English factor. He was directed to the house of a Mr. Wild, to whom he related the whole of what he had heard pass, th j preceding evening, between his master and the governor; but could not tell Mr. Lithgow's name. Mr. Wild, however, conjectured it was him, by the servant's remembering the circumstance of his being a traveller, and his having had some acquaintance with him. On the departure of the Flemish servant, Mr. Wild immediately sent for the other English factors, to whom he related all the partic- ulars relative to their unfortunate countryman. Ai)er a short con- sultation it was agreed, that an information of the whole affair should be sent, by express, to Sir Walter Aston, the English ambassador to the king of Spain, then at Madrid. This was accordingly done, and the ambassador having presented a memorial to the king and council of Spain, he obtained an order for Mr. Litbgow's enlargement, and his delivery to the English factory. This order was directed to the governor of Malaga; and was received with great dislike and surprise by the whole assembly of the bloody inquisition. Mr. Lithgow was released from his confinement on the eve of Easter Sunday, when he was carried from his dungeon on the back of the slave who had attended him, to the house of one Mr. Bosbich, where all proper comforts were given him. It fortunately happened, that there was at this time a squadron of English ships in the road, conmianded by Sir Richard Hawkins, who being informed of the past sufferings and present situation of Mr. Lithgow, came the next day ashore, with a proper guard, and received him from the mer- chants. He was instantly carried in blankets on board the Van- guard, and three days after was removed to another ship, by direc- tion of the general Sir Robert ManscI, who ordered that he should have proper care taken of him. The factory presented him with clothes, and all necessary provisions, besides which they gave him 200 reals in silver; and Sir Richard Hawkins sent him two double pistoles. Before his departure from the Spanish coast. Sir Richard Hawkins demanded the delivery of his papers, money, books, &€. but could not obtain any satisfactory answer on that head. I Van- y direc- should m with ive him double lawkins ould not BOOK OF HARTYSS. Ill We cannot help making a pause here to reflect, how manifestly Providence interfered in behalf of this poor man, when he was just on the brink of destruction; for by his sentence, from which there was no appeal, he would have been taken, in a few days, to Grenada, and burnt to ashes: and that a poor ordinary servant, who had not the least knowledge of him, nor was any ways interested ifk his preserva- tion, should risk the displeasure of his master, and hazard his own life, to disclose a tiding of so momentous and perilous a nature, to a strange gentleman, on whose secrecy depended his own existence. By such secondary means does Providence frequently interfere in be- half of the virtuous and oppressed; of which ^'.is is a most distinguish- ed example. After lying twelve days in the road, the ship weighed anchor, and in about two months arrived safe at Deptford. The next morning, Mr. Lithgow was carried on a feather bed to Theobalds, in Hertford- shire, where at that time was the king and royal family. His majesty happened to be that day engaged in hunting, but on his return in the evening, Mr. Lfthgow was presented to him, and related the particu- lars of his sufferings, and his happy delivery. The king was so affect- ed at the narrative, that he expressed the deepest concern, and gave orders that he should be sent to Bath, and his wants properly supplied from his royal munificence. By these means, under God, ader some time, Mr. Lithgow was restored, from the most wretched spectacle, to a great share of health and strength; but he lost the use of his lell arm, and several of the smaller bones were so crushed and broken, as to be ever after rendered useless. Notwithstanding every effort was used, Mr. Lithgow could never obtain any part of his money or effects, though his majesty and the ministers of state, interested themselves in his behalf. Gondamore, the Spanish ambassador, indeed, promised that all his effects should be restored, with the addition of £1000 English money, as some atone- ment for the tortures he had undergone,which last was to be paid him by the governor of Malaga. These engagements, however, were but mere promises ; and though the king was a kind of guarantee for the well performance 'jf them, the cunning Spaniard found means to elude the same. He hp.d, indeed, too great a share of influence in the Eng- Ush council during the time of that pacific reign, when England suf- fered herself to be bullied into slavish compliance by most of the States and kings in Europe. Croly on the tnquisUion. We shall conclude this chapter with the subjoined extract from the New Interpretation of the Apocalypse by the Rev. George Croly. In our fortunate country, the power of the Romish church has so long perished, that we find some difhculty in conceiving the nature, ^nd still more in believing the tyranny of its dominion. The influ- ^ce of the monks, and the murders of the inquisition, have passed 1 t-t^'-- • Mm if' W'V 112 BOOK OF MARTYRS. into a nursery tale; and we turn with a generous, yet rash and most unjustitiable scepticism from the history of llomish authority. Through almost the entire of Italy, through the Flemish dominions of Germany, through a large portion of France, and through the entire of Spain, a great monastic body was established, which, professing u secondary and trivial obedience to the sovereign, gave its first and real obedience to the pope. The name of spiritual homage cloaked the high treason of an oath of allegiance to a foreign monarch ; and whoever ir ight be king of France, or Spain, the pope was king of the Dominicaiis. All the other monastic orders were so many papal out- posts. But the great Dominican order, immensely opulent in its pre- tended poverty; formidably powerful in its hypocritical disdain of earthly inifluence; and remorselessly ambitious, turbulent, and cruel in its primitive zeal ; was an actual lodgment and province of the papacy, an inferior Rome, in the chief European kingdoms. In the closest imitation of Rome, this s}>iritual power had fiercely assumed the temporal sword; the inquisition was army, revenues, and throne in one. With the racks and fires of a tribunal worthy of the gulf of darkness and guilt from which it rose, the Dominicans bore popery in triumph through Christendom, crushing every vestige of religion under the wheels of its colossal idol. The subjugation of the Albigenses in 1229 had scattered the church; the shock of the great military masses was past; a subtler and more active force was required to destroy the wandering people of God ; and the inquisition multipli- ed itself for the work of death. This terrible tribunal set every prin- ciple, and even every form of justice at defiance. Secrecy, that con- founds innocence with guilt, was the spirit of its whole proceeding. AH its stops were in darkness. The suspected revolter from popery was seized in secret, tried in secret, never suffered to see the face of accuser, witness, advocate, or friend, was kept unacquainted with the charge, was urged to criminate himself; if tardy, was compelled to thij self-murder by the rack; if terrified, was only the more speedily murdered for the sport of the multitude. From the hour of his seizure he never saw the face of day, until he was brought out as a public show, a loyal and festal sacrifice, to do honor to the entrance of some travelling viceroy, some new married princess, or, on itiore fortunate occasions, to the presence of the sovereign. The dungeons were then drained, the human wreck of the torture and scourge were gathered out of darkness, groups of misery and exhaustion with wasted forms and broken limbs, and countenances subdued by pain and famine into idiotism, and despair, and madness; to feed the fires round which the Dominicans were chanting the glories of popery, and exulting in the destruction of the body for the good of the soul ! In the original establishment of the inquisition in 1198, it had raged against the Vaudois and their converts. But the victims were exhausted; or not worth the pursuit of a tribunal which looked to the wealth as keenly as to the faith of the persecuted. Opulence and heresy were at length to be found only in Spain, and there the inquisition mr BOOK OP MARTYRS. 113 ' 'Li ! turned with a gigantic step. In the early disturbances of the Penin- sula, the Jews, by those habits of trade, and mutual communion, which still make them the lords of commerce, had acquired the chief wealth of the country. The close of the Moorish war in the 15th cen- tury had lefl the Spanish monarch at leisure for extortion; and he grasped at the Jewish gains in the spirit of a robber, as he pursued his plunder with the cruelty of a barbarian. The inquisition was the great machine, the comprehensive torturer, ready to squeeze out alike the heart and the gold. In 1481, an edict was issued against the Jews; before the end of the year, in the single diucess of Cadiz, two thousand Jews were burnt alive! The fall of the kingdom of Grena- da, in 1492, threw the whole of the Spanish Moors into the hands of the king. They were cast into the same furnace of plunder and tor- ture. Desperate rebellions followed; they were defeated and, in 1609, were finally exiled. "In the space of one hundred and twenty- nine years, the inquisition de[mved Spain of three millions of inhabi- tants." ^ On the death of Leo X. in 1521, Adrian, the inquisitor general, was elected pope. He had laid the foundation of his papal celebrity in Spain. "It appears, according to the most moderate calculation, that during the five years of the ministry of Adrian, 24,025 persons were condemned by the inquisition, of whom one thousand six hundred and twenty were burned alive." It is the constant sophism of those who would cast Christianity bound hand and foot at the mercy of her enemies, that the pope desires to exercise no ititerference in the internal concerns of kingdoms; that, if he had the desire, he has not the power; and that, if he possessed the power, he would be resisted by the whole body of the national clergy. For the exposure of this traitorous delusion, we are to look to the times, when it was the will of popery to put forth its strength ; not to the present, when it is its will to lull us into a belief of its consistency with the constitution, in defiance of common sense, common experience, the spirit of British law, and the loud 'varnings of insulted and hazard- ed religion. Of the multitudes who perished by the inquisition throughout the world, no authentic record is now discoverable. But wherever popery had power, there was the tribunal. It had been planted even in the east, and the Portuguese inquisition of Goa was, till within these few years, fed with many an agony. South America was partitioned into provinces of the inquisition; and with a ghastly mimickry of the crimes of the mother state, the arrivals of viceroys, and the other popular celebrations were thought imperfect without an auto de fu. The Netherlands were one scene of slaughter from the time of the decree which planted the inquisition among them. In Spain the cal- culation is more attainable. Each of the seventeen tribunals durins a long period burned annually on an average ten miserable beings! We are to recollect that this number was in a country where perse- cution had for ages abolished all religious differences, and where the 9* •. S: :n3 -i/fn J, i. h iki BOOK OF XABTnS. 114 difficulty was not to find the stake, but (he ofTering. Yet, even in Spain, thus gleaned of all heresy, the inquisition could still swell its list of murders to thirty-two thousand 1 The numbers burned in eifigy, or con- demned to penance, punishments generally equivalent to exile, confis> cation, and tuint of blood, to all ruin but the mure loss of worthless lifoi amounted to three hundred and nine thousand. But the crowds who pe- rished in dungeons, of the torture, of confinement, and of broken hearts; the millions uf dependent lives made utterly helpless, or hurried to the grave by the death of the victims, are beyond all register; or recorded only before Hm, who has sworn that "He who leadeth into captivity, shall go into captivity: and he that killeth with the sword, shall be killed by the sword." Such was the inquisition, declared by the Spirit of God to be at once the ofibpring and the image of the popedom. To feel the force of the parentage, we must look to the tir le. In the thirteenth century, the popedom was at the summit of mortal dominion; it was independent of all kingdoms; it ruled with a rank of influence never before or since possessed by a human sceptre; it was the acknowledged sovereign of body and soul; to all earthly intents its power was immeasurable for good or evil. It might have spread literature, peace, freedom, and Chris- tianity to the ends of Europe, or the world. But its nature was hos- tile; its fuller triumph only disclosed its fuller evil; and, tu the shame of human reason, and the terror and suffering of human virtue, Rome, in the hour of its consummate grandeur, teemed with the monstrous and horrid birth of the inquisition! CHAPTER VI. f^'U,"^" ▲N AGOOUNT OF THE PERSECUllON IN ITALF, UNDBR THE PAPACY. We shall now enter on an account of the persecutions in Italy, a country which has been, and still is, 1. The centre of popery. 2. The seat of the pontiff. 3. The source of the various errors which have spread themselves over ether countries, deluded the minds of thousands, and diffused the clouds of superstition and bigotry over the human understanding. In pursuing our narrative we shall include the most remarkable persecutions which have happened, and the cruelties which have been practised, 1. By the immediate power of the pope. 2. Through the power uf the inquisition. 3. At the instigation of particular orders of the clergy. 4. By the bigotry of the Italian princes. ■'■J* BOOK OF MARTYRS. 115 In the 12th century, the first persecutions under the papacy began U'. Italy, at the time that Adrian, an Englishman, was pope, being oc- ?;aHioned by the following circumstances: A learned man, and an excellent orator of Brixia, named ArnoH, came to Rome, and boldly preached against the corruptions and inno- vations which had crept into the church. His discourses were so clear, consistent, and breathed forth such a pure spirit of piety, that the senators, and many of the people, highly approved of, and admired his doctrines. This so greatly enraged Adrian, that he commanded Arnold instant- ly to leave the city, as a heretic. Arnold, however, did not comply, for the senators, and some of the principal people, took his part, and re- sisted the authority of the pope. Adrian now laid the city of Rome under an interdict, which caused the whole body of clergy to interpose; and, at length, persuaded the senators and people to give up the point, and suffer Arnold to he ban- ished. This being agreed to, he received the sentence of exile, and retired to Germany, where he continued to preach against the pope, and to expose the gross errors of the church of Rome. Adrian, on this account, thirsted for his blood, and made several at- tempts to get him into his hands ; but Arnold, for a long time, avoided every snare laid for him. At length, Frederic Barbarossa arriving at the imperial dignity, requested that the pope would crown him with his own hand. This Adrian complied with, and at the same time asked a favour of the emperor, which was, to put Arnold into his hands. The emperor very readily delivered up the unfortunate preach- er, who soon fell a martyr to Adrian^s vengeance, being hanged, and his body burnt to ashes, at Apulia. The same fate attended several of his old friends and companions. Encenas, a Spaniard, was sent to Rome, to be brought up in the Roman catholic faith; but having conversed with some of the reform- ed, and read several treatises which they had put into his hands, he be- came a protestant. This, at length, being known, one of his owr, re- lations informed against him, when he was burnt by order of the pope, and a conclave of cardinals. The brother of Encenas had been taken up much about the same time, for having a New Testament, in the Spanish language, in his possession ; but before the time appoint- ed for his execution, he found means to escape out of prison, and re- tired to Germany. Faninus, a learned layman, by reoding controversial books, became of the reformed religion. An information being exhibited against him to the pope, he was apprehended, and cast into prison. His wife, children, relations and friends, visited him in his confinement, and so far wrought upon his mind, that he renounced his faith, and obtained his release. But he was no sooner free from confinement, than his mind felt the heaviest of chains; the weight of a guilty con- science. His horrors were so great, that he found them insupportable, till he had returned from his apostacy, and declared himself fully 's!SW mm ^x 116 BOOK OF MARTYRS. convinced of the errors of the church of Rome. To make amends for his falling off, he now openly and strenuously did all he could to make converts to protestantism, and was pretty successful in his en- deavours. These proceedings occasioned his second imprisonment; but he had his life offered him if he would recant again. This pro- posal he rejected with disdain, saying, that he scorned life upon such terms. Being asked why ho would oLstinately persist in his opinions, and leave his wife and children in distress, he replied, I shall not leave them in distress; I have recommended them to the care of an ex- cellent trustee. What trustee? said the person who had asked the question, with some surprise: to which Faninus answered, Jesus Christ is the trustee I mean, and I think I could not commit them to the care of a better. On the day of execution he appeared remarka- bly cheerful, which one observing, said, it is strange you should appear so merry upon such an occasion, when Jesus Christ himself, just be- fore his death, was in such agonies, that he sweated blood and water. To which Faninus replied ; Christ sustained all manner of pangs and conflicts, with hell and death, on our accounts; and thus, by his suffer- ings, freed those who really believe in him from the fear of them. He was then strangled, and his body being burnt to ashes, they were scat- tered about by the wind. Dominicus, a learned soldier, having read several controversial wri- tings, became a zealous protestant, and retiring to Placentia, he preached the gospel in its utmost purity, to a very considerable con- gregation. At the conclusion of his sermon one day, he said, "If the congregation will attend to-morrow, I will give them a description of Anti-christ, and paint him out in his proper colours.^' A vast concourse of people attended the next day; but just as Do- minicus was beginning his sermon, a civil magistrate went up to the pulpit, and took him into custody. He readily submitted ; but as he went along with the magistrate, made use of this expression: I won- der the devil hath let me alone so long. When he was brought to ex- amination, this question was put to him: Will you renounce your doc- trines? To which he replied: My doctrines! I maintain no doctrines t^my own; what I preach are the doctrines of Christ, and for those I will forfeit my blood, and even think myself happy to suffer for the sake of my Redeemer. Every method was taken to make him recant from his faith, and embrace the errors of the church of Rome ; but when persuasions and menaces were found ineffectual, he was senten- ced to death, and bunged in the market-))lace. Galeacius, a protestant gentleman, who resided near the castle of St. Angelo, was apprehended on account of his faith. Great endea- vours being used by his fiiends he recanted, and subscribed to several of the s'jperstitious doctrines propagated by the church of Rome. Becoming, however, sensible of his error, he publicly renounced his recantation. Boing apprehended for this, he was condemned to be burnt and agreeable to the order, vvas chained to a stake, where he v«s M several hours before flv» fire was put to the faggots, in ordei *•- . :aslle of |t endea- sevcral If Rome. Inced his led to be irhere he in ordei BOOK OF MARTYRS. IIT IS ■■ ' ^''^ Cruelties of the Inquisition. J-^ — ^ ^ -- -1 . ■- -rl- ■ ■ ' -'-■—■' -::■■■ - 1 ■ ■ ' ■ — -- K,. .. Persecutions of the Waldenses ^■. V fill RWI'Hi 1*1^'^''^^ ; 1^,% ^' ■■} ?■ i ... , "m }fl' ■i: 'iK^UAr^ BOOK OW MARTVIL. 119 that his wife, rolotions, and tVicnds, who surroundod hini) might in- duce him to uive up his opinions. Gulcucius, however, retained his couRlutiey ol mind, uiid cnltr'iiiud the executioner to put fire to the wuxi that was to burn hitn. Tiii§, at length he did, and Galeacius wan soon consumed in the flumes, which burnt with amazing rapidity and deprived him of sensation in u few minutes). Soon aAer this gentlenmit's deuih, a great number of protestants were put to death in various | irts of Itui y, on account of their faith, giving a sure proof of their sincerity in their martyrdoms. An account of the Persecutions in Calabria. In the 14th century, many of the Waldenscs of Pragela and Daupiiiny, emigrated to Calabria, and settlifig some waste lands, by the permission of the nobles of that country, they soon, by the most in* dustriuus cultivation, made several wild and barren spots appear with all the beauties of verdure and fertility. The Calabrian lords were highly pleased with their new subjects and tenants, as they were honest, quiet, and industrious; but the priests of the country exhibited several negative complaints against them; for not being able to accuse them of any thing bad which they did do, they founded accusations on what they did not do, and char<;ed them. With not being Roman catholics. With not making any of their boys priests. With not making any of their girls nuns. With not going to mass. With not giving wax tapers to their priests as offerings. With not goijig on pilgrimages. With not bowing to images. The Calab.'ian lords, however, quieted the priests, by telling thero, that these people were extremely harmless; tluit they gave no ofTenca to the Roman catholics, and cheerfully paid the tithes to the priests, whose revenues were considerably increased by their coming into the country, and who, of consequence, ought to be the last persons to com- plain of them. Things went on tolerably well af\er this for a few years, during which the Waldenses formed themselves into two corporate towns, annexing several villages to the jurisdiction of them. At length, tliey sent to Geneva for two clergymen ; one to preach in each town, as they determined to make a public profession of their faith. Intelli- gence of this affair being carried to the pope Pius the Fourth, he deter- mined to exterminate them from Calabria. To this end he sent cardinal Alexandrine, a man of a very violent temper and a furious bigot, together with two monks, to Calabria, where they were to act as inquisitors. These authorized persons come to St. Xist, one of the towns built by the Waldenses, and having assembled the people told them, that they should receive no injury or violence, if they would accept of preachers appointed by the pc^j i'l k '^H ffCi t s ;'«»«,; m ^i fife' iV^M^litft . '' ' M'^i "■■; i''^ If mi'k "■ 120 BOOK OF KARTYRS. but if they would not, they should be deprived b(th of their propertiev and lives; and that their intentions might be known, mass should be publicly said that afternoon, at which they were ordered to attend. The people of St. Xist, instead of attending mass, fled into the woods, with their families, and thus disappointed the cardinal and his coadjutors. The cardinal then proceeded to La Garde, the other town belonging to the Waldenses, where, not to be served as he had been at St. Xisl. he ordered the gates to be locked, and all avenues guarded. 7 he same proposals were then made to the inhabi- tants of La Garde, as had previously been offered to those of St. Xist, but with this additional piece of artifice: the cardinal assured them that the inhabitants of St. Xist had immediately come into his proposals, and agreed that the pope should appoint them preachers. This falsehood succeeded ; for the people of La Garde, thinking what the cardinal had told them to be truth, said, they would exactly follow the example of their brethren at St. Xist. The cardinal having gained his point by deluding the people of one town, sent for two troops of soldiers, with a view to murder those of the other. He, accordingly, despatched the soldiers into the woods, to hunt down the inhabitants of St. Xist like wild beasts, atid gave them strict orders to spare neither age nor sex, but to kill all they came near. The troops entered the woods, and many fell a prey to their ferocity, before the Waldenses were properly apprised of their design. At length, however, they determined to sell their lives as dear as pos- sible, when several conflicts happened, in which the half armed Wal- denses performed piodigies of valour, and many were slain on both sides. The greatest part of the troops being killed in the different ren- contres, the rest were compelled to retreat, which so enraged the car- dinal, that he wrote to the viceroy of Naples for reinforcements. The viceroy immediately ordered a proclamation to be made throughout all the Neapolitan territories, that all outlaws, deserters, and other proscribed persons, should be surely pardoned for their respective offences, on condition of making a campaign against the in- habitants of St. Xist, and continuing under arms till those people were exterminated. Many persons, of desperate fortunes, came in upon this proclama- tion, and being formed into light companies, were sent to scour the woods, and put to death all they could meet with of the reformed religion. The viceroy himself likewise joined the cardinal, at the head of a body of regular forces; and, in conjunction, they did all they could to harass the poor people in the woods. Some they caught and hanged up upon trees, cut down boughs and burnt them, or ripped them open and left their bodies to be devoured by wild beasts, or birds of prey. Many they shot at a distance, but the greatest num- ber they hunted down by way of sport. A few hid themselves in caves; but famine destroyed them in their retreat; and thus all these poor peo- ple perished, by various means, to glut the bigoted malice of their mac ciless persecutors. « BOOK OF XARTraS. 121 The inhabitants of St. Xist were no sooner exterminated, than those of La Garde engaged the attention of the cardinal and viceroy. It was offered, that if they should embrace the Roman catholic persuasion, themselves and families should not be injured, but their houses and properties should be restored, and none would be per- mitted to molest them; but, on the contrary, if they refused this mercy, (as it was termed) the utmost extremities would be used, and the most cruel deaths the certain consequence of their non-com- pliance. Notwithstanding the promises on one side, and menaces on the other, these worthy people unanimously refused to renounce their religion, or embrace the errors of popery. This exasperated the cardinal and vice- roy so much, that 30 of them were ordered to be put immediately to the rack, as a terror to the rest. Those who were put to the rack were treated with such severity, that several died under the tortures; one Charlin, in particular, was so cruelly used, that his belly burst, his bowels came out, and he expir- ed in the greatest agonies. These barbarities, however, did not answer the purposes for which they were intended; for those who remained alive afler the rack, and those who had not felt the rack, remained equally constant in their faith, and boldly declared, that no tortures of body, or terrors of mind, should ever induce them to renounce their God, or worship images. Several were then, by the cardinal's order, stripped stark naked, and whipped to death with iron rods; and some were hacked to pieces with large knives; others were thrown down from the top of a large tower, and many were covered over with pitch, and burnt alive. One of the monks who attended the cardinal, being naturally of a savage and cruel disposition, requested of him that he might shed some of the blood of these poor people with his own hands; when his request being granted, the barbarous man took a large sharp knife, and cut the throats of fourscore men, women, and children, with as little remorse as a butcher would have killed so many sheep. Every one of these bo> dies were then ordered to be quartered, the quarters placed upon stakes, and then fixed in different parts of the country, within a circuit of 30 miles. The four principal men of La (Jarde were hanged, and the clergy- man was thrown from the top of his church steeple. He was terri- bly mangled, but not quite killed by the fall; at which time the vice- roy passing by, said, is the dog yet living? Take him up, and give him to the hogs; when, brutal as this sentence may appear, it was exe- cuted accordingly. Sixty women were racked so violently, that the cords pierced their arras and legs quite to the bone; when, being remanded to prison, their wounds mortified, and they died in the most miserable manner. Many others were put to death by various cruel means; and if any Roman catholic, more compassionate than the rest, interceded for . 1.31' S ■ 'S ■ .!l' ' i^Jk 122 HOOK OF BIARTyRS. I 'l:»A :ki! ^ any of the reformed, he was immediately apprehended, and shared the same fate as a favourer of heretics. The viceroy being obliged to march back to Naples, on some affairs of moment which required his presence, and the cardinal being recalled to Rome, the marquis of Butane was ordered to put the finishing stroke to what they had begun; which he at length efiected, by acting with such barbarous rigour, that there was not a single pciaou of the reform- ed religion lefl living in all Calabria. Thus were a great number of inoffensive and harmless people de- prived of their possessions, robbed of their property, driven from their homes, and, at length, murdered by various means, only because they would not sacrifice their consciences to the siipeistitions of others, embrace idolatrous doctrines which they abhorred, and accept of teachers whom they could not believe. Tyranny is of thr kinds, viz. That which enslaves the person, that which seizes the property, and that which prescribes and dictates to the mind. The two first sorts may be termed civil tyranny, and have been practised by arbitra- ry sovereigns in all ages, who have delighted in tormenting the persons, and stealing the properties of their unhappy subjects. But the third sort, viz. prescribing and dictating to the mind, may be called ecclesiastical tyranny : and this is the worst kind of tyranny, as it includes the other two sorts; for the Romish clergy not only do torture the bodies and seize the effects of those they persecute, but take the lives, torment the minds, and, if possible, would tyrannize over the souls of the \m happy victims. Account of the Persecutions in the Valleys of Piedmont. Many of the Waldenses, to avoid the persecutions to which they v^ere continually subjected in France, went and settled in the valleys of Pied mont, where they increased exceedingly, and flourished very much for a considerable time. Though they were harmless in their behaviour, inoffensive in their conversation, and paid tithes to the Roman clergy, yet the latter could not be contented, but wished to give them some disturbance: they, accordingly, complained to the archbishop of Turin, that the Waldenses of the valleys of Piedmont were heretics, for these reasons: 1. That they did not believe in the doctrines of the church of Rome. 2. That they made no offerings or prayers for the dead. 3. That they did not go to mass. 4. That they did not confess, and receive absolution. 5. That they did not believe in purgatory, or pay money to get the souls of their friends out of it. Upon these charges the archbishop ordered a persecution to be com- menced, and many fell martyrs to the supei'stitious rage of the oriests and monks BOOK OF MARTYRS. 123 At Turin, one of the reformed had his bowels torn out, and put in a basin before his face, where they remained in his view till he expired. At Revel, Catelin Qirard being at the stake, desired the executioner to give him a stone; which he refused, thinking that he meant to throw it at somebody; but Girard assuring him that he had no such design, the executioner complied; when Girard, looking earnestly at the stone, said. When it is in the power of a man to eat and digest this solid stone, the religion for which I am about to suffer shall have an end, and not before. He then threw the stone on the ground, and submitted cheer fully to the flames. A great many more of the reformed were oppress ed, or put to death, by various means, till the patience of the Walden ses being tired out, they flew to arms in their own defence, and formed themselves into regular bodies. Exasperated at this, the bishop of Turin procured a number of troops, and sent against them; but in most of the skirmishes and engagements the Waldenses were successful, which partly arose from their being better acquainted with the passes of the valleys of Piedmont than their adversaries, and partly from the desperation with which they fought; for they well knew, if they were taken, they should not be considered as prisoners of war, but tortured to death as heretics. At length, Philip the seventh, duke of Savoy, and supreme lord of Piedmont, determined to interpose his authority, and stop these bloody wars, which so greatly disturbed his dominions. He was not willing to disoblige the pope, or af/ront the archbishop of Turin ; nevertheless, he sent them both messages, importing, that he could not any longer tamely see his dominions overrun with troops, who were directed by priests instead of officers, and commanded by prelates instead of gener- als; nor would he suffer his country to be depopulated, while he him- self had not been even consulted upon the occasion. The priests, finding the resolution of the duke, did all they could to prejudice his mind against the Waldenses; but the duke told them, that though he was unacquainted with the I'eligious tenets of these peo- ple, yet he had always found them quiet, faithful, and obedient, and therefore he determined they should be no longer persecuted. The priests now had recourse to the most palpable and absurd false- hoods: they assured the duke that he was mistaken in the Waldenses, for they were a wicked set of people, and highly addicted to intemper- ance, uncleaimcss, blasphemy, adultery, incest, and many other abom- inable crimes; and that they were even monsters in nature, for their children were born with black throats, with four rows of teeth, and bodies all over hairy. The duke was not so devoid of common sense as to give credit lo what the priests said, though they affirmed in the most solemn manner the truth of their assertions. He, however, sent twelve very learned and setisible gentlemen into the Piedmontese valleys, to examine into the real characters of the inhabitants. These gentlemen, after travelling through all their towns and villa- ges, and conversing with people of cverv rank among the Waldenses, 10 * "t^ I ! I •!.!>:' ■«*'; ^:•J| "' ! ■ ■m ;i 'I!; 124 BOOK OF MARTYRS. returned to the duke, and gave him the most favourable account of those people; affirming, belbre the faces of the priests who villified them, that they were harmless, inoifensive, loyal, friendly, industrious, and pious: that they abhorred the crimes of which they were accused; and that, should aa individual, through his depravity, fall into any of those crimes, he would, by their laws, be punished in the most exem- plary manner. With respect to the children, the gentlemen said, the priests had told the most gross and ridiculous falsities, for they were neither born with black throats, teeth in their mouths, nor hair on their bodies, but were as fine children as could be seen. "And to convince your highness of what we have said, (continued one of the gentlemen) we have brought twelve of the principal male inhabitants, who are come to ask pardon in the name of the rest, for having taken up arms without your leave, though even in their (»wn defence, and to preserve their lives from their merciless enemies. And we have likewise brought several women, with children of various ages, that your high- ness may have an opportunity of personally examining them as much as you please.^* The duke, afler accepting the apology of the twelve delegates, con- versing with the women, and examining the children, graciously dis- missed them. He then commanded the priests, who had attempted to mislead him, immediately to leave the court; and gave strict orders, that the persecution should cease throughout his dominions. The Waldenses had enjoyed peac« many years, when Philip, the seventh duke of Savoy, died, and his successor happened to be a very bigoted papist. About the same time, some of the principal Walden- ses proposed, that their clergy should preach in public, that every one might know the purity of their doctrines: for hitherto they had preach- ed only in private, and to such congregations as they well knew to consist of none but persons of the reformed religion. On hearing these proceedmgs, the new duke was greatly exaspera ted, and sent a considerable body of troops into the valleys, swearing, that if the people would not change their religion, he would have them flayed alive. The commander of the troops soon found the impractica- bility of conquering them with the number of men he had with him; he, therefore, sent word to the duke, that the idea of subjugating the Waldenses, with so small a force, was ridiculous; that those people were better acquainted with the country than any that were with him, that they had secured all the passes, were well armed, and resolutely determined to defend themselves; and, with respect to flaying them alive, he said, that every skin belonging to those people would cost him the lives of a dozen of his subjects. Terrified at this information, the duke withdrew the troops, deter- mining to act not by force, but by stratagem. He, therefore, ordered rewards for the taking of any of the Waldenses, who might be found straying from their places of security ; and these, when taken, were either flayed alive, or burnt. The Waldenses had hitherto only hnd the new Tedtament, and 2. 2. respect inveterj 3. reigns 4. Thes mentoj Qapsu( eat, and BOOK OF HARTYBS. 135 a few books of the Old, in the Waldensian tongue; but they determined now to have the sacred writings complete in their own language. They, therefore, employed a Swiss printer to furnish them with a com- plete edition of the Old and New Testaments in the Waldensian tongue, which he did for the consideration of fifteen hundred crowns of gold, paid him by those pious people. Pope Paul the third, a bigoted papist, ascending the pontifical chair, immediately solicited the parliament of Turin to persecute the Walden- ses, as the most pernicious of all heretics. The parliament readily agreed, when several were suddenly appre- hended and burnt by their order. Among these was Bartholomew Hector, a bookseller and stationer of Turin, who was brought up a Roman catholic, but haviug read some treatises written by the reform- ed clergy, he was fully convinced of the errors of the church of Rome; yet his mind was, for some time, wavering, and he hardly knew what persuasion to embrace. At length, however, he fully embraced the reformed religion, and was apprehended, as we have already mentioned, and burnt by order of the parliament of Turin. A consultation was now held by the parliament of Turin, in which it was agreed to send deputies to the valleys of Piedmont, with the fol- lowing propositions: 1. That if the Waldenses would come to the bosom of the church of fiome, and embrace the Roman catholic religion, they should enjoy their houses, properties and lands, and live with their families, without the least molestation 2. That to prove their obedience, they should send twelve of their principal persons, with all their ministers and schoolmasters, to Turin, : be dealt vith at discretion. 3. That the pope, the king of France, and the duke of Savoy, ap- proved of, and authorized the proceedings of the parliament of Turin, upon this occasion. 4. That if the Waldenses of the valleys of Piedmont, refused to com- ply with these propositions, persecution should ensue, and certain death be their portion. To each of these propositions the Waldenses nobly replied in the following manner, answering them respectively : 1. That no considerations whatever should make them renounce their religion. 2. That they would never consent to commit their best and most respectable friends, to the custody and discretion of their worst and most inveterate enemies. 3. That they valued the approbation of the King of kings, who ipeigns in heaven, more than any temporal authority. 4. That their souls were more precious than their bodies. These pointed and spirited replies greatly exasperated the parlia- ment of Turin; they continued, with more avidity than ever, to kid- nap such Waldenses as did not act with proper precaution, who were I P' J ■ > ^Hf fe. .'.' I'M 126 BOOK OF MARTYRS. r% US I 1* r-i'-/ ; sure to suffer the most cruel deaths. Among these, it unfortunately happened, that they got hold of Jeffery Varnagle, minister of Angrogne, whom they committed to the flames as a heretic. They then solicited a consideraL e body of troops of the king of France, in order to exterminate the reformed entirely from the valleys of Piedmont; but just as the troops were going to march, the protes- tant princes of Germany interposed, and threatened to send troops to assist the Waldenses, if they should be attacked. The king of France, not caring to enter into a war, remanded the troops, and sent word to the parliament of Turin, that he could not spare any troops at pre- sent to act in Piedmont. The members of the parliament were great- ly vexed at this disappointment, and the persecution gradually ceased, for ns they could only put to death such of the reformed as they caught by chance, and as the Waldenses daily grew more cautious, their cruelty was ob'iged to subside, for want of objects on whom to exercise it. After the Waldenses had enjoyed a few years tranquility, they were again disturbed by the following means : the pope's nuncio coming to Turin to the duke of Savoy upon business, told that prince, he was asloLjished he had not yet either rooted out the Waldenses from the valleys of Piedmont entirely, or compelled them to enter into the bo- som uf the church of Rome. That he could not help looking upon such conduct with a suspicious eye, and that he really thought him a favourer of those heretics, and should report the affair accordingjy to his holiness the pope. Stung by this reflection, and unwilling to be misrepresented to the pope, the duke determined to act with the greatest severity, in order to show his zeal, and to make amends for former neglect by future cruelty. He, accordingly, issued express orders for ill the Walden- ses to attend mass regularly on pain of death. Thi* i\ey absolutely refused to do, on which he entered the Piedmontese valleys, with a formidable body of troops, and began a most furious persecution, in which great numbers were hanged, drowned, ripped open, tied to trees, and pierced with prongs, thrown from precipices, burnt, stabbed, racked to death, crucified with their heads downwards, worried by dogs, &c. These who fled had their goods plundered, and their houses burnt to the ground: they were particularly cruel when they caught a minister or a schoolmastei, whom they put to such exquisite tortures, as are al most incredible to conceive. If any whom they took seemed wavering in their faith, they did not put them to death, but sent them to the gal leys, to be made converts by dint of hardships. The most cruel persecutors, upon this occasion, that titlcnded the duke, were three in number, viz. 1. Thomas Incomel, an apostate; for he was brought up in the reformed religion, but renounced his faith, embraced the errors of popery, and turned monk. He was a great libertine, given to unnatural crimes, and sordidly solicitous for plunder of the Waldenses. 2. Corbis, a man of a very ferocious B Ik Ion, in iied to ibbed, ^ed by irnt to Minister ire al |vering legal 3d the estate; led his Iwas a 3US for Irocious BOOK OF MARTYRS. 127 and cruel nature, whose business was to examine the prisoners. — 3. The provost of justice, who was very anxious for the execution of the Waldenses, as every execution put money in his pocket. These three persons were unmerciful to the last degree; and wherever they came, the blood of the innocent was sure to How. Ex- clusive of the cruelties exercised by the duke, by these three persons, and the army, in their different marches, many local barbarities were committed. At Pignerol, a town in the valleys, was a monastery, the monks of which, finding they might injure the reformed with impunity, began to plunder the houses and pull down the churches of the Walden- ses. Not meeting with any opposition, they seized upon the persons of those unhappy people, murdering the men, confining the women, and putting the children to Roman catholic nurses. The Roman catholic inhabitants of the valley of St. Martin, like- wise, did all they could to torment the neighbouring Waldenses : they destroyed their churches, burnt their houses, seized their properties, stole their cattle, converted their lands to their own use, committed their ministers to the flames, and drove the Waldenses to the woods, where they had nothing to subsist on but wild fruits, roots, the bark of trees, &.c. Some Roman catholic ruffians having seized a minister as he was going to preach, determined to take him to a convenient place, and burn him. His parishioners having inteUigence of tliis affair, the men armed themselves, pursued the ruffians, and seemed determined to rescue their minister; which the ruffians no sooner perceived than they stabbed the poor gentleman, and leaving him weltering in his blood, made a precipitate retreat. The astonished parishioners did all they could to recover him, but in vain: for the weapon had touched the vital parts, and he expired as they were carrying him home. The monks of Pignerol having a great inclination to get the min- ister of a town in the valleys, called St. Germain, into their power, lired a band of ruffians for the purpo o of apprehending him. These ellows were conducted by a treacherous person, who had formerly been a servant to the clergyman, and who perfectly well knew a secret way to the house, by which he could lead them without alarm- ing the neighbourhood. The guide knocked at the door, and being asked who was there, answered in his own name. The clergyman, not expecting any injury from a person on whom he had heaped favours, immediately opened the door; but perceiving the ruffians, he started back, and fled to a back door; but they rushed in, fulluwed, and seized him. Having murdered all his family, they made hiin proceed towards Pignerol, goading him all the way with pikes, lances, swords, dtc. He was kept a considerable time in prison, and then fastened to the stake to be burnt; when two women of the Wal- denses, who had renounced their religion to save their lives, were ordered to carry fagots to the slake to burn him; and as they laid them down, to say, Take these, thou wicked heretic, in recompense 10* » ii ; • (J ■ ] ! .i jl. /, iM 'Si 1 i v,?^ , 128 BOOK OF MARTYRS. for the pernicious doctrines thou hast taught us. These words they both repeated to him- to which he calmly replied, I formerly taught you well, but you have since learned ill. The fire was then put to the fagots, and he was speedily consumed, calling upon the name of the Lord as long as his voice permitted. As the troops of ruffians, belonging to the monks, did great mis- chief about the town of St. Germain, murdering and plundering many of the inhabitants, the reformed of Lucerne and Angrogne, sent some bands of armed men to the assistance of their brethren of St. Germain. These bodies of armed men frequently attacked the ruffians, and often put them to the rout, which so terrified the monks, that they left the monastery of Pignerol for some time, till they could procure a body of regular troops to guard them. The duke not thinking himself so successful as he at first imagined he should be, greatly augmented his forces; ordered the bands of ruffians, belonging to the monks, should join him; and commanded, that a general jail-delivery should take place, provided the persons released would bear arms, and form themselves into light companies, to assist in the extermination of the Waldenses. The Waldenses, being informed of the proceedings, secured as much of their properties as they could, and quitting the valleys, retired to the rocks and caves among the Alps; for it is to be understood, that the valleys of Piedmont are situated at the foot of those prodigious mountains called the Alps, or the Alpine hills. The army now began to plunder and burn the towns and villages wherever they came; but the troops could not force the passes to the Alps, which were gallantly defended by the Waldenses, who always repulsed their enemies : but if any fell into the hands of the troops, they were sure to be treated with the most barbarous severity. A soldier having caught one of the Waldenses, bit his right ear off, saying, I will carry this member of that wicked heretic with me into my own country, and preserve it as a rarity. He then stabbed the man and *h;cc. him into a ditch. A part\ of the troops found a venerable man, upwards of a hundred years of &rp, together with his grand-daughter, a maiden, of about eighteen, in a cave. They butchered the poor old man in the most inhuman manner, and then attempted to ravish the girl, when she start- ed away and fled from them; but they pursuing her, she threw herself from a precipice and perished. The Waldenses, in order the more effectually to be able to repel force by force, entered into a league with the protestant powers of Germany, and with the reformed of Dauphiny and Pragela. These were respectively to furnish bodies of troops; and the Waldenses de- termined, when thus reinforced, to quit the mountains of the Alps, (where they must soon have perished, as the winter was coming on,) and to force the duke's army to evacuate their native valleys. The duke of Savoy was now tired of the war; it had cost him great fatigue and anxiety of mind, a vast number of men, and very BOOK OF MARTYRS. 120 >--.'J o repel ers of These ■ses de- Alps, ng on,) ist him very considerable sums of money. It had been much more tedious and bloody than he expected, as well as more expensive than ho c^ -'d at first have imagined, fur he thought the plunder would ha. dis- charged the expenses of the expedition; but in this ho was mistaken, for the pope's nuncio, the bishops, monks, and other ecclesiastics, who attended the army and encouraged the war, sunk the greatest part of the wealth that was taken under various pretences. For these reasons, and the death of his duchess, of which he had just re* ceived intelligence, and fearing that the Waldensos, by the treaties they had entered into, would become more powerful than ever, he de- termined to return to Turin with his army, and to make peace with the Waldenses. This resolution he executed, though greatly against the will of the ecclesiastics, who were the chief gainers, and the best pleased with re- venge. Before the articles of peace could be ratified, the duke himself died, soon after his return to Turin ; but on his death-bed he strictly enjoined his son to perform what he intended, and to be as favourable as possible to the Waldenses. The duke's son, Charles Emmanuel, succeeded to the dominions of Savoy, and gave a full ratification of peace to the Waldenses, accord- ing to the last injunctions of his father, though the ecclesiastics did all they could to persuade him to the contrary. An account of tlie Persecutions in Venice. While the state of Venice was free from inquisitors, a great numbei of protestants fixed their residence there, and many converts were made by the purity of the doctrines they professed, and the inoffensiveness of the conversation they used. The pope being informed of the great increase of protestantism, in the year 1542 sent inquisitors to Venice to make an inquiry into uie matter, and apprehend such as they might deem obnoxious per- sons. Hence a severe persecution began, and many worthy persoi^ were martyred for serving God with purity, and scorning the trap- pings of idolatry. Various were the modes by which the protestants were deprived of life; but one particular method, which was first invented upon this occasion, we shall d^^scribe; as soon as sentence was passed, the pri- soner had an iron chain which ran through a great stone fastened to his body. He was then laid flat upon a plank, with his face upwards, and rowed between two boats to a certain distance at sea, when the two boats separated, and he was sunk to the bottom by the weight of the stone. If any denied the j'lrisdiction of the inquisitors at Venice, they were sent to R imc, where, being committed purposely to damp prisons, and never called to a hearing, their flesh mortified, and they died miserably in jail. A citizen of Venice, Anthony Ricetti, being apprehended as a pro- e » ' rk. ' S' ■Ml 'I i ^ ' , Hi . 130 BOOK OF UARTTSI. testant, was sentenced to be drowned in the manner we have already described. A few days previous to the time appointed for his execu- tion, his son went to see him, and begged him to recant, that his life might be saved, and himself not letl fatherless. To which the father replied, a good christian is bound to relinquish not only goods and children, but life itself, for the glory of his Redeemer: therefore I am resolved to sacrifice every thing in this transitory world, for the sake of salvation in a world that will last to eternity. The lords of Venice likewise sent him word, that if he would embrace the Romao catholic religion, they would not only give him his life, but redeem a considerable estate which he had mortgaged, and freely present him with it. This, however, he absolutely refused to comply with, sending word to the nobles that he valued his soul beyond all other considera- tions; and being told that a fellow-prisoner, named Francis Sega, had recanted, he answered, if he has forsaken God, I pity him; but I shall continue steadfast in my duty. Finding all endeavours to persuade him to renounce his faith ineffectual, he was executed according to his sentence, dying cheerfully, and recommending his soul fervently to the Almighty. What Ricetti had been told concerning the apostacy of Francis Sega, was absolutely false, for he had never offered to recant, but steadfastly persisted in his faith : and was executed, a few days after Ricetti, in the very same manner. Francis Spinola, a protestant gentleman of very great learning, be- ing apprehended by order of the inquisitors, was carried before their tribunal. A treatise on the Lord^s supper was then put into his hands, and he was asked if he knew the author of it. Tu which he replied, I confess myself to be the author of it, and at the same time solemnly af- firm, that there is not a line in it but what is authorized by, and con- sonant to, the holy scriptures. On this confession ho was committed close prisoner to a dungeon for several days. Being brought to a second examination, he charged the pope^s legate, and the inquisitors, with being merciless barbarians, and then represented the superstitions and idolatries practised by the church of Rome in so glaring a light, that not being able to refute his arguments, they sent him back to his dungeon, to make him repent of what he had said. On his third examination, they asked him if he would recant his errors? To which he answered, that the doctrines he maintained were not erroneous, being ])urely the same as those which Christ and his apostles had taught, and which were handed down to us in the sacred writings. The inquisitors then sentenced him to he drowned, which was executed in the manner already described. He went to meet death with the utmost serenity, s.;cnied to wish for dissolution, and declaring, that the prolongation of his life did but tend to retard that real ha|)pin(3ss which could only be expected in the world to come. suasion, Milan, to whon of Chris BOOK OF MARTYRS. Wt An account of several remarkable individuala, who were martyred in dlffi rent parts of Italy, on account of their religion. John Mullius was lorn at Rome, cf reputable parents. At twelve years of age they placed him in the numastery of Gray Friars, where ho made such a rapid progress in arts, sciences, and languages, that at eighteen years of age he was permitted to take priest's orders. He was then sent to Ferrara, where, after pursuing his studies six years longer, ho was made th-iological reader in the university of that city He now, unhappily, exerted his great talents to disguise tho gospel truths, and to varnish over the errors of the church of Rome. After some years residence in Ferrara, he removed to the university of Boncnia, where he lecamo a professor. Having read some trea tiaes written by ministers of the reformed religion, he grew fully sen- sible of the errors of popery, and soon became n zealous protestant in his heart. He now determined to expound, accordingly to the purity of the gos- pel, St. PauPs epistle to the Romans, in a regular course of sermons. The concourse of people that continually attended his preaching was surprising; but when the priests found the tenor of his doctrines, they despatched an account of the affair to Rome; when the pope sent a monk, named Cornelius, to Bonunia, to expound the same epistle, ac> cording to the tenets of the church of Rome. The people, however, found such a disparity between the two preachers, that the audience of Moilius increased, and Cornelius was forced to preach to empty benches. Cornelius wrote an account of his bad success to the pope, who im- mediately sent an order to apprehend Moilius, who was seized upon accordingly, and kept in close confinement. The bishop of Bononia sent him word that he must recant, or be burnt ; but he appealed to Rome, and was removed thither. At Rome he begged to have a public trial, but that the pope abso- lutely denied him, and commanded him to give an account of his opin- ions in writing, which he did imder the following heads : Original sin. Free-will. The infallibility of the church of Rome. The infallibility of the pope. Justification by faith. Purgatory. Transubstantiation. Mass. Auricular confession. Prayers for the dead. The host. Prayers for saints. Going on pilgrimages. Ex- treme imction. Performing service in an unknown tongue, &,c. &c. All these he confirmed fi-om scripture authority. The pope, upon this occasion, for political reasons, spared him for the present, but soon :. i,er had him apprehended, and put to death; he being first hang- ed, and his body burnt to ashes, A. D. 1553. The year after, Francis Gamba, a Lombard, of the protestant per- suasion, was apprehended, and condemned to death by the senate of Milan. At the place of execution, a monk presented a cross to him; to whom he said, My mind is so full of the real merits and goodness of Christ, that I want not u piece of senseless stick to put me in mind '■i u y r^-. ^ ^H t\ ■^ -J- |,-j>a» v; 'i f' s ■1; f,^f 182 BOOK or MABTTSS. of him. For this expression his tongue was bored through, and he was afterwards burnt. A. D. 1555, A'grriiiH, u student in tho university of Padua, and a man of great learning, having embraced the ruibrmcd religion, did all he could to convert others. X'or tbuso proceedings he was accused of heresy to the pope, and bemg apprehended, was conunittud to tho pri- son at Venice. The pope, being informed of Algerius^s great learning, and surpris- ing natural abilities, thought it would be of infinite service to the church of Rome, if he could induce him to forsake the protestunt cause. He, therefore, sent for him to Rome, and tried, by the niost profane promises, to win him to his purpose. But finding his endeav- ours ineficctunl, he ordered him to be burnt, which sentence was exo> cuted accordingly. A. D. 1559, John Alloy sius, being sent from Geneva to preach in Calabria, was there apprehended as a protestant, carried to Rome, and burnt by order of the pope; and Jcmes Bovellus, for the same reason, was burnt at Messina. A. D. 1560, pope Pius the Fourth, ordered all the protestants to be severely persecuted throughout the Italian states, when great numbers of every age, sex, and condition, suffered martyrdom. Concerning the cruelties practised upon this occasion, a learned and humane Ro- man catholic thus spoke of them, in a letter to a noble lord: "I cannot, niy lord, forbear disclosing -y gCStisiCuts, with reaped persecution now carrying on: I think it cruel and unnecessary; I tremble at the manner of putting to death, as it resembles more the slaughter of calves and sheep, than the execution of human beings. I will relate to your lordship a dreadful scene, of which I was myself an eye-vitness: seventy protestants were cooped up in one filthy dungeon together; the executioner went in among them, picked out one from among the rest, blindfolded him, led him out to an open place before the prison, and cut his throat with the greatest composure. He then calmly walked into the prison again, bloody as he was, and with the knife in his hand selected another, and despatched him in the same manner; and this, my lord, he repeated till the whole number were put to death. I leave it to your lordship^s feelings to judge of my sen- sations upon this occasion ; my tears now wash the paper upon which I give you the recital. Another thing I must mention — the patience with which they met death : they seemed all resignation and piety, fervently praying to God, and cheerfully encountering their fate. 1 cannot reflect without shuddering, how the executioner held the bloody knife between his teeth; what a dreadful figure he appeared, all cov- ered with blood, and with what unconcern he executed his barbarous ofllice." A young Englishman who happened to be at Rome, was one day passing by a church, when the procession of the host was just coming out. A bishop carried the host, which the young man perceiving, he snatched it from him, threw it upon the ground, and trampled it undei 'W-\:-! BOOK OF MARTYRS. 133 his feet, crying out, Ye wretched idolaters, who neglect the true God, to adore a morsel of bread. This action ro provoked the people, Qat they would have torn him to pieces on tho spot; but the priests persua- ded them to let him abide by the sentence of the pope. When the atfair was represented to the pope, he was so greatly ex- asperated that he ordered the prisoner to be burnt immediately ; but a cardinal dissiuvded him from this hasty sentence, saying, it was bet- ter to punish hiui by slow degrees, and to torture him, that they might find out if he had been instigated by any particular person to commit •0 atrocious an act. This being approved, ho was tortured with the most exemplary sever* ity, notwithstanding which they could only get these words from him, It was the will of God that I should do as 1 did. The pope then passed this sentence upon him : 1. That he should be led by the executioner, naked to tne middle, through the streets of Rome. 2. That he should wear the image of the devil upun his nead. 3. That his breeches should be painted with the representation of flames. 4. That he should have his right hand cut off. 5. That afler having been carried about thus in procession, he should be burnt. When he heard this sentence pronounced, he implored God to give him strength and fortitude to go through it. As he passed through tlie streets he was greatly derided by the people, to whom he said some severe things respecting the Romish superstition. But a cardinal, who attended the procession, overhearing him, ordered him to be gag- When he came to the church door, where he trampled on the host, the hangman cut off his right hand, and fixed it on a pole. Then two tormentors, with flaming torches, scorched and burnt his flesh all the rest of the way. At the place of execution he kissed the chains that were to bind him to the stake. A monk presenting the figure of a saint to him, he struck it aside, and then being chained to the stake, fire was put to the fagots, and he was soon burnt to ashes. A little after the 'ast mentioned execution, a venerable old man, who had long been a prisoner in the inquisition, was condemned to be burnt, and brought out for execution. When he was fastened to the stake, a priest held a crucifix to him, on which he said "If you do not take that idol from my sight, you will constrain me to spit upon it.^' The priest rebuked him for this with great severity; but he bade him re- member the first and second commandments, and refrain from idolatry, as God himself had commanded. He was then gagged, that he should not speak any more, and fire being put to the fagots, he sufiered mar- tyrdom in the flames. '4f ,u < J ['/ f ft «i .111-' V| IJ 134 BOc ]»IARTYRS. :hi f ! I '" wl» Account of the Persecutions in the Marquisate of Saluces. The Marquisate of Saluces, on the south side of the valleys of Piedmont, was in A. D. 1561, principally inhaLited by protestants; when the marquis, who was proprietor of it, began a persecution against them at the instigation of the then pope. He began by ban- ishing the ministers, and if any of them refused to leave their flocks, they were sure to be imprisoned, and severely tortui-ed; however, he did not proceed so far as to put any to death. Soon after the marquisate fell into the possession of the duke of Savoy, who sent circular letters to all the towns and villages, that he expected the people should all conform to go to mass. The »nhabitants of Saluces, upon receiving this letter, returned a gen- eral epistle, in answer. The duke, after reading the letter, did not interrupt the protestants for some time; but, at length, he sent them word, that they must either conform to the mass, or leave his dominions in fifteen days. The pro- testants, upon this unexpected edict, sent a deputy to the duke to obtain its revocation, or at least to have it moderated. But Iheir remonstran- ces were in vain, and they were given to understand that the edict was absolute. Some were weak enough to go to mass, in order to avoid banishment, and preserve their property ; others removed, with all their effects, to different countries; and many neglected the time so long, that they were obliged to abandon all they were worth, and leave the marquisate in haste. Those, who unhappily staid behind, were seized, plundered, and put to death. An Account of the Persecutions in the Valleys of Piedmontj in the Seventeenth Century. Pope Clement the eighth, sent missionaries into the valleys of Pied- mont, to induce the protestants to renounce their religion; and these missionaries having erected monasteries in several parts of the valleys, became exceedingly troublesome to those of the reformed, where the monasteries appeared, not only as fortresses to curb, but as sanctuaries for all such to fly to, as had any ways injured them. The protestants petitioned the duke of Savoy against these mission- aries, whose insolence and ill-usage were become intolerable; but in- stead of getting any redress, the interest of the missionaries so far pre- vailed, that the duke published a decree, in which he declared, that one witness should be sufficient in a court of law against a protestant; and that any witness, who convicted a protestant of any crime whatever, should be entitled to one hundred crowns. It may be easily imagined, upon the publication of a decree of this nature, that many protestants fell ma.iyrs to perjury and avarice; for several villanous papists would swear any thing against the protes- tants for the sake of the reward, and then fly to their own priests for absolution from their false oaths. If any Roman catholic, of more UwUUrti BOOK OF HABTTRS. 135 xes. leys of estants ; lecution by ban- r flocks, 3ver, he Juke of that he id a gen- atestants St either rhe pro- to obtain lonstran- idict was lishment, effects, to hey were uisate in [undered, rUf in the i of Pied- md these B valleys, vhere the inctuaries 1 missiou- 3 ; but in- o far pre- , that one jtant; and whatever, ee of this arice; for le protes- pricsts for , of more ^1 Cruelties inflicted on the Walc^enses by the Catholics. ^^^Hnfirf'x^l ^^B"^Wk ^^BRv.M 'ilM^M ^^^^^H ^ySfj^^^^^^l H^H RMHI^^H ^KKf^^Wm ■■ ^^^H ^^^^^^^^ MH HH^^^H jp|| ^^■^■1 '^^^^Smj^SS^^^^^^B^^^Kk Bumiog of Pfotestants by the Catholics^ M. 'm. . '^f^ M i ii I 1.1* j/i i r;* 'H; 1 m ■4 1 !l * I'.l. , ■ I mm -mm i'j . 1^. .'fi r ' 'i-M- 1 '' ; ill f:"^ :-::i- !>-■: ' J ■•>' -V ■ 'h,. '4'' i' B?' Ii' i'lli *#•■ ■IK- ■ ■ , 11 n 1 ^*, 'jMI ■ 1 1 ! i'-'^ ^1 ^' i ■.# s 1. ■,i f.;:: f^.-^, ,i ■ #i ..'.— «l.™- - •■'t- .■•*■' ■J, ■i!';''i!'<' BOOK OF HARTYSS. 187 conscience than the rest, blamed these fellows for their atrocious crimes, they themselves were in danger of being informed against and punish- ed as favourers of heretics. The missionaries did all they could to get the books of the protes- tants into their hands, in order to burn them; when the protestants doing their utmost endeavours to conceal their books, the missionaries wrote to the duke of Savoy, who, for the heinous crime of not sur- rendering their bibles, prayer-books, and religious treatises, sent a number of troops to be quartered on them. These military gentry did great mischief in the houses of the protestants, and destroyed such quantities of provisions, that many families were thereby ruined. To encourage, as much as possible, the apostacy of the protestants, the duke of Savoy published a proclamation wherein he said, "To en- courage the heretics to turn catholics, it is our will and pleasure, and we do hereby expressly command, that all such as shall embrace the holy Roman catholic faith, shall enjoy an exemption, from all and every tax for the space of five years, commencing from the day of their con- version." The duke of Savoy likewise established a court, called the council for extirpating the heretics. This court was to enter into in- quiries concerning the ancient privileges of the protestant churches, and the decrees which had been, from time to time, made in favour of the protestants. But the investigation of these things was carried on with the most manifest partiality; old charters were wrested to a wrong sense, and sophistry was used to pervert the meaning of every thing, which tended to favour the reformed. As if these severities were not sufficient, the duke, soon afler, pub- lished another edict, in which he strictly commanded, that no protest- ant should act as a schoolmaster, or tutor, either in public or private, or dare to teach any art, science, or language, directly or indirectly, to persons of any persuasion whatever. This edict was immediately followed by another, which decreed, that no protestant should hold any place of profit, trust, or honour; and to wind up the whole, the certain token of an approaching persecution came forth in a final edict, by which it was positively ordered, that all protestants should diligently attend mass. The publication of an edict, containing such an injunction, may be compared to unfurling the bloody flag; for murder and rapine were sure to follow. One of the first objects that attracted the notice of the papists, was Mr. Sebastian Basan, a zealous protestant, who was seized by the missionaries, confined, tormented for fifleen months, and then burnt. Previous to the persecution, the missionaries employed kidnappers to steal away the protestants^ children, that they might privately be brought up Roman catholics; but now they took away the children by open force, and if they met with any resistance, murdered the parents. To give greater vigour to the persecution, the duke of Savoy called a general assembly of the Roman catholic nobility and gentry, when 4' '.(» i « ;,'/ r "-fS 138 BOOK OF MARTYRS. a solemn edict Avas published against the reformed, containing many heads, and including several reasons fur extirpating the protestants; among which were the following: 1. For the preservation of the papal authority. 2. Tfiat the church livings may be all under one mode of govern- ment. 3. To make a union among all parties. 4. In honour of all the saints, and of the ceremonies of the church of Rome. This severe edict was followed by a most cruel order, published on January 25, A. D. 1655, under the duke's sanction, by Andrew Gas- taldo, doctor of civil laws. This order set forth, "That every hea^ of a family, with the individuals of that family, of the reformed re- ligion, of what rank, degree, or condition soever, none excepted, inhabiting and possessing estates in Lucerne, St. Giovanni, Bibiana, Campiglione, St. Secondo, Lucernetta, La Torre, Fenile, and Bricheras- sio, should, within three days after the publication thereof, withdraw and depart, and be withdrawn out of the said places, and trans- lated into the places and limits tolerated by his highness during his pleasure; particularly Bobbio, Angrogna, Vilario, Rorata, and the county of Bonetti. <*And all this to be dbnb on pain of death, and confiscation of house and goods, unless within the limited time they turned Roman catholics.'^ A flight with such speed, in the midst of winter, may be conceived as no agreeable task, especially in a country almost surrounded by mountains. The sudden order affected all, and things, which would have been scarcely noticed at another time, now appeared in the most conspicuous light. Women with child, or women just lain-in, were not objects of pity on this order for sudden removal, for all were in- cluded in the command; and it unfortunately happened, that the winter was remarkably severe and rigourous. The papists, however, drove the people from their habitations at the time appointed, without even suffering them to have sufficient clothes to cover them; and many perished in the mountains through the severity of the weather, or for want of food. Some, however, who remained behind afler the decree was published, met with the severest treatment, being murdered by the popish inhabitants, or shot by the troops who were quartered in the valleys. A particular description of these cruelties is given in a letter, written by a protest- ant, who was upon the spot, and who happily escaped the carnage. "The army (says he) having got fc»ntiiig. became very numerous, by the addition of a multitude of the neighbouring popish inhabitants, who finding we were the destined prey of the plunderers, fell upon us with an impetuous fury. Exclusive of the duke of Stivoy's troops, and the popish inhabitants, there were several regiments of French •uxiiiarics, some companies belonging to the Irish brigade.s, and several bands formed of outlaws, smugglers, and prisoners, who had be«a BOOK OF MARTYRS. 130 itions at sufficient through lowever, with the tants, or •articular a protest- carnage, eroua, by habitants, fell upon fs troops, jf French nd several had l)e«a promised pardon and liberty in this world, and absolution in the next, for assisting to exterminate the protestants from Piedmont. <*This armed multitude being encouraged by the Human catholic bishops and monks, fell upon the protestants in a most furious man- ner. Nothing now was to be seen but the face of horror and despair; blood stained the floors of the houses, dead bodies bestrewed the streets, groans and cries were heard from all parts. Some armed themselves, and skirmished with the troops; and many, with their families, fled to the mountains. Iti one village they cruelly tor- mented 150 women and children after the men were tied, beheading the women, and dashing out the brains of the children. In the towns of Vilaro and Bobbio, most of those who refused to go to mass, who were upwards of fifteen years of age, they crucified with their heads downwards; and the greatest number of those who were under that age were strangled." Sarah Rastignole des Vignes, a woman of 60 years of age, being seized by some soldiers, they ordered her to say a prayer to some saints^ which she refusing, they thrust a sickle into her belly, ripped her up, and then cut off her head. Martha Constantine, a handsome young woman, was treated with great indecency and cruelty by several of the troops, who first rav- ished, and then killed her, by cutting off her breasts. These they fried, and set before some of their comrades, who ate them without knowing what they were. When they had done eating, the others told them what they had made a meal of, in consequence of which a quarrel ensued, swords were drawn, and a battle took place. Several were killed in the fray, the greater part of whom were those concerned in the horrid massacre of the woman, and who had practised such an inhuman deception on their companions. Some of the soldiers seized a man of Thrassiniere, and ran the points of their swords through his ears, and through his feet. They then tore off the nails of his fingers and toes with red-hot pincers, tied him to the tail of an ass, and dragged him about the streets; and, finally fastened a cord round his head, which they twisted with a stick in so violent a manner as to wring it from hit body. Peter Symonds, a protestant, of about eighty years of age, was tied neck and heels, and then thrown down a precipice. In the fall, the branch of a tree caught hold of the ropes that fastened him, and sus- pended him in the midway, so that he languished for several days, and at length miserably perished of hunger. Esay Garcino, refusing to renounce his religion, was cut into small pieces; the soldiers, in ridicule, saying, they had minced him. A woman, named Armand, had every limb separated from each other, and then the respective parts were hung upon a hedge. Two old wo- men were ripped open, urid then lefl in the fields upon the snow, where they perished ; and a very old woman, who was deformed, had her nose and hands cut off, and was lef>, to bleed to death in that HWnner. Y1 i^'ri: ■i, 140 BOOK OF MARTYR8. A great number of men, women, and children, were flung from the rocks, and dashed to pieces. Magdalen Bertino, a protestant woman of La Torre, was stripped stark naked, her head tied between her legs, and thrown down one of the precipices; and Mary Raymondet, of the same town, had the flesh sliced from her bones till she expired. Magdalen Pilot, of Villaro, was cut to pieces in the cave of Castolus; Ann Charboniere had one end of a stake thrust up her body; and the other being fixed in the ground, she was left in that manner to perish; and Jacob Perrin the elder, of the church of Villaro, and David, his brother, were flayed alive. An inhabitant of La Torre, named Giovanni Andrea Michialin, was apprended, with four of his children; three of them were hacked to pieces before him, the soldiers asking him, at the death of every child, if he would renounce his religion? which he constantly refused. One of the soldiers then took up the last and youngest by the legs, and putting the same question to the father he replied as before, when the inhuman brute dashed out the chiUPs brains. The father, how- ever, at the same moment started from them, and fled : the soldiers fired afler him, but missed him; and he, by the swiftness of his heels, escaped, and hid himself in the Alps. Farther PersectUions in the Valleys of Piedmont^ in the seventeenth Century. Giovanni Pelanchion, for refusing to turn papist, was tied by one Jcg to the tail of a mule, and dragged through the streets of Lucerne, &midst the acclamations of an inhuman mob, who kept stoning him, and crying out. He is possessed with the devil, so that, neither stoning, nor dragging him through the streets, will kill him, for the devil keeps him alive. They then took him to the river side, chopped off his head, and lefl that and his body unburied, upon the bank of the stream. ■ Magdalen, the daughter of Peter Fontaine, a beautiful child of ten years of age, was ravished and murdered by the soldiers. Another girl of about the same age, they roasted alive at Villa Nova; and a poor woman, hearing the soldiers were coming toward her house, snatched up the cradle in which her infant son was asleep, and fled toward the woods. The soldiers, however, saw and pursued her, when she lightened herself by putting down the cradle and child, which the soldiers no sooner came to, than they murdered the infant, and continuing the pursuit, found the mother in a cave, where they first ravished, and then cut her to pieces. Jacob Michelino, chief elder of the church of Bobbio, and several other protestants, were hung up by means of hooks fixed in their bellies, and lefl to expire in the most excruciating tortures. Giovanni Rostagnal, a venerable protestant, upwards of fourscore years of age, had his nose and ears cut off, and slices cut from the fleshy parts of his body, till he bled to death. Seven persons, viz. Daniel Seleagio and his wife, Giovanni Durant, Lodwich Durant, Bartholomew Durant, Daniel Revel, and Paul m ■ Ji?' I'm. be he us; the sh; his lUn, ;ked irery ised. legs, vhen how- diers leels, y one icerne, him, [oning, keeps head, often lother land a iouse, \A fled her, child, [infant, jy first lirecore jmthe )urant, Paul BOOK OF MARTYBS. 141 ReynauJ, had their mouths stuflfod with gun-powder, which being set fire to, their heads were blown to pieces. Jacob Birone, a schoolmaster of Rorata, for refusing to change his religion, was stripped quite naked; and after having been very inde* cently exposed, had the nails of his toes and fingers torn ofi" with red- hot pincers, and holes bored through his hands with the point of a dagger. He then had a cord tied round his middle, and was led through the streets with a soldier on each side of him. At every turn- ing the soldier on his right hand side cut a gash in his flesh, and the soldier on his lefl hand side struck him with a bludgeon, both saying, at the same instant. Will you go to mass? will you go to mass? He still replied in the negative to these interrogatories, and being at length taken to the bridge, they cut off his head on the balustrades, and threw both that and his body into the river. F'aul Gamier, a very pious protestant, had his eyes put out, was then flayed alive, and being divided into four parts, his quarters were placed on four of the principal houses of Lucerne. He bore all his sufferings with the most exemplary patience, praised God as long as he could speak, and plainly evinced, what confidence and resignation a good conscience can inspire. Daniel Garden, of Rocappiata, being apprehended by some soldiers, they cut his head off, and iiaving fried his brains, ate them. Two poor old blind women, of St. Giovanni, were burnt alive; and a widow of La Torre, with her daughter, were driven into the river, and there stoned to death. Paul Giles, on attempting to run away from some so1taif)f;d his faith with steadfast resolution, and unshaken constancy, they stab- bed him to the heart, and then gave his body to be devoured by dogs. Peter Gabriola, a protestant gentleman of considerable eminence, being seized by a troop of soldiers, and refusing to renounce his reli- gion, they hung a great number of little bags of gun-powder about his body, and then setting fire to them, blew him up. Anihony, the son of Samuel Cutieris, a poor dumb lad >vho was e;c- tremeiy inoffensive, was cut to pieces by a party of the troops; and soon after the same ruflians enrered the house of Peter Moniriat, and cut off th'j legs of the .vh .le famil;. , leaving them to bleed to death, as they were unable to assist themselves, or to help ea.'h «itUer. Daniel B ;nech bein^ apprchen led, had his n sc slit, his oars cut off, and was thsn divided into quarters, each quarter being h ing upon a BOOK OF MARTYBI. 14fto tree; and Mary Munino, hud her jaw bones broke and was then leA to languish till she wos famished. Mary Pelanchion, a handsome widow, belonging to the town of Vil- laro, was seized by a party of the Irish brigades, who having beat her cruelly, and ravished her, dragged her to a high bridge which crossed tnu river, and stripped her naked in a most indecent manner, hung her by the legs to the bridge, with her head downwards towards the water, and then going into boats, they fired at her till she expired. Mary Nigrino, and her daughter who was an idiot, were cut to pieces in the woods, and their bodies left to be devoured by wild beasts: Susanna Bales, a widow of Villaro, was immured till she perished through hunger; and Susanna Calvio running away from some sol- diers and hiding herself in a barn, they set fire to the straw and burnt her. Paul Armand was hacked to pieces; a child named Daniel Bertino was burnt; Daniel Michialino had his tongue plucked out, and was led to perish in that condition ; and Andreo Bertino, a very old man, who was lame, was mangled in a most shocking manner, and at length had his belly ripped open, and his bowels carried about on the point of a halbert. Constantia Bellione, a protestant lady, being apprehended on ac- count of her faith, was asked by a priest if she would renounce the devil and go to mass ; to which she replied, "I was brought up in a religion, by which I was always taught to renounce the devil ; but should I C'.mply with your desire, and go to mass, I should be sure to meet him there in a variety of shapes." The priest was highly in- censed at what she said, and told her to recant, or she should suffer cruelly. The lady, however, boldly answered, that she valued not any sufferings he could inflict, and in spite of all the torments he could invent, she would keep l^^r conscience pure and her faith inviolate. The priest then ordered slices of her flesh to be cut off from several parts of her body, which cruelty she bore with the most singular pa- tience, only saying to the priest, what horrid and lasting torments will you suffer in hell, for the trifling and temporary pains which I now endure. Exasperated at this expression, and willing to stop her tongue, the priest ordered a file of musqueteers to draw up and iSre upon her, by which she was soon despatched, and sealed her martyr- dom with her blood. A young woman named Judith Mandon, for refusing to change her religion, and embrace popery, was fastened to a stake, and sticks thrown at her from a distance, in the very same manner as that barbarous cus- tom which was formerly practised on Shrove-Tuesday, of shying at cocks, as it was termed. By this inhuman proceeding, the poor crea- ture's limbs were beat and mangled in a terrible manner, and her brains were at last dashed out by one of the bludgeons. David Paglia and Paul Genre, attempting to escape to the Alps, with each his son, were pursued and overtaken by the soldiers in a large plain. Here they hunted them for their diversion, goading them %. t' r^ ♦ ♦< ' .f: 4 « iT>ii M . 146 BOOK OF HABTYRS. with their swords, and making thorn run about till they dorpped down with fatigue. When they found thut their spirits wore quite oxhaust- ud, and that they could not utTurd thcin any more harbarous 8|)ort l>y running, the soldiers hacked them to pieces, and left their mangled bo- dies on the spot. A young man of Bobbio, named Michael Greve, was apprehended in the town of La Torre, and being led to the bridge, was thrown over into the river. As he could swim very well, ho swam down the stream, thinking to escape, but the soldiers and mob followed on both sides the river, and kept stoning him, till receiving a blow on one of his temples, he was stunned, and consequently sunk and was drowned. David Armand was ordered to lay his head down on a block, when a soldier, with a large hammer, beat out his bruins. David Bari- dona being apprehended at Vrllaro, was carried to La Torre, whea', refusing to renounce his religion, he was ti.rmented by means of brimstone matches being tied between his fingers and toes, and set fire to; and afterward, by having his flesh plucked oflf with red-hot pincers, till he expired; and Giovanni Barolina, with his wife, wore thrown into a pool of stagnant water, and compelled, by nwans of pitchforks and stones, to duck down their heads till they were sufiu- cate'i. A number of soldiers went to the house of Joseph Garniero, and be- fore they entered, fired in at the window, to give notire of their ap- proach. A musket ball entered one of Mrs. G^rniero's breasts, as she was suckling an infant with the other. On finding their intentions, she begged hard that they would spare the life of the infant, which they promised to do, and sent it immediately to a Roman catholic nurse. They then took the husband and hanged him at his own door, and hav- ing shot the wife through the head, they lefl her body weltering in its blood, and her husband hanging on the gallows. Isaiah Mondon, an elderly man, and a pious protestant, fled from the merciless persecutors to a cletl in a rock, where he siiflered the most dreadful hardships; for, in the midst of the winter he was forced to lay on the bare stone, without any covering; his food was the roots he could scratch up near his miserable habitation; and the only way by which he could procure drink, was to put snow in his BH)uth till it melted. Here, however, some of the inhuman soldiers found him, and after having beaten him unmercifully, they drove him towards Lucerne, goading him with the points of their swords, — Being exceedingly weakened by his manner of living, and his spirits exhausted by the blows he had received, he fell down in the ruad. They again beat him to make him proceed : when on his knees, hu implored them to put him out of his misery, by despatching him. This they at last agreed to do; and one of them stepping up to him, shot Him through the head with a pistol, saying, there, heretic, take thy request. wc hu Qiil nof fire an< £ cav( cust proc wliic cath( OCCfl! tants The of he licighi Mfn IBt- by bo- kded over tho both e of >vn8 when Bari- ^herc, lUB of nd set red-hot , were mns of « sufib* and be- tieir ap- 8, as she lons, she ich they c nurse. and hav- )g in its led from fered the ho was |food was and the tw in his I soldiers Irove him jwords. — Ms spirits the road. knees, ho hing him. ip to him, jtic, take BOOK OF MARTYRS. 147 Mary Revo), a worthy protcstant, received a shot in her back, as she was walking along tho street. She dropped down with the woundy but rocovoring sutticient strength, she raised herself upon her knees, an^l lifting hur hands towards heaven, prayed in a miisl fervent man- noi to the Almighty, when a number of soldiers, who were near at hand, fired a whole volley of shot at her, many of which took effect, and put an end to her miseries in an instant. Several men, women, and children, secreted themselves in a large cave, where thev continued for some weeks in safety. It was the custom for two of tlio men to go when it was necessary, and by stealth procure provisions. These were, however, one day watched, by which the cave was discovered, and soon aflcr, a troop of Roman catholics appeared before it. The papisib that assembled upon this occasion were neighbours, and intimate acquaintances of the protes- tants in the cave; and some of them were even related to each other. The protestants, therefore, came out, and implored them, by the ties of hospitality, by the ties of blood, and as old acquaintances and neighbours, not to murder them. But superstition overcomes every sensation of nature and humanity ; so that the papists, blinded by big- otry, told them they could not show any mercy to heretics, and, there- fore, bade them prepare to die. Hearing this, and knowing the fatal obstinacy of the Roman catholics, the protestants all fell prostrate, lift- ed their hands and hearts to heaven, prayed with great sincerity and fervency, and then bowing down, put their faces close to the ground, and patiently awaited their fate, which was soon decided, for the pa- pists fell upon them with unremitting fury, and having cut them to pieces, left the mangled bodies and limbs in the cave. Giovanni Salvngiot, passing by a Roman catholic church, and not taking off his hat, was followed by some of the congregation, who fell upon and murdered him ; and Jacob Barrel and his wife, having been taken prisoners by the earl of St. Secondo, one of the duke of Savoy^s olTicers, he delivered them up to the soldiery, who cut ofT the woinan^s breasts, and the man's nose, and then shot them both through the head. Anthony Guigo, a protestant, of a wavering disposition, went to Periuro, with an intent to renounce his religion and embrace popery. This design he communicated to some priests, who highly commen- ded it, and a day was fixed upon for his public recantation. In the mean time, Anthony grew fully sensible of his perfidy, and his con- science tormented him so much night and day, that he determined not to recant, but to make his escape. This he effected, but being soon missed and pursued, he was taken. The troops on the way did all they could to bring Iiim back to his design of recantation ; but finding their endeavours ineffectual, they beat him violently on the road, when coming near a precipice, he took an opportunity of leaping down it, and was dashed to pieces. A protestant gentleman, of considerable fortune, at Bobbio, being highly provoked by the insolence of a priest, retorted with great ,0i0^'tfJ:, » tl » } I Vli " .f frJl4 I ■■■:■. :i: ■ i^( !t., * It! 't 148 BOOK OF UASTYRS. severity; and, among other things, said, that the nope waii WtoSriq^ mass idolatry, purgatory a farce, and absolution a cheat. To be re- venged, the priest hired five desperate ruffians, who, the sanne evening, bruke into the gentleman's house, and seized upon him in a. violent manner. The gentleman was terribly frightened, fell on his knees, Hnd implored mercy; but the desperate ruffians despatched him without (he least hesitation. A Narrative of the Piedmontese War. The massacres and murders already mentioned to have been com- mitted in the valleys of Piedmont, nearly depopulated most of the towns and villages. One place only had not been assaulted, and that was owing to the difficulty of approaching it; this was the little commonalty of Roras, which was situated upon a rock. As the work of blood<^rew slack in other places, the earl of Chris- iDple, one of the duke of Savoy's officers, determined, if possible, to make himself master of it; and, with that view, detached three hun- dred men to surprise it secretly. The inhabitants of Roras, however, had intelligence of the approach of these troops, when captain Joshua Gianavcl, a brave protestant offi- cer, put himself at the head of a small- body of the citizens, and waited in ambush to attack the enemy in a small defile. When the troops appeared, and had entered the defile, which was the only place by which the town could be approached, the protestants kept up a smart and well directed fire against them, and still kept themselves concealed behind bushes from the sight of the enemy. A great number of the soldiers were killed and the remainder receiving a continued fire, and not seeing any to whom they might return it. 'hought proper to retreat. The members of this little community then sent a memorial to th» marquis of Pianessa, one of the duke's general officers, setting forth, "That they were sorry, upon any occasion, to be under the necessity of taking up arms; but that the secret approach of a body of troops, without any reason assigned, or any previous notice sent of the pur- pose of their coming, had greatly alarmed them; that as it was their custom never to sufier any of the military to enter their little com- munity, they had repelled force by force, and should do so again; but in all other respects, they professed themselves dutiful, obedient, and loyal subjects to their sovereign the duke of Savoy." The marquis of Pianessa, that he might have the better opportu- nity of deluding and surprising the protestants of Roras, sent them word in answer, "That he was perfectly satisfied with their beha- viour, for they had done right, and even rendered a service to their country, as the men who had attempted to pass the defile were not his troops, or sent by him, but a band of desperate robbers, who had, for some time, infested those parts, and been a terror to the neighbouring country." To give a greater colour to his treachery, he then pub- IfiP'v opportu- nl them ir beha- to their J not his had, foi hbouring len pub- BOOK OF MARTYKS. 149 liished an ambiguous proclamation seemingly favourable to the inha bitants. Yet, the very day after this plausible proclamation, and specious con- duct, the marquis sent 500 men to possess themselves of Roras, while the people, as he thought, were lulled into perfect security by his spe- cious behaviour. Captain Giunavel, however, was not to be deceived so easily : he, therefore, laid an ambuscade for this body of troops, as he had for the former, and compelled him to retire with very considerable loss. Though foiled in these two attempts, the marquis Pianessa deter- mined on a third, which should be still more formidable; but first he imprudently published another proclamation, disowning any knowledge of the second attempt. Soon after, 700 chosen men were sent upon the expedition, who, in spite of the Are from the protestants, forced the defile, entered Roras, and began to murder every person they met with, without dis- tinction of age or sex. The protestant captain Gianavel, at the head of a small body, though he had lost the defile, determined to dispute their passage through a fortified pass that led to the richest and best part of the town. Here he was successful, by keeping up a continual fire, and by means of his men being all complete marksmen. The Roman catholic commander was greatly staggered at this opposition, as he imagined that he had surmounted all difficulties. He, however, did his endeavours to force the pass, but being able to bring up only twelve men in front at a time, and the protestants being secured by a breastwork, he found he should be bafiied by the handful of men who opposed him. Enraged at the loss of so many of his troops, and fearful of disgrace if he persisted in attempting what appeared so impracticable, he thought it the wisest thing to retreat. Unwilling, however, to withdraw his men by the defile at which he had entered, on account of the diffi- culty and danger of the enterprise, he determined to retreat towaraa Villaro, by another pass called Piampra, which, though hard of access, was easy of descent. But in this he met with a disappointment, for captain Gianavel having posted his little band here, greatly annoyed the troops as they passed, and even pursued their rear till they enter- ed the open country. The marquis of Pianessa, finding that all his attempts were frus- trated, and that every artifice he used, was only an alarm-signal to the inhabitants of Roras, determined to act openly, and therefore pro- claimed, that ample rewards should be given to any one who would bear arms against the obstinate heretics of Roras, as he called them; and that any officer who would exterminate them should be rewarded in a princely manner. This engaged captain Mario, a bigoted Roman catholic, and a desper- ate ruffian, to undertake the enterprize. He, therefore, obtained leave to raise a regiment in the following six towns : Lucerne, Borges, Famt> las, Bobbio, Bagnal, and Cavos. * « 12 V •* ■ if ■m V' K'^V 1 jm- ■i • • *^;-5 h l;fi|:i. fc" , '• :f ' . mi \ 1 * 150 BOOK OF MARTYRS. Having completed his regiment, which consisted of 1000 men, he laid his plan not to go by the defiles or the passes, but to attempt gaining the summit of a rock, flom whence he imagined he could pour his troops into the town without much difficulty or opposition. The protestants suffered the Roman catholic troops to gain almost the summit of the rock, without giving them any opposition, or ever appearing in their sight: but when they had almost reached the top, they made a most furious attack upon them; one party keeping up a well-directed and constant fire, and another party rolling down huge stones. This stopped the career of the papist troops: many were killed by the musketry, and more by the stones, which beat them down the pre- cipices. Several fell sacrifices to their hurry, for by attempting a pre- cipitate retreat, they fell down, and were dashed to pieces; and captain Mario himself narrowly escaped with his life, for he fell from a craggy place into a river which washed the foot of the rock. He was taken up senseless, but afterwards recovered, though he was ill of the bruises for a long time; and, at length, he fell into a decline at Lucerne, where he died. Another body of troops was ordered from the camp at Villaro, to make an attempt upon Roras; but these were likewise defeated, by means of the protestants^ ambush-fighting, and compelled to retreat again to the camp at Villaro. Afler each of these signal victories, captain Gianavel made a suit able discourse to his men, causing them to kneel down, and return thanks to the Almighty for his providential protection; and usually con eluded with the eleventh psalm, where the subject is placing confidence in God. The marquis of Pianessa was greatly enraged at being so much baffled by the few inhabitants of Roras: he, therefore, determined to attempt their expulsion in such a manner as could hardly fail of success. With this view he ordered all the Roman catholic militia of Piedmont to be raised and disciplined. When these orders were completed, he joined to the militia eight thousand regular troops, and dividing the whole into three distinct bodies, he designed that three formidable at- tacks should be made at the same time, unless the people of Roras, to whom he sent an account of his great preparations, would comply with the following conditions: 1. To ask pardon for taking up arms. 2. To pay the expenses of all the expeditions sent against them. 3. To acknowledge the infalli- bility of the pope. 4. To go to mass. 5. To pray to the saints. 6. To wear beards. 7. To deliver up their ministers. 8. To deliver up their schoolmasters. 9. To go to confession. 10. To pay loans for the de- livery of souls from purgatory. 11. Tu give up captain Gianavel at discretion. 12. To give up the elders of their church at dis- cretion. The inhabitants of Roras, on being acquainted with these condi tio wc suf ma J 3. I epic Y stric Tl to be pass I Th Imvin, horrid hange opei, they . brains, first da Agr dered t testanti Gianav and sell The! release tents reiigiof mencer release army; wife ar should confider of the sii Toti U\ There fer to thJ i^nd men! With BOOK OF HARTySS. 151 laid ling his most ever top, g up huge Bdby B pre- apre- Biptain iraggy taken aruises icerne, so much termined y fail of tions, were filled with an honest indignation; and, in answer, sent word to the marquis, that sooner than comply with them they would suffer three things, which, of all others, were the most obnoxious to mankind, viz. 1. Their estates to be seized. 2. Their houses to be burnt. — 3. Themselves to be murdered. Exasperated at this message, the marquis sent them this laconic epistle. To the obsHnate Heretics inhabiting Roras. You shall have your request, for the troops sent against you have strict injunctions to plunder, burn, and kill. PlANESSA. The three armies were then put in motion, and the attacks oixlered to be made thus: the first by the rocks of Vilaro; the second by the pass of Bagnol; and the third by the defile of Lucerne. The troops forced their way by the superiority of numbers, and having gained the rocks, pass, and defile, began to make the most horrid depredations, and exercise the greatest cruelties. Men they hanged, burnt, racked to death, or cut to pieces; women they ripped opei, i: (cified, drowned, or threw from the precipices; and children they .^' ! pon spears, minced, cut their throats, or dashed out their brains. • 3 u: hundred and twenty-six suffered in this manner, on the first day of their gaining the town. Agreeable to the marquis of Pianessa^s orders, they likewise plun dered the estates, and burnt the houses of the people. Several pro* testants, however, made their escape, under the conduct of Captain Gianavel, whose wife and children were unfortunately made prisoners, und sent under a strong guard to Turin. The marquis of Pianessa wrote a letter to captain Gianavel, and released a protestant prisoner that he might carry it him. The con- tents were, that if the captain would embrace the Roman catholic religion, he should be indemnified for all his losses since the com- mencement of the war; his wife and children should be immediately released, and himself honourably promoted in the duke of Savoy's army; but if he refused to accede to the proposals made him, his wife and children should be to put death; and so large a reward should be given to take him, dead or alive, that even some of his own confidential friends should be tempted to betray him, from the greatness of the sum. To this epistle, the brave Gianavel sent the following answer. ' My Lord Marquis, There is no torment so great or death so cruel, but what 1 would pre- fer to the abjuration of my religion : so that promises lose their effects, and menaces only strengthen me in my faith. With respect to my wife and children, my lord, nothing can be more lilHicting to me than the thoughts of their confinement, or more dread r- ^M :i '-I 4^C m t 152 BOOK OF MABTTB8. • ;,fe^^:''fr^i t'.i' ful to my imagination, that their suffering a violent and cruel death. I keenly feel all the tender sensations of husband and parent ; my heart IS replete with every sentiment of humanity; I would suffer any torment to rescue them from danger; I would die to preserve them. But having said thus much, my lord, I assure you that the purchase of their lives must not be the price of my salvation. You have them in your power it is true; but my consolation is, that your power is only a temporary authority over their bodies: you may destroy the mortal part, but their immortal souls are out of your reach, and will live hereafter to bear testimony against you for your cruelties. I therefore recommend them and myself to God, and pray for a reforma- tion in your heart. Josuua Gianavkl. This brave protestant officer, afler writing the above letter, retired to the Alps, with his followers; and being joined by a great number of other fugitive protestants, he harassed the enemy by continual skirmishes. Meeting one day with a body of papist troops near Bibiana, he, though inferior in numbers, attacked them with great fury, and put them to the rout without the loss of a man, though himself was shot through the leg in the engagement, by a soldier who had hid himself behind a tree; but Gianavel perceiving from whence the shot came, pointed his gun to the place, and despatched the person who had wound- ed him. Captain Gianavel bearing that a captain Jahier had collected to> gcther a considerable body of protestants, wrote him a letter, proposing a junction of their forces. Captain Jahier immediately agreed to the proposal, and marched directly to meet Gianavel. The junction being formed, it was proposed to attack a town, (in- habited by JRoman catholics) called Garcigliana. The assault was given with great spirit, but a reinforcement of horse and foot having lately entered the town, which the protestants knew nothing of, they were repulsed ; yet made a masterly retreat, and only lost one man in the action. The next attempt of the protestant forces was upon St. Secondo, which they attacked with great vigour, but met with a strong resis- tance from the Roman catholic troops, who had fortified the streets, and planted themselves in the houses, from whence they poured mus- ket balls in prodigious numbers. The protestants, however, advan- ced, under cover of a great number of planks, which some held over their heads, to secure them from the shots of the enemy from the houses, while others kept up a well directed fire; so that the houses and entrenchments were soon forced, and the town taken. In the town they found a prodigious quantity of plunder, which had been taken from protestants at various times, and different places, and which were stored up in the warehouses, churches, dwelling houses, &;c. This they removed to a place of safety, to be distributed, with as much justice as possible, among the sufferers. wiih This arrivec troops comma cd the they fo Of!. the ba£ conside Capl ensmv La way. very im protesla BOOK OF MARTYSS. 153 This s'lccessful attack was made with such skill and spirit, that it cost very little to the conquering party ; the protestants having only 17 killed, an\ 2(> wounded ; while the papists suffered a loss of no less than 450, killed and 511 wounded. Five protestaiit officers, viz: Gianavel, Jahier, Laurentio, Genolet and Benet, laid a plan to surprise Biquei'S. To this end they march- ed in five res[)ective bodies, and by agreement were to make the attack at the same time. The captains Jahier and Laurentio passed through two defiles in the woods, and came to the place in safety, under covert; but the other three bodies made their approaches through i\n open country, and, consequently, were more exposed to an attack. The Roman catholics taking the alarm, a great numoer of troops were sent to relieve Biqueras from Cavors, Bibiana, Fenile, Campig- lione, and same other neighbouring places. When these were united, they determined to attack the three protestant parties, that were march- ing through the open country. The protestant officers perceiving the intent of the enemy, and not being at a great distance from each other, joined their forces with the utmost expedition, and formed themselves in order of battle. In the mean time, the captains Jahier and Laurentio had assaulted the town of Biqueras, and burnt all the out houses, to make their ap- proaches with the greater ease; but not being supported as they ex- pected by the other three protestant captains, they sent a messen- ger, on a swift horse, towards the open country, to inquire the reason. The messenger soon returned and informed them that it was not in the power of the three protestant captains to support their proceedings, as they were themselves attacked by a very superior force in the plain, and could scarce sustain the unequal conflict. The captains Jahier and Laurentio, on receiving this intelligence, determined to discontinue the assault on Biqueras, and to proceed, wiih all possible expedition, to the relief of their friends on the plain This design proved to be of the most essential service, for just as they arrived at the spot where the two armies were engaged, the papist troops began to prevail, and were on the point of flanking the left wing, commanded by captain Gianavel. The arrival of these troops turn- ed the scale in favour of the protestants: and the papist forces, though they fought with the most obstinate intrepidity, were totally defeat- orl. A great number were killed and wounded on both sides, and the baggage, military stores, &c. taken by the protestants were very considerable. Captain Gianavel, having information that throe hundred of the enemy were to convoy a gr mt quantity of stores, provisions, &c. from La Torre to the castle of Miralac, determined to attack them on the way. He, accordingly, began the assault at Malbec, though with a very inadequate force. The contest was long and bloody, but the protestants, at length, were obliged to yield to the superiority of num 12* '^-^^ 1-J^ ',i'f ^^m i • ■',}• ^fl| r -f^ .■■(?)■" » *» .^ I ;MI ■| ' ! I ■ ■> : 1. H 154 BOOK OF MARTTBa. bera, and compelled to make a retreat, which they did with great re- gularity, and but little loss. Captain Gianavel advanced to an advantageous post, situated near the town of Villaro, and then sent the following information and com- mands to the inhabitants : 1. That he should attack the town in twQpty-four hours. 2. That with respect to the Roman catholics who had borne arms, whether they belonged to the army or not, he should act by the law of retaliation, and put them to death, for the numerous depredations, and many cruel murders, they had committed. 3. That all women and children, whatever their religion might be, should be safe. 4. That he commanded all male protestants to leave the town and join him. 5. That all apostates, who had, through weakness, abjured their religion, should be deemed enemies, unless they renounced their abju- ration. 6. That all who returned to their duty to God, and themselves, should be received as friends. The protestants, in general, immediately left the town, and joined captain Gianavel with great satisfaction, and the few, who through weakness or fear, had abjured their faith, recanted their abjuration, and were received into the bosom of the church. As the marquis of Pianessa had removed the army, and encamped in quite a different part of the country, the Roman catholics of Villaro thought it would be folly to attempt to defend the place with the small force they had They, therefore, fled with the utmost precipitation, leaving the town and most of their property, to the discretion of the protestants. The protestant commanders having called a council of war, resol- ved to make an attempt upon the town of La Torre. The papists being apprized of the design, detached some troops to defend a defile, through which the portestants must make their ap- proach; but these were defeated, compelled to abandon the pass, and forced to retreat to La Torre. The protestants proceeded on their march, and the troops of La Torre, on their approach, made a furious sally, were repulsed with great loss, and compelled to seek shelter in the town. The governor now only thought of defending the place, which the protestants began to attack in form; but aAer many brave attempts, and furious assaults, the commanders determined to abandon the enterprisa for several rea- sons, narticularly, because they found the place itself too strong, their own number too weak, and their cannon not adequate to the task of battering down the walls. This resolution taken, the protestant commanders began a master- ly retreat, and conducted it with such regularity, that the enemy did not choose to pursue them, or molest their rear, which they might have done, as they passed the defiles. The next day they mustered, reviewed the army, and found the vernor began saults, al rea- , their ask of jaster- ny did it have md the BOOK OF MARTYRS. 15{» whole to amount to four hundred and ninety-five men. They then held a council of war, and planned an easier enterprise: this was to make an attack on the commonalty of Crusol, a place, inhabited by a number of the most bigoted Roman catholics, and who had exercised, during the persecutions, the most unheard-of cruelties on the pro- testants. The people of Crusol, hearing of the design against them, fled to a neighbouring fortress, situated on a rock, where the protestants could not come to them, for a very few men could render it inaccessible to a numerous army. Thus they secured their persons, but were in too much hurry to secure their property, the principal part of which, indeed, had been pli;'^de'' from the protestantr ""/l now luckily fell again to the pos^ -ion < he right owners. L jusisted of many rich and valuable articles, and what, at that time, was of much more consequence, viz. a great quantity of military stores. The day after the protestants were gone with their booty, eight hundred troops arrived to the assistance of the people of Crusol, having been despatched from Lucerne, Biqueras, Cavors, &c. But finding themselves too late, and that pursuit would be vain, not to return emp- ty handed, they began to plunder the neighbouring villages, tliough what they took was from their friends. After collecting a tolerable booty, they began to divide it, but disagreeing about the different shares, they fell from words to blows, did a great deal of mischief, and then plundered each other. On the very same day in which the protestants were so successful at Crusol, some papists marched with a design to plunder and burn the little protestant village of Rocappiatta, but by the way they met with the protestant forces belonging to the captains Jahier and I^au- rentio, who were posted on the hill of Angrognia. A trivial engage- ment ensued, for the Roman catholics, on the very first attack, retreat- ed in great confusion, and were pursued with much slaughter. Afler the pursuit.was over, some straggling papist troops meeting with a poor peasant, who was a protestant, tied a cord round his head, and strained it till his skull was quite crushed. Captain Gianavel and captain Jahier concerted a design together, to make an attack upon Lucerne; but captain Jahier not bringing up his forces at the time appointed, captain Gianavel determined to at- tempt the enterprise himself. He, therefore, by a forced march, proceeded towards that place during the whole night, and was close to it by break of day. His first care was to cut the pipes that conveyed water into the town, and then to break down the bridge, by which alone provisions from the country could eater. He thea assaulted the place, and speedily possessed himself of two of the out pi.s's; but fiiidiag he could not make himself master of ihe place, he prudently retreated wiih very little loss, blaming, however, caj)Uiiii Jahier, for the failure of the enterprise. I' 1 "■*■ :■'■» • . 'lil'- ■I |i v«f fll-. !■ §f n. ■I />;'. 1 t 156 BOOK OF MARTYRS. The papists being informed that captain Gianavel was at Angro^ia with only his own company, determined, if possible, to surprise him. With this view, a great number of troops were detached from Lii Torre, and other places: one party of these got on the top of a mountain, be- neath which he was posted; and the other party intended to possess ihemselves of the gate of St. Bartholomew. The papists thought themselves sure of taking captain Gianavel and every one of his men, as they consisted but of three hundred, and their own force was two thousand five hundred. Their design, how- ever, was providentially frustrated, for one of the popish soldiers imprudently blowing a trumpet before the signal for attack was given, captain Gianavel took the alarm, and posted his little company so advantageously at the gate of St. Bartholomew, and at the defile by which the enemy must descend from the mountains, that the Roman catholic troops failed in both attacks, and were repulsed with a very considerable loss. Soon after, captain Jahier came to Angrognia, and joined hid forces to those of captain Gianavel, giving sufficient reasons to excuse his before-mentioned failure. Captain Jahier now made several secret excursions with great success, always selecting the most active troops, belonging both to Gianavel and himself. One day he had put him- self at the head of forty-four men, to proceed upon an expedition, when entering a plain near Ossac, he was suddenly surrounded by a large body of horse. Captain Jahier and his men fought desperately, though oppressed by odds, and killed the commander-in-chief, three captains, and fifty-seven private men, of tho enemy. But captain Jahier him- self being killed, with thirty-five of his men, the rest surrendered. One of the soldiers cut off captain Jahier's head, and carrying it to Turin, presented it to the duke of Savoy, who rewarded him with six hundred ducatoons. The death of this gentleman was a signal loss to the protestants, as he was a real friend to, and champion of, the reformed church. He possessed a most undaunted spirit, so that no difficulties could deter him from undertaking an enterprise, or dangers terrify him in its exe- cution. He was pious without affectation, and humane without weak- ness; bold in a field, meek in a domestic life, of a penetrating genius. active in spirit, and resolute in all his undertakings. To add to the affliction of the protestants, captain Gianavel was, soon after, wounded in such a manner that he was obliged to keep his bed. They, however, tof)k new courage from misfortunes, and determining not to let their Sjjirits droop, attacked a body of popish troops with great uitrepidity; the protestants were tniich inferior in numbers, but fought with more ros >lution than the papists, and at length routed them with considerable slaughter. D.iring the action, a S3rgeant named Michael Bertiiio, was killed; when his son, who was cKse behind him, leaped into his place, and said, I have Kst my father; but courage, fellow sol- diers, God is a father to us all. nia lim. >rre, bc- ssess lavcl , and how- Idiers jiven, iiy so lie by Loman I very forces ise his secret troops, ut him- 1, when a large tViough aptains, er him- endered, ing it to with six itants, as ;h. He lid deter its exe- [ut weak- aenius. |was, soon his bed. Urmining iith great [i\i fought lhem with p Michael f n, leaped Tel low sul- BOOK OF MARTYBa. 167 Several skirmishes likewise happened between the troops of La Torre and Tagliaretto, and the protestant forces, which in general terminated in favour of the latter. A protestant gentleman, named Andrion, raised a regiment of horse, and took the command of it himselt*. The sieur John Leger persuadr(1 a great number of protestants to form themselves into volunteer compa- nies; and an excellent otticer, named Michelin, instituted several bands of light troops. These being all joined to the remains of the veteran protestant troops, (for great numbers had been lost in the various bat- tles, skirmishes, sieges, &c.) composed a respectable army, which the otlicers thought proper to encamp near St. Giovanni. The Roman catholic commanders, alarmed at the formidable appear- ance, and increased strength of the protestant forces, determined, if pos- sible, to dislodge them from their encampment. With this view, they collected together a large force, consisting of the principal part of the garrisons of the Roman catholic towns, the drafl from the Irish brigades, a great number of regulars sent by the marquis of Pianessa, the auxilia- ry troops, and the independent companies. Thede, having formed a junction, encamped near the protestants, and spent several days in calling councils of war, and disputing on the most proper mode of proceeding. Some were for plundering the country, io order to dmw the protestants 'from their camp; others were for patient- ly waiting till they were attacked ; and a third party were for assaulting the protestant camp, and trying to make themselves masters of every tiling in it. The last of them prevailed, and the morning afler the resolution had been taken was appointed to put it into execution. The Roman catho- lic troops were accordingly separated into four divisions, three of which were to make an attack in different places; and the fourth to remain as a body of reserve to act as occasion might require. One of the Roman catholic otiicers, previous to the attack, thus ha rangued his men: "Fellow-soldiers, you are now going to enter upon a great action, which will bring you fame and riches. The motives of your acting with spirit are likewise of the most important nature; namely, the hon- our of showing your loyalty to your sovereign, the pleasure of spilling aeretic blood, and the prospect of plundering the protestant camp. So, my brave fellows, fall on, give no quarter, kill all you meet, and tako all you come near." AHer this inhuman speech the engagement began, and the protest ant camp was attacked in three places with inconceivable fury. The fight was maintained with great obstinacy and perseverance on both sides, continuing without intermission for the space of four hours; for the several companies on both sides relieved each other al- ternately, and by that means kept up a continual fire during the whole action. During the engagement of the main armies, a detachment was sent from the body of reserve to attack the post of Gastelas; which, if the r. ,t'^ >! i f ■Jul f4 1 f:V 1 ifim m^4i k 158 BOOK OF HABTinU. papists had carried, it would have given them the command of the valleys of Perosa, St. Martino, and Lucerne; but they were repulsed with great loss, and compelled to return to the body of reserve, from whence they had been detached. Soon aAer the return of this detachment, the Roman catholic troops, being hard pressed in the main battle, sent for the body of reserve to come to their support. These immediately marched to their assistance, and for some time longer held the event doubtful, but at length the va- lour of the protestants prevailed, and the papists were totally defeated, with the loss of upwards of three hundred men killed, and many moro wounded. When the cyndic of Lucerne, who was indeed a papist, but not a bigoted one, saw the great number of wounded men brought into that city, he exclaimed, ah! I thought the wolves used to devour the here- tics, but now I see the heretics eat the wolves. This expression be- ing reported to M. Marolles, the Roman catholic commander in chief at Lucerne, he sent a very severe and threatening letter to the cyndic, who was so terrified, that the fright threw him into a fever, and he died in a few days. This great battle was fought just before the harvest was got in; when the papists, exasperated at their disgrace, and resolved on any kind of revenge, spread thennselves by night in detached parties over the finest corn-fields of the protestants, and set them on fire in sundry places. Some of these straggling parties, however, suffered for their conduct; for the protestants, being alarmed in the night by the blazing of the fire among the corn, pursued the fugitives early in the morniii*:, and overtaking many, put them to death. The protestant captain Bel- lin, likewise, by way of retaliation, went with a body of light troops, and burnt the suburbs of La Torre, making his retreat ailerward with very little loss. A few days after, captain Bellin, with a much stronger body of troops, attacked the town of La Torre itself, and making a breach in the wall of the convent, his men entered, driving the garrison into the citadel, and burning both town and convent. Afier having effected this, they made a regular retreat, as they could not reduce the citadel for want of camion. An Account of the Persecutions of Michael de MolinoSy a Native of Spain. Michael de Molinos, a Spaniard of a rich and honourable family, en- tered, when young, into priest's orders, but would not accept of any pre- ferment in the church. He posse&ised great natural abilities, which he dedicated to the service of his fellow-creatures, without any view of emolument to himself. His course of life was pious and uniform ; nor did he exercise those austerities which are common among the religious orders of the church of Rome. Being of a contemplative turn of mind, he pursued the track of the mystical divines, and having acquired great reputation in Spain, and mily, eu- any pre- which he view of )rm; nor religious ;k of Ihe uain, and BOOK OF MARTYHS. 159 being desirous of propagating his sublime mode of devotion, he left his I own country, and settled at Rome. Here he soun connected himself ^ with some of the most distinguished among the literati, who so approv- ed of his religious maxims, that they concurred in assisting him to pro* {tagate them ; and, in a short time, he obtained a great number of fol- owers, who, from the sublime mode of their religion, were distinguish- ed by the name of Quietists. In 1675, Molinos published a book entitled "II Guida Spirituale,^* to which were subjoined recommendatory letters from several great personages. One of these was by the archbishop of Reggio; a second by the general of the Franciscans; and a third by father Martin de E^parsa, a Jesuit, who had been divinity-professor both at Salamanca and Rome. No sooner was the book published, than it was greatly read, and highly esteemed, both in Italy and Spain ; and this so raised the repu- tation of the author, that his acquaintance was coveted by the most respectable characters. Letters were written to him from numbera of people, so that a correspondence was settled between him, and those who approved of his method, in different parts of Europe. Some sec- ular priests, both at Rome and Naples, declared themselves openly for it, and consulted him, as a sort of oracle, on many occasions. But those who attached themselves to him with the greatest sincerity, were some of the fathers of the Oratory ; in particular three of the most eminent, namely, Caloredi, Ciceri, and Petrucci. Many of the cardinals also courted his acquaintance, and thought themselves happy in being reckoned among the number of his friends. The must distin- guished of them was the cardinal d^Estrees, a man of very great learn- ing, whoso highly approved of Molinos^ maxims, that he entered into a close connexion with him. They conversed together daily, and not- withstanding the distrust a Spaniard has naturally of a Frenchman, yet Molinos, who was sincere in his principles, opened his mind without reserve to the cardinal ; and by this means a correspondence was set- ded between Molinos and some distinguished characters in France. Whilst Molinos was thus labouring to propagate his religious mode, father Petrucci wrote several treatises relative to a contemplative life; but he mixed in them so many rules for the devotions of the Romish church, as mitigated that censure he might have otherwise incurred. They were written chiefly for the use of the nuns, and therefore the sense wat expressed in the most easy and familiar style. Molinos had now acquired such reputation, that the Jesuits and Dominicans began to be greatly alarmed, and determined to put a stop to the progress of this method. To do this, it was necessary to decry the author of it ; and as heresy is an imputation that makes the strong- est impression at Rome, Molinos and his followers were given out to be heretics. Bonks were also written by some of the Jesuits against Molinos and his method ; but they were all answered with spirit by Molinos. r, r, " ;,' C\ r 'H § ^ 4 1*1 '^■1 *;,,;' Hv !f^ '; 100 BOOK OF UARTYIU. These disputes occasioned such disturbance in Rome, that the whole afiiiir wus taken notice of by the inquisition. Mulinos and his buok, and father Pelrucci, with his troutisus and letters, were brought under a severe exanrdnution ; and the Jesuits were considered as the accu- sers. One of the society hud, indeed, approved {}( Molinos^ book; but the rest took care he should not bo again seen at Rome. In the course of the examination both Molinos and Petrucci acquitted them- selves so well, that their books were again approved, and the answers which the Jesuits had written were censured u» scandalous. Petrucci^s conduct on this occasion was so highly a|»proved, that it not only raised the credit of the cause, but his own emolument; for he was soon afler made bishop of Jesis, which was a new declaratiitn made by the pope in their favour. Their books were now esteemed more than ever, their method was more followed, and the novelty of it, with the new approbation given ader so vigorous an accusation by the Jesuits, al'i contributed to raise the credit, and increase the num- ber of the party. The behaviour of father Petrucci in his new dignity greatly contri- buted to increase his reputation, so that his enemies were unwilling to give him any further disturbance ; and, indeed, there was less occusiun given for censure by his writings than those of Molinos. Sume pas- sages in the latter were not so cautiously expressed, but there was ruom to make exceptions to them; while, on the other hand, Petrucci so ful- ly explained himself, as easily to remove the objections made to sumo parts of his letter. The great reputation acquired by Molinos and Petrucci, occasioned a daily increase of the Quietists. All who were thought sincerely de- vout, or at least affected the reputation of it, were reckoned amon^ the number. If these persons were observed to become more strict in their lives and mental devotions, yet there appeared less zeal in their whole deportment as to the exterior parts of the church ccrcnvinies. They were not so assiduous at mass, nor so earnest to procure masses to be said for their friends; nor were they so frequently either at con- fession, or in processions. Though the new approbation given toMolino^s book by the inquisi- tion had checked the proceedings of his enemies; yet they were still inveterate against him in their hearts, and determined if possible to ruin him. They insinuated that he had ill designs, and was, in his heart, an enemy to the christian religion: that under pretence of rais- ing men to a sublime strain of devotion, he intended to erase from their minds a sense of the mysteries of Christianity. And because he wos a Spaniard, they gave out that he was descended from a Jewish or Ma- hometan race, and that he might carry in his blood, or in his first edu- cation, some seeds of those religions which he had since cultivated with no less art than zeal. This last calumny gained but little credit at Rome, though it was said an order was sent to examine the registers cf the place where Molinos was baptised. > nteanin^ many He ack A'iendsh tions: (h consequ( covery, tested'; but detoi offer of < In cor tothtt in BOOK or MARTnU. 161 MolinoB finding himself attacked with great vigour, and the most unrelenting malice, took every necessary precaution to prevent these imputations being credited. He wrote a treatise, entitled Frequent and Daily Communion, which was likewise approved by Home of the most learned of the Romish clergy. This was printed with his Spir- itual Guide, in the year 1075; and in the preface to it he declared, that he had not written it with any design to engage himself in matters of controversy, but that it wae drawn from him by the earnest solicita- tions of many pious people. The Jesuits, failing in their attempts of crushing Molinos^ power in Rome, applied to the court of France, when, in a short time, they so far succeeded, that an order was sent to cardinal d'Estrees, com- rnaiiding him to proseoite Molinos with all possible rigour. The car- dinal, though so strongly attached to Molinos, resolved to sacrifice fU that is sacred in friendship to the will of his master. Finding, how- ever, there was not sufficient matter for an accusation against him, he determined to supply that defect himsolf. He, therefor^:, wen.' lo the inquisitors, and informed them of several particulars, not onl^ relative to Molinos, but also Petrucci, both of whoui, together with several of their friends, were put into the inquisition. When they were brought before the inquisitors, (which was the be- ginning of the year 1684) Petrucci answered the respective q s^stions put to him with so much judgment and temper, that he wa ' soon dis- missed; and though Molinos* examinatic.^ was much longer, it was generally expected he would have been likewise discharged : but this was not the case. Though the inquisitors had not any just accusa- tion against him, yet they strained every nerve to find him guilty of heresy. They first objected to his holding a corresponden^^e in dif ferent parts of Europe; but of this he was acquitted, as the matter of tliat correspondence could not be made criminal. They then directed their attention to some suspicious papers found in his chamber; but Molinos so clearly explained their meaning, that nothing could be made of them to his prejudice. At length, cardinal d^Estrees, after producing the order sent him by the king of T v;rce for prosecuting Molinos, said, he could prove against him more U;^; .a was necessary to convince them he was guilty of heresy. To do this he perverted the meaning of some passages in Molinos* books and papers^ and related many mise and aggravating circumstances relative to the prisoner. He acknowledged he had lived with h'm under the appearance of friendship, but that it was only to discover his principles and inten- tions: that he had found them to be of a bad nature, and that dangerous consequences were likely to ensue; but in order to make a full dis- covery, he had assented to several things, which, in his heart, he de- tested; and that, by these means, he saw into the secrets of Molinos; but determined not to take any notice, till a proper opportunity should offer of crushing him and his followers. In consequence of d*Estree*s evidence, Molinos was closely confined in th« inquisition, where he continued for some time, during which 13 h. A. . 1 n h I . \ •■, i « ^•'•y •ii ' '♦ w ' -^f ■ H'. -M 163 BOOK OF MARTVHS. period all was quiet^ and his followers prosecuted their mode without interruption. But on a sudden the Jesuit^determiiied to extirpate them, and the storm broke out with the most inveterate vehemence. The count Vespiniani and his lady, Don Paulo Rocchi) confessor to the prince Borghese, and some of his family, with several others, (in all seventy persons) were put into the inquisition, among whom many were highly esteemed both for their learning and piety. The accusation laid against the clergy was, their neglecting to say the breviary; and the rest were accused of going to the communion with- out first attending confession. In a word, it was said, they neglected all the exterior parts of religion, and gave themselves up wholly to soli- tude and inward prayer. The countess Vespiniani exerted herself in a very particular man ner on her examination before the inquisitors. She said, she had never revealed her method of devotion to any mortal but her confes- sor, and that it was impossible they should know it without his dis- covering the secret; that, therefore it was time to give over going to confession, if priests made this use of it, to discover the most secret thoughts intrusted to them; and that, for the future, she would only make her confession to God. From this spirited speech, and the great noise made in consequence of the countess's situation, the inquisitors thought it most prudent to dismiss both her and her husband, lest the people might be incensed, and what she said might lessen the credit of confession. They W€;e, therefore, both discharged, but bound to appear whenever they should be called upon. Besides those already mentioned, such was the inveteracy of the Jesuits against the Quietists, that within the space of a month upwards of two hundred persons were put into the inquisition; and that method of devotion which had passed in Italy as the most elevated to which mor- tals could aspire, was deemed heretical, and the chief promoters of it confined in a wretched dungeon. In order, if possible, to extirpate Quietism, the inquistors sent a circular letter to cardinal Cibo, as the chief minister, to disperse it through Italy. It was addressed to all prelates, informing them, that whereas many schools and fraternities were establish^ in several parts of Italy, in which some persons, under a pretence of leading people into the ways of the Spirit, and to the prayer of quietness, instilled into them many abominable heresies, therefore a strict charge was given to dissolve all those societies, and to oblige the spiritual -guide to tread in the known paths; and, in particular, to take care none of that sort should be sufTered to have the direction of the nun- neries. Orders were likewise given to proceed, in the way of justice, against those who should be found guilty of these abominable errors. After this a strict inquiry was made into all the nunneries in Rome; when most of their directors and confessors were discovered to be engaged in this new method. It was found that the Carmelites, the nuns of the Conception, and those of several other convents, were BOOK OF HARTVSS. \m wholly given up to prayer and contemplation; and that, instead of their beads, and the other devotions to saints, or images, they were much alone, and often in the exercise of mental prayer; that when they were asked why they had laid aside the use of their beads, and their ancient forms, their answer was, their directors had advised them so to do. Information of this being given to the inquisition, they sent ord :a that all books written in the same strain with those of Molinos and Pe- trucci, should be taken from them, and that they should be compelled to return to their original form of devotion. The circular letter sent to cardinal Cibo, produced but little effect, for most of the Italian bishops were inclined to Molinos^ method. It was intended that this, as well as all other orders from the inquisi- tors, should be kept secret; but notwithstanding all their care, copies of it were printed, and dispersed in most of the principal towns in Italy. This gave great uneasiness to the inquisitors, who use every method they can to conceal their proceedings from the knowledge of the world. They blamed the cardinal, and accused him of being the cause of it; but he retorted on them, and his secretary laid the fault on both. During these transactions, Molinos suffered great indignities from the officers of the inquisition; and the only comfort he received was, from being sometimes visited by father Petrucci. Though he had lived in the highest reputation in Rome lor some years, he was now as much despised, as he had been admired, being generally considered as one of the worst of heretics. The greater part of Molinos^ followers, who had been placed in the inquisition, having abjured his mode, were dismissed ; but a harder fate awaited Molinos, their leader. After lying a considerable time in prison, he was at length brought again before the inquisitors to answer to a number of articles exhibited against him from his writings. As soon as he appeared in court, a chain was put round his body, and a wax-light in his hand, when two friars read aloud the articles of accusation. Molinos answered each with great steadiness and resolution; and notwithstanding his arguments totally defeated the force of all, yet he was found guilty of heresy, and condemned to imprisonment for life. When he left the court he was attended by a priest, who had borne him the greatest respect. On his arrival at the prison he entered the cell allotted for his confinement with great tranquility ; and on taking leave of the priest, thus addressed him: Adieu, father, we s'hall meet again at the day of judgment, and then it will appear on which side the truth is, whether on my side, or on yours. During his confinement, he was several times tortured in the most cruel manner, till, at length, the severity of the punishments overpow- ered his strength, and finished his existence. The death of Molinos struck such an impression on his followers, that the greater part of them soon abjured his mode; and by the assiduity of the Jesuits, Quietism was totally extirpated throughout the country. If wm^ {:>■' ■(>!iv 4 :^t T '■-"' 164 BOOK OF ttCARTVRS. I ► >il m ^ ' I > .4 . *3f CHAPTER VII. An Account of the Persecutions in Bohemia under the Papacy. The Roman pontifTs having usurped a power over several churches, were particularly severe on the Bohemians, which occasioned thrin to send two ministers and four lay-brothers to Rome, in the year 077, to obtain redress of the pope. After some delay, their request was granted, and their grievances redressed. Two things in particular they were permitted tr) do, viz. to have divine service performed in their own language, and to give the cup to the laity in the sacrament. The disputes, however, soon broke out again, the succeeding popes exerting their whole power to impose on the minds of the Bohemians; and the latter, with great spirit, aiming to preserve their religious liberties. A. D. 1375, some zealous friends of the gospel applied to Charles, king of Bohemia, to call an economical council, for an inquiry into the abuses that had crept into the church, and to make a full and thorough reformation. The king, not knowing how to proceed, sent to the pope for directions how to act; but the pontiff was so incensed at this affair, that his only reply was, severely punish those rash and profane heretics. The monarch, accordingly banished every one who had been concerned in the application, and, to oblige the pope, laid a great number of additional restraints upon the religious liberties of the people. The victims of persecution, however, were not so numerous in Bo hemia, until after the burning of John Huss and Jerom of Prague. These two eminent reformers were condemned and executed at the instigation of the pope and his emissaries, as the reader will perceive by the following short sketch of their lives. John Huss. John Huss was born at Hussenitz, a village lu Bohemia, about the year 1380. His parents gave him the best education their circum* stances would admit; and having acquired a tolerable knowledge of the classics at a private school, he was removed to the university of Prague, where he aoon gave strong proofs of his mental powers, and was remarkable for his diligence and application to study. In 1398, Huss commenced bachelor of divinity, and was after sue* cessivoly chosen pastor of tlie church of Bethlehem, in Prague, and dean and rector of the university. In these stations he discharged his duties with great fidelity; and became, at length, so conspicuous for his preaching, which was in conformity with the doctrines of Wick iifTe, that it was not likely he could long escape the notice of the pope and his adherents, against whom he inveighed with no small degree of asperity. BOOK OF ILARTVHS. 165 ■■J J.i> Bishop'Latimer examined before a Popish tribunal. ,;■■> ' K.. 1 \ ^«jM r "f'i 1 ^ 1l< • ■■ m ;'4j T, '* fV ■ i' H Cruelties in Ireland. H«dl^- I ' i' • • iiV 1 "■fuu i-'\ i I i 'i^^^n ^('''1 I .» mvr^i-^ m] mi ■| . -f '\ *t«t. 'Mi'- 4» - vt ».i A^* ■f^: ^i^:^. ■■ ^^'■'x l«t.. *'* ..^^ \* •,>■■■'■ tion, t fance. great and hi The issued but thii the frit versity Bein the dec, from th iiffe's d condem doctors, hibited gation. tested Qj tence of The 1 to cardii court of ing both personali iting \^x the pope not suffi heresy, I places oi Three They en answer i and exco pope, an( missionei Qication From out SUCC€ in consec native plj from the Thele he compi book of defence against tl rupt timJ BOOK OF MARTYRS. 167 4^» m The English reformist Wickliffe, had so kindled the light of reforma- tion, that it began to illumine the darkest corners of popery and igno- rance. His doctrines spread into Bohemia, and were well received by great numbers of people, but by none so particularly as John Huss,. and his zealous friend and fellow-martyr, Jerom of Prague. The archbishop of Prague, finding the reformists daily increasing, issued a decree to suppress the farther spreading of Wickliffe's writings : but this had an effect quite different to what he expected, for it stimulated the friends of those doctrines to greater zeal, and almost the whole uni- versity united to propagate them. Being strongly attached to the doctrines of Wickliffe, Huss opposed the decree of the archbishop, who, however, at length, obtained a bull from the pope^ving him commission to prevent the publishing of Wick- liffe^s doctrinflNn his province. By virtue of this bull, the archbishop condemined the writings of Wickliffe : he also proceeded against four doctors, who had not delivered up the copies of that divine, and pro- hibited them, notwithstanding their privileges, to preach to any congre- gation. Dr. Huss, with some other members of the university, pro- tested against these proceedings, and entered an appeal from the sen- tence of the archbishop. The affair being made known to the pope, he granted a commission to cardinal Colonna, to cite John Huss to appear personally at the court of Rome, to answer the accusations laid against him, of preach- ing both errors and heresies. Dr. Huss desired to be excused from a personal appearance, and was so greatly favoured in Bohemia, that king Winceslaus, the queen, the nobility, and the university, desired the pope to dispense with such an appearance; as also that he would not suffer the kingdom of Bohemia to lie under the accusation of heresy, but permit them to presch the gospel vyith freedom in their places of worship. Three proctors appeared for Dr. Huss before cardinal Colonna. They endeavoured to excuse his absence, and said, (hey were ready to answer in his behalf. But the cardinal declared Huss contumacious, and excommunicated him accordingly. The proctors appealed to the pope, and appointed four cardinals to examine the process : these com- missioners confirmed the former sentence, and extendjed the excommu- nication not only to Huss but to all his friends and folfowers. From this unjust sentence Huss appealed to a future council, but with- out success; and, notwithstanding so severe a decree, and an expulsion in consequence from his church in Prague, he i-etired to Hussenitz, his native place, where he continued to promulgate his new doctrine, both from the pulpit and with the pen. The letters which he wrote at this time were very numerous; and he compiled a treatise in which he maintained, that reading the book of protestants could not be absolutely forbidden. He wrote in defence of Wickliffe's book on the Trinity; and boldly declared against the vices of the pope, the cardinals, and clergy, of those cor- rupt times. He wrote also many other books, all of which were 13* ?*•» I. jj'ti j'^ t.;,rf 168 BOOK OJ* MARTYBS. penned with a strength of argument that greatly faciUtated the spread ing of his doctrines. In the month of November, 1414, a general council was assembled at Constance, in Germany, in order, as was pretended, for the sole purpose of determining a dispute then pending between three persons who con- tended for the papacy ; but the real motive was, to crush the progress of the reformation. John Huss was summoned to appear at this council; and, to encour- age him, the emperor sent him a safe-conduct: the civilities, and even reverence, which Huss met with on his journey, were beyond imagina- tion. The streets, and sometimes the very roads, were lined with peo- ple, whom respect, rather than curiosity, had brought together. He was ushered into the town with great acclamatkns; and it may be said, that he passed through Germany in a kind 9 triumph. He could not help expressing his surprise at the treatment he received : **l thought (said he^ I had been an outcast. I now see my worst friends are in Bohemia.^' As soon as Huss arrived at Constance, he immediately took lodg- ings in a remote part of the city. A short time after his arrival, came one Stephen Paletz, who was employed by the clergy at Prague to manage the intended prosecution against him. Paletz was after- ward joined by Michael de Cassis, on the part of the court of Rome. These two declared themselves his accusers, and drew up a set of arti- cles against him, which they presented to the pope and the prelates of the council. When it was known that he was in the city, he was immediately ap> rested, and committed prisoner to a chamber in the palace. This vio- lation of common law and justice, was particularly noticed by one of Huss^ friends, who urged the imperial safe-conduct; but the pope re- plied, he cover granted any safe-conduct, nor was he bound by that of the emperor. While Huss was in confinement, the council acted the part of inqui- sitors. They condemned the doctrines of WickliiTe, and even ordered his remains to be dug up and burnt to ashes; which orders were strictly complied with. In the mean time, the nobility of Bohemia and Poland strongly interceded for Huss; and so far prevailed as to prevent his be- ing condemned' unheard, which had been resolved on by the commis- sioners appointed to try him. When he was brought before the council,. the articles exhibited against him were read : they were upwards of forty in number, and chiefly ex- tracted from his writings. Afler his examination, he was taken from the court, and a resolution was formed by the council to burn him as a heretic if he would not re- tract. He was then committed to a filthy prison, where, in the daytime, he was so laden with fetters on his legs, that he could hardly move; and every night he was fastened by his hand to a ring against the vails of the prison. ,.„. _ ^ cern. sung ven. hea commit nr God]" ^en smiling < harder chi of this rus •*'***v*'' ■ •'"^' M-' (if ' inqui* )rdered strictly Poland hisbe- ommis- j against [efly ex- Isolution not re- |aytime, move; linst the BOOK OF MARTVRS. ^69 Ailer continuing some days in this situation, n^ny noblemen of Bohemia interceded in his behalf. They drew up a petition for his release, which was presented to the council by several of the most distinguished nobles of Bohemia; a few days af>er the petition was presented, four bishops and two lords were sent by the emperor to t^it) prison, in order to prevail on Huss to make a recantation. But he called God to witness, with tears in his eyes, that he was not con- scious of having preached or written, against the truth of God, or the faith of his orthodox church. On the 4th of July, Dr. Huss was brought for the last time before the council. After a long examination he was desired to abjure, lirhich he refused without the least hesitation. The bishop of Lodi then preached MCanguinary sermon, (concerning the destruction of heretics, the prMgue to his intended punishment. After the close of the sermon, his fate was determined, his vindication was disregarded, and judgment pronounced. Huss heard this sentence without the least emotion. At the close of it he knelt down, with his eyes lifled towards heaven, and with all the m&gnanimity of a primitive martyr, thus exclaimed : "May thy infinite mercy, O my God ! pardon this injustice of mine enemies. Thou knowest the injustice of my accu- sations; how deformed with crimes I have been represented; how I have been oppressed with worthless witnesses, and a false condemna- tion; yet, O my God! let that mercy of thine, which no tongue can express, prevail with thee not to avenge my wrongs." These excellent sentences were esteemed as so many expressions of treason, and tended to inflame his adversaries. Accordingly, the bishops appointed by the council stripped him of his priestly gar- ments, degraded him, put a paper mitre on his head, on which was painted devils, with this inscription, "A ringleader of heretics." Our heroic martyr received this mock mitre with an air of uncon- cern, which seemed to give him dignity rather than disgrace. A serenity, nay, even a joy appeared in his looks, which indicated that his soul had cut off many stages of a tedious journey in her way to the realms of everlasting peace. Afler the ceremony of degrfidation was over, the bishops delivered Dr. Huss to the emperor, who put him into the hands of the duke of Bavaria. His books were burnt at the gates of the church; and on the Sth of July, ho was led to the suburbs of Constance, to be burnt alive. On his arrival at the place of execution, he fell on his knees, sung several portions of the Psalms, looked steadfastly towards heaven, and repeated these words: "Into thy hands, O Lord! do I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O most good and me'xiiful God»" ^en the chain was put about him at the stake, he said, with a smitmg countenance, "My Lord Jesus Christ was bound with a harder chain than this for my sake, and why then should I be ashamed of this rusty one?" « .'1^ .•Hi '■J V fu-i-^ ni ■1 t*f f mi n v! ^1 I 'Mi ■ I ^ ■^.. ■ -^-^^^ 170 BOOK OF KARTintS. When the fagots were piled up to his very neck, the duke of Bava-t ria was so officious as to desire him to abjure. "No, (said Huss;) I never preached any dixjtrine of an evil tendency ; and what I taught with my lips I now seal with my blood." He then said to the execu- tioner, "You are now going to burn a goose, (Huss signifying goose in the Bohemian language ;) but in a century you will have a swan whom you can neither roast nor boil." If he were prophetic, he must have meant Martin Luther, who shone about a hundred years ai\er, and who had a swan for his arms. The flames were now applied to the fagots, when our martyr sung a hymn with so loud and cheerful a voice, that he was heard through all the cracklings of the combustibles, and the noise of the multitude. At length his voice was interrupted by the severity jjAhe flames, which soon closed his existence. ^^ Jerom of Prague. This reformer, who was the companion of Dr. Huss, and may be said to be a co-martyr with him, was born at Prague, and educated in that university, where he particularly distinguished himself for his great abilities and learning. He likewise visited several other learned seminaries in Europe, particularly the universities of Paris, HeideN burg, Cologn, and Oxford. At the latter place he became acquainted with the works of Wickliffe, and being a person of uncommon appli- cation, he translated many of them into his native language, having, with great pains, made himself master of the English tongue. On his return to Prague, he professed himself an open favourer of Wickliffe, and finding that his doctrines had made considerable pro- gress in Bohemia, and that Huss was the principal promoter of them, he became an assistant to him in the great work of reformation. On the 4th of April, 1415, Jerom arrived at Constance, about three months before the death of Huss. He entered the town privately, and consulting with some of the leaders of his party, whom he found there, was easily convinced he could not be of aay service to his friends. Finding that his arrival in Constance was publicly known, and that the council intended to seize him, he thought it most prudent to retire. Accordingly, the next day he went to Iberling^ an imperial town, about a mile from Constance. From this place he wrote to the emperor, and proposed his readiness to appear before the council, if he would give him a safe-conduct ; but thi,^ was refused. He then applied to the council, but met with an answer no less unfavourable than that from the emperor. After this, he set out on his return to Bohemia. He had the precau- tion to take with him a certificate, signed by several of the Bohemian nobility, then at Constance, testifying that he had used all prudent means in his power to procure a hearings aiva-« 9;) I ught tecu- »oose swan must after, ■ sung iroush titude. which may be ;ated in ' for hia learned Heidel- ^uainted m appli- . having, urer of able pro- of them, ji. ,out three rivately, le found 06 to his and that to retire, wn, about emperor, he would lied to the that from \e pifecau- I Bohemian III prudent BOOK OF MARTTKS. 171 Jerom, however, did not thus escape. He was seized at Hirsaw, by tn officer belonging to the duke of Sultsbach, who, though unauthor- ized so to act, made little doubt of obtaining thanks from the council for so acceptable a service. The duke of Sultsbach, having Jcrom now in his power, wrote to the council for directions how to proceed. The council, after express- ing their obligations to the duke, desired him to send the prisoner im- mediately to Constance. The elector palatine met him on the way, and conducted him into the city, himself riding on horseback, with a numerous retinue, who led Jerom in fetters by a long chain; and im- mediately on his arrival he was committed to a loathsome dungeon. Jerom was treated nearly in the same manner as Huss had been, only that he was much longer confined, and shifted from one prison to another. At l#ngth, being brought before the council, he desired that he might plead his own cause, and exculpate himself: which be- ing refused him, he broke out into the following elegant exclamation: "What barbarity is this! For three hundred and forty days have I been confined in a variety of prisons. There is not a misery, there is not a want, that I have not experienced. To my enemies you have allowed the fullest scope of accusation : to me, you deny, the least opportunity of defence. Not an hour will you now indulge me in pre- paring for my trial. You have swallowed the blackest calumnies against me. You have represented me as a heretic, without knowing my doctrine; as an enemy to the faith, before you knew what faith I professed : as a persecutor of priests before you could have an oppor- tunity of understanding my sentiments on that head. You aru a gen- eral council : in you centre all this world can communicate of gravity, wisdom, and sanctity : but still you are men, and men are seducible by appearances. The higher your character is for wisdom, the great- er ought your care to be not to deviate into folly, The cause I now plead is not my own cause: it is the cause of men; it is the cause of christians; it is a cause which is to affect the rights of posterity, how- ever the experiment is to be made in my person.^' This speech had not the least effect; Jerom was obliged to hear the charge read, which was reduced under the following heads: — 1. That he was a derider of the papal dignity ; — 2. An opposer of th'j pope ;— 3. An enemy to the cardinals; — 4. A persecutor of the o relates,'^ and 5. A hater of the christian religion. The trial of Jerom was brought on the third day after his accusation, and witnesses were examined in support of the charge. The prisoner was prepared for his defence, which appears almost incredible, when we consider he had been three hundred and forty days shut up in loath- some prisons, deprived of daylight, and almost starved for want of common necessaries. But his spirit soared above these disadvantages, under which a man less animated would have sunk; nor was he more at a loss for quotations from the fathers and ancient authors than if ho had been furnished with the finest library. The most bigoted of the assembly were unwilling he should bo f k^ ■Ifc v-^ > f ,:t ■;M"I 4 ■■r-^:^ I il »l , <■. fc I 172 BOOK OF XABTTBS. heard, knowing what effect eloquence is apt to have on the minds of the most prejudiced. At length, however, it was carried by the ma- jority, that he should have liberty to proceed in his defence, which he begun in such an exalted strain of moving elocution, that the heart of obdurate zeal was seen to melt, and the mind of superstition seemed to admit a ray of conviction. He made an admirable distinction be- tween evidence as resting upon facts,, and as supported by malice and calumny. He laid before the assembly the whole tenor of his life and conduct. He observed that the greatest and most holy men had been knpwn to difller in points of speculation, with a view to distinguish truth, not to keep it concealed. He expressed a noble contempt of all his enemies, who would have induced him to retract the cause of vir- tue and truth. He entered upon a high encomium of Huss ; and de- clared he was ready to follow him in the glorious track of martyrdom. He then touched upon the most defensible doctrines of Wickliife; and concluded with observing that it was far from his intention to advance any thing against the state of the church of God; that it was only a- gainst the abuse of the clergy he complained ; and that he could not help saying, it was certainly impious that the patrimony of the church, which was originally intended for the purpose of charity and universal benevolence, should be prostituted to the pride of the eye, m feasts, foppish vestments, ond other reproaches to the name and profession of Christianity. The trial being over, Jerom received the same sentence that had been passed upon his martyred countryman. In consequence of this, he was, in the usual style of popish affectation, delivered over to the civil power: but as he was a layman, he had not to undergo the cere- mony of degradation. They had prepared a cap of paper painted with red devils, which being put upon his head, he said, "Our Lord Jesus Christ, when he suffered death for me a most miserable sinner, did wear a crown of thorns upon his head, and for His sake will I wear this cap.'' Two days were allowed him in hopes that he would recant; in which time the cardinal of Florence used his utmost endeavours to bring him over. But they all proved ineffectual. Jerom was resol- ved to seal the doctrine with his blood ; and he suffered death with the most distinguished magnanimity. In going to the place of execution he sung several hymns, and when he came to the spot, which was the same where Huss had been burnt, he knelt down, and prayed fervently. He embraced the stake with great cheerfulness, and when they went behind him to set fire to the fagots, he said, "Come here, and kindle it before my eyes ; for if I had been afraid of it, I had not come to this place." The fire being kindled, he sung a hymn, but was soon interrupted by the flames; and the last words he was heard to say these: — "This soul in flames I offer, Christ, to thee." The elegant Pogge, a learned gentleman of Florence, secretary to two popes, and a zealous but liberal catholic, in a letter to Leonard Are 0fJ( TJ Troc; as he and It of Po honou he rel thedei subjeci it was said to countrj more m meeting of Wil^ arms in The kin flrst insu Wince dered hi vere obn immediat pope, ant masters c Bohemia mers. 7 conflict ( vt^ithdrew Bohemia, treat of i ail the foi that cleai faith was of the lat sounded fl caatle of 1420, defj to oppose I the town fought. Winter , ^orty milea] he surprise of ua- khc I of med I bo- and I and been ruish of all f vh- id de- rdom. 3 ; and Ivance >nlY a- jild not ihurch, liversal feasts, ssion of that had B of this, 5r to the the cere- painted ►ur Lord sinner, Ike wili I acant; in (lvouts 10 /as resoi- with the nnd when ten burnt, [take with [fire to the Ibrifltia'i Ig kindled, [\d the last US 1 offer, 3cretary to [o Leonard BOOK OF MARTYBS. 178 Aietin, bore ample testimony of the extraordinary powers and virtues of Jerom, whom he emphatically styles A prodigious man! Zisca. The real name of this zealous servant of Christ was John de Trocznow; that of Zisca is a Bohemian word, signifying one-eyed, as he had lost an eye. He was a native of Bohemia, of a good family and left the court of Winceslaus, to enter into the service of the king of Poland against the Teutonic knights. Having obtained a badge of honour and a purse of ducats for his gallantry, at the close of the war, he returned to the court of Winceslaus, to whom be boldly avowed the deep interest he took in the bloody affront offered to his majesty^s subjects at Constance in the affair of Huss. ^.inceslau8 lamented it was not in his power to revenge it; and from this moment Zisca is said to have formed the idea of asserting the religious liberties of his country. In the year 1418, the council was dissolved, having done more mischief than good, and in the summer of that year a general meeting was held of the friends of religious reformation, at the castle of Wilgrade, who, conducted by Zisca, repaired to the emperor with arms in their hands, and offered to defend him against his enemies. The king bid them use their arms properly, and this stroke of policy first insured to Zisca the confidence of his party. Winceslaus was succeeded by Sigismond, his brother, who ren dered himself odious to the Reformers; and removed all such as were obnoxious to his government. Zisca and his friends, upon this, immediately flew to arms, declared war against the emperor and the pope, and laid siege to Pilsen with 40,000 men. They soon became masters of the fortress, and in a short time all the south-west part of Bohemia submitted, which greatly increased the army of the refer iners. The latter having taken the pass of Muldaw, afler a severe conflict of five days and nights, the emperor became alarmed, and withdrew his troops from the confines of Turkey, to march them into Bohemia. At Berne in Moravia, he halted, and sent despatches to treat of peace, as a preliminary to which, Zisca gave up Pilsen and all the fortresses he had taken. Sigismond proceeding in a manner that clearly manifested he acted on the Roman doctrine, that no faith was to be kept with heretics, and treating some of the authors of the late disturbances with severity, the alarm-bell of revolt was sounded from one end of Bohemia to the other. Zisca took the castle of Prague by the power of money, and on the 19th of August, 1420, defeated the small army the emperor had hastily got together to oppose him. He next took Ausea by assault, and destroyed the town with a barbarity that di^raced the cause in which he fought. Winter approaching, Zisca fortified his camp on a strong hill about forty miles from Prague, which he called Mount Tabor, from whence be surprised a body of horse at midnight, and made a thousand meo .tn!- ;i(.' r.i ■ ^ f. ^i ' If J ■H iJ ' >" *' <■ i^a i' I:, il ^r ':! • 174 nooK OF MASimi. prifloners. Shortly afler, the emperor obtained posses ct>' uf the strong fortress of Prague, by the same means that Zisca .! : bt'jrf done : it was soon blockaded by the latter, and want began to thivaten the emperor, who saw the necessity of a retreat. Determined to make a desperate effort, Sigismond attacked the for* tified camp of Zisca on Mount Tabor, and carried it with great slaughter. Many other fortresses also fell, and Zisca withdrew to a craggy hill, which he strongly fortified, and whence he so annoyed the emperor in his approaches against the town of Prague, that he found he must either abandon the siege or defeat his enemy. The marquis of Misnia was deputed to effect this with a large body of troops, but the event was fatal to the imperialists; they were defeated, and the em- peror having lost nearly one third of his army, retreated from the siege of Prague, harassed in his rear by the enemy. in the spnng of 1421, Zisca commenced the campaign, as before, by destroying all the monasteries in his way. He laid siege to the castle of Wisgrade, and the emperor cnming to relieve it, fell into u snare, was defeated with dreadful slaughter, and this important fi)r- tress was taken. Our general had now leisure to attend to the work of reformation, but he was much disgusted with the gross ignorance and superstition of the Bohemian clergy, who rendered themselves contemptible in the eyes of the whole army. When he saw any symptoms of uneasiness in his camp, he would spread alarm in order to divert them, and draw his men into action. In one of these expe- ditions, he encamped before the town of Rubi, and while pointing out the place for an assault, an arrow shot from the wall struck him in the eye. At Prague it was extracted, but, being barbed, it tore the eye out with it. A fever succeeded, and his life was with diflicully preserved. He was now totally blind, but still desirous of attending the army. The emperor having summoned the states of the empire to assist him, it was resolved, with their assistance, to attack Zisca in the winter, when many of his troops depailed till the return of spring. The confederate princes undertook the siege of Soisin, but at the approach merely of the Bohemian general, they retreated. Sigis- mond nevertheless advanced with his formidable army, consisting of 15,000 Hungarian horse and 25,000 infantry, well equipped for a winter campaign. This army spread terror through all the east of Bohemia. Wherever Sigismond marched, the magistrates laid their keys at his feet, and were treated with severity or favour, according to their merits in his cause. Zisca, however, with speedy marches, approached, and the emperor resolved to try his fortune once more with that invincible chief. On the 13th of^ January, 1422, the two armies met on a spacious plain near Kamnitz. Ziscu appeared in the centre of his front line, guarded, or rather conducted, by a horseman on each side, armed with a pole-axe. His troops having 8und on his [the town upon an ass. They made several incisions in his flesh. They pulled (jfF the toe nails of his right foot. The same repeated with his left foot. He was tied up by the loins, and suspended for a consid- erable time. The teeth of his upper jaw were pulled out. The same was repeated with his lower jaw. Boiling lead was poured upon his fingers. The same repeated with his toes. A knotted cord was twisted about his forehead in such a manner as to force out his eyes. Duritig the whole of these horrid cruelties, particular care was taken that his wounds should not mortify, and not to injure him mor- tally till the last day, when the forcing out of his eyes proved his death. Innumerable were the other murders and depredations committed by those imfeeling brutes, and shocking to humanity were the cruel- ties which they inflicted on the poor Bohemian protestants. Tlie winter being far advanced, however, the high court of reformers, with their infernal band of military ruffians, thought proper to return to Prague ; but on their way, meeting with a protestant pastor, they could not resist the temj)tation of feasting their barbarous eyes with a new kind of cruelty, which had just suggested itself to the diabolical imagination of one of the soldiers. This was to strip the minister naked, and alternately to cover him with ice and burning coals. This novel mod'-) of tormenting a fellow-creature was immediately put into practice, and the unhappy victim expired beneath the torments, which seemed to delight his inhuman persecutors. A secret order was soon after issued by the emperor, for appre- hending all noblemen and gentlemen, who had been principally con- cerned in supporting the protestant cause, and in nominating Frederic, elector Palatine of the Rhine, to be king of Boheniia. These, to the number of fifty, were apprehended in one night, and at one hour, and brought from the places where they were taken, ^> the castle of Prague, and the estates of those who were absenr. fri>m the kingdom were confiscated, themselves were made outlaws, ?,nd their names fixed upon a gallows, as marks of public ignominy. The high court of reformers then proceedec' to try the fifty, who had been apprehended, and two apostate protestants were appointed to examine them. These examinants asked a great number of unneces- sary and impertinent questions, v/hich so exasperated one of the noblemen, who was naturally of a warm temper, that he exclaimed, opening his breast at the same time, "Cut here, search my heart, you shall find nothing but the love of religion and liberty; those were the motives for which I drew my sword, and for those I am willing to suf- fer death." As none of the prisoners would change their religion, or acknowl- edge they had been in error, they were all pronounced guilty ; but the sentence was referred to the emperor. When that monarch had read their names, and an account of the respective accusations against them, he passed judgment on all, but in a diflerent manner, as 14* I'ff :i , i'^'-. ! < ^(^ ! i :': S 180 iiOOK OF SIARTVR8. I f'- t his sentences were of four kinds, viz. death, banishment, imprison- ment for life, and imprisonment during pleasure. Twenty being ordered for execution, were informed they might send for Jesuits, monks, or friars, to prepare for the awful change they were to undergo; but that no protestants should be permitted to come near them. This proposal they rejected, and strove all they could to com- fort and cheer each other upon the solemn occasion. On the morning of the day appointed for the execution, a cannon was fired as a signal to bring the prisoners from the castle to the principal market-place, in which scaffolds were erected, and a body of troops were drawn up to attend the tragic scene. The prisoners left the castle with as much cheerfulness as if they had been going to an agreeable entertainment, instead of a violent death. Exclusive of soldiers, Jesuits, priests, executioners, attendants, &c. a prodigious concourse of people attended, to see the exit of these devo- ted martyrs, who were executed in the following order. Lord Schilik was about fifty years of age, and was possessed of great natural and acquired abilities. When he was told he was to be quartered, and his parts scattered in different places, he smiled with great serenity, saying, The loss of a sepulchre is but a trifling consideration. A gentleman who stood by, crying, courage, my lord; he replied, I have God's favour, which is sufficient to inspire any one with courage : the fear of death does not trouble me ; for- merly I have faced him in fields of battle to oppose Antichrist; and now dare face him on a scaffold, for the sake of Christ. Having said a short prayer, he told the executioner he was ready, who cut off his right hand and his head, and then quartered him. His hand and head were placed upon the high tower of Prague, and his quartei-s distributed in difiarent parts of the city. Lord Viscount Winceslaus, who had attained the age of seventy years, was equally respectable for learning, piety, and hospitality. His temper was so remarkably patient, that when his house was broke open, his property seized, and his estates confiscated, he only said, with great composure. The Lord hatn given, and the Lord hath taken away. Being asked why he could engage in so dangerous a cause as that of attempting to support the elector Palatine Frederic, against the power of the emperor, he replied, I acted strictly accord- ing to the dictates of my conscience, and, to this day, deem him my King. 1 am now full of years, and wish to lay down lifC) that I may not be a witness of the farther evils which are to attend my country. You have long thirsted for my blood, take it, for God will be my aven- ger. Then approaching the block, he stroked his long grey beard, and said. Venerable hairs, the greater honour now attends ye, a crown of martyrdom is your portion. Then laying down his head, it was sever ed from his body at one stroke, and placed upon a pole in a conspicuous part of the city. L rien< rope, andi Tl and J of th( he sa Wood; still rise walked a ing calm since, gn praised f king of t joys. K mend my of thy pr pain, by body. The ea unaffected ^o^ght on sciences st fence of di^ pleases Gc blood." iy with courage. I C on- end ^ere lear ;om- BOOK OF MARTYRS. 181 Lord Harant was a man of good sense, great piety, and much expe rience gained by travel, as he had visited the principal places in Eu- rope, Asia, and Africa. Hence he was free from national prejudices, and had collected much knowledge. The accusations against this nobleman, were, his being a protestant, and having taken an oath of allegiance to Frederic, elector Palatine of the Rhme, as king of Bohemia. When he came upon the scaffold, he said, "I have travelled through many countries, and traversed va- rious barbarous nations, yet never found so much cruelty as at home. I have escaped innumerable perils both by sea and laad, and surmount- ed inconceivable difficulties, to suffer irmocently in my native place. My blood is likewise sought by those for whom I, and my forefathers, have hazarded our estates; but. Almighty God I forgive them, for they know not what they do." He then went to the block, kneeled down, and exclaimed with great energy, into thy hands, O Lord ! I commend my spirit; in thee have I always trusted; receive me, therefore, my blessed Redeemer. The fatal stroke was then given, and a period put to the temporary pains of this life. Lord Frederic de Bile suffered as a protestant, and a promoter of the late war; he met his fate with serenity, and only said, he wished well to the friends whom he left behind, forgave the enemies who caused his death, denied the authority of the emperor in that country, acknowledg- ed Frederic to be the only true king of Bohemia, and hoped for salva- tion in the merits of liis blessed Redeemer. Lord Henry Otto, when he first came upon the scaffold, seemed great- ly confounded, and said, with some asperity, as if addressing himself to the emperor, "Thou tyrant Ferdinand, your throne is estal)lished in blood; but if you kill my body, and disperse my members, they shall still rise up in judgment against you." He then was silent, and having walked about for some time, seemed to recover hi.' fortitude, and grow- ing calm, said to a gentleman who stood near, 1 was, a few minutes since, greatly discomposed, but now I feel my spirits revive ; God be praised for affording me such comfort; death no longer appears as the king of terrors, but seems to invite me to participate of some unknown joys. Kneeling before the block, he said. Almighty God ! to thee I com- mend my soul, receive it for the sake of Christ, and admit it to the glory of thy presence. The executioner put this nobleman to considerable pain, by making several strokes before he severed the head from the body. The earl of Rugenia was distinguished for his superior abilities, and unaffected piety. On the scaffold he said, "We who drew our swords, fought only to preserve tlie liberties of the people, and to keep our con- sciences sacred : as we were overcome, I am better pleased at the sen- tence of death, than if the emperor had given me life ; for I find that it pleases God to have his truth defended, not by our swords, but by our blood." He then went boldly to the block, saying, I shall now be speedi- ly with Christ, and received the crown of martyrdom with great courage. ■'■i J i '!%i ^k i t- i \' .■ I II 9 • V I. i w ' • w 'll.'- ' > t: i»3 'lii li . I h^-''-W i 1/ '■'■ ia ■'* i^''ti:t:-il' ? M 182 BOOK OF MARTYRS. Sir Caspar Kaplitz was 86 years of age. When he came to the place of execution, he addressed the principal officer thus: "Behold a miserable ancient man, who hath often entreated God to take him out of this wicked world, but could not until now obtain his desire for God reserved me till these years to be a spectacle to the world, and a sacrifice to himself; therefore God's will be done." One of the officers told him, in consideration of his great age, that if he would only ask pardon, he would immediately receive it. "Ask pardon, (exclaimed he) I will ask pardon of God, whom I have frequently offended ; but not of the emperor, to whom I never gave any offence • should 1 sue for pardon, it might be justly suspected I had committed some crime for which I deserved this condemnation. No, no, as I die innocent, and with a clear conscience, I would not be separated from this noble company of martyrs:" so saying, he cheerfully resigned his neck to the block. Procopius Dorzecki on the scaffold said, "We are now under the em- peror's judgment; but in time he shall be judged, and we shall appear as witnesses against him." Then taking a gold medal from his neck, which was struck when the elector Frederic was crowned king of Bo- hemia, he presetted it to one of the officers, at the same time uttering these words, "As a dying man, I request, if ever king Frederic is re- stored to the throne of Bohemia, that you will give him this medal. Tell iiim, for his sake, I wore it till deaih, and that now I willingly lay down my life for God and my ki;ig." He then cheerfully laid down his head and submitted to the fatal blow. Dionysius Servius was brought up a Roman catholic, but had em- braced the reformed religion for some years. When upon the scaffold the Jesuits used their utmost endeavours to make him recant, and return to his former faith, but he paid not the least attention to their exhortations. Kneeling down he said, they may destr»»y my body, but cannot injure my soul, that I commend to my Redeemer; and then patiently submitted to martyrdom, being at that time fifly-six years of age. Valentine Cockan, was a person of considerable fortune and emi- nence, perfectly pious and honest, but of trifling abilities; yet his imagination seemed to grow bright, and his faculties to improve on death's approach, as if the impending danger refined the understand- ing. Just before he 'vas boheaded, he expressed himself with such elo- quence, energy, and j ! 3cisiG5i, as greatly amazed those who knew his former deficiency in y^ »int of capacity. Tobias Steffick wa;^ remarkable for tiis affability and serenity of tem- per. He was perfectly resigned to his fate, and a few minutes before his death spoke in this singular manner, "I have received, during the whole course of my life, many favours from God; ought I not there- fore cheerfully to take one bitter cup, when he thinks proper to present it? Or rather, ought I not to rejoice, that it is his will I should give up a corrupted life for that of immortality !" BOOK OF MARTYRS. 188 Dr. Jessenius, an able student of physic, was accused of having spo- ken disrespectful words of the emperor, of treason in swearing alle- giance to the elector Frederic, and of heresy in being a protestant: for the first accusation he had his tongue cut out; for the second he was beheaded ; and for the third, and last, he was quartered, and the res- pective parts exposed on poles. Christopher Chober, as soon as he stepped upon the scaffold said, «I come in the name of God, to die for his glory ; I have fought the good fight, and finished my course ; so, executioner, do your oflice.^^ The executioner obeyed, and he instantly received the crown of mar- tyrdom. No person ever lived more respected, or died more lamented, than John Shultis. The only words he spoke, before receiving the fatal stroke, were, "The righteous seem to die in the eyes of fools, but they only go to rest. Lord Jesus ! thou hast promised that those who come to thee shall not be cast off. Behold, I am come; look on me, pity me, pardon my sins, and receive my soul." Maximilian Hostialick was famed for his learning, piety, and hu- manity. When he first came on the scaffold, he seemed exceedingly terrified at the approach of death. The officer taking notice of his agitation, he said, "Ah ! sir, now tlie sins of my youth crowd upon my mind; but I hope God will enlighten me, lest I sleep the sleep of death, and lest mine enemies say, we have prevailed." Soon after he said, "I hope my repentance is sincere, and will be accepted, in which case the blood of Christ will wash me from my crimes." He then told the officer he should repeat the song of Simeon ; at the conclusion of which the executioner might do his duty. He, accordingly, said, Lord ! now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation ; at which words his head was struck off at one blow. When John Kutnaur came to the place of execution, a Jesuit said to him, "Embrace the Roman catholic faith, which alone can save and arm you against the terrors of death." To which he replied, "Your superstitious faith I abhor, it leads to perdition, and I wish for no other arms against the terrors of death, than a good conscience." The Jesuit turned away, saying, sarcastically. The protestants are impenetrable rocks. You are mistaken, said Kutnaur, it is Christ that is the rock, and we are firmly fixed upon him. This person not being born independent, but having acquired a for- tune by a, mechanical employment, was ordered to be hanged. — ^Just before he was turned off, he said, "I die, not for having committed any crime, but for following the dictates of my own conscience, and de- fending my country and religion." Simeon Sussickey was father-in-law to Kutnaur, and like him, was ordered to be executed on a gallows. He went cheerfully to death, and appeared impatient to be executed, saying, "Every moment de- lays me from entering into the kingdom of Christ." : Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN f TMIT «vnSTM,N.Y. 14SM (7U)t73-4S03 /%•■ m !fef m9 u'^ mM. '^%m^y4 -■.|; .^ ji. 188 BOOK OF MASTTRS. The enonnous cruelties will be a perpetual stain on the memory of count Tilly, who not only permitted, but even commanded the troops to put them in practice. Wherever he came, the most horrid barbar- ities, and cruel depredations ensued : famine and conflagration marked his progress: for he destroyed all the provisions he could not take with him, and burnt all the towns before he lefl them; so that the full re- IBuIt of his conquests were murder, poverty, and desolation An aged and pious divine they stripped naked, tied him on his back upon a table, and fastened a large fierce cat upon his belly. They then pricked and tormented the cat in such a manner, that the creature with rage tore his belly open, and knawed his bowels. Another minister, and his family, were seized by these inhuman monsters; when they ravished his wife and daughter before his face, stuck his infant son upon the point of a lance, and then surrounding him with his whole library of books, they set fire to them, and he was consumed in the midst of the flames. In Hesse-Cassel some of the troops entered an hospital, in which were principally mad women, when stripping all the poor wretches naked, they made them run about the streets for their diversion, and then put them all to death. In Pomerania, some of the imperial troops entering a small town, seized upon all the young women, and girls of upwards of ten years, and then placing their parents in a circle, they ordered them to sing psalms, while they ravished their children, or else they swore they would cut them to pieces afterward. They then took all the married women who had young children, and threatened, if they did not con sent to the gratification of their lusts, to bum their children before their faces in a large fire, which they had kindled for that purpose. A band of count Tilly's soldiers meeting a company of merchants belonging to Basil, who were returning from the great market of Stras burg, they attempted to surround them : all escaped, however, but ten, leaving their properties behind. The ten who were taken begged hard for their lives: but the soldiers murdered them saying. You must die because you are heretics, and have got no money. The same soldiers met with two countesses, who, together with some J^oung ladies, the daughters of one of them, were taking an airing in a andau. The soldiers spared their lives, but treated them with the greatest indecency, and having stripped them all stark naked, bade the coachman drive on. By means and mediation of Great Britain, peace was at length re- store 1 to Germany, and the protestants remained unmolested for sev- eral /ears, till some new disturbances broke out in the Palatinate, whii h wer 3 thus occasioned : The great church of the Holy Ghost, at Heidelburg, had, for many years, been shared equally by the protestants and Roman catholic^ m this manner: the protestants performed divine service in the nave or body of the church ; and the Roman catholics celebrated mass in Uke choir. Though this had been the custom time immemorial, the y of roopB rbar- irked jwuh ill re- {back They eature human 8 face, tunding he was [1 which wretches ion, and all town, n years, m to sing jrore they J married not con n before [urpose. lerchants ItofStras , but ten, n begged You must yith some liring in a with the jiked, bade length re- Id for sev- >alatinate, for many catholics, the nave Id mass in 9rial,th« BOOK OF MABTnU. >80 elector Palatinate, at length, took it into his head not to suffer it any longer, declaring, that as Heidelburg was the place of his residence, and the church of the Holy Ghost the cathedral of his principal city, divine service ought to be performed only according to the rites of the church of which he was a member. He then forbade the protestants to enter the church, and put the papists in possession of the whole. The aggrieved people applied to the protestant powers for redress, which so much exasperated the elector, that he suppressed the Heidel- burg catechism. The protestant powers, however, unanimously agreed to demand satisfaction, as the elector, by this conduct, had broke an article of the treaty of Westphalia; and the courts of Great Britain, Prussia, Holland, &c., sent deputies to the elector, to repre- sent the injustice of his proceedings, and to threaten, unless he changed his behaviour to the protestants in the Palatinate, that they would treat their Roman catholic subjects with the greatest severity. Many violent disputes took place between the protestant powers and those of the elector, and these were greatly augmented by the following in- cident; the coach of the Dutch minister standing before the door of the resident sent by the prince of Hesse, the host was by chance car- rying to a sick person; the coachman took not the least notice, which those who attended the host observing, pulled him from his box, and compelled him to kneel: this violence to the domestic of a public min- ister, was highly resented by all the protestant deputies; and still more to heighten these differences, the protestants presented to the de- puties three additional articles of complaint. 1. That military executions were ordered against all protestant shoemakers who should refuse to contribute to the masses of St. Crispin. 2. That the protestants were forbid to work on popish holydays^ even in harvest time, under very heavy penalties, which occas^pned great inconveniences, and considerably prejudiced piiblic busmess. 3. That several protestant ministers had been dispossessed of theit churches, under pretence of their having been originally founded and built by Roman catholics. The protestant deputies, at length became so serious, as to inti- mate to the elector, that force of arms should compel him to do the jus- tice he denied to their representations. This menace brought him (c reason, as he well knew the impossibility of carrying on a war against the powerful states who threatened him. He, therefore, agreed, that the body of the church of the Holy Ghost should be restored to the pro- testants. He restored the Heidelburg catechism, put the protestant ministers again in possession of the churches of which they had been dispossessed, allowed the protestants to work on popish holydays, and, ordered, that no person should be molested for not kneeling whsn the host passed by. These things he did through fear; but to show his resentment to |U8 protestant subjects, in other circumstances where protestant /MM m ■ " ■^J'r^v s-«!'''^»i ;i I, ■: i.]ii fit !■■?'' u^\; ':W i 190 BOOK OF MARTYRS. states had no right to interfere, he totally abandoned Heidelburg, re- moving all the courts of justice to Manheim, which was entirely inhab- ited by Roman catholics. He likewise built a new palace there, ma- king it his place of residence ; and, being followed by the Roman cath- olics of Heidelburg, Manheim became a flourishing place. In the mean time the protestants of Heidelburg sunk into poverty, and many of them became so distressed, as to quit their native coun- try, and seek an asylum in protestant states. A great number of these coming into England, in the time of queen Anne, were cordially received there, and met with a most humane assistance, both by public and private donations. In 1732, above 30,000 protestants were, contrary to the treaty of Westphalia, driven from the archbishopric of Saltzburg. They went away in the depth of winter, with scarce clothes to cover them, and without provisions, not having permission to take any thing with them. The cause of these poor people not being publicly espoused by such states as could obtain them redress, they emigrated to various protes- tant countries, and settled in places where they could enjoy the free exercise of their religion, without hurting their consciences, end live free from the trammels of popish superstition, and the chains of papai tyranny. An Account of the PeraecuHona in the Netherlands. The light of the gospel having successfully spread over the Neth erlands, the pope instigated the emperor to commence a persecutioo against the protestants; when many thousand fell martyrs to super- stitious malice and barbarous bigotry; among whom the most remark- able were the following : Wendelinuta, a pious protestant widow, was apprehended on ac- count of her religion, when several monks, unsuccessfully, endeav- oured to persuade her to recant. As they could not prevail, a Roman catholic lady of her acquaintance desired to be admitted to the dun- geon in which she was confined, and promised to exert herself strenu- ously towards inducing the prisoner to abjure the reformed religion. When she was admitted to the dungeon, she did her utmost to perform the task she had undertaken ; but finding her endeavours ineffectual, she sak), Dear Wendelinuta, if you will not embrace our faith, at least keep the things which you profess secret '^in your own bosom, and strive to prolong your life. To which . widow replied, Madam, you know not what you say; for with the heart we believe to right- eousness, but with the tongue confession is made unto salvation. As she positively refused to recant, her goods were confiscated, and she was condemn^ to be burnt. At the place of execution a monk held a cross to her, and bade her kiss and worship God. To which she answered, **l worship no wooden god, but the eternal God who is in heaven.'^ She was then executed, but through the before-mentioned laty of y went iin, and ii them. t)y such ( protes- the free Etnd live of papal BOOK OF MABTYRS. T^| Roman catholic lady, the favour was granted, that she should be stran- gled before fire was put to the fagots. Two protestant clergymen were burnt at Colen; a tradesman of Antwerp, named Nicholas, was tied up in a sack, thrown into the riv- er, and drowned ; and Pistorius, a learned student, was carried to the market of a Dutch village in a fooPs coat, and committed to the flames Sixteen protestants having received sentence to be beheaded, a pro- testant minister was ordered to attend the execution. This gentle- man performed the function of his office with great propriety, exhort- ed them to repentance, and gave them comfort in the mercies of their Redeemer. As soon as the sixteen were beheaded, the magistrate cried out to the executioner, "There is another stroke remaining yet; you must behead the minister; he can never die at a better time than with such excellent precepts in his mouth, and such laudable exam- ples before him.^' He was accordingly beheaded, though even many of the Roman catholics themselves reprobated this piece of treacher- ous and unnecessary cruelty. George Scherter, a minister of Saltzburg, was apprehended and committed to prison for instructing his flock in the knowledge of the gospel. While he was in confinement he wrote a confession of his faith ; soon after which he was condemned, first to be beheaded, and af- terward to be burnt to ashes. In his way to the place of execution he said to the spectators, "That you may know I die a true christian, I will give you a sign." This was indeed verified in a most singular manner; for after his head was cut ofl*, the body lying a short space of time with the belly to the ground, it suddenly turned upon the back, when the right foot crossed over the left, as did also the right arm over the left: and in this manner it remained till it was committed to the flames. In Louviana, a learned man, named Percinal, was murdered in pri- son; and Justus Insparg was beheaded, for having Luther^s serm \i m ii' '>ii4 192 BOOK OF MARTYKS. In the year 1543 and 1544, the persecution was carried un through- out all Flanders, in a most violent and cruel manner. Some were condemned to perpetual imprisonment, others to perpetual banishment but most were put to death either by hanging, drowning, immuring, burning, the rack, or burying alive. John de Boscane, a zealous protestant, was apprehended on ac- count of his faith, in the city of Antwerp. On his trial, he steadfast- ly professed himself to be of the reformed religion, which occasioned his immediate condemnation. The magistrate, however, was afraid to put him to death publicly, as he was popular through his great gen- erosity, and almost universally beloved for his inoffensive life, and ex- emplary piety. A private execution being determined on, an order was given to drown him in prison. The executioner, accordingly, put him in a large tub; but Boscane struggling, and getting his head above the water, the executioner stabbed him with a dagger in several places, till he expired. John de Buisons, another protestant, was, about the same time, se- cretly apprehended, and privately executed at Antwerp. The num- ber of protestants being great in that city, and the prisoner much res- pected, the magistrates feared an insurrection, and for that reason or- dered him to be beheaded in prison. A. D. 1568, three persons were apprehended in Antwerp, named Scoblant, Hues, and Coomans. During their confinement they be- haved with great fortitude and cheerfulness, confessing that the hand of God appeared in what had befallen them, and bowing down before the throne of his provideiice. In an epistle to some worthy protestants, they express themselves in the following words; Since it is the will of the Almighty that we should suffer for his name, and be persecuted for the sake of his gospel, we patiently submit, and are joyful upon the occasion; though the flesh may rebel against the spirit, and hearken to the council of the old serpent, yet the truths of the gospel shall pre- vent such advice from being taken, and Christ shall bruise tlie ser- pontes head. We are not comfortless in confinement, for we have faith; we fear not affliction, for we have hope; and we forgive our ene- mies, for we have charity. Be not under apprehensions for us, we are happy in confinement through the promises of God, glory in our bonds, and exult in being thought worthy to sViffer for the sake of Christ. We desire not to be released, but to be blessed with fortitude; we ask not liberty, but the power of perseverance ; and wish for no change in our condition, but that which places a crown of martyrdom upon our heads. Scoblant was first brought to his trial; when, persisting in the profession of his faith, he received sentence of death. On his return to prison, he earnestly requested the jailer not to permit any friar to come near him; saying, "They can do me no good, but may greatly disturb me. I hope my salvation is already sealed in heaven, and that the blood of Christ, in which I firmly put my trust, hath washed mo from my iniquities. I am now going to throw off this mantle of lugh- were nent iring, m ac- idfast- Bioned afraid at gen- ind ex- 1 order 5ly,put i above several ime, se- le num* luch res- sason or* p, named theybe- the hand n before jtestants, -le will of [ecuted for upon the i hearken shall pre- the ser- we have 'eourene- ibr us, we ary in our ^e sake of fortitude; ish for no lartyrdom Iting in the This return ly friar to [ay greatly saven, and Bith washed , mantle of BOOK OF HARITBS. 199 clay, to be clad in robes of eternal glory, by whose celestial bright- ness I shall be freed from all errors. I hope I may be the last martyr to papal tyranny, and the blood already spilt found sufficient to quench the thirst of popish cruelty ; that the church of Christ may have rest here, as his servants wfil hereafler." On the day of exe- cution, he took a pathetic leave of his fellow-prisoners. At the stake he fervently said the Lord's Prayer, and sung the fortieth psalm; then commending his soul to God, he was burnt alive. Hues, soon after, died in prison; upon which occasion Coomana wrote thus to his friends: "I am now deprived of my friends and companions; Scoblant is martyred, and Hues dead, by the visitation of the Lord: yet I am not alone; I have with me the God of Abra- ham, of Isaac, and of Jacob; he is my comfort, and shall be my re- ward. Pray unto God to strengthen me to the end, as I expect every hour to be freed from this tenement of clay.'* On his trial he freely confessed himself of the reformed religion, answered with a. muily fortitude to every charge against him, and proved the scriptural put of his answers from the gospel. The judge told him the only alternatives were, recantation or death; and con- cluded by saying, "Will you die for the faith you profess?'' To which Coomans replied, "I am not only willing to die, but to suffer the most excruciating torments for it; after which my soul shall re- ceive its confirmation from God himself, in the midst of eternal glory." Being condemned, he went cheerfully to the place of exe- cution, and di^ with the most manly fortitude, and christian resig- nation. William Nassau fell a sacrifice to treachery, being assassinated in the fifty-first year of his age, by Beltazar Crerard, a native of Tranche Compte, in the province of Burgundy. This murderer, in hopes of a reward here and hereafter, for killing an enemy to the king of Spain, and an enemy to the catholic religion, undertook to destroy the prince of Orange. Having procured fire arms, he watched him as he passed through the great hall of his palace to dinner, and demanded a pass- port. The princess of Orange, observing that the assassin spoke with a hollow and confused voice, asked who he was? saying, she did not like his countenance. The prince answered, it was one that demanded a passport, which he should presently have. Nothing farther passed before dinner, but on the return of the prince and princess through the same hall, after dinner was over, the assassin, standing concealed as much as possible by one of the pillars, fired at the prince, the balls entering at the left side, and passing through the right, wounding in their passage the stomach and vital parts. On receiving the wounds, the prince only said, Lord, havo mercy upon my soul, and upon these poor people, and then expired im- mediately. The lamentations throughout the United Provinces were general, on account of the death of the prince of Orange; and the assassin, who was immediately taken, received sentence to be put to death in • n" r ■ f %i i t J ■ 1 «m ,*'•* i* 'i .-fi. ■..].. 194 BOOK OF MARTYBI. the most exemplary manner; yet such was his enthusiasm, or folly ,. that when his flesh was torn by red-hot pincers, he coolly said, If I was at liberty, I would commit such an action over again. The prince of Grangers funeral was the grandest ever seen in the Low Countries, and perhaps the sorrow for his death the most sincere, as he left behind him the character he honestly deserved, viz. that of Father of his people. To conclude, multitudes were murdered in different parts of Flan- ders; in the city of Valence, in particular, fifty-seven of the prin- cipal inhabitants were butchered in one day, for refusing to embrace the RomiE^ superstition; and great numbers were suffered to languish in confinement, till they perisl^ through the inclemency of their dun geons. M:a4:imi !•*: S? .:' , i. ' CHAPTER IX. AN ACCOUNT OF THE PERSECUTIONS IN LITHUANIA AND POLAND. The persecutions in Lithuania began in 1648, and were carried on with great severity by the Cossacks and Tartars. The cruelty of the Coisaacks was suc^, that even the Tartars, at last, grew ashamed of it, and rescued some of the intended victims from their hands. The barbarities exercised were these: skinning alive, cutting off hands, taking out the bowels, cutting the flesh open, putting out the eyes, beheading, scalping, cutting off feet, boring the shin bones, pour- ing melted lead into the flesh, hanging, stabbing, and sending to perpet- ual banishment. The Russians, taking advantage of the devastations which had been made in the country, and of its incapability of defence, entered it with a considerable army, and, like a flood, bore down all before them. Every thing they met with was an object of destruction; they razed cities, demolished castles, ruined fortresses, sacked towns, burnt villages, and murdered people. The ministers of the gospel were peculiarly marked out as the objects of their displeasure, though every worthy christian was liable to the effects of their cruelty. As Lithuania recovered itself afler one persecution, succeeding enemies again destroyed it. The Swedes, the Prussians, and the Courlanders, carried fire and sword through it, and continual calami- ties, for some years, attended that unhappy district. It was then at- tacked by the prince of Transylvania, who had in his army, exclusive of his own Transylvanians, Hungarians, Moldavians, Servians, Wala- chians, &.c. These, as far as they penetrated, wasted the country, destroyed the churches, rifled the nobility, burnt the hotises, enslaved the healthy, and murdered the sick in BOOK OF MARTYSS. 105 A clergyman, who wrote an account of the misfortunes of Lithu- ania, in the seventeenth century, says, "In consideration of these ex- tremities, we cannot but adore the judgment of God poured upon us for our sins, and deplore our sad condition. Let us hope for a deliv- erance from his mercy, and wish for restitution in his benevolence. Though we are brought low, though we are wasted, troubled, and ter- rified, yet his compassion is greater than our calamities, and his good- ness superior to our afflictions. Our neighbours hate us at present, as much as our more distant enemies did before : they persecute the rem- nant of us still remaining, deprive us of our few churches left, ban- is hour preachers, abuse our schoolmasters, treat us with contempt, and oppress us in the most opprobrious manner. In all our afflictions the truth of the gospel shone among us, and gave us comfort ; and we only wished for the grace of Jesus Christ, (not only to ourselves, but to soflen the hearts of our enemies) and the sympathy of our fellow christians." The protestants of Poland were^ persecuted in a dreadful manner. The ministers in particular were treated with the most unexampled barbarity; some having their tongues cut out, because they had preach- ed the gospel truths; others being deprived of their sight on account of their having read the bible; and great numbers were cut to pieces for not recanting. Private persons were put to death by various methods ; the most cruel being usually preferred. Women were murdered without the least re- gard to their sex; and the persecutors even went so far as to cut off Uie heads of sucking babes, and fasten them to the breasts of the mothers. Even the solemnity of the grave did not exempt the bodies of protes- tants from the malice of persecutors; for they sacrilegiously dug up the bodies of many eminent persons, and either cut them to pieces, and exposed them to be devoured by birds and beasts, or hung them up :x{ conspicuous or public places. The city of Lesna particularly suffered in this persecution; for being besieged and taken, the inhabitants were all put to the sword. CHAPTER X. AN ACCOUNT OF THE PERSECUTIONS IN CHINA AND SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES. , Christianity was first established in China by three Italian mission- aries, called Roger the Neapolitan, Pasis of Bologne, and Matthew Ricci of Mazerata, in the marquisate of Ancona. These entered China about the beginning of the sixteenth century, being well circumstanced to perform their important commission with success, as they had previ ously studied the Chinese language. •t. jv .<^, , r nil m *•* i :r .■*.:. '"' *■ '.<. 196 BOOK OF MABTYB8. These three missionaries were very assiduous in the discharge of their duty ; but Roger and Pasis returning to Europe in a few years, the whole labour fell upon Ricci, who aimed to establish Christianity with a degree of zeal that was indefatigable. Ricci, though much disposed to indulge his converts as far as possi^ ble, made great hesitation at their ceremonies, which seemed to amount to idolatry. At length, afler eighteen years consideration, he began to soften his opinion, and tolerated all the parts of those customs which were ordered by the laws of the empire, but strictly enjoined his Chinese christians to omit the rest. This was the condition of Christianity in China, when the christian church established there was governed only by Ricci, who, by his mo- deration, made innumerable converts. In 1630, however, this tran quility w as disturbed by the arrival of some new missionaries : these being unacquainted with the Chinese customs, manners, and language, and with the arguments on which Ricci^s toleration was founded, were astonished when they saw christian converts prostrate before Con- fucius and the tables of their ancestors, and condemned the custom accordingly. A warm controversy now ensued between Ricci, seconded by his converts, and the new missionaries; and the latter wrote an account of the whole affair to the pope, and the society for the propagation of the christain faith. The society soon pronounced, that the ceremonies were idolatrous and intolerable, and the pope confirmed the sentence. In this both the society and the pope were excusable, as the matter had been misrepresented to them; for the enemies of Ricci had affirmed the halls, in which the ceremonies were performed, to be temples, and the ceremonies themselves idolatrous sacrifices. The sentence above mentioned was sent over to China, but treated with contempt, and matters remained as they' were for some time. At length, a true representation of the matter was sent over, setting forth, that the Chinese customs and ceremonies alluded to were entirely free from idolatry, being merely political, and tending only to the peace and welfare of the empire. The pope, finding that he had made him- self ridiculous, by confirming an absurd sentence upon a false re- port, wanted to get rid of thie affair, and therefore referred the re- presentation to the inquisition, which reversed the sentence immedi- ately, at the private desire of the pope, as may be naturally supposed. The christian church, for all these divisions, flourished in China till the death of the first Tartar emperor, whose successor was a minor. During this minority of the young emperor Cang-hi, the regents and nobles conspired to extirpate the christain religion. The execution of this design was begun with expedition, and carried on with severity, so that every christian teacher in China, as well as those who professed the faith, were struck with amazement. John Adam Schall, a Ger- man ecclesiastic, and one of the principals of the mission, was thrown into a dungeon in the year 1664, being then in the seventy-fourth year of his age, and narrowly escaped with his life. d by his jcount of ion of the iremonies sentence. he matter d affirmed nples, and lUt treated time. At ting forth, [irely free the peace ladehimr false re- jd the re- je immedi- gupposed. China till a minor, jgents and :ecution of iveritVj so professed ill, a Ger- iras thrown lourth year BOOK or MASTTBS. 197 The ensuing year, viz. 1665, the ministers of state publicly and unanimously resolved, and made a decree specifying, viz. 1. That the christian doctrines were false. 2. That they were dangerous to the interest of the empire. 3. That they should not be practised under pain of death. The publication of this decree occasioned a furious general perse* cution, in which some were put to death, many were ruined, and all were, in some manner, oppressed. This decree was general, and the persecution universal accordingly throughout the empire; for, previous to this, the christians had been partially persecuted at different times, and in different provinces. Four years atter, viz. 1669, the young emperor was declared of age, and took the reins of government upon himself, when the persecution immediately ceased by his order. An account of the Peraecuiions in Japan. Christianity was first introduced into the idolatrous empire of Japan, by some Portuguese missionaries in the year of our Lord 1552, and their endeavours in making converts to the light of the gospel met with a degree of success equal to their most sanguine wishes. This continued till the year 1616, when the missionaries being acv cused of having concerned themselves in politics, and formed a plan to subvert the government, and dethrone the emperor, great jealousies subsisted till 1622, when the court ordered a dreadful persecution to commence against both foreign and native christians. Such was the rage of this persecution, that, during the first four years, no less than 20,570 christians were massacred. The public profession of Christi- anity was prohibited under pain of death, and the churches were shut up by an express edict. Many who were informed against, as privately professing Christian- ity, suffered martyrdom with great heroism. Tfie persecution continued many years, when the remnant of the innumerable christians, with which Japan abounded, to the number of 37,000 souls, retired to the town and castle of Siniabara, in the island of Xinio, where they de- termined to make a stand, to continue in their faith, and to defend themselves to the very last extremity. The Japanese army pursued, the christians, and laid siege to the place. The christians defended themselves with great bravery, and held out against the besiegers for the space of three months, but were at length compelled to surrender, when men, women and children, were indiscriminately murdered; and Christianity, in their martyrdoms, en- tirely extirpated from Japan. This event took place on the 12th of April, 1638, since which period no christians but the Dutch are allowed to land in the empire, and even they are obliged to conduct themselves with the greatest precaution, and to carry on their commerce with the utmost circum- ipection. > '(' ■r ■ I' M t,r, '}:;' '•';'■'' :^- 106 BOOK OF BIABTYBf. All account of the Peraecutiona against the Christiana in Abyaainia, or Ethiopia. Towards the conclusion of the fifteenth century, and soon aAer the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope, somo Portuguese missionaries made a voyage to Abyssinia, and were indefatigable in propagating the Roman catholic doctrine among the Abyssinians, who professed Christianity before the arrival of the missionaries. The priests, employed in this mission, gained such an influence at court, that the emperor consented to abolish the established rites of the Ethiopian church, and to admit those of Rome. He soon after consented to receive a patriarch from Rome, and to acknowledge the pope^s supremacy. Many of the most powerful lords, and a majority of the people who professed the primitive Christianity, as first established in Abyssinia, opposed these innovations, and took up arms against the emperor. — Thus, by the artifices of the court of Rome, and its emissaries, a most furious civil war was begun, and the whole empire thrown into commotion. This war was carried on through several reigns, its continuance being above 100 years, and the court constantly siding with the Roman catholics, the primitive christians of Abyssinia were severely persecuted, and multitudes perished by tlie most inhuman means. An account of the Peraecutiona againat tfie Christiana in T\trkey. Mahomet, (the impostor^ in the infancy of his new religion, tolerated Christianity through a political motive, as he was sensible, that even in those early times it had several powerful espousers among the princes, who were his cotemporaries. As a proof that this was his sole view, as soon as he found his doctrine was established on a more permanent situation, he altered his forbearance to a system of the most rigid and barbarous persecution; which diabolical plan he has particularly recommended to his misguided followers, in that part of his Alcoran, entitled The Chapter of the Sword ; and as proofs of the blind zeal his followers have adopted from his infernal tenets, the manj bloody battles of the Turks with the whole of the professors of Christ's gospel, and their cruel massacres of them at various periods, suflicient ly evince. Constantine was, in the year 1453, besieged in Constantinople, by Mahomet the Second, with an army of 300,000 men, when, after a bloody siege of about six week, on the 29th of May, 1453, it fell into the hands of the infidels, after being an imperial christian city for some centuries; and the Turks have, to this day, retained possession of it, as well as of the adjoining suburb of Pera. On entering Constantinople, the Turks exercised on the wretched christians the most unremitting barbarity, destroying them by every method the most hellish cruelty could invent, or the most un- feeling heart could practise: some they roosted alive on spits; others ma, rthe BiricB ating esscd ice at :eB of after re the le who rssinia, eror. — iries, a wti into gns, il8 f siding lia were inhuman Turkey. . tolerated that even mong the was his on a more ,m of the in he has Btt part of «f8 of the the many )f Christ's sufhcient tinople, by jn, after a it fell into ly for some Ission of tt, wretched them by most un- jita; others BOOK OF VARTYM. 100 they flayed alive, and in that horrid manner left to expire with hunger: many were sawed asunder, and others torn to pieces by horses. — For full three days and nichts the Turks were striving to exceed each other in the exercise of their shocking carnage, and savage bar- barity; murdering, without distinction of age or sex, all they met, and brutishly violating the chastity of women, of every distinction and age. During the year 1520, Solynmn the First retook Buda from the christians, and showed the most horrible persecution of the inhabit- ants; some had their eyes torn out, others their hands, ears, and noses cut oft', and the children their privities, the virgins were deflowered, the matrons had their breasts cut oflf, and such as were pregnant had tlieir wombs ripped open, and their unborn babes thrown into the dames. Not content with this, he repeated these horrid examples all the way on his march to Vienna, which he ineffectually besieged, during which, this diabolical barbarian, having made a body of christians prisoners, he sent three of them into the city to relate the great strength of his army, and the rest he ordered to be torn limb from limb by wild horses in sight of their christian brethren, who could only lament by their cries and tears their dreadful fate. In many places the tender children were in sight of their wretched parents torn to pieces by beasts, others dragged at horses' heels, some famished with hunger, and others buried up to their necks in earth, and in that manner left to perish. In short, were we to relate the iauumerable massacres and deplorable tragedies acted by the infidels, the particulars would at least make a volume of themselves, and from their horrid similarity be not only shocking, but disgusting to the reader. Persecutimu and Oppretnom in Creorgia and Mingrelia. The Georgians, are christians, and being very handsome people, the Turks and Persians persecute them by the most cruel mode of taxation ever invented, namely, in lieu of money, they compel then< to deliver up their children for the following purposes. The females to increase the number of concubines in their seraglios; to serve as maids of honour to sultanas, the ladies of bashawd, &c. and to be sold to merchants of different nations, by whom the price is proportioned to the beauty of the pujrchased fair one. The males are used as mutes and eunuchs in the seraglio, as clerks in the offices of state, and as soldiers in the army. To the west of Georgia is Mingrelia, a country likewise inhabited by christians, who are persecuted and oppressed in the same manner as the Georgians by the Turks and Persians, their children being ex- torted from them, or they murdered for refusing to consent to the sale 16 .1;m. t ,'< 'iV !.'V/- t '. 1 •*.; 'i ^S 900 BOOK OF MARTYIUI. An Account of the Persecutions in the States ofBarbary, In Algiers the christians are treated with particular severity; as 'he Algerines are some of the most perfidious, as well as the most cruel ot all the inhabitants of Barbary. By paying a most exorbi- tant fine, some christians are allowed the title of Free christians; and these are permitted to dress in the fashion of their respective coun- tries, but the christian slaves are obliged to wear a coarse gray suit, and a seaman^s cap. The punishments among the Algerines are various, viz. 1. If they join any of the natives in open rebellion, they are stran* gled with a bowstring, or hanged on an iron hook. 2. If they speak against Mahomet, they must either turn Mahome- taiiy or be impaled alive. 3. If they turn christians again, afler having changed to the Ma- hometan persuasion, they are roasted alive, or thrown from the city walls, and caught upon large sharp hooks, where they hang in a mis- erable manner several days, and expire in the most exquisite tortures. 4. If they kill a Turk, they are burnt. 5. Those christians who attempt to escape from slavery, and are retaken, suffer death in the following manner, which is equally sin- gular and brutal : the criminal is hung naked on a high gallows, by two ooks, the one fastened quite through the palm of one hand, and the other through the sole of the opposite foot, where he is lefl till death relieves him from his cruel sufferings. Other punishments, for trifling crimes committed by the christians, are leH to the discretion of the respective judges, who being usually uf malicious and vindictive dispositions, decree them in the most inhuman manner. In Tunis, if a christian slave is caught in attempting to escape, bis limbs are all broken, and if he murders his master, he is fastened to the tail of a horse, and dragged about the streets till he expires. Morocco and Fez conjointly form an empire, and are together the ..lost considerable of the Barbary states. In this empire christian •laves are treated with the greatest cruelty : the rich have exorbitant ransoms fixed upon them; the poor are hard worked, and half starved, ■ometimes murdered by the emperor, or their masters, for mere amuse- ment An AccoutJofthe PersedttHons in Spanish America. The bloody tenets of the Roman catholic persuasion, and the cruel ctjsposition of the votaries of that church, cannot be more amply display- eif or truly depicted, than by giving an authentic and simple narra- tive of the horrid barbarities exercised by the Spaniards on the in- nocent and unoffending natives of America. Indeed, the barbarities wore such, that they would scarce seem credible from their enormity, and thd victims so many, that they would startle belief by their num- bers, if the facts were not indisputably ascertained, and the circum* ■tances admitted by their own writers, .x>me of whom have even glo> r; I.I y; as most xorbi- ttians; icoun- f suit, , and are lally sin- ^8, by two 1, and the till death BOOK OF BIARTYBS. 201 lied in their inhumanity, and, as Roman catholics, deemed those atrocious actions meritorious, which would make a protestant shudder to relate. The West Indies, and the vast continent of America, were discov- ered by that celebrated navigator, Christopher Columbus, in 1492. This distinguished commander landed first in the large island of St. Domingo, or Hispaniola, which was at that time exceedingly populous; but this population was of very little consequence, the inoffensive inhabitants being murdjt^d by multitudes, as soon as the Spaniards gained a permanent footing on the island. Blind superstition, bloody bigotry, and craving avarice, rendered (hat, in the course of years, a dismal desert, which, at the arrival of the Spaniards, seemed to appear as an earthly paradise; so that at present there is scarce a remnant of the ancient natives remaining. The natives of Guatemala, a country of America, were used with great barbarity. They were formerly active and valiant, but from ill usage and oppression, grew slothful, and so dispirited, that they not only trembled at the sight of fire-arras, but even at the very looks of a Spaniard. Some were so plunged into despair, that after returning home from labouring hard for their cruel taskmasters, and receiving only contemptuous language and stripes for their pains, they have sunk down in their cabins, with a full resolution to prefer death to such sla> very; and, in the bitterness of their anguish, have refused all sustenance till they perished. By repeated barbarities, and the most execrable cruelties, the vin> dictive and merciless Spaniards not only depopulated Hispaniola^ Porto-Rico, Cuba, Jamaica, and the Bahama islands, but destroyed above 12,000,000 of souls upon the continent of America, in the space of forty years. The cruel methods by which they massacred and butchered the poor natives, were innumerable, and of the most diabolical nature. The Spaniards stripped a large and very populous town of all its inhabitants, whom they drove to the mines, leaving all the children behind them, without the least idea of providing for their subsistence, by which inhuman proceeding six thousand helpless infants perished. Whenever the people of any town had the reputation of being rich, an order was immediately sent that every person in it should turn Roman catholics: if this was not directly complied with, the town was instantly plundered, and the inhabitants murdered; and if it was complied with, a pretence was soon afler made to strip the inhabitants of their wealth. One of the Spanish governors seized upon a very worthy and amia- ble Indian prince, and in order to extort from him where his treasures were concealed, caused his feet to be burnt till the marrow dropped from his bones, and he expired through the extremity of the torments he underwent. In the interval, between the years 1514 and 1522, the governor of Terra Firma put to death, and destroyed, 800,000 of the inhabitants of that country. ■ ^f,i •« ».•■; M '•'■.'4,1 ■J ..V,..vy ■•■■'■ iSjfti"'.' liiHl 1 ■W' >■ il'-.'v i* \^ ■■1 fim' P J'l^:' ' . 'ii- 202 BOOK OF MARTYBS. Between the years 1523 and 1533, five hundred thousand natives of Nicaragua were transported to Peru, whei-e they all perished by inces- sant labour in the mines. In the space of twelve years, from the first landing of Cortez on the continent of America, to the entire reduction of the populous empire of Mexico, the amazing number of 4,000,000 of Mexicans perished, through the unparalleled barbarity of the Spaniards. To come to particulars, the city of Cholula, consisted of £0,000 houses, by which Its great population may be imagined. The Spaniards seized on all the inhabitants, who refusing to turn Roman catholics, as they did not know the meaning of the religion they were ordered to embrace, the Spaniards put them all to death, cutting to pieces the lower sort of people, and burning those of distinction. I 1 'iVt i-'s ,f m m 1 Pi^' '^ m. :l ; - ^ fV- r -., llili;' CHAPTER XL AN ACCOUNT OP THE PERSECUTIONS IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, PRIOR TO THE REIGN OF QUEEN HART I. Gildas, the most ancient British writer extant, who lived about the time that the Saxons left the island of Great Britain, has drawn a most shocking instance of the barbarity of those people. The Saxons, on their arrival, being heathens like the Scots and Picts, destroyed the churches and murdered the clergy wherever they came: but they could not destroy Christianity, for those who would not submit to the Saxon yoke, went and resided beyond the Severn. Nei> ther have we the names of those christian sufierers transmitted to us, especially those of the clergy. The most dreadful instance of barbarity under the Saxon govern- ment, was the massacre of the monks of Bangor, A. D. 586. These monks were in all respects different from those aien who bear the same name at present. In the eighth century, the Danes, a roving crew of barbarians, landed in diflferent parts of Britain, both in England and Scotland.. At first they were repulsed, but in A. D. 857, a party of them land- ed somewhere near Southampton, and not only robbed the people, but burnt down the churches, and murderod the clergy. In A. D. 868, these barbarians penetrated into the centre of Eng- land, and took up their quarters at Nottingham; but the English, un- der their king Ethelfrid, drove them from their posts, and obliged them to retire to Northumberland. In 870, another body of these barbarians landed at Norfolk, and en- gaged in battle with the English at Hertford. Victory declared in fa- vour of the pagans, who took Edmund, king of the East Angles, priso- ner, and afnsr treating him with a thousand indignities, transfixed hit body with arrows, and then beheaded him. !KTI''» ■s!f,r esof inces- )ri the iinpire rishecl, >me to whicli all the it know aniards lie, and IBELADDj about the ivn a moat Scots and ever they would not lern. Nei- itted to us, m govern- These i. the same ans, landed them land- )ple, but ire of Eng- inglish, un- )Uged them (blk,anden- \\faeA in fa- rlea, priso- uiBaxedhii BOOK OF MARTYRS. 203 In Fifeshire, in Scotland, they burnt many of the churches, and among the rest that belonging to the Culdees, at St. Andrews. The piety ot these men made t^ objects of abhorrence to the Danes, who, wherever they went sing out the christian priests for destruction, of whom no less than 200 weve massacred in Scotland. It was much the same in that part of Ireland now called Leinster; there the Danes murdered and burnt the priests alive in their own churches; they carried destruction along with them wherever they went, sparing neither age nor sex, but the clergy were the most ob- noxious to them, because they ridiculed their idolatry, and persuaded their people to have nothing to do with them. In the reign of Edward III. the church of England was extremely corrupt^i -.; :*h errors and superstition ; and the light of the gospel of Christ was greatly eclipsed and darkened with human inventions, burthensome ceremonies, and gross idolatry. The followers of WickUfTe, then called Lollards, were become ex- tremely numerous, and the clergy were so vexed to see them increase whatever power or influence they might have to molest them in an underhand manner, they had no authority by law to put them to death. However, the clergy embraced the favourable opportunity, and pre- vailed upon the king to sufier a bill to be brought into parliament, by which ail Lollards who remained obstinate, should be delivered over to the secular power, and burnt as heretics. This act was the first in Britain for the burning of people for their religious sentiments; it passed in the year 1401, and was soon afler put into ex'ecution. The first person who suffered in consequence of this cruel act was William Santree, or Sawtree, a priest, who was burnt to death in Smithfield. Soon after this, lord Gobham, in consequence of his attachment to the doctrines of Wicklifie, was accused of heresy, and being condemned to be hanged and burnt, was accordingly executed in LoncolnVInn Fields, A. D. 1419. The next man who suffered under this bloody statute was Thomas Bradley, a tailor, and a layman ; and a letter having been tendered him, which he refused, he was declared an obstinate heretic, and tied to the stake in Smithfield; where he was burnt alive, rejoicing in the Lord his God. The next person we read of who was tried upon this abominable statute, was William Thorpe, a man of some knowledge, who adhered to all the doctrines taught by Wicklifie. He was brought many times before archbishop Arundel, and at last committed a close prisoner, where he died, but in what manner cannot now be ascertained. About this time 36 persons, denominated Lollards, suffered death in St. Giles\ for no other reason than professing their attachment to the doctrines of WicklifTe. They were hung on gibbets, and fagots being placed under them, as soon as they were suspended, fire was set to them, so that they were burnt while hanging. Only one of their names has been transmitted to us, which is that of Sir Roger Archeff 16* ,1 i r .y% ■ H , ^ r;i 0a r W llii' 'l:f 204 BOOK OF KASTYRS whom they distinguished from the rest by stripping him^ stark naked, and executing him in that indecent manner. Much ahout the same time one Richard Turning \i-« burnt alive in Smithfield, and sufTcred with all that constancy, foititude, and re- signation, which have so much distinguished the primitive christians. In 1428, Abraham, a monk of Colchester, Milburn White, a priest, and John Wade, a priest, were all three apprehended on a charge of heresy. Soon after, father Abraham suffered at Colchester, and with him John Whaddon; both of whom died in a constant adherence to tiie truth of the gospel. Milburn White and Ji9hop of ( force of the poor ifnithfield, ctatora. I year, of BOOK OF XARTYRB. 200 joicing that '^'^h.mi had counted him worthy to sufier for his name^s sake. On July 26, 1540, or 1541, (for the chronology differs^ Thomas Cromwell, earl of Essex, was brought to a scaffold on Tower-hilly where he was executed with same striking instances of cruelty. He made a short speech to the people, and then meekly resigned himself to the axe. It is, we think, with great propriety, that this nobleman is ranked among the martyrs; for although (he accusations preferred against him did not relate to any thing in religion, yet had it not been for his zeal to demolish popery, he might have to the last retained the king's fa^ vour. To this may be added, that the papists plotted his destruction, for he did more towards promoting the reformation, ihan any nnan in that age, except the good Dr. Cranmer. Soon afVer the execution of Cromwell, Dr. Cuthbert Barnes, Thomas Garnet, and William Jerome, were brought before the ecclesiastical court of the bishop of London, and accused of heresy. Being before the bishop of London, Dr. Barnes was asked whether the saints prayed for us? To this he answered, that he would leave that to God; but (said he) I will pray for you. On the 13th of July, 1541, these men were brought from the Tower to Smithfield, where they were all chained to one stake; and there suffered death with a constancy that nothing less than a firm faith in Jesus Christ could inspire. One Thomas Sommers, an honest merchant, with three others, was dirown into prison, for reading some of Luther's books; and they were condemned to carry those books to a fire in Cheapside; there they were to throw them in the flames; but Sommers threw his over, for which he was sent back to the Tower, where he was stoned to death. Dreadful persecutions were at this time carried on lat Lincoln, under Dr. Longland, the bishop of that diocess. At Buckingham, Thomas Bainard, and James Moreton, the one for reading the Lord's prayer in English, and the other for reading St. James' epistles in English, were both condemned and burnt alive. Anthony Parsons a priest, together with two others, were sent to Windsor, to be examined concerning heresy; and several articles were tendered to them to subscribe, which they refused. This was carried on by the bishop of Salisbury, who was the most violent per- secutor of any in that dige, except Bonner. When they were brought to the stake. Parsons asked for some drink, which being brought him, he drank to his fellow-sufferers, saying, "Be merry, my brethren, and lift up your hearts to God ; for afler this sharp breakfast I trust we shall have a good dinner in the kingdom of Chiist, our Lord and Redeem- er." At these words Eastwood, one of the sufferers, lifled un his eyes and hands to heaven, desiring the Lord above to rArA.vH nis spirit Parsons pulled the straw near to him, and ihon jaiu to the spectators. !% :i' t •■ \} in .?^ i'4 i 310 BOOK OF MARTYB8. This is God^s armour, and now I am a christian soldier prepared for battle : I look for no mercy but through the merits of Christ ; he is my only Saviour, in him do 1 trust fur salvation; and soon aHer the fires were lighted, which burned their bodies, but could not hurt their pre- cious and immortal souls. Their constancy triumphed over cruelty, and their sufferings will be held in everlasting remembrance. In 1546, one Saitees, a priest, was, by order of bishop Gardiner, hanged in Southwark, without a council process; and all that was al- leged against him was, that of reading TindaPs New Testament. This year one Kirby was burned in Ipswich, for (he testimony of the truth, for denying the real presence in the sacrament. When this martyr was brought to the stake, he said to one Mr. Wingfietd, who attended him, "Ah! Mr. Wingfield, be at my death, and you shall say, there standeth a christian sufferer in the fire.'* ..i\ II • ■\ ' I ^ i m^ :i,)i-ii: ;■■; 'Mm -n .7 'wl CHAPTER XII. AM ACOOUITT OF THX rEKSECUTION IN SCOTLAND DUBINO THE REIGN OF KINO HENRY VIII. The first person we meet with who suffered in Scotland on the score of religion, was one Patrick Hamilton, a gentleman of an indepen- dent fortune, and descended from a very ancient aud honourable fiunily. Having acquired a liberal education, and being desirous of farther improving himself in useful knowledge, he lefl Scotland, and went to the university of Wirtemberg, in Germany, in order to finish his studies. During his residence here, he became intimately acquainted with those eminent lights of the gospel, Martin Luther and Philip Melanc- tfcon; from whose writings and doctrines he strongly attached himself to the protestant religion. The archbishop of St. Andrews (who was a rigid papist) hearing c£ Mr. Hamilton's proceedings, caused him to be seized, and being brought before him, afler a short examination relative to his religious pirinciples, he committed him a prisoner to the castle, at the same time ordering him to be confined in the most loathsome part of the prison. The next morning Mr. Hamilton was brought before the bishop, and several others, for examination, when the principal articles exhibited against him were, his publicly disapproving of pilgrimages, purgatory, prayers l.^ daints, for the dead, &c. These articles Mr. Hamilton acknowledged to be true, in conso quenee of which he was immediately condemned to be burnt; and id for 8 my fires r pre- uelty, rdiner, as al' • ony of en this id, who 11 shall B SEIGTI the score indepen- uourable »f farther went to [finish his ited with Melanc- himself [) hearing id being religious I the same [art of the [ishop, and exhibited jurgatory, in conso Lurnt; and BOOK OP MARTTHS. 311 that his condemnation might have the greater authority, they caused it to be subscribed by all those of any note who wore present, and to make the number as considerable as possible, even admitted tlie sub- scription of boys who were sons of the nobility. So anxious was this bigoted and persecuting prelate for the dcs- truction of Mr. Hamilton, that he ordered his sentence to be put in execution on the afternoon of the very day it was pronounced. He was accordingly led to the place appointed for the horrid tragedy, and was attended by a prodigious number of spectators. The greatest part of the multitude would not believe it was intended he should be put to death, but that it was only done to frighten him, and thereby bring him over to embrace the principles of the Romish religion. But they soon found themselves mistaken. When he arrived at the stake, he kneeled down, and, for some time, prayed w ith great fervency. Afler this he was fastened to the stake, and the fagots placed round him. A quantity of gunpowder having been placed under his arms was first set on fire which scorched his le(\ hand and one side of his face, but did no material injury, neither did it communicate with the fagots. In consequence of this, more powder and combustible matter were brought, which being set on fire took effect, and the fagots being kindled, he called out, with an audible voice, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit! How long shall darkness overwhelm this realm? And how long wilt thou suffer the tyranny of these men?" The fire burning slow put him to great torment; but he bore it with christian magnanimity. What gave him the greatest pain was, the clamour of some wicked men set on by the friars, who frequently cried, <r professing the TVuth of the Gospel. Mr. George Wishart was born in Scotland, and after receiving a grammatical education at a private school, he leil that place, and fin- ished his studies at the university of Cambridge. In order to improve himself as much as possible in the knowledge of literature, he travelled into various parts abroad, where he distin- guished himself for his great learning and abilities, both in philosophy and divinity. After being some time abroad he returned to England, and took up his residence at Cambridge, where he was admitted a member of Ben- net college. Having taken up his degrees, he entered into holy or- ders, and expounded the gospel in so clear and intelligible a manner, as highly to delight his numerous auditors. t^ 1* It ! i.> .' H ,1 I > •V ^(1 >''•■:! w» m «i 1 li ^ 214 BOOK OF MARTITRS. Being desirous of propagating the true gospel in hig own country, he lefl Cambridge in 15l4, and on his arrival in Scotland he first preached at Montrose, and afterwards ..t Dundee. In this last place he made a public exposition of the epistle to the Romans, which he went through with such grace and freedom, as greatly alarmed the papists. In consequence of this, (at the instigation of cardinal Beaton, the archbishop of St. Andrews) one Robert Miin, a principal man at Dundee, went to the church where Wishart preached, and in the middle of his discourse publicly told him not to trouble the town any more, for he was determined not to suffer it. This sudden rebuff greatly surprised Wishart, who, after a short pause, looking sorrowfully on the speaker and the audience, said, "God is my witness, that I never minded your trouble but your comfort; yea, your trouble is more grievous to me than it is to your- selves: but I am assured, to refuse God's word, and to chase from you his messenger, shall not preserve you from trouble, but shall bring you into it: for God shall send you ministers that shall fear neither burning :''or banishment. I have offered you the word of salvation. Wi*,.^ liie hizard of my life, I have remained among you: now you yourselves refuse me; and I must leave my innocence to be declared by my God. If it be long prosperous with you, 1 am not led by the spirit of truth : but if unlooked-for trouble come upon you, acknowledge the cause and turn to God, who is gracious and merci- ful. But if you turn not at the first warning, he will visit you with fire and sword." At the close of this speech he left the pulpit, and retired. After tliis he went into the west of Scotland, where he preached God's word, which was gladly received by many. A short time after this Mr. Wishart received intelligence, that the plague was broke out in Dundee. It began four days after he was prohibited from preaching there, and raged so extremely, that it was almost beyond credit how many died in the space of twenty-four houra. This being related to him, he, notwithstanding the importunity of his friends to detain him, determined to go there, saying, "They are now in troubles, and need comfort. Perhaps this hand of God will make them now to magnify and reverence the word of God, which before they lightly esteemed." Here he was with joy received by the godly. He chose the east- gate for the place of his preaching; so that the healthy were within, and the sick without the gate. He took his text from these words. He sent his word and healed them, &c. In this sermon he chieHy dwelt upon the advantage and comfort of God's word, the judgments that ensue upon the contempt or rejection of it, the freedom of God's grace to all his people, and the happiness of those of his elect, whom he takes to himself out of this miserable world. The hearts of his hearers were so raised by the divine force of this discourse, as not to regard death, but to judge them the more happy who should then be m mntry, le first t place >ich he ried the ton, the man at middle lore, for a short ;e, said, lut your to your- Lse from )ut shall hall fear word of rng you: nee to be L am not ipon you, id merci- you with ulpit, and led God's I, that the he was it it was )ur hours. [ity of his are now rill make |ch before the east' Ire within, [se words, tie chiefly nudgments i of God's Bct, whom Irts of his as not to lid then be BOOK OF MARTYRS. 215 called, not knowing whether he should have such comfort again with them. Afler this the plague abated; though, in the midst of it) Wishart constantly visited those that lay in the greatest extremity, and com* forted them by his exhortations, When he took his leave of the people of Dundee, he said, "That God had almost put an end to that plague, and that he was now call- ed to another place." He went from thence to Montrose ; where he sometimes preached, but spent most of his time in private meditation and prayer. It is said, that before he left Dundee, and while he was engaged in the labours of love to the bodies, as well as to the soub, of those poor afflicted people, cardinal Beaton engaged a desperate popish priest, called John Weighton, to kill him; the attempt to execute which was as follows: one day, afler Wishart had finished his sermon, and the people departed, a priest stood waiting at the bottom of the stairs, with a naked dagger in his hand under his gown. — But Mr. Wishart having a sharp, piercing eye, and seeing the priest as he came from the pulpit, said to him, "My friend, what would you have?" and im- mediately clapping his hand upon the dagger, took it from him. The priest being terrified, fell on his knees, confessed his intention, and craved pardon. A noise being hereupon raised, and it coming to the ears of those who were sick, they cried, "Deliver the traitor to us, we will take him by force ;" and they burst in at the gate. But Wishart, taking the priest in his arms, said, "Whatsoever hurts him shall hurt me ; for he hath done me no mischief, but much good, by teaching more heedfulness for the time to come." By this conduct he appeased the people and saved the life of the wicked priest. Soon afler his return to Montrose, the cardinal again conspired his death, causing a letter to be sent to him as if it had. been from his fa- miliar friend, the Laird of Kennier, in which he was desired with all fossible speed to come to him, as he was taken with a sudden sickness n the mean time the cardinal had provided sixty men armed to lie in wait within a mile and a half of Montrose, in order to murder him as he passed that way. The letter coming to Wishart's hand by a boy, who also brought him a horse for the journey. Wishart, accompanied by some honest men, his friends, set forward; but something particular striking his mind by the way, he returned back, which they wondering at, asked him the cause; to whom he said, "I will not go; I am forbidden of God; I am assured there is treason. Let some of you go to yonder place, and tell me what you find." Which doing, they made the discovery ; and has- tily returning, they told Mr. Wishart; whereupon he said, "I know I shall end my life by that blood-thirsty man's hands, but it will not be in this manner." A short time aAer this he lefl Montrose, and proceeded to Edinburgh m order to propagate the gospel in that city. By the way he lodged with a faithful brother, called James Watson of Inner-Goury. In tho 17* 'Is J-'U"^ l'';.M-: %-'■'' yiii If ' ,t 'i*| /.'.' y- li?i ;rP :»■:.:' > . K . I i wA % ' 216 BOOK OF MARTYBS. middle of the night he got up, and went into the yard, which two men hearing they privately followed him. While in the yard, he fell on his knees, and prayed for some time with the greatest fervency \ after which he arose, and returned to his bed. Those who attended him, appearing as though they were ignorant of all, came and asked him where he had been? But he would not answer them. The next day they importuned him to tell them, saying, «Be plain with us, for wo heard your mourning, and saw your ges> tures." On this he, with a dejected countenance, said, "I had rather you had been in your beds.'' But they still pressing upon him to know something, he said, "I will tell you; I am assured that my warfare is near at an end, and therefore pray to God with me, that I shrink not when the battle waxeth most hot.'' Soon afler, cardinal Beaton, archbishop of St. Andrews, being in- formed that Mr. Wishart was at the house of Mr. Cockburn, of Ormis> ton, in East Lothian, he applied to the regent to cause him to be appro* hended; with which, afier great persuasion, and much against his will, he complied. In consequence of this the cardinal immediately proceeded to the trial of Wishart, against whom no less than eighteen articles were ex> bited. Mr. Wishart answered the respective articles with great com posureofmind, and in so learned and clear a manner, as greatly sur- prised most of those who were present. Afler the examination was finished, the archbishop endeavoured to $»revail on Mr. Wishart to recant; but he was too firmly fixed in his re- igious principles, and too much enlightened with the truth of the gospel, to be in the least moved. On the morning of his execution there came to him two friars from the cardinal; one of whom put on him a black linen coat, and the other brought several ba^s of gun powder, which they tied about different partu of his body. As soon as he arrived at the stake, the executioner put a rope round his neck, and a chain about his middle ; upon which he fell on his knees, and thus exclaimed : ''O thou Saviour of the world, have mercy upon me! Father of heav- en, I commend my spirit into thy holy hands." Afler this he prayed for his accusers, saying, "I beseech thee. Fa- ther of heaven, forgive them that have, from ignorance or an evil mind, forged lies of me : I forgive them with all my heart. I beseech Christ to forgive them, that have ignorantly condemned me." He was then fastened to Uie stake, and the fagots being lighted, im- mediately set fire to the powder that was tied about him, and which blew into a flame and smoke. The governor of the castle, who stood so near that he was singed with the flame, exhorted our martyr, in a few words, to be of good cheer, and to ask pardon of God for his offences. To which he replied, * men e time is bed. ; of all, mswer laying, ir ges- er you ) know rfare is ink not iing in> ' Ormis* e appre- his will, id to the were ex- eat com jatly sur- voured to in his re- le gospel, iars from the other different tpe round is knees, ofheav- |thee, Fa- 3vil mind, :h Christ rhled, im- [nd which iras singed of good le replied. It hath in BOOK OF IfARTYBB. 217 nowise hrokcn my spirit But he who now so proudly looks down upon me from yonder loAy place (pointing to the cardinal) shall, ere long, be as ignominiously thrown down, as now he proudly lolls at his ease/' Which prediction was soon after fulfilled. The execu- tioner then pulled the rope which was tied about his neck with great violence, so that he was soon strangled ; and the fire getting strength, burnt with such rapidity that in less than an hour his body was totally consumed. The next person who fell a martyr to popish bigotry, was one Adam Wallace, of Winton, in East-Lothian, who having obtained a true know- ledge of the gospel of Christ, spent the greater part of his time in eor deavouring to propagate it among his fellow-creatures. His conduct being noticed by some bigoted papists, an information was laid against him for heresy, on which he was apprehended, and committed to prison. Afler examination, sentence of death was passed upon him as here- tic; and he was immediately delivered over to the secular power, in olrder for execution. In the evening of the same day, Wallace was visited by several Romish priests, who endeavoured to prevail on him to recant; but he stood so steadfast in the faith he professed, and used such for- cible arguments in vindication of the gospel, that they lefl him with some wrath, saying, <r. Ton- rs being lore and . They )ut such, idy coals y a true iffold. 5, by her ir friends, When she J manner: ondemned unlawful, ocurement my hands 1 christian herein she ian people, d that I do ' of God in when I did slf and the y and wor- that ofhis epent: and with your im, saying, . the psalm I throughout Ellen, her id then she lelp her off Irds her two ler frowes, put about forgiveness, sta-sduj^on taid, I pray Will you jr said. No land feeling BOOK OF HARTVBS. 221 for the lilock, she said, What shall I do? Where is it? Where is it? One of the standers-by guiding her thereunto, she laid her head upon the block, and then stretched foilh her body, and said, Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit; and so finished her life, in the year of our Lord 1554, the 12th day of February, about the 17th year of her age. Thus died the Lady Jane; and on the same day the lord Guilford, her husband, one of the duke of Northumberland's sons.', was likewise beheaded, two innocents in comparison of them that sat upon them. For they were both very young, and ignorantly accepted that which others had contrived, and by open proclamation consented to take from others, and give to them. Touching the condemnation of this pious lady, it is to be noted, that Judge Morgan, who gave sentence against her, soon after he had con- demned her, fell mad, and in his raving cried out continually, to have the lady Jane taken away from him, and so he ended his life. On the 21st day of the same month, Henry, duke of Suffolk, was beheaded on Tower-hill, the fourth day after his condemnation : about which time many gentlemen and yeomen were condemned, whereof some were executed at London, and some in the country. In the num- ber of whom was the lord Thomas Gray, brother to the said duke, be- ing apprehended not long afler in North- Wales, and executed for the lame. Sir Nicholas Throgmorton, also, very narrowly escaped. John RogerSf Vicar of St. Sepulchre's, and Reader of St. PauVs, London. John Rogers was educated at Cambridge, and was afterward many years chaplain to the merchants adventurers at Antwerp in Brabant. Here he met with the celebrated martyr William Tindal, and Miles Goverdale, both voluntary exiles from their country for their aversion to popish superstition and idolatry. They were the instruments of his conversion; and he united with them in that trans- lation of the Bible into English, entitled "The Translation of Thomas Matthew.^' From the scriptures he knew tha^ unlawful vows may be lawfully broken; hence he married, and removed to Wittenberg in Saxony, for the improvement of learning; and he there learned the Dutch language, and received the charge of a congregation, which he faithfully executed for many years. On king Edward's accession, he lefl Saxony, to promote the work of reformation in England; and, afler some time, Nicholas Ridley, then bishop of Lon- don, gave him a prebend in St. PauPs Cathedral, and the dean and chapter appointed him reader of the divinity lesson there. Here he continued until queen Mary's succession to the throne, when the gos- pel and true religion were banished, and the Antichrist of Rome, with his superstition and idolatry, introduced. The circumstance of Mr. Rogers having preached at Paul's cross, afler queen Mary arrived at the Tower, has been already stated. i ' ■'^••' ^li ¥ 'k K ■ At ^22 BOOK OF MARTYRS. He confirmed in his sermoa the true doctrine taught in King Edward's time, and exhorted the people to beware of the pestilence of popery, idolatry, and superstition. For this he was called to accoUnt, but su ably defended himself, that, for that time, he was dismissed. The proclamation of the queen, however, to prohibit true preaching, gave bis enemies a new handle against him. Henoe he was again sum- moned before the council, and commanded to keep his house. He did so, though he might have escaped ; and though he perceived the state of the true religion to be desperate. "He knew he could not want a living in Germany ; and he could not forget a wife and ten children, and to seek means to succour them.'' But all these things were insuf. ficient to induce him to depart; and, when once called to answer in Christ's cause, he stoutly defended it, and hazarded his life for that purpose. Afler long imprisonment in his own house, the restless Bonner, bishop of lioadon, caused him to be committed to Newgate, there to be lodged among thieves and murderers. After Mr. Rogers had been long and straitly imprisoned, and lodged in Newgate among thieves, often examined, and very uncharitably entreated, and at length unjustly and most cruelly condemned by Stephen Gardiner, bishop of Winchester: the 4th of February, in the year of our Lord 1555, being Monday in the morning, he was sud- denly warned by the keeper of Newgates's wife, to prepare himself for the fire; who, being then sound asleep, could scarce be awaked. At length being raised and awaked, and bid to make haste. Then said he, if it be so, I need not tie my points. And so was had down, first to bishop Bonner to be degraded : which being done, he craved of Bonner but one petition; and Bonner asking what that should be? Mr. Rogers replied, that he might speak a few words with his wife be- fore his burning. But that could not be obtained of him. When the time came, that he should be brought out of Newgate to Smithfield, the place of his execution, Mr. Woodroofe, one of the sheriffs, first came to Mr. Rogers, and asked him, if he would revoke his abominable doctrine, and the evil opinion of the sacrament of the altar. Mr. Rogers answered that which I have preached I will seal with my blood. Then Mr. Woodroofe said. Thou art an heretic. That shall be known, quoth Mr. Rogers, at the day of judgment.— Well, said Mr. Woodroofe, I will never pray for thee. But I will pray for you, said Mr. Rogers; and so was brought the same day, the 4th of February, by the sheriffs, towards Smithfield, saying the psalm Miserere by the way, all the people wonderfully rejoicing at his con- stancy with great praises and thanks to God for the same. And there, in the presence of Mr. Rochester, comptroller of the queen's household, sir Richard Southwell, both the sheriffs, and a great num- ber of people he was burnt to ashes, washing his hands in the flame as he was burning. A little before his burning, his pardon was brought, if he would have recanted ; but he utterly refused it. He was the first martyr of all the blessed company that suffered in queen Mary's time, BOOK OP MARTYRS. 223 ^nd lodged charitably emned by bruary, in le was sud- ire himself ae awaked, [aste, Then had down, he craved should bet lis wife be- that gavo the first adventure upon the fire. His wife and children, be- ing eleven in number) ten able to go, and one sucking at her breast, met him by the way, as he went towards Smiihfiekl: this sorrowful sight of his own flesh and blood could nothing muvc him, but that he constantly and cheerfully took his death with wonderful patience, in the defence and quarrel of the gospel of Christ.^^ The Rev. Mr, Latvrence Saunders. Mr. Saunders afler passing some time iu the scb.ool of Eaton, was chosen to go to King^s college in Caml>ridge, where he continued three years, and profited in knowledge and learning very much for that time: shortly after he quitted the university, and went to liis parents, but soon returned to Cambridge again to his study, where he began to add to the knowledge of the LatiU) the study of the Greek and Hebrew tongues, and gave himself up to the study of the holy scriptures, the better to qualify himself for the ofllice of preacher. In the beginning of king Edward^s reign, when God^s true religion was introduced, after license obtained, he began to preach, and was so well liked of them who then had authority, that they appointed him to i-ead a divinity lecture in the college of Eothringham. The college of Fothringham being dissolved, he was placed to be a reader in the min- ster at Litchfield. After a certain space, he departed from Litchfield to a benefice in Leicestershire, called Church-'langton, where he held a residence) taught ailigently, and kept a liberal house. Thence he was orderly called to take a benefice in the city of London, namely, All-liallows in Bread-street. — After this he preached at Northhampton, nothing meddling with the state, but boldly uttering his conscience against the popish doctrines which were likely to spring up again in England, as a just plague for the little love which the English nation then bore to the blessed word of God, which had been so plentifully offered unto them. The queen^s party, who were there, and heard him, were highly displeased with him for his sermon, and for it kept him among them as a prisoner. But partly for love of his brethren and friends, who were chief actors fur the queen among them, partly because there was no law broken by his preaching, they dismissed him. Some of his friends, perceiving such fearful menacing, counselled him to ily out of the realm, which he refused to do. But seeing he was with violence kept from doing good in that place, he returned towards Lon- don, to visit his flock. Ill the afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 15, 1554, as he was reading in his church to exhort his people, the bishop of London interrupted him, by sending m\ officer for him. His treason and sedition the bishop^s chanty was content to let slip until another time, but a heretic he meant to prove him, and all those, he said, who taught and believed that the administration of tho ,. . \'4 I . .i,ii \ ' »l-- w «l r V\ I ri iW"'^^ ''%;'i:-l, i: J ,i ^ 324 BOOK OF MARTYRS. sacraments, and all orders of the church, are the most pure, whico come the nearest to the order of the primitive church. After much talk concerning this matter, the bishop desired him to write what he believed of transiibstantiation. Laurence Saunders did so, saying, "My Lord, you seek my blood, and you shall have it: I pray God that you may be so baptised in it, that you may ever after loathe blood-sucking, and become a better man.^^ Upon being close- ly charged with contumacy, the severe replies of Mr. Saunders to the bishop, (who had before, to get the favour of Henry VIIL written and set furth in print, a book of true obedience, wherein he had openly declared queen Mary to be a bastard) so irritated him, that he ex- claimed. Carry away this frenzied fool to prison. AAer this good and faithful martyr had been kept in prison one year and a quarter, the bishops at length called him, as they did his fellow-prisoners, openly to be examined before the queen's council. His examination being ended, the officers led him out of the place, and staid until the rest of his fellow-prisoners were likewise examined, that they might lead them all together to prison. AAer his excommunication and delivery over to the secular power, he was brought by the sheriff of London to the Compter, a prisoL a his own parish of Bread-street, at which he rejoiced greatly, both be- cause he found there a fellow-prisoner, Mr. Cardmaker, with whom he had much christian and comfortable discourse,* and because outcf prison, as before in his pulpit, he might have an opportunity of preach- ing to his parishioners. The 4th of February, Bonner, bishop of Lon- don, came to the prison to degrade him ; the day following, in the morning the sheriffof London delivered him to certain of the queen's guard, who were appointed to carry him to the city of Coventry, vhei-e to be burnt. When they had arrived at Coventry, a poor shoemaker, who used to serve him with shoes, came to him, and said, O my good master, God strengthen and comfort you. Good shoemaker, Mr. Saunders replied, I desire thee to pray for me, for I am the most unfit man for this high office, that ever was appointed to it; but my gracious God and dear Father is able to make me strong enough. The next day, l^ing the 8th of February, 1555, he was led to the place of execution, in the park, without the city ; he went in an old gown and a shirt, bare-footed, and oflentimes fell flat on the ground, and prayed. When he was come nigh to the place, the officer, appointed to see the execu- tion done, said to Mr. Saunders, that he was one of them who married the queen's realm, but if he would recant, there was pardon for him. "Not I," replied the holy martyr, "but such as you have injured the realm. The blessed gospel of Christ is what I hold ; that do I believe, that have I taught, and that will I never revoke I" Mr. Saunders then slowly moved towards the fire, sank to the earth and prayed ; he then rose up, embraced the stake, and frequently said, "Welcome, thou cross of Christ ! welcome everlasting life !" Fire was then put to the fagots, and, he was overwhelmed by the dreadful flames, and sweetly slept in the Lord Jesus. cmg fiuJiii who tongui At J sixarti some J eidles, science occasioi his abiJj, H^hei friends Edward most tini h hit sin, and corrupt I panics d tune of preachini than the quent, in plary. Jfavini bishop oft ''avedhir ^ioh and i>r.Ho, ^of the spa % Bdw3 Aflerh4 '^as Jed tol Wd in the him to era did e it: I 3r after g close- rs to the Lten and , openly it he ex* ison one ly did his Duncil. he place, examined, lar power, J. prisoh a y, both L-c- (vith whom ^useoutcf y of preach- shopofLon- the morning , guard, who to be burnt, sr, who used rood master, ,r. Saundera infit man for rracious God he next day, [of exocvition, and a shirt, tyed. When je the execu- vvho married Irdon for i"ij' e injured ine do 1 believe, launders then Ued;hethen lme,thoucr(«s t to the fagots, reetly slept « BOOK or MARTXIU. WtF The hiatoryi imprisonmenty and examinationa, of Mr. John Hooiper, Bishop of Worcester and Gloucester. John Hooper, student and graduate in the university of Oxford^ was stirred with such fervent desire to the luve attd knowledge of the scriptures, that he was compelled to remove from thence, and was retained in the house of Sir Thomas Arundel, as his steward, till Sir Thomas had intelligence of his opinions and religion, which he in no case did favour, though he exceedingly favoured his person and condition, and wished to be his friend. Mr. Hooper now pru- dently left Sir Thomas^ house and arrived at Paris, but in a short time returned into England, and was retained by Mr. Sentlow, till the time that he was again molested and sought fur, when he passed through France to the higher parts of Germany; where, commen- cing a'^.quaintance with learned men, he was by them free and lov- ingly ntertained, both at Basil, and especially at Zurich, by Mr. Bullinger, who was his singular friend ; here also he married his wife, who was a Burgonian, and applied very studiously to the Hebrew tongue. At length, when God saw it good to stay the bloody time of the six articles, and to give us king Edward to reign over this realm, with some peace and rest unto the church, amongst many other English exiles, who then repaired homeward, Mr. Hooper also, moved in con- science, thought not to absent himself, but seeing such a time and occasion, offered to help forward the Lord^s work, to the uttermost of his ability. When Mr. Hooper had taken his farewell of Mr. Bullinger, and his friends in Zurich, he repaired again into England in the reign of king Edward the Sixth, and coming to London, used continually to preach, most times twice, or at least once a day. In bis sermons, according to his accustomed manner, he corrected sin, and sharply inveighed against the iniquity of the world and the corrupt abuses of the church. The people in great fioi^ks and com- panies daily came to hear his voice, as the most melodious sound and tune of Orpheus^ harp, insomuch, that oftentimes when he was preaching, the church would be so full, that none could enter further than the doors thereof. In his doctrine, he was earnest, in tongue elo- quent, in the scriptures, perfect, in pains indefatigable, in his life exem- plary. Baving preached before the king's majesty, he was soon after made bishop of Gloucester. In that office he continued two years, and be- haved himself so well, that his very enemies could find no fault with hino, and after that he was made bishop of Worcester. Dr. Hooper executed the office of a most careful and vigilant pastor, for the space of two years and more, so long as the state of religion in king Edward's time was sound and flourishing. After he had been cited to appear before Bonner and Dr. Heath, he was led to the Council, accused falsely of owing the queen money * I ftod in the next year, 1554, he wrote an account of his severe traat- ( . »■ M it»' '^l"^ ■)im tM BOOK OF MARTVM. \ ment during near eighteen months^ confincmont in the Fleet, and aHer his third examination, January 28, 1555, at St. Mary Ovcry'si, he, with the Rev. Mr. Rogers, was conducted to the Compter in Suuthwnrk, there to remain till the next day at nine oVIock, tu see whether they would recant. Come, brother Kognrs, said Dr. Hooper, must we two take this matter Hrst in hand, und begin to fry in these t'ugots? Yea, Doctor, suid Mr. Rogers, by God's grace. Doubt not, said Dr. Ilotjpcr, but God will give us strength; and the people bo applauded their con- stancy, that they had much udo to pass. January 2V), bishop Hooper was degraded and condemned, and (he Rev. Mr. Rogers was treated in like manner. At dark. Dr. Hooper was led through the city to Newgate ; notwithstanding this secrecy, munv ])eople came forth to their doors with lights, and saluted him, praisinir God for his constancy. During the few days he was in Newgate, he was frequently visited by Bonner and others, but without avail. As Christ was tempted, su they tempted him, and then maliciously reported that he had recanted. The place of his martyrdom being fixed at Gloucester, he rejoiced very much, lifting up his eyes and hands to heaven, and praising G(xl that he saw it gvho equally thanked God that he had provided him with such a comfortable fellow-prisoner; and they both together praised God, and continued in prayer, reading and exhorting one another. Afler that Dr. Taylor had lain some time in prison, he was cited to appear in the arches of Bjw-churoh. Dr. Taylor bci.ig condemned, was committed to the Clink, and the keepers were charged to treat him roughly ; at night he was removed to the Poultry Compter. ey. man of )r of iho istianity er, arch- time, till r prepared fly beyond is common lently, and bI knowest ephen Gar- )ut a mor- ,, why fear will you vour oath o king Ed- 80 piously Thou art 9sed sacra- loly mass, bishop af- nd vigilant d God that soner; and reading and vas cited to nk, and the as removed B«>OK OF MARTYRS. 229 When Dr. Taylor had lain in the Compter about a week, on the 4th of February, Bonner came to degrade him, bringing with him such or- naments as appertained to the massing mummery j but the Doctor refus- ed these trappings till they were forced upon him. The night after he was degraded, his wife came with John Hull, his servant, and his son Thomas, and were by the gentleness of the keepers permitted to sup with him. After supper, walking up and down, he gave God thanks for his grace, that had so called him and given him strength to abide by his holy word ; and turning to his son Thomas, he exhorted him to piety and filial obedience Im the most earnest manner. Dr. Taylor, about two o'clock in the morning, was conveyed to the Woolpack, Aldgate, and had an affecting interview with his wife and daughter, and a female orphan he had brought up who had waited all night in St. Botolph's porch, to see him pass, before being delivered to the sheriff of Essex. On coming out of the gates, John Hull, his good servant, stood at the rails with Thomas, (Dr. Taylor's son.) This, said he, is my own son. Then he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and prayod for his son and blessed him. At Chelmsford the sheriff of Suffolk met them, there to receive him, and to carry him into Suffolk. Being at supper, the sheriff of Es- sex very earnestly besought him to return to the popish religion, thinking with fair words to persuade him. When they had all drunk to him, and the cup was come to him, he said, Mr. Sheriff, and my masters ail, I heartily thank you for your good will. I have hear- kened to your words, and marked well your counsels. And to be plain with you, I perceive that I have been deceived myself, and am like to deceive a great many in Hadley of their expectations. At these words they all rejoiced, but the Doctor had a meaning very re- mote from theirs. He alluded to the disappointment that the worms would have in not being able to feast upon his portly and goodly body, which they would have done, if, instead of being burnt, he had been buried. When the sheriff and his company heard him speak thus, they were amazed, marvelling at the constant mind that could thus without fear make a jest of the cruel torments and death now at hand, prepared for him. At Chelmsford he was delivered to the sheriff of Suffolk, and by him conducted to Hadley. When Dr. Taylor had arrived at Aldham-Common, the place where he should suffer, seeing a great multitude of people, he asked. What Glace is this, and what meaiieth it that so much people are gathered ither? It was answered. It is Aldham-Common, the place where you must suffer; and the people are come to look upon you. Then he said, Thauked be God, I am even at h< me; and he alighted from his horse, and with both hands rent the hood from his head. His head had been notched and clipped like as a man would clip a fool's; which cost the good bisliof) B)aner had bestowed upon him. Bat whe.i the people saw his reverend and ancient face, with a long ^■::V ;l "l'* I. ^*'^'''r^'^|:;,|. i 1 1*1 t:\ Iffe'. ; ' ' s 'H^ tty 'rt i\: 230 BOOK OF MABTYBS. white beard, they burst out with weeping tears, and cried, saying,, God save thee, good Dr. Taylor ! Jesus Christ strengthen thee, and help thee ! the Holy Ghost comfort thee ! with such other like good wishes. When he had prayed, he went to the stake and kissed it, and set himself into a pitch barrel, which they had put for him to stand in, and stood with his back upright against the stake, with his hands folded together, and his eyes towards heaven, and continually pr. yed. They then bound him with the chains, and having set up the fagots, one Warwick cruelly cast a fagot at him, which struck him on his head, and cut his face, so that the blood ran down. Then said Dr. Taylor, O friend, I have harm enough, what needed that? Sir John Shelton standing by, as Dr. Taylor was speaking, and saymg the psalm Miserere in English, struck him on the lips: You knave, said he, speak Latin : I will make thee. At last they kindled the fire; and Dr. Taylor holding up both his hands, calling upon God, and said. Merciful Father of heaven ! for Jesus Christ, my Saviour^s sake, receive my soul into thy hands ! So he stood still without either crying or moving, with his hands folded together, till Soyce, with a halbered struck him on the head till his brains fell out, and the corpse fell down into the fire. Thus rendered up this man of God his bh^ssed soul into the hands of his merciful Father, and to his most dear Saviour Jesus Christ, whom he most entirely loved, faithfully and earnestly preached, obe- diently followed in living, and constantly glorified in death. Martyrdom of TomMns, Pygot, Knight, Lawrence, Hunter, and Higbed. Thomas Tomkins was by trade a weaver in Shoreditch, till he was. summoned before the inhuman Bonner, and confined with many others, who renounced the errors of popery, in a prison in that tyrant's house at Fulham. Under his confinement, he was treated by the bishop not only un- becoming a prelate, but even a man; for the savage, because Tomkins would not assent to the doctrine of transubstantiation, bruised him in the face, and plucked off the greatest part of the hair of his beard. On another occasion, this scandal to humanity, in the presence of many who came to visit at Fulham, took this poor honest man by the fingers, and held his hand directly over the flame of a wax candle, having three or four wicks, supposing that, being terrified by the smart and pain of the fire, he would leave off the defence of the doctrine which he had received. Tomkins thinking no otherwise, but there presently to die, began to commend himself unto the Lord, saying, O Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit, &,c. All the time that his hand was burning; the same Tomkins afterward reported to ono James Hinse, that his spirit was so rapt, that he felt no pain. In which burning he never shrank till the veins «h^ T""" "*' ''''^'''^' 2Jli . Hunter, /e„"„teS y™roft''™7'« <" ^ C^ZT""' SgS^3=r.S3S «!' not despi";" 'g" ' ■" ?°""""" '"'<' " b"*^? heir. O rS"".*™ P alter into h.s brother's hand, who said I ..., * '^f »,* St^iA -! , ^ -fi it '4. » l^ 1 ^1 ' I mp ilrt ;i:„3. n ! 'I $'\i^': Wi'^ I'l' 1 m 232 ^ BOOK OF HABTTRS. William, think on the holy passion of Christ, and be not afiaid of death. Behold, answered William, I am not afraid. Then ho lifted up his hands to heaven, and said. Lord, Lord, Lord, receive my spirit! and casting down his head again into the smothering smoke, he yielded up his life for the truth, sealing it with his blood to the praise of God. About the same time William Pygot, Stephen Knight, and Rev. John Lawrence, were burnt as heretics, by order of the infamous Bon ner. Thomas Higbed and Thomas Causton, shared the same fate. Dr, Robert Farrar. This worthy and learned prelate, the bishop of St. David's in Wales, having in the former reign, as well as since the accession of Mary, been remarkably zealous in promoting the reformed doc- trines, and exploding the errors of popish idolatry, was summoned, among others, before the persecuting bishop of Winchester, and other commissioners set apart for the abominable work of devastation and massacre. His principal accusers and persecutors, on a charge of praemunire in the reign of Edward VL were George Constantino Walter, his servant; Thomas Young, chanter of the cathedral, afterward bishop of Bangor, &c. Dr. Farrar ably replied to the copies of information laid against him, consisting of fifty-six articles. The whole process of this trial was long and tedious. Delay succeeded delay, and after that Dr. Farrar had been long unjustly detained in custody under sureties, in the reign of king Edwai^, because he had been promoted by the duke of Somerset, whence after his fall he found fewer friends to support him against such as wanted his bishopric by the coming in of queen Mary, he was accused and examined not for any matter of praemunire, but for his faith and doctrine; for which he was called before the Bishop of Winchester with bishop Hooper, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Bradford, Mr. Saunders and others, Feb. 4, 1555; on which day he would also with them have been condemned, but his condemnation was deferred, and he sent to prison again, where he continued till Feb. 14, and then was sent into Wales to receive sentence. He was six times brought up before Henry Morgan, bishop of St. David's, who demanded if he would abjure; from which he zealously dissented, and appealed to cardinal Pole; notwithstanding which, the bishop, proceed- ing in his rage, pronounced him a heretic excommunicate, and surren- dered him to the secular power. Dr. Farrar, being condemned and degraded, was not long after brought to the place of execution in the town of Carmathen, in the market-place of which, on the south side of the market-cross, March 30, 1555, being Saturday next before Passion-Sunday, he most con- stantly sustained the torments of the fire. Concerning his constancy, it is said that one Richard Jones, a knight's son, coming to Dr. Farrar a little before his death, seemed to, lament the painfuJ„ess of the death h k , 233 so did he mab fin hi ^'''^ ''^ ^'^^^'^ to his d^trin. *''° /^'^^ of his Rawlins White was b h^"'^ ^^- ^ ^"^ ' ^. When heM'Sifent" "^ "^^ ""'' """ officers ocl^Z. "'P«"'i'ion crept in Whif ^ succeeded and biho^Liate"'."' " "?» suspected of heretbl"' '^^'^''^ *« rtole year. Be im, K l**? *''«'» he continued Tr .1. *' '"'' "■ against him by w' 1„!.'"*?P •»''' him piaiSy Z, L '" ""»■'»« Before the7p:^;j^'rtr "r "» « """ti^ ■""' "'^ % .he hishop'^e;''i "J'^'hen "«' '" ™Pi»rt Ktut ' "^T" all the peoDle to wJfnl: i ^*"S '"ass would do- hnt P„ i- '^**®'' ^ingeUte -« *«^hedid »»' .h""*.™ 'o"',h^ht" £ ""^'r'^^ '--"""fh-^eeS^tot^^^-^S '""'"'"•'"''"--'-'■i.po.^^ire^d hi. , ., ^' »/■ '*H-,M ■«■■ ..,J;: •V ;i; d! 1S 234 BOOK OF MARTYRS. 3';liliyL. weeping, the sudden sight of them su pierced his heart, that the tears trickled down his face. Being cume to the altar of hia sacrihcc, in going towards the stake, he fell down upon his knees, and kissud the ground; and in rising again, a little earth sticking on his face, he said these words, Earth unto earth, and dust unto dual; thou art my mother, and unto thee I shall return. % When all things were ready, directly over against the stake, in the face of Rawlins White, there was a standing erected, whereon slept up a priest, addressing himself to the people, but, as he spoke of the Ro- mish doctrines of the sacraments, Rawlins cried out, Ah! thou wicked hypocrite, dost thou presume to prove thy false doctrine by scripture? Look in the text that foUoweth; did not Christ say, "Do this in remem- brance of me?" Then some that stood by cried out, put fire! set on fire! which being done, the straw and reeds cast up a great and sudden fiame. In which flame this good man bathed his hands so long, until such time us the sinews shrank, and the fat dropped away, saving ihat once he did, as it were, wipe his face with one of them. All this while, which was some- what long, he cried with a loud voice, O Lord, receive my spirit! until he could not open his mouth. At last the extremity of the fire was so vehement against his legs, that they were consumed almost before the rest of his body was hurt, which made the whole body fall over the chain into the fire sooner than it would have done. Thus died this good old man for his testimony of God^s truth, and is now rewarded, no doubt, with the crown of eternal life. The Rev. Mr. George Marsh. George Marsh, born in the parish of Deane, in the county of Lan- caster, received a good education and trade from his parents; about his 25th year he married, and lived, blessed with several children, on bi» farm till his wife died. He then went to study at Cambridge, and be- came the curate of the Rev. Mr. Lawrence Saunders, in which duty he constantly and zealously set forth the truth of God^s word, and the false doctrines of the modern Antichrist. Being confined by Dr. Coles, the bishop of Chester, within the pre- cincts of his own house, he was kept from any intercourse with his A'iends dCiring four months : his friends and mother, earnestly wished him to have Sown from "the wrath to come:" but Mr. Marsh thought that such a step would ill agree with that profession he had during nine years openly made. He, however, secreted himself, but he had much struggling, and in secret prayer begged that God would direct him, through the advice of his best frietius, for his own glory and to what was best. At length, determined, by a letter he received, boldly to confess the faith of Christ, he took leave of his mother-in-law and other friends, recommending liis children to their care, and departed for Smethehills, whence he was, with others, conducted to Latham, to undergo examination before the Earl of Derby, Sir William Nores, r'-Si. *.li mi. f| ■ _ ..■." the stake and kissed it; and taking Mr. Warne by the hand, he heartily comforted him, and was bound to the stake, rejoicing. The people seeing this so suddenly done, contrary to their previous expec- iiOfwm' » ■ ,: t ( . j4 J <,*> -inw 238 BOOK OF MAKTYRS. tation, cried out, God be praised', the Lord Btreiigthen thee, Curd- maker! the Lord Jesus receive thy spirit! And tliis continued while the executioner put fire to them, and both had passed through tho fire to the blessed rest and peace among God^s holy saints and martyrs, to enjoy tho crown of triumph and victory prepared for the elect sol- diers and warriors of Christ Jesus in his blessed kingd ^f"^' Bonnerafter then, to tte stents, i„ whose cSoSvh^'* '*'*«*'=»' ""l delivS delivered to the sheritT of pT "^'°"y Uiey remained till thi., Chamberiain a. SLtfSJ S'^'fT" "^ "'" '^-tScS' Morangtree, and William uimfori »t C"'V™' ^»»«' OsmoS « -«ago«l Latin schotrrand^^erlrth"'^^^^^^^ ^» ^'^-a^W,^' he Harrington, knight. ' ^ a«erward became a servant of Si/john He continued several von-- • , «*f»'onn Lord had elected him to a ul? ^"/^"^^ ^^^ driving wav h..* ♦!. his master, quitting t^e Tem^/ 1^""^ "^^ K^ed"^^^ Cambridge, to learn, by S« Jn w V ^"^^P* ^«' the univereitv ,? ^rd's temple. I„ a' few yl^r^^^L^Th ' ^"'^^^^ *^^ degree of master of arts anH h? if » *® university gave h;^ lu ^ Martin Bucer 4t Ji^d Wm f'^"' ' ^«"«^ of Pembil?,^ Wr p— J/. P ^'"e. After the HpflfK «<• ui . . '^» earnestly he D^J^ 5^"* «till continued di W t^ ^L^t^^^^ ^^ Edwaitl 1^ pressed by queen Marv .""'S®"' "» preaching, till hn wo- - **'"' "^ !>'««.• "d <«suage iteT^iit^^^^ find him, to 19» *■ ""« people welcomed I .' H>I| f< !•■• Iff" . ' ^' ; ; S jrf^ 1' . , i 4^ "' ^^ ;l »' / ♦ /'* if' *' J' . i !>, ! 1^ I r., 1 ii f" 240 BOOK OF JIAUTYIW. Mr. Bradford, and the hitter nfterwanl kept cU)SC to hitn, that his presence might prevent the populace from renewing their asftauhs. The same Sunday in the afternoon, Mr. Bradford preached at Bow church in Cheapside, and reproved tlie people sharply for their sedi- tious misdemeanor. Notwithstanding this conduct, within three days after, he was sent for to the tower of London, ./here the queen then was, to appear before the council. There he was charged with this act of savine Mr. Bourne, which was called seditious, and they also objected agamst him for preaching. Thus he was committed, first to the Tower, then to other prisons, and, after his condemnation, to the Poultry Compter, where he preached twice a day continually, unless sickness hindered him. Such was his credit with the keeper of tho king^s Bench, that he permitted him in an evening to visit a poor, sick person near the Steel-yard, upon his promise to return in time, and in thid he never failed. The night before he was sent to Newgate, he was troubled in his sleep by foreboding dreams, that on Monday after he should be burn- ed in Smithfield. In the afternoon the keeper^s wife came up and aiv- nounced this dreadful news to him, but in him it i excited only thank- fulness to God. At night, half a dozen friends came, with whom he spent all the evening in prayer and godly exercises. When he was removed to Newgate, a weeping crowd accompanied him, and a rumor having been spread that he was to suffer at four the next morning, an inunense multitude attended. At nine o'clock Mr. Bradf jrd was brought into Smitlifield. The cruelty of the sheritf deserves notice; for his brother-in-law, Roger Beswick, having taken hun by the hand as he passed, Mr. WoodrofTe, with his staff, cut his head open. Mr. Bradford, being come to the place, fell flat on the ground, secretly making his prayers to Almighty God. Then, rising again, and putting off his clothes unto the shirt, he went to the stake, and there suffered with a young man of twenty years of age, whose name was John Leaf, an apprentice to Mr. Humphry Gaudy, tallow-chand- ler, of Christ-church, London. Upon Friday before Palm Sunday, he was committed to the Compter in Bread-street, and afterward ex- amined and condemned b^ the bloody bishop. It is reported of him, that, when the bill of his confession was read unto him, instead of pen, he took a pin, and pricking his hand, sprinkled the blood upon the said bill, d«su:ing the reader thereof to wow the bishop that he had sealed the same bill with his blood ahneady. They both ended this mortal life, July 12th, 1555, like two lambs, without any alteration of their countenances, hoping to obtain that prize they had long run for; to which may Almighty God conduct us all, through the merits of Christ our Saviour! We shall conclude this article with mentioning, that Mr. Sheriff WoodrofTe, it is said, within half a year afler, was struck on the right side with a palsy, aiid for the space of eight years afler, (till his dying day,) he was at his 9. it Bow T aedi- ;o days en then rith this \ey also , first to n, to the r, unless •r of the (oor, sick te, and in ed in his , be burn- up and aiv nly thank- 1 whom he scompanied Jer at four line o'clock ' the sheriff laving taken aff, cut his the ground, ising again, stake, and [whose name Lllow-chand- Llm Sunday, Lerward ex- lion was read Tg his hand, [er thereof to Ith his blood , two lambs, obtain Uiat ™1 conduct us fall conclude e, it is said, vith a palsy, day,) l^e vras BOOK OF MARTVKS. 241 unable to turn himself in his IkhJ ; thus ho becamo at last a Tearful object to behold The day after Mr. Bradford and John Leaf suftbrcd in Sniitlilield, William Minge, priest, died iu priuun at Maidstone. With as great constancy and boldness he yielded up his life in prison, as if it had pleased God to have called him to siilfer by fire, as uther godly men had done before at the stake, and as ho hnnself was ready to do, had it pleased God to have called him to this trial. Ree. John Blandy Rev. John Frankeshj Nicholas SheUerdeny and Humphrey Middkton. These Christian persons were all burnt at Canterbury fur the same cause. Frankesh and Bland were ministers and preachers of the word of God, the one being parson of Adesham, and the other vicar of Rolvindon. Mr. Bland was cited to answer for his opposition to antichristianism, and underwent several examinations before Dr. Harpsfield, archdeacon of Canterbury, and finally on the 25th of June, 1555, again withstanding the power of th^ pope, he was condemned, and delivered to the secular arm. On the same day were condemned, John Frankesh, Nicholas Shctterden, Humphrey Middleton, Thacker, and Cocker, of whom Thacker only recanted. Being delivered to the secular power, Mr. Bland, with the three for- mer, were all burnt together at Canterbury, July 12, 1555, at two sev- eral stakes, but in one fire, when they, in the sight of God and his an- gels, and before men, like true soldiers of Jesus Christ, gave a constant testimony to the truth of his holy gospel. Nicholas HaU and Christopher Waid. The same month of July, Nicholas Hall, bricklayer, and Christopher Waid, linendraper, of Dartford, suffered death, condemned by Maurice, bishop of Rochester, about the last day of June, 1555. At the same time three others were condemned, whose names were Joan Beach, widow, John Harpol, of Rochester, aiid Margery PoUey. Dirick Carver and John Launder. The 22d of July, 1555, Dirick Carver, brewer, of Brighthelmstono, aged forty, was burnt at Lewes. And the day following John Laun- der, husbandman, aged twenty-five, of Godstone, Surry, was burnt at Stening. Dirick Carver was a man whom the Lord had blessed as well with temporal riches as with his spiritual treasures. At his coming into the town of Lewes to be burnt, the people called to him, beseeching God to strengthen him in the faith of Jesus Christ; and, as he came to the stake, he knelt down, and prayed earnestly, llien his book was thrown into the barrel, and when he had stripped himself, he went into it. As soon as he was in, he took the book, and threw it among the people, upon which the sheriff commanded, in the name of •I ,:-r > .. 4 .1 ■" ^- ■;j;1; jvr*"^ ii '.^',i r\ 242 BOOK OF MARTYRS. the king and queen, on pain of death, to throw in the book again. — And immediateiy the holy martyr began to address the people. After he had pmyed awhile, he said, "O Lord my God, thou hast written, he tliat will not forsake wife, children, house, and every thing that he hath, and take up thy cross and follow thee, is not worthy of thee!—, but Uiou, Lord, knowest that I have forsaken all to come unto thee Lord have mercy upon me, for unto thee I commend my spirit! and my soul doth rejoice in thee!" These were the last words of this faithful servant of Christ before enduring the fire. And when the fire came to him, he cried, "O Lord have mercy upon me!" and sprang up in the fire, calling upon the name of Jesus, till he gave up the ghost. Thomas Iveson, of Grodstone, in the county of Surry, carpenter, wa^ burnt about the same month at Chichester. John Aleworth, who died in prison at Reading, July, 1555, had been imprisoned for the sake of the truth of the gospel. James Abbes. This young man wandered about to escape appre> hension, but was at last informed against, and brought before the bishop of Norwich, who influenced him to recant; to secure him further in apostacy, the bishop afterward gave him a piece of money; but the interference of Providence is here remarkable. This bribe lay so heavily upon his conscience, that he returned, threw back the money, and repented of his conduct. Like Peter, he was contrite, steadfast in the faith, and sealed it with his blood at Bury, August 2, 1555, praising and glorifying God. John Denley, Gent.f John Newman, and Patrick Packingham. Mr. Denley and Newman were returning one day to Maidstone^ the place of their abode, when they were met by E. Tyrrel, Esq. a bigcrted justice of the peace in Essex, and a cruel persecutor of the protestants. He apprehended them merely on suspicion. On the 5th of July, 1555, they were condemned, and consigned to the sheriffs, who sent Mr. Denley to Uxbridge, where he perished, August the 6th, 1555. While suffering in agony, and singing a psalm. Dr. Story inhumanly ordered one of the tormentors to throw a fagot at him, which cut his face severely, caused him to cease singing, and to raise his hands to his face. Just as Dr. Story was remarking in jest that he had spoiled a good song, the pious martyr again chanted, spread his hands abroad in the flames, and through Christ Jesus resigned his jK)ul into the hands of his Maker. Mr. Packingham suffered at the same town on the 26th of the same month. Mr, Newman, pewterer, was burnt at Saffron Waldon, in Essex, Au|;. 31, for the same cause, and Richard Hook about the same tim ppnshed At Chichester. l|, 'iff' ^ '' ' lliiilrii li gain. — After written, ; that he thee I— Lto thee iritl and ,8 of this vhen the nel" and 5 gave up mter, wa? I, had heen ape appre- before the ecure him 5 of money; This hribe 5W back the ras contrite, , August i^ »i Maidstone, rrrel, Esq. a cutor of the pn. On the the sherifis, August the m, Dr. Story igot at him, and to raise in jest that ited, sf resis of the same Es8ex> iQ same tiw ^n, in BOOK OF UARTYS. 243 W. Coker, W. Hooper ^ H. Laurence, R. Colliary R. Wright and W. Stere. These persons all of Kent, were examined at the same time with Mr. Bland and Shetterden, by Thornton, bishop of Dover, Dr. Harps- field, and others. These six martyrs and witnesses of the truth were consigned to the flames in Canterbury, at the end of August, 1555. Elizabeth Wame, widow of John Warne, upholsterer, martyr, was burnt at Stratford-le-bcw, nea"" London, at the end of August, 1555. George Tankerfield, of J.ondon, cook, born at York, aged 27, in the reign of Edward VI. hac'. been a papist; but the cruelty of bloody Mary made him suspect ihe truth of those doctrines which were en- forced by fire and torture. Tankerfield was imprisoned in Newgate about the end of February, 1555, and on Aug. 26, at St. Alban's, he braved the excruciating fij^e, and joyfully died for the glory of his Redeemer. Rev. Robert Smith was first in the service of Sir T. Smith, provost of Eton; and was aflerward removed to Windsor, where he had a clerkship of ten pounds a year. He was condemned, July 12, 1555, and sufiered Aug. 8, at Ux- bridge. He doubted not but that God would give the spectators some token in support of his own cause; this actually happened; for, when he was nearly half burnt, and supposed to be dead, he suddenly rose up, moved the remaining parts of his arms and praised God; then, banging over the fire, he sweetly slept in the Lord Jesus. Mr. Stephen Harwood and Mr. Thomas Fust suffered about the same time with Smith and Tankerfield, with whom they were con- demned. Mr. William Hale also, of Thorp, in Essex, was sent to Bamet, where about the same time he joined the ever-blessed company of Martyrs. George King, Thomas Leyes, and John Wade, falling sick in Lol- lard's Tower, were removed to different houses, and died. Their bodies were dirown out in the common fields as unworthy of burial, and lay till the faithful conveyed them away by night. Joan Lashford, daughter-in-law of John and Elizabeth Wame, mart3rr, was the last of the ten condemned before alluded to; her mar^rdom took place in 1556, of which we shall speak in its date. Mr. William Andrew of Horseley, Essex, was imprisoned in New- gate for heresy; but God chose to call him to himself by the severe treatment he endured in Newgate, and thus to mock the sanguinary expectations of his Catholic persecutors. His body was thrown into the open air, but his soul was received into the everlasting mansions of his heavenly Creator. The Rev. Robert Samuel. This gentleman was minister of Bradford, Suffolk, where he indus- triously taught the flock committed to his charge, while he was openly permitted to discharge his duty. He was first persecuted by Mr # -.1 "•^ '5^w" Lid "?-, 244 BOOK OF MARTYRS. ^;lilEi'f: ^, '.lir :¥'1 Foster, of Copdock, near Ipswich, a severe and bigoted persecutor of the followers of Christ, according to the truth in the Gospel. Not- withstanding Mr. Samuel was ejected from his living, he continued to exhort and instruct privately; nor would he obey the order for put- ting away his wife, whom he had married in king Edward's reign; but kept her at Ipswich, where Foster, by warrant, surprised him by night with her. Afler being unprisoned in Ipswich jail, he was taMea before Dr. Hopton, bishop of Norwich, and Dr. Dunnings, his chan- cellor, two of the most sanguinary among the bigots of those days. To intimidate tlie worthy pastor, he was in prison chained to a post in such a manner that the weight of his body was supported by the points of his toes: added to this his allowance of provision was re- duced to a quantity so insufficient to sustain nature, that he was almost ready to devour his own flesh. From this dreadful extremity, there was even a degree of mercy in ordering him to the fire. Mr. Samuel suffered August 31, 1555. William Allen, a labouring servant to Mr. Houghton of Somertou, suffered not long afler Mr. Samuel, at Walsingham. Rc^er Coo, was an aged man, and brought before the bishop of Norwich for contumacy, by whom he was condemned Aug. 12, 1555, and sufiered in the following month at Yoxford, in Suffolk. Thomas Cobb, was a butcher at Haverhill, and condenmed by Dun- nings, the fbrious chancellor of Norwich. Mr. Cobb suffered at Thetford, Sept. 1555. G, Catmer, R. Streater, A. Bttrwardf G. Brodbridgej and J. Tuth/. These five worthies, denying the real presence in the eucharist, were brought before Dr. Thornton, bishop of Dover, and condemned as heretics. They suffered in one fire, Sept. 6, 1555, at Canterbury, enduring all things for their faith in Christ Jesus. About the same time William Glowd, Cornelius Bungey, William Wolsey, and Robert Pygot, suffered martyrdom. Bishop Ridley and Bishop Latimer. These reverend prelates suffered October 17, 1555, at Oxford, on the same day Wolsey and Pygot perished at Ely. Pillars of the church and accomplished ornaments of human nature, they were the admiration of the realm, amiably conspicuous in their lives, and glo> rious in their deaths. Dr. Ridley was born in Northumberland, was first taught grammar at Newcastle, and afterward removed to Cambridge, where his apti- tude in education raised him gradually till he came to be the head of Pembroke college, where he received the title of Doctor of Divinity. Having returned from a trip to Paris, he was appointed Chaplain to j Henry VHI. and Bishop of Rochester, and was afterwards translated j to the see of London in the time of Edward VI. His tenacious memory, extensive erudition, impressive oratory, and I I people in ^ Bishop" I festers!] ie was fouL BOOK OF MARTYRS. 245 srsecutor jl. Not- ;ontinued r for pul- l's reign; d him by Kras taien his chan* lose days. [ to a post ted by the )n was re- al he was extremity, I fire. Mr. f Somerton, le bishop of g. 12, 1555, inedbyDun- \nd J. ^^• he eucharist, id condemned [t Canterbury, »ey, WiUiam lat Oxford, on pillars of the [they were the lives, and glo- light grammar there his apti- \e the head of br of Divinity. Chaplain to Irds tranj' ' ' |e oratory, ^d indefatigable zeal in preaching, drew after him not only his own flock, but persons from all quarters, desirous of godly exhortation or re|>roof. His tender treatment of Dr. Heath, who was a prisoner with him during one year, in Edward's reign, evidently proves that he had no Catholic cruelty in his disposition. In person he was erect and well proportioned; in temper forgiving; in self-mortification severe. His first duty in the morning was private prayer : he remained in his study till 10 o^clock, and then attended the daily prayer used in his house. Diimer being done, he sat about an hour, conversing pleas-, antly, or playing at chess. His study next engaged his attention, unless business or visits occurred; about five o'clock prayers followed; and afler he would recreate himself at chess for about an hour, then retire to his study till eleven o^clock, and pray on his knees as in the morning. In brief, he was a pattern of godliness and virtue, and such he endeavored to make men wherever he came. His attentive kindness was displayed particularly to old Mrs. Bon- ner, mother of Dr. Bonner, the cruel bishop of London. Dr. Rid- ley, when at his manor at Fulham, always invited her to his house, placed her at the head of his table, and treated her like his own mother; he did the same by Boimer's sister and other relatives; but when Dr. Ridley was under persecution, Bonner pursued a conduct diametrically opposite, and would have sacrificed Dr. Ridley's sister and her husband. Mr George Shipside, had not Providence delivered him by the me nz '^^ Dr. Heath, bishop of Worcester. Dr. Ridley was first in part ■ . e, :ed by reading Bertram's book on the sacra- ment, and by his :...ierences with archbishop Cranmerand Peter Martyr. When Edward VI. was removed from the throne, and the bloody Mary succeeded^ bishop Ridley was immediately marked as an object of slaughter. He was first sent to the Tower, and afler^ ward, at Oxford, was consigned to the conmion prison of Bocardo, with rrchbishop Cranmer and Mr. Latimer. Being separated from them, he was placed in the house of one Irish, where he remained till the day of his martyrdom, from 1554, till October 16, 1555. It will easily be supposed that the conversations of these chiefs of the martyrs were elaborate, learned, and instructive. Such indeed they were, and equally beneficial to all their spiritual comforts. Bishop Ridley's letters to various Christian brethren in bonds in all parts, ?nd his disputations with the mitred enemies of Christ, alike prove the clearness of his head and the integrity of his heart. In a letter to Mr. Grindal, (aflerward archbishop of Canterbury,) he mentions with affection those who had preceded him in dying for the faith, and those who were expected to suffer; he regrets that popery is re-estab- lished in its full abomination, which he attributes to the wrath of God, made manifest in return for the lukewarmness of the clergy and the people in juntly appreciating the blessed light of the reformation. Bishop Latimer was the son of Hugh Latimer, of Turkelson, in Lwcestershirc, a husbandman of repute, with whom he remained till the was four years old. His parents, finding him of acute parts, gave t \ » 'I! * 1^ W\ i'^ t'1 »Si*ft ^i ; I \ h I m 246 BOOK OF MASTmS. him a good education, and then sent him at fourteen to the university of Cambridge, where he entered into the study of the school divinity of that day, and was from principle a zealous observer of the Romish superstitions of the time. In his oration, when he commenced bachelor of divinity, he inveighed against the reformer Melancthon, and openly declaimed against good Mr. StaflR)rd, divinity lecturer in Cambridge. Mr. Thomas Bilnoy, moved by a brotherly pity towards Mr. Lati- ,mer, begged to wait upon him in his study, and to explain to him the groundwork of his (Mr. Bilney's) faith. This blessed interview ef- fected his conversion: the persecutor of Christ became his zealous ad- vocate, and before Dr. Stafford died he became reconciled to him. Once converted, he became eager for the conversion of others, and commenced public preacher, and private instructer in the university. His sermons were so pointed against the absurdity of praying in the Latin tongue, and withholding the oracles of salvation from the pco pie who were to be saved by belief in them, that he drew upon himself the pulpit animadversions of several of the resident friars and heads of houses, whom he subsequently silenced by his severe criticisms and eloquent arguments. This was at Christmas, 1529. At length Dr. West preached against Mr. Latimer at Barwell Abbey, and pro- hibited him from preaching again in the churches of the university; notwithstanding which, he continued during three years to advocate openly the cause of Christ, and even his enemies confessed the power <>f those talents he possessed. Mr. Bilney remained here some ti:ne with Mr. Latimer, and thus the place where they frequently walked together obtained the name of Heretics' Hill. Mr. Latimer at this time traced out the innocence of a poor woman, accused by her husband of the murder of her child. Having preached before king Henry VHL at Windsor, he obtained the un- fortunate mother's pardon. This, with many other benevolent acts, served only to excite the spleen of his adversaries. He was sum- moned before Cardinal Wolsey for heresy, but being a strenuous supporter of the king's supremacy, in opposition to the pope's, by favour of lord Cromwell and Dr. Buts, (the king's physician,) he obtained the living of West Eongston, in Wiltshire. For his sermons here against purgatory, the immaculacy of the Virgin, and the wor- ship of images, he was cited to appear before Warham, archbishop of Canterbury, and John, bishop of London. He was required to subscribe certain articles, expressive of his conformity to the accus- tomed usages; and there is reason to think, afler repeated weekly examinations, that he did subscribe, as they did not seem to involve any important article of belief. Guided by Providence, he escaped &e subtle nets of his persecutors, and at length, through the powerful friends before mentioned, became bishop of Worcester, in which function he qualified or explained away most of the papal ceremonies he was for form's sake under the necessity of complying with. He continued in this active and dignified employment some years, till the i BOOK OF MARTYSS. 249 coming in of the Six Articles, when, to preserve an unsulhed con- science, he, as well as Dr. Shaxton, bishop of Salisbury, resigned. He remained a prisoner in the Tower till the coronation of Edward VI. when he was again called to the Lord^s harvest in Stamford, and many other places : he also preached at London in the convocation house, and before the young king; indeed he lectured twice every Sunday, regardless of his great age (then above sixty-seven years,) and his weakness through a bruise received from the fall of a tree. Indefatigable in his private studies, he rose to them in winter and in summer at two o'clock in the morning. By the strength of his own mind, or of some inward light from above, he had a prophetic view of what was to happen to the church in Mary's reign, asserting that he was doomed to suffer for the truth, and that Winchester, then in the Tower, was preserved for that purpose. Soon after queen Mary was proclaimed, a messenger was &. nt immon Mr. Latimei .. ^wn, and there is reason to believe i - as v ed that he should luoke his escape. On entering Smithfield, he jocosely said, that the place had long groaned for him. After being examined by the council, he was committed to the Tower, where his cheerfulness is displayed in the following anecdote. Being kept without fire in severe frosty weather, his aged frame suffered so much, that he told the lieutenant's man, that if he did not look better after him he should deceive his master. The lieutenant, thinking he meant to effect his escape, came to him, to know what he meant by this speech; which Mr. Latimer replied to, by saying, "You, Mr. Lieutenant, doubtless suppose I shall bum; but, except you let me have some fire, I shall deceive your expectation, for here it is likely I shall be starved with cold.''^ Mr. Latimer, afler remaining a long time in the Tower, was trans- ported to Oxfoitl, with Cranmer and Ridley, the disputations at which place have been already mentioned in a former part of this work. He remained imprisoned till October, and the prmcipal objects of all his prayers were three — ^that he might stand faithful . to the doctrine he had professed, that God would restore his gospel to England once again, and preserve the Lady Elizabeth to be queen; all which hap- pened. When he stood at the stake without the Bocardo-gate, Oxfoid, with Dr. Ridley, and fire was putting to the pile of fagots, he raised his eyes benignantly towards heaven, and said, "God is faithful, who doth not suffer us to be tempted above our strength." His body was forcibly penetrated by the fire, and the blood flowed abundantly from the heart; as if to verify his constant desire that his heart's blood might be shed in defence of the gospel. His polemical and friendly letters are lasting monuments of his integrity and talents. It has been before said, that public disputation took place in April, 1554; new examinations took place in Oct. 1555, previous to the degrada- tion and condemnation of Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer. We now draw to the conclusion of the lives of the two last. Dr. Ridley, the night before execution, was Yery facetious, hiul himself shaveid, and called his supper a marnage feast; he remarked no 'I I '^ i r,. 'ihii ■ 'I'll I 850 BOOK OF SCARTYR8. upon seeing Mrs. Irish (the keeper's wife) weep, "though my break- fast will be somewhat sharp, my supper will be more pleasant and sweet." The place of death was on the north side of the town, opposite Baliol College: — Dr. Ridley was dressed in a black gown furred, and Mr. Latimer had a long shroud on, hanging down to his feet. Dr. Ridley, as he passsed Bocardo, looked up to sec Dr. Cran- mer, but tho latter was then engaged in disputation with a friar. — When they came to the stake. Dr. Ridley embraced Latimer fervently, and bid him be of good heart. He then knelt by the stake, and after earnestly praying together, they had a short private conversation. Dr. Smith then preatched a short sermon against the martyrs, who would have answered him, but were prevented by Dr. Marshal, the vice-chancellor. Dr. Ridley then took ofi' his gown and tippet, and gave tliem to his brother-in-law, Mr. Shipside. He gave away also many trifles to his weeping friends, and the populace were anxious to get even a fragment of his garments. Mr. Latimer gave nothing, and from the poverty of his garb, was soon stripped to his shroud, and stood venerable and erect, fearless of death. Dr. Ridley being unclothed to his shirt, the smith placed an iron chain aboiut their waists, and Dr. Ridley bid him fasten it securely; his brother having tied a bag of gunpowder about his neck, gave some also to Mr. Lati- mer. Dr. Ridley then requested of Lord Williams, of Fame, to ad- vocate with the queen the cause of some poor men to whom he had, when bishop, granted leases, but which the present bishop refused to confirm. A lighted fagot was now laid at Dr. Ridley's feet, which caused Mr Latimer to say, "Be of good cheer, Ridley ; and play the man. We shall this day, by God's grace, light up such a candle in England, as, I trust, will never be put out." When Dr. Ridley saw the flame approaching him, he exclaimed, <*Into thy hands, O Lonl, I commend my spirit!" and repeated often, "Lord receive my spirit!" Mr. Latimer, too, ceased not to say, "O Father of heaven receive my soul !" Embracing the flame, he bathed his hands in it, and soon died, apparently with little pain; but Dr. Ridley, by the ill-adjustment oi the fagots, which were green, and placed too high above the furze, was burnt much downwards. At this time, piteously entreating for more fire to come to him, his brother-in-law imprudently heaped the fagots up over him, which caused the fire more fiercely to burn his limbs, whence he literally leaped up and down under the fagots, ex- claiming that he could not burn ; indeed, his dreadful extremity was but too plain; for afler his legs wei*e quite consumed, he showed his body and shirt unsinged by the flame. Crying upon (rod for mercy, a man with a bill pulled the fagots down, and when the flames arose, he he bent himself towards that side; at length the gunpowder was ignited, and then he ceased to move, burning on the other side, and falling down at Mr. Latimer's feet over the chain that had hitherto supported him. Every eye shed tears at the afl]icting sight of these sufferers, who were among the most distinguished persons of their time in dignity piety, and public estimation. They suffered October 16. 1555. **■( ♦K* (ly break- asant and the town, ack gown own to his Dr. Cran- 1 a friar.— r fervently, ;, and afler )nver8ation, irtyrs, who larshal, the tippet, and J away also ere anxious ave nothing, hi8 shroud, Ridley being I about their fother having > to Mr. Lati- Fame, to ad- vhom he had, nop refused to 's feet, which ; and play the ;h a candle in r. Ridley saw ands, O Lord, [ve my spirit'." keaven receive [in it, and soon ill-adjustment jowe the furze, entreating for lily heaped the jly to burn his the fagots, ex- extremity was he showed his ..^ for mercy, lames aro8e,he fer was ignited, Ind falling down supported him. sufferers, who 1 ime in dignity 6, 1555. BOOK OF lOAKTYRS. 251 In the following month died Stephen Gardiner, bishop of Winches- ter and Lord Chancellor of England. This papistical monster was born at Bury, in Suffolk, and partly educated at Cambridge. An^- bitious, cruel, and bigoted, he served any cause ; he first espoused the lunges part in the affair of Aime Boleyn : upon the establishment of the Reformation, he declared the supremacy of the Pope an execra- ble tenet; and when queen Mary came to the crown, he entered into all hor papistical bigoted views, and became a second time bishop of Winchester, It is conjectured it was his intention to have mov^ the sacrifice of Lady Elizabeth, but when he arrived at this point, it pleased God to remove him. It was on the aflernoon of the day when those faithful soldiers of Christ, Ridley and Latimer, perished, that Gardiner sat down with a ' joyful heart to dinner. Scarcely had he taken a few mouthfuls, when he was seized with illness, and carried to his bed, where he lingered fifteen days in great torment, unable in any wise to evacuate, and burnt with a devouring fever, that terminated in death. Execrated by all good Christians, we pray the Father of Mercies, that he may re- ceive that mercy above he never imparted below. Mr. John Webb^ George Bojter, and Gregory Parker. These martyrs, afler being brought before the bishop of Dover and Pr. Harpsfield, were finally examined, October 3, 1555, adjudged to be heretics, and at Canterbury, terminated their existence. Wm. Wiseman, clothworker of London, died in Lollard's Tower, Dec. 13, 1555, not without suspicion of being made way with, for his love of the gospel. In December, died James Gore, at Colchester^ imprisoned for the same cause. Mr. John PhUpot. This martyr was the son of a knight, born in Hampshire, and brought up at New College, Oxford, where he several years studied the civil law, and became eminent in the Hebrew tongue. lie was a scholar and a gentleman, zealous in religion, fearless in disposition, and a detester of flattery. Afler visiting Italy, he returned to En- gland, affairs in King Edward's days wearing a more promising aspect. During this reign he continued to be archdeacon of Win- chester under Dr. Poinet, who succeeded Gardiner. Upon the acces- sion of Mary, a convocation was summoned, in which Mr. Philpot defended the Reformation against his ordinary, Gardiner, (again made bishop of Winchester,) and soon was conducted to Bonner and other commissioners for examination, Oct. 2, 1555, afler being eigh- teen months imprisoned. Upon his demanding to see the commission. Dr. Story cruelly ' observed, "I will spend both my gown and my coat, but I will burn thee! Let him be in Lollard's tower, (a wretched prison,) for I will sweep the King's Bench and all other prisons of iliese heretics!" Upon Mr. Philpot's second examination, it was ' VV m^ •>i :-:| . 1 ■' I ♦ .1' fit* If m^f^a li 252 BOOK OF MARTYRS. intimated to him, that Dr. Story had said that the Lord Chancellor had commanded that he should bo made way with. It is easy to foretell the result of this inquiry; he was committed to Bo luer's coal-house, where he joined company with a zealous minister of Essex, who had been induced to sign n bill of recantation; but after- ward, stung by his conscience, he asked the bishop to let him see the instrument again, when he tore it to pieces; which induced Bjnner in ti fury to strike him repeatedly, and tear away part of his beard. IMr. Philpot had a private interview with Bonner the same night, and wag then remanded to his bed of straw like other pristtners, in tho coal-house. After seven examinations, Bonner ordered him to be sot in the stocks, and on the following Sunday separated him from his fellow-prisoners as a sower of heresy, and ordered him up to a nxim near the battlements of St. Paul's, eight feet by thirteen, on the other side of Lollard's tower, and which could be overlooked by any one in the bishop's outer gallery. Here Mr. Philpot was searched, but hap- pily he was successful in secreting some letters containing his exam- inations. In the eleventh investigation before various bishops, and Mr. Morgan, of Oxford, the latter was so driven into a corner by the close pressure of Mr. Philpot's arguments, that he said to him, "In- stead of the spirit of the gosp^jl which you boast to possess, I think it is the spirit of the buttery, which your fellows have had, who were drunk before their death, and went I believe drunlcen to it." To this unfounded and brutish remark, Mr. Philpot indignantly replied, "Ii appeareth by your communication, that you are better acquainted with that spirit than the spirit of God; wherefore I tell thee, thou painted wall and hypocrite, ui the name of the living God, whcjse truth I have told thee, that God shall rain iii'e and brimstone upun such blasphemers as thou art I" He was then remanded by Bonner, with an order not to allow him his Bible nor candlelight. December 4th, Mr. Philpot had his next hearing, and this was followed by two more, making in all, fourteen conferences, previous to the final ex< amination in which he was condemned; such were the perseverance and anxiety of the Catholics, aided by the argun;entative abilities of the most distinguished of the papal bishops, to bring him into the pale of their church. Those examinations, which were very long and learned, were all written down by Mr. Philpot, and a stronger proof of the imbecility of the Catholic doctors, cannot, to an un« biassed nund, be exhibited. December 16th, in the consistory of St. Paul's, bishop Bonner, after laying some trifling accusations to his charge, such as secreting powder to make ink, writing some private letters, &c. proceeded to pass the awful sentence upon him, after he and the other bishops had urged him by every inducement to recant. He was afterward conducted to Newgate, where the avaricious Cath- olic keeper loaded him with heavy irons, which by the humanity of Mr. Macham were ordered to be taken off. December 17th, Mr. Philpot received intimation that he was to die next day, and the next morning about eight o'clock, he joyfuUv met the sheriffs, who were T/" lancellor easy to Bo uier's listor of but iifter- Ti see the inaer in a ird. Mr. , ami was 9, in thn I to be set \ from his ( to a riwm II the other any one in id, but hap- T his exam- ishops, and )rner by the o him, "In- jess, I think ,d, who were It." To this replied, "It r acquainted II thee, thou God, whose mstone upon by Bonner, iDccember [owed by two |the final ex- iperseverance e abilities of Ihim into the ■e very long id a stronger tt, to an un- [sistory of St. laiions to his some private lim, after he jntto recant, ^ricious Cath- humanity of ,r 17th, Mr. and the next fs, who wet« BOOX OF MARTYRS, 253 to attend hir.t to the place of execution. Upon entering Smithfield, the ground was so muddy, that two officers offered to carry him to the stake, but he replied, "Would you make me a pope? I am content to finish my journey on foot." Arrived at the stoke, he said, "Shall I disdain to suffer at the stake, when my Redeemer did not refuse to suf- fer the most vile death upon the Cross for mc?" He then meekly re- cited the cvii. and cviii. Psalnvs, and when he had finished his prayers, was bound to the post, and fire applied to tho pile. On December 18th, 1555, perished this illustrious martyr, reverenced by man, and glori- fied in heaven! His letters arising out of the cause for which he suf- fered, are elegant, numerous, and elr^borate. * Reo. T. WhiUkt B. Greeny T. Brovm, J. Tudson, J. Ent, Isabel ToosteTj and Joan Lashford. These seven persons were summoned before Bonner^s consistory, and the articles of the Romish church tendered for their approbation. Their refusal subjected them to the sentence of condemnation, and on January 27, 1556, they underwent the dreadful sentence of blood in Smithfield. Mr. Bartlet Green was condenmed the next day. Mr. Thomas Brown, born at Histon, Ely, but aflerward of St Bride^s, London, was presented by the parish constable to Bonner, for absenting himself from church. This faithful soldier of Christ bufifer- ed on the same day with the preceding. I Mr. John Tudson, of Ipswich by birth, was apprenticed in London to a Mr. Goodyear, of St.' Mary Botolph. He was condemned Janua- ry 15, 1556, and consigned to the secular power, which completed the fiery tyranny of the law, January 27, to the glory of God, and the in»- mortal salvation of the meek sufferer. Subsequently, John Hunt, Isabella Forster, and Joan Wame, were condenmed and executed. John LomaSf Agnes Snoth, Anne Wright, Joan Sole, and Joan Catmer. These five martyrs suffered tc^ther, January 31, 1556. John Lo- mas was a young man of Tenterden. He was cited to appear at Can- terbury, and was examined January 17. His answers being adverse to the idolatrous doctrine of the papacy, he was condenmed on the fol- lowing day, and suffered January 31. Agnes Snoth, widow, of Smarden Parish, was several times sum- moned before the Catholic Pharisees, and rejecting absolution, indul gences, transubstantiation, and auricular confession, she was adjudged worthy to suffer death, and endured martyrdom, January 31, with Anne Wright and Joan Sole, who were placed in similar circumstances, and perished at the same time, with equal resignation. Joan Catmer, the last of this heavenly company, of the parish Hitlie, was the wife of tlje martyr George Catmer. 20* ' . , I \ ' ■'i i "'■> . f; V .1 ^■^i ^% CLi ■■■ i^- I , » •h:*''' li In Jvt i' '1* 1 '-'' ■ ^■.' i^ ''«! ' 'r 3h f'iK! ? 1^ 254 . BOOK OF MARTYKi. Seldom in any country, for political controversy, have four women been led to execution, whoso lives were irreproachable, and whom the pity of savages would have spared. We cannot but remark here that, when the Protestant power first gained the ascendency over the Catholic superstition, and some degree uf force in the laws was neces- sary to enforce uniformity, whence some bigoted people sufibred priva- tion in their person or goods, we read of lew burnings, savage cruel- ties, or poor women brought to the stake, but it is the nature of error to resort to force instead of argument, and to silence truth by taking away existence, of which the Redeemer himself is an instance. The above five persons were burnt at two stakes in one fire, singing hosannahs to the glorified Saviour, till the breath of life was extinct. Sir John Norton, who was present, wept bitterly at their unmerited sufferings. Archhiahop Cranmer. Dr. Thomas Cranmer was descended from an ancient family, and was born at the village of Araelacton, in the county of Northampton. Allor the usual sch ( •^ • 'ii 4 . , -'" 4 '4i "Jf! ■-« li^ , W. I I t ■ ■ .7 i-it:,<. I 'i\.! m%'.h'' ^w ^ 256 BOOK OF MARTYRS, He ranked high in favour with king Henry, and ever had the purity and the interest of the English church deeply at heart. His miid and forgiving disposition is recorded in the following instance — An ignor- ant priest, in the counti'y, had called Cranmer an ostler, and spoken very derogatory of his learning. Lord Cromwell receiving informa- tion of it, the man was sent to the fleet, and his case was told to the archbishop by a Mr. Chertsey, a grocer, and a relation of the priest's. His grace, having sent for the offender, reasoned with him, and soli- cited the priest to question him on any learned subject. This the man, overcome by the bishop's good nature, and knowing his own glaring incapacity, declined, and entreated his forgiveness, which was immediately granted, with a charge to employ his time better when he returned to his parish. Cromwell was much vexed at the lenity displayed, but the bishop was ever more ready to receive injury than to retaliate in any other manner than by good advice and good offices. At the time that Cranmer was raised to be archbishop, he was king's chaplain, and archdeacon of Taunton; he was also ccmstituted by the pope, penitentiary general of England. It was considered by the king that Cranmer would be obsequious; hence the latter married the king to Amie Boleyn, performed her coronation, stood godfather to Elizabeth, the first child, and divorced the king from Catharine. Though Cranmer received a confirmation of his dignity from the pope, he always protested against acknowledging any other authority than the king's, and he persisted in the same independent sentiments when before Mary's commissioners in 1555. One of the first steps after the divorce was to prevent preaching throughout his diocess, but this narrow measure had rather a political view than a religious one, as there were many who inveighed against the king's conduct. In his new dignity Cranmer agitated the question of supremacy, and by his powerful and just arguments induced the parliament to '^render to Ceesar the things which are Caesar's." During Cranmer's residence in Germany, 1531, he became acquainted with Ossiander, at Nuren- burgh, and married his niece, but lefl her with him while on his re- turn to England; after a season he sent for her privately, and she re- mained with him till the year 1539, when the Six Articles compelled him to return her to her friends for a time. It should be remembered that Ossiander, having obtained the appro- bation of his friend Cranmer, published the laborious work of tlie Harmony of the Gospels in 1537. In 1534 the archbishop com- pleted the dearest wish of his heart, the removal of every obstacle to tl^ie perfection of the Reformation, by the subscription of the nobles and bishops to the king's sole supremacy. Only bishop Fisher and Sir Thomas More made ol jectioii; and their agreement not to oppose the succession, Cranmer was willing to consider as sutlicient, but the monarch would have no other than an entire concession. Not long afler, Gardiner, in a private interview witli the king, spoke inimicaily of Cranmer, (whom he maliciously hated) for assuming tiic title ot* 1^^^' '^«|iifL„ le putity mild and \.n ignor- id spoKen informa- ;old to the le priest's. , and soU- This the g his own iss, which ime better xed at the jeive injury ;e and good op, he was > ccmstitutfid msidered by tter married xl godfather 1 Catharine. ity from the ler authority it sentiments he first steps } diocess, but reUgious one, duct. In bis r, and by his "render to ;r's residence .^ at Nuren- li'le on his re- , and she re- les compelled led the appro- ; work of tlie Ihbishop com- Tvery obstacle 1 of the nobles lap Fisher and not to oppose cient, but the hn. Not long ^ke inimicallv n(T the title of BUCK UF MARTYBS. 257 Primate of all England, as derogatory to the supremacy of the king; this created much jealousy against Cranmer, and his translation of the Bible was strougly opposed by Stokesley, bishop of London. It is said, upon the demise uf queen Catharine, that her successor Anne Boleyn rejoiced — a lesson this to show how shallow is the human judgment! since her own execution took place in the spring of the fullowing year, and the king, on the day following the beheading of this sacrificed lady, married the beautiful Jane Seymour, a maid of honour to the late queen. Cranmer was ever the friend of Anne Buleyn, but it was dangerous to oppose the will of the carnal tyran- nical monarch. In 1538, the holy Scriptures were openly exposed to sale; and the places of worship overflowed every where to hear its holy doctrines expounded. Upon the king^s passing into a law the famous Six Articles, which went nearly again to establish the essential tenets of tlie Ilomish creed, Cranmer shone forth with all the lustre of a Chris- tian patriot, in resisting the doctrines they contained, and in which he was supported by the bishops of Sarum, Worcester, Ely, and Roches- ter, the two former of whom resigned their bishoprics. The king, though now in opposition to Cranmer, still revered the sincerity that marked his conduct. The death of Lord Cromwell in the Tower, in 1540, the good friend of Cranmer, was a severe blow to the wavering protestant cause, but even now Cranmer, when he saw the tide directly adverse to the truth, boldly waited on the king in person, and by his manly and heartfelt pleading, caused the book of Articles to be passed on his side, to the great confusion of his enemies, who had contcmpla- IbA his fall as inevitable. Cranmer now lived in as secluded a manner as possible, till the fancour of Winchester preferred some articles against him, relative to the dangerous opinion he taught in his family, joined to, other treasonable charges. These the king delivered himself to Cranmer, and believing firmly the fidelity and assertions of innocence of the accused prelate, he caused the matter to be deeply investigated, and*. Winchester and Dr. Lenden, with Thornton and Barber, of the bishop's household, were found by the papers to be the real cmispira- tors. The mild forgiving Cranmer would have interceded for all remission of punishment, had not Henry, pleased with the subsidy voted by parliament, let them be discharged; these nefarious men, however, again renewing their plots against Cranmer, fell victii^s to Henry's resentment, and Gardiner forever lest his confidence. Sir G. Gustwi'^k soon afler laid charges against the archbishop, which Henry quashed, and the primate was willing to forgive. In 1544, the archbishop's palace at Canterbury was burnt, and his brother-in-law with others perished in it. These various afflictions may serve to reconcile us to an humble stato; for of what happiness could this great and good man boast? since his life was constantly harassed either by political, religious, or natural crosses. Again the inveterate Gardiner laid high charges against the meek archbishop 0^ t:v|ft ■' : i: ::#»>i ; 4 « ^ : ^-■^ m ■■Tk llr' >. »■*{■ :• 258 BOOK OF MARTYRS. and would have sent him to the tower; but the king was his friend, gave him his signet that he would defend him, and in the council not only declared the bishop one of the best affected men in his realm, but sharply rebuked his accusers for their calumny. A peace having been made, Henry, and the French king Henry the Great, were unanimous to have the mass abolished in their kingdom, and Cranmer set about this great work; but the death of the English monarch, in 1546, suspended the procedure, and king Edward his suc- cessor continued Cranmer in the same functions, upon whose corona- tion he delivered a charge that will ever honour his memory, fur its purity, freedom, and truth. During this reign he prosecuted the glo- rious reformation with unabated zeal, even in the year 15.^2, when he was seized with a severe ague, from which it pleased God to restore him that he might testify by his death the truth of that seed he had diligently sown. The death of Edward, in 1553, exposed Cranmer to all the rage of his enemies. Though the archbishop was among those who supported Mary^s accession, he was attainted at the meeting of parliament, and in November adjudged guilty of high treason at Guildhall, and degra- ded from his dignities. He sent an humble letter to Mary, explaining the cause of his signing the will in favor of Edward, and in 1554 he wrote to the council, whom he pressed to obtain a pardon from the queen, by a letter delivered to Dr. Weston, but which the latter opened, and on seeing its contents, basely returned. Treason was a charge quite inapplicable to Cmnmer, who supported the queen's right; while others, who had favoured Lady Jane, upon paying a small fine were dismissed. A calumny was now spread against Cranmer, that he complied with some of the popish ceremonies to ingra- tiate himself with the queen, which he dared publicly to disavow, and justified his articles of faith. The active part which the prelate had taken in the divorce of Mary^s mother had ever rankled deeply in the heart of the queen, and revenge formed a prominent feature in the death of Cranmer. We have in this work, noticed the public dispu- tations at Oxford, in which the talents of Cranmer, Ridley, and Lati- mer, shone so conspicuously, and tended to tlieir condemnation.— The first sentence was illegal, inasmuch as the usurped power of the pope had not yet been re-established by law. Being kept in prison till this was effected, a commission was despatched from Rome, appointing Dr. Brooks to sit as the representative of his Holiness, and Drs. Story and Martin as those of the queen. Cranmer was willing to bow to the authority of Drs Story and Martin, but against that of Dr. Brooks he protested. Such were the remarks and replies of Cran- mer, after a long examination, that Dr. Brooks observed, "We come to examine you, and methinks you examine us." Being sent back to confinement, he received a citation to appear at Rome within eighteen days, but this was impracticable, as he was imprisoned in England; and as he stated, even had he been at liberty, he was too poor to em- ploy an advocate. Absurd as it must appear, Cranmer was condemned the rage of supported ament, and and degra- , explainuig in 1554 he Ion from the li the lattei eason was a 1 the queen's ipon paying :«ad against lies to ingra- lisavow, and I prelate had eeply in the lature in the (ublic dispu- y, and Lati- wmnation.— lower of the in prison till I, appointing [d Drs. Story to bow to that of Dr. lies of Cran- I "We come [sent back to jthin eighteen in England; > poor to em- ,s condemned BOOK OF MARTYRS. 259 at Rome, and February 14, 1556, a new commission was appointed, by which. Thirdly, bishop of Ely, and Bonner, of London, were de- puted to sit in judgment at Christ-church, Oxford. By virtue of this instrument, Cranmer was gradually degraded, by putting mere rags on liim to represent the dress of an archbishop; then stripping him of his attire, they took off his own gown, and put an old worn one upon him instead. This he bore unmoved, and his enemies, finding that sever- ity only rendered him more determined, tried the opposite course, and placed him in the house of the dean of Christ-church, where he was treated with every indulgence. This presented such a contrast to the three years hard imprisonment he had received, that it threw him off his guard. His open, generous nature was more easily to be seduced by a liberal conduct than by threats and fetters. When satan finds the christian proof against one mode of attack, he tries another; and what form is so seductive as smiles, rewards, and power, afler a long, painful imprisonment? Thus it was with Cranmer: his enemies prom- ised him his former greatness if he would but recant, as well as the queen's favour, and this at the very time they knew that his death was determined in council. To soflen the path to apostacy, the first paper brought for his signature was conceived in general terms; this once signed, five others were obtained as explanatory of the first, till finally he put his hand to the following detestable instrument: — «I, Thomas Cranmer, late archbishop of Canterbury, do renounce, abhor, and detest all manner of heresies and errors of Luther and Zuinglius, and all other teachings which are contrary to sound and true doctrine. And I believe most constantly in my heart, and with my mouth I confess one holy and catholic church visible, without which there is no salvation; and therefore I acknowledge the bishop of Rome to be supreme head on earth, whom I acknowledge to be the highest bishop and pope, and Christ's vicar, unto whom all christian people ought to be subject. "And as concerning the sacraments, I believe and worship in the sacrament of the altar the body and blood of Christ, being contained most truly under the forms of bread and wine; the bread, through the mighty power of God being turned into the body of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and the wine into his blood. "And in the other six sacraments, also, (alike as in this) I believe and hold as the universal church holdeth, and the church of Rome judgeth and determineth. "Furthermore, I believe that there is a place of purgatory, where souls departed be punished for a time, for whom the church doth god- lily and wholesomely pray, like as it doth honour saints and make prayers to them. "Finally, in all things I profess, that I do not otherwise believe than the catholic church and the church of Rome holdeth and teacheth.— • lam sorry that I ever held or thought otherwise. And I beseech Almighty God, that of his mercy he will vouchsafe to forgive me. %-' m h'*f i| f Vl 260 BOOK OF MARTYRS. whatsoever I have offended against God or his church, and also I desire and beseech all christian people to pray for me. '*And all such as have been deceived either by mine example or doctrine, I require them by the blood of Jesus Christ that they Mill return to the unity of the church, that we may be all of one mind, without schism or division. "And to conclude, as I submit myself to the catholic church of Christ, and to the supreme head thereof, so I submit myself unto the most excellent majesties of Philip and Mary, king and queen of this realm of England, &c. and to all other their laws and ordinances, being ready always as a faithful subject ever to obey them. And God is my witness, that I have not done this for favour or fear of any per- son, but willii^ly and of mine own conscience, as to the instruction of others." "Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall!" said the apostle; and here was a falling off indeed! The papists now triumphed in their turn: they had acquired all they wanted short of his life. Hig recantation was immediately printed and dispersed, that it might have its due effect upon the astonished protestants; but God counter- worked all the designs of the catholics by the extent to which they carried the implacable persecution of their prey. Doubtless, the love of life induced Cranmer to sign the above declaration; yet death may be said to have been preferable to life to him who lay under the stings of a goaded conscience and the contempt of every gospel chris tian; this principle he strongly felt in all its force and anguish. The queen's revenge was only to be satiated in Cranmer's blood, and therefore sne wrote an order to Dr. Cole, to prepare a sermon to be preached March 21, directly before his martyrdom, at St. Mary's, Oxford; Dr. Cole visited him the day previous, and was induced to believe that he would publicly deliver his sentiments in confirmation of the articles to which he had subscribed. About nine in the morn- ing of the day of sacrifice, the queen's commissioners, attended by the magistrates, conducted the amiable unfortunate to St. Mary's church. His torn, dirty garb, the same in which they habited him upon his degradation, excited the commisseration of the people. In the church he found a low, mean stage, erected opposite to the pulpit, on which being placed, he turned his face, and fervently prayed to God. The church was crowded with pei'sons of both persuasions, expecting to hear the justification of the late apostacy: the catholics rejoicing, and the protestants deeply wounded in spirit at the deceit of the human heart Dr. Cole, in his sermon, represented Cranmer as having been guilty of the most atrocious crimes; encouraged thedeiu ded sufferer not to fear death, not to doubt the support of God in his torments, nor that masses would be said in all the churches of Oxford for the repose of his soul. The Doctor then noticed his conversion, and which he ascribed to the evident working of Almighty Power, and in order that the people might be convinced of its reality, asked the prisoner to give them a sign. This Cranmer did, and begged a^T^^ I desire lurch of unto the in of this •dinances, And God f any per- truction of ;e apostle; umphed in , life. His it it might od counter- which they j8, the love ; yet death Ly under the rospel chris uish. mer's blood, a sermon to St. Mary's, i induced to confirmation ,n the morn- attended by St. Mary's habited him people. In |to the pulpit, Lly prayed to persuasions, |the catholics the deceit of Cranmer as iged the delu [if God in his les of Oxford Is conversion, lighty Power, reality, asked and begged BOOK OF MARTYRS 261 (he congregation to pray for him, fur he had committed many and grievous sins; but, of all, there was one which awfully lay upon his mind, of which he would speak shortly. During the sermon Cranmer wept bitter tears: lifting up his hands and eyes to heaven, and letting them fall, as if unworthy to live : his grief now found vent in words: before his confession he fell upon his knees, and, in the following words unveiled tlie deep contrition and agitation which harrowed up his soul. i»0 Father of heaven! O Son of God, Redeemer of the world! Holy Ghost, three persons and one God! have mercy oa me, most wretched caitiff and miserable sinner. I have oiTended both against heaven and earth, more than my tongue can express. Whither then may I go, or whither may J flee? To heaven I may be ashamed to lift up mine eyes, and in earth I find no place of refuge or succour. To thee, therefore, O Lord, do I run; to thee do I humble myself, saying, O Lord, my God, my sins be great, but yet have mercy upon me for thy great mercy. The great mystery that God became man, was not wrought for little or few offences. Thou didbt not give thy Son, O Heavenly Father, unto death for small sins only, but for all the greatest sins of the world, so that the sinner return to thee with his whole heart, as I do at present. Wherefore, have mercy on me, O God, whose property is always to have mercy, have mercy upon me, Lord, for thy great mercy. I crave nothing for my own merits, but for thy name^s sake, that it may be hallowed thereby, and for thy dear Son Jesus Christ's sake. And now therefore, O Father of Heaven, hallowed be thy name,'' &c. Then rising, he said he was desirous before his death to give them some pious exhortations by which God might be glorified and them- selves edified. He then descanted upon the danger of a love for the world, the duty of obedience to their majesties, of love to one another and the necessity of the rich administering to the wants of the poor. He quoted the three verses of tlie fif\h chapter of James, and then proceeded, "het them that be rich ponder well these three sentences: for if they ever had occasion to show their charity, they have it now at this present, tlie poor people being so many, and victual so dear. "And now forasmuch as I am come to the last end of my life, whereupon hangeth all my life past, and all my life to come, either (0 live with my master Christ fur ever in joy, or else to be in pain for ever with the wicked in hell, and I see before mine eyes presently, either heaven ready to receive me, or else hell ready to swallow me up; I shall therefore declare unto you my very faith how I believe, without any colour of dissimulation: for now is no time to dissemble, whatsoever I have said or written in times past. ''First, I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, dec. And I believe every article of the Catholic faith, every word and sentence taught by our Saviour Jesus Christ, hii apostles and prophets, in the New and Old Testament. "And now I come to the great thing which so much troubleth ray SI r..\: ■'{ ;')' .4i U| »^ ■tfh'' ^ i ' 1 «1«t'"H'' n 4 'V- I'Vi' m ll' ( 262 BOOK OF MARTYRS. conscience, more than any thing that ever I did or said in my whole life, and that is the setting abroad of a writing contrary to the truth; which now here I renounce and refuse, as &ings written with my hand contrary to the truth which I thought in my heart, and written for fear of death, and to save my life, if it might be; and that is, all such bills or papers which I have written or signed with my hand since my degradation, wherein I have written many things untrue. And forasmuch as my hand hath offended, writing contrary to my heart, therefore my hand shall first be punished; for when I come to the fire, it shall first be burned. "And as for the Pope, I refuse him as Christ^s enemy, and anti< Christ, with all his false doctrine. "And as for the sacrament, I believe as I have taught in my book against the bishop of Winchester, which my book teacheth so true a doctrine of the sacrament, that it shall stand in the last day before the judgment of God, where the papistical doctrines contrary Uiereto shall be ashamed to show their face.^' Upon the conclusion of this unexpected declaration, amazement and indignation were conspicuous in every part of the church. The catholics were completely foiled, their object being frustrated; Gran* mer, like Sampson, having c(Hnpleted a greater ruin upon his enemies in the hour of death, than he did in his life. Granmer would have proceeded in the exposure of the popish doc- trines, but the murmurs of the idolaters drowned his voice, and the preacher gave an order to lead the heretic away! The savage com* mand was directly obeyed, and the lamb about to sufier was torn from his stand to the place of slaughter, insulted all the way by the re- vilings and taunts of the pestilent monks and friars. With thoughts intent upon a far higher object than the empty threats of man, he reached the spot dyed with the blood of Ridley and Latimer. There he knelt for a short time in earnest devotion, and then arose, that he might undress and prepare for the fire. Two friars who had beeo parties in prevailing upon him to abjure, now endeavoured to draw him off again from the truth, but he was steadfast and immoveable in what he had just professed, and before publicly taught. A chain was provided to bind him to the stake, and afler it had tightly en- circled him, fire was put to the fuel, and the flames began soon to ascend. Then were the glorious sentiments of the martyr made manifest; — ^then it was, that stretching out his right hand, he held it unshrinkingly in the fire till it was burnt to a cinder, even before his body was injured, frequently exclaiming, "This unworthy right j hand'** Apparently insensible of pain, with a countenance of ven- erable resignation, and eyes directed to Him for whose cause he suf- fered, he continued, like St. Stephen, to say, "Lord Jesus receive roy | spirit P till the fury of the flames terminated his powers of utter- ance and existence. He closed a life of high sublunary elevation, ■ of constant uneasiness, and of glorious martyrdom, on March 21, | 1553. f ■v.. ,> ly whole ae truth; with my d written hat is, all my hand rs untrue, iry to my I come to n my hook ih so true a u before the thereto shall le popish doc- oice, and the I savage com* was torn from ty by the re- "''ith thoughts of man, he [timer. There arose, that he who had been loured to draw id immoveable ight. A chain lad tightly en- began soon to martyr made land, he heW it 5ven before his inworthy right penance of ven- se cause he sut- ISU9 receive roy I Kjwers of utter- tnary elevation^ on March 21, BOOK OF MARTYRS. 263 Thus perished the illustrious Craiuner, the man whom king Henry's capricious soul esteemed for his virtues above all other men. Cranmer's example is an endless testimony that fraud and cruelty are the leading characteristics of the catholic hierarchy. They first seduced him to live by recantation, and then doomed him to perish, using perhaps the sophistical arguments, that, being brought again within the catholic pale, he was then most ^ to die. His gmdual change from darkness to the light of the truth, proved that he had a mind open to conviction. Though mild and forgiving in temper, he was severe in church discipline, and it is only on this ground that one act of cruelty of his can in any way be excused. A poor woman was in Edward's reign condemned to be burnt for her religious opin- ions; the pious young monarch reasoned with the archbishop upon the impropriety of protestants resorting to the same cruel means they censured in papists, adding humanely, "What! would you have me send her quick to the devil in her error?" The prelate however was not to be softened, and the king signed the death warrant with eyes steeped in tears. There is however a shade in the greatest charac- ters, and few characters, whether political or religious, were greater than Cranmer's. Agnes Potten and Joan Trunchfield. These godly women (before mentioned) were both of Ipswich, and suffered about the same time with Cranmer. When in prison together, Mrs. Trunchfield was less ardent and zealous than Mrs. Potten; but when at the stake, her hopu in glory was brighter even than that of her fellow-sufferer. John Maundrel, William Coberly, and John Spicer were burnt between Salisbury and Wilton, March 24, 1556. Two died without any particular retardation, but Coberly, from the current of wind as he stood, was a long time in pvmshing. His lefl arm was visible to the bone, while the right, but livtle injured, beat upon his breast soflly, and the discharge from his mouth was consiaerable. Rising suddenly erect from hanging over the chain, as if dead, he gave up his mortal abode for one made without hi nds, eternal in the heavens! Rcu. Robert Drakes, Rer, William Tyms^ Richard Spurge, Sheerman, T. Spurge, Fuller; J. Cavel, Weaver; and G. Ambrose, Fuller. These worthies were of Essex, and in the diocess of Londori. — They were all sent up to Gardiner, the chancellor, March 25, 1555; who imprisoned them some in the king's bench, and otliers in the Mar- ihalsea. March 28, the six were brought up for condenmation in the consis- |tory of St. Paul's; after which sentence, they were delivered to the I sheriff, to be sent to Newgate, where they remained, patiently waiting the Lord's time for deliverance, which took place about the 23d of April, 155G, in Smithfield. « ' k *■'»•• .J ^■ 264 BOOK OF MARTYRS. In the same month, perished John Harpole, of Rotthester, untl Joan Beach, widow, (before mentioned) with Mr. N. Hall. Thoy saflbrei! under Maurice, lishop of Rochester, in whose diocess they lived. Rev. John Hullier. This gentleman went from Eton s::hool to kirifr'g college, Cambridge, and suflered under Dr. Thirlby, bishop of Ely. He d-ed the 2d of April, 155t>. From Kent we now turn to Colchester in Essex, where six constant professors of the gospel were selected to witness the truth by the sacri. fice of their lives. Thuse were, C. Liiyster, of Dagenham, husl and- man; John Mace, apothecary; John Spencer, weaver; Simon Joyne, lawyer; Richard Nichols, weaver; and John Hammond, tanner; five of Colchester. Hugh Laverick and John Aprice. Here we perceive that neither the impotence of age nor the afflic- tion of blindness, co^ld turn aside the murdering fangs of these Babylonish monsters. The first of these unfortunates was of the parish of Burking, aged sixty-eight, a painter and a cripple. The other was blind,-— dark indeed in his visual faculties, but intellectu- ally illuminated with the radiance of the everlasting gospel of truth. Inoffensive objects like these were informed against by some of the sons of bigotry, and dragged bi.rore the prelnticdl shark of London- where they underwent examination, and replied to the articles pro- pounded to them, as other christian martyrs had done before. On the 9th of May, in the consistory of St. Paul's, they were entreated to recant, and upon refusal, were sent to Fulham, where Bonner, by way of a dessert after dinner, condenmed them to the agonies of the tire. Being consigned to the secular officers, May 15, 155(5, they were taken in a cart from Newgate to Stratford-le-Bow, where they were fastened to the stake. When Hugh Laverick was secured by the chain, having no farther occasion for his crutch, he tlirew it away, saying to his fellow-martvr, while consoling him, "Be of good cheer, my brother; for my lord of London is our good physician; he will heal us both shortly — thee of thy blindness, and me of my lameness.'* They sank down in the fire, to rise to immortality ! The day after the above martyrdoms, Catharine Hut, of Booking, widow : Joan Horns, spinster, of Billericay ; Elizabeth Thackwel, spin- ster, of Great Burstead ; suffered death in Smitlifield. Thomas Dowry. We have again to record an act of unpitying cru- elty, exercised on this lad, whom bishop Hooper, had confirmed in the Lord and the knowledge of his word. How long this poor sufferer remained in prison is uncertain. By the testimony of one John Paylor, register of Gloucester, we learn, that when Dowry was brought before Dr. Williams, then chancellor of Gloucester, the usual articles were presented him for sutscription. From these he dissented; and, upon the doctor's demanding of whom and where ho had learned his heresies, the youth replied, "Indeed, nd Joan s.ifl'erei! >red. to king's , of Ely. i, constant the sacri- husl and- lon Joyne, Lerjfiveof r the afflic- rs of these was of the ipple. The it intellectu- pel of truth. some of the ; of London; articles pro- 'ore. On the entreated to Bonner, by ronies of the I, "1556, they , where they .8 secured by xrew it away, (f good cheer, ; he will heal bness.* yt They of Bocking, iackwel, spin- inpitying cm- [nfirmed in the Incertain. By 3ter, we learn, len chancellor sutscription. [ding of whom )Ued, "Indeed, BOOK OF MARTYns. Burning of Archbishop Cranmer. 205 Racking of Cuthbert Symson in the Tower. : ■■■' ' b''ri ' t * M •'Will « ' ■4 .i.'^ '<^l.i 1 ii^i^ r- y '#''f Ml rm: 1/ I cl' !■ .<^--> r A At thil '^eredooj Each condemati BOOK OF MARTYRS. 2U7 Mr. Chancollor, I learned from you in that very pulpit. On such a day (naming the day) you said, in preaching upo ter in these days. Persecutions in the Diocess of Canterbury. In the year 1557, fifteen were imprisoned in the castle of Canter- bury, five of whom perished of hunger. We now proceed to the ac- count of the other ten ; whose names were — J. Philpot, M. Bradbridge, N. Final, all of Tenterden; W. Waterer and T. Stephens, of Bedding- ton; J. Kempe, of Norgate; W. Hay, of Hithe; T. Hudson, of Salenge; W. Lowick, of Cranbrooke; and W. Prowting, of Thornhani Of these Kempe, Waterer, Prowting, Lowick, Hudson, and Hay, were burnt at Canterbury, January 15, 1557: Stephens and Philpot at Wye, about the same time ; and Final and Bradbridge at Ashford, on the 16th. They were steadfast and immoveable in the faith. In the month of February, the following persons were committed tc prison:— >-R. Coleman, of Waldon, labourer; Joan Winseley, of Hon ''.r '"'l*v *■■.■ *fl ir . '' I <) < »♦ 272 BOOK OF MARTYBS. ley Magna, spinster; S. Glover of Ray ley ; R. Clerk, of Much Holland, mariner; W. Munt, of Much Bentley, sawyer ; Marg. Field, of Ramsey, spinster; R. Bjngeor, currier; R. Jolley, mariner; Allen Simpson, Helen Ewing, C. Pepper, widow; Alice Walley, (who recanted;) W. Bongeor, glazier; all of Colchester; R. Atkin, of Halstead, weaver; R. Biircock, of Wilton, qarpenter; R. George, of Westbarhonlt, labour- er; R. Debnam, of Debeaham, weaver; C. Warren, of Cocksall, spinster; Agnes Whitlock, of Dover-court, spinster; Rose Allen, spin- ster; and T. Fcresannes, minor; both of Colchester. These peraons were brought before Bonner, who would have imme- diately sent them to execution, but Cardinal Pole was for more merciful measures, and Bonner, in a letter of his to the cardinal, seems to be sensible that he had displeased him, for he has this e\ pression, — "I thought to have them all hither to Fulham, and to have given sentence against them; nevertheless, perceiving by my last doing that your grace was offended, I thought it my duty, before I proceeded farther, to inform your grace." This circumstance verifies the account that the cardinal was a humane man; and though a zeal- ous catholic, we, as protestants, are willing to render him. that honour which his merciful character deserves. Some of the bitter persecutors denounced him to the pope as a favourer of heretics, and he was summoned to Rome, but queen Mary, by particular entreaty, procured his stay. However, before his latter end, and a little before his last journey from Rome to England, he was sirongly suspected of favouring the doctrine of Luther. T. Losebyj H. Ramsey, T. ThirteU, Margaret Hide, and Agnes Stanley. These paraons were successively called up, condemned, delivered over to the sheriffs of London, in April 15, 1557, were conducted to Smithfield, there to exchange a temporal life for a life eternal with him for whose sake and truth they perished. In May following, W. Morant, S. Gratwick, and King, suf- fered in St. George's Field, Southwark. Executions in Kent. The following seven were arraigned for heresy: Joan Bainbridge, of Staplehurst; W. Appleby, Petronella his wife, and the wife of John Manning, of Maidstone ; B. Allin, and his wife Catherine, of Frey- tenden; and Elizabeth , a blind maiden. Allin was put in the stocks at night, and some advised him to compromise a little, and go for the form's sake to mass, which he did next day; but, just before the sacring, as it is termed, he went into the churchyard, and so reasoned with himself upon the absurdity of transubstantiation, that he staid away, and was soon after brought back again before Sir John Baker, and condemned for heresy. He was burnt with the six before mentioned at Maidstone, the 18th of June, 1557. I ,^ I Holland, ' Ramsey, Simpson, inted;)W. i, weaver; lit, labour- [ Cocksall, \llen, spin- have imme- 3 for more le cardinal, has this ex and to have by my last ity, before I tance verifies lOugh a zeal- der him that of the bitter heretics, and ;ular entreaty, a little before Y suspected of [e, and Agnes ned, delivered |e conducted to eternal with King, suf- L Eainbridge, ]e wife of John Irine, of Frey- >a8 put in the little, and go i jit, just before Ihyard, and so lantiation, that lefore Sir John the six befoni BOOK OF MARTYRS. ^73 As in the last sacrifice four women did honour to the truth, so in the following auto-de-fe we have the like number of females and males, who suffered June 30, 1557, at Canterbury, and were J. Fishcock, F. White, N. Pardue, Barbary Final, widow; Bradbridge's widow; Wil- son's wife; and Benden's wife. Of this group we shall more particularly notice Alice Benden, wife of Edward Benden, of Staplehurst, Kent. She had been taken up in Oct. 1556, for non-attendance, and released upon a strong injunc- tion to mind her conduct. Her husband was a bigoted catholic, and publicly speaking of his wife's contumacy, she was conveyed to Canterbury castle, where knowing, when she should be removed to the bishop's prison, she should be almost started upon three farthings a day, she endeavoured to prepare herself for this suffering by living upon two-pence halfpenny per day. Jan. 22, 1557, her husband wrote, to the bishop, that if his wife's brother, Roger Hall, were to be kept from consoling and relieving her, she might turn; on this account, she was moved to a prison called Monday's hole; her brother sought diligently for her, and at the end of five weeks providentially heard her voice in the dungeon, but could no otherwise relieve hor, than by putting some money in a loaf, and sticking it on a long pole. Dread- ful must have been the situation of this poor victim, lying on straw, between stone walls, without a change of apparel, or the meanest requisites of cleanliness, during a period of nine weeks! March 25, she was summoned before the bishop, who, with rewards, offered her liberty if she would go home and be comfortable; but Mrs. Benden had been inured to suffering, and, shosving him her contracted limbs and emaciated appearance, refused to swerve from thetrutli. She was however removed from this Black Hole to the West gate, whence, about the end of April, she was taken out to be condemned, and then committed to the castle prison till the 19th of June, the day of her burning. At the stake, she gave her handker chief to one John Banks, as a memorial ; and from her waist she drew a white lace, desiring him to give it her brother, and tell him, H was the last band that had bound her, except the chain; and tc her n.Jier ihe returned a shilling he had sent her. The whole of these seven martyrs undress^ themselves with alacrity, and, being prepared, knelt down, and prayed with an earn- estness and Christian spirit that even the enemies of the Cross were affected. After invocation made together, they were secured to the stake, and, being encompassed with the unsparing flames, they yielded their souls into the hands of the living Lord. Matthew Plaise, weaver, a sincere and shrewd Christian), of Stone, Kent, was brought before Thomas, bishop of Dover, and other inquis- itors, whom he ingeniously teazed by his indirect answers, of which the following is a specimen. Dr. Harpsfield. Christ called the bread his body ; what dost thou I say it is? Pkuse. I do believe it was that which he gave them. 1. \ ' ■*' I* ft i ■4 ■ "i ' I -t H t\ i t «• ■(• ri ' 1 'U 4 f /^^ S74 BOOK OF MARTYBS. Dr. H. What was that? P. That which he brake. Dr. H. What did he break? P. That which he took. Dr. H. What did he take? P. The text saith, "Ho took bread." Dr. H. Well, tlien, thou sayest it was but bread which the disci- ples did eat. P. I say, what he gave them, that did they eat indeed. A very long disputation followed, in which Plaise was desired to humble himself to the bishop; but this he refused. Whether this zealous person died in prison, was executed, or delivered, history doei not mention. Execution of ten martyrs at Letoes. Again we have to record the wholesale sacrifice of Christ's little flock, of whom five were women. On the 22d of June, 1557, the town of Lewes beheld ten persons doomed to perish by fire and per- secution. The names of these worthies were, Richard Woodman; G. Stephens, W. Mainard, Alex. Hosman, and Thomasin Wood, servants; Margery Morris, and James Morris, her son; Dennis Surges, Ashdon's wife, and Grove's wife. These nine persons were taken a few days only before their judg. ment, and suffered at Lewes, in Sussex, June 22, 1557. Of these, eight were prematurely executed, inasmuch as the writ from London could not have arrived for their burning. A person named Ambrose died in Maidstone prison about this time. Rev. Mr. John Hullier was brougnt up at Eton college, and in pro- cess of time became curate of Babram, three miles from Cambridge, and went afterward to Lynn; where, opposing the superstition of die papists, he was carried before Dr. Thirlby, bishop of Ely, and sent to Cambridge castle : here he lay for a time, and was then sent to the Tolbooth prison, where, after three months, he was brought to St. Mary's church, and condemned by Dr. Fuller. On Maunday Thurs- day, he was brought to the stake : while undressing, he told the people to bear witness that he was about to suffer in a just cause, and ex- horted them to believe, that there was no othei* rock than Jesus Christ to build upon. A priest, named Boyes, then desired the mayor to silence him. After praying, he went meekly to the stake, and being bound with a chain, and placed in a pitch barrel, fire was appli- ed to the reeds and wood; but the wind drove the fire direct'-^ to his back, which caused him under the severe agony to pray the more fervently. His friends directed the executioner to fire the pile to windward of his face, which was immediately done. A quantity of books were now thrown into the fire, one of which (the Communion Service) he caught, opened it, and joyfully con- tinued to read it, until the fire and smoke deprived him of sight; then I BOOK OF MAHTYH8. The day being h?.,°?he 'Lit t' 7"'^"'' """ pSus «fc spectator, ,„ppoae5 h, wm „" lort'^'" "?? "' « "■»ewhS Z Jesus, receve mv soiriti . j """"i he suddenly exclaimJi ^ burnt on Jesus GienTnot* fafflrj's^ ^T^^ ^Slr^.^^^^ der given hin;, but he'was dead Ki'f? ^''""^'"- *^« ^^^^l gunpT^ sufferer afforded i sininilnr .,„ ^•^'^^re it became united tiT; '^ «», bones which S LPrr^^'»j/« Ws feh'^lo S'mK .keleton figure chained to thr«J ' t P"**"'*! the id™ o?» seized by fe multitude, and veneS" h"l. "™''"» ««« Si^rly or detested inhuman bi^try? ""^ ''^ »« *ho admired hi^f^Jj; In thefoliowinJ'Tn.f^r ^'^'^ ^'«"-' Miller dwelt at IvT „„h ^' '**'"'«' "he crown of „.- _j Elizabeth Cooper, wife nf « . J Executions at Cnl^h * ■i l(%< i t t' i -I, .H.M' i: !»*?■ ' If : ,r^-#f^i|^;'' f:>j- ^K i- ^n n A 1,;W I!'., iff? riil 276 BOOK OF MARTYRS. entered the house while Munt and his wife were in bed, and infurrned them that they must go to Colchester Castle. Mi's. Munt at that time very ill, requested her daughter to get her some drink; leave being permitted, Rose took a candle and a mug; and in returning through the house was met by Tyrrei, who cautioned her to advise her parents to become good catholics. Rose briefly informed him that they had the Holy Ghost for their adviser; and that she was ready to lay down her own life for the same cause. Turning to his company, he re- marked that she was willing to burn; and one of them told him to prove her, and see what she would do by and by. The unfeeling wretch immediately executed this project; "^j seizing the young woman by the wrist, he held the lighted can^t '^oder her hand, burn- ing it crosswise on the back, till tiie tendons divided from the flesh, during which he loaded her with many opprobious epithets. She endured his rage unmoved, and then, when he had ceased the torture, she asked him to begin at her feet or head, for he need not fear that his employer would one day repay him. Afler this she took the drink to her mother. I'his cruel act of torture does not stand alone cm record. Bonner had served a poor blind harper in nearly the same manner, who had sfeadily maintained a hope that if every joint of him were to be burnt, 1 6 should not fly from die faith. Bonner, upon this, privately made a signal to his men, to bring a burning coal, which they placed in the nnor man's hand, and then by force held it closed, till it burnt into ih.c flesh deeply. But to return. — In searching Munt's house, John Thurston and Margaret his wife were found, and conveyed to Colchester Castle; where lay J. Johnson, of Thorp, Essex, aged 34, widower, with his three young children, all indicted for heresy. The following lay in Mote-hall, or town prison Wm. Bongeor, of St. Nicholas, in Colchester; Thomas Penold, Colchester, tallow chand- ler; W. Pucras, of Becking, Essex, fuller, 20; Agnes Silversides, Colchester, widow, 70; Helen Ewring, wife of John Ewring, miller, of Colchester, 45; and Eliz. Folks, a servant, Colchester. Shortly afler their condenmation, Booner's writ arrived for their execution, which was fLved for the 2d of August, 1557. About seven o'clock in the morning, the town prisoners in the Mote-hall were brought to a plot of ground on the outside of the town wall, where the stake was erected, surrounded by fagots and fuel. Having prayed, and prepared themselves for the fiery torment, Elizabeth Folks, as she was standing at the : ?ake^ leceivwl a dreadful blow on the shoul- der from the stroke of a hammer, which was aimed at the staple that I secured the chain. Tivu , however, in xio wise discomposed her, but | turning her head round, »he continued to pray and exhort the people. Fire being put to the pile, these martys died amidst the prayers and | jommisseration of thousands who came to be witnesses of their forti- tude and their faith. In the same manner, in the aflernoon, the county prisoners firoml rr'mJ"' infunned that time ive being ig through Ler parents t they had > lay down ny, he re- old him to 3 unfeeling the young hand, burn- in the flesh, thets. She [ the torture, not fear that ook the drink Old. Boraier ner, who had ^ to be burnt, rivately made r placed in the II it burnt into prisoners from BOOK OF MARTYRS. 277 Colchester castle were brought out, and executed, at different stakes, on the same spot; praising God, and exhorting the people to avoid idolatry and the church of Rome. John Thurston, of whom mention was made before, died in May, in Colchester castle. George Eagles, tailor, was indicted for having prayed that <'God would turn queen Mary's heart, or take her away ;'* the ostensible cause of his death was his religion, for treason could hardly be imagin- ed in praying for the reformation of such an execrable soul as that of Mary. Being condemned for this crime, he was drawn to the place of execution upon a sledge, with two robbers, who were executed with him. After Eagles had mounted the ladder, and been turned off a short time, he was cut down, before he was at all insensible; a bailiff, named Wm. Swallow, then dragged him to the sledge, and with a common blunt cleaver, hacked off the head: in a manner equally clumsy and cruel, he opened his body and tore out the heart. In all this suffering the poor martyr repined not, but to the last call- ed upon his Saviour. The fury of these bigots did not end here ; the intestines were burnt, and the body was quartered, the four parts being sent to Colchester, Harwich, Chelmsfonl, and St. Rouse's. — Chelms- ford had the honor of retaining his head, which was afhxed to a long pole in the market-place. In time it was ulown down, and lay several days in the streets, till it was buried at night in the church-yard. God's judgment not long afler fell upon Swallow, who in his old age became a beggar, and affected with a leprosy that made him obnoxious even to the animal creation; nor did Richard Potts, who troubled Ea- gles in his dying moments, escape the visiting hand of God. About this time, Richard Crashfield, of Wymundham, suffered at Norwich. Nearly about this time a person named Fryer, and the sister of George Eagles, suffered martyrdom. Mrs. Joyce Lewes. This lady was the wife of Mr. T. Lewes, of Manchester. She had received the Romish religion as true, till the burning of that pious martyr, the Rev. Mr. Saunders, at Coventry. Understanding that his death arose from a refusal to receive the mass, she began to inquire into the ground of his refusal, and her conscience, as it began to be enlightened, became restless and alarmed. In tliis inquietude, she resorted to Mr. John Glover, who lived near, and requested that ho would unfold those rich sources of gospel knowledge he possessed, particularly upon the subject of transubstantiation. lie easily suc- ceeded in convincing her that tlie mummery of popery and the mass were at variance with God's most holy word, and honestly reproved her for following too much the vanities of a w ioked world. It was to her indeed a word in season, for she siK>n Loconic weary of her former pful life, and resolved to abandon the mass and idolatrous worship. g ''^i -.«' » ' 'II. f *' Ut it '-i I : ^ I,* ■ ; 1 -i_r^ ->l^il 278 BOOK OF MARTYRS. Though compelled by her husband's violence to go to church, her contempt of the holy water and other ceremonies were so manifest, that she was accused before the bishop for despising the sacramentuls. A citation, addressed to her, immediately followed, which was given to Mr. Lewes, who, in a fit of passion, hold a dagger to the throat of the officer, and made him eat it, afler which he caused him to drink it down, and then sent him away. But for this the bishop summoned Mr. Lewes before him as well as his wife; the former readily submitted, but the latter resolutely afiirmed, that, in refusing holy water, she neither offended God, nor any part of his laws. She was sent home for a month, her husband being bound for her appear- ance, during which time Mr. Glover impressed upon her the necessity of doing what she did, not from self-vanity, but for the honour and glory of God. Mr. Glover and others earnestly exhorted Lewes to forfeit the money he was bound in, rather than subject his wife to certain death; but he was deaf to the voice of humanity, and delivered her over to the bishop, who soon found sufficient cause to consign her to a loath- some prison, whence she was several times brought for examination. At the last time the bishop reasoned with her upon the fit less of her xoming to mass, and receiving as sacred the sacrament and icramen- tals of the Holy Ghost. "If these things were in the word of God," said Mrs. Lewes, "I would with all my heart receive, believe, and esteem them." The bishop, with the most ignorant and impious ef- frontery, replied, "If thou wilt believe no more than what is warrant- ed by scripture, thou art in a state of damnation!" Astonished at such a declaration, this worthy sufferer ably rejoined, "that his words were as impure, as they were profane." Ailer condemnaiion, she lay a twelvemonth in prison, the sheriff not being willing to put her to death in his time, though he had been but just chosen. When her death warrant came from London, she sent for some friends, whom she consulted in what manner her death might be more glorious to the name of God, and injurious to the cause " v< , 'Sir .'■? 280 BOOK or MARTYRS. "O brotlter Munt, with your wife and my sister Rosr, hoiv blensed are you in the Lord, that God hatli found you worthy to wuifer for hia sake ! with all the rest of my dear brethren and sisters known and unknown. O be joyful even unto death. Fear it not, saith Christ, for I have overcome death. O dear hearts, seeing that Jesus Christ will be our help, O tarry you the Lord's leisure. Be strong, let your hearts be of good comfort, and wait you still for the Lord. He is at hand. Yea, the angel of the Lord pitcheth his tent round about them that fear him, and delivereth them which way he seeth best. For . mr Uvea' are in the Lord's hands; and they can do nothing unto us bcibre God suffer them. Therefore give all thanks to God. "O dear hearts, you shall be clothed in long white garments upon the mount of Ston, with the multitude of saints, and with Jesus Christ our Saviour, who willl never forsake us. O blessed virgins, ye have played the v/ise \ irgins' part, in that ye have taken oil in your lamps that ye may go in with the bridegroom, when he cometh, into the everlasting jo} with him. But as for the foolish, they shall be shut out, because they made not themselves ready to sufier with Christ, nt ither go about to take up his cross. O dear hearts, how precious shall your death be in the sight of the Lord! for dear is the death of his saints. O fare you well, and pray. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen, Amen. Pray, pray, pray! "Written by me, with my own blood, "RiCHARji Roth." This letter, so justly denominating Bonner the "blood-thirsty tyrant," was not likely to excite his compassion. Roth accused him of bring- ing them to secret examination by night, because he was afraid of the people by day. Resisting every temptation to recant, he was con- dcmner^, and. Sept A 7, 1557, these four martyrs perished at Islington, tor the tostimony of tJie Lamb, who was slain that they might be of the redecuned of Gvxl. Agnes Bengeor and Margaret Thurston were doomed to the fire at Colchester, Sept 17, 1557. Humbly they knelt to pray, and joyfully they arose to be chained to the stake, uttering invocations and halle- jahs, till the surrounding flames mounted to the seat of life, and their spirits ascended to the Almighty Saviour of all who truly believe! About this time suffered, at Northampton, John Kurde, shoemaker, of Syrsam, Northamptonshire. John Noyes, a shoemaker, of Laxfield, Suffolk, was taken to Eye, and at midnight, Sept. 21, >57, he was brought from Eye io Laxfield to be burned. On the following morniii^ he was led to the stake, prepared for the horrid sacrifice. Mr. Noyes, on commj^ to the fatal spot, knelt down, prayed, and rehearsed the 50th psalm. When the chain enveloped him, he said, "Fear not them that kill the body, but fear him that can kill both body and soul, and cast it into everlasting fire!" As one Cadman placed a fagot against him, he blessed the hour in which he was born to dij for the truth; and while trusting only upon the all-sufficient merits of the Redeemer, tire was set to the V blessed ler for \m lown and Christ, for Christ will our hearts s at hand, them that ,1" . »\ir lives' ly.ibre God Tients upon esus Christ lis, ye have your lamps sth, into the hall be shut with Christ, low precious the death of ir Lord Jesus y'. an Roth.'' lirsty tyrant," him of bring- afraid of the he was con- 1 at Islington, T might be of II. HOOK OF MARTYnS * 281 pile, and the blazing fugots in a short time stifled his last words, Lord, have mercy on me ! — Clirist, have Mercy upon me ! — The ashes of tho body were buried in a pit, and with them one of his feel, whole to the anlde, with the stocking on. Mrs. Cicely Ormes. This young martyr, aged twenty-two, was the wife of Mr. Edmund Orines, worsted weaver of St. Lawrence, Norwich. At the death of Miller and ElizAbeth Cooper, before mentioned, she had said that she would pledge them of the same cup they drank of. For these words she was brought to the chancellor, who would have discharged her upon promising to go to church, and to keep her belief to herself. As she would not consent to this, the chancellor urged that he had shown more lenity to her than any other person, and was y willing to con- demn her, because she was an ignorant foolish w aun to this she replied, (perhaps with more shrewdness than he e^ d. that, how- ever great his desire might be to spare her sinfu i it could not equal her inclination to surrender it up in so gre; j irrel. The chancellor then pronounced the fiery sentence, and, September 23, 1557, she was brought to the stake, at eight o'clock in the morning. After declaring her faith to the people, she laid her hand on the stake, and said, "Welcome thou cross of Christ." Her hand was sooted in doing this, (for it was the same stake at which Miller and Cooper were burnt,) and she at first wiped it; but directly after again welcomed and embraced it as the "sweet cross of Christ." After the tormentors had kindled the fire, she said, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour." Then crossing her hands upon her breast, and looking upwards with the utmost serenity, she stood the fiery furnace. Her hands continued gradually to rise till the sinews were dried, and then they fell. She uttered no sigh of pain, but yielded her life, an emblem of that celestial paradise in which is the presence of God, blessed for ever. It might be contended that this martjrr voluntarily sought her own death, as the chancellor scarcely exacted any other penance of her than to keep her belief to herself; yet it should seem in this instance as if God had chosen her to be a shining light, for a twelve-month before she was taken, she had recanted ; but she was wretched till the chan- cellor was informed, by letter, that she repented of her recantation from the bottom of her heart. As if to compensate for her former apostacy, and to convince the catholics that she meant no more to compromise for her personal security, she boldly refused his friendly offer of permitting her to temporize. Her courage in such a cause deserves commendation — the cause of Him who has said, Whoever is ashfimed of me on earth, of such will I be ashamed in heaven. In November, Thomas Spurdance, one of queen Mary's servants, was brought before the chancellor of Norwich, who, among his inter- rogations, was severely recriminated upon by the prisoner. This III"*' '' ¥< kk ^"'\ n, rrh' f" 1 * 1 ■'ll» "^i y\ . ,v«^.. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /f 1.0 I.I 11.25 ■ii|21 ITS lu 1^ 12.2 Itf 144 ■" ^ |i° 12.0 I 1.4 11.6 M 7i <,% Yi V Photographic Sciences Corporation ¥^ 4n^ ^ :\ \ ^. C^ as WIST MAIN STRUT WttSTIR.N.Y. USM (71*)t72-4S03 \ ^ HI 282 BOOK OF MARTYRS. >t|:. il A ^*jM11'*, 4 t ' ''KM 11 ' i{ I * good man was taken by two of his fellow-servants, dwelling at Cod. man, in Suffolk. He was sent to Bury where he remained some time in prison, and in November, 1557, braved the fiery indignation of the enemies of Christ with Christian fortitude and resignation. J. Hallingdale, W. Sparrow, and R. Gibson, suffered in Smithfield November 18th, 1557. Rev. John Rough, This pious martyr was a Scotchman: at the age of 17, he entered himself as one of the order of Black Friars, at Stirlmg, in Scotland. He had been kept out of an inheritance by his friends, and he took this step in revenge for their conduct to him. After being there sixteen years, Lord Hamilton, Earl of Arran, taking a liking to him, the arch- bishop of St. Andrew's induced the provincial of the house to dispense with his habit and order; and lie thus became the EarPs chaplain. He remained in this spiritual employment a year, and in that time God wrought in him a saving knowledge of the truth; for which rea- son the Earl sent him to preach in the freedom of Ayr, where he re- mained four years; but finding danger there from the religious com- plexion of the times, and learning that there was much gospel freedom in England, he travelled up to the duke of Somerset, then Iiord Pro- tector of England, who gave him a yearly salary of twenty pounds, and authorized him, to preach at Carlisle, Berwick, and Newcastle, w^here he married. He was afterward removed to a benefice at Hull, in which he remained till the death of Edward VI. In consequence of the tide of persecution then setting in, he fled with his wife to Friesland, and at Nordon the> followed the occupation of knitting hose, caps, ^c. for subsistence. Impeded in his business by the want of yarn, he came over to England to procure a quantity, and on Nov. lOdi, arrived in London, where he soon heard of a secret society of the faithful, to whom he joined himself, and was in a short time elected their minister, in which occupation he strengthened them in every good resolution. Dec. 12th, through the information of one Taylor, a member of the society, Mr. Rough, with Cuthbert Symson and others, was taken up in the Saracen's Head, Islington, where, under the pretext of coming to see a play, their religious exercises were holden. The queen's vice-chamberlain conducted Rough and Symson before the council, in whose presence they were charged with meeting to celebrate the communion. The council wrote to Bonner and he lost no time in this affair of blood. In three days he had him up, and on the next (the 20th) resolved to condenm him. The charges laid against him were, that he, being a priest, was married, and that he had rejected the service in the Latin tongue. Rough wanted not arguments to reply to these flimsy tenets. In short, he was degraded and condemned. Mr. Rough, it should be noticed, when in the north, in Edward the Vlth's reign, had saved Dr. Watson's life, who afterward sat with '♦'. ig at Cod* some time ition of the Smithfield he entered in Scotland, he took this Here sixteen im, the arcH- e to dispense L^s chaplain, in that time r which rea- where he re- ■eligious com- ospel freedom len Lord Pro- (venty pounds, nd Newcastle, aefice at Hull, ing in, he fled the occupation ahis business ire a quantity, etrd of a secret jvas in a short ngthened them rmation of one ^thbert Symson lington, where, ;iou3 exercises | sd Rough and charged with jte to Bonner he had him up, The charges itried, and that igh wanted not was degraded in Edward the jrward sat with BOOK OF MARTITRS. 283 bishop Bonner on the bench. This ungrateful prelate, in return for the kind act he had received, boldly accused Mr. Rough of being the most pernicious heretic in the country. The godly minister reproved him for his malicious spirit; he affirmed that, during the thirty years he had lived, he had never bowed the knee to Baal ; and that twice at Rome he had seen the pope borne about on men's shoulders with the false-named sacrament carried before him, presenting a true pic- ture of the very antichrist; yet was more reverence shown to him than to the wafer, which they accounted to be their God. "Ah?" said Bon- ner, rising up, and making towards him, as if he would have torn his garment, "hast thou been at Rome, and seen our holy father the |X)pe, and dost thou blaspheme him after this sort?" This said, he fell upon him, tore off a piece of his beard, and, that the day might begin to his own satisfaction, he ordered the object of his rage to be burnt by half past five the following morning. Cutkbert Symson. Few professors of Christ possessed more activity and zeal than this excellent person. He not only labored to preserve his friends from the contagion of popery, but to guard them against the terrors of per- secution. He was deacon of the little congregation over which Mr. Rough presided as minister. Mr. Symson has written an account of his own sufferings, which we cannot detail better than in his own words: "On the 13th of December, 1557, 1 was conmiitted by the council to the tower of London. On the following Thursday, I was called into the ware-room, before the constable of the tower, and the recorder of London, Mr. Cholmly, who commanded me to inform them of the names of those who came to the English service. I answered, that I would declare nothing; in consequence of my refusal, I was set upon a rack of iron, as T judge for the space of three hours! "They then asked me if I would confess : I answered as before. Afler being unbound, I was carried back to my lodging. The Sunday afler I was brought to the same place again, before the lientonant and recorder of London, and they examined me. As I had answered be- fore, so I answered now. Then the lieutenant swore by God I should tell; after which my two fore-fingers were bound together, and a small arrow placed between them, they drew it through so fast that the blood followed, and the arrow brake. "After enduring the rack twice again, I was retaken to my lodging, and ten days after the lieutenant asked me if I would not now confess that which they had before asked of me. I answered, that I ha.^ already said as much as I would. Three weeks after I was sent to the priest, where I was greatly assaulted, and at whose hand I received the pope's curse, for bearing witness of the resurrection of Christ. And thus I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, with all those who unfeignediy call upon the name of Jesus; desiring God ■ 1^«Wi i%^.f:'-0 ■■'^fl;^'" I '^i 1 1 I A '. ,1 :' i( r ^. < .,1 i^ %^'< m t f 3 1^ >!i U: 284 BOOK OF MABTYRS. of his endless mercy, through the merits of his dear Son Jesus Christ to bring us all to his everlasting kingdom, Amen. I praise God fur his great mercy shown upon us. Sing Hosanna to the Highest with me, Cuthbert Symson. Crod forgive my sins! I ask forgiveness of all the world, and I forgive all liie world, and thus I leave the world, in the hope of a joyful re-surrectionl" If this account be duly considered, what a picture of repeated tor- tures does it present! But, even the cruelty of the narration is exceed- ed by the patient meekness with which it was endured. Here are no expressions of malice, no invocations even of God^s retributive justice, not a complaint of suffering wrongfully! On tlie contrary, praise to God, forgiveness of sin, and a foi^iviug all the world, concludes this unaffected interesting narrative. Bonner^s admiration was excited by the steadfast coolness of this martyr. Speaking of Mr. Symson in the consistory, he said, "You see what a personable man he is, and then of his patience, I affirm, that, if he were not a heretic, he is a man of the greatest patience that ever came before me. Thrice in one day has he been racked in the tower: in my house also he has felt sorrow, and }et never have I seen his patience broken.^^ The day before this pious deacon was to be condemned, while in the stocks in the bishop's coal-house, he had the vision of a glorified form, which much encouraged him. This he certainly attested to his wife, Mr. Austen, and others, before his death; but Mr. Fox, in reciting this article, leaves it to the reader's judgment, to consider it either as a na- tural or supernatural circumstance. With this ornament of the Christian reformation were apprehended Mr. Hugh Foxe and John Devinish; the three were brought before Bonner, March 19, 1558, and the papistical articles tendered. They rejected them, and were all condemned. As they worshipped together in the same society, at Islington, so they suffered together in Smithfield, March 28; in whose death the God of Grace was glorified, and true believers confirmed! Wm. Nichol, of Haverfordwest, Wales, was taken up for reproba- ting the practice of the worshippers of antichrist, and April 9, 1558, bore testimony to the truth at Haverfordwest, in Wales, by enduring the fire. Thomas Hudson^ Thw *^arman, and William Seameuy Were condemned by a bi^j »* vicar of Aylesbury, named Berry. The spot of execution was called Lollard's pit, without Bishopsgate, at Norw! 3h. Ailer joining together in humble petition to the throne of grace, they rose, went to tlie stake, and were encircled with their chains. To the great surprise of the spectators, Hudson slipped from under his chain, and came forward. A great opinion prevailed that he was about to recant; others thouL!;ht that he wanted further time. Li the mean time, his companions at tlte stake urgcdi m ^ 1U8 Christ, jod fur his with me, less of all world, in peated tor- a is exceed- lere are no tive justice, y, praise to deludes this Iness of this I said, "You tce, I affirm, itesl patience en racked in t never have I, while in the glorified form, jd to his wife, n reciting this either as a na- apprehended )rought before idered. They lipped together in SmithfieW, ^ified, and true IP for reproba- lApril 9, 1558, by enduring ^ Seamen, named Berry. U Bishopsgate, U to the throne iled with their Hudson slipped luioii prevailed [wanted further stake MTffA BOOK OF MARTYRS. 285 every promise and exhortation to support him. The hopes of the enemies of the cross, however, were disappointed: the good man, far from fearing the smallest personal terror at the approaching pangs of death, was only alarmed that his Saviour's face seemed to be hidden from him. Falling upon his knees, his spirit wrestled with God, and God verified the words of his Son, < ^nd brought to Newgate uZ He was called befom ♦!, u- . *^ Dr. Chedsey expS^th ,feio^^^ '^^ Harpsfields &c not want any fovour thai he or hi^ r" ^^i ^""' ^"^ promisK sCS not follow his conceif t?- ® ^"^"'^s could procure if JJ! . teive, Roger, you wiu ^ be rST""""' ^"'K' mid, «I,S fe»^ can give." ""' ^ "^^ by any coun«l ft«e i 4 ^^^ -4 '.j ♦ >• .*l 4 4%i J iaH?„« . '*®^ »" conscience ei^ LI ^'CKedness at nieht iiS' ;'«' '• :J*.' H. ■a m ■K .. ( 266 BOOK OF MARTYRS. with chaste ears be heard. Yet these my friends, who are not clear in these notable crimes, think the priest with his mass can save them, though they blaspheme God, and keep concubines besides their wives, as long as they live. Yea, I know some priests, very devout, my lord, yet such have six or seven children by four or five sundry women. "Mr. Doctor, as to your antiquity, unity, and universality, ^for these Dr. Chedsey alleged as notes and tokens of their religion,) I am unlearned. I have no sophistry to shift my reasons with; but the truth I trust I have, which needs no painted colours to set her forth. The antiquity of our church is not from pope Nicholas, nor pope Joan, but our church is from the beginning, even frran the time that God said unto Adam, that the seed of the woman should break the serpent^s head; and so to faithful Noah; to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to whom it was promised, that their seed should multiply as xhe stars in the sky; and so to Moses, David, and all the holy fathers that were from the beginning unto the birth of our Saviour Christ All who believed these promises were of the church, though the num- ber was oftentimes but few and small, as in Elias^ days, who thought ho was the only one that hud not bowed (Jie knee to Baal, when God had reserved seven thousand that never had bowed their knees to that idol : as I trust there be seven hundred thousand more than I know of, that have not bowed their knee to that idol your mass, and your God Maozim; in the upholding of which is your bloody cruelty, while you daily persecute Elias and the servants of God, forcing them (as Daniel was in his chamber) closely to serve the Lord their God; and even as we by this your cruelty are forced b the fields to pray unto God, that his holy word may be once again truly preached amongst us, and that he would mitigate and shorten these idolatrous and bloody days wherein all cruelty reigns. Moreover, of our church have been the apostles and evangelists, the martyrs and cmifessors of Christ, who have at all times and in all ages been persecuted for the testimony of the word of God. But for the upholding of your church and religion, what antiquity can you showf The mass indeed, that idol and chief pillar of your religion, is not yet four hundred years old, and some of your masses are younger, as that of St. Thomas a Becket, the traitor, wherein you pray, That you may be I saved by the blood of St. Thomas. And as for your Latin service, what are we of the laity the better for it? I think if any one were to hear your priests mumble up their service, although ho well un- derstood Latin, yet he would understand very few words of it, the priests so champ them and chew them, and post so fast, that they I neither understand what they say, nor they that hear them; and ill the mean time the people, when they should pray with the priest, arel set to their beads to pray our Lady^s Psalter. So crafty is Satan tol devise these his dreams, (which you defend with fagot and fire,) tol quench the light of the word of God; which, as David saith, should! be a lantern to our feet. And again. Wherein shall a young manT ) not clear gave them, heir wives, ievout, my Rve sundry rsality, (for religion,) 1 18 with; but rs to set her Nicholas, nor 'rom the time should break im, Isaac* ai^ 1 multiply as ,e holy fathers BLviour Christ. ough the num- B, who thought aal, when God ir knees to that •e than 1 know mass, and your bloody cruelty, of God, forcing b the liord their in the fields to 1 truly preached these idolatrous sr, of our church J and confessors a persecuted for holding of yo« The mass indeed, ret four hundred •, as that of St tat you may be ir Latin service, if any one were wghhowellufr words of it, the igo fast, that they at them; and ml ith the priest, are •raftyisSatanto got and fire,) 4 Jid saith, shoulij [all a young v^ BOOK OF MARTYRS. 2S0 direct his way, but by the woidof God? and yet you will hide it from us in a tongue unknown. St. Puul had rather have five words spoken with understanding, than ten thousand in an unknown tongue; and yet will you have your Latin service and praying in a strange tongue, whereof the people are utterly ignorant, to be of such an- tiquity. "The Greek church, and a good part of Christendom besides, never received your service in an unknown tongue, but in their own natural language, which all the people understand; neither your transubstantiation, your receiving in one kind, your purgatory, your images, &>c. "As for the unity which is in your church, what is it but treason, murder, poisoning one another, idolatry, superstition, and wickedness? What unity was in your church, when there were three popes nt once? Where was your head of unity when you had a woman pope?" Here he was interrupted, and was not suffered to proceed. The bishop said his words were blasphemous, and ordered the keeper to take him away. Banner observing, on his second examination, that Holland said, he was willing to be instructed by the church, (meaning the true church,) he ordered the keeper to let him want for nothing, not even for money, by which conduct he hoped to inveigle him from the truth. This, however, upon his last examination did not produce the intended efTect. Bonner spoke very handsomely to him, and assured him his former hasty answers should not operate against him, as he himself (the bishop) was sometimes too hasty, but it was soon over; he further fuid, that he sliould have consigned him to his own ordinary for exam- ination, but for the particular interest he took in his welfare, for his and his friends' sake. From this exordium he proceeded to the touch- stone question of the real presence in the mass. "Do you not believe, that, after the priest hath spoken the words of consecration, there remains the body of Christ, really and corpo- really under the forma of bread and wine? I mean the i^alf-same body as was born of the Virgin Marv, that was crucified !:?on the cross, that rose again the third day.*' Holland replied, "Yc ir lord- ship saith, the same body which was born of the Virgin Mary, which was crucified upon the cross, which rose again the third day : but you leave out *which ascended into heaven;' and the Scripture saith, He shall remain until he come to judge the quick and the dead. Then he is not contained under the forms of bread and wine, by Hoc est corpus meum, &.c. Bonner, finding no impression could be made upon his firmness, and that he himself could not endure to hear the mass, transubstan- tiation, and the worshipping the sacrament, denominated impious and horrid idolatry, pronounced the condemnatory sentence, adjudging him to be burnt. During this fulmination, Holland stood very quiet, and when he was about to depart, he begged permission to speak a few words. The bishop v;'ould not hear him, but, at the intercession of a friend, he was 1 I' 4 ^ ft> t- "im * t '1' (■/'% H'% i '>'k.^ •"^Mi:li%^^"'' fnB;*ll'^i 200 BOOK OF MARTYRM. permitted. In the following speech, there is a spirit of prophecy which entitles it to particular attention ; they were not tha words of a random enthusiast, but of one to whom God seems to have given an assurance, that the present abject state of his faithful people should shortly be altered. Holland. "Even now I told you that your authority wns from God, and by his sufTorance : and now I tell you God hath heard the voice of his servants, which hath been poured forth with tears for his afflicted saints, whom you daily persecute, as now you do us. But this I dare be bold in God to say, (by whose Spirit I am moved,) thai God will shorten your hand of cruelty, that for a time you shall not molest his church. And this you shall in a short time well perceive, my dear brethren, to be most true. For after this day, in this pluce^ there shall not be any by him put to the trial of fire and fagot '^ and aAer that day there were none that suffered in Smithfield for the truth i)f the gospel. In reply, Bonner said, "Roger, thou art, I perceive, as mad in these thy heresies as ever was Joan Butcher. In anger and fume thou would become a railing prophet. Though thou and all the rest of you would see me hanged, yet I sliall live to burn, yea, and I will burn all the sort of you that come into my hands, that will not worship the blessed sacrament of the altar, for all thy prattling;" and so he went his way. Then Holland began to exhort his friends to repentance, and to think well of them that suffered for the testimony of the gospel, upon which the bishop came back, charging the keeper that no man should speak to them without his license; if they did, they should be com- mitted to prison. In the mean time, Henry Pond and Holland spake to the people, exhorting them to stand firm in the truth; adding, diat God would shorten these cruel and evil days for his elect's sake. The day they suffered, a proclamation was made, prohibiting every one from speaking or talking to, or receiving any thing from them, or touching them, upon pain of imprisonment without either bail or mainprize. Notwithstanding, the people cried out, "God strengthen them!" They also prayed for the people, and the restoration of his word. Embracing the stake and the reeds, Holland said these words: "Lord, I most humbly thank thy Majesty, that thou hast called me from the state of death unto the light of thy heavenly word, and now anto the fellowship of thy saints, that I may sing and say. Holy, holy, holy. Lord God of Hosts! And, Lord, into thy hands I commit my spirit! Lord, bless these, thy people, and save them from idolatry." Thus he ended his life, looking towards heaven, praying to, and prais- ing God, with the rest of liis fellow saints. These seven martyrs were consumed, June 27, 155S. The names of the six martyrs taken in company with those who were apprehended in the close, near Islington, were R. Mills, S. Cot ton, R. Dynes, S. Wright, J. Slade, and W. Pikes, tanner. They were condemned by Bonner's chancellor in one day, and the next day a <^.K OF MAHTVHS. t lo Brentford for Hio;« « "^' «"or thcr o,oo.,.,„„, „.l,ich look place, Julv When th h ^^S^^^iona by Bonner rhomas, aiid said "fl,,.. .i " P'^™"'^ears of (liscre- r^m^r i 202 BOOK OP BlARTniS. tion, nor would hu, though ho should be turn to pieces by wild horses.** Boiuier then budo him nmko the sign of the cross on his fureheod, which he refused to do, and thus was led to the orchard. The coinniuiiicatiuns that took place between Bonner and Willcs are too tedious to give in detail. The reader would smile to read the infat- uated simple reasons with which the bishop endeavoured to delude the ignorant. He strongly urged the impropriety of his meddling with matters of scripture; adding, "If thou wilt believe Luther, Zuinglius. and other protestant authors, thou canst not* go right; but in believing me, there can be no error! — and, if there be, thy blood will be required at our hands. In following Luther, and the heretics of latter days, how wilt thou come to the place thou askest for? — ^They will lead theo to destruction, and burn thy body and soul in hell, like ail those who have been burnt in Smithfield/* The bishop continued to afflict him in his examinations, in which, among other things, he said, "They call me bloody Bonner! — A ven* ceance on you all ! I would fain be rid of you, but you have a delight m burning. Could I have my will, I would sew up your mouths, put you in sacks, and drown you !" What a sanguinary speech was this, to proceed from the mouth of one who professed to be a minister of the gospel of peace, and a servant of the Lamb of God! — Can we have an assurance that the same spirit docs not reign now, which reigned in this mitred catholic? One day, when in the stocks, Bonner asked him how ho liked his lodging and fare. "Well enough,*' said Willes, "might I have a little straw to sit or lie upon." Just at this time came in Willes* wife, then largely pregnant, and entreated the bishop for her husband, boldly de- claring that she would be delivered in the house, if he were not sutler- ed to go with her. To get rid of the good wife's importunity, and the trouble of a lying-in woman in his palace, he bade Willes make the sign of the cross, and say, In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, Amen. Willes omitted the sign, and repeated the words, "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen." Bonner would have the words repeated in Latin, to which Willcs made no ob- jection, knowing the meaning of the words. He was then permitted to go home with his wife, his kinsman Robert Rouze being charged to bring him to St. Paul's the next day, whither he himself went, and, subscribing to a Latin instrument of little importance, was liberated. This is the last of the twenty-two taken at Islington. Rev. Richard Yeoman, This devout aged person was curate to Dr. Taylor, at Hadley, and eminently qualified for his sacred function. Dr. Taylor lefl him the curacy at his departure, but no sooner had Mr. Newall gotten the benefice, than he removed Mr. Yeoman, and substituted a Romish priest. After this he wandered from place to place, exhorting all horBes." foruheod, Villcs are the infut- lelude the lling with ZuingUus^ \ believing « required Bitter days, 11 lead theo those who , in which, rl — A ven- ve a delight mouths, put he mouth of jid a servant 3 same spirit ho liked hia have a little js' wife, then id, boldly de- ,re not sutter- inity, and the Ilea make the liritus Sancti, "in the name in." Bonner made no ob- pennitted to [g charged to \\i went, and, ras liberated. Hadley, and \ left him the Lu gotten the Ed a Romish [exhorting all nOOK OF MARTYUS 303 men to stand faithfully to God^a wurd, earnestly to give themselves unto prayer, with patience to bear tiiu cross now laid upon them for their trial, with boldness to confess the truth betbro their adversaries, and with an undoubted hope to wait for the crown and reward of eter- nal felicity. But when he perceived his adversaries lay wait for him, he wont into Kent, and with a littlo packet of laces, pins, points, &c. he travelled from village to village, selling such things, and in this manner subsisted himself, his wife, and children. At last Justice Moile, of Kent, took Mr. Yeoman, and sot him in the stocks a day and a night ; but, having no evident matter to charge him with, he let him go again. Coming secretly again to HadleV; he tarried with his poor wife, who kept him privately, in a chamber of the town-house, commonly called the Guildhall, more than a year. During this time the good old father abode in a chamber locked up all the day, spending his time in devout prayer, in reading the Scriptures, and in carding the wool which his wife spun. His wife also begged bread for herself and her children, by which precarious means they supported themselves. Thus the saints of God sustained hunger and misery, while the prophets of Baal lived in festivity, and were costily pampered at JezebePs table. Information being at length given to Newall, that Yeoman was secreted by his wife, he came, attended by the constables^ and broke into the room where the object of his search lay in bed with his wife. He reproached the poor woman with being a whore, and would have indecently pulled the clothes oflf, but Yeoman resisted both this act of violence and the attack upon his wife's character, adding that he defied the pope and popery. He was then taken out, and set in the stocks till day. In the cage also with him was an old man, named John Dale, who had sat there three or four days, for exhorting tho people during the time service was performing by Newall and his curate. His words were, <<0 miserable and blind guides, will ye ever be blind leadera of the blind? will ye never amend? will ye never see the truth of God's word? will neither God's threats nor promises enter into your hearts? will the blood of the martyrs nothing mollify your stony stomachs? obdurate, hard-hearted, perverse, and crooked generation! to whom nothing can do good." Hiese words he spake in fervency of spirit against the superstitious religion of Rome; wherefore parson Newall caused him forthwith jo be attached, and set in the stocks in a cage, where he was kept till Sir Henry Doile, a justice, came to Hadley. When Yeoman was taken, the parson called earnestly upon Sir Henry Doile to send them both to prison. Sir Henry Doile as earn- estly entreated the parson to consider the age of tho men, and their mean condition; they were neither persons of note nor preachers; wherefore he proposed to let them be punished a day or two and to lismiss them, at least John Dale, who was no priest: and therefore, as ho had so long sat in the cage, he thought it punishment enough % 1 Ml'' * ^ iii' \ : . ^ ■'<;> '■r 11 ' mi . rl: h ' t .' b:\ 1 I 1^ • ■4'- 294 BOOK OF SIARTYBS.. for this time. When the parson heard this, ho was exceedingly n>ad, and in a great rage called them pestilent heretics, unfit to livo in the commonwealth of Christians. Sir Henry, fearing to ap()ear too mer- ciful, Yeoman and Dale were pinioned, bound like thieves with their legs under the horses' bellies, and carried to Bury jail, where they were laid in irons; and because they continually rebuked popery, they were carried into the lowest dungeon, where John Dale, through the jail-sickness and evil-keeping, died soon after: his body was thrown out, and buried in the fields. He was a man of sixty-si\ years of age, a weaver by occupation, well learned in the holy Scriptures, steadfast in his confession of the true doctrines oC Christ as set forth in king Edward's time; for which he joyfully suffered prison and chains, and from this wordly dungeon he departed in Christ to eternal glory, and the blessed paradise of everlasting felicity. After Dale's death, Yeoman wjis removed to Norwich prison, where, after strait and evil keeping, he was examined upon his faith and religion, and required to submit himseli to his holy father the pope. ^'I defy him, (quoth he,) and all his detestable abomination: I will in no wise have to do with him." The chief articles objected to him, were his marriage and the mass sacrifice. Finding he continued steadfast in the truth, he was condemned, degraded, and not onlv burnt, but most cruelly tormented in the fire. Thus he ended this poor and miserable life, and entered into that blessed bosom of Abra- ham, enjoying with Lazarus that rest which God has prepared for his elect. If ' LUVIJ ivh"! ■■ Thomas Benbridge. Mr. Benbridge was a single gentleman, in the diocess of Winches- ter. He might have lived a gentleman's life, in the wealthy possessions of this world; but he chose rather to enter through the strait gate of persecution to the heavenly possession of life in the Lord's kingdom, than to enjoy present pleasure with disquietude of conscience. Man- fully standing against the papists for the defence of the sincere doc- trine of Christ's gospel, he was apprelrcnded as an advereaiy to the Romish religion, and led for examination before the bishop of Win- chester, where he underwent several conflicts for the truth against the bishop and his colleague; for which he was condemned, and some time after brought to the place of martyrdom by Sir Richard Pccksal, aherifT. Wlien standing at the stake he began to untie his points, and to pre- pare himself; then he gave his gown to the keeper, by way of fee. His jerkin was trimmed with gold lace, which he gave to Sir Richard Pecksal, the high sheriff. His cap of velvet he took from his head, and threw away. Then, lifting his mind to the Lord, he engaged in prayer. When fastened to the stake, Dr. Seaton begged him to recant, and he shoul 1 have his pardon; but when he saw that nothing availed, hs 1 1 I m..^' igly mad, ivo in the r too mer- with their rhcre they )pery, they brou^ the vas thrown jars of age, 23, steadfast ,rth in king chains, and 1 glory, and (vich prison, pott his faith ly father the jomination: 1 ics objected to r he continued and not only he ended this osom of Abra- repared for his Iss of Winches- Ithy possessions t strait gate of ford's kingdom, kcience. Man- [he sincere doc- dvewai7 to the bishop of Win- truth against aned, and some Richard Pecksal, Lts,andtopTe- by way ot fee. ',toSirRiclwi^ , from his head, I, he engaged in and to recant ling aval led,li« BOOK OF MAIITYRS. 295 told the people not to pray for him unless he would recant, no more than they would pray for a dog. Mr. Benbridge, standing at the stake with his hands together in such a manner as the priest holds his hands in his Memento, Dr. Sea- ton came to him again, and exhorted him to recant, to whom he said, «Away, Babylon, away I" One that stood by said. Sir, cut his tongue out; another, a tempjral man, railed at him worse than Dr. Seaton had done. When they saw he would not yield, they bade the tormentors to light the pile, before he was in any way covered with fagots. The (ire first took away a piece of his beard, at which he did not shrink. Then it came on the other side and took his legs, and the nether stock- ings of his hose being leather, they made the fire pierce the sharper, so that the intolerable heat made him exclaim, "I recant T' and sud- denly he thrust the fire from him. Two or three of his friends being by, wished to save him; they stepped to the fire to help remove it, for which kindness they were sent to jail. The sheriff also of his own authority took him from the stake, and remitted him to prison, for which he was sent to the fleet, and lay there sometime. Before, however, he was taken from the stake. Dr. Seaton wrote articles for him to subscribe to. To these Mr. Benbridge made so many objec- tions, that Dr. Seaton ordered them to set fire again to the pile. Then with much pain and grief of heart he subscribed to them upon a man^s back. This done, his gown was given him again, and he was led to prison. While there, he wrote a letter to Dr. Seaton, recanting those words he spake at the stake, and the articles which he had subscribed; for he was grieved tliat he had ever signed them. The same day sennight he was again brought to the stake, where the vile tormentors rather broiled than burnt him. The Lord give his enemies repentance! Not long before the sickness of queen Mary, in the beginning of August, 1558, four inoffensive humble martyrs were burnt at St. £d- mundsbury with very little examination. Neglect in attending the popish service at mass, which in vain they pleaded as a matter of conscience, was the cause of their untimely sufferings and deaths. Their heroic lames were J. Crooke, sawyer; R. Miles, alias Plummer, sheerman; A. Lane, wheelright; and J. Ashley, a bachelor. Alexander Gouch and Alice Driver, These godly persons were apprehended by Mr. Noone, a justice in Suffolk. They were brought to the stake at seven o'clock in the morning, not- withstanding they had come from Melton jail, six miles off. The sheriff, Sir Henry Dowell, was much dissatisfied with the time they took in prayer, and sent one of his men to bid them malis an end. Gouch ear^ nestly entreated for a little time, urging that they had but a little while to live; but the sheriff would grant no indulgence, and ordered **■■-■( 1 w^-« .-ts^- 3,' " J* f ^1 V / u ♦ I'i't ti 296 BOOK OF MARTYRS. the numerous friends who came to take the last farewell of them as they stood chained to the stake, to be forcibly torn away, and threaten- ed them with arrest; but the indignation of the spectators made him revoke this order. They endured the terrific conflagration, and honour- ed God equally in their lives and deaths. In the same month were executed at Bury, P. Humphrey, and J. and H. David, brothers. Sir Clement Higham, about a fortnight before the queen's death, issued out a warrant for their sacrifice, notwithstanding the queen's illness at that time rendered her incapable of signing the order for their execution. Mrs. Prest. From the number condemned in this fanatical reign, it is almost impossible to obtain the name of every martyr, or to embellish the history of all with anecdotes and exemplifications of Christian conduct. Thanks be to Providence, our cruel task begins to draw towards a conclusion, with the end of the reign of Papal terror and bloodshed. Monarchs, sit upon thrones possessed by hereditary right, should, of ail others, consider that the laws of nature are the laws of God, and hence that the first law of nature is the preservation of their subjects. Ma Kims of persecutions, of torture, and of death, they should leave to those who have effected sovereignty by fraud or the sword; but where, except among a few miscreant emperors of Rome, and the Roman pontiffs, shall we find one whose memory is so "damned to everlastisig fame" as that of queen Mary? Nations bewail the hour which sepa- rates them forever from a beloved governor, but, with respect to that of Mary, it was the most blessed time of her whole reign. Heaven has ordained three great scourges for national sins — ^plague, pestilence, and famine. It was the will of God in Mary's reign to bring a fourth upon this kingdom, under the form of Papistical Persecution. It was sharp, but glorious; the fire which consumed the martyrs has under- mined the Popedom; and the Catholic states, at present the most big- oted and unenlightened, are those which are sunk lowest in the scale ot moral dignity and political consequence. May they remain so, till the pure light of the gospel shall dissipate the darkness of fanaticism and superstition! But to return. Mrs. Preston for some time lived about Cornwall, where she had a husband and children, whose bigotry compelled her to frequent the abominations of the church of -Rome. Resolving to act as her conscience dictated, she quitted them, and made a living by spinning. After some time, returning home, she was accused by her neighbours, and brought to Exeter, to be examined before Dr. Troubleville, and his chancellor Blackston. As this martyr was accounted of inferior intellects, we shall put her in competition with the bishop, and let the reader judge which had the most of that knowledge conducive to everlasting life. The bishop bringing the question to issue, respecting the bread and wine being flesh and blood, Mrs. Prest said, "I wiU demand of you whether "^^.fc*^^ f them aa d threaten- made him ind honour- it is almost mbelUsh the itian conduct. AV towards a id bloodshed. , should, of all lod, and hence heir subjects, ihould leave to rd; but where, id the Roman 1 to everlasting ir which sepa- ispect to that ■itrn. Heaven ;ue, pestilence, bring a fourth lution. It was rs has under- It the most hig- , in the scale ot remain so, till of fanaticism BOOK OF MAVTYBS. 297 you can deny your creed, which says, that Christ doth perpetually sit at the right hand of his Father, both body and soul, until he come again; or whether * be there in heaven our Advocate, and to make prayer for us unt«.- )d his Father? If he be so, he is not here on earth in a piece c; bread. If he be not here, and if he do not dwell in temples made with hands, but in heaven, what! shall we seek him here? If he did not offer his body once for all, why make you a new offering? If with one offering he made all perfect, why do you with a false offering make all imperfect? If he be to be worshipped in spir- it and in truth, why do you worship a piece of bread? If he be eaten and drunken in faith and truth, if his flesh be not profitable to be among us, why do you say you make his flesh and blood, and say it is profitable for body and soul? Alas! I am a poor woman, but rather than do as you do, I would live no longer. I have said, Sir. Bishop. I promise you, you are a jolly protestant. I pray you in what school have you been brought up? Mrs. Prest. I have upon the Sundays visited the sermons, and there have I learned such things as are so fixed in my breast, that death shall not separate them. B. O foolish woman, who will waste his breath upon thee, or such as thou art? But how chanceth it that thou wentest away from thy husband? If thou wert an honest woman, thou wouldst not have left thy husband and children, and run about the country like a fugitive. Mrs. P. Sir, I laboured for my living; and as my master Christ counselleth me, when I was persecuted in one city, I fled into another. B. Who persecuted thee? Mrs. P. My husband and my children. For when I would have them to leave idolatry, and to worship God in heaven, he would not hear me, but he with his children rebuked me, and troubled me. I fled not for whoredom, nor for thefl, but because I would be no par- taker with him and his of that foul idol the mass; and wheresoever I was, as oft as I could, upon Sundays and holydays, I made excuses not to go to the popish church. B. Belike then you are a good housewife, to fly from your husband and the church. Mrs. P. My housewifery is but small; but God gave me grace to go to the true church. B. The true church, what dost thou mean? Mrs. P. Not your popish church, full of idols and abominations, but where two or three are gathered together in the name of God, to that church will I go as long as I live. B. Belike then you have a church of your own. Well, let this mad woman be put down to prison till we send for her husband. Mrs. P. No, I have but one husband, who is here already in this city, and in prison with me, from whom I will never depart. Some persons present endeavouring to convince the bishop she was not in her right senses, she was permitted to depart. The keeper of the bishop^s prisons took her into his house, where she either spun i ■ n ■''* ItH'iif ■■'■ ;.- - , !' ■-, ■ •#:* id, I ■|i ' !►■■'■ '.Jit , ' * ' 298 BOOK OF MARTVKS. worked as a servant, or walked about the city, discoursing upon the sacrament of the altar. Her husband was sent for to take her home, but this she refused while the cause of religion could be served. She was too active to be idle, and her conversation, simple as they affected to think her, excited the attention of several catholic priests and friars. They teazed her with questions, till she answered them angrily, and this excited a laugh at her warmth. Nay, said she, you have more need to weep than to laugh, and to be sorry that ever you were bom, to be the chaplains of that whore of Babylon. I defy him and all his falsehood ; and get you away from me, you do but trouble my conscience. You would have me follow your doings; I will first lose my life. I pray you depart. Why, thou foolish woman, said they, we come to Uiee for thy profit and souPa health. To which she replied. What profit ariseth by you, that teach nothing but lies for truth? how save you souls, when you preach nothing but lies, and destroy souls? How provest thou that? said they. Do you not destroy your souls, when you teach the people to wo^ ship idols, stocks and stones, the works of men^s hands? and to wor- ship a false God of your own making of a piece of bread, and teach that the pope is God^s vicar, and hath power to forgive sins? and that there is a purgatory, when God's Son hath by his passion puiged all? and say you make God, and sacrifice him, when Christ's body was a sacri- fice once for all? Do you not teach the people to number their sins in your ears, and say they will be damned if they confess not all ; when God's word saith. Who can number his sins? Do you not promise them trentals and dirges, and masses for souls, and sell your prayers for money, and make them buy pardons, and trust to such foolish inven- tions of your imaginations? Do you not altogether act against God? Do you not teach us to pray upon beads, and to pray unto saints, and say they can pray for us? Do you not make holy water and holy bread to fray devils? Do you not do a thousand more abominations? And yet you say, you come for my profit, and to save my soul. No, no, one hath saved me. Farewell, you with your salvation. During the liberty granted her by the bishop, before-mentioned, she went into St. Peter's church, and there found a skilful Dutchman, who was affixing new noses to certain fine images which had been dis- figured in king Edward's time ; to whom she said. What a madman art thou, to make them new noses, which within a few days shall ail lose their heads? The Duchman accused her and laid it hard to her charge. And she said unto him. Thou art accursed, and so are thy images. He called her a whore. Nay, said she, thy images are whores, and thou art a whore-hunter; for doth not God say. You go a whoring afler strange gods, figures of your own making? and thou art one of them. Afler this she was ordered to be confined, and had uo more liberty. During the time of her imprisonment, many visited her, some sent by the bishop, and some of their own will; among these was one ^i^rmi**^^' upon the ler home, red. She y afifected ind friars, igrily, and ^ and to be t whore of away from me follow »r thy profit eth by you, , when you ople to wo^ and to wor- ld teach that od that tliere ged all? and was a sacri- r their sins in lot all; when not promise your prayers foolish inven- against God? \o saints, and id holy bread itions? And ►ul. No, no, Ire-mentioned, Til Dutchman, [had been dis- U a madman Hays shall all I it hard to her id so are thy W images are [ay, You go a and thou art „, and had no [er, some sent lese was one BOOK OF MARTYRS. 299 Daniel, a great preacher of the gospel, in the days of king Edward, about Cornwall and Devonshire, but who, through the grievous per- secution he had sustained, had fallen off. Earnestly did she exhort bim to repent with Peter, and to be more constant in his profession. Mrs. Walter Rauley and Mr. Wm. and Jonn Kede, persons of great lespectability, bore ample testimony of her godly conversation, de- claring, that unless God were with her, it were impossible she could have so ably defended the cause of Christ. Indeed, to sum up the character of this poor woman, she united the serpent and the dove, abounding in the highest wisdom joined to the greatest simplicity. She endured imprisonment, threatenings, taunts, and the vilest epithets, but nothing could induce her to swerve; her heart ..as fixed; she had cast anchor; nor could all the wounds of persecution remove her fix>m the rock on which her hopes of felicity were built. Such was her memory, that, without learning, she could iiiW in what chapter any text of scripture was contained: on account of this singular property, one Gregory Basset, a rank papist, said she was deranged, and talked as a parrot, wild without meaning. At length, having tried every manner without effect to make her nominally a catholic, they condemned her. Ailer this, one exhorted her to leave her opinions, and go home to her family, as she was poor and illite- rate. **True, (said she) though I am not learned, I am content to be a witness of Christ^s death, and I pray you make no longer delay with me; for my heart is fixed, and I will never say otherwise, nor turn to your superstitious doing. To the disgrace of Mr. Blackston, treasurer of the church, he would oflen send for this poor martyr from prison, to make sport for him and a woman whom he kept; putting religious questions to her, and turning her answers into ridicule. This done, he sent her back to her wretched dungeon, while he battened upon the good things of this world. There was perhaps something simply ludicrous in the form of Mrs. Prest, as she was of a very short stature, thick set, and about fifly-four years of age; but her countenance was cheerful and lively, as if prepared for the day of her marriage with the Lamb. To mock at her form was an indirect accusation of her Creator, who framed her ailer the fashion he liked best, and gave her a mind that far excelled the transient endowments of perishable flesh. When she was offered money, she rejected it, "because (said she) I am going to a city where money bearsmo mastery, and while I am here God has promised to feed me." When sentence was read, condenming ner to the flames, she lifled up her voice and praised God, adding, "This day have I found that which I have long sought." When they tempted her to recant, — "That will I not, (said she) God forbid that I should lose the life eternal, for this carnal and short life. I will never turn from my heavenly husband to my earthly husband; from the fellowship of aogels to mortal children; and if my husband and children be faiths 24 } ■' W^ ■'] ^ ««*,v,«,5». .^.. mrt^r m 300 BOOK OF MARTYHS. ful, then am I theirs. God is my father, God is my mother, God is my sister, my brother, my kinsman ; God is my friend, most faithful.'^ Being delivered to the sheriff, she was led by the officer to the place of execution, without the walls of Exeter, called Sothenhey, where again the superstitious priests assaulted her. While they were tying her to the stake, she continued earnestly to exclaim *th human and divine, yet, with a mild and forbearing spirit, he overlooked her misdeeds, during her calamity endeavouring all he could to procure relief for her malady, and soothing her by every pos- sible expression of tenderness: thus she became in a few weeks nearly restored to her senses. But, alas! she returned again to her sin, "as the dog returneth to his vomit.'' Malice against the saints of the Most High was seated in her heart too firmly to be removed; and as her strength returned, her inclination to work wickedness returned with it. Her heart was hardened by the prince of darkness ; and to her may be applied these afflicting and soul-harrowing words, "can id joyfully rcilcss and nding child stty, of the -four years B in eternal the gates of wife of his whose mind his accuser. ! parish, re- isequence of ful judgment an to behold )man; for no id contriving, exhibited an inish the evil on the hearts eir prey; but, with his un- . two children, without a pro- men act from to the latter [es of the mar- > sacrifice their Bable to Scrip- Iture! Neither irt of this dis- , much cruelty i by every tie, Iring spirit, he [vouring all he Ir by every pos- IV weeks nearly I to her sin, "as L saints of the (moved; and as Idncss returned Irkness; and to words, "can BOOK OF MARTYRS. 303 the r !:!'.ipian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then will they do good who are accustomed to do evil." Weighing this text duly with another, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy," how shall we presume to refine away the sovereignty of God, by ar- raigning Jehovah at the bar of human reason, which, in religious matters, is too oflen opposed by infinite wisdom? "Broad is the way which leadeth to death, and many walk therein. Narrow is the way which leadeth to life, and few there be who find it." The ways of heaven are indeed inscrutable, and it is our bounden duty to walk ever dependent on God, looking up to him with humble confi- dence, and hope in his goodness, and ever confess his justice; and where we "cannot unravel, there learn to trust." This wretched woman, pursuing the horrid dictates of a heart hardened and de- praved, was scarcely confirmed in her recovery, when, stifling the dictates of honour, gratitude, and every natural aflection, she again accused her husband, who was once more apprehended, and taken before Sir John Mordant, Knight, and one of queen Mary's commis- sioners. Upon examination, his judge finding him fixed in opinions which mi- litated against those nursed by superstition and maintained by cruelty, be was sentenced to confinement and torture in Lollard's Tower. ''Here (says honest Fox) he was put into the painful stocks^ and had a dish of water set by him, with a stone put into it, to what purpose God knoweth, except it were to show that he should look for little other subsistence: which is credible enough, if we consider their like practices upon divers before mentioned in this history ; as, among others, upon Richaixl Smith, who died through their cruel imprison- ment; touching whom, when a godly woman came to Dr. Story to have leave that she might bury him, he asked her if he had any straw or blood in his mouth; but what he means thereby, I leave to the judg- ment of the wise." On the first day of the third week of our martyr's sufferings, an object presented itself to his view, which made him indeed feel his tortures with all their force, and to execrate, with bitterness only short of cursing, the author of his misery. To mark and punish the pro- ceedings of his tormentors, remained with the Most High, who noteth even the fall of a sparrow, and in whose sacred word it is written, "Vengeance is mine, and I will repay." This object was his own son, a child of the tender age of eight years. For fifteen days, had hapless father been suspended by his tormentor by the right arm I and lefl leg, and sometimes by both, shifting his positions for the pur- pose of giving him strength to bear and to lengthen the date of his sufferings. When the unoffending innocent, desirous of seeing and speaking to its parent, applied to Bonner for permission so to do, I the poor child being asked by the bishop's chaplain the purport of his jerrand, he replied, he wished to see his father. "Who is thy father?" [said the chaplain. "John Fetty," returned the boy, at the same time ointing to the place where he was confined. The interrogs lig mis- 24* 9 ■ • *■ i#1 . t'. t.i' ^■'?ryvyti Flit "(**'■';, i' f ' ii ; 304 BOOK OF MARTYBS. creant on this said, <*Why, thy father is a heretic *." The little chanv Kion again rejoined, with energy suihcient to raisQ admiration in any reast, except that of this unprincipled and unfeeling wretch — this mis- creant, eager to execute the behests of a remorseless queen — ^''My fa ther is no heretic : for you have Balaam's mark." Irritated by roproach so aptly applied, the indignant and mortified priest concealed his resentment for a moment, and took the undaunted boy into the house, where, having him secure, he presented him to others, whose baseness and cruelty being equal to his own, they stripped him to the skin, and applied their scourges to so violent a degree, tliat, fainting beneath the stripes inflicted on his tender frame, and covered with the blood that flowed from them, the victim of their ungodly wrath was ready to expire under his heavy and unmerited pun- ishment. In this bleeding and helpless state was the suffering infant, covered only with his shirt, taken to his father by one of the actors in the horrid tragedy, who, while he exhibited Uie heart-rending spectacle, made use of the vilest taunts, and exulted in what he had done. The dutiful child, as if recovering strength at the sight of his father, on his knees implored his blessing. * I— "My fa id moriiiied B undaunted nted him to, s own, they so violent a ender frame, ctim of their kinerited pun- ifant, covered actors in the ing spectacle, he had done. of his father, id the afflicted otheel" The the merciless • but when he id which was n his weeping nained a close le could not be roracious pack, hn Fetty, for a in the glorious fixed beyond lity; where the jre shall be no of eternal Wiss accordingly, by ly bishop!) lil)- i'a Tower, to the L says Fox, "he and at his first leacel" "Godbe id nor good mor- ,n this is not till Ipoor man aboif "'What have w in the bishopv la pair of grca. BOOK OF BfARTYRS. . 305 black beads; whereupon he said, '*My Lord, I think the hangman is not far off; for the halter (pointing to the beads) is here already T* At which words the bishop was in a marvellous rage. Then he im- mediately after espied also, standing in the bishop^s chamber, in the window, a little crucifix. Then he asked the bishop what it was; and he answered, that it was Christ. "Was he handled as cruelly as he is here pictured?" said Fetty. "Yea, that he was," said the bishop. "And even so cruelly will you handle such as come before you; for you are unto God^s people as Caiaphas was unto Christ!" The bishop, being in a great fury, said, "Thou art a vile heretic, and I will burn thee, or else I will spend all I have, unto my gown." «Nay, my Lord, (said Fetty) you were better to give it to some poor body, that he may pray for you." Bonner, nowithstanding his passion, which was raised to the utmost by the calm and pointed remarks of this ob%rvins Christian, thought it most prudem to dismiss the father, (»i account of the nearly murdered child. His coward soul trembled for the consequences which might ensue; fear is inseparable from lit- tle minds; and this dastardly pampered priest experienced its effects 80 far as to induce him to assume the appearance of that he was an utter stranger to, namely, mercy. The father, on being dismissed, by the tyrant Bonner, went home witli a heavy heart, with his dying child, who did not survive many days the cruelties which had been inflicted on him. How contrary to the will of our great King and Prophet, who mildly taught his follow- ers, was the conduct of this sanguinary and false teacher, this vile apostate from his God to Satan! But the arch-fiend had taken entire possession of his heart, and guided every action of the sinner he had hardened: who, given up to terrible destruction, was running the race of the wicked, marking his footsteps with the blood of the saints, as if eager to arrive at the goal of eternal death. Deliverance of Dr. Sands. This eminent prelate, vice-chancellor of Cambridge, at the request of the duke of Northumberland, when he came down to Cambridge in support of Lady Jane Grey^s claim to the throne, undertook at a few hours notice, to preach before the duke and the university. The text he took was such as presented itself in opening the Bible, and a more appropriate one he could not have chosen, namely, the three last verses of Joshua. As God gave him the text, so he gave him also such order and utterance, that it excited the most lively emotions in his numerous auditors. The sermon was about to be sent to London to be printed, when news arrived that the duke had returned and queen Mary was proclaimed. The duke was immediately arrested, and Dr. Sands was compelled by the university to give up his office. He was arrested by the queen's order, and when Mr. Mildmay wondered that so learned a man could wilfully incur danger, and speak against so good a prin- ■! f^' Mk y 'V' '/ ■*■' 300 BOOK OF MARTYKS. cesi as Mary, the doctor replied, "If I would do as Mr. Mildmay has done, I need not fear bonds. He came down armed against queen Mary; bcforo a traitor — now a great friend. I cannot with one mouth blow hot and cold in this manner.** A general plunder of Dr. Sunds* property ensued, and he was brought to London upon a wretch- ed horse. Various insults he mot on the way from the bigoted catho- lics, and as he passed through Bishopsgate-strect, a stone struck him to the ground. Ho was the first prisoner that entered the tower, in that day, on a religious account ; his man was admitted with his Bible, but his shirts and other articles were taken from him. On Marv*s coronation-day, the doors of the dungeon were so laxly guarded, that it was easy to escape. A Mr. Mitchell, like a true friend, came to him, afforded him his own clothes as a disguise and was willing to abide the consequence of being found in his place. This was a rare friendship: but he refused the ofier; saying, «{ know no cause why I should be in prison. To do thus, were to make myself guilty. I will expect God*s good will, yet do I think myself much obliged to you :** and so Mr. Mitchell departed. With doctor Sands was imprisoned Mr. Bradford; they were kept close in prison twenty-nine weeks. John Fowler, their keeper, was a perverse papist, yet, by ofVen persuading him, at length he began to favour the gospel, and was so persuaded in the true religion, that on a Sunday, when they had mass in the chapel. Dr. Sands adminis- tered the communion to Bradford and to Fowler. Thus Fowler was their son begotten in bonds. To make room for Wyat and his accom- plices, Dr. Sands and nine other preachers were sent to the Mar- shalsea. The keeper of the Marshalsea appointed to every preacher a man to lead him in tho street; he caused them to go on before, and he and Dr. Sands followed conversing together. By tliis time popery began to be unsavoury. After they had passed the bridge, the keeper said to Dr. Sands, "I perceive the vain people would set you forward to the fire. You are as vain as they, if you, being a young man, will stand in your own conceit, and prefer your own judgment before that of so many worthy prelates, ancient, learned, and grave men as be in tliis realm. If you do so, you shall find me a severe keeper, and one that utterly dislikes your religion.** Dr. Sands answered, "I know my years to be young, and my learning but small ; it is enough to know Christ crucified, and he hath learned nothing who seeth not the great blasphemy that is in popery. I will yield unto God, and not unto man; I have read in tlie Scriptures of many godly and courteous keepers: may God make you one! if not, I trust he will give me strength and patience to bear your hard usage." Then said the keeper, "Are you resolved to stand to your religion?" "Yes," quoth the doctor, "by God's grace!" "Truly,** said the keeper, "I love you the Letter for it; I did but tempt you: what favour I can show yon, you shall l;e assured of; and I shall think myself happy if I might die at the stake with you." lie was as good as his word, lor he trusted ¥4 y were kept keeper, was 1 he began to gion, that on ndfl adminis- I Fowler was id his accom- t to the Mar- eacher a man B, and he and popery began le keeper said )U forward to tng man, will Igment before [grave men as Bver« keeper, answered, "I 1 ; it is enough who seeth not ) God, and not and courteous will give me "^hen said the "Yes," quoth jcper, "I love r I can show Ippv if I might L for he trusted BOOK OF MARTTRS. 307 the doctor to walk in the fields alone, wtiere he mot with Mr. Bradford, who was also a prisoner iu the King^s Bench, and had found the same favour from his keeper. At his i otiuost, ho put Mr. Saunders in alonff with him, lu be his bed-fellow, uud the communion was administered to a great number of communicants. When Wyut with his army canir to Southwark, he oflbrcd to liber- ate all the imprisoned prutentaitts, but Dv Sands and the rest of the preachers refused to accept freet'"in on such terms. After Dr. Sands had been nine weeks prisoner in the Mnrshalsca, by the mediation of Sir Th t \ ■ M i 1. '-■ %} j'^)- m 308 BOOK OF MABTYRS. That night Dr. Sands was guided to an honest farmer's near the aea, where he tarried two dajs and two nights in a chamber without company. After that he removed to one James Mower's, a ship-mas- ter, who dwelt at Milton-Shore, where he waited for a wind to Flanders. While he was there, James Mower brought to him forty or fifty mari ners, to whom he gave an exhortation; they iiked him so well, that they promised to die rather than he should be apprehended. The sixth of May, Sunday, the wind served. In taking leave of his hostess, who had been married eight years without having a child he gave her a fine handkerchief and an old royal of gold, and said, "Be of good comfort; before that one whole year be past, God shall give you a child, a boy." This came to pass, for, that day twelve- month, wanting one day, God gave her a son. Scarcely had he arrived at Antwerp, when he learned that king Philip had sent to apprehend him. He next flew to Augsburgh, in Cleveland, where Dr. Sands tarried fourteen days, and then travelled towards Strasburgh, where, after he had liveil one year, his wife came to him. He was sick of a fiux nine months, and had a child which died of the plague. His amiable wife at length fell into a consump- tion, and died in his arms. When his wife was dead, he went to Zurich, and there was in Peter Martyr's house for the space of five weeks. As they sat at dinner one day, word was suddenly brought that queen Mary was dead, and Dr. Sands was sent for by his friends at Strasburgh, where he preached. Mr. Grindall and he came over to England, and arrived ia London the same day that queen Elizabeth was crowned. This faithful servant of Christ, under queen Eliza- beth, rose to the highest distinctions in the church, being successively bishop of Worcester, bishop of London, and archbishop of York. Queen Mary's treatment of her sister the Princess Elizabeth. The preservation of the princess Elizabeth may be reckoned a remarkable instance of the watchful eye which Christ had over his church. The bigotry of Mary regarded not the ties of consanguinity, of natural affection, of national succession. Her mind, physically morose was under the dominion of men who possessed not the milk oi' human kindness, and whose principles were sanctioned and enjoined by the idolatrous tenets of the Romish pontiff. Could they have foreseen the short date of Mary's reign, they would have imbrued their hands in the protestant blood of Elizabeth, and, as a sine qua non of the queen's salvation, have compelled her to bequeath the kingdom to some catholic prince. The contest might have been attended with the horrors incidental to a religious civil war, and calamities might have been felt in England similar to those under Henry the Great in France, whom queen Elizabeth assisted in oppo- sing his priest-ridden catholic subjects. As if Providence had the perpetual establishment of the protestant faith in view, the difference o£ the durations of the two reigns is worthy of notice. Mary niigiit ito a consump- d, he went to 5 space of five Idenly brought • by his fi'iends le came over to [ueen Eli^beth r BOOK OF HAHTYBS. 309 have reigned many years in the course of nature, but the course of grace willed it otherwise. Five years and four months was the time of persecution alloted to this weak, disgraceful reign, while that of Eli- zabeth reckoned a number of years among the highest of those who have sat on the English throne, almost nine times that of her merciless sister! Before Mary attained the crown, she treated her with a sisterly kindness, but from that period her conduct was altered, and the most imperious distance substituted. Though Elizabeth had no concern in the rebellion of Sir Thomas Wyat, yet she was apprehended, and treated as a culprit in that commotion. The manner too of her arrest was similar to the mind that dictated it: the three cabinet members, whom she deputed to see the arrest executed, rudely entered the chamber at ten o'clock at night, and, though she was extremely ill, they could scarcely be induced to let her remain till the following morning. Her enfeebled state permitted her to be moved only by short stages in a journey of such length to London; but the princess, though afflicted in person, had a consolation in mind which her sister never could purchase: the people, through whom she passed on her way, pit- ied her, and put up their prayers for her preservation. Arrived at court, she was made a close prisoner for a fortnight, without knowing who was her accuser, or seeing any one who could console or advise her. The charge however was at length unmasked by Gardiner, who, with nineteen of the council, accused her of abetting Wyat's conspira- cy, which she religiously affirmed to be false. Failing in this, they placed against her the transactions of Sir Peter Carew in the west, in which they were as unsuccessful as in the former. The queen now signified, it was her pleasure she should be committed to the Tower, a step which overwhelmed the princess with the greatest alarm and un- easiness. In vain she hoped the queen's majesty would not commit her to such a place; but there was no lenity to be expected; her at- tendants were limited, and a hundred northern soldiers appointed to guard her day and night. On Palm-Sunday she was conducted to the Tower. When she came to the palace garden, she cast her eyes towards the windows, eagerly anxious to meet those of the queen, but she was disappointed. A strict order was given in London, that every one should go to church, and carry palms, that she might be conveyed without clamour or commis- eration to her prison. At the time of passing under London-bridge the fall of the tide made it very dangerous, and the barge some time stuck fast against the starl- ings. To mortify her the more, she was landed at Traitors' Stairs. As it rained fast, and she was obliged to step in the water to land, she hes- itated; bst this excited no complaisance in the lord in waiting. When she set her foot on the steps, she exclaimed, "Here lands as true a sub- ject, being prisoner, as ever landed at these stairs; and before thee, O God, I speak it, having no friend but thee alone !" A large number of the wardens and servants of the Tower were 4-: m. V't:' !■ ^':fc 810 BOOK OF MARTTBS. it mt im 't*4^% 5i*.. ,'^i »■■! ^1. 812 BOOK OF MARTYRS. soldiers keeping guard within and without the walls, every day, to the number of sixty ; and in the night, without the walls were forty, during all the time of her imprisonment. At length she was permitted to walk in the gardens, but under the most severe restrictions. Sir Henry keeping the keys himself, and placing her always under many bolts and locks, whence she was indu- ced to call liim her jailer, at which ho felt oftended, and begged her to substitute the word officer. After much earnest entreaty to the council, she obtained permission to write to tho queen; but tlie jailer, who brought her pen, ink, and paper stood by her while she wrote, and, when she left off, he carried the things away till they were wanted again. He also insisted upon carrying it himself to the queen, but Elizabeth would not suffer him to be the bearer, and it was presented by one of her gentlemen. Ailer the letter, doctors Owen and Wendy went to the princess, as the state of her health rendered medical assistance necessary. They staid with her five or six days, in which time she grew much better: they then returned to the queen, and spoke flatteringly of the princess' submission and humility, at which the queen seeined moved; but the bishops wanted a concession that slie had offended her majesty. £|iz- abetli spurned this indirect mode of acknowledging herself guilty. **If 1 have offended," said she, "and am guilty, 1 crave no mercy but the law, which I am certain I should have had ere this, if any thing could have been proved against me. I wish I were as clear from the peril of my enemies; then should I not be thus bolted and locked up within walls and doors." Much question arose at this time respecting the propriety of uniting the princess to some foreigner, tliat she might quit the realm with a suitable portion. One of the council had the brutality to urge the necessity of beheading her, if the king (Philip) meant to keep the realm in peace; but the Spaniards, detesting such a base thought. replied, "God forbid that our king and master should consent to such an infamous proceeding!" Stimulated by a noble principle, the Span* iards from this time repeatedly urged to the king that it would do him the highest honour to liberate the lady Elizabeth, nor was the king impervious to their solicitation. He took her out of prison, and shortly afler she was sent for to Hampton court. It may be remarked in this place, that the fallacy of human reasoning is shown in every moment. The barbarian who suggested the policy of beheading Elizabeth little contemplated the change of condition which his speech would bring about. In her journey from Woodstock, Benefield treated her with the same severity as before; removing her on a stormy doy, and not suffering her old servant, who had come to Colnbrook, where she slept, to speak to her. She remained a fortnight strictly guarded and watched, before any one dared to speak with her; at length the vile Gardiner with three more of the coimcil, came with great submission. Elizabeth saluted them, remarked that she had been for a long time kept in solitary con* sry day, to (vere forty, ; under the imself, and B was indu- begged her eaty to the it the jailer, I she wrote, kvere wanted 3 queen, but as presented i princess, as jsary. They much better: ' the princess' lOved; but the lajesty. Eliz- Herself guilty. no mercy but }, if any thing clear from the and locked up riety of uniting he realm with to urge the nt to keep the base thought. consent to such liple, the Span- would do him ^ was the king jon, and shortly imarked in this every moment. _ Elizabeth little ch would bring ;reated her with ly day, and not ►U, where she Lhed, before any fcner with three Elizabeth saluted It in solitary conr BOOK OF MARTYRS. 313 iinement, and begged they would intercede with the king and queen to deliver her from prison. Gardiner's visit was to draw from the princess a confession of her guilt; but she was guarded against his subtlety, adding, that, rather than admit she had done wrong, she would lie in prison all the rest of her life. The next day Gardiner came again, and kneeling down, declared that the queen was astonish- ed she should persist in affirming that she was blameless — whence it would be inferred that the queen had unjustly imprisoned her grace. Gardiner farther informed her that the queen had declared that she must tell another tale, before she could be set at liberty. "Then,'* replied the high-minded Elizabeth, "I had rather be in prison with honesty and truth, than have my liberty, and be suspected by her majesty. What I have said, I will stand to; nor will I ever speak falsehood!" The bishop and his friends then departed, leaving her locked up as before. Seven days after the queen sent for Elizabeth at ten o'clock at night; two years had elapsed since they had seen each other. It created terror in the mind of the princess, who, at setting out, desired her gentlemen and ladies to pray for her, as her return to them again was uncertain. Being conducted to the queen's bedchamber, upon entering it the princess knelt down, and having begged of God to preserve her ma- jesty, she humbly assured her that her majesty had not a more loyal subject in the realm, whatever reports might be circulated to the con- trary. With a haughty ungraciousness, the imperious queen replied, "You will not confess your offence, but stand stoutly to your truth. I pray God it may so fall out." «If it do not," said Elizabeth, "I request neither favour nor par- don at your majesty's hands." "Well," said the queen, "you stiffly still persevere iri your truth. Besides, you will not confess that you have not been wrongfully punished." "1 must not say so, if it please your majesty, to you." "Why, then," said the queen, "belike you will to others." "No, if it please your majesty : I have borne the burden, and must bear it. I humbly beesech your majesty to have a good opinion of me, and to thinlc me to be your subject, not only from the beginning hither- to, but for ever, as long as life lasteth." They departed without any heart-felt satisfaction on eithsr side; nor can we think the conduct of Elizabeth displayed that independence and fortitude which accompa- nies perfect innocence. Elizabeth's admitting that she would not say, neither to the queen nor to others, that she had been unjustly punished, was in direct contradiction to what she had told Gardiner, and must have arisan from some motive at this time inexplicable. — King Philip is supposed to have been secretly concealed during the interview, and to have been friendly to the princess. Li seven days i'vom the time of her return to imprisonment, her se- vere jailer, and his men woi-e discharged, and she was set at liberty, under the constraint of being always attended and watched by some of the queen's council. Four of her gentlemen were s Jiit to the Tower, ,.11" •* 11 , ■V' 1 i''';-! ^^ ^' ( • i- . '%'■■' I ■'! )h ,.;»' \ ■ r sf ■ ' 0r . -«"**^~"~ --.. ,. It! !ti|i«ir||, 7" I ■) f , 'W IF-: 'Vf 314 BOOK OF MARTYRS. without any other charge against ihem than being zealous servants of their mistress. This event \/a8 soon after followed by the happy news of Gardiner's death, for which all good and merciful men glorified God, inasmuch as it had taken the chief tiger from the den, and ren- dered the life of the protcstant successor of Mary more secure. This miscreant, while the princess was in the Tower, sent a secret writ, signed by a few of the council, for her private execution; and had Mr. Bridges, lieutenant of the Tower, been as little scrupulous of dark assassination as this pious prelate was, she must have perish- ed. The warrant not having the queen's signature, Mr. Bridges has- tened to her majesty, to give her information of it, and to know her mind. This was a plot of Winchester's, who, to convict her of trea- sonable practices, caused several prisoners to be racked; particularly Mr. Edmund Tremaine and Smithwicke were offered considerable bribes to accuse L'le guiltless princess. Her life was raveral times in danger. While at Woodstock, fire was apparently put between the boards and ceiling under which she lay. It was also reported strongly, that one Paul Penny, the keeper of Woodstock, a notorious ruffian was appointed to assassinate her- but, however this might be, God counteracted in this point the iiela- rious designs of the enemies of the reformation. James Basset was another appointed to perform the same deed : he was a peculiar favour- ite of Gardiner, and had come within a mile of Woodstock, intending to speak with Benefield on the subject. The goodness of God however so ordered it, that while Basset was travelling to Woodstock, Benefield, by an order of council, was going to London; in consequence of which, he lefl a positive order with his brother, that no man should be admitted to the princess during his absence, not even with a note from the queen ; his brother met the murderer, but the latter's intention was j^ustrated, as no admission could be obtained. When Elizabeth quitted Woodstock, she lefl the following lines written with her diamond on the window :— • Much suspected by me; Nothing proved can be. Quoth Elizabeth, prisoner. With the life of Winchester ceased the extreme danger of the prin cess, as many of her other secret enemies soon afler followed him, and, last of all, her cruel sister, who outlived Gardiner but three years. The death of Mary was ascribed to several causes. The council endeavoured to console her in her last moments, imagining it was tlie absence of her husband that lay heavy at her heart; but though liia treatment had some weight, the loss of Calais, the last fortress pos- sessed by the English in France, was the true source of her sorrow. "Open my heart," said Mary, "when I am dead, and you shall find Calais written there." Religion caused her no alari.:^ ; rue priests had lulled to rest every misgiving of conscience, which might have obtru- ded, on account of the accusing spirits of the murdered martyrs. Not the blood she had spilled, but the loss of a town, excited her emotions in dying; and this last stroke seemed to be awarded, that her fanatical ' w m.^^' ■'<( ooilstock, fire ier which she ly, the keeper sassinate her; point the uefa- es Basset was eculiar tavour- itock, intending >f God however tock, BenefieW, •onsequcnce of man should be irith a note Trora 's intention was nner. rer of the prin followed him, but three years. I. The council ining it was the 'but though his ast fortress pos- of her sorrow. vou shall find tlie priests had ight have obtru- id martyrs. Nol [ed her emotions rhat her fanatical BOOK OF MABTYRS. persecution 315 might be paralleled by her political imbecility. We earnestly pray that the annals of no country, catholic or pagan, may ever be stained with such a repetition of human sacrifices to papal power, and that the detestation in which the character of Mary is holden, may be a beacon to succeeding monarciis to avoid the rocks of fanaticism ! GodPs Punishments upon some of the Persecutors of his People in Mary*s Reign. After that arch-persecutor, Gardiner, was dead, others followed, of whom Dr. Morgan, bishop of St. David's, who succeeded bishop Farrar, is to be noticed. Not long after he was installed in his bishopric, he was stricken by the visitation of God; his food passed through the throat, but rose again with great violence. la this manner, almost literally starved to death, he terminated his existence. Bishop Thornton, suffragan of Dover, was an indefatigable parsecu- tor of the true church. One day after he had exercised his cruel tyranny upon a number of pious persons at Canterbury, he came from the chapter-hojise to Borne, where as he stood on a Sunday looking at his men playing at bowls, he fell down in a fit of the palsy, and did not long survive. After the latter succeeded another bishop or suffragan, ordained by Gardiner, who not long after he had been raised to the see of Dover , fell down a pair of stairs in the cardinal's chamber at Greenwich, and broke his neck. Ho had j»jst received the cardinal's blessing — ho could receive nothing worse. John Cooper, of Watsain, Suffolk, suffered by perjury; ho was from private pique persecuted by one Penning, who suborned two others to swear that they heard Cooper say, "If God did not take away queen Mary, the devil would." Cooper denied all such words, but Cooper was a protestant and a heretic, and therefore he was hung, drawn and quartered, his property confiscated, and his wife and nine chil- dren reduced to beggary. The following harvest, however. Grim- wood of Hitcham, one of the witnesses before mentioned, was visited for his villany : while at work, stacking up corn, his bowels suddenly hurst out, and before relief could be obtained he died. Thus was de- liberate perjury rewarded by sudden death! In the case of the martyr Mr. Bradford, the severity of Mr. Sheriff Woodroffe has been noticed — he rejoiced at the death of the saints, and at Mr. Rogers' execution, he broke the carman's head, because he stopped the cart to let the martyr's children take a last farewell ol him. Scarcely had Mr. Woodroffe's sheriffalty expired a vveek, when he was struck with a paralytic affection, and languished a few days in the most pitiable and helpless condition, presenting a striking contrast to his former activity in the cause of blood. Ralph Lardyn, who betrayed the martyr George Eagles, is believed to have been afterward arraigned and hanged in consequence of ac- 25* b^ 4- H mt ■-;'. '^i' 316 BOOK OF HARTYS8. cusing himself. At the bar, he denounced himself in these words "This has most justly fallen upon me, for betraying the innocent blood of that just and good man George Eagles, who was here condemned in the time of Queen Mary by my procurement, when I sold his blood for a little money." As James Abbes was going to execution, and exhorting the pitying bystanders to adhere steadfastly to the truth, and like him to seal the cause of Christ with their blood, a servant of the sheriff *8 interrupted him, and blasphemously called his religion heresy, and the good man a lunatic. Scarcely however had the flames reached the martyr, be* foi'e the fearful stroke of God fell upon this hardened wretch, in the presence of him he had so cruelly ridiculed. The man was suddenly seized with lunacy, cast off his clothes and shoes before the people, (as Abbes had done just before, to distribute among some poor persons,) at the same time exclaiming, "Thus did James Abbes, the true servant of God, who is saved but I am damned." Repeating this often, the sheriff liad him secured, and made him put his clothes on, but no sooner was he alone, than he tore them off, and exclaimed as before. Being tied in a cart, he was conveyed to his master^s house, and in about hsilf a year he died; just before which a priest came to attend him, with the crucifix, &c. but the wretched man bade him take away such trumpery, and said that he and other priests had been the cause of his damnation, but tliat Abbes was saved. One Clark, an avowed enemy of the protestants in king Edward's reign, hung himself in the Tower of London. Froling, a priest of much celebrity, fell down in the street and died on the spot. Dale, an indefatigable informer, was consumed by vermin, and died a miserable spectacle. Alexander, the severe keeper of Newgate, died miserably, swelling to a prodigious size, and became so inwardly putrid, that none could come near him. This cruel minister of the law would go to Bonner, Story, and others, requesting them to rid his prison, he was so much pestered with heretics! The son of this keeper, in three years after his father's death, dissipated his great property, and died suddenly in Newgate market. "The sins of the father," says ths decalogue, "shall be visited on the children." John Peter, son-in-law of Alexander, a horrid blasphemer and persecutor, died wretchedly. When he afhrmed any thing, he would say, "If it be not true, I pray I may rot ere 1 die." This awful state visited him in all its loathsomeness. Sir Ralph Ellerker was eagerly desirous to see the heart taken out of Adam Damlip, who was wrongfully put to death. Shortly alter Sir Ralph was slain by the French, who mangled him dreadfully, cut off liis limbs, and tore his heart out. When Gardiner heard of the miserable end of Judge Hales, he called the profession of the gospel a doctrine of desperation; but he forgot that the judge's despondency arose after he had consented tc the papistry. i3ut with more reason may this be said of the cathohc .?(«. .,(y. BOOK OF MARTYRS. 317 Dse words ocent blood ndetnned in [is blood for the pitying to seal the I interrupted^ le good man 1 martyr, be* retch, in the ^as suddenly ,e people, (as loor persons,) B true servant lis often, the s on, but no led as before. house, and in ;ame to attend lim take away jeen the cause sing Edward's street and died irmin, and died rably, swelling that none could _ go to Bonner, le was so much ree years after 30 suddenly in scaiogue, "shall If Alexander, a hen he affirmed rot ere 1 die.'' Iheart taken out Shortly alter Sir fadfuUy, cutoif Ldge Hales, he Lration; but he [ad consented tc of the catholic tenets, if we consider the miserable end of Dr. Pendleton, Gardiner, and most of the leading persecutors. Gardiner, upon his denth bed, ^vas re- minded by a bishop of Peter denying his master. "Ah," said Gardiner, «I have denied with Peter, but never repented with Peter." AHer the accession of Elizat)eth, most of the Catholic prelates were imprisoned in the Tower or the fleet; Bonner was put into the Mar- sbalsea. Of the revilera of God^s word, we detail, among many others, the following occurrence. One William Malduu, living at Greenwich in servitude, was instructing himself profitably in reading an English primer one winter's evening. A serving man, named John Powell, gat by, and ridiculed all that Maldon said, who cautioned him not to make a jest of the word of God. Powell nevertheless continued, till Maldon came to certain English Prayers, and read aloud. Lord, have mercy upon us, Christ have mercy upon us, &.c. Suddenly the reviler started, and exclaimed, Lord, have mercy upon us! He was struck with the utmost terror of mind, said the evil spirit could not abide that Christ should have any mercy upon him, and sunk into madness. He was remitted to Bedlam, and became an awful warning that God will not always be insulted with impunity. Henry Smith, a student in the law, had a pious protestant father, of Camden, in Gloucestershire, by whom he was virtuously educated. While studying law in the middle temple, he was induced to profess Catholicism, and, going to Louvain, in France, he returned with par- dons, crucifixes, and a great freight of popish toys. Not content with these things, he openly reviled the gospel religion he had been brought up in; but conscience one night reproached him so dreadfully, that in a fit of despair he hung himself m his garters. He was buried in a lane, without the Christian service being read over him. Dr. Story, whose name has been so often mentioned in the preceding pages, was reserved to be cut off by public execution, a practice in which he had taken great delight when in power. He is supposed to have had a hand in most of the conflagrations in Mary's time, and was even ingenious in his invention of new modes of inflicting torture. When Elizabeth came to the throne, he was committed to prison, but unac- countably effected his escape to the continent, to carry fire and sword there among the protestant brethren. From the duke of Alva, at Ant- werp, he received a special commission to search all ships for contra- band goods, and particularly for English heretical books. Dr. Story gloried in a commission that was ordered by Providence to be his ruin, and to preserve the faithful from his sanguinary cruelty. It was contrived that one Parker, a merchant, should sail to Antwerp, ,0,^ and information should be given to Dr. Story that he had a quantity of heretical books on board. The latter no sooner heard this, than he hastened to the vessel, sought every where above, and then went under the hatches, which were fastened down upon him. A prosper ous gale brought the ship to England, and this traitorous, persecuting rebel was committed to prison, where he remained a considemblo M 318 BOOK OF MABTYR8. time, obsliiiatoly objecting to recant his anti-christian spirit, or admit of queen Elizabeth^s supremacy. He alleged, though by birth and education an Englishman, that ho was a sworn subject of the king o| Spain, in whose service the famous duke of Alva was. The ductor being condemned, was laid upon a hurdle, and drawn from the Tower to Tyburn, where after being suspended about half an hour, Se was cut down, stripped, and the executioner displayed the heart oi a traitor Thus ended the existence of this Nimrod of England. CHAPTER XIV. THE gPANISII ARMADA "Philip, king of Spain, husband to tht deceased queen Mary of Eng- land, was no less an enemy than that princess to the protest -ints. He had always disliked the English, and aflcr her death, determineil, if possible, to crown that infamous cruelty which had disgraced the whole progress of her reign, by making a conquest of the island, and putting even protestant to death. The great warlike preparations made by this monarch, though the purpose was unknown, gave a universal alarm to the English nation; as, though he had not declared that intention, yet it appeared evident that he was taking measures to seize the crov. n of England. Pope Sixtus V. not less ambitious than himself, and equb.uy desirous of persecuting the protestants, urged him to the enterprise. He excommunicated the queen, and published a crusade against her, with the usual indulgences. AH the ports of Spain resounded with preparations for this alarming ex- pedition; and the Spaniards seemed to threaten tlic English with a t(jiii! annihilation. Three whole years had been spent by Philip in making the necess iry preparations for this mighty undertaking; and his fleet, which on ac- count of its prodigious strength, was called the "Invincible Armada," was now completed. A consecrated banner was procured from tin: pope, and the gold of Peru was lavished on the occasion. The duke of Parma, by command of the Spaniards, built ships in Flanders, and a great company of small broad vessels, each one able to transport thirty horses, with bridges fitted for them severally; and hired mariners from the east part of Germany, and provided hr\^ pieces of wood sharpened at the end, and covered with iron, with hooks on one side; and 20,000 vessels, with a huge number of fagots; audi placed an army ready in Flanders, of 103 companies of foot and 4(X10 horsemen. Among these 700 English vagabonds, who were held ot'| all o'hors in most contempt. Neither was Stanley respected or obey- ed, wh.) was set over the English; nor Westmoreland, nor any other! Mary ofEng- BCints. He had leil; if possible, wiiole progress putting even nOOK OF MARTYRS. 319 who offered their help: but for thuir unfaithfulness to their owu coun- try were shut out from all cutisiiltations, and as incti unanimuusly re- jected with dutestutian. And because Pope Sixtus the Fiftii in such a case would uut be wanting, he sunt Cardinal Alien into Flanders, and renewed the bulls declaratory of Pope Pius the Fifth, and Gregory the Thirteenth. Ho excommunicated and deposed queen Elizabeth, absolved her subjects from all allegiance, and, as if it had been against the Turks or inliduls, he set forth in print a conceit, wherein ho bestowed plenary indulgences, out of the treasure of the church, besides a million of gold, or ten hundred thousand ducats, to be distributed (the one half in hand, the rest when either England, or sume famous liaven therein, should be won) upon all them that would join their help against England. By which means the Marquis of Bergau, of the house of Austria, the duke of Pastrana, Aniadis, duke of Savoy, Vespasian, Goiizaga, John Medicis, and divers other noblemen, were dmwn into tlieso wars. Queen Elizabeth, that she might not be surprised unawares, pre- pared as great a navy as she could, and witi. singular care and provi- dence, made all things ready necessary for war. And she herself, who was ever most judicious in discerning of men^s wits and aptness, . and most happy in making choice, when she mode it out of tier own judgment, and not at the discretion of others, designed the best and most serviceable to each several employment. Over the whole navy she appointed the Lord Admiral Charles Howard, in whom she repo- sed much trust ; and sent him to the west part of England, where Captain Drake, whom she made vice-admiral, joined with him. She coounanded Henry Seimor, tlie second son to the duke of Somerset, to watch upon the Belgic shore, with forty English and Dutch ships, that the duke of Parma might not come out with his forces; although some were of opinion, that the enemy was to be expected and set upon by land forces, accordingly as it was upon deliberation resolved, in the time of Henry the Eighth, when the French brought a great navy on the English shore. For the land fight, there were placed on the south shore twenty thousand ; and two armies beside were mustered of the choicest men for war. The one of these, which consisted of 1000 horse and twenty two thousand foot was commanded by the earl of Leicester, and en camped at Tilbury, on the side of the Thames. For the enemy was resolved first to set upon London. The other army was commanded by the Lord Hunsdon, consisting of thirty-four thousand foot, and two thousand horse, to guard the queen. The Lord Gray, Sir Francis Knowles, Sir John Norris, Sir Richard Bingham, Sir Roger Williams, men famously known for military ex- perience, were chosen to confer of the land-f%ht. These commanders thought fit that all those places should be fortified, with men and am- munition, which were commodious to land in, either out of Spain or out of Flanders, as Milford-Haven, Falmouth, Plymouth, Portland, i 1' l«l '* '■ ■':•*! 1 «! f • I w 'A ' » ^-'ir ♦ • ■■yi» ■■■' , , ■''I" ;»■ I:. ;'f<^^i "W n^M ■KWi^I f.f^ ■5 ■ 320 BOOK OF MABTYBI. the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, the open side of Kent, called the Downs, the Thanrjes' mouth, Harwich, Yarmouth, Hull, &,c. That trained soldiers through all the maratime provinces should meet upon warning given, to defend the places; that they should by their best means, hinder the enemy from landing; and if they did happen to land, then they were to destroy the fruits of the country all about, and spoil every thing that might be of any use to the enemy, that so thry might find no more victuals than what they brought with them. Ana that, by continued alarms, the enemy should find no rest day or night. But they should not try any battle until divers captains were met together with their companies. That one captain might be named in every shire which might command. Two years before, the duke of Parma, considering how hard a matter it was to end the Belgic war, so long as it was continually nourished and supported with aid from the queen, he moved for a treaty of peace, Ly the means of Sir James CroH, one of the privy council, a man desirous of peace, and Andrew Loe, a Dutchman, and professed that the Spaniard had delegated authority to him for this purpose. But the queen fearing that the friendship between her and the confederate princes might be dissolved, and that so they might secretly bo drawn to the Spaniard, she deferred that treaty for some time. But now, that the ware on both sides prepared might be turned away, she was content to treat for peace; but so as still holding the weapons in her hand. For this purpose, in February, delegates were sent into Flanders, tho earl of Derby, the lord Cobham, Sir James CroA, Dr. Dale, and Dr. Rogers. These were received with all humanity on tlie duke's behalf, and a place appointed for their treating, that they might see the authority delegated to him by the Spanish king. He appointed the place near to Ostend, not in Ostend, which at that time was held by the English against the Spanish king. His authority delegated, he pmmised them to show, when they were once met together. He wished them to make good speed in the business, lest somewhat might fall out in the mean time, which might trouble the motions of peace. Richardotus, spoke somewhat niore plainly, That he knew not what in this interim should be done against England. Not long after, Dr. Rogers was sent to the prince, by an express commandment from the queen, to know the truth, whether the Span- iards had resolved to invade England, which he and Richardotus seemed to signify. He affirmed, that he did not so much as think of the invasion of England, when he wished that the business might proceed with speed; and was in a manner ofiended with Richardotus, who denied that such words words fell from him. The 12th of April, the count Aremberg, Champigny, Richardotus, Doctor Maesius, and Gamier, delegated from the prince of Parma, met with the English, and yielded to them the honour both in walking and sitting. This conference, however, came to nothing; undertaken by the called the ii,c. That meet upon their best happen to ' all about, my, that so with them, rest day or ptuins were [U be named how hard a i continually moved for a of the privy atchman, and him for this ^cen her and they might laty for some ight be turned ill holding the into Flanders, Dr. Dale, and on tlie duke^s they might Bee He appointed time was held ity delegated, together. He imewhat might lions of peace. lew not what I by an express Vther the Span- 1 Richardotus i as think of the [might proceed |;hardotu3, who Richaidotus, of Parma, met lin walking and jrtaken by the BOOK OF MARTYBS. 321 queen, as the wiser then thought, to avert the Spanish fleet ; continued by the Spaniard that he might oppress the (lueen, being as he sup posed unprovided, and not expecting the danger. So both of thoM tried to use time to their best advantages. At length tlie Spanish fleet, well iurnished with men, ammunition, engines, and all warlike preparations, the best, indeed, that ever was teen upon tlie ocean, called by the arrogant title. The Invincible Ar- mada, consisted of 130 ships, wherein there were in all, 1U,21)0. Mariners, 8,350. Chained rowers, 11,0H0. Great ordnance, 11,030. The chief commander was Perezius Guzmannus, duke of Medina Si- donia; and under him Joannes Martinus Ricaldus, a man of great experience in sea afiairs. The 30th of May they iooeed out of the river Tagus, and bending their course to the Groin, in Gallicia, they were beaten and scattered by a tempest; three galleys, by the help of David Gwin, an English servant, and by the perfldiousness of the Turks which rowed, were carried away into France. The fleet, with much ado, after some days came to the Groin, and other harbours near adjoining. The report was, that the fleet was so shaken by this tempest, that the queen was persuaded, that she was not to expect that fleet this year. And Sir Francis Walsingham, sec^y. wrote to the lord admiral, that he might send back four of the greatest ships, as if the war had been ended But the lord admiral did not easily give credit to that report; yet with a gentle answer entreated him to believe nothing hastily in so impor- tant a matter: as also that he might be permitted to keep those ships with him which he had, though it were upon his own charges. Ajid getting a favourable wind, made sail towards Spain, to surprise the enemy^s damaged ships in their harbours. When he was close in with the coast of Spain, the wind shifting, and he being charged to defend the English shore, fearing that the enemy might unseen, by the same wind, sail for England, he returned unto Plymouth. Now with the same wind, the 12th of July, the duke of Medina with his fleet departed from the Groin. And after a few days he sent Rodericus TeUus into Flanders, to advertise the duke of Parma, giving him warning that the fleet was approaching, and therefore he was to make himself ready. For Medina^s commission was to join himself with the ships and soldiers of Parma; and under the protec tion of his fleet to bring them into England, and to land his forces upon the Thames side. The sixteenth day, (saith the relator,) there was a great calm, and a thick cloud was upon the sea till noon; then the north wind blow ing roughly ; and again the west wind till midnight, and ailer that the east; the Spanish navy was scattered, and hardly gathered together until they came within sight of England the nineteenth day of July. Upon whicli day, the lord admiral was certified by Fleming, (who had been a pirate) that the Spanish fleet was entered into the English sea, which the mariners call the Channel, and was descried near to ihe Lizard. The lord admiral brought forth the English fleet into » ' 'ii)» »!'' » X ■:» H M. ■ r fy^: i> '' wi^-^^i ■ hlMU ymw **■'■■, *' r(: if :. »( '* 322 BOOK OF MARTYRS. the sea, but not without great difficulty, by the skill, labour, and alac- rity of the soldiers and mariners, every one labouring; yea, the lord admiral himself putting his hand to this work. The next day the English fleet viewed the Spanish fleet coming along like the towering castles in height, her front crooked like the fashion of the moon, the winfTs of the fleet were extended one from the other about seven miles, or as some say eight miles asunder, sail- ing with the labour of the winds, the ocean as it were groaning under it; their sail was but slow, and yet at full sail before the wind. The English were willing to let them hold on their course, and when they were passed by, got behind them, and so got to windward of them. Upon the 21st of July, the lord admiral of England sent a cutter before, called the Defiance, to denounce the battle by firing off" pieces. And being himself in the Royal-Arch, (the English admiral ship) he began the engagement with a ship which he took to be the Spanish admiral, but which was the ship of Alfonsus Leva. Upon that he ex- pended much shot. Presently Drake, Hawkins, and Forbisher, came in upon the rear of the Spaniards which Ricaldus commanded.— Upon these they thundered. Ricaldus endeavoured, as much as in him lay, to keep his men to their quarters, but all in vain, until his ship, much beaten and battered with many shot, hardly recovered the fleet. Then the duke of Medina gathered together his scattered fleet, and setting more sail, held on his course. Indeed they could do no other, for the English had gotten the advantage of the wind, and their ships being much easier managed, and ready with incredible celerity to come upon the enemy with a full course, and then to tack and re- tack and be on every side at their pleasure. After a long fight, and each of them had taken n trial of their courage, the lord adnoiral thought proper to continue the fight no longer, because there were forty ships more, which were then absent, and at that very time were com- ing out of Plymouth Sound. The night following, the St. Catharine, a Spanish ship, being sadly torn in the battle, was taken into the midst of the fleet to be repaired. Here a great Cantabrian ship, of Oquenda, wherein was the treasurer of the camp, by force of gunpowder took fire, yet it was quenched in time by the ships tJiat came to help her. Of those which came to assist the fired ship, one was a galleon, commanded by one Pctrus Waldez; the fore-yard of the galleon was caught in the rigging ol another ship, and carried away. This was taken by Drake, who sent Waldez to Dartmouth, and a great sum of money, viz. 55,000 ducats, which he distributed among the soldiers. This Waldez com- ing into Drake^s presence, kissed his hand, and told him they had all resolved to die, if they had not been so happy as to fall into his hands, whom they knew to be noble. That night he was appointed to set forih a light, but neglected it; and some (jierman merchant ships com- ing by that night, he, thinking them to be enemies, followed them so far, that the English fleet lay to all night, because they could see no light set furtii. Neither did he nor die rest of the fleet find the admi- vm^f. ir, and alac- ea, the lord fleet coming )ked like the led one from Lsunder, sail- ■oaning under } wind. The nd when they rd of them, sent a cutter ing oflf pieces. miral ship) he le the Spanish pon that he ex- 'orbisher, camo commanded.— as much as in I vain, until his y recovered the s scattered fleet, hey could do no wind, and their .credible celerity to tack and re- . long fight, and Lhe lord admiral there were forty time were com- nOOK OF MARTYRS. 323 ral until the next evening. The admiral all the night proceeding with the Bear and the Mary Rose, carefully followed the Spaniards with watchfulness. The duke was busied in ordering his squadron. Alfonsus Leva was commanded to join the first and last divisions. Every ship had its proper station assigned, according to that prescrib cd form which was appointed in Spain ; it was present death to any one who forsook his station. This done, he sent Gliclius and Anceani to Parma, which might declare to them in what situation they were, and left that Cantabriau ship, of Oquenda, to the wind and sea, hav- ing taken out the money and mariners, and put theni on board of other ships. Yet it seemed tKat he had not care for ail; for that ship the same day, with fifty mariners and soldiers wounded and half- burned, fell into the hands of the English, and was carried to Wey mouth. '• ' The 23d of the same month, the Spaniards having a favourable north wind, tacked towards the English; but they being more expert in the management of their ships, tacked likewise, and kept the ad- vantage they had gained, keeping the Spaniards to leeward, till at last the fight became general on both sides. They fought awhile con- fusedly with variable success: whilst on the one side the English with great courage delivered the London ships which were enclosed about by the Spaniards; and on the other side, the Spaniards by valour freed Ricaldus from the extreme danger he was in; great and many were the explosions, which, by the continued firing of great guns, were heard this day. . But the loss (by the good providence of God,) fell upon the Spaniards, their ships being so high, that the shot went over our English ships, and the English, having such a fair mark at their large ships, never shot in vain. During this engagement, Cock, an Englishman, being surrounded by the Spanish ships, could not be recovered, but perished; however, with great honour he re- venged himself. Thus a long time the English ships whh great agility were sometimes upon the Spaniards, giving them the fire of one side, and then of the other, and presently were off again, and still" kept the sea, to make themselves ready to come in again. Whereas the Spanish ships, being of great burden, were troubled and hindered, and stood to be the marks for the English shot. For all that the English admiral would not permit his people to board their .jhips, because they had such a number of soldiers on board, which he had not; their dhips were many in number, and greater, and higher, that if they had come to grapple, as many would have had it, the English being much lower than the Spanish ships, must needs have had the worst of them that fought from the higher ships. And if the English had been overcome, the loss would have been greater than the victory could have been; for our being overcome would have put the kingdom i in hazard. The 21lh day of July they gave over fighting on both sides. The I admiral sent some small barks to the English shore for a supply of provisions, and divided his whole fleet into four squadrons; the first 20 " P 4 1 . * ■in 'i^'^ ):: ^m f [?* n t '11* ' 1 i? .1. ; ■ d I- ,ii is' ^ ^, 324 BOOK OF MARTYRS. whereof he took under his own command, the next was commanded by- Drake, the third by Hawkins, and the last by Forbisher. And he ap- pointed out of every squadron certain little ships, which, on divers sides, might set upon the Spaniards in the night, but a sudden calm took then); 80 that expedition was without effect. The 25th, the St. Anne, a galleon of Portugal, not being able to keep up with the rest, was attacked by some small English ships. To whose aid came in Leva, and Didacus Telles Enriques, with three galeasses; which the admiral, and the Lord Thomas Howard, espy. ing, made all the sail they could against the galeasses, but the calm continuing, they were obliged to be towed along with their boats; as soon as they reached the galeasses, they began to play away so fiercely with their great guns, that with much danger, and great loss, they hardly recovered their galleon. The Spaniards reported that the Spanish admiral was that day in the rear of their fleet, which, being come nearer to the English ships than before, got terribly shattered with their great guns, many men were killed aboard, and her masts laid over the side. The Spanish admiral, after this, in confpany with Ricaldus, and others, attacked the English admiral, who, having the advantage of the wind, suddenly tacked and escaped. The Spaniards holding on their course again, sent to the duke of Parma, that with all possible speed he should join his ships with the king's fleet. These things the English knew not, who write that they haB carried away the lantern from one of the Spanish ships, the stern from another, and sore mauled the third very much, disabling her. The Non-Parigly, and the Mary Rose, fought awhile with the Spaniards, and the Triumph being in danger, oSier ships came in good time to help her. The next day the lord admiral knighted the Lord Thomas Howard, the Lord Sheflield, Roger Townseud, John Hawkins, and Martin Forbisher, for their valour in the last engagement. After this, they agreed not to attack the enemy until they came into the straits of Calais, where Henry Seimor, and William Winter, waited for their coming. Thus with a fair gale the Spanish fleet went forward, and the English followed. This great Spanish Armada was so far from being esteemed invincible in the opinion of the English, that many young men and gentlemen, in hope to be partakers of a famous vie* tory against the Spaniards, provided ships at their own expense, and joined themselves to the English fleet; among whom were the earls of Essex, Northumberland, and Cumberland, Thomas and Robert Cecil, Henry Brooks, William Hatton, Robert Cary, Ambrose Wil* loughby, Thomas Gerard, Arthur George, and other gentlemen of good note and quality. The 27th day, at even, the Spaniards cast anchor near to Calais, being admonished by their skilful seamen, that if they went any further they might be in danger, through the force of the tide, to be iriven into the North Ocean. Near to them lay the English admiral with his fleet, within a great gun-s shot. The admii*at, Seimor, and manded by And he ap- livera sides, ft took them, «ing able to igUsh ships. 3, with three tvrard, espy* but the calm eir boats; as ay so fiercely sat loss, they rted that the , which, being ibly shattered ind her masts company with 10, having the The Spaniards rma, that with J king's fleeU tiey hsS carried the stern from ling her. The the Spaniards, in good time to .lomaa Howard, [ins, and Martin After this, they [to the straits of jwaited for their snt forward, and vas so far from rlish, that many 3f a famous vie- )wn expense, and were the earls JIB and B«b«rt ,, Ambrose Wil- [er gentlemen ol ^ near to Calais, they went any If the tide, to be 1 Euglish admiral L-al, Seimor, and BOOK OF DIA.RTYRS 325 Winter, now join their ships; ;^,o that now there were a hundred and forty ships in the English fleet, able, and well furnished for fighting, for sailing, and every thing else which was requisite ; and yet there were but fifteen of these which bore the heat of the battle, and re- pulsed the enemy. The Spaniard, as often as he had done before, so now with great earnestness sent to the duke of Parma, to send forty fly' 1 *]! k, y feijL'{^'>**N- :f:.1*' ■"■ I 326 BOOK OF MARTYRS. coming, commanded all the lleet to heavo up their anchoi-s, but so as the danger being past, every sln[) might i-eturn again to his own sta- tion; and he himself returned, givi;jg a sign to the rest l>y shouting off a gun; which was heart! but by a few, for they were far olf scat- tered some into the open ocean, some through fear were driven upon the shallows of the coast of Flanders. Over against Gravelling the Spanish fleet began to gather themselves together. But upon them came Drake and Fenncr, and battered thern with great ordnance : to these Fenton, Southwel, Boeston, Cross, lliniun and presently after the lord admiral, and Sheilield, came in. The Duke Medina, Leva, Oquenda, Ilicaldns, and othera, with nuich ado in gettinir themselves out of the shallows, sustained the English ships as well us they might, until most of their ships were pierced and torn; the gal- leon St. Matthew, governed by Diego Pimentellas, coming to aid Fran- cis Toleton, being in the St. Philip, was pierced and shaken with the reiterated shots of Seimor and Winter, and driven to Ostend, and was at last taken by the Flushingers. The St. Philip came to the like end- so did the galleon of Biscay, and divers others. The last day of this month, the Spanish fleet striving to recover the straits again, were driven towards Zealand. The English left ofl' pur- suing them, as the Spaniards thought, because they saw them in a manner cast away ; for they could not avoid the shallows of Zealand. But the wind turning, they got them out of the shallows, and then began to consult what were best for them to do. By common consent they resolved to return into Spain by the Northern Seas, for they wanted many necessaries, especially shot; their ships were torn, and thev had no hope that the duke of Parma could bring forth his forces. And so they took the sea, and followed tlie course toward the north. The English navy followed, and sometimes the Spanish turned upon the Enghsh, insomuch that it was tliought by many that they would turn back again. Queen Elizabeth caused an army to encamp at Tilbury. After the army had come thither, her majesty went in person to visit the camp, which then lay between the city of London and the sea, under the charge of the earl of Leicester, where placing herself between the enemy and her city, she viewed her army, passing through it divers times, and lodging in the borders of it, returned again and dined in the army. Afterwards when they were all reduced into battle, prepared as it were for flght, she rode round about with a leader^s stafl* in her hand, only accompanied with the general, and three or four others at- tending upon her.f fTbe queen made the following onimated speech to the tmopi assembled at Tilbury; "My loving people, we have been persuaded by some, that are careful of our safe- ty, to take heed how v/e commit ourselves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure yoi^, I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving pconie.— Let tyrants fear : I have always so behaved myself, that under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and g'wd will of my suhjectt. And therefore I am come among you at this lime, not as for my >"ecreation or sport, but being rcsoivcl, in tlie midst and heat of the battle, to live or die among you all; 'flit I p*': 3, but so as lis owu 8la- Uy shooting tar off scal- ilriven upon !r tUeniselvea )attcrci\ them Jross, Riinun, ,, The Duke ado ill getting ips as well as torn; the gal- g to aid Fran- aken with the stead, and was Lo the like end; I to recover the Ish left oft' pur- saw them in a )ws of Zealand. , and then began on consent they ■or they wanted torn, and they his forces. And tlie north. The Aimed upon the ley would turn bury. After the , visit the camp, J sea, under the Eelf between the through it divers 1 and dined in the I battle, prepared der's staff in her Cr four others at- ambled at Tilbury; |! cateiul of our safe- lot fear of treachery; lad loving peonje.- ] God, I have placed will of my su*'J«<="' , vecreation or spori, . die among you all; BOOK OP MARTYHS. 327 I could enlarge the description hereof with many more particulars ot mine own observation, (says the author,) for I wandered, as many others did, from place to place, all the day, and never heard a word spoke of her, but in praising her for her stately person and princely behaviour, in praying for her long life, and earnestly desiring to ven- ture their lives for her safety. In her presence they sung psalms of praise to Almighty God> for which she greatly commended them, and devoutly praised God with them. This that I write, you may be sure I do not with any comfort, but to give you these manifest arguments that neither this queen did discontent her people, nor her people show any discontent in any thing they were commanded to do for her ser- vice, as heretofore hath been imagined. This account was related by a popish spy, in a letter written here in England to Mendea. The copy of which letter was found upon Rich- ard Leigh, a seminary priest in French and English : which priest was executed for high treason while the Spanish Armada was at sea. The same day whereon the last fight was, the duke of Parma, after his vows offered to the lady of Ilalla, came somewhat late to Dunkirk, and was received with very opprobrious language by tho Spaniards, as if in favour of queen Elizabeth he had slipped the fair- est opportunity that could be to do the service. He, to make some satisfaction, punished the purveyors that had not made provision of beer, bread, &-c. which was not yet ready nor embarked, secretly smi- ling at the insolence of the Spaniards, when he heard them bragging, that what way soever they came upon England, they would have an undoubted victory; that the English were not able to endure the sight of them. The English admiral appointed Seimor and the Hollanders to watch upon the coast of Flanders that the duke of Parma should not come out; whilst he himself close followed the Spaniards until they were past Edinburgh Frith. The Spaniards, seeing all hopes fail, fled amain; and so this great navy, being three years preparing with great expense, was within one month overthrown, and, after many were killed, being chased again, was driven about all England, by Scotland, the Oreades, and Ireland, tossed and damaged with tempests, much dimini^ed, and went home without glory. There were not a hundred men of the to lay down, for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honour and my blood, even in the dust. I know I have but the body of a weak and feeble wo- man, but I have the heart of a king, and of a king of England too; and think foui «corn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the bor- ders of my realms: To which rather than any dishonour should grow by me, I myself will take up arms; I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already, by your forwardness, that you have de- served rewards and crowns; and I do assure you, on the word of a prince, they shall be duly paid you. In the mean time my lieutenant-general shall be in my stead, than whom never prince commanded a more noble and worthy subjoct ; not doubting by your obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp, and your valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over those enemies of my God, of iny kingdom, and of my people. 26* r , •it I 1 ♦ >'t." ''■ i ■ r. 1 h" .1^ A.: , I 328 BOOK OF MARTYSS. English lost, and but one ship. Whereupon money was coined with a navy fleeing away in full sail, with this inscription, Vcnity Vidit, Fttgit. Others were coined with the ships on fire, the navy con- founded, inscribed, in honour of the queen. Dux Famina Facti. As they fled, it is certain that many of their ships were cast away upon the shores of Scotland and Ireland. About seven hundred soldiers and mariners were cast away upon the Scottish shore, who, at the duke of Parma's intercession with the Scotch king, the queen of England consenting, were aHer a year sent into Flanders. But they' that were cast upon the Irish shore came to more miserable fortunes- for some were killed by the wild Irish, and others were destroyed for fear they should join themselves with the wild Irish, (which cruelty queen Elizabeth much condemned,) and the rest being afraid, sick and hungry, with their disabled smps, committed themselves to the sea, and many were drowned. The queen went to public thanksgiving in St. FauPs church, ac- companied by a glorious train of nobility, through the streets of Lon- don, which were hung with blue cloth, the companies standing on both sides in their liveries; the banners that were taken from the enemies were spread; she heard the sermon, and public thanks were rendered unto God with great joy. This public joy was augmented, when Sir Robert Sidney returned from Scotland, and brought from the king assurances of his noble mind and affection to the queen, and to religion; which as in sincerity he had establishe<^, so he purposed tp maintain with all his power. Sir Robert Sidney was sent to him when the Spanish fleet was coming, to congratulate and return thanks for his great affection towards the maintenance of the common cause; and to declare how ready she would be to help him if the Spaniards should land in Scotland; and that he might recal to memory with what strange ambition the Spaniards had gaped for all Britain, urging the pope to excommunicate him, to the end that he might be thrust from the kingdom of Scotland, and from the succession in England : and to give him notice of the threatening of Mendoza, and the pope's nuncio, who threatened his ruin if they could effect it: and therefore warned him to take special heed to the Scottish papists. The king pleasantly answered that he looked for no other hemk from the Spaniards, than that which Polyphemus promised to Ulysses, to devour him last afler his fellows were devoured. It may not be improper here to subjoin a list of the different articles taken on board the Spanish ships, designed for the tormenting of the protestants, had their scheme taken effect. 1. The common soldiers' pikes, eighteen feet long, pointed witli long iharp spikes, and shod with iron, which were designed to keep off the horse, to facilitate the landing of the infantry. 2. A great number of lances used by the Spanish ofllicers. These were formerly gilt, but the gold is almost worn off by cleaning. 3. The Spanish ranceurs, made in different forms, which were intend- ed either to kill the men on horseback, or pull them off their horses. ill ined with a 'cnitf Vtdit, navy con- Facti. As t away upon Ired soldiers who, at the le queen of 3. But they' ble fortunes; destroyed for vhich cruehy y afraid, sick iselves to the 's church, ao streets of Lon- s standing on iken from the ic thanks were ras augmented, i brought from the queen, and so he purposed jvas sent to him id return thanks common cause; f the Spaniards mory with what tain, urging the t be thrust from England: and to le pope's nuncio, lerefore warned I no other »)enefit lised to Ulysses, different articles )rmenting of the jinted witli long to keep off the officers. These I cleaning. Ihich were intend- off their horses. BOOK OF MARTYRS. 329 4. A very singular piece of arms, being a pistol in a shield, ao contrived as to fire the pistol, and cover the body at the same time, ynlh the shield. It is tu be fired by a match-lock, and the sight of the enemy is to be taken through a little grate in the shield, which is pis- tol proof. 5. The banner, with a crucifix upon it, which was to have been carried before the Spanish general. On it is engraved the pope's benediction before the Spanish fleet sailed : for the pope came to the water side, and, on seeing the fleet, blessed it, and styled it invincible. 6. The Spanish cravats, as they are called. These are engines of torture, made of iron, and put on board to lock together the feet, arms and heads of Englishmen. 7. Spanish bilboes, made of iron likewise, to yoke the English prisoners two t\,nd two. 8. Spanish shot, which are of four sorts: pike-shot, star-shot, chain-shot, and link-shot, all admirably contrived, as well for the destruction of the masts and rigging of ships, as for sweeping the decks of their men. 9. Spanish spadas poisoned at the points, so that if a man received the slightest wound with one of them, certain death was the conse- quence. 10. A Spanish poll-axe, used in boarding of ships. 11. Thumb-screws, of which there were several chests full on board the Spanish fleet. The use they were intended for is said to have been to extort confession from the English where their money was hid. 12. The Spanish morning star; a destructive engine resembling the figure of a star, of which there were many thousands on board, and all of them with poisoned points; and were designed to strike at the ene- my as they came on board, in case of a close attack. 13. The Spanish general's halberd, covered with velvet. All the nails of this weapon are double gilt with gold; and on its top is the pope's head, curiously engraved. 14. A Spanish battle-axe, so contrived, as to strike four holes in a man's head at once; and has besides a pistol in its handle, with a match-lock. 15. The Spanish general^ shield, carried before him as an ensign of honour. On it are depicted, in most curious workmanship, the la- hours of Hercules, and other expressive allegories. When the Spanish prisoners were asked by some of the English what their intentions were, had their expedition succeeded, they re- plied, <^To extirpate the whole from the island, at least all heretics, (as they called the protestants,) and to send their souls to hell." Strange infatuation! Ridiculous bigotry! How prejudiced must the minds of those men be, who would wish to dtistroy their fellow-crea- tures, not only in this world, but, if it were possible, in that which is to come, merely because they reiused to believe on certain subjects as the Spaniards themselves did." », t ':■* ^v * H ■.tiv 1^ ,'l^rifl if:K:^ »! ^ ^f, «l j:'.^ =,( t! ■%.! : *'' I ; 330 BOOK OP MARTYRS. A conspiracy hy the Papists for the ilestrvction of James I. the royal family, and both houses of Parliament; commonly known hy the name of the Gunpowder Plot. The papists (of which there were great numbers in England at the time of the intended Spanish invasion) were so irritated at the failure of that expedition, that they were determined, if possible, to project a scheme at home, that might answer the purposes, in some degree, of their blood-thirsty competitors. The vigorous administration of Eliza- beth, however, prevented their carrying any of their iniquitous de- signs into execution, although they made many attempts with that view. The commencement of the reign of her successor was destined to be the era of a plot, the barbarity of which transcends every thing related in ancient or modern history. In order to crush popery in the most effectual manner in this kinir- dom, James, soon after his succession, took proper measures for eclipsing the power of the Roman Catholics, by enforcing those laws which had been made against them by his predecessors. This en- raged the papists to such a degree, that a conspiracy was formed, by some of the principal leaders, of the most daring and impious nature- namely, to blow up the king, royal family, and both houses of parlia- ment, while in full session, and thus to involve the nation in utter and inevitable ruin. The cabal who formed the resolution of putting in practice this horrid scheme, consisted of the following persons: — Henry Garnet, an Englisman, who, about the year 1586, had been sent to England as superior of the English Jesuits; Catesby, an English gentleman; Tesmond, a Jesuit; Thomas Wright; two gentlemen of the name of Winter; Thomas Percy, a near relation of the earl of Northumber- land; Guido Fawkes, a bold and enterprising soldier of fortune; Sir Edward Digby; John Grant, Esq.; Francis Tresham, Esq.; Robert Keyes and Thomas Bates, gentlemen. Most of these were men both of birth and fortune ; and Catesby, who had a large estate, had already expended two thousand pouiidj m several voyages to the court of Spain, in order to introduce an army of Spaniards into England, for overturning the protestant government, and restoring the Roman Catholic religion; but, being disappointed in this project of an invasion, he took an opportunity of disclosing to Percy, (who was his intimate friend, and who, in a sudden fit of pas- sion, had hinted a design of assassinating the king) a nobler and more extensive plan of treason, such as would include a sure execution of vengeance, and, at one blow, consign over to destruction all their enemits. Percy assented to the project proposed by Catesby, and they resolved to impart the nratter to a few more, and, by degrees to all the rest of their cabal, every man being binrnd by an oath, and taking the sacra- ment, (tho most sacred rite of their religion,) not to disclose the least syllable of the inatter, or to withdraw v BOOK OP MAETYBI. 335 [ have a care for ;endcr your life, e at this parlia- iie wickedness of ;, but retire your- rent with safety; I say they shall ley shall not see id, because it may ;r is past so soon jod will give you sction I commend what judgment to 1 slight the adver. ies to frighten him frmined on the for- ] apprehending the at midnight to the lie meaning of it; and waggish coll- ar to consult about expression, "that them," made them ]me of parliament, (Tunpowder, while kmberlain thought tllar under the par- Id for any thing but )f the palace; and Ittingham, Worces- till the king came His majesty being shown the letter by the earls, who, at the same time acquainted him with their suspicions, was of opinion that either nothing should be done, or else enough to prevent the danger: and that a search should be made on the day preceding that designed for the ex- cution of the diabolical enterprise. Accordingly, on Monday, the 4th of November, in the aflernoon, the lord chamberlain, whose office it was to see all things put in readinen for the king^s coming, acompanied by Monteagle, went to visit all places about the parliament-house, and taking a slight occasion to see the cellar, observed only piles of billets and uigots, but in greater num- ber than he thought Wineyard could want for his own use. On his ask- ing who owned the wood, and being told it belonged to one Mr. Percy, he began to have some suspicions, knowing him to be a ri^id papist, and 80 seldom theru, that he had no occasion for such a quantity of fuel ; sod Monteagle confirmed him therein, by observing that Percy had made him great professions of friendship. Though there was no other nuterials visible, yet Suffolk thought it was necessary to make a further search; and, upon his return to the king, a resolution was taken that it should be made in such a manner u should be efiectual, without scandalizing any body, or giving any iiann. Sir Thomas Knevet, steward of Westminster, was accordingly order- ed, under the pretext of searching for stolen tapestry hangings in that place, and other houses thereabouts, to remove the wood, and see if any ihing was concealed underneath. This gentleman going at midnight, with several attendants, to the cellar, met Fawkes, just coming out of it, booted and spurred, with a tinder-box and three matches in his pockets; and seizing him without any ceremony, or asking him any questions, as soon as the removal of the wood discovered the barrels of gun-powder, he caused him to be bound, and properly secured. Fawkes, who was a hardened and intrepid villain, made no hesitaticm dS avowing the design, and that it was to have been executed on the morrow. He made the same acknowledgment at his examination before a committee of the council ; and though he did not deny having some associates in this conspiracy, yet no threats of torture could make him discover any of them, he declaring that <i- riicles were wrouglit by his l)lood, and regarded him as a martyr! Such is tine dead- I Miiiig and pervei'tiiig iiiduence of popery. 27 '■|H ■ii v' ?:* *' , ■■*H. ^KU ;' t Iv^P * ^■' " !'■ J V' i '« k^% '; .. '' I,' il* ' ?lf~'lW Niif 338 BOOK OF MAItTYRS. had formerly been an Augustine friar, and was promoted to the mitre on account of his merit. After having enjoyed his dignity about five years, he, at the time chat Henry VIII. was suppressing the religious houses in England, caused all the relicij and images to be removed out of the two cathedrals in Dublin, and the other churches in his diocess; in the place of which he caused to be put up the Lord's prayer, the creed, and the ten com- mandments. A short time after this he received a letter from Thomas Cromwell, lord-privy seal, informing him that Henry VIII. having thrown off the papal supremacy in England, was determined to do the like in Ire- land; and that he thereupon had appointed him (archbishop Browne) one of the commissionoi-s for seeing this order put in execution. The archbishop answered, that he had employed his utmost endeavours, at the hazard of his life, to cause the Irish nobility and gentry to ac- knowledge Henry as their supreme head, in matters both spiritual and temporal; but had met with a most violent opposition, especially from George, archbishop of Armagh ; that this prelate had, in a speech to his clergy, laid a curse on all those who should own his highness'f supremacy: adding, that their isle, called in the Chronicles Insvk Sacra, or the Holy Island, l)elonged to none but the bishop of Rome* and that the king's progenitors had received it from the pope. He observed likewise, that the archbishop and clergy of Armagh, had each despatched a coui'ier to Rome; and that it would be necessary for a parliament to be called in Ireland, to pass an act of supremacy, the people not regarding the king's commission without the sanction of the legislative assembly. He concluded with observing, that tlie popes had kept the people in the most profound ignorance; that the clergy were exceedingly illiterate; that the common people were more zealous, in their blindness, than the saints and martyrs had been in the defence of truth at the beginning of the gospel ; and that it was to be feared Shan O'Neal, a chieftain of great power in the northern part of the island, was decidedly opposed to the king's com* mission. In pursuance of this advice, the following year a parliament was sunrunoiied to meet at Dublin, by order of Leonard Grey, at that time lurd-lieatenant. At this assembly archbishop Browne made a speecli, in which he set forth, that the bishops of Rome used, anciently, to acknowledge emperors, kings, and princes, to be supreme in their own domi.iioiis ; and, therefore, that he himself would vote king Henry VIII. as supreme in all matters, both ecclesiastical and temporal. He con- cluded with saying, that whosoever should refuse to vote for this act, was not a true subject of the king. This speech greatly startled the I otlier bishops and lords ; but at length, after violent debates, the king's j supremacy was allowed. Two years after this, the archbishop wrote a second letter to lonij tThe king of England was at that time called highness,, not majesti/, as at present, I to the mitre I, at the time in England, vo cathedrals lace of which I the ten com- las Cromwell, brown off the le like in Ire- ishop Browne) Lecution. The ist endeavours, d gentry to ac- ; both spiritual tion, especially had, in a speech n his highness't ironicles hsvh )ishop of Rome; I the pope. He of Armagh, had lid be necessary >t of supremacy, lOUt the sanction (Serving, that the lorance; that the lon people were jartyrs had been (spel; and that it eat power in the Ito the king's com- a parliament was Grey, at that time M made a speech, [used, anciently, to Verne in their own ! king Henry VUl. bmporal. He con- } vote for this act, , ;rreatlv startled the [debates, the kings Lnd letter to lord ma/Mi-/, as at present.! BOOK OF >L\RTYRS. 339 Cromwell, complaining of the clergy, and hinting at the machina- tions which the pope was then carrying on against the advocates of the gospel. This letter is dated from Dublin, in April, 1538; and among other matters, the archbishup says, "A bird may be taught to speaK with as much sensa as many of tie clergy do in this country. These, though not scholars, yet are crafty to cozen the poor common people and to dissuade them from following his highness' orders. The country folk here much hate your lordship, and despitefuUy call you, in their Irish tongue, the Blacksmith's Son. As a friend, I desire your lordship to look well to your noble person. Rome hath a great kindness for the duke of Norfolk, and great favors for this nation, purposely to oppose his highness." A short time after this, the pope sent over to Ireland (directed to the Archbishop of Armagh and his clergy) a bull of excommunicar tion against all who had, or should own the king's supremacy within the Irish nation; denouncing a curse on all of them, and theirs, who should not, within forty days, acknowledge to their confessors, that they had done amiss in so doing. Archbishop Browne gave notice of this in a letter, dated, Dublin, May, 1538. Part of the form of confession, or vow, sent over to these Irish papists, ran as follows; "I do farther declare him or her, father or mother, brother or sister, son or daughter, husband or wife, uncle or aunt, nephew or niece, kinsman or kinswoman, master or mistress, and al' ot r-rp, nearest or dearest relations, friend or acquaintance whatsoe\ e arsed, that either do or shall hold, for the time to come, an^ :;esiastical or civil power above the authority of the mother church ; or that do or shall obey, for the time to come, any of her the mother of churches' opposers or enemies, or contrary to the same, of which I have here sworn unto: so God, the Blessed Virgin, St. Peter, St. Paul, and the Holy Evangelists, help me, &c." This is an exact agreement with the doctrines promulgated by the councils of Lateran and Constance, which expressly declare, that no favour should be shown to heretics, nor faith kept with them; that they ought to be excommunicated and condemned, and their estates confiscated j and that princes are obliged, by a solemn oath, to root them out of their respective dominions. How abominable a church must that be, which thus dares to tram- ple upon all authority ! how besotted the people who regard the injunc- tions of such a church! In the archbishop's last-mentioned letter, dated May, 1538, he says, "His highness' viceroy of this nation is of little or no power with the old natives. Now both English and Irish begin to oppose your lord- ship's orders, and to hiy aside their national quarrels, wliich I fear will (ifany thing will) causa a foreigner to invade this nation." Not long after this. Archbishop Browne seized one Thady O'Brian, a Franciscan friar, who had in his possossion a paper sont from Rome, dated May, 1.538, and directed to O'Neal. In this letter were the following words: "His holiness, Paul, now pope, and the council of ... t'i' *i } }. if Y 'V » i ( 340 BOOK OF MARTYRS. !^ '' il iW the fathers, have lately found, in Rome, a pmphecy of one St. La cerianus, an Irish bishop of Cnshel, in which ho saith, that the nio- ther church of Rome falleth, when, in Ireland, the catliolic faith is overcome. Therefore, for the glory of the mother church, the honoiir of St. Peter, and your own securencss, suppress heresy, as.d his holi- ness' enemies." This Thady O'Brian, after farther examination and search made was pilloried, and kept close prisoner, till the king's orders arrived in what manner he should be farther disposed of. But order comiiiv over from England that he was to be hanged, he laid violent hands on himself in the castle of Dublin. Ilis body was afterwards carried to Gallows-green, where, after being hanged up for some time, it was interred. After the accession of Edward VI. to the throne of England, an order was directed to Sir Anthony Leger, the lord-deputy of Ireland, commanding that the liturgy in English be forthwith set up in Ireland, there to be observed within the several bishoprics, cathedrals, and parish churches; and it was first read in Christ-church, Dublin, on Easter day, 1551, before the said Sir Anthony, Archbishop Browne^ and others. Part of the royal order for this purpose was as follows: "Whereas, our gracious father, King Henry VIII. taking into conside- ration the bondage and heavy yoke that his true and faithful sul jccts sustamed, under the jurisdiction of the bishop of Rome; how several fabulous stories and lying wonders misled our subjects; dispensing with the sins of our nations, by their indulgences and pardons, fur gain; purposely to cherish all evil vices, as robberies, rebellions, theft, whoredoms, blasphemy, idolatry, &c. our gracious father here- upon dissolved all priories, monasteiies, abbeys, and other pretended religious houses; as being but nurseries for vice or luxury, more than for sacred learning," &.C. On the day after the common-prayer was first used in Christ-church, Dublin, the following wicked scheme was projected by the papists: In the church was left a marble image of Christ, holding a reed in his hand, with a crown of thorns on his head. Whilst the English ser- vice (the Conunon Prayer) was being read before the lord-lieutenant, the archbishop of Dublin, the privy-council, '-he lord-mayor, and a great congregation, blood was seen to run through the crevices of the crown of thorns, and to trickle down the face of the image. On this. some of the contrivers of the imposture cried aloud* "Srehowoui Saviour's image sweats blood! But it must necessarily do this, since heresy is come into the church." Immediately many of the lowei order of people, indeed the tvlgar of all ranks, were terrified at the sight of so miraculous and undeniable an evidence of the divine dis- pleasure; they hastened from the church, convinced that the doc- trines of protestanism emanated from an infernal source, and that salvation was only to be found in the bosom of their own infaUihk church. This incident, however ludicrous it may appear to the enlighlened one St. La that the mo- liolic fiiith is U, the honour nr.d his holi- scarch made, )ri\ers arrived order conu;i;5 olent har.ds on •wards cariicJ le time, it was of England, an uty of Ireland, it up in Ireland, cathedrals, and Tch, Dublin, on .bishop Browne, was as follows; ing into conside- faithful subjects me; how several iects; dispensing ind pardons, for leries, rebellions, ious father Ueve- i other pretended ixury, naor« than in Christ^huTch, ,y the papists: 1 holding a reed m 3t the English ser- he lord-lieutenant, Ird-mayor, and a le crevices of the image. On this, ,d' "Srehowoui rily do this, since any of the lowei [re terrified at tk of the divine dis- ced that the doc- source, and thai bir own mja! to the en^ lightened BOOK OF MARTYRS. 341 reader, had great influence over the minds of the ignorant Irish, and answered the ends of the impudent imposters who contit^ved it, so far as to check the progress of the reformed religion in Ireland very ma- terially ; many persons could not resist the conviction that there were many errors and corruptions in the Romish church, but they were awed into silence by this pretended manifestation of Divine wrat'i, which was magnified beyond measure by the bigoted and interested priesthood. We have very few particulars as to the state of religion in Ireland during the remaining portion of the re'gn of Edward VI. and the great- er part of that of Mary. Towards the conclusion of the barbarous sway of that relentless bigot, she attempted to extend her inhuman per- secutions to this island; but her diabolical intentions were happily frustrated in the following providential manner, the particulars of which are related by historians of good authority. Mary had appointed Dr. Cole (an agent of the blood-thirsty Bonner) one of the commissioners for carrying her barbarous intentions into effect. He having arrived at Chester with his commission, the mayor of that city, being a papist, waited upon him; when the doctor taking out of his cloak-bag a leathern case, said to him, "Here is a commis- sion that shall lash the heretics of Ireland." The good woman of the house being a protestant, and having a brother in Dublin, named John Edmunds, was greatly troubled at what she heard. But watching her opportunity, whilst the mayor was taking his leave, and the doctor po- litely accompanying him down stairs, she opened the box, took out the commission, and in its stead laid a sheet of paper, with a pack of cards, and the knave of clubs at top. The doctor, not suspecting the trick thai had been played him, put up the box, and arrived with it in Dub- lin, in September, 1558. Anxious to accomplish the intentions of his "|MOtt«" mistress, he inamediately waited upon Lord Fitz- Walter, at that time viceroy, and presented the box to him; which being opened, nothing was foimd in it but a pack of cards. This startling all the persons present, his lordship said, "We must procure another conmiission; and in the mean time let us shuffle the cai-ds!" Dp. Cole, however, would have directly returned to England to get another commission; but waiting for a favourable wind, news arrived that queen Mary was dead, and by this means the protestants escapetl a most cruel persecution. The above relation as we before observed, is confirmed by historians of the greatest credit, who add, that queen Elizabeth settled a pension of forty oounds per annum upon the above mentioned Elizabeth Edmunds, for having thus saved the lives of her protestant subjects. During the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. Ireland was almost constantly agitated by rebellions and insurrections, which, although not always taking their rise from the diflfereace of religious opinions, between the English and Irish, were aggravated and rendered more bitter and irreconcilable from that cause. The popish priests artfully 27* ■I. 5- f^V i'-' H i-' ff ■i '* ' r :♦' ,1 V'MVi .;'■ . mm ''■ft 1' {:iv1 •> 342 BOOK OP MARTYRS. exaggerated the faults of the English government, and continually urged to thrir ignorant and prejudiced hearers the lawfulness of killing the protcatants, assuring them that all catholics who were slain in the prosecution of so pious an enterprise, would be imme- diately received into everlasting felicity. The naturally ungovcrna- h\i dispositions of the Irish, acted upon by these designing men, drove them into continual acts of barbarous and uiij;istitiable vjo. lence; and it must be confessed that the unsettled and arbitrary nature of the authority exercised by the English governors, was bud' little calculated to gain their affections. The Sj)aniards, too, bv landing forces iu the south, and giving every encouragement to the discontented natives to join their standard, kept the island in a contin- ual state of turbulence and warfare. In 1601, they disembarked a body of 4000 men at Kinsale, and commenced what they called ^Hh holy war for the preservation of the faith in Ireland;''^ they were as- sisted by great numbers of the msh, but were at length totally defeated by the deputy, lord Mountjoy, and his officers. This closed the transactions of Elizabcth^s reign with respect to Ireland; an interval of apparent tranquility followed, but the popish priesthood, ever restless and designing, sought to undermine by secret machinations, that government and that faith v/hich they durst no longer openly attack. The pacific reign of James afforded them the opportunity of increasing their strength and maturing their schemes, and under his successor, Charles I. their numbers were greatly in- creased by titular Romish archbishops, bishops, deans, vicars-general, abbots, priests, and friars; for which reason, in 1629, the public exer- cise of the popish rites and ceremonies was forbidden. But notwithstanding this, soon aflerwards, the Romish clergy- erected a new popish university in the city of Dublin. They also proceeded to build monasteries and nunneries in various parts of the kingdom; in which places these very Romish clergy, and the chiefs of the Irish, held frequent meetings; and from thence, used to pass to and fro, to France, Spain, Flanders, Lorrain, and Rome; where the detestable plot of 1641 was hatching by the family of the O^Nealsand their followers. A short time before the horrid conspiracy broke out, which we are now going to relate, the papists in Ireland had presented a remon- strance to the lords-justices of that kingdom, demanding the free exercise of their religion, and a repeal of all laws to the contrary; to which both houses of parliament in England, solemnly answered, that they would never grant any toleration to the popish religion in that kingdom. This farther irritated the papists to put in execution the diabulical plot concerted for the destruction of the protestants; and it failed not of the success wished for by its malicious and rancorous projectors. The design of this horrid conspiracy was, that a general insurrec- tion should take place at the same time throughout the kingdom, and that all the protestants, without exception, should be murdered. Tho 1 continually ivw fulness of cs who were lid be imme- iy ungovcrna- signing men, •istitiable vio- and arbitrar); mors, was but liards, too, by icrenient to the ,nd in a contin- dissmbarked a hey called "tA« " they were as- totally defeated with respect to , but the popish ermine \)y secret ;h they durst no iforded them the ig their schemes, were greatly in- s, vicars-general, ^ the public exer- i. Romish clerg)- blin. They also rious parts of the ry, and the chiefs •e, used to pass to Rome; where the the O'Neals and Ition the diabolical ind it failed not of fs projectors, "i general insurrec- 1 the kingdom, and , murdered. Tho " BOOK OF MARTYRS. 343 day fixed for this horrid massacre, was the 23d of October, 1041, the feast of Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits; and the chief conspir- ators, in tho principal parts of the kingdom, made the necessary pre- parations for the intended conflict. In order that this detested scheme might the more infallibly succeed, the most distinguished artifices were practised by the papists; and their behaviour in their visits to the protestants, at this time, was with more teeming kindness than they had hitherto shown, which was done the more completely to effect the inhuman and treacherous designs then med- itating against them. The execution of this savage conspiracy was delayed till the ap- proach of winter, that sending troops from England might be attended with greater dithculty. Oar^'' I Richlieu, the Fren '^ -^vnister, had promised the conspirator coi.. rablo supply of m< und money; and many Irish officers had given the strongest assurances that they would heartily concur with their catholic brethren, as soon as the in- surrection took place. The day preceding that appointed for carrying this horrid design into execution, was now arrived, when, happily for the metropolis of the kingdom, the conspiracy was discovered by one Owen O'Connelly, an Irishman, for which most signal service the English parliament voted him 5002. and a pension of 2002. during his life. So very seasonably was this plot discovered, even but a few hours before the city and castle of Dublin were to have been surprised, that the lords-justices had but just time to put themselves, and the city, in a proper posture of defence. The lord M'Guire, who was the princi- pal leader here, with his accomplices, were seized the same evening in in the city; and in their lodgings were found swords, hatchets, pole- axes, hammers, and such other instruments of death as had been pre- pared for the destruction and extirpation of the protestants in that part of the kingdom. Thus was the metropolis happily preserved; but the bloody part of the intended tragedy was past prevention. The conspirators were in amis all over the kingdom early in the morning of the day appointed, and every protestant who fell in their way was immediately murdered. No age, no 83X, no condition, was spared. The wife weeping for her butchered hasband, and embracing her helpless children, was pierced with them, and perished by the same stroke. The old, the young, the vigorous, and the infirm, underwent the same fate, and were blend- ed in one common ruin. In vain did flight save from the first assault; destruction was every where let loose, and met the hunted vi-tims at every turn. In vain was recourse had to relations, to companions, to friends; all connexions were dissolved; and death was dealt by that hand from which protection was implored and expected. VVithout provocation, without opposition, the astonished English, living in pro- found peace, and, as they thought, full security, were nrassacred by their nearest neighbours, with whom they had long maintained a con tinned intercourse of kiadness and gtxxl olHccs. Nny, even death l^:;^■*« '^ \ » *■ ■'... ''\ i" M . .,l■:i»^it m 344 BOOK OF MARTYRS. was the slightest punishment inflicted by these monsters in human form; all the tortures which wanton cruelty could invent, all the Hn gering pains of body, the anguish of mind, the agunies of despair could nut satiate revenge excited without injury, and cruelly derived from no just cause whatever. Depraved nature, even perverted reli- gion, though encouraged by the utmost license, cannot reach to a greater pitch of ferocity than appeared in these merciless barbarians. Even the weaker sex themselves, naturally tender to their own suf- ferings, and compassionate to those of others, have emulated their ro- bust companions in the practice of every cruelty. The very children taught by example, and encouraged by the exhortation of their parents dealt their feeble blows on the dead carcasses of the defenceless child- ren of the English. Nor was the avarice of the Irish sufficient to produce the least re* straint on their cruelty. Such was their frenzy, that the cattle they had seized, and by rapine had made their own, were, because thev bore the name of English, wantonly slaughtered, or, when coverd with wounds, turned loose into the woods, there to perish by slow and lingering torments. The commodious habitations of the planters were laid in ashes, or levelled with the ground. And where the wretched owners had shut themselves up in the houses, and were preparing for defence, they perished in the flames together with their wives and children. Such is the general description of this unparalleled massacre; but it now remains, trom the nature of our work, that we proceed to par- ticulars. The bigoted and merciless papists had no sooner begun to imbrue their hands in blood, than they repeated the horrid tragedy day after day, and the protestants in all parts of the kingdom fell victims to their fury by deaths of the most unheard of cruelty. The ignorant Irish were more strongly instigated to execute the in- fernal business by the Jesuits, priests, and friars, who, when the dav fw the execution of the plot was agree^l on, recommended in their prav- , ers, diligence in the great design, which they said would greatly lend to the prosperity of the kingdom, and to the advancement of the Catho- lic cause. They every where declared to the common people, that the protestants were heretips,and ought not to be suflered to live any longer among them ; adding, that it was no more sin to kill an Englishman than to kill a dog; and that the relieving or protecting them wasaj crime of the most unpardonable nature. The papists having besieged the town and castle of Longford, and | the inhabitants of the latter, who were protestants, surrendering condition of being allowed quarter, the besiegers, the instant the I towns-people appeared, attacked them in a most unmerciful manner, their priest, as a signal for the rest to fall on, first ripping open tliej belly of tlie English protestant minister; after whicli his followers murdered all the rest, some of whom they hung, othi^rs were stabbed I Hn'. .IS le the least re- the cattle they e, because they •, when covered ish by slow and run to imbrue their day after day, and to their fury by leof Longford, and L, surrendering on rs the instant the] Lnmercifnl manneT, tt ripping open \k vhich his followers others were stabbed BOOK OF MARTYRS. 345 or shot, and great numbers knocked on the head with axes provided for the purpose. . The garrison at Sligo was treated in like man.ier by O'Connor giyjrah; who, upon the protestants quitting their holds, piomised them quarter, and to convey thorn safe over tiie Curlew mountains, to Roscommon. But he first imprisoned them in a most loathsome jail, allowing them only grains for their food. Afterward, when some papists were merry over their cups, who were come to congratu late their wicked brethren for their victory over these unhappy creatures, those protestants who survived were brought forth by the White-friars, and were either killed, or precipitated over the bridge into a swift river, where they were soon destroyed. It is added, that this wicked company of White-friars went, some time after, in solemn procession, with holy water in their hands, to sprinkle the river; on pretence of cleansing and purifying it from the stains and pollution of the blood and dead bodies of the herolii's, as they called the unfortunate protestants who were inhumanly slaughtered at this very time. At Kilmorc, Dr. Bedell, bishop of that see, had charitably settled and supported a great number of distressed protestants, who had fled from their habitations to escape the diabolical cruelties committed by the papists. But they did not long enjoy the consolation of living tocether; the good prelate was forcibly dragged from his episcopal residence, which was immediately occupied by Dr. Swiney, the popish titular bishop of Kilmore, who said mass in the church the Sunday following, and then seized on all the goods and effects belonging to the persecuted bishop. Soon after this, the papists forced Dr. Bedell, his two sons, and the rest of his family, with some of the chief of the protestants whom he had protected, into a ruinous castle, called Lochwater, situated in a lake near the sea. Here he remained with his companions some weeks, all of them daily expecting to be put to death. The greatest part of them were stripped naked, by which means, as the season was cold, (it being in the month of December) and the building in which t.iey were confined open at the top, they suffered the most severe hardshipf?. They continued in this situation till the 7th of January, when they were all released. The bishop was courteously received into the house of Dennis O'Sheridan, one of his clergy, whom he had made a convert to the church of England ; but he did not long survive this kindness. During his residence here, he spent the whole of his time in religious exercises, the better to fit and pre- pare himself and his sorrowful companions, for their great change as nothing but certain death was perpetually before their eyes. He was at this time in the 71st year of his age, and being afflicted with a violent ague caujjht in his late cold and desolate habitation ou the lake, it soon threw him into a fever of the most dangerous nature. Finding his dissolution at hand, he received it with joy, like one of e primitive martyrs just hastening to his crown of glory. After I. ..ft 'v.. tr' i' 1 i: . '4 1^ I ■« •■ iA'^ 846 BOOK OF MARTYBS. having addressed his little flock, and exhorted them to patience, in (lie most puthctic manner, as they saw their own last day approaching| after having solemnly blessed his people, his fnmily, and his children, he finished the course of his ministry and life together, on the 7th day of February, 1042. His friends and relations applied to the intruding bishop for leave to bury him, which was with difficulty obtained; he, at first telling them that the churchyard was holy ground, and should be no longer defiled with heretics : however, leave was at last granted, and though the church funeral service wus iioi used at the solemnity, (for fear of the Irish papists) yet some of the better sort, who had the highest veneration for him while living, at- tended his remains to the grave. At his interment, they discharged a volley of shot, crying out, "Requiescat in pace ultimas Anglorutn;" that is, May the last of the English rest in peace. Adding, that as ho was one of the best so he should be the last English bishop fuund among them. His learning was very extensive; and he would have given the world a greater proof of it, had he printed all he wrote. Scarce any of his writings were saved; the papists having destroyed most of his papers and his library. He had gathered a vast heap of critical expositions of scripture, all which with a great trunk full of his manuscripts, fell into the hands of the Irish. Happily his great Hebrew MS. was preserved, and is now in the library of Emanuel college, Oxford. In the barony of Tcrawley, the papists, at the instigation of the friars, compelled above forty English protestants, some of whom were women and children, to the hard fate either of fulling by the sword, or of drowning in the sea. These choosing the latter, were accordingly forced, by the naked weapons of their inexorable perse- cutors, into the deep, where, Avith tlioir children in their arms, they first waded up to their chins, and afterwards sunk down and perish»l together. In the castle of Lisgool upwards of one hundred and fifty men, women, and children, were all burnt together; and at the castle of Moneah not less than one hundred were all put to the sword.- Great numbers were also murdered at the castle of Tullah, which was delivered up to M'Guire on condition of having fair quarter; but no sooner had that base villain got possession of the place, than he I ordered his followers to murder the people, which was immediatelj done with the greatest cruelty. Many others were put to deaths of the most horrid nature, and such I as could have been invented only by demons instead of men. Some of them were laid with the centre of their backs on the axle-tree of a carriage, with their legs restiug on the ground on one side, and their | arms and head on the other. In this position one of the sava( scourged the wretched object on the thighs, legs, &,c. while another I set on furious dogs, who tore to pieces the arms and upper parts of the I body; and in this dreadful manner were they deprived of theirexis-j tence. Great numbers were fastened to horses' tails, and the beasts! ience, in the approaching; I his children, r, on the 7th ipplicd to the with difliculty rd was holy lowever, leave irvice wus not et some of the ^hile living, al- hey discharged las Anglorumf Adding, that as ah bishop found 1 he would have d all he wrote. laving destroyed id a vast heap o( sat trunk fulloi lappily his great rary of Emanuel instigation of the some of whom of falling by the the Ititter, were inexorable perse- . their arms, they own and perish«»l ed and fifty men, [ at the castle o( to the sword.- of Tullah, which ' fair quarter; but 16 place, than he I was immediately 1 Id nature, and such \d of men. Some £ the axle-tree of a lone side, and theii ne of the savages I &c. while another a upper parts of the [rived of their exi^ Ills, and the beasta BOOK OF MARTYRS. 347 being set on full gallop by their riders, the wretched victims were dragged along till they expired. Others were hung on lofly gibbets, and a fire being kindled under them, they finished their lives, partly by hanging, and partly by suffocation. Nor did the more tender sex escape the least particle of cruelty that could be projected by their merciless and furious persecutors. Many women, of all ages, were put to deaths of the most cruel na- ture. Some, in particular, were fastened with their backs to strong poets, and being stripped to their waists, the inhuman monsters cut on their right breasts with shears, which, of course, put them to the moat excruciating torments; and in this position they were lefl^ till, from the toss of blood, they expired. Such was the savage ferocity of these barbarians, that oven unborn infants were dragged from the womb to become victims to their rage. Many unhappy mothers were hung naked on the branches of trees, and their bodies being cut open, the innocent offsprings were taken from them, and thrown to dogs and swine. And to increase the horrid scene, they would oblige the husband to be a spectator before suffered himself. At the town of Issenskeath they hanged above a hundred Scottish protestants, showing them no more mercy than they did to the English. M'Guire, going to the castle of that town, desired to speak with the governor, when being admitted, he immediately burnt the records of the county, which were kept there. He then demanded j^lOOO of the governor, which having received, he immediately compelled him to. bear mass, and to SAvear that he would continue st/ to do. And to complete his horrid barbarities, he ordered the wife and children of the governor to be hung before his face ; besides massacreing at least one hundred of the inhabitants. Upwards of one thousand men, wo- men, and children, were driven, in different companies, to Porterdown bridge, which was broken in the middle, and there compelled to throw themselves into the water, and such as attempted to reach the shore were knocked on the head. In the same part of the country, at least four thousand persons were drowned in different places. The inhuman papists, after first strip- ping them, drove them like beasts to the spot fixed on for their destruc- tion; and if any, through fatigue, or natural infirmities, were slack in their pace, they pricked them with their swords and pikes; and to strike terror on the multitude, they murdered some by the way.-— Many of these poor wretches, when thrown into the water, endea voured to save themselves by swimming to the shore; but their mer- ciless persecutors prevented their endeavors taking effect, by shooting them in the water. In one place one hundred and forty English, afler being driven for I many miles stark naked, and in the most severe weather, were all mur- dered on the same spot, some being hanged, others burnt, some shot, [and many of them buried alive; and so cruel were their tormentors, it they would not suffer them to pray before they robbed them of their imiserable existence. \''' ^.. c til it ^ 'ff^^fT^T, ? V -n, 'p mm' .: 348 liUOK OF MAKTYltS. Othor coinpuriics they took under pretence of sufo conduct, who, fiojn that considerution, proceeded cheerfully on their journey; hut wheniho treuchtrous pupims Imd got them to a convenient spot, they hutchcred them ull in the most cruel manner. One hundred und fifteen men, women, and children, were conduct- ed, by order of Sir Phelim O'Neul, to Portordown bridge, where they were all forced into the river, and drowned. One woman, named Campbell, tinding no probability of escaping, suddenly clasped one of the chief of the papists in her arms, and hold him so fast, tliat they were both drowned together. In l^lloman they massacred forty-eight families, among whom twen* ty-two were burnt together in one house. The rest were either hanged, shot, or drowned. In Kilmore the inhabitants, which consisted of about two hundred families, all fell victims to their rage. Some of them sat in the stocks till they confessed where their money was; after which they put them to death. The whole county was one common scene of butchery, and many thousands perished, in a short time, by sword, famine, fire, water, and other the most cruel deaths, tliat rage and malice could invent. These bloody villains showed so much favour to some aa to despatch them immediately ; but they would by no means suffer them to pray, Others they imprisoned in filthy dungeons, putting heavy bolts on their legs, and keeping them there till they were starved to death. At Casel they put all the protestants into a loathsome dungeon, where they kept them together, for several weeks, in the greatest misery. At length they were released, when some of them were bar- barously mangled, and lefl on the highways to perish at leisure; others were hanged, and some were buried in the ground upright, with their heads above the earth, and the papists, to increase their misery, treat- ing them with derision during their sufferings. In the county of An- trim they murdered nine hundred and fifty -four protestants in one morn- ing; and afterward about twelve hundred more in that county. At a town called Lisnegary, they forced twenty-four protestants into a house, and then setting fire to it, burned them together, counterfeiting their outcries in derision to the others. Among other acts of cruelty they took two children belonging to an English woman, and dashed out their brains before her face; ailer which they threw the mother into a river, and she was drowned, They served many other children in the like manner, to the great af- fliction of their parents, and the disgrace of human nature. In Kilkenny all the protestants, without exception, were put to I death; and some of them in so cruel a manner, as, perhaps, was never | before thought of. They beat an English woman with such savage barbarity, that & had scarce a whole bone left; after which they threw her into I a ditch; but not satisfied with this, they took her child, a girl about >u ye&rs of age, and after ripping up its belley, threw it to itst holy word. In one place they burnt two protestnnt Bibles, and then sakl they had burtit hell-fire. In the church at Powerscourt they burnt the pulpit, pews, cliests, and Bibles belonging to it. I'hey took other Bi- bles, and aAer wetting them with dirty water, dashed them in tho faces of the protestants, saying, "We know you love a gixxl lesson; here is an excellent one fur you ; come to-morrow, and you shall have as good a sermon as this." Some of the protestants they dragged by the liair of their heads into the church, where they stripped and whipped them in the most cruel manner, telling them, at tliesame time, "That if they came to-morrow, they should hear the like sermon." In Munster they put to death several ministers in the most shocking manner. One, in particular, they stripped stark naked, and driving him before them, pricked him with swords and d4rt8 till he fell down, and expired. In some places they plucked out the eyes, and cut off the hands of the protestants, and in that manner turned them into the fields, there to wander out their miserable existence. They obliged many young men to force their aged parents to a river, where they were drowned: wives to assist in hanging their husbands: and mothers to cut the throats of their children. 88 .4'^ r 4 Tt^ir 350 BOOK OF SLARTYRS. ^'^ u ii ML ri h '*r f^' ' ft^.ftjF' * In one place they compelled a young man to kill his father, and then immediately hanged him. In another they forced a woman to kill her hus'uand, then obliged the son to kill her, and afterward shot him through the head. At a place called Glaslow, a popish priest, with some others, pre- vailed on forty protestants to be reconciled to the church of Rome. They had no sooner done this, than they told them they were in good faith, and that they would prevent their falling from it, and turninir heretics, by sending them out of the world, which they did by imme- diately cutting their throats. In the county of Tipperary upwards of thirty protestants, men, wo- men, and children, fell into the hands of the papists, who, after strip- ping them naked, murdered them with stones, pole-axes, swords, and other weapons. In the county of Mayo about sixty protestants, fifteen of whom were ministers, were, upon covenant, to be safely conducted to Galway, by one Edmund Burke and his soldiers; but that inhuman monster by the way drew his sword, as an intimation of his design to tlie rest, who immediately followed his example, and murdered the whole, some of whom they stabbed, others were run through the body with pikes, and several were drowned. In Queen^s county great numbers of protestants were put to the most shocking deaths. Fifty or sixty were placed together in one house, which being set on fire, they all perished in the flames. Many were stripped naked, and being fastened to horses by ropes placed round their middles, were dragged through bogs till they expired. Some were hung by the feet to tenter-hooks driven into poles; and in that wretched posture left till they perished. Others were fastened to the trunk of a tree, with a branch at top. Over this branch hung one arm, which principally supported the weight of the body; and one of the legs was turned up, and fastened to the trunk, while the other hung straight. In this dreadful and uneasy posture did they re- main, as long as life would permit, pleasing spectacles to their blood- thirsty persecutors. At Clownes seventeen men were buried alive; and an Englishman, his wife, five children, and a servant maid, were all hung together, and afterward thrown into a ditch. They hung many by the arms to branches of trees, with a weight to their feet; and others by the mid- dle, in which postures they left them till they expired. Several were hung on windmills, and before they were half dead, the barbarians cut them in pieces with their swords. Others, both men, women, and children, they cut and hacked in various parts of their bodies, and left them wallowing in their blood to perish where they fell. One poor wo- man they hung on a gil)l)et, with her child, an infant about a twelve- month old, the latter of whom was hung by the neck with the hair of its mother^s head, and in that manner finished its short but miserable existence In the county of Tyrone no le!« than three hundred protestants ler, and then .n to kill her rd shot him I others, pre- •ch of Rome, were in good , and turning did by imme- vere put to the together in one ! flames. Many by ropes placed ill they expired. to poles; and in ;s were fastened lis branch hung ; the body; and trunk, while the jturedidtheyre- ics to their blood- BOOK OF 3IARTYRS. 351 ndred protcstants were drowned iri one day; and many others were hanged, burned, and otherwise put to death. Dr. Maxwell, rector of Tyrone, lived at this time near Armagh, and suffered greatly from these merciless savages. This person, in his examination, taken upon oath before the kiag's commissioners, declared, that the Irish papists owned to him, that they, at several times, had destroyed, in one place, 12,000 protestants, whom they inhumanly slaughtered at Glynwood, in their Hight from the county cf Armagh. As the river Bann was not fordable, and the bridge broken down, the Irish forced thither at different times, a great number of unarmed, defenceless protestants, and with pikes and swords violently thrust above one thousand into the river, where they miserably perished. Nor did the cathedral of Armagh escape the fury of these barbari- ans, it being maliciously set on fire by their leaders, and burnt to the ground. And to extirpate, if possible, the very race of those unhappy protestants, who lived in or near Armagh, the Irish first burnt all their houses, and then gathered together many hundreds of those innocent people, young and old, on pretence of allowing them a guard and safe conduct to Colerain ; when they treacherously fell on them by the way, and inhumanly murdered them. The like horrid barbarities with those we have particularized, were practised on the wretched protestants in almost all parts of tlie king- dom; and, when an estimate was afterward made of the number who were sacrificed to gratify the diabolical souls of the papists, it amounted to one hundred and fifty thousand. But it now remains that we proceed to the particulars that followed. These desperate wretches, flushed and grown insolent with success, (though by methods attended with such excessive barbarities as perhaps not to be equalled) soon got possession of the castle of Newry, where the king^s stores and ammunition were lodged; and, with as little diffi- culty, made themselves masters of Dundalk. They aflerward took the town of Ardee, where they murdered all the protestants, and then proceeded to Drogheda. The garrison of Drogheda was in no condi- ' tion to sustain a siege, notwithstanding which, as often as the Irish renewed their attacks they were vigorously repulsed by a very unequal number of the king's forces, and a few faithful protestant citizens un- der sir Henry Tichborne, the governor, assisted by the lord viscount Moore. The siege of Drogheda began on the 30th of November, 1641, and held till the 4th of March, 1643, when sir Phelim O'Neal, and the Irish miscreants under him were forced to retire. In the mean time ten thousand troops were sent from Scotland to the remaining protestants in Ireland, which being properly divided in the most capital parts of the kingdom, happily eclipsed the power oi' the Irish savages; and the protestants for a tJime lived in tranquility. In the reign of king James II. they were again interrupted, for iq a parliament held at Dublin in the year 1689, great numbers of the protestant nobility, clergy, and gentry of Ireland, were attainted of high treason. The government of tfie kingdom was, at that time, » ; • ^- ^ t ' ', f : f .' ' ■> •y :1:./ fiff .'■■ •( •fc. 4k 1 Ir i '1^ H * 352 BOOK OF MARTYRS. invested in the earl of Tyrconnel, a bigoted papist, and an inveterate enemy to the protestants. By his orders they were again persecuted in Virions parts of the kingdom. The revenues of the city of Dublin were seized, and most of the churches converted into prisons. And had it not been for the resolution and uncommon bravery of the garri- sons in the city of Londonderry, and the town of Inniskillin, there had not one place remained for refuge to the distressed protestants in the whole kingdom; but all must have been given up to king James, and to the furious popish party that governed him. The remarkable siege of Londonderry was opened on the 18th of April, 1689, by twenty thousand papists, the flower of the Irish army. The city was not properly circumstanced to sustain a siege, the de- fenders consisting of a body of raw undisciplined protestants, who had fled thither for shelter, and half a regiment of lord Mountjoy's disci- plined soldiers, with the principal part of the inhabitants, making in all only seven thousand thi'ee hundred and sixty-one fighting men. The besieged hoped, at first, that their stores of corn, and other ne- cessaries, would be suiHcient; but by the continuance of the siege their wants increased ; and these became at last so heavy, that fur a considerable time before the siege was raised, a pint of coarse barlev a small quantity of greens, a few spoonfuls of starch, with a very mod- erate proportion of horse flesh, were reckoned a week^s provision for a soldier. And they were, at length, reduced to such extremities, that they ate dogs, cats, and mice. Their miseries increasing with the siege, many, through mere hunger and want, pined and languished away, or fell dead in the streets. And it is remarkable, that when their long expected succours arrived from England, they were upon the point of being reduced to this alternative, either to preserve their existence by eating each other, or attempting to fight their way through the Irish, which must have lifallibly produced their destruction. These succours were most happily brought by the ship Mountjoy, *9f Derry, and the Phcenix of Colerain, at which time they had only nuie lean horses left with a pint of meal to each man. By hunger, an the fatigues of war, their geven thousand three hundred and sixty-one fighting men were reduced to four thousand three hundred, onc-fourtii part of whom were rendered unserviceable. As the calamities of the besieged were great, so likewise were the terrors and suflcrings of their protestant friends and relations; all of whom (even women and children) were forcibly driven from the country thirty uiiles round, and inhumanly reduced to the sad neces- sity of continuing some days and nights without food or covering, before the walls of the town; and were thus exposed to the continual fire both of the Irish army from without, and the shot of their friends from within. But the succours from England happily arriving put an end to their affliction ; and the siege was raised on the 31st of July, having been continued upwards of three months. n inveterate n persecuted ty of Dublin isons. And of the garri- lin, there had ^sttauts in the )a James, and ►n the 18th of tie Irish army. I siege, the de- tants, who had juntjoy's disci- mts, making in iting men. 1, and other ne- ;e of the siege eavy, that for a f coarse barley, vith a very mod- k's provision for extremities, that V, through mere fell dea^^ "^ ^^ xpected succours being reduced to sating eachotlier, which must have le ship Mountjoy, le they had only By hunger, an» Ired and sixty^ne indred, one-fourih Likewise were the [relations; allot driven from the to the sad neces- [food or covering, to the continual of their friends put an end to their [July, having been BOOK OF MARTYRS. 353 The day before the siege of Londonderry was raised, the Inniskil- lers engaged a body of six thousand Irish Roman catholics, at New- ton, Butler, or Crown-Custle, of whom near five thousand were slain. This, with the defeat at Londonderry, dispirited the papists, and they gave up all farther attempts to persecute the protestants. The year following, viz. 1690; the Irish took up arms in favour of the abdicated prince, king James IL but they were totally defeated by his successor king William the Third. That monarch, before he lell the country, reduced them to a state of subjection, in which they have ever since continued; and it is to be hoped will so remain as long as time shall be. By a report made in Ireland, in the year 1731, it appeared that a (Treat number of ecclesiastics had, in defiance of the lawS; flocked into tliat kingdom: that several convents had been opened by Jesuits, monks, and friars; that many new and pompous mass-houses had been erect- ed in some of the most conspicuous parts of tlieir great cities, where there had not been any before ; and that such swarms of vagrant, im- moral Romish priests had appeared, that the very papists themselves considered them as a burthen. But notwithstanding all this, the protestant interest at present stands upon a much stronger basis than it did a century ago. The Irish, who formerly led an unsettled and roving life, in the woods, bogs, and mountains, and lived on the depredation of their neighbours; tliey who, in the morning seized the prey, and at night divided the spoil, have, for many years past, become quiet and civilized. They taste the sweets of English society, and the advantages of civil government. They trade in our cities, and are employed in our manufactories. They are received also into English families; and treated with great humanity by the protestants. The heads of their clans, and the chiefs of the great Irish families, who cruelly oppressed and tyramiized over their vassals, are now dwindled in a great measure to nothing; and most of the ancient popish nobility and gentry of Ireland have renounced the Romish re- ligion. It is also to be hoped, that inestimable benefits will arise from the establishment of protestant schools in various parts of the kingdom, m which the children of the Roman catholics are instructed in reli- gion and reading, whereby the mist of ignorance is dispelled from their eyes, which was the great source of the cruel transactions that have taken place, at different periods, in that kingdom. In order to pi'cserve the protestant interest in Ireland upon a solid basis, it behooves uU in whom that power is invested, to discharge it with the strictest assiduity and attention ; for should it once agam lose ground, there is no doubt but the papists would take those advantages they have hitheito done, and thousands might yet fall victims to their malicious bigotry. 28* • '.■I W\ \ » \': 'i ■i... m H •^1 1 -■^'i;^- r 1 > - >'<■ A 1-5' Tt N, 1(1' 4 354 BOOK OP MARTYRS. CHAPTER XVI. THE RIS£, PROORBSS, PERSECmONS, AND SVFPBRIMGS OP TAB QUAKERS. In treating of these peo|.le in a historical manner, we are obliged to have recourse to much tenderness. That they differ from the gener- ality of protestants in some of the capital points of religion canaot be denied, and yet, as protestant dissenters, they are included under the description of the toleration act. It is not our business to inquire whether people of similar sentiments had any existence in the primi- tive ages of Christianity: perhaps, in some respects, they had not- but we are to write of them not as what they were, but what they now are. That they have been treated by several writers in a very contemptuous manner, is certain; that they did not deserve such treat- ment, is equally certain. The appellation Quakersy was bestowed upon them as a term of re- proach, in consequence of their apparent convulsions which they laboured under when they delivered their discourses, because they imagined they were the effect of divine inspiration. It is not oui business, at present, to inquire whether the sentiments of these people are agreeable to tlie gospel, but this much is certain, that the first leader of them, as a separate body, was a man of ob- scure birth, who had his first existence in Leicestershire, about the year 1624. In speaking of this man wo shall deliver our own senti- ments in a historical manner, and joining these to what have been said by the Friends themselves, we shall endeavour to furnish out a com- plete narrative. He was descended of honest and respected parents, who brought him up in the national religion: but from a child he appeared reli- gious, still, solid, and observing, beyond his years, and uncommonly knowing in divine things. He was brought up to husbandry, and other country business, and was particularly inclined to the solitarv' occupation of a shepherd; <ur author, "thai for its innocency jministry and ser- itional church, HI observed; and in .shire, without any olitary manner he \\ way soever his and walked often his Bible." "n« those parts," says ly, in this I'litioii, lay ; as ZacUarius, BOOK OF MARTYB8 355 SnnBii and Simeon, did of old time. To these he was sent, and these he sought out in the neighbouring counties, and among them he sojourned till his more ample ministry came upon him. At this time he taught, and was an example of silence, endeavouring to bring them from self-performances; testifying of, and turning them to liie light of Christ wiihin them, and encouraging them to wait in patience, and to feel the power of it tu stir in their hearts, that their knowledge and worship of God might stand in the power of an endless life, ^%* which was to be found in the light, as it was obeyed in the manifes- tation of it in man: for in the word was life, and that life is the light of men. Life in the word, light in men; and life in men too, as the light is obeyed; the children of the light living by the life of the word, by which the word begets them again to God, which is the generation and new birth, without which there is no coming into the kingdom of God, and to which whoever comes is greater than Joh.'i ; that is, than John^s dispensation, which was not that of the kingdom, but the consummation of the legal, and forerunning of the gospel times, the time of the kingdom. Accordingly several meetings were gathering in those parts; and thus his time was employed for some years. In the year 1652, <n, in giving civil respect to equals, or reverence to superiors; whose actions tend to undermine the civil government, and also to destroy tho order of the churches, by denying all established forms of worship, and by with- drawing from orderly church fellowship, allowed and approved by all orthodox professors of truth, and instead thereof, and in opposition thereunto, frequently meeting by themselves, insinunting themselves into the minds of the simple, or such as are at least affected to the or- der and government of church and commonwealth, whereby divers of our inhabitants have been infected, notwithstanding all former laws, made upon the experience of their arrogant and bold obtrusions, to disseminate their principles amongst us, prohibiting their coming into this jurisdiction, they have not been deterred from their impious at- tempts to undermine our peace, and hazard our ruin. "For prevention thereof, this court doth order and enact, that every person or persons, of the cursed sect of the Quakers, who is not an in- habitant of, but is found within this jurisdiction, shall be apprehended without warrant, where no magistrate is hand, by any constable, commissioner, or select-man, and conveyed from constable to constable, to the next magistrate, who shall commit the said person to close prisoi., there to remain (without bail) until the next court of Assistants, where they shall have legal trial. And being convicted to be of the sect of the Quakers, shall be sentenced to banishment, on pain of death. And that every inhabitant of this jurisdiction, being convicted to be of the aforesaid sect, either by taking up, publishing, or defending the horrid opinions of the Quakers, or the stirring up mutiny, sedi- tion, or rebellion against the government, or by taking up their abu- sive and destructive practices, viz. denying civil i-cspect to equals and superiors, and withdrawing from the church assemblies; and instead thereof, fraquenting meetings of their own, in opposition to our church order; adhering to, or approving of any known Quaker, and the tenets and practices of Quakers, that are opposite to tho orthodox received opinions of the godly; and endeaving to disaffect others to civil government and church order, or condemning the practice and pro- ceedings of this court against the Quakers, manifesting thereby their complying with those, whose design is to overthrow the order estab- lished in church and state: every such person, upon conviction before the said court of Assistants, in manner aforesaid, shall be committed ♦ • i, '\ ^1 ''•■^ ^4.^ M:; ^ ^ i* MUi ^'M ^'^ 364 BOOK OF MARTYRS. to close prison for one month, and then, unless they choose vohmtarily to depart this jurisdiction, shall give bond for their good behaviour and appear at the next court, whei-e, continuing obstinate, and refu« sing to retract and reform the aforesaid opinions, they shall be sen- tenced to banishr ont, upon pain of death. And any one magistrate, upon information given him of any such person, shall cause him to bo ap|)rehended, and shall commit any such person to prison, according to his discretion, until he come to trial as aforesaid." It appears there were also laws passed in both of the then colonies of New-Plymouth and New-llaven, and in the Dutch settlement at New-Amsterdam, now New-York, prohibiting the people called Qua- kers, from coming into those places, under severe penalties; in conse- quence of which, some underwent considerable suffering. The two first who were executed were William Robinson, merchant, of London, and Marmaduke Stevenson, a countryman, of Yorkshire. These coming to Boston, in the beginning of September, were sent for by the court of Assistants, and there sentenced to banishment, on pain of death. This sentence was passed also on Mary Dyar, mentioned hereafter, and Nicholas Davis, who were both at Boston. But Wil- liam Robinson, being looked upon as a teacher, was also condemned to be whipped severely ; and the constable was commanded to get an able man to do it. Then Robinson was brought into the street, and there stripped; and having his hands put through the holes of the car- riage of a great gun, where the jailer held him, the executioner gave him twenty stripes, with a three-fold cord-whip. Then he and the other prisoners were shortly after released, and banished, as appears from the following warrant: "You are required by these, presently to set at liberty William Rob- inson, Marmaduke Stevenson, Mary Dyar, and Nicholas Davis, who, by an order of the court and council, had been imprisoned, because it appeared by their own confession, words, and actions, that they are ' Quakers: wherefore, a sentence was pronounced against them, to de- part this jurisdiction, on pain of death; and that they must answer it at their peril, if they, or any of them, after the 14th of this present month, September, are found within this jurisdiction, or any part thereof. "Edward Rawson." "Boston, September 12, 1659.'' Though Mary Dyar and Nicholas Davis left that jurisdiction for that time, yet Robinson and Stevenson, though they departed the town of Boston, could not yet resolve (not being fVeo in mind) to de- part that jurisdiction, though their lives were at stake. And so they went to Salem, and some places thereabout, to visit and build up their friends in the faith. But it was not long before they were taken, and put again into prison at Boston, and chains locked to their legs. In the next month, Mary Dyar returned also. Ar.d as she stood be* e voluntarily d behaviour ate, and refu- shall be sen- \e magistrate, luse him to be 1, according to then colonies settlement at le called Qua- Ities; inconse- g. ison, merchant, of Yorkshire. ir, were sent for ishmentjonpaiu )yar, mentioned ston. ButWil- also condemned nanded to get an :o the street, and holes of the car- executioner gave rhen he and the lished, as appears jrty William Rob- holas Davis, who, isoned, because it Ins, that they are gainst them, to de- ey must answer it Ith of this present 5tion, or any part fAXD RaWSOM." ■hat jurisdiction for [they departed the Uo in mind) to de- lake. And so they [visit and build up \e they were taken, 1 tcked to their legs. [.d as she stood be- 1 BOOK OF MARTYRS. 365 fore the prison, speaking with one Christopher Holden, who was come thither to inquire for a ship bound for England, whither he intended to go, she was also taken into custody. Thus, they had now three per- sons, who, according to their law, had forfeited their lives. And, on the 20th of October, these three wer3 brought into court, where John Endicot and others were assembled. And being called to the bar, En- dicot commanded the keeper to pull off their hats; and then said, that they had made several laws to keep the Quakers from amongst them ; and neither whipping, nor imprisoning, nor cutting off ears, nor banish- ing upon pain of death, would keep them from amongst them. And further, he said, that he or they desired not the death of any of them. Yet, notwithstanding, his following words, without more ado, were, "Give ear, and heariten to your sentence of death." Sentence of death was also passed upon Marmaduke Stevenson, Mary Dyar, and William Edrid. Several others were imprisoned, whipped, and fined. We have no disposition to justify the Pilgrims for these proceedings, but we think, considering the circumstances of the ago in which they lived, their conduct admits of much palliation. The following remarks of Mr. Hawes, in his tribute to the memory of the Pilgrims, are worthy of serious consideration. "It is alleged that they enacted laws which were oppressive to other denominations, and, moreover, that they were actually guilty of persecution. This, indeed, is a serious charge, and to some extent must be admitted to be frue. And yet whoever candidly examines the facts in the case, will find abundant evidence that our fathers, in thii respect, were far front being sinners above all who have dwelt on the earth. Many of the laws that are complained of were enacted when there were few or none of any other denomination in the land. They were designed to protect and support their own ecclesiastical and civil order; and not to operate at all as persecuting or oppressive enactments against christians belonging to other sects. It is also true that most of those persons who are said to have been persecuted and oppressed, suff-'red not so much for their i^eligious opinions, as for their offences against the state. Some of them outraged all decency and order, and committed s ich acts as would unquestionably, at the present day, subject a man to imprisonment, if not to severer punish- ment. "This, according to Winthrop, was the ground of the sentence of ban- ishment, passed on Roger Williams. 'He broached and divulged divers new opinions against the authority of magistrates, as also wrote letters of defamation both of the magistrates and churches.' — Winthrop^s Hist. ofN. E. edit, by Savage, vol. I, p. 107. "For a particular account of the causes for which Mr. Williams was banished, see Hutchinson's History of Massachusetts, vol. 1. p. 41; Dwight's Travels, vi^l. 1, p. 14i2; Magnalia, vol. 2, p. 430. As for the laws subsequently enacted against tlie Baptists and Quakers, no one, most certainly can justify thcni. They were oppressive and wron?. But let no on'; reproach, too sover'ily, the memory of our fathers, in this r, V . ,. t .- 4f! ^ i'\ ¥ i I w 'ft T' '^ J" 'i m^f i^' -ill I' * sCl K r.,.v ■*-: rii 366 BOOK OF KARTTB8. matter, till he is certain, that in similar circumstances, he would have shown a better temper. "It is allowed that they were culpable; but we do not concede, that in the present instance, they stood alone, or that they merited ail the <;ensure bestowed on them. 'Laws similar to those of Massachusetts were passed elsewhere against the Quakers and also against the Bap. lists, particularly in Virginia. If no execution took place here, it was not owing to the moderation of the church.' — Jefferson Virg. Query XVIII. "The prevalent opinion among most sects of christians, at that day, that toleration is sinful, ought to be remembered; nor should it be forgotten, that the first Quakers in New £ngland, besides speaking and writing what was deemed blasphemous, reviled magistrates and ministers, and disturbed religious assemblies; and tl-it the tendency of their opinions and practices was to the subversion of the common- wealth in the period of its infancy." — Holmes^ Am. Annals. Hutch vol. 1, p. 180-9. "It should be added, that in Massachusetts the law which enacted that all Quakers returning into the state after banishment, should be punished with death, and under which four persons were executed, met with great, and at first, successful opposition. The dep'itiss, who con- stituted the popular branch of the legislature, at first rejected it; but afterwards, on reconsideration, concurred with the magistrates, (by whom it was originally proposed,) by a majority of only one." — Chr Sped. 1830, p. 266. "The fathers of New England, endured incredible hardships in providing for themselves a home in the wilderness; and to protect themselves in the undisturbed enjoyment of rights, which they had purchased at so dear a rate, they sometimes adopted measures which, if tried by the more enlightened and liberal views of the present day, must at once be pronounced altogether unjustifiable. But shall they be condenmed without mercy for not acting up to principles which were unacknowledged and unknown throughout the whole of Chris- tendom? Shall they alone be held responsible for opinions and con- duct which had become sacred by antiquity, and which were com- mon to christians of all other denominations? Every government then in existence assumed to itself the right to legislate in matters of religion; and to restrain heresy by penal statutes. This right was claimed by rulers, admitted by subjects, and is sanctioned by the names of Lord Bacon and Montesquieu, and many others equally famed for their talents and learning. It is unjust then, to 'press upon one poor persecuted sect, the sins of all Christendom?' The fault of our fathers was the fault of the age; and though this cannot justify, it certainly furnishes an extenuation of their conduct. As well might you condemn them for not understanding the art of navigating by steam, as for not understandiiig and acting up to the principles of religious toleration. At the same time, it is but just to say, that imperfect as were their views of the rights of conscience, they were e would have concede, that leriled all the Massachusetts ainst the Bap- ce here, it was Virg. Qwerj/, istians, at that I nor should it ;sid«is speaking magistrates and it the tendency of the common- innals. Hukk V which enacted iment, should be ire executed, met ;»nti33, who con- t rejected it; but magistrates, (by auly one."— Ck ble hardships in and to protect which they had measures which, the present day, But shall they principles which whole of chris- opinions and con- which were com- Svery government glate in matters of This right was sanctioned by the ly others equally ien,to 'press upon mV The fault of this cannot justify, jt. As well might of navigating by the principles ot just to say, that [science, they were BOOK OF UARTYBS. 367 nevertheless far in advance of the age to which they belonged ; and it is to them more than to any other class of men on earth, the world is indebted for the more rational views that now prevail on the subject of civil and religious liberty." CHAPTER XVII. PERSECUTIONS OP THE FRENCH PROTESTANTS IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE, DURING THE YEARS 1814 AND 1820. The persecution in this protestant part of France continued with very little intermission from the revocation of the edict of Nantes, by Louis XIV. till a very short period previous to the commencement of the late French revolution. In the year 1785, M. Rebaut St. Etienne and the celebrated M. de la Fayette were among the first persons who interested themselves with the court of Louis XVI., in removing the scourge of persecution from this injured people, the inhabitants of the wuth of France. Such was the opposition on the part of the catholics and the cour- tiers, that it was not till the end of the year 1790, that the protestants were freed from their alarms. Previously to this, the catholics at Nismes in particular, had taken up arms; Nismes then presented a frightful spectacle; armed men ran through the city, fired from tho ^rners of the streets, and attacked all they met with swords and *brks. A man named Astuc was wounded and thrown into the aque- duct; Baudon fell under the repeated strokes of bayonets and sabres, and his body was also thrown into the water; Boucher, a young man only 17 years of agp, was shot as he was looking out of his window; three electors wounded, one dangerously; another elartor wounded, only escaped death by repeatedly declaring he was a ca-i olic; a third received four sabre wounds, and was taken home dreadiuUy mangled. The citizens that fled were arrested by the catholics upon the roads, and obliged to give proofs of their religion before their lives were granted. M. and Madame Vogue, were at their cu -ntry house, which the zealots broke open, where they massacred both, and destroyed their dwelling. M. Blacher, a protestant seventy years of age, ^as cut to pieces with a sickle; young Pyerre, carrying some food to his brother, was asked, "Catholic or protestant?" "Protestant," being the reply, a monster fired at the lad, and he fell. One of the mur- derer's companions said, "you might as well have killed a Iamb;" "I have sworn," replied he, "to kill four protestants for my share, and this will count for one." However, as these atrocities provoked the troops to unite in defence of the people, a terrible vengeance was retaliated upon the catholic party that had used arms, which with ^m^ s » I,:| ■^^- %:, *-f n .4 . J r'#tll 368 BOOK OF KABTYRS. Other circumstances, especially the tolerr.tion exercised hy Napoleoq Buonaparte, kept them down completely till the year 1814, when the unexpected return of the ancient government rallied tliem all once more round the old banners. ::-'li The arrival of King Louis XVIII. at Paris. This was known at Nismes on the 13th of April, 1814. In a quarter of an hour, the white cockade was seen in every direction the white flag floated on the public buildings, on the splendid monu- ments of antiquity, and even on the tower of Mange, beyond the city walls. The protestants, whose commerce had suffered materiallv during the war, were among the first to unite in the general joy, and to send in their adhesion to the senate, and the legislative body; and several of the protestant departments sent addrasses to the throne- but unfortunately, M. Froment was again at Nismes at the moment* when many bigots being ready to join him, the blindness and fury of the sixteenth century rapidly succeeded the intelligence and philan- thropy of the nineteenth. A line of distinction was instantly traced between men of different religious opinions; the spirit of the old catholic church was again to regulate each person^s share of esteem and safety. The difference of religion was now to govern every thine else; and even catholic domestics who had served protestants uith zeal and affection, begtin to neglect their duties, or to perform them ungraciously, and with reluctance. At the fetes and spectacles that were given at the public exj)enso, the absence of the protestants was charged on them as a proof of their disloyalty; and in the midst of thi; cries of *^Vive Ic /Jo»," the discordant sounds of "A 6a* le itfaiVf,"' down with the mayor, were heanl. M. Castletan was a protestant; lu appeared in public with the prefect M. Ruland, a catholic, when pota- toes were thrown at him, and the people declared that he ought to re- sign his office. The bigots of Nismes even succeeded in pro<.'iiring an address to be presented to the king, stating that there ought to k* in France but one God, one king, and one faitli. In this they were imi- tated by the catholics of several towns. 7%« History of the SUver Child. About this time, M. Baron, counsellor of the Cour Royale of Nismes, formed the plan of dedicating to God a silvor child, if the Duchess d'Angouleme would give a prince to Fmnce. This project was converted into a public religious vow, which was the subject of conversation both in public and private, whilst persons, whose inugi- nations were inflamed by these proceedings, run about the streets cry- ing Viveiit Ics Bourbonnj or the B nirbons forever. In consequence | of this superstitious frenzy, it is said that, at Alais, women were ail vised aad instigated to poison thoir protestant husbands, and at lengtli it was found convenient to accuse them of political crimes. They| PM 1 by Napoleon 814, when the tliem all once rU. 1, 1814. In a every direction, splendid monu- beyond the city fered materially general joy, and itive body; anil } to the throne; at the moment; iness and fury of ence and philan- 3 instantly traced spirit of the old share of esteem pvern every thing i protestants vith r to perform them lid spectacles thai tie protestants was in the midst of the A bas le Mairr,' as a protesttiut; k tholic, when pota- mt he ought to w- jd in procuring an lere ought to k in his they were inu- le Cour Royaleof ■silver child, ifthe ince. This project J was tlio subject ot I Irsons, whose inwgi- 30ut the streets cry In consequence iis, women were ail I [bunds, and at \^^\ lical crimes. l»«M BOOK OF DIAKTYSS 369 could no longer appear in public without insults and injuries. When the mobs met with protestants, they seized them, and danced round them with barbarous joy, and amidst repeated ci'pp of Vive le JRoi, they sung verses, the burden of which was, "We will wash our hands in protestant blood, and make black puddings of the blood of Calvin^s children." The citizens who came to the promenades for air and refreshment, from the close and dirty streets, were chased with shouts of Vive le Eoi, as if those shouts were to justify every excess. If protestants referred to the cb^rter, they were directly assured it would be of no use to them, and that they had only been managed to be more cffvictually destroyed. Persons of rank were heard to say in the public streets, "All the Huguenots must be killed; this time their children must be killed, that none of the accursed race may re- main." Still, it is true, they were not murdered, but cruelly treated; protestant children could no longer mix in the sports of catholics, and were not even permitted to appear without their parents. At dark their families shut themselves up in their apartments; but even then stones were thrown against their windows. When they arose in the morning, it was not uncommon to find gibbets drawn on their doors or walls; and in the streets the catholics held cords already soaped before their eyes, and pointed out the instruments by which they hoped and designed to exterminate them. Small gallows or models were handed about, and a man who lived opposite to one of the pastors, exhibited one of these models in his window, and made sjfns sufficiently intelligible when the minister passed. A figure rep- resenting a protestant preacher was also hung up on a public cross- way, and the most atrocious songs were sung under his window. Towards the conclusion of the carnival, a plan had even been formed to make a caricature of the four ministers of the place, and burn them in effigy; but this was prevented by the mayor olT Nismes, a protestant. A dreadful song presented to the prefect, in the country dialect, with a false translation, was printed by his approval, and had a great run before he saw the extent of the error into which he had been betrayed. The sixty-third regiment of the line was publicly censured and insulted, for having, according to order, protected pro- testants. In fact, the protestants seemed to be as sheep destined for the slaughter. Napoleon's Return from the Isle of Elba. Soon afler this event, the duke d'Angouleme was at Nismes, and emained there some time ; but even his influence was insufficient to bring about a reconciliation between the catholics and the protestants of that city. During the hundred days betwixt Napoleon's return I fmm the Isle of Elba, and his final downfall, not a single life was lost I in Nifimes, not a single house was pillaged; only four cf the most notorious disturbers of the peace were punished, or rather prevented from doing mischief; and even this was not an act of the protestants :'.» ' H 'm~ 370 BOOK OF MARTYRS. but the arrete of the catholic prefect, announced every where with the utmost publicity. S3nie time after, when M. Baron, who proposed the vow of the silver child in favour of the Duchess d'Angouleme, who was considered as the chief of the catholic royalists, was discovered at the bottom of an old wine tun, the populace threw stones at his ca^ riage, and vented their feelings in abusive language. The protestant ofhcers protected him from injury. The Catholic arms at Beaucaire, In May, 1815, a federative association, similar to those of Lyons Grenoble, Paris, Avignon, and Muntpelier, was desired by many per' sons at Nismes; but this federation terminated here afler an ephe- meral and illusory existence of fourteen days. In the mean while n large party of catholic zealots were in arms at Beaucaire, and who soon pushed their patroles so near the walls of Nismes, **as to alarm the inhabitants.^* These catholics applied to the English off Mar- scilles for assistance, and obtained the grant of 1000 muskets, 10,000 caitouches, &c. General Gilly, however, was soon sent against these partizans, who prevented them from coming to extremes, by granting them an armistice; and yet when Louis XVIII. had returned to Paris, after the expiration of Napoleon's reign of a hundred days, and peace and party spirit seemed to have been subdued, even at Nismes, bands from Beaucaire joined Trestaillon in this city, to glut the vengeance they had so long premeditated. General Gilly had left the department several days : the troops of the line left; behind had taken the white cockade, and waited farther orders, whilst the royal commissioners had only to proclaim the cessation of hostilities, and the complete establishment of the kmg^s authority. In vain, no com- missioners appeared, no despatches arrived to calm and regulate the public mind; but towards evening the advanced guard of the I ditti, to the amount of several hundreds, entered the city, undesii^ but unopposed. As they marched without order or discipline, cov- ered with clothes or rags of all colours, decorated with cockades not whitCj but white and greerij armed with muskets, sabres, forks, pis- tols and reaping hooks, intoxicated with wine, and stained witii the { blood of the protestants whom they had murdered on their route^ thev presented a most hideous and appalling spectacle. In the open place I :n the front of the barracks, this banditti was joined by the citj- armed mob, headed by Jaques Dupont, commonly called Trestaillon. To save the effusioa of b'(Mxl, this garrison of about 500 men consented to capitulate, and marched out ^nd and defenceless; but when alxxil fifty had passev, the rabble cf i nenced a tremendous fire on their I confiding and unj^rotected victims; nearly all were killed or wounded,! and but very few could re-enter the yard before the garrison gates! were again closed. These were again forced in an instant, and were massacred who could not climb over ra)fs, or leap into the nd-l joining gardens. In a word, death met them in every place and iiil vhere with the lo proposed the igouleme, who ^vas discovered ones at his ca^ Tlio protestanl those of Lyons, jd by many per- 5 after an ephe- [10 mean while u ucttire, and who les, "as to alarm English off Mar- muskets, 10,000 joon sent against r to extremes, by VIII. had returned f a hundred days, subdued, even at ii this city, to glut leral Gilly had left le left behind hA ■s, whilst the royal of hostilities, and In vain, no com- n and regulate the ffuard of the ban the city, undesid or discipline, cov- eted with cockades 5, sabres, forks, pis- A stained with the [on their route, they In the open place , by the city arnied 'd Trestaillon. To feoO men consented Ls; but when akit| ■ndous fire on their killed or wounded,' the garrison gates I , an instant, and aj or leap into the ad every place audir»| nOOK OF MARTYRS. 371 every shape, and this catholic massacre rivalled in cruelty, and sur- passed in treachery, the crimes of the September assassins of Paris, and the Jacobinical butcheries of Lyons and Avignon. It was marked, not only by the fervour of the revolution, but by the subtlety of the league, and will long remain a blot upon the history of the second i«8toration. Massacre and Pillage at Nistnes. Nismes now exhibited a most awful scene of outrage and carnage, though many of the protestants had fled to the Convennes and the Gar- donenque. The country houses of Messrs. Rey, Guiret, and several others, had been pillaged, and the inhabitants treated with wanton bar- barity. Two parties had glutted their savage appetites on the farm of Madame Frat: the first, after eating, drinking, and bieaking the furni- ture, and stealing what they thought proper, took leave by announ- cing the arrival of their comrades, "compared with whom," they said, "they should be thought merciful." Three men and an old woman were left on the premises: at the sight of the second company two of the men fled. "Are you a catholic?" said the banditti to the old wo- man. "Yes." "Repeat, then, your Pater and Ave." Being terrified, she hesitated, and was instantly knocked down with a musket. On recovering her senses, she stole out of the house, but met Ladet, the M valet defermef bringing in a salad which the depredators had or- dered him to cut. In vain she endeavoured to persuade him to fly. "Are you a protestant?" they exclaimed; "lam." A musket being discharged at him, he fell wounded, but not dead. To consummate their work, the monsters lighted a fire with straw and boards, threw their yet living victim into the flames, and suflfered him to expire in the most dreadful agonies. They then ate their salad, omelet, &c. The next day, some labourers, seeing the house open and deserted, en- tered, and discovered the half consumed body of Ladet. The prefect of the Gard, M. Darbaud Jouques, attempting to palliate the crimes of I the catholics, had the audacity to assert that Ladet was a catholic; but this was publicly contradicted by two of the pastors at Nismes. Another party committed a dreadful murder ' at St. Cezaire, upon I Imbert la Plume, the husband of Suzon Chivas. He was met on re- turning from work in the fields. The chief promised him his life, but {insisted that he must be conducted to the prison at Nismes. Seeing, [however, that the party was determined to kill him, he resumed his Inatura) character, and being a powerful and courageous man advanced land exclaimed, "You are brigands — fire'." Four of them fired, and he Ifell, but he was not dead ; and while living they mutilated his body, land then passing a cord round it, drew it along, attached to a cannon of which they had possession. It was not till after eight days that Itis relatives were apprized of his death. Five individuals of the fam- ily of Chivas, all husbands and fathers, were massacred in the course pf a few days. ■' t •■■^■-t: !fc A '.(*( n . -i: In--.. •472 BOOK OF MARTYRS. Near the barracks at Nismes is a large and handsome house, thepro* perty of M. Vitte, which he acquired by exertion and economy. Be. sides comfortable lodgings for his own family, he let more than twenty chambers, mostly occupied by superior officers and commissaries of the army. He never inquired the opinion of his tenants, and of course his guests were persons of all political parties; but, under pretence of searching for concealed officers, his apartments were overrun, his fur. niture broken, and his property carried off at pleasure. The houses of Messrs. Lagorce, most respectable merchants and manufacturers M. Matthieu, M. Negre, and others, shared the same fate: many onl<; avoided by the owners paying large sums as commutation money, o escaping into the country with their cash. Interference of Government against the Protestants. M. Bemis, extraordinary royal commissioner, in consequence c these abuses, issued a proclamation which reflects disgrace on the an thority from whence it emanated. ^'Considering,^^ it said, "that th- residence of citizens in places foreign to their domicile, can only b prejudicial to the communes they have lefl, and to those to which the( have repaired, it is ordered, that those inhabitants who have qiiitH their residence since the commandment of July, rerirn home by the 28tli at the latest, otherwise they shall be deemed accomplices of the evil-disposed persons who disturb the public tranquility, and their pro- perty shall be placed under provisional sequestration.'''* The fugitives had sufficient inducements to return to their hearths, without the fear of sequestration. They were more anxious to em- brace their fathr^rs, mothers, wives, and children, and to resume their ordinary occupations, than M. Bemis could be to insure their return. But thus denouncing men as criminals, who fled for safety from the wbres of assassins, was adding oil to the fire of persecution. Tres- taillon, one of the chiefs of the brigands, was dressed in complete uniform and epaulettes which he had stolen; he wore a sabre at his ^ide, pistols in his belt, a cockade of white and green, and a sash of the same colours oil his arm. He had under him, Truphemy, Scrvan, \ime, and many other desperate characters. Some time after this, Ml. Bernis ordered all parties and individuals, armed or unarmed, tc ibstaiu from searching houses, without either an order, or the presence ■)f an officer. On suspicion of arms being concealed, the command- uit of the town was ordered to furnish a patrol to make search and seizure ; and all persons carrying arms in the streets* without l)e!!iig Ki service, were to be arrested. Trestaillon, however, who still car- ried arms, was not arrested till some months after, and then not by these authorities, but by General La Garde, who was aflerwards as •assinated by one of his comrades. On this occasion it w^as remarked, that "the system of specious and deceptive proclamations was perfectly understood, and had long been practised in Languedoc; it was now too late to p ^rsecute the prutestants simply for their religion. Even house, the pro. jconomy. Be- re than twenty nissaries of the , and of course der pretence of irerrun, his fur- B. The houseo manufacturers ate: manyonh ation money, (» teatants. consequence it {grace on the w t said, "that th- ;ile, can onlyb ose to which ih\ who have quitted Mm home by the iccomplices of the ity, and their prj- ri to their hearths, »re anxious to em- nd to resume their nsure their return. or safety from the ersecution. Tres- ■essed in complete vore a sabre at his een, and a sasli of ruphemy, Servan, le time after this, [ed or unarmed, tc ier, or the presence lied, the commaml- make search and sets, without l)eing ver, who still car- ir, and then not by was afterwards as ion it was remarked, lations was perfectly ;uedoc; it wasnou leir religion. Even BOOK OF MARTYRS. 373 in the good times of Louis XIV. there was public opinion enough in Europe tu make that arch tyrant have recourse to the meanest strata- veins." The following single specimen of the plan pursued by the au- thors of the Dragonades may serve as a key to all the plausible pro- clamations which, in l(sl5, covered the perpetration of the most delib- erate and extensive crimes: — Letters from Louvoia to Marillac, «Thc king rejoices to learn from your letters, that there are so many conversions in your department; and he desires that you would con- tinue your elfjrts, and employ the same means that have been hith- erto so successful. His majesty has ordered me to send a regiment of cavalry, the greatest part of which he wishes to be quartered upon the protestants, but he does not think it prudent that they should be all lod<'cd with them; that is to say, of twenty-six masters, of which a company is composed, if, by a judicious distribution, ten ought to be received by the protestants, give them twenty, and put them all on the rich, making this pretence, that when there ai-e not soldiers enough in a town for all to have some, the poor ought to be exempt, and the rich burdened. His majesty has also thought proper to order, that all converts be exempted from lodging soldiers for two years. This will occasion numerous conversions if you take care that it is rigor- ously executed, and that in all the distributions and passage of troops, by far the greatest number are quartered on the rich protestants. His majesty particularly enjoins that your orders on this subject, either by yourself or your sub-delegates, be given by word of mouth to the mayors and sheriffs, without letting them know that his majesty intends by these means to force to become converts, and only explaining to ihem, that you give these orders on the information you have I'eceived, that in these places the rich are excepted by their influence, to the pre- judice of the poor." The merciless treatment of the wonnen, in this persecution at Nisines, was such as would have disgraced any s:\vages ever heard of. The widows Rivet and Bernard, were forced to sacrifice enormous Slims; and the house of Mrs. Lecointe was ravaged, and her goods destroyed. Mrs. F. Didier had her dwelling sacked and nearly de» mDlished to the foundation. A party of these bigots visited the widow Perrin, who lived on a little farm at the windmills; having committed every species of devastation, they attacked even the sanc- tuary of the dead, which contained the relics of her family. They I dragged the cufhns out, and scattered the contents over the adjacent grounds. In vain this outraged widow collected the bones of her an* cestors and replaced them : they were again dug up; and, after sev- eral useless efforts, they were reluctantly lefl spread over the surface I of the fields. Till the period announced for the sequestration of the property of Ithe fugitives by atithority, murd^T and plunder were the daily emploj*' Iment of what was called the army of Beaucaire, and the catholics o» 30 .. I" '*■• ' I f [ a, ■ f ' [v fi *> IS ?lt k' H.r »*! ■ 'vf, ■>' ) I 1,4: ?i 374 BOOK OF MARTVR8. Nismes. M. Peyron, of Brossan, had all his property carried off; his wine, oil, seed, grain, several score of sheep. eijiJ nmlcs, tiiree carts, his furniture and effects, all the cash that could bt- found, aiij he hud otily to congratulate himself that his habitation was not con* sunied, and his vineyards rooted up. A similar process against sev- eral other prolestant farmers, was also regidarly carried on during aev- crul days. Many of the protestants thus persecuted W( le well known as sta inch royalists; but it was enough for their enemies to know that they belonged to the reformed communion; se fanatics were determined not to find either royalists or citizens worthy the common protection of society. To accuse, condemn, and destroy a prolestant was a matter that required no hesitation. The house of M. Vjtte, near the barracks at Nismes, was broken open, and every thing within the walls demolished. A Jew family of lodgers was driven out and all their goods thrown out of the windows. M. Vitte was seized robbed of his watch and money, severely wounded, and lefl for dead. After he had been fourteen hours in a state of insensibility, a commis- sary of police, touched by his misfortunes, administered some cor- dials t(j revive him; and, as a measure of safety, conducted him to the citadel, where he remained many days, whilst his family lamented him as dead. At length, as there was not the slightest charge against him, he obtained his liberation from M. Vidal; but when the Aus- trians arrived, one of the aids-de-camp, who heard of his sufferings and his respectability, sought him out, and furnished an escort to con- duct his family to a place of safety. Dalbos, the only city beadle who was a prolestant, was dragged from his home and led to prison. His niece threw herself on the neck of one of them and begged for mercy; the ruffian dashed her to the ground. His sister was driven away by the mob; aad he being shot, his body remained a long time exposed to the iflsulis of the rabble. Royal Decree in favour of the Persecuted, At length the decree of Louis XVIII., which annulled all the ex- traordinary powers conferred either by the king, the princes, or sub- ordinate agents, was received at Nismes, and the laws were now to be administered by the regular organs, and a new prefect arrived to carry them into effect; but in spite of proclamations, the work of de- struction, stopped for u moment, was not abandoned, but soon renewed with fresh vigour and effect. On tlie 30th of July, Jacques Combe, the father of a i..mily, was killed by some of the national guards of Rusau, and the crime was so public, that the commander of the party restored to the family the pocket book and papers of the deceased. On tho following day tumultuous crowds roumed about the city and suburbs, threatening the wretched peasants; and on the 1st of August they butchered them without opposition. About noon on the same day, six armed men, headed by Truphemy, the butcher, surrounded the house cf Monot, a carpenter; tw, of the party, who were smiths, I irried off; lus niules, tluee )f toutid, and I was not con- I auaiiiHt sev- on during sev- le well known iinies to know fanatics were V the common >"y a prolestant, « of M. Vitte, ry thing within I'as driven out, itte was seized, id left for dead, lility, a commis- tered some cor- ucted him to the family lamented Bt charge against when the Aus- of his sufferings an escort to con- y city beadle who to prison. His legged for mercy; driven away by time exposed to to-' 'ay, for my share, '' Pierre Courbet, a ii ted band, and shot BOOK OF MARTYRS. 375 had been at work in the house the day before, and had seen a pro- testant who had taken refuge there, M. Bourilion, who had been a lieutenant in the army, and had retired on a pension. He was a man of an excellent character, peaceable rnd harmless, and had never served the emperor Napoleon. Truphemy not knowing him, he was pointed out partaking of a frugal breakfast with the family. Tru- phemy ordered him to go along with him, adding, "Your friend, Saussine, is already in the other world." Truphemy placed him in the middle of his troop, and artfully ordered him to cry Vive VEm- pereur: he refused, adding, he had never served the emperor. In vain did the women and children of the house intercede for his life, and praise his amiable and virtuous qualities. Ho was marched to the Esplanade and shot, first by Truphemy and then by the others. Several persons attracted by the firing, approached, but were threat- ened with a similar fate. After some time t' ' wret(ihcs departed, shouting Vive le Roi. Some women met thi t i, and one of them ap- peared affected, said one, "I have killed sc ' " and if you say a word, you shall be the ei;4tit stocking weaver, was torn from his loom by at his own door. His eldest daughter w; 3 knocked down with the butt end of a musket; and a poignard was held at the breast of his wife while the mob plundered her apartments. Paul Heraut, a silk weaver, was literally out in pieces, in the presence of a large crowd, and amidst the unavailing cries and tears of his wife and four young children. The murderera only abandoned the corpse to return to He- raut's house and secure every thing valuable. The number of mur- ders on this day could not be ascertained. One person saw six bodies at the Coura Nevf, and nine were carried to the hospital. If murder some time after, became less frequent for a few days, pillage and forced contributions were actively enforced. M. Salle d'Hombro, at several visits was robbed of 70(M) francs; and on one occasion, when he pleaded the sacrifices he had made, "Look," said a bandit, pointing to his pipe, "this will set fire to your house; and this," brandishing his sword, "will finish you." No reply could be made to these arguments. M. Feline, a silk manufacturer, was rob- bed of 32,000 francs in gold, 3000 francs in silver, and several bales of silk. The small shopkeepers were continually exposed to visits and de- mands of provisions, drapery, or whatever they sold ; and the same hands that set fire to the houses of the rich, and tore up the vines of the cultivator, broke the looms of the weaver, and stole the tools of the artizan. Desolation reigned in the sanctuary and in the city. The armed bands, instead of being reduced, were increased; the fu- gitives, instead of returning received constant accessions, and their friends who slieltered them were deemed rebellious. Those protes- tants who remained, were deprived of all their civil and religious rights, and even the advocates and huissiers entered into a resolution to exclude all of "the nretended reformed religion" from their bodies. '■r. i ,. I r' M '^'- "\ I IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I lu 122 122 ^ tiS, 12.0 U£ I Photographic Sdfflices Corporation ¥j^ ^v 3>^ <^ \ 73 WIST MAM STMIT WnSTIR,N.Y. 14SM (71*)t72-4S03 .^ <> 376 BOOK OF MARTYRS. h J, * ^. ■i#:1 Those who were employed in selling tobacco were deprived of iheii licenses. The protestant deacons who had the charge of the poor were all scattered. Of five pastors only two remained; one of these was obliged to change his res'dence, and could only venture to admin* ister the consolations of religion, or perform the functions of his min- istry, under cover of the night. Not content with these modes of torment, calumnious and inilani- atory publications charged the protestants with raising the proscribed standard in the communes, and invoking the fallen Napoleon; and, of course, as unworthy the protection of the laws and the favour of the monarch. Hundreds afler this were dragged to prison without even so much as a toritten order; and though an ofKcial newspaper, bearing tiie title of the Journal du Gard, was set up for five months, while it was influenced by the prefect, tlie mayor, and other functionaries, the word charter was never once used in it. One of the first numbers, on the contrary, represented the suffering protestants as ^^Crocudilcs, only weeping from rage and regret that they had no more victims to devour; as persons who had surpassed Danton, Marat, and Robes- pierre, in doing mischief: and as having prostituted their daughters to the garrison to gain it over to Napoleon.'' An extract from this article, stamped with the crown and the arms of the Bourbons, was hawked about the streets, and the vead«»r wad adorned with the medal of the police. Petition of the Protestant Refugees. To these reproaches it is proper to oppose the petition which the Pro- testant Refugees in Paris presented to Louis XVIII. in behalf of their brethren at Nismes. * ^' ' f? ■*♦•■* ^ ,i > 878 BOOK OF MABTYB8. trates, with very few exceptions; the administrative authorities, it is true, used words in their proclamations, &.c. but never had recourse to actions to stop the enormities of the persecutors, who boldly declared, that, on the 24th, the anniversary of St. Bartholomew, they intended to make a general massacre. The members of the reformed church were filled with terror, and, instead of taking part in the election of deputies, were occupied as well as they could in providing for their own personal safety. il 1*^1^ ' Arrival of the Auatriatu at Niatnes. About this time, a treaty between the French court and the allied sovereigns, prohibited the advance of 'the foreign troops beyond the line of territory already occupied, and traced by the course of the Loire, and by the Rhone, below the Ardeche. In violation of this treaty, 4000 Austrians entered Nismes on the 24th of August; under pretence of making room for them, French troops, bearing the feudal title of Royal Chasseurs, followed by the murdering bands of the Trestaillons and Quatretaillons, who continued their march to Alais, where a fair was to be held, and carried disorder and alarm into all the communes on that route. Nothing now was heard but denuncia- tions of fusillading, burning, razing, and annihilating; and while the catholics were feasting and murdering at Nismes, the flames of the country houses of the protestants, rising one hundred feet in the air, rendered the spectacle still more awful and alarming. Unfortu- nately, somrt of the peasants, falsely charged with the murder of two protestants, were brought to Nismes while the prefect was celebrating the fete of St. Louis. At a splendid dinner given to the Austrian commanders, and even without quitting the table, it appears, that (he French prefect placed the fate and fortune of these unfortunate pris- oners at the disposal of Count Stahremberg, who, of course, believing the representations made to him ordered the accused to be immedi- ately shot. To mortify and exhaust the protestant communes, the Austrians were directed to occupy them, where they completely dis- armed the inhabitants without the least opposition. In fact, these foreigners were soon undeceived. They expected to meet the most perfidious and brutal enemies in arms, and in open rebellion against their king; but, on the contrary, they found them all in peace, and experienced the v kind and respectful treatment; and though their duty was a most itious and oppressive one, they performed it in general with moderation. On this account they could not refmin from expressing their astonishment at the reports made to them l>y the authorities at Nismes, declaring, "They had found a population suf- fering great misfortunes, but no rebels; and that compassion was the only feeling that prevailed in their minds." The commander him- self was so convinced of the good disposition of the people of the Ge- vemics, that he visited those districts without an escort, desiring, he said, to travel in that country as he would in his own. Such conii siuthorities, it is had recourse to boldly declared, they intended to med church were jlion of deputies, leir own personal urt and the allied roops beyond the the course of the I violation of this of August; under )earing the fevdal ring bands of the Bir march to Alais, ind alarm into all leard but denuncia- ilating; and while »4ismes, the flames hundred feet in the ilarming. Unfortu- 1 the murder of two feet was celebrating en to the Austrian it appears, that the se unfortunate pris- of course, believing •used to be immedi- stant communes, the they completely dis- ion. In fact, these ed to meet the most >en rebellion agawsl m all in peace, and ;nt; and though their they performed it w 'v could not refi-ain made to them by the ind a population sul- compassion was the 'he commander him- ithe people of the Ce- n escort, desiring, he is own. Suchconfi nOOK OF MARTYRS. 379 dence was a public reproach on the authorities at Nismes, and a sen- tence of condemnation on all their proceedings. As the persecution of the protestants was spreading into other de- partnents, strong and forcible representations were secretly printed and made to the king. All the ordinary modes of communication had been stopped; the secrecy of letters violated, and none circulated but those relative to private affairs. Sometimes these letters bore the po6t* mark of places very distant, and arrived without signatures, and envel- oped in allegorical allusions. In fact, a powerful resistance on the part of the outraged protestants was at length apprehended, which, in the beginning of September excited the proclamation of the king, on which it was observed, "that if his majesty had been correctly and fully in- formed of all that had taken place, he surely would not have contented himself with announcing his severe displeasure to a misled people, who took justice into their own hands, and avenged the critnes committed against royalty^ The proclamation was dictated as though there had not been a protestant in the department; it assumed and athrmed throughout the guilt of the sufferers; and while it deplored the atro- cious outrages endured by the followers of the duke dWngouleme, (outrages which never existed,) the plunder and massacre of the re- formed were not even noticed. Still disorders kept pace with the proclamations that made a show of suppressing them, and the force of the catholic faction also contin- ued to increase. The catholic populace, notwithstanding the decrees of the magistrates, were allowed to retain the arms they had illegally seized, whilst the protestants in the departments were disarmed. The members of the reformed churches wished at tliis period to present another memorial to the government, descriptive of the evils they still suffered, bi t this was not practicable. On the 2Gth of Septem- ber, the president of the consistory wrote as follows : "I have only been able to assemble two or three members of the consistory pastors or elders. It is impossible to draw up a memoir, or to collect facts; so great is the terror, that every one is afraid to speak of his own sufferings, or to mention those he has been compelled to witness." Outrages committed in the Villages, S^c. We now quit Nismes to take a view of the conduct of the persi • cutors in the surrounding country. AAer the re-establishment of the royal government, the local authorities were distinguished for their zeal and forwardness in supporting their employers, and, under pre- tence of rebellion, concealment of arms, non-payment of contribu- tions, &.C. troops, national guards, and armed mobs, were permitted to plunder, arrest, and murder peaceable citizens, not merely with impunity, but with encourageineut and approbation. At the village of Milhaud, near Nistnes, the inhabitants were frequently forcul to pay large sams to avoid being pillaged. This, however, would not K- l;-f'''i %: ,. -^P I. , .„M*".;L 380 BOOK OF XARTYRS. avail at Madame Teulon^s: On Sunday, the 16th of Jrriy, her house and grouiir's were ravaged; the valuable furniture removed or dt'8> troyed, the hay and wood burnt, and the corpse of a child, buried in the garden, taken up and dragged round a fire made by the populace. It was with great ditHculty that M. Teulon escaped with his life. M, Picherol, another protestant, had deposited some of his effects with a catholic neighbour; thL<( house was attacked, and though all th9 property of the latter was respected, that of his friend was seized and destroyed. At the same village, one of a party doubting whelhet M. Hermet, a tailor, was tin man they wanted, asked, *4s he a pro testantf this he acknowledged. <re pillaged. The tnd walkmen seized him by , or excite his impa- ascended the pulpUi ippers; still the con- trvico was concluded L many would have nOOK OF MARTYRS. 381 been killed but for the chasseurs of the garrison, who honourably and zealously protected them. From the captain of these chasseurs, M. Ribot soon after received the following letter. ^iJanuary 2, 1816. «I deeply lament the prejudices of the catholics against the prO' testaiUs, who they pretend do not love the king. Continue to act as von have hitherto done, and time and your conduct will convince the catholics to the contrary: shindd any tumult occur similar to that of Saturday last inform me. I preserve my reports of these acts, and if the agitators [)rove incocrigibis, and forget what they owe to the best of kiiigs and the charter^ I will do my duty and inform the government of their proceedings. Adieu, my dear sir; assure the consistory of my esteem, and of the sense I entertain of the moderation with which they liave met the provocations of the evil-disposed at Sommieres. I have the honor to salute you with respect Suval de Laine." Another letter to this worthy pastor ft-om the Marquis de Montlord, ms received on the (hh of January, to encourage him to unite with all good men who believe in God to obtain the punishment of the as- sassins, brigands, and disturbers of public tranquility, and to read the iiistructions he had received from government to this effect publicly. Notwithstanding this, on the 20th of January, 1816, when the ser- vice in cummemoration of the death of Louis XVI. was celebrated, a procession being formed, the National Guards fired at the white flag suspended from the windows of the protestants, and concluded the day by plundering their houses. In the Commune of Angargues, matters were still worse ; and in that of Fontanes, from the entry of the king in 1815, the catholics broke all terms with the protestants; by (lay they insulted them, and in the night broke open their doors, or marked them with chalk to be plundered or burnt. St. Mamert was repeatedly visited by these robberies; and at Moritmiral, as lately as the 10th of June, 1816, the protestants were attacked, beaten, and imprisoned, for daring to celebrate the return of a king who had sworn to preserve religious liberty and to maintain the charter. In fact, to continue the relation of the scenes that took place in the different departments of the south of France, would be little better than a repetition of those we have already described, excepting a change of names: but the most sanguinary of all seems that which was perpetrated at Uzes, at the latter end of August, and the burn- ing of several protestants places of worship. These shameful perse- cutions continued till afler the dissolution of the Chamber of Deputies at the close of the year 1816. After a review of these anti-protest- tant proceedings, the British reader will not think of comparing them with the riots of London in 1780, or with those of Birmingham about 1793; as it is evident that where governments possess absolute power, such events could not have been prolonged for many months and even for years over a vast extent of country, had it not been for the •i. . *'*i4„ I* t m. m I "i. • %i' ' I i': ■ .1, :*. % ' ■ ' AM ■i « ' 'i il'j ^ ":«■ \ r'' i, ^^' Hi ■1 ■ ■ Wi 1 882 BOOK OF MARTTR8. aystematic and powerful support of the higher department of (ttb state. 1^1 Farther account of the proceedings of the Catholics at Nistnes. The excesses perpetrated in the country it seems did not by any means divert the attention of the persecutors from Nismcs. October, 1815, commenced without any improvement in the principles or measures of the government, and tliis was followed by correspondiim presumption on the part of the people, Several houses in the Quar- tier St Charles were sacked, and their wrecks burnt in the streets, amidst songs, dances, and shouts of Vive le Roi. The mayor ap peared, but the merry multitude pretended not to know him, and when he ventured to remonstrate, they told him, "his presence was unnecessary, and that he might retire." During the Itith of October, every preparation seemed to announce a night of carnage; orders for assembling and signals for attack were circulated with regularity and confidence; Trestaillon reviewed his satellites, and urged them on to the perpetration of crimes, holding with one of those wretches the following dialogue: Satellite. Hf all the protestants, without one exception, are to be killed, I will cheerfully join; but as you have so oflen deceived me, unless they are all to go I will not stir." TYestaillon. ^'Come along, then, for this time not a single man shall escape." This horrid purpose would have been executed had it not been for General La Garde, the commandant of the department, It was not till ten oVlock at night that he perceived the danger; he now felt that not a moment could be lost. Crowds were advancing through the suburbs, and the streets were fdling with ruffians, uttering the most horrid imprecations. The generale sounded at eleven oVlock, and added to the confusion that was now spreading through the city. A few troops rallied round the Count La Garde, who was wrung with distress at the sight of the evil which had arrived at such a pitch. Of this M. Durand, a catholic advocate, gave the following account: <*It was near midnight, my wife had just fallen asleep; I was wri- ting by her side, when we were disturbed by a distant noise; drums seemed crossing the town in every direction. What could all this mean! To quiet her alarm, I said it probably announced the arrival or departure of some troops of the garrison. But firing and shouts were immediately audible; and on opening my window I distinguished horrible imprecations mingled with cries of vite le Roil I roused an officer who lodged in the house, and M. Chancel, Director of the Public Works. We went out together, and gained the Boulevarde. The moon shone bright, and almost every object was nearly as distinct as day; a furious crowd was pressing on vowing extermination, and the greater part half naked, armed with knives, muskets, sticks, and ! sabres. In answer to my inquiries, I was told the massacre was partment of tbe BOOK OF MABTYR8 383 general ; lies at Nismes. 19 did not by any jismcs. October, he principles or [ by ccrreaponditig (uses iii the Quar- urnt in tlie streets, The mayor ap Lo know him, und 'his presence was le 16th of October, of carnage; orders led with regularity 13, and urged them f those wretches the exception, are to be , often deceived me, le not a single man been executed had it of the department. sived the danger; he ;vds were advancing vith ruffians, uttering 80unded at eleven )W spreading through ■^ La Garde, who was u had arrived at sucli te, gave the following In asleep; Iwaswri- distant noise; drums What could all this Announced the arrival iut firing and shouts lindow 1 distinguished j kte leRoi! 1 roused Tncel, Director of the lined the Boulevarde. Iwas nearly as distinct U extermination, and t; muskets, sticks, and [id the massacre was | that many had been already killed in the suburbs. M. Chancel retired to put on his uniform as captain of (he Pompiers; the officers retired to the barracks, and anxious for my wife I returned hoine. By the noise I was convinced that persons followed. 1 crept along in the shadow of the wall, opened my door, entered, and closed it, leaving a small aperture through which I could watch the move- ments of the party whose arms shone in the moonlight. In a few noments some armed men appeared conducting a prisoner to the very spot where I was concealed. They stopped, I shut my door gently, and mounted on an alder tree planted agauist the garden wall. What a scene! a man on his knees imploring mercy from wretches who mocked his agony, and loaded him with abuse. In the name of my wife and children, he said, spare me! What have I done? Why would you murder me for nothing? I was on the point of crying out and menacing the murderers with vengeance. I had not long to de- liberate, the discharge of several fusils terminated my suspense; the unhappy supplicant, struck in the loins and the head, fell to rise no more. The backs of the assassins were towards the tree; they retired immediately, reloading their pieces. I descended and approached the dying man, uttering some deep and dismal groans. Some Nation- al Guards arrived at the moment, I again retired and shut the door «I see," said one, "a dead man.'* "He sings still," said another. "It will be better," said a third, "to finish him and put him out of his mise- ry." Five or six muskets were fired instantly, and the groans ceased. On the following day crowds came to inspect and insult the deceased. A day after a massacre was always observed as a sort of fete, and every occupation was left to go and gaze upon the victims. This was Louis Lichare, the father of four children; and four years after the event, M. Durand verified this account by his oath upon the trial of ooe of the murderers. Attack vpon the Protestant Churches. Some time before the death of general La Garde, the duke d'An- eme had visited Nismes, a*id other cities in th; vouth, and at the former place honoured the members of the protestanl consistory with an interview, promising them protection, and encouraging them to re-open their temple so long shut up. They have two churches at Nismes, and it was agreed that the small one should be preferred on this occasion, and that the ringing of the bell should be omitted; general La Garde declared that he would answer witli his head for die safety of his congregation. The protestants privately informed each other that worship was once more to be celebrated at ten o'clock, and they began to assemble silently and cautiously. It was agreed that M. Juillerat Chasseur should perform the service, though such was his conviction of danger that he entreated his wife, and some of is flock, to remain with their families. The temple being opened only as a matter of form, and in compliance with the orders of the It. ♦ » is ■ ^ V ■ ^1 ■ ft "^ IV. /; 364 BOOK or MARTTRfl. •!« m \ 1 ^#1 duko d^AngouIeme, this pastor wished to bo the only victim. On his way to the phico lie passed numcruus groupes who regarded him with ferocious looks. '^This is the time," said some, **tu give them the lust blow." "Yes," added others, "and neither women nor children must be spared." One wretch, raising his voice above the rest, ex- claimed, "Ah, [ will go and get my musket, and ten for my shiiro." Through these ominous sounds M. Juillerat pursued his course, but when he gained the temple the sexton, had not the courage to opeu the door, and he was obliged to do it himself. As the worshippers arrived they found strange persons in possession of the adjacent streets, and upon the steps of the church, vowing their worship should not be per- formed, and crying, "Down with the protestants! kill them! kill them!" At ten o'clock the church being nearly filled, M. J. Chusseur commenced the prayers; a calm that succeeded was of short d ira- tion. On a sudden the minister was interrupted by a violent noise and a number of persons entered, utterinj^ the miist dreadful erics, mingled with Vive le Roi! but the gens-d'armcs succeeded iti exclu- ding these fanatics, and closing the doors. The noise and tumult with- out now redoubled, and the blows of the populace trying to break upen the doors, caused the house to resound with shrieks and groans, 'i'jie voice of the pastors who endeavoured to console their flock, was inau- dible; tliey attempted in vain to sing the 42d psalm. Three quarters of an hour rolled heavily away. "I placed myself," says Madame Juillerat, "at the bottom of the pulpit, with my daugh- ter in my arms; my husband at length joined and sustained me; I remembered that it was the anniversary of my marriage; after six years of happiness, I said, I am about to die with my husband and my daughter; we shall be slain at the altar of our God, the victims of a sacred duty, and heaven will open to receive us and our unhappy brethren. I blessed the Redeemer, and without cursing our murderers, I awaited their approach." M. Oliver, son of a pastor, an ofHcer in the royal troops of the line, attempted to leave the church, but the fi iendly sentinels at the door advised him to remain besieged with the rest. The national guards refused to act, and the fanatical crowd took every advantage of the absence of general La Garde, and of their increasing numtiers. At length the sound of martial music was heard, and voices from without called to the besieged, "Open, open and save yourselves." Their first impression was a fear of treachery, but the^ were soon assured that a detachment returning from mass was drawn up in front of the church to favour the retreat of the protestaats. The door was open- ed, and many of them escaped among the ranks of the soldiers, who had driven the mob before them; but this street, as well as others through which the fugitives had to pnss, was S(X>n tilled again. The venerable pastor, Olivier Desmond, between 70 and HO yeajs of age, was surroutidou by murderers; they put their tists in his face, and cried, "Kill the chief of brigands." He was preserved by the firm- ness of some officers, among whom was his own son; they made a ncXim. On his ;ardcd him with > give thcin the ica nor children ove the rest, ex- for my aharo.'' I his course, but irage to open the rshippeis arrived Lcont atreets, and iiould not be i)er- , kill th<.'n)l kill d, M. J. Chasseur aa of short d ira- iv a viuleut nuisc, At dreadful cries, iicceeded in exclu* le and tumult with- ying to break open and groans. The oir flock, was iuau- "1 placed myself,'' (it, with my daui^h- nd sustained me; I marriage; after six my husband and my [od, the victims of a and our unhappy »ng our murderers, i\ troops of the line, ontinels at the door ./he national guards Iry advantage of the lasing numbers. At 1 voices from without lyourselves." Their i were soon assured m up in front of the lThe door was open- of the soldiers, who t, as well as others 111 ttlled agam. Ihe ind 80 years of age, psts in his face, and Reserved by the firm- Vn son; they made a BOOK or MARTYRS. 385 bulwark round him *vith their bodies, and amidst their naked sabres con* ducted hun to his house. M. Juillerat, who had assisted at divine ser- vice witir his wife at his side and his child in his arms, was pursued and assailed with stones; his mother received a blow on the head, and her life was some time in danger. One woman was shamefully wnip- ped, and several wounded and dragged along the streets; the number of protestants more or less ill treated on this occasion, amounted to be- tween seventy and eighty. Murder of General La Garde, At length a check was put to these excesses by the report of the murder of Count La Garde, who, receiving an account of Uiis tumult, mounted his horse, and entered one of the streets, to disperse a crowd. A villain seized his bridle; another presented the muzzle of a pistol close to his body, and exclaimed, "Wretch, you make me retire!" He immediately fired. The murderer was Louis Boissin, a serjeant in the national guard; but, though known to every one, no person endeavour- ed to arrest him, and he effected his escape. As soon as the gen- eral found himself wounded, he gave orders to the gendarmerie to protect the protestants, and set off on a gallop to his hotel; but faint- ed immediately on his arrival. On recovering, he prevented the sur^ geon from searching his wound till he had written a letter to the gov- ernment, that, in case of his death, it might be known from what quar- ter the blow came, and that none might dare to accuse the protestants of this crime. The probable death of this general produced a small degree of relaxation on the part of their enemies, and some calm ; but (he mass of the people had been indulged in licentiousness too long to be restrained even by the murder of the representative of their king. In the evening they again repaired to the temple, and with hatchets broke open the door; the dismal noise of their blows carried terror into the bosom of the protestant families sitting in their houses in tears. The contents of the poor^s box, and the clothes prepared for distribu- tion, were stolen; the minister's robes rent in pieces; the books torn up or carried away ; the closets were ransacked, but the rooms which contained the archives of the church, and the synods, was providen- tially secured; and had it not been for the numerous patrols on foot, the whole would have become the prey of the flames, and the edifice itself a heap of ruins. In the mean while, the fanatics openly ascribed the murder of the general to his own self-devotion, and said "that it was the will of God." Three thousand francs were offered for the appre- hension of Boissin; but it was well known that the protestants dared not arrest him, and that the fanatics would not. During these transac- tions, the systems of forced conversions to Catholicism was making reg- ^ (liar and fearful progress. Interference of the British Cfovemment. To the credit of England, the reports of these cruel perseeutionf 31 I t ''^'- i': >i m ■■■|i i;*i*'. 886 looK or marttm. carried on against our protostant brethren in France, produced such a •enaation on the part of the government as determined thon^ to inter- fere; and now the porBecutors of the protestniits made this spontaiieuus act of humanity and religion the pretext for charging the soflerers with a treasonable correspondence with England ; but in this state of their proceedings, to their great dismay, a letter appeared, tout some time isefore to England by the duke uf Wellington, stating 'Hbat much ii). formation existed on the events of the south/^ The ministers of the three denominations in London, anxious not to be misled, requested one of their brethren to visit the scenes of porse-' Cution, and examine with impartiality the nature and extent of the evils they wcie desirous to relieve. The Rev. Clement Perot under- took this difficult task, and fidfilled their wishes with a zeal, prudence, and devotedness, above all praise. Ilis return furnished abundant and incontestiblo proof of a shameful persecution, materials for an appeal to the British Parliament, and a printed report which was circulated through the continent, and which first conveyed correct information to the inhabitants of France. Foreign interference was now found eminently uieful; and the de- clarations of tolerance which it elicited from the French governmeiit, as well as the more cautious march of the catholic persecutors, operat- ed as decisive and involuntary acknowledgments of the importance of that interference, which some persona at first censured and despised; but thouffh the stern voice of public opinion in England and elsewhere produced a reluctant suspension of nnassacre and pillage, the murder- ers and plunderers were still lefl unpunished, and even caressed and rewarded for their crimes; and whilst protestants in France suffered the most cruel and degrading pains and penalties for alleged trifling crime9jCathoUcs, covered with blood, and guilty of numerous and hor- rid murders, were acquitted. Perhaps the virtuous indignation expressed by some of the more enlightened catholics against these abominable proceedings, had no small share in restraining them. Many innocent protestants had been condemned to the galleys and otherwise punished, for supposed crimes, upon the oaths of wretches the most unprincipled and abandoned, M. Madier de Montgau, judge of the cour royale of Nismes, and president of the cour cTassizes of the Gard and Vaucluse, upon one occasion felt himself compelled to break up the court, rather than take the deposition of that notorious and sanguinary monster Tru pheniy : "In a hall,^^ says he, **of the Palace of Justice, opposite thai in which I sat, several unfortunate persons persecuted by the factioD were upon trial : every deposition tending to their crimination was applauded with the cries of *Vive le RoV Three times the explosion j of this atrocious joy became so terrible, that it was necessary to send i for reiiiforcements from the barracks, and two hundred soldiers were oflen unabi'e to restrain the people. On a s^idden the shouts and] cries of *F»»c le Roi^ redoubled: a man arrives, caressed, applaud- ed, borne in triumph — it is the horrible Truphemy; he approaches! Sliced iucha then^tu iutcr- Kis spontaneous w Bvitterers with kis state of their aeikt Bome time *Hhat much in* n, anxious not to scenes of poree-' Mid extent of the lent Perot under- a zeal, prudence, ^^ al)undantand als for an appeal ch was circulated Pect information to useful; and the dc- rench government, persecutors, operat- f the importance of >ured and despised-. rland and elsewhere ' iUage, the murder- » even caressed and in France suffered , for alleged trifling f numerous and hor- y some of the more proceedings, had no Protestants had been .Yor supposed crimes ,led and abandoned .ale of Nismes, auJ \auclu8e, upon one »e court, rather than uinary monster Inj Justice, opposUe to rented by the fact.o« kcir crimination was ^ times the explosion ras necessary to send nundred soldiers were .,dden the shouts and U caressed, app^auH BOOK OF MARTYRS. 3S7 (he tribunal — he comes to depose aguinst the prisoncri* — ho la admit- ted as a witness — ho raises his hand to take the outh! Suited with horror at the siglit, I runh frum my scut, and o.itcr the hall of council; my colleutfucs follow me; in vain (hey porHuade me to re- sume my seat; *NoP cxcluimed I, 'I will not coiisunl to see that wretch admitted to give evidence in u court of justice in the city which he has Hiled with murders; in the palace, on the steps of which he has murdered the unfortunate Buurillon. 1 cannot admit that he should kill his victims by his testimonies no more than by his poignurds. He an accuser! he a witness! No, never will I consent to see this nion- flterrise, in the presence of niugistratos, to take u sacrilegious oath, his hand still reeking with blood/ These words were repeated out of doors; the witness trembled; the factious nlsa tremble:!; the fac- tious who guided the tongue of Truphemy as thuy had directed his arm, who dictated calumny after they had taught him murder. These words penetrated the dungeons of the condemned, and i..s|)ired hope; (hey gave another courageous advocate (he resolution to es{>ouse the cause of the persecuted; he carried the prayers of innocence and mis- cry to the foot of the throne; there he askect if the evidence of a Tru- phemy was not suflicient to aimul a sentence. The king granted a full and free pardon. Perjury in the cote of General GUly, Sfc. This catholic system of subornation and perjury was carried to •ueh an infamous degree, that twenty-six witnesses were found to sign and swear, that on the 3d of April, 1815, general Gilly, with his own hand and before their eyes, took down the white Hag at Nismes; though it was proved that at the time when the tri-coloured flag wu raised in its room, the general was tiAeen leagues from Nis- mes, and that he did not arrive there till three days aller that event. Before tribunals thus constructed, even innocence had not the least chance ibr protection.. General Gilly knew better than to appear be- fore them,, and was condemned to death for contempt of court. But when he left Nismes, he thought either of passing into a foreign c«>un- try, or of joining the army of the Loire; and it was long supposed that he had actually escaped. As it was impossible to gain any point, or find any security, his only hope was in concealment, and a friend found him an asylum in the cottage of a peasant; but that peasant was a protestant, and the general was a catholic: however, he did not hesitate; he confided in this poor minn^s honour. This cottage was in the canton of Anduze; the name of its keeper, Perrier; he welcomed the fugitive, and did not even ask his name : it was a time of proscription, and his host would know nothing of him ; it was enough that he was unfortunate, aiKl in danger. He was disguised, and he passed for Perrier^s cousin. The general is naturally amiable, and he made himself agreeable, sat by the fire, ate potatoes, and con- tented hinvself with miserable fare. Though subject to frequent and « > m '. • u \ ' •it 1: I . I -1» P m i ; 1 d Wd 1 i I 8 m ^t^M S [ inE ¥i}v : 888 BOOK OF MARTYRS. many painful alarms, he preserved his retreat several months, and often heard the visiters of his host boast of the concealment of general Gilly, or of being acquainted with the place of his retreat. Patrols were continually ssarching for arms in the houses of proteslants- and often in the night the general was obliged to leave his mattress half naked, and hide himself in the fields. Perrier, to avoid these inconveniences, made an under-ground passage, by which his guest could pass to an outhouse. The wife of Perrier could not endure that one who had seen better days should live as her family did, on vegetables and bread, and occasionally bought meat to regale the melancholy stranger. These unusual purchases excited attention- it was suspected that Perrier had some one concealed; nightly vis- its were more frequent. In this state of anxiety he often com- plained of the hardness of his lot. Perrier one day returned from market in a serious mood ; and after some inquiries from his guest he replied, "Why do you complain? you are fortunate compared with the poor wretches whose heads were cried in the market toi-day: Brugiiier. the pastor, at 2400 francs; Bresse, the mayor, at the same, and general Gilly at 10,000 !"--«Is it possible f' «Aye, it is certain.^' Gilly concealed his emotion, a momentary suspicion passed his mind; he appeared to reflect. "Perrier," said he, lam weary of life; you are poor and want money: I know Gilly and the place of his concealment; let us denounce him; I shall, no doubt, obtain my liberty, and you shall have the 10,000 francs." The old man stood speechless, and as if petrified. His son, a gigantic peas- ant, 27 years of age, who had served in the army, rose from his chair, in which he had listened to the conversation, and in a tone not to be described, said, "Sir, hitherto we thought you unfortunate, but honest- we have respected your sorrow, and kept your secret; but sii;ce you are one of those wretched beings who would inform of a fellow creature, and insure his death to save yourself, there is the door; and if you do not retire, I will throw you out of the window." Gilly hesi- tated; the peasant insisted; the general wished to explain, but he was seized by the collar. "Suppose I should be general Gilly," said the fugitive. The soldier paused. "And it is even so," continued he, *»i >n so," continued he, p The soldier threw in tears; they kissed jr let him leave them, ^arrested. Intto ,eir cottage was mow eek another asylum. ,e he had occasional 1 prevail upon them , U the duke tfAn- L of the king for the BOOK OF MARTYBS. 389 But, even when the Fcench government was resolved to bring the factious of the de[»arlment of the Gard, under the laws, the same men continued to exercise the public functions. The society, called Roy- ale, and its secret committee, maintained a power superior to the laws. It was impossible to procure the condemnation of an assassin, though the evidence against him was incontestible, and for whom, in other times, there would have been no hope. The Truphemys, and others of his stamp, appeared in public, wearing immense mustachios, and white cockades embroidered with green. Like the brigands of Calabria, they had two pistols and a poignard at their waists. Their appearance difiused an air of melancholy mixed with indignation. Even amidst the bustle of the day there was the silence of fear, and the night was disturbed by atrocious songs, or vociferaiions like the sudden cry of ferocious wild beasts. Ultimate resolution of the ProtestatO* at irusmes. With respect to the conduct of the protestants, these highly outrageil citizens, pushed to extremities by their persecutors, felt at length that they had only to choose the manner in which they were to perish. They unanimously determined that they would die fighting in their own defence. This firm attitude apprised their butchers that they could no longer murder with impunity. Every thing was immediately changed. Those, who for four years had filled others with terror, now felt it in tlieir turn. They trembled at the force which men, so long resigned, found in despair, and their alarm was heightened when they heard that the inhabitants of the Cavennes, persuaded of the dan- ger of their brethren, were marching to their assistance. But, with- out waiting for these reinforcements, the protestants appeared at night in the same order and armed in the same manner as their enemies. The others paraded the Boulevards, with their usual noise and fury: but the protfiitants remained silent and firm in the posts they had chosen. Three days these dangerous and ominous meetings continued; but the effusion of blood was prevented by the efforts of some worthy citizens distinguished by their rank and fortune. By sharing the dangers of the protestant population, they obtained the pardon of an inemy who now trembled while he menaced. But though the protestants were modest in their demands, only uking present safety, and security for the future, they did not obtain above half of their requests. The dissolution of the National Guard at Nismes was owing to the prudence and firmness of M. Laine. The re-organization of the Cour Royale was effected by M. Pasquier, then Keeper of the Seals; and these measures certainly ensured them a present safety but no more. M. Madier de Montgau, the generous champion of the protestants at Nismes, was officially summoned be- fore the Court of Cassation at Paris, over which M. de Serre, Keeper of the Seals, presided, to answer for an alleged impropriety of con- I duct as a magistrate, in making these public appeals to llie Chambei 31* W .■■'aJ I >,; %^- 1 anv with the emir Sa man, ami obssrved, that his prejudices ugainst Christianity were evifll entiy inaci) sjlteued jingn ..:nibero( ni)ted to answer; elf, was the occa* ; general correct- to have distressed 3 his iustructer in low began in earn* and made constant e became a protest- ly pious man. Im- young, his matured nd his acquisitions, ds him the general ;ird— Shidiak receiv- ■eatens him, with his with immediate ex jxion with the Bibl& advisable, for the pre- iet, until the fever of nth's absence, to con- obloq"y and violence (red to give up an ad- \ad some months ago Imt he is heretical in to bring a letter ta re him. He now gives Lc«rity,lamtoproc"re ish consul, which sh 11 II the safety and Ubertj fthAsaadonthesuVH lanv with the emir bn [Christianity were eviil BOOK OF MARTYRS. 303 14. Conversed with Asaad on the books of the Apocrypha.f He seemed satisHed with the proofs that they were not given by inspi- ration of God. He is now searching the scriptures with such an in- teiisity of interest, as to leave him neither time nor relish for any thing else. We have a copy of the Arabic bible, printed at Rome, at the end of which is an appendix which he has discovered to contain a copious list of popish doctrines, with their appropriate references to scripture proofs. These proofs he has found so weak, that he expresses his astonishment how such doctrines could be inferred from them; and nothiag has occurred of late, which has more strengthened his con- viction that the church of Rome is radically wrjjng. What seems to have aifjcted him most sensibly, is, the expression he has found, "We are under obligation to kill heretics." — Proof, — 'False prophets God commanded to be slain. Jehu and Elijah killed tlie worshippers and prophets of Bual.^ This passage he shows to all who visit him, priests and people, and calls upon them to judge whether such sweep- in'; destruction is according to the spirit of the gospel. 11 this country, where the pope cannot do all he could wish, the right of murdering every one who differs from him, has not l)een so publicly asserted of late, and some, when they hear it, are a little startled. Bat most of the good children of "the church^^ are s>oon quieted again, by the recollection, that their kind and compassionate "muther" means well, even in murder. The common mode of rea- sonitig, is, in this case, inverted. It is not said, "the action is right, therefire the church does it;" but, "the church does it, therefore it is right." Jan. 1, 1826. Twelve or fourteen individuals were present at the Arabic service at Mr. GoodelPs. After this service, we questioned Asaad closely with regard to the state of his heart, and were rather diiiappointed at the readiness, with which he replied, that he thought he was born again. For ourselves, we chose rather to suspend our opinion. Ho can hardly be supposed to have acquired yet, even «pec- ulatitely^ very clear notions of what is regeneration; and it would I seem quite as consistent with christian humility, and with a true knowledge of his sinfulness, if he should speak of himself with more I doubt and caution. Ill the evening, an acquaintance of his, one who has heretofore ex- pressed great friendship to him, and to us; who had said that there [was no true religion to be found in the whole country, and pretended to lament very much that the patriarch and priests had so nmch sway; [came to give Asaad a last serious admonition. ''This," said he, "is the last time I intend ever to say a word to lyou on the sjLject of religion. I wish, therefore, before you go any |iurther, that yoi^ would pause and think whether you can meet all the tThe Papists receive these books as of equal divine authority with the books of th Old Testament. — Eu. t !^- M' ■-I. ♦ » I »i *!' • .'If ' ■■' ■ 894 BOOK OF BIARTTR8. m :1 i;H'." y/^:it''- ^ IP ij reproach of the world, and all the opposition of the patriarch and priests." Asaad replied, that he had made up his mind to meet all these things. "And now," said he, "if, as you say, you intend never to hold any more conversation with me on the suLject of religion, J have one request to make of you, and that is, that you will go, and make the subject of religion a matter of serious prayer and inquiry, and see where the path of life is; I then leave you with yourcon^ science and with God." AAer relating the substance of this conversation to us, Asaad re- marked, that these people reminded him of the late patriarch such an one, who had a moderate share of understanding, but was amhitiuus to appear very well. This patriarch had a bishop who was »jdlly an acute and learned man, and whose opinions were always received w^ the greatest deference on all matters relative to religion. The bishop being on a visit one day at tlie patriarch^s, the latter called him to his presence, and proposed to him the interpretation of a pas- sage of scripture. The bishop gave the explanation according to the best of his judgment. "No," said his holiness, "that is not the meaning of tlie passage;" and proposed to have a second. When the bishop had again given his opinions and reasons, the patriarch answered as before, "That is not the meaning of the passage." In a third and fourth case, the bishop was equally unfortunate, all hia ar- guments being swept away by the single sage remark of his holiness, "That is not the meaning of the passage." At last the bishop, in a fit of discouragement, said, "Your holiness has put me upon the solu- tion of a number of questions, in all which, it seems, 1 have been wrong. I would now thank your holiness to tell me what is right!" The patriarch being startled at the new ground he was on, changed j the conversation. "So," said Asaad, "those people can all tell niel am mistaken; but when I ask them what is rigkty they are silent.^' Asaad has oden remarked, that he is full of anxiety, and finds no i rest for the sole of his foot. In many things he sees the Romish church to be wrong, and in some things he thinks we are so. Ourap- parent tranquility of mind, as to our religious views, is a matter of surprise to him. This evening he conversed on the subject villi more than usual feeling. "I seem," said he, "to be alone among men. There is nobody like me, and I please nobody. I am noil quite in harmony with the English in my views, and therefore dol not please you. My own countrymen are in so much error, I cannot! please them. God I have no reason to think I please; nor do I pleasej myself. What shall I do?" It was not altogether unpleasant to hear these professions of dilii-| dence in himself, and I endeavoured to turn off his attention from all other sources of consolation than that of the "Comfocter, which is tlxl Holy Ghost." Asaad observed, that whatever might be said, and whatever mi<;lil be true, of our object, in coming to this country he saw that the d(x\ lo patriarch and to meet all these I intend never to cct of religion, I I you will go, and rayer and inquiry, 3U with your con- m to us, Aaaad re- B patriarch such an ^ut was ambitious who was »jally an re always received 3 to religion. The jig the latter called erpretation of a pos- ition according to the ,gs "that is not the ie a second. When easons, the patriarch f the passage." In a nfortuuate, all his a^ Binark of his holiness, It last the bishop, in a put me upon the solu- X seems, 1 have been »ll mo what is right A he was on, changed sople can all tell me I iL they are silent." Lnxiety, and finds nj he sees the Romisli [ks ice are 80. Ourap- views, is a matter o Ll on the subject vitli "to be alone among se nobody. 1 f "J liews, and therefore do « much error, I cann« please; nor do 1 please Le professions of difiji Iff his attention from a I Comforter, which IS il«| BOOR OF MARTYRS. 305 trinea we taught were accordiiig to truth, and he was more than ever determined to hold io them. Asaad says, that wherever he goes, and to whomsoever he addresses himself on the subject of religion, people say, "Ah, it is very well for you to go al)Out and talk in this manner: you have, no doubt, been well paid for it all.^* These insinuations wear upon his spirit, and he some- times says, "O that I were in some distant land, where nobody had ever known me, and I knew nobody, that I might be able to fasten men's attention to the truth, without tlic possibility of their flying off to these horrid suspicions.^' He wishes also to have another interview with the patriarch, that he may tell him his whole heart, and see what he will say. The patri- arch is not, he says, of a bad disposition by nature, and perhaps if he could be persuaded that he was neither acting from revenge nor from love of money, but simply from a conviction uf the truth, he would be softened in his feelings, and something might be done with him to the benefit of religion. He desired, among other things, to propose, that an edition of the New Testament should be printed under the patri- arch's inspection at Schooair, the expense of which, (if he chose) should be borne by the Engiish.f VisUt the Patriarch. 6. For some time, we had been looking daily for a regular excom- munication to be published by the patriarch's order against Asaad; but instead of this, a letter arrived from his holiness to-day, brought bv his own brother, priest Nicholas, containing his apostolic blessing, inviting him to an interview, and promising him a situation in some office. The messenger said, that the patriarch, his brother, had heard that the English had given Asaad 40 purses, (2000 dollars) to unite him with them, and that he had tliought of giving Asaad the same sum, that no obstacle might remain to his leaving them. "This money,'* said he, "with which the English print books, and hire men into their service, is but the pelf of the man of sin, and could you but be present to hear what the people say of you, through the whole country, for your associating with the English, you would never be in their compa- [nyaffain." When we were informed of what occurred between this priest and lAsaad, andof Asaad's intention to go and see the patriarch, we all [expressed our fears that he would be ill-treated, but he did not antici- Ipateit. He said, he had known an instance of a vile infidel and Iblasphemer, who was simply exconununicated, and that it was not [the custom of the Maronites to kill, as we suggested, on account of eligion. We assured him that he had not yet learned how much eu hate the truth, and that his church would not feci herself half as Duch in danger from an open blasphemer, as fram an active lover M-' I * \ » 1. ^,.', ■ at I ■>M - > ^ tid, and whatever mrf fv he saw that the docj tThis he actaully proposed, but the patriarch would not listen to the proposal a oinent. p;f«ii' , «* *!"•, f SOS BOOK OF MARTYKS. of tho gospel. But he was so confident that good would result from such u visit, that we ceased Irom urging our oijections, and commend- ed him to the will of God. It was during this visit, that most of the conversations happened which are so admirably narrated in the public statement made Inr himself, which will be found in the sequel. lie manifested through- out, as the reader will discover, the spirit of the early christian con- fessors. He denied the infallibility of popes and councils; asserted and defended the great doctrines of the gos|)el, and l)esought, that the scrip. lures might be circulated, and read, and be made the only standard of faitli, and rule of practice, and that evangelists might be sent through the land. Against such a formidable innovator, the patriarch and his biahops rose up in wrath, and Asoad was threatened with imprisonment and death. Two daye after his departure, he thus wrote to Mr. Bird. <*I am now at Der Alma, (convent of Alma,) and thanks to God, I arrived in good health. But as yet I have not seen the patriarch. I pray God the Fatlier, and his only Son Jcssis Christ our Lord, that he would establish me in his love, that I may never exchange it fur any created thing — that neither death, nor life, nor things present, n'>r things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor riches, nor honour, nor die- nity, nor office, nor any thing in creation, shall separate me from this love. I hope you will pray to God for me; which request I also make to all the brethren and sisters, (all the saints,) after giving them, especially Mr. Goodell, abundant salutations.^^ 2-1. Heard that Asaad had been sent to the Armenian convent Bzumar, to confess, and that he would probably be sent to Aleppo as a priest. Another said, he was seen at the college of Ain Warka. la forcibly detained. Fth. 22. Fearing for the safety of Asaad, since hearing that he has not written to his friends, we this morning sent a messenger with a short note, to find him, and ascertain his state. 23. The messenger returned, saying, that he yesterday went to the village, where he understood the patriarch was, and found that he had just gone with a train of twenty men, and Asaud in company, to Der Alma. In the morning, he rose, went to that convent, and chanced to j find Asaad alone. After some conversation, in which they were pro- videntially not interrupted, Asaad handed him a hasty line, and he re- 1 turned. The line was as follows : "Much respected brother, — Your note has reached me, and has I added another proof to the many I have had already, of your ki regard to me. I now beseech you once more, to pray for me, that 1 1 may be delivered from the dark devices of men. I find myself re- duced to quite an extremity. One or more of three things are before me; either to be thought mad, or to commit sin or to ofiier up mylifeJ BOOK OP MABT BS. 897 Icrll upon God for deliverance. I cannot now write fully, but the bearer will tell you of all." The messenger said, that the emir of that district had threatened to send him to Bt^deen, to be imprisoned. Asaad replied, that he wai i«ady to go to prison and to death. He was engaged in daily disputa- tions with the patriarch and others. Uis countenance wore a shade of melancholy, and his eyes were red with weeping. When it was proposed by the messenger to mterfere with Engliiili authority for his rescue, he said such a course might exasperate hia enemies, and cost him his life: it would be better to wait a wKile, and leave it for Providence to open a way for his escape. This assurance of his steadfastness was like a cordial to our spirits, and was not without a good influence on some that are about us. By the grace of God, he will witness a good confession before the digni- *■ taries both of church and state, and by the same grace, he may open the eyes of some of them to the truth as it is in Jesus. To him that was with Daniel and with the three children in their dangers, we com- ment' him. 24. Called on the consul to inquire what could be done for the protec- tion or relief of Asaad. Ho recommended a course of moderation and forbearance, and said it was not customary to extend English protection to natives, when abroad on their own business. 26. Two young emirs from Hadet called. I asked one of them « Where is Asaad Shidiak at present?" He replied, "He is with the patriarch." «And is he contented there?" ' <'!t.y 896 BOOK OF MARTW. After a little rest and refreshment, ho gave us a brief account of his escape. He had not seen the youth, who had undertaken to befriend him, but iindinff he did not call the night before, as he expected, he resolved not to wait another day. Therefore, at about twelve oVIock last night, having written a paper and lefl it on his bed, with the quotation, **Come out of her my people,'' dtc. he set off on foot, committing himself to God for strength and protection. The darkness was such, Uiat h^ oAen found himself out of his road, sometimes miring io mud) and sometimes wading in rivers. AAer some hours of weari<' ness and anxiety, he came to the shore of the sea, where he found a large boat thrown up, under which he cast himself, and obtained a lit. tie rest. Afler this, he continued his walk without interruption, till he reached Beyroot. In the course of the forenoon, a messenger came from the neigh> bouring shekh, or sheriff, requesting Asaad to come and see him; adding, that if he did not come, he would watch an opportunity to take his life. The messenger came a second time, and returned without accomplishing his object. We afterwards wrote a line to the shekh to say, that if he would favour us with a call in person, And take a cup of cofllee, he could have the privilege of an interview with Asaad. Just as the note was sent, the consul providentially 'Came in, and the shekh found him ready to give him a seasonable reprimand for presuming to threaten a person under English protec- tion. The skekh declared, that he had never sent such a message; that the man who brought it was but an ass, and said it from his own brain; that having heard of Asaad's arrival, he merely wished to see whether the reports respecting his insanity were true or false; that Asaad was his bosom friend, his own son, and that whatever he had was his; and that as for church, and priests, and patriarch, he cared for none of them. Towards evening, the youth already mentioned entered the house, ready to faint with exceswive fear and fatigue. He had fled from the mountains in all haste, under the absurd apprehension, that he should be suspected and taken up as an accomplice with Asaad. Having thrown himself upon a seat, and taken a little breath, he began to relate what had happened. He was at the convent, when it was first discuv* ered that Asaad had fled. The patriarch and his train were occupied in the religious services of the morning, so that no great sensation was at first apparent among them. One individual spoke boldly in favour of Asaad, saying, "Why should he not leave you? What inducement had he to remain here? What had he here to do? What had he toon* joy? Books he had none; friendly society none; conversation against Teligioil abundant; insults upon his opiniuns and his feelings abundant Why should he not leave you?" Others, especially the great ones, pitied the poor maniac, (as they called him,) and sent in quest of him in every direction, lest perad* f account of hit lefriend him, but , he rcBoWed not ?clock last night, h the quotation, foot) committing rkncsB was such, stimcB miring in e hours of weari-' ^here he found a ind obtained a lit« nterruption, till he B from the neigh- me and see him; an opportunity to me, and returned Is wrote a line to t a call in person, 5ge of an interview tnsul providentially I him a seasonable ler English prolec- it such a message; said it from his own erely wished to see J true or false; that It whatever he had patriarch, he cared entered the house, ie had fled from the fWion, that he should ith Asaad. Having th,he began to relate ^n it was tirst discov- train were occupied J great sensation was Kike boldly in favour [? What inducement What had he locn- , conversation against [his feelings abundant ^r maniac, (as they direction, lest perad- HOOK OF MARTYVS. 300 venture he might be found starving in some cavern, or floating in the lea, or dashed in pieces at the bottom of a precipire. Oa learning of Asaad all that had passed during his ibsence, we lequested him to write a statement of the facts stammhul in the form of a journal. We wished this not only fur our own uiroiinutinn, but to produce it to those who shall inquire on tlie subject of Asuud^s lunacy hereafler. Public Statement of Asaad Shidiak. Beyrooty March 1826. Respected Brethren and Friends, — Since many have heard a ro> port, that I have become insane ; and others, that I have l^ccome a heretic; I have wished to write an account uf myself in few words, and then let every reflecting man judge for himself, whether I am mad, or am slandered; whether following after heresy, or after the truth of the orthodox faith. Every serious man of understanding will concede, that true religion is not that of compulsion, nor that which may be bought and sold; but that which proceeds from at- tending to the word of God, believing it, and endeavouring to walk according to it to the glory of God; and that every -iie, whose object is solely contention, and who does not obey the truth, but follows aAer unrighteousness, is far distant from the true religion. This is the standard, by which I would be judged by every one who reads this narrative. About eight or nine months ago, I was employed, by an American by the name of J. King, in teaching him the Syriac language. At that time, I was very fund of engaging with him in disputatious con- versations, to prove him to be in error; but with none but worldly motives, to display my talents and knowledge, and acquire the praise of men. AAer this, I applied myself to reading of the word of God with intense interest. Now this person wrote a farewell letter to his friends, in which he excuses himself from uniting himself with the Roman Catholic church. Afler reading this letter, I found, in the Holy scriptures, many passages, which made against the opinions of the writer. I'hese passages I selected, and from them and other evi- dences, composed a reply to him. But when I was copying the first rough draught of the same, and had arrived to the answer to the last of the objections, which he said prevented his becoming a member of the Roman Catholic church, viz: that the Roman Catholic church teaches, that it is wrong for the common people to possess or read the word of God, but that they ought to learn trom the popes and coun- j cils, I observed the writer brings a proof against the doctrine from I the prophet Isaiah, viz: "To the law and to the testimony, if they eak not according to my word, it is because there is no light in tthem." While I was endeavouring to explain this passage also, according to I the viowsof the Roman Catholic church, with no other object than theprnise of men, and other wordly motives, I clianccd to read the I I i'iu k I ] i •I":. ¥ •■-1. M' 1 4,-:i-f^ -i^.'.lk': > ^ 400 BOOE or MARTYW. 20th chapter of Isaiah, from (he 15th verse to the end. I read, and was afraid. I meditated upon the chapter a long while, and i'earrid that 1 was doing what I did, with a motive fur diflurent from the oiilv proper one, viz. the glory and the pleasure of God. I thert^furo threw by my paper without finishing the ctipy, and applied myself diliguntlv to the reading of the prophecy of Isaiah. I had wished to hnd, in the prophets, plain proofs, hy which to establish, beyond contradiction that Jesus Christ is the Mi^ssiah, so long expected from ancient dnys- proofs that might be made use of in answer to Moslems and Jews! While I was thus searching, I found various pasbtiges, that would hear an explanation according to my views, but did not find them sufficient to enfurce conviction on others, until I finally came to the 52d chapter 14th verse, and onward to the end of the next chapter. On finding this testimony, my heart rejoiced, and was exceeding flad, fur it removed many dark doubts from my own mind also, 'rom that time, my desire to read the New Testament, that I might discover the best means of acting according to the doctrines uf Jesus was greatly increased. I endeavoured to divest myself of all selfish bias, and loved more and more to inquire into religious subjects. I saw, and continue to see, many of the doctrines of the Roman Cath> olio church, which I could not believe, and which I found opposed to the truths of the Gospel; and I wished much to find some of her best teachers to explain them to me, that I might see how they proved them from the Holy scriptures. As I was reading an appendix to a copy of the sacred scriptures, printed at Rome by the Propaganda, and searching out the passages referred to, for proving the duty of worshipping saints, and other similar doctrines, I found that these proofs failed altogether of establishing the points in question, and that to infer such doctrines from such premises; was even worthy of ridi- cule. Among other things, in this appendix, I found the very horrible Tferoman doctrines, that it is our duty to destroy heretics. Nuv every one knows, that whoever does not believe that the pope is infal- lible, is a heretic in his opinions. This doctrine is not merely that it is allowable to kill heretics, but that we are bound to do it. From this I was the more established k my convictions against the doctrines of the pope, and saw that they were the doctrines of the ravenous beast, and not of the gentle Iamb. After I had read this, I asked one of the priests in Beyroot respecting this doctrine, and he assured me, that it was even so as I had read. 1 then wished to go to some place, though it might be a distant country, that I might find some man of the Roman Catholic church sufficiently learned to prove the doctrine above alluded to. After this, as I was at Beyroot teaching a few Greek youths the Arabic grammar, I received a letter from his holiness the Maronite patriarch, saying, that if I did not cease from all assistance whatever to the English, and that if I did not leave them within one day, I should, ipso facto, fall under the heaviest excommunication. Thinking, as I did, that obeying my superiors, in all things no! nd. I read, and yhile, and t'eamd int from thu only I therefore threw myself diligently wished to tind, in ond coiitradicliun, rom ancient days; oslems and Jews. 18, that would bear iiid them suflkicnl to the 52d chapter, it. ind was exceeding ly owm mind also. iment, that 1 might doctrines of Jesus, nyself of all selfish ligious suljects. I f the Roman Cath' I I found opposed to ind some of her best »e how they proved iing an appendix to k by the Propaganda, proving the duty of 1 found that these in question, and that even worthy of ridi- md the very horrible ttroy heretics. Nov lat the pope is infal- to kill heretics, but |e more established in lie, and saw that they lot of the gentle lamb. lin Beyroot respecting In 80 as I had read. 1 be a distant country, ^Uc church sufficiently few Greek youths the holiness the Maromte \\ assistance whatever Bm within one day, I Lmunication. Viors, in all things »l BOOK or HAVTYKB. 401 linful, was well and good, I did not delay to leave, and so went to my friends nt Iladot; but still thinking very much on the sut jectof reli- gion, sj that some |)''op|e thought mo melancholy. 1 lovud exceed- ingly to cunvurso on ivligious siilijects; indeed 1 tutk no pleasure in tiny worldly concerns, and luiind all worldly posscssionK vain. After this, I received a sucond letter fmm his hulitiess tho patriarch, in which he said thus: '^After we had written you the first letter, we wrote yovi a second; see that yuu act according to it. Atid if you fulfil all that was coinumndcd in it, and come up to us when wo come to Kesran, we will provide yuu a situation." But I saw that nothing, in which I was accustomed to take delight, pleased me any longer. I returned again, afler some time, to Beynmt; and aller I had been there no long time, Iloory Nicolas arrived, brother to his holiness the rev. patriarch, with a request from the latter, to come and see him, which I hastened to do. Iloory Nicolas then began to converse with me, in the way of reprimand, for being in connexion with the English. I replied that, as we ought not to deny the unity of God, be- cause the Musselmans believe it, so we ought not to hate the gospel be- cause the English love it. lie then began to tell me of the wish of his holiness, tlie rev. patriarch, that I should come out to him, and of his great love to me; and said that he (the patriarch) had heard, that I had received thirty or forty purses of money from tho English; and he as- sured me of their readiness not to suffer this to be any hin>'rance to my coming out from them. Now if my object were money, as some seemed to think, I had then A fair opportunity to tell him a falsehood, and say, '*I indeed received from the English that sum, but I have expended so and so, and cannot leave them unless I restore the whole." In this way I might have con- trived to take what I wished. Yet I did not so answer him, but declared to him the truth, how much wages I had received, and which was noth- ing extraordinary. He then gave me a paper from his holiness the patriarch, m which he says, *'You will have received from us an answer, requesting that when we come to Alma, you will come up and see us. We expect your presence, and, if God please, we will provide you some proper situation, with an income that shall be sufficient for your sustenance. Delay not your coming, lest tho present happy opportunity should pass by " Knowing, as I did, that many people supposed my object, in continuing with the English, to be gain, I did not delay fulfilling the re- quest of his reverence, hoping to remove this suspicion, and to enjoy an opportunity of speaking the truth without being hired to do it. So, about the 7th of January, I lel\ Beyroot, with Iloory Nicolas, and arrived at Der Alma the same night. His holiness, the patriarch, was not there. On the next day, when he came, I met him, and salu- ted him in the road. In the evening he called me into his chamber, and began to ask me questions, that he might discover what I was; and I answered him telling him the whole truth, although this course was opposed to my personal convenience. At this he scunicd sur- 32* I » Uu • \' \ y \ t ■ii * ^ t I'M ■ Iff. ■ ii L t-»*i» ..>««l». Si" ' 4. ■■If * ■ :■■:■■'. 'it.al fey •It?-*'' '-'^ ' ?;] , ■!>; 402 BOOK OF MARTVBS. prised, for he must have perceived it was contrary to what he had been accustomed to see in me. Afterwards, when I declared to him, that I never had before been a believer, according to the true living faith, he was probably still more astonished. Me then asked me if I Leliev- ed as the Romish church believed. I again told him the truth, that I did not. He asked then what was my faith, and I answered to the foj. lowing purport, "True and living faith must be divine, connected with' hope, love and repentance, and that all these virtues are the gift of God &c.; that I believed the truth as God had inspired it; and that it would be but a lie, if 1 should say that I believed as the Rosnish church does while in fact I do not. I must have proofs.'' After some conversation like this, he told mc that this doctrine of mine was heretical, and that as long as I remained y-i\ this state of opinion, he would sutfer no one to have intercourse with r.e in buying and selling &.C. This prohibition of his brought to my mind the words in the Rev- elation, xiii, 17.t Then he gave me to understand, that if, after three days, I did not get back out of this state, i must no more enter the church. At other times, he wished me to s^vear by the eucharist and by the gospel, that my faith was like the faith of the Roman catholic church. He asked me if I was a Bible man; I replied, "I do not fol- low the opinions of the Bible men; but if you think me a Bible man on account of the opinions I have advanced, very well.*' The sum of what I said was, that without evidence I could not believe what the Romish church believes. From that time, after three days, 1 did not enter the church for a space. Some time passed again, and the patriarch inquired of me my faith. I then explained to him what I believ- ed respecting the unity and trinity of God, and that the Messiah was one person with two natures, and that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son. Then arose a disputation about, who is the Vicar that Christ has appointed to explain his law. I answered in substance as I afterwards did in writing, that by reason, and learning, and prayer to God, with puriiy of motive, we may know, from the holy scriptures, every thing necessary to our salvation. This was the purport of my reply, which perhaps was not expressed with sufficient clearness, or perhaps I was not able to say it in the manner that was appropriate, for such a tumult and storm were excited in the company that they •eemed to me to be intent on overcoming me by dint of vociferation, rather than by argument, and to drown my voice, rather than to under- stand my opinions. When, after some days, came bishop Abdalla Blabul and Padre Bemardus of Gzir, the patriarch one day called me to them in his chamber, and asked me what I wished, whether money or office, or whatever it might be, promising to gratify me, speaking of his love to JD& and of his great mterest in my welfare. These professions I t "He causeth all — to receive a mark," &c. "and no roan might buy or sell save ae that had the mark or the .amc of the beast." The patiiai-ch was also clothed ia •earlet, like the woman on the scarlet coloured beast. to what he had declared to him, le true living faith, ;ed me if 1 believ- m the truth, that I nswered to the fol- ne, connected with' are the gift of God, t; and that it would oinish church does, lis doctrine of mine state of opinion, he buying and selling, le words in the Rev- l, that if, after three no more enter the )y the eucharist and the Roman catholic splied, "I do not fol- k me a Bible man on 11." ce I could not believe le, after three days, 1 jassed again, and the i to him what I believ- lat the Messiah was Spirit proceeds from x)ut, who is the Vicar nswered in substance learning, and prayer n the holy scriptures, is the purport of my ifficient clearness, or hat was appropriate, B company that they^ r dint of vociferation, rather than to under- a Blabul and Padre me to them in his .. money or office, or >eakingof hisloveto These professions I Ban might buy or sell save tiidi-ch was also clothed in BOOK OF MARTTBS. 403 know to be sincere, but they are according to the world, and not ac« cording to the Gosp^il. I assured him that I wanted nothing of the things he had mentioned; that I was submissive and obedient ^o him; and that if he thought of me, that I had taken money of the English, he was welcome to shut me up in my chamber as in a prison, and lake from me every thing that I possessed; that I wished from them merely my necessary fooid and clothing, and that I would give them jiis assurance in writing. The bishop and priest then begged me, in presence of the patriarch, to say that my faith was like that of the Romish church. I replied, that I feared to tell a falsehood by saying a diing, while actually, in my reason, I did not believe it. "But," said they, "the patriarch here will absolve you from the sin of the falsehood." I turned to the Patriarch and put the question whether he would so absolve me. He answered, that he would. I said, "What the law of nature itself condemns, it is out of the powe" '^f any man to make lawful." He then again asked me what I wished to do. I said, I wish to go and see the Armenian patriarch Gregory, and in- quire of him what I ought to do. He consented, and requested me, when I had done this, to return to him, to which I agreed. I was ac- companied by a priest from the station of the patriarch to the College of Ain Warka, where I found Hoory Joseph Shaheen, with whom I conversed a considerable time, and with great pleasure ; for I found that for himself, he did not believe that the pope was infallible in mat- ters of faith, that is to say, unless in concert with the congregated church. I then began to confess to him: but when' I saw that he held steadfastly some opinions for no other reason than that the church 80 believed, and without bringing any proper evidencie of the fact, viz. from councils or from the fathers, and burst out upon me with exceeding bitter words, saying, "Know that the church nei- ther deceives, nor is deceived, and be quiet ;" and when I wished him to instruct me according to the word of God, with the simple olject of [glorifying God and fulfilling his will, I saw that he was not disposed to support any opinion because it was according to the word of God, but because so thought the church; and I saw him also ready to retain these opinions, although I should bring the strangest evidences against hthem from the holy Scriptures. He told me that it was impossible for him to teach any thing contrary to the council of Trent. So I found I could not receive his system, because, though you should shew him that it was wrong, he would not give it up, lest with it he should be obliged to give up his office. I therefore told him, you are bound, i. e. shut up as between walls, by the doctrines of the pope and the council of Trent. In conversation on the images, he would have proved their propriety from Baronius^ church history. We found this author quoting the sa- i cred scriptures to prove that our Saviour sent a picture of himself to I the king of Abgar. I declared that it was false, in so far as he stated that the Gottpel made .luy such statement, and on that account I could not believe the stoiy. To this he gave mc no answer. Afler I > ^M !t ■■ t; i. '• ■ii.- m ■:*^ 404 BOOK OF MABTTRS. I f lil^Itf 'I' ft i A"' this, as we were reading the book, and found a statement respectino the bishops collected in CoiiStantiaople, to the number of 313; that they decreed the abolition of the use of images, because it was iJola- trous, and that ia the clearest terms, — I asked him the question, «If an assembly composed of the bishops of the church were infallible, how is it that this council is said to have committed an error?'' About this time, I heard that a certain individual wished to con- verse with me on the subject of religion, which rejoiced me exceed- ingly, and 1 was impatient for an interview. He came on a Sabbath day to Ain Warka, for the study of the Arabic grammar, according to his custom, and we had a short conversation together on works uniuw. ful on the Sabbath day, and other suljects. He then excused himself from ♦urther conversation for want of time; but promised that when we should meet again, he hoped to have a suf lie lent opportunity to dwell on these subjects at large. I continued at Ain Warka the whole week, reading with the rest at prayers and confessing to Hoory Jo- seph above mentioned; and on the next Lord's day, the Armenian priest aforesaid came again, and I fully expected to have time and opportunity to ascertain his opinions; but I was disappointed again- for he wished to have the dispute carried on in writing, and to have an assistant with him, with other conditions. In these circumstances I failed of my object; but was on the whole more inclined than before to receive the doctrines of the Romish church ; since the priest had promised to bring his evidence, on all points, from the word of God, that they (the papists) were walking in light and not in darkness. At this time one informed me that his holiness, bishop Jacob, supe- rior of the convent of Bzumar, wished to see me. And because Huorv Joseph, at first told me that this state in which I had fallen was a temptation of Satan, and at one time shewed me Uiat it was usual for people, when they came to the age of manhood, to be tempted on the sulject of their religion, and at another, assured me, that this was a state of delirium: — and again, because 1 had heard lormerly thattliis bishop Jacob had himself been delirious, and that he was a ni.-iiol infurmation, I wished very much to see him; and on the same day j went to Hoory Joseph and declared to him plaiidy my opiiuoii8,an(l shewed him that the beast mentioned in the Revelation was a liuiiie, I US the lamb evidently was, and how dreadful must be the torments of j those who worship the image uf the beast. I then disclosed to him my intention of going up to the convent of Bzumar, where weretlie patriarch Gregory, bishop Jacob, and the Armenian priest already | mentioned. I set off the same day, and on my arrival saluted the patriarch, a on the same night reasoned on the subjects of faith, hope and love. I It appeared that the patriarch's opinion was, that a man may be p sessed of living faith, faith unto salvation, although he should I'ticll nothing in his heart. I answered him with a quotation from St. Paul, tm' itement respecting mber of 313; that cause it was iJola- the question, "If an vere iikfallible, how novr dual wished to con- rejoiced me exceed- came on a Subbath immar, according to ner on works unlaw- hen excused himself promised that when licient opportunity to \in Warka the whole ifessing to Hoory Jo- day, the Armenian ed to have time and B disappointed again; rritiog, and to have an but was on the whole trines of the Romish o his evidence, on all lists) were walking in 3S, bishop Jacob, supe- And because Hoory ch I had tallen was a IP that it was usual for , to 1)6 tempted on the •ed me, that this was a leard formerly that lliis that he was a niniof and on the same clay 1 aitdy my opinions, and .evclation was a tigme, inust be the torments of I 1 then disclosed to him sumar, where werellie rmenian priest alreadj] luted the patriarch, i of faith, hope and love. hat a man may be pes- ilthouoh he should tel quotation from St. nuU BOOK OF MARTYRS. 405 "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confessian is made unto salvation." But this did not convince him. He explained the heart to mean the will. It then appeared to me that he was not a true believer, and from that time forward I could not believe him, as I would believe a real Christian, but I wished to hear his worldly arguments. On the following day, I asked him how it can be said, that the pope was infallible if there were no proofs of the fact to be brought. I asked him if this pretension of the pope was that of an apostle, or a prophet? if an apostle, or a prophet, he could not be believed without miracles, and that we christians were not to believe any one. though he were to bring down fire from Uaaven.f His repli33 to me were weak; and after considerable con- versation on what is the church of Christ, on the ignorance that is par- donable, &c. he began to prove that if tlie pope is not infallible, t^en . there is no religion, no gof^tel, and even no God, But I observed all his proofs so weak, that I could not be convinced, and I fell into deep perplexity as to what 1 should do. For sometimes I greatly endeavoured to submit my judgment to his rules and opinions, and made these efforts until my very head would ache. The next day 1 asked him what was that great city, ruling over the kings of the earth, mentioned in the Rev. xvii, 18? After he had brought his book of commentaries, he answered that it was Rome, which is also called spi- ritual Babylon, or Babel, and after wishing me to yield to his opinion or that of the book, he said nothing more. From this time I was with the patriarch every day for three or four hours, and his best advice to me was, to pray to St. Antony of Padua, together with one repetition of the Lord's prayer, and one of Hail Mary, &c. every day for three days. When I was thus in doubt from the weakness of their proofs, one of the monks said to me, <^If you wish to know good tobacco, ask tiie patriarch.'' I hoped that this priest would explain to me those doctrines of the Romish church, which I could not believe; so I went into his chamber and questioned him very particularly on all points. He expressed his wish that we might discuss together all the points one by one, but on condition that the patriarch Joseph should appoint him to do so. He told me he had in his possession u book refuting the opin- ions of Luther and Calvin. I begged permission to read it; but he refused, telling me that the doctrines of the church all remained unre- futed. He wished me to go down to the patriarch Joseph on this busi- ness. So after a stay of four days from my arrival, I departed for Ain Warka according to my promise to Hoory Joseph. Here I found one of my friends of whom I had heard that he had been very much astonished at my connexion with the Bible men. Ailer I had see>i him, and had conversed with him a little on , some pomts, he would no longer hear me, fearing among other things lest he should be crazed. When we touched on the subject of the tSee Rot. xiii. 131 "1 ■ - -'I I » .; '^ I-.: '11' I ! % I ■ ■^ E>-'*l 406 BOOK OF MARTYRS. great city above mentioned, he told me that l\e had seen a book of commentaries on the Revelation, which made the city clearly to be Rome. At this I wondered greatly, since the meaning was so clear that n Jt even the teachers of the Romish church herself could deny It, I then finished my confession to lloory Joseph Shaheen, and about sunset the same day, went down to the patriarch to the convent Alma. He requested me again to write a paper stating that my faith was ac cording to the faith of the Romish church. From this I excused my. self, begging that such a thing might not be required of me, for the council of Trent had added nothing to the rule of faith, which was established by that of Nice, which begins, "I believe in one God,'' &c. A short space afler, I gave him my advice, with modest arguments and mild suggestions, on his duty to cause the gospel to be preaclied in the church among the Maronite people; and offered him the opiu. ion that this should be done by the priests in the vulgar language, every Sabbath day, for the space of one or two hours ; and if this should appear too burthensome to the people, to take off from them some of the feast days. Ailer this, I remained silent in my chamber, near to his own; and as there came to me a few of the deacons of the patriarch, and others, I read to them at their request in the New Testament printed in Rome. But in a little tuua after, I entered my room, and found in it none of all the books that had been there, nei- tlier New Testament nor any other, and 1 knew that the patriarch had given the order for this purpose, for he reproved me for reading the gospel to them, but he could accuse me of no false or erroneous expla- nations, or that I taught them any thing heretical. One day after this, he called me to his presence and began to threat- en me in a most unusual manner. I said, "What do you wish of me, your reverence? What have I done, and what would you have roe do? What is my sin, except that I conversed with some individuals, shewing them the errors of the church of Rome?" Then he requested me again, to say, that I believed as did that church, and said, grasping me firmly by the chin, "see how I will lake you if you do not repeat." I begged him to appoint some one to shew me the truth, by way of discussion, but he would not, and continued expressing his own sen- timent, that we are bound to hold fast to the church, even to such a length, that if she should even reject the gospel, we should reject it too. And here I wish to say a word to every reader that regards and loves the truth; how does such doctrine appear to you? and how could I believe in all which the Romish church holds, without knowing all of it? and how could I say, without a lie, that I believe, when I do j not believe? When 1 saw the patriarch breaking out with an exceeding loud and | unusual voice, I was afraid that 1 should be found among ^Hhe fearful^ (Rev. xxi. 8.) and rose to depart. When I reached the door, 1 turned I BOOK OF MABTYRS. 407 ,d seen a book of city clearly to be ling was so clear gelfcoulddenyit. laheen, and about the convent Alma, it my faith was ac his 1 excused my. red of me, for the f faith, which was ^e in one God,'' &c. modest arguments, pel to be preached Fered him theopin- he vulgar language, i hours; and if this , take off from thera ilent in my chamber, jf the deacons of the request in the New a after, I entered my had been there, nei- that the patriarch had (d me for reading the se or erroneous expla- I. :e and began to threat- iat do you wish of me, t would you have me ithsome individuals, ,/" Then he requested rch, and said, grasping if you do not repent.'' the truth, by way of ;pressing his own sen- ijhurch, even to such a |el, we should reject il Lder that regards and [ear to you? and hw 1 holds, without fcrtOiPin| liat 1 believe, when Ho I p an exceeding loud and ldamong",.,4W| ■ 'M Ur: -iil 1 ( -l.-A ! ... « » yii. • I i Y I '■• p'^'^'i .1 ' 408 BOOK OP MARTYB8. Then) when the patriarch and the hishop of Beyroot wished to dig. pute with me, I expressed the hope that the discussion might be jn meekness, and without anger. It was concluded that the discuduion should be in writing, that no one afterwards should be able to alter what he had once said. They then commenced by asking me ques. tions; tlie first question was, in amount, this, "Has the Messiah given us a new law?" At first, I did not grant that he had, strictly speak- ing, given us a new law, and quoted the words of John, that "the law was given by Mi>ses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ ;'' but when I afterwards saw that by "a nett law^'' they meant merely the gospel, or the New Testament, I answered in the affirmative. They then asked me if there was not to be found in this new law some ob- scurities. I answered, "Yes." They then asked me. Suppose any difference of sentiment should arise between the teachers uf Christi- anity, how are we to distinguish the truth from the error? I answer- ed thus; — ^''We have no other means of arriving at the truth, than searching the word of God, with learning, and reason, and inquiry of learned spiritual teachers, with purity of motive, and with disinterest- edness of inclination. If the obscurities of the word of God cannot be understood by these means, our ignorance is excusable, and will not prevent our salvation. If the passages, which still remain obscure, concern faith, it is sufficient for a man to say, I believe accordiiig aj the truth is in itself before God, or I believe in the thing as God in- spired it to the writer. And if the obscurity respects our practice, ailer making use of the means above mentioned, if that branch of our practice be forbidden, or under a doubt, desist from it, but if it is not forbidden, do it, and Blessed is he that condemned not himself in tk thing which he aUoweth. Atler I had given them this answer, they brought no evidence to | prove any error in it, and moreover afterwards never put to me any question in writing. Once, as I was walking with the bishop of Beyroot, he began I to tell me how much they all felt forme; and how unwilling thev i should be to put me in chains to die a lingering death ; and that were it not for the sympathy and their love towards me, there were people who had conversed with them, who were ready to take my life. Soilie further conversation passed, and I began to introduce the subject of religion, and to ask how we could believe in the pope that he was infallible. He quoted for proof the words of our Saviour, Thou art\ Peter^ Sfc. I asked him if it was proper to suppose that all things I bestowed on Peter, were also given to the pope? If so, why does not [ the pope speak with tongues; and why is he not secure from the evil effects of poison, &/C.? He answered, that these last things wcreGiji| necessary. "But how do you prove it j;^cessary," said I, "thattliel pope should not err? Is it not sufficient if any one has doulits, to asJil his teacher who is not infallible? if you say yes, then the opinion of I 1*^' - .,p« root wished to dis* lasion might be in that the discudsion lid be able to alter ly asking me ques- s the Messiah given had, strictly speak- John, that "the law y Jesus Christ;" but y meant merely the e atfirmative. They is new law some ob- jd me, Suppose any 5 teachers of Christi- the error? 1 answer- ng at the truth, than eason, and inquiry of . and with disinterest- vortl of God cannot be recusable, and will not h still remain obscure, I believe according as in the thing as God in- respects our practice, i if that branch of our from it, but if it is not ineth not himself in ik brought no evidence to | ds never put to me any of Beyroot, he began | tnd how unwilling they ng death; and that were s me, there were people I ytotakemyliife. Soto introduce the subject of n the pope that he was our Saviour, TAou art suppose that all things pe? If so, why does not not secure from the evil ,ese last things were c« oorv" Slid I, "thatlliel jssary, °^"^ *' ,l nv one has doubts, to ask 'yes, then the opuuonol BOOK OF MARTYRS. 409 tlie fallible man will answer. But if you say no, and that we must go to the pope, what must become of the man who dies before the answer of the pope can reach him?^^ He then resorted to another mode of proof, saying, "Is it not de- sirable that the pope should be infallible?^' I assured him I wished be might be so. "Well, is not God able to render him so?" "Yes, He is able to do all things." He wished to infer his point from these two premises. But I said, "your reasoning with regard to the pope^ may be applied to all the bishops of the church; for it is desirable that they should all be infallible, and God is able to make them so." He said, "No, for the bishops feeling less their need of the pope, would not look to him, or submit to him as their head, and thus there would be divisions and contentions in the church." But whv, said I, did not divisions and contentions arise among the apostles? Were they not all infallible as well as Peter? He would not admit they were infallible. I told him, that was an opinion that could not be be- lieved, tliat the pope was infallible, and the apostles not; for it was well known to all, that the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles in a peculiar manner. I asked him again, how it could be made to ap- pear that divisions would be produced if all bishops were infallible ; for if they were all of one opinion, as they of course would be, their union must be the more perfect. We conversed farther at some length, when he concluded by saying, "You are possessed of a devil." The next day, as the patriarch and the bishop of Beyroot were seated under a tree without the convent, I went out to them, and said, "Your holiness sent to me to come hither for employment, and I came, and have remained here a considerable time. What do you wish me to do for you, for I cannot remain here in idleness?" He said, "What do you wish to do?" If your holiness pleases, that I teach in the school of Ain Warka, I will do that. "No, I cannot have you go to Am Warka, to corrupt the minds of those who are studying sciences, and to contradict my opinions." But I will instruct in grammar. "No, the youths of the college are now attending to moral science." Well, 1 only beg you will let me know what I am to do, and if you have no employment for me, I wish to return home. The bishop here broke in upon the con < ersation, saying, I will not suffer you to go back among my flock to deceive them, and turn them away to her- esy. Will you then debar me, said I, from my home? If so, let me know where 1 shall go, what I shall do? The bishop then said to the patriarch, "Indeed 1 will not suffer this man to go abroad among ray |)eople, for he is even attempting to make heretics of us also." Yes, replied the patriarch, it will not do after this, to afford him a residence 111 any part of the land. The bishop then turned to me, in the bitter- est anger and mge, reviling me and saying, "If you go among my people again, I will send and take your life, though it be in the bosom of your own house." I said, "Well, what would you have me to do, 33 ^ .^'^ 1 ' , irj' ii^ rl? f > k iV t.. *« ' 410 BOOR OF MARTYRS. and what will you do with me? If you wish to kill me, or shut me up in prison, or give me up to the government, or whatever it may be, I wish tu know it." "You must wait here till spring or sununer," said the patriarch, "and then we shall see how you arc.^^ I answered him in the words of that christian who was given by his judge ten days to deliberate whether he would worship an image : ^^Coiisider the time al- ready pant, and do what you please.'''' I asked the bishop his reasons for wishing to kill me. What evil had I done? lie was tilled with high and Litter indignation, saying, "What misci'eant! Shall we let you go forth to corrupt my flock for me? Igf not what has passed enough?" I rose and said to them, "God at least 19 with me," and left them. The patriarch sent after me his nephew requesting me, in soothing words to return, and saying that he would do what 1 wished. But when I contemplated the hardness of heart manifested by the bishop, I could nut restrain myself from reproving him, hoping that he would grow mild. I said, therefore, "Our Lord Jesus Christ said, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, and that Satan, who was in his heart, wished to kill me, for Satan was a murderer from the beginning." I told him, moreover, that he was not a true disciple of Christ. And when I had lefl them a second time, the patriarch again sent his nephew to enquire of me what I wished; whether it was money, or what else, promising that he would answer my enquiries. I returned and told him, that I had a request to make of one thing onlyf and that I hoped he would answer me, not as to a little child, who would ask a childish thing. He asked me what it was. I said I have to ask of you the favour to send from your priests two faithful men to preach the gospel through the country, and 1 am ready, if ne- cessary, to sell all that I possess to give to them as part ol their wages. He promised me it should be done. But I had reason to expect that he would receive such a request as from the mouth of one out of his rea- son. Now there was at the convent a man called Hoory Gabriel, who was said to be insane, and was k.'iown to all his acquaintance as p man that never would say a word on the subject of religion, and he was a scribe of the patriarch, and from the time of my arrival until that day, had never asked me a single question about my faith, or opinions, nor had given me the least word of advice about any of my errors. The same night, as this priest was passing the evening in company with the pa- triarch, bishop, and other individuals, as if they had been conversing on my idiocy in making the request of to-day, the patriarch sent fur me to come and sit with them. I came. The patriarch then asked this priest and the others present, if two proper men could be found to go and preach the gospel. They then answered one to another, such an one, and such aa one, would be the fittest persons, some mentioning one and some another, looking at me in tlie mean time laughing, to see what I would say. BOOK OF MARTYHS. 411 [ me, or shut me Lever it may be, I jr summer," said I answered him judge ten days to usider the time al- ia. What evil had I »n, saying, "What, flock for me? Is' [lem, "God at least ler me his nephew, ying that he would t manifested by the g him, hoping that d Jesus Christ said, fceconfessed in the fullest terms, that he knew It was a falsehood, but that he said what ho did, that they might cense talk- ing with me. The same night I had resolved on quitting them- so at about midnight I letl the convent, committing myself to the protec- tion of God, who never deserts them who put their trust in him, and arrived at Beyroot, on the morning of Thursday, March 2, 1826. Here then I remain at present, not that I may take my views from the English, or from the Bible men, nor thai^ I may receive my religion from tliem. No, by no means; for I hold io the word of God. This is beyond all danger of error. In this I believe; in this is my faith- and according to it I desire to regulate my life, and enjoy all my con- solations. By this I wish to show what I believe and not to confer with flesh and blood, that I may not run now nor hereafter in vain; for I know and am persuaded, that the true religion is not accordinvhich the Apostles speak, saying, We do rent from our labours. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil ,vhen bo c»nitinuca ject than to try me. vill 1 hold, whether I then naked him if but he would not i me to tell my I'liith referred them to the at 1 had coiiversid ( was al.le to make \f on the spot, that I be iufalhble, while 1 , when 1 was in his ir such testimony as that he Uuew it was ley might cease talk- on quitting them; so myself to the protec- heir trust in him, and , March 2, 1826. take my views from ay receive my religion 5 word of God. This s; in this is my faith; and enjoy all my con- ieve and not to confer r hereafter in vain; foi pn is not according to [ration of God: notac- ing to the truth, which erefore say to myself where I wrote thus: If men. Nothing is to [us by reading the Nevf i, there is the greatest in the doctrine of Jesus make it light; and if ituB pray that he would > truly believe in Jesus, lian he.' O taste and that put their trust in ill sustain thee. Sweet es us an aversion to all tk refuge in God. Alas [sof men, especially i tst is false and deceitful, Iventing you from attain- ' , saying, We d^ rerf in any of you an evil BOOK OF MARTYRS <11o heart of unbelief in departing from the livin|^ turned, and wished to speak a word with Asaad at the door. In a mom>>nt, Asaad returned. <'Do you know what Mansoor has told me?" said ho. "His lust words were, 'Even if the patriarch and (he emir should do nothing; if they make no attempts to take your life; be assured, toe ourselves will do the work: so take heed to your* aelfnc ordingly.'" Asiiad was much affected by the interview. As soon as he found himself at liberty, he stepped up into the lofl where he sleeps, and threw himself on his couch in prayer. While in this attitude his ne.\t younger brother, Galed, knocked at the door. I called to Asaad to inform him of the fact; but he gave tne no answer. I then invited Galed to another room, where Asaad floon joined us with a full and heavy heart. The two brothers salu- ted each other with embarrassment. Asaad evidently wished to be alone, and the brother, afler a few mild, unmeaning inquiries, lefl him. Begins to converse more pointedly with the People. 7. I yesterday advised Asaad to direct his conversations with the people, as much as possible to their hearts, and say little or nothing on the corruption of their church. He objected to the counsel. I referred him to similar advice he gave me some months ago. "Ah," said he, "1 thought so then, but I now see that you cannot stir a step, but you meet some of their corruptions." However, he to day made the experiment, and held an hour's conversation with two visiters on the subject of regeneration. They both thought themselves renewed, but took too little interest in the subject to confine their attention to it. "You see," said Asaad, after they had gone, "how little they feel on such a subject. It is painful to talk with such men. I would rather see them contradict, and dispute, and get angry, or any thing, than to appear so dead." IrUerview with a younger Brother. Asaad's brother Galed came again to-day, and discovered more feeling tlian yesterday on the subject of his brother's leaving the English. He said he had brought an insupportable shame upon the family. Asaad insisted, that such shame was no argument whatever for his leaving us; that all the disciples of Christ were to expect it as a thing of course. Galed assured him, that nobody would think of molesting him, if he were at Hadet. I asked Galed if his brother Mansoor did not threaten yesterday to kill him. He turned away, colored, and muttered something that I did not understand; but the whole was a full acknowledgment of the fact. Asaad said, "I cannot confide in you." r m * % u ' t * ; ,, 4 ' li' :ifi. 1 ♦ '^.. .1* ' ''W .. I • ^t ^ l>> ■>. •!,• •f' *> :'".*'i:*Bfc - .- ^t ^ r- -f ?li ■ ; 1. . ♦, t 416 BOOK OF MAItTYRS. "But," said Goled, if any one were disposed to take your life, could they not do it as well here, as at home ?" I answered, "no; that the emir Beshir himself could not enter my house without my permission, and that if the relatives of Asaad did not cease from their threats, I should feel myself hound to shut them out of it." After a long conversation, at the end of which he found Asaad as inflexible as ever, he rose abruptly, and was going out without a com- pliment, when Asaad started up, and asked, "Well, what do you conclude to do? Do you really intend to send some assassin to take my life in my room?" The youth, without deigning to look at him, closed the door in sullen grief, and departed. Asaad turning to me, said, "I cannot please these people. What- ever I say, they are sure to be angry. Soft words, or hard words, It makes no difference to them. They come as if I were under their kingly authority. They lay hold of my cloak, and say, lieve it to be true, and that such a report was not abroad respecting the patriarch alone, but respecting a majority of patriarchs and bish- ops of the whole land. After some further conversation on the wickedness of treating brothers, as they had done Phares and Asaad, we went to Phares, and endeavoured to persuade him to go home with his brother. But it was all in vain. ^*If I leave this house,'' said he, ^instead of going to Hadet, I will go in the opposite direction.'' The brother returned without him. Conversation of Phares with the Bishop ofBeyroot. After Galeb bad gone, we put a great many questions to Phares, end he communicated some interesting particulars. Among others was the following: «The day that Asaad end myself left you, (the 17th,) the bishop of Bevroot was at the next house, and I went to salute him. <(Ue said to me, "I understand you have become English, too. You reason on tlie suttject of religion. «But," said I, "is every one English, if he reasons on that subjectr' Bishop. — "But you read in the Bibles of the English." Pkarcs. — "Yes, and 'from whom is the Bible? is it from the English, or from God?" B.— "But it is printed by the English." p.— "Well, is it altered in any place ?" B. — ^"See, now you have begun again to argue on the subject of religion. J tell you, young man, cease thb heretical habit, or you are excommunicated." Phares informed us of three or four Bibles and New Testamients, that we had given at different times to individuals in Hadet, which had lately been destroyed by order of the bishop. This news, to- gether with a discovery we yesterday made in the neighbouring houses of two covers of the New Testament, whose contents had long ago been torn out, shews us anew, if new evidence were wanting, that if the Gospel is ever introduced again in its power and purity into this country, it will be with a desperate struggle. Two brothers of Phares, Mansoor and Galeb, came to converse with him anew. We saw them seated together on the ground, at a little distance from the house, but afterwards saw them no more. It is singular that Phares should have left without coming cither to take his cloak, or bid us farewelKf 28. Having heard nothing particular directly from Asaad since he I left, especially since the affair of the books, I yesterday sent him a [line, and to-day received the following reply : fWe afterwards ascertained, that he was decoyed off to a distance, as if for a walk lind wheu he would have returned, was prevented by force. 34 I'r ii *i; •■\ Ilk - ,, ; I ( i i « \' ii, 'r ■aV ^.- "i * . i ' ■ ^1 ■I >^i ' f ■wit ?■■ f ■■ >*i -i^;#'i 422 BOOK OF MARTYRS. Letter from Asaad to Mr. Bird. "Dear Sir, — After expressing imperfectly the love I bear you, and the desire I have to see you in all health, I have to say, that in due time your letter came to hand, and I read and understood it. You ask respecting our health. I answer, 1 am in a slate of anxiety, but not 80 great as some days ago. "On Thursday last, having come home from a visit to the emir Sulmati, I found the remnants of the Holy Scriptures, torn in pieces, as there is reason to believe, by order of the bishop. When I was told, that my brother Mansoor had done this mischief, I returned to the emir, and informed him of the affair. He sent to call Mansoor, while I returned again to our house. I now learned, that my brother Phares had gone off. After searching for him some time, I went down to the inn in quest of him, but he was not to be found. As I was on my way* returning from the inn, where I had gone in search of my brother, I prayed to God, that he would take every thing from me, if necessary, only let faith and love towards him remain in my heart. "As I proceeded on, a man came up, and gave me information that all the consuls of Bey root were slain, and that you also were slain with them. The report came from a man, who said he had deposited goods with you for safety. In order to be the more sure, I asked the man if it were really true, and he again assured me, that it was. Ask me not the state of my feelings at that moment. "On reaching home, I heard this terrible news confirmed; at the same time looking out, and seeing tl e heap of ashes near the house, all that remained of the 1 1 copies of the holy scriptures which my brothers had destroyed, I burst into tears, and committed all my con- cerns into the hands of God, saying, ^Blessed be his holy name: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away ;^ — and so I prayed on, with tears and groanings, which I cannot describe. "I afterwards heard, that Phares was probably in the neighbourhood, and set off to search after him by night, but found him not. When I heard the news of your death confirmed, I sent off a messenger, that, wherever Phares might be found, he -might return; and when I re- ceived his letter, saying that he had gone to your house, I could not yet believe that the report respecting you was false. "Bat when the truth on this subject began to appear,, then I heard, by a person who came to me yesterday evening, that the patriarch and the emir had made an agreement to kill me, and that they had sent men to lie in wait for that purpose. I was afterwards told, by another j person, that some of the servants of the emir were appointed to ac- complish this end. "Here I am, then, in a sort of imprisonment, enemies within, and enemies without. "Oae of my brothers, the other day, advised me to surrender my- self entirely to the mercy of the bishop, whereupon I wrote the bishsp I a letter, (of which I send you the enclosed copy,) and gave it to mv BOOK OF MARTYBS. 423 J I bear you, and o say, that in due atood it. You ask t)f anxiety, but not visit to the emir •OS, torn in pieces, hop. Whenl was :hief, I returned to it to call Mansoor, led, that my brother le time, 1 went down aund. As 1 was on one in search of my ry thing from me, if nain in my heart, me information that you also were slain jaidhe had deposited ore sure, 1 asked the me, that it was. Ask ws confirmed; at the ashes near the house, scriptures which my committed all my con- pe his holy name; the |d so I prayed on, with in the neighbourhood, indhimnot. Whenl oflf a messenger, that, Eturn; and when I re- [your house,! could not lIsg ) appear„lhen I heard, ling, that the patriarch 1 >, and that they had sent Awards told, by another | [r were appointed to ac- nt, enemies within, and I Led me to surrender my- Lpon 1 wrote the isW Uy,) and gave It to mv brother Tannoos, begging him to carry it to the bishop, and bring me his reply. Tannoos read the letter, and without saying a word, threw it down in contempt. I then gave it io my uncle with the same request, but as yet I have got no reply.! "All my concerns I commit into the hands of God, who created me. Through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, I hope that all my dis- tresses will be for the best. cj accept with pleasure all your kind wishes, and send you many salutations in the Lord, and pray for you length of days. "Yours, &.C. AsAAD.^ . «J»farcA 27, 1826." * His relatives deliver him up to the Patriarch. 31. Information is received, that Asaad has been taken away againat his will, to the patriarch. April 4. Pliares Shidiak arrived here in the evening direct from Der Alnm, and said he had accompanied Asaad to that convent a week ago, that Asaad was still there, and that the patriarch, having in the morning set off for CiinnoLcen, would send down for Asaad after a few days. He then handed me the following line from Asaad. "If you can find a vessel setting off tor Malta, in the course of four or five days, send me word ; if not, pray for your brother. Asaad." We were disposed to send off a messenger this very evening, but Phares said it would not be necessary. Had some serious conversation with Phares, in which I exhorted him to continue reading the New Testament, and take particular no- tice of the general sj)irit of it; and then to judge, if all this deceit, con- fining, beating, and threatening to kill, was consistent with that spirit. We observed, that we supposed the patriarch atid the bishop were well pleased with all the violence that Mansoor had used in this affair. <*Ye3," said Phares, "priest Ilanna Stambodi, at Aiii Wai-ka, told me yesterday, that none of us had any religion, except Mansoor." In a subsequent part of h I per of medicine, on the outside of which he had written how it was to be taken. While Asaad stood without, a servant took in this medi- [cine, and gave it to the prince, saying, "This is from Asaad Esh Shi- Id'ak, and here he has written the directions on the paper." The jprince, who is not remarkable for mildness, and perhaps was not con* jicious that Asaad overheard him, spoke out angrily, "A fig for the [paper and writing; 'tis the medicine I want." "Your lordship is fThis leuer was a mere tissue of testimonies, brought from the fathers, and from be tcriplureg, condemning the worship of images. {'^'^^^■{l \ • 'i t '1' 1- t- i. 1 1 * if 'f i 1 ! ■y L •t :,t ,■(• ^ ■rii '— ^t, IvFJ' fit I' 424 BOOK OF MARTYRS. in the right,^^ replied Asaad, "the truth is with you. The medicine is the thing; the paper that holds it, is nothing. So we ought to say of the guspel, the great medicine for the soul. ^Tis the pure goqiel we want, and not the church that holds it." AAer Mansoor, in his catholic zeal, had torn up and burned all his Bibles and Testaments, Asaad could not remain without the scriptures but sent and obtained a copy from the little church, which he daily read, marking the most striking and important passages. When his relatives, to the number of twenty or more, had assem- bled, and Asaad perceived they were come to take him to the patri- arch by force, he began to expostulate with Tannoos, and besought him to desist from a step so inconsistent with fraternal love. He be- sought in vain. Tannoos turned away from him with a cold indiffer- ence. Affected with his hardness, Asaad went aside, and wept and prayed aloud. The evening before he was taken away, he said to those who had assembled, *«'&s accosted by two or three men, inquiring his business, tellibg him he was a Greek, and hod letters from the English. They then seized him, and took the letter by force, and, had he not shewn them that he was a moslem, would have probably sent him to the emir of the district for furtner examination. They then asked him some questions about the English, an i assured him that afler eight days Asaad would no longer be a living man. Thus were our hopes of a second deliverance of thia sufferer of persecution, for the present, blasted. Afler all the threats, which have been thrown out without being put in execntion, we rather hope, that this last will prove like the rest; yet we cannot The medicine is } we ought to say s the pure gosj*cl and burned all his hout the scriptures, :h, which ho daily iges. r more, had assem- e hio to the patri- noos, and besought Lernal love. He be- with a cold indiffer- wide, and wept and aid to those who had I have been surprised ist what 1 might have brother shall dclim ibe they of his own lave come together to I done against you? he Bible as my only ,re in this?" During le was to set off early ed; for, whenever he f those who continued m, and again compose his going to the pain- with us peaceably, we softly, my dear uncle, n a hand that had been lid come to Beyroot,i» r further consideration joslem, who returned at mvent, he ^las accosted tellitag him he was a >y then seized him, and m them that he was a emir of the district for me questions about the Asaad would no longer \ a second deliverance of blasted. After all the being put in execBUon, therest;yetwecamia| BOOK OP MARTYRS. 425 tell how far their hatred of the truth may, with the divine forbearance, carry them. We leave all with him, in whose hands our life and l)reath aro,a!id whose are all our ways, with the huniblo hope, that light may yd a ns j out of darkness, and that much glory may be added to his name, tVoui this evident work of Satan. 0. Sent word, in a blind hand, on a torn scrap of paper, to Phares re- specting the fate of our message to his brother, lie returns answer that he is comin;T to ^.j root to-morrow. 7. Phares came, according to his notice of yesterday, saying, that if the patriarch sliould get his letter to Asaad, there would be danger in his staying at Hadet. He should be glad to go to Malta, or almost any other place out of the Maronite influence, lest his brothers should seize him, and deliver him up to the fii -y oC the patriarch, as they had done his brother Asaad. Mansoor, the eldest and most violent of them, when he heard, yesterday, that a letter had arrived for Phares from Bey- root, breathed out threatenings and slaughter, not only against Phares, but against the innocent messenger himself. 8. Wrote to , a friendly Maronite bishop, to give me what- ever information he might be able to procure respecting Shidiak. May 10. A messenger whom we sent to Cannobeen, returned with the report that he was denied the privilege of seeing Asaad, under pretence that he was going through a course of confession, during which the rule is, that the person so confessing, shall pass his time, for a number of days, alone, and see no company. 14. We were, to-day, credibly informed, that Shidiak is still firm in his adherence to the gospel, but that he was kept under rigid in- spection, not being permitted to step out of his room without an at- tendant. 17. Phares Shidiak informed us to-day, that he had been told that his brother Asaad had been at the college of Aln Warka. He thought it might be true, as one object in delivering him up to the patriarch was, to give the people the general impression, that he had no longer any thing to do with the English. He had now been a suf- ficient time absent from us to give general currency to the report, that he was no longer with us, and now, perhaps, the patriarch had 'et him go free. Asaad is cruelly treated. 27. The messenger, who went before to Cannobeen, had set out to go for us a second time, and this morning early returned with the following story : — Being met by a man near Batroon, whom he sus- pected to be from Cannobeen, he inquired him out, and found him to be a messenger sent by Asaad himself to his uncles and other con- nexions, to beg them to come and deliver him. Asaad saw the man, and gave him his commission from the window of the f^ nvent, without the knowledge of the patriarch, or the others in his service. This messenger said, tJmt Asaad icas in close confinement^ in chains^ and 34* ♦ » ,«rf'- j .,,. I' \ ' \' V . ■■•> - ^ i I ; *** i ^i^i!-^y^' fe^t 426 BOOK OF MARTYBS was daily beaten; and that the great cause of complaint against hitn was, that he refused to worship eitlier the pictures, or the virgin Mary. I had written a letter of mere salutation to Shidiak by my messen- ger, which letter he enclosed in one from himself, and sent it on i)y his brother, returning himself with the messenger from Asaad. Tins brother of his, he is much afraid, may be ill-treated by the patriarch. 28. J., the messenger, called, and said, that he himself should not go to Cannobeen, but twelve or fifceen of his other relatives would go and endeavour at least to save him from chains and stripes. J. had been to the emir Beshir the less, who lives at Hadet, begging him, (with a present) to save his brother, if it should prove that he had suliercd by the suspicion or the resentment of the patriarch. The emir promised to interfere : — ^"But why," sftid he, '^should Asaad go and join the Em- liah? they are a people I do not love." June 2. A youth of the neighbourhood said it was reported that Asaad was a complete maniac ; iiiat he rent his garments, raved, reviled, &c. and that he had been sent .o the convent at Koshia, like other luna- tics, for a miraculous cure. Tms news was brought by priest Bernard* us, of Gzir, mentioned in Shidiak's statement. 3. The brother of J. about whom he was so solicitous, reti. ned last evening in safety, with the foUowmg letter in Asaad's own hand writing. "To our respected brother J. . After expressing my love to you, I have to say, that your letter by your brother , arrived in safety, and I have understood it. In it you and , inquire after my health. May the Lord pour out his grace upon you, and fullow you wiih his blessings. As to me, I am at present in health, with re- gard to my body, but as to other circumstances, your brother will give you information. Love to cousin , your wife. Pray send me word respecting you every opportunity, and may the Lord lengthen your days. From your brother "Asaad Esh Shidiak." This letter is certainly genuine, and is a full proof of what nature the insanity is, under which he labours. It has greatly relieved the anxie- ty we felt from the report of yesterday. From the verbal account, given by the lad who brought the letter, the following are selected as the most important particulars. He en- tered the convent on his arrival, and seeing nobody but the keeper of the prison-room, obtained leave to go in, and see Asaad alone. He found him sitting on the bare floor, mth a heavy chain around his neck, and firmly fastened at the other end into the wall. His bed had been removed together with all his books and writing materials, and (what is considered here the extreme of privation,) he was left with- out a pipe. The lad continued with him an hour or two, without being diseov* ered by any one but the keeper. During the conversation, Asaad ■\^* lint against him 9, or tho virgin k by my mcssen- sent it ou by liis laad. This brother utriarch. i limself should not relatives would go tripes. J. had been ircring him, (with a l^e had sulVered by he emir promised to , and join the Eng- was reported that iients, raved, reviled, shia, UUe other luna- bt by priest Bernard- icitous, retv. ned last I Asaad's own hand jxpressingmyloveto gf , arrived m 1 , inquire after ipon you, and follow •nt in health, with re- your brother will give We. Pray send me ly the Lord lengthen VD ESH SlIIDIAK." roof of what nature the itiy relieved the anxie- ho brought the letter, partic^r^. He en- ody but the keeper ol aee Asaad alone. He eavy chain around hv> thelall. His bed ha writing materials, and ion,) he%as left with- , without being discov. conversation, Asaad BOOK OF MARTYRS. 427 observed, that not long since he was seiit to Koshia, as a man pos- sessed of a devil, and that ho escaped from that place and had ar- rived near Tripoli, when ho was taken by a [»arty of Maronites, and brought back to the patriarch. He hud, since that time, been kept regularly at Cannubcen, subject occasionally to beating and insult, from such as might call in to see the heretic. We understood the man to say, that the patriarch even instructed the common people to spit in his face, and call him by odious names, in order to shame him into submission. Asand gave his advice that we should either send some one with a horse, and get him away by stealth, or get the consul to interfere by writing to tho pasha. The letter written by Asaad was done through the contrivance of his keeper for a small reward. Attempts Tnade to procure hia release. After hearing all this, we went directly to tho consul to inform him of the case, and to urge him to an interference. He consented, that we should first procure some one to write a firm and consistent letter to the patriarch, demanding by what right he had taken a man from an English employer, and under English protection, and impris- oned him unheard, &c. intimating, that if the man was not soon given up, something more would be done. Toward evening, J. came again to inquire what we had concluded on. When he found what step we had taken, he seemed much alarm- ed for his own safety, and begged us not to proceed, for he should be immediately suspected as the mediator of the affair, and should be in danger of being persecuted as such. He mentioned, as a justifi- cation of his fears, that the keeper overheard Asaad when he recom- mended that course to his brother, and that the keeper, when inquired of, would of course mention the fact to the patriarch. Instead of the measure we were about taking, he recommended to apply to the emir, through one of his relatives, who was our mutual friend, and to this we consented. It is, however, probable, that the object of J. is not so much to avoid danger, as to put his friend the emir in a way to get a small present. 5. J. has been to see the emir, in order to persuade him to intercede with his uncle, the emir Beshir, but the former was not at home, and therefore the latter was not consulted. J. then went to the emir M. but found him quite averse to do any thing, saying, that to liberate a man, who had become English, would never do. He next saw Man- soor, the brother, and asked him if he knew that Asaad was in close confinement. "Yes," answered he, "and he may end his days there, unless he can learn to behave himself better." One characteristic mark of a heathen is, that he is "tot/Aoi/f natural affection^ impkicablef vnmrcifuV J. says, that his brother has told him in addition, that Asaad him- self, on the whole, wished not to have the consul interfere, but that for the present, be sent every week or two, to see some one might, l!,- ■ §?\ * 1\ . .H|>' 'f. t 'i ■•' 4 SURTYR8. 420 1 to make his own onetl hinwcll" from irstanding the path, n accord. I regard to Asaod. ler a sort of oath of all muKc who are lege, he seemed to nth to bind the con- is neither acknowl- of all MuroiiiU's, it rlish protection, they previous engagement se, if presented to the ition, on the ground, if presented to the t convents, and other- )rocurin2 the release ' mode of effecting the 1 was on a visit to the of a sight at Sliidiak's application, and being It, I consented, and in- jp of coffee, which he was one of those, who lat of ilie Ronviu cath saying that tlie puln The priest acknowl- ^ment of that afi'air was iting. iMh of time on the case • his trouble,.if he woiiW attempt, t. . ,n the emir A. who bi to the patriarch. I he | nay write in my uaiw. ik should be Unrated, a letter. I accompanied by a youn? our attempt to hberate «lt will «ot do," said he; They both said, that the ,d, and little, if any, in- oposed ^ay, viz. that wc should give tAemalso a good reward to engage in this noble work of brotherly love. 24. The messenger from the emir A. arrived from Cannobecn, with the following letter from the patriarch, in answer to his own: "After kissing the hands of your honourable excellency, dtc. &c. With regard to your slave, Aaaad Eah Shidiuk, the state into which he is fallen, is not unknown to your excellency. His understanding is subverted. In some respects he is a demoniac, in others not. Every day his malady increases upon him, until 1 have been obliged to take severe measures with him, and put him under keepers, lest ho should escape from here, and grow worse, and infuse his poison into others. Two days ago, he succeeded in getting away in the night, and obliged me to send men to bind him and bring him back ; and aller he was come, he showed signs of returning sanity, and begged to be forgiven. But he does not abide by his word, for he is very fickle; and the most probable opinion respecting him is, that he ig possessed of the devil. However, as he was, to appearance, disposed to yield me obedience, I treated him kindly and humanely, and used every means to promote his permanent cure. This is what I have to communicate to your excellency, and the bearer will inform you further. Whatever your excellency commands, I obey, and the Lord engthen your life. Joseph, Patriarch of Antioch.''^ 27. A youth from Ain Warka informed us, that he had seen a letter in Asaad's own hand-writing, saying, that he had yielded obedience to the patriarch, and professed again the faith of the Roman catholic church. This report, excited great joy, he says, at the college. We are rather pained by the news, because, if Asaad has done this, we arc almost sure it has been done insincerely, and merely to escape the pains of his persecution. The same person says, that a relative of the patriarch at Cannobeen, has been in the habit of writing, every week or two, to the college, to give the news of what was done with Asaad from time to time, in which he spoke of his chains and stripes, and so on. He also observes, that many people have boldly questioned the right of the patriarch to proceed to such extremities with the memliers of his church, saying, they saw not, at this rate, which was chief governor of the mountains, the prince, or the pat- riarch. July 1. One who seemed certain of delivering Shidiak, if he should set about it, went, with our recommendation to Tripoli, from which place he hopes to have a convenient communication with Can- ; nubeen. 14. The youth who went to Tripoli to attempt something, came [back unsuccessful. 17. Application has been made by Phares to the emir M., but he Irefused to do any thing fur Asaad, alleging that it is an affair of reli igion, and belongs exclusively to the patriarch. Phares says, that not I » ' ♦ 4 K ■U !"•■ H i# 130 BOOK OF 9L1RTYRS. withstanding the superstition and anger, which his mother exhibited when here, she has more than once said, that the English are better than the Maronitcs, for they take an interest in the fate of Asaad, while the Maronites all seem to care nothing about him, whether he is dead or alive, happy or wretched. Phares, as well as others, says, that Tannoos is Asaad^s enemy from jeuiousy. Asaad is younger than Tannoos, but has been much more noticed. This Tannoos could not bear, and has therefore been quite willing to see him disgraced and punished. Phares observes, that Tannoos was quite as favourably disposed to protestant principles as Asaad, but the moment Asaad took the start of him, he fell back, and is a much firmer Maronitc than ever. He seemed to be affected at the death of Mr. Fisk, but inferred from it, that God did not approve the efforts of the protestants in this country. The death of Mr. Dalton, also, his former pupil, probably confirmed this feeling. ^ Great difficulties in the way ofAsaatPs release. 18. Tannoos came to converse about his brother Asaad. He had just re(teived a letter in Asaad's own hand-writing, saying, that he was reduced to a great extremity of distress, and perhaps had not long to live, and begging Tannoos to come up and see if nothing could be done to end or mitigate his sufferings. Tannoos declares that he would be very glad to get him away from Cannobeen, if he could be safe, but that in any other place in the dominions of the emir Beshir, he would be killed. He might be safe at the consurs, but with me, he would not be. "There are men in these mountains," said he, "that can kill and have killed patriarchs and emirs, and that in their own houses; and why could they not kill Asaad with you, if they chose? Is your house more secure than the convent of the pa- triarch, or the the palace of the emir? A man in entering your house, would violate all law, but the English would not make war for the killing of a single man." 1 observed, that an application would very possibly be made to the pasha, by the consul, if Asaad was not soon delivered up. "An ap- plication of that sort," replied T. "would be quite useless. The pasha would send the application to the emir, and^ cfe you not think the emir would arrange the aflfair as he pleased? He knows well tliis sort of dealing. He has known how to manage these moun- tains for forty years, and do you think he would be at a loss about .' uch a trifle as this? For example, what would be more easy for the emir, if he chose to detain the man, than to say he had committed murder, and therefore could not be given up?" "But," said I, "such a charge must be established by competent witnesses, and under the consul's inspection." "True," replied he, "and where would le the difiliculty in that? The emir would bring 500 witnesses to-morrow, to establish any crime he was pleased to alkgc. And as to his fearing BOOK OF MARTTHS. 431 mother exhibited ilnglish are better le fate of Asaad, t him, whether he 3 Asaad'9 enemy ut has been much has therefore been )urably disposed to Lsaad took the start itc than ever. He ut inferred from it, ints in this country. probably confirmed r release. er Asaad. He had ing, saying, that he nd perhaps had not and see if nothing Tannoos declares m Cannobeen, if he he dominions of the safe at the consurs, in these mountains," and emirs, and that I Asaad with you, if le convent of the pa- entering your house, iot make war for the 3sibly be made to the Uveredup. "Anap- quite useless. The and (ib you not think ed?* He knows well manage these moun- uid be at a loss about be more easy for the ;av he had committed "But," said I, "such tnesses, and under the where would lethe witnesses to-morm, And as to his feuimg the pasha, though he holds his office under him, }et his power is even superior to the pasha's." ^"The patriarch," continued Tan- noos, "can do just what he chooses, in spite of the English. You have brought books here, and the patria**ch has burned them in spite of you. He has issued to all denominations a proclamation full of lies against you, and what have you been able to do? You have indeed written a reply to the proclamation, and hold tt up to the people, and say, *Look how the patriarch lies about us;' but what does he care for all that." So talks a Lebanon mountaineer, of more sense, information and truth, than most otliers, respecting the moral character and godly fear of his patriarch and prince. Hig family attempt his liberation, 19. Phares brought us a letter, which had just been received by the family at Hadet, from the patriarch, wishing them to come immediately to Cannobeen. Tannoos and his mother have gone, and intend, if possible, to bring Asaad away, either to Kesroan, or to Hadet. The mother insisted on going, and wished to pass through Beyroot on her way, that she might consult us before she went; but this was not per- mitted her. The above mentioned letter, in English, runs thus: — ^** After telling you how much I desire to see you in all heaUh and prosperity, I send you news respecting the wretch Asaad Esh Shidiak, otherwise called hrd of hell. His obduracy, with which you are acquainted, has ex- ceedingly increased. It is not unknown to you, how much care I have bestowed on him for his good, how much I have laboured for his salva- tion, and under what severe discipline f have put him; and all to no ef- fect. And now, as might be expected, he has fallen ill, and therefore can no longer run away, according to his custom, and we have been thus coastrdined to take off the severity of our treatment. But fearing lest his disease should increase upon him, I have sent you word, that you may come and see how he is, and consult what is best to be done with him. Make no delay, therefore, in coming, and the apostolic blessing be upon you." This attempt of his family to effect his liberation failed, for some rea- son unknQwn; and he continued immured in prison, suffering persecu- tion. He was confined in a small room with an iron collar round his neck fastened to the wall with a strong chain. In October, 1826, another attempt was made to effect the liberation of Asaad. The civil authori- ties were consulted, but could not be prevailed upon to enlist in his be- half. In November, 1826, however, he effected his escape, but was soon arrested, and treated more cruelly than ever. In the Herald for April, 1828, we find the following history of Asaad from the time he was betrayed into the hands of the patriarch, till the spring of 182G. It is thus prefaced by Mr. Bird, one of the missionaries. > 4 1 w ■ ■■•■ V ■. 'I i • a I t\i 432 BOOK OF MARTYSS. 1 ( '^ i.^iJi'^^^Hl "This account of our suifering friend, though by no means com- plete, may nevertheless be relied on as authentic, and is by far the most full and satisfactory account which wo have been able to obtain. It was sent us, as you will see in the journal, by the friendly young shekh, Naami Latoof, who, some time previous, spent a few weeks in our families, and whose heart seems to have been touched with the truths of the gospel. The priest, who has proved so great a benefactor to Asaad, is a relative of the shekh, and they have grown up together feom childhood on the most intimate terms of familiarity and friend- ship. Many of the occurrences here related, the priest found written among the monks, who pass their time idly with the patriarch, and to many he was an eye-witness. The account was drawn up under his own inspection. He seems a man unusually conscientious tor an Arab unusually open to conviction in argument, and has promised to do his utmost to save Asaad from further abuse, and in the end to deliver him from his state of confinement. Thus, while all our own efforts have failed of essentially benefitting the poor man, the Lord, without any of our instrumentality, has raised up a friend from the midst of his perse- cutors, who has already saved him from impending death, and we hope and pray, will soon open the way for his complete deliverance from this Syrian Inquisition. Brief history of Asscutd Esh Shidiakj from the time of hia beins betrayed into the hands of the Maronite Patriarchy in the spriuf it 1826. Tiandated from the Atabic of Naaml Latoof. When the relatives of Asaad brought him to the convent of Alma in the district of Kesroan, and gave him up to the patriarch, the lattei began by way of flattery to promise him all the worldly advantages he could bestow; but withal demanding that he should put away all the heretical notions, and all the corrupt knowledge, which the Bible-men, those enemies of the pope, had taught him. He replied, "These things which you hold out to me, are to me of no value. I no longer trouble myself about them, for they are vain and of short duration. Every christian is bound to think, and labour, and strive to be accounted wor- thy to hear that blessed welcome, *Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.' As to rejecting from my mind those things which I have learned from the Bible-men, I have to say, that, for many years, I had read, oc- casionally, the holy scriptures, which are able to make us wise unto salvation, but could not live according to them; for I was given totlie indulgence of all wicked passions: but since my acquaintance uith these men, I see myself, through the merits of my Saviour, possessed of a new heart, though it is not yet, I couil-ss, in all respects such as I could wish it to be.^^ During the few days they remained in the Kesroan. the patriarch shewed him every attention, and suffered no one to oppose his opinions, "W' BOOK OF MARTYRS. 433 no means com* is by far the most )le to obtain. It e friendly young it a few weeks in touched with the great a benefactor grown up together iliarity and friend- iriest found written B patriarch, and to rawn up under hia entiousforanArab, promised to do his a end to deliver him jr own efforts have ^ord, without any of e midst of his perse- a death, and we hope Je deliverance from le time of his hems irch^in the sprite -J i|, 1 ■ *^i LAtoof. the convent of Alma le patriarch, the laltei worldly advantages he uld put away all the which the Bible-men, replied, "These things . '1 no longer trouble iiort duration. Every le to be accounted wot- blessed of my Father »undatioh of the world. h I have learned Irom years, 1 had read, oc- to make us wise unto I fori was given to the Ly acq'.iainta.tce Nvith 1 nw Saviour, possesse \, ill respects such as I iKesroan. the patriarch to oppose his opinions, saying, "The protestants, by the great sums they have given him, have blinded his eyes, and iacliiied him to join them, and dif) jse their poisonous sentiments, so that he cannot, at once, be brought to leave them. Let him alone for the present, do nothing to oppose or to offend him, until we shall arrive at Cannobecn, where we may examine into bis fiith and state at our leisure, and if we find that he still clings to his heresy, we then can do with him as circumstances may require.^ AAer a short time they proceeded with him to Cunnobeen, and there began to use arguments to convince him of his errors, and persuade him to confess and forsake them, and embrace whatever the councils and the church had enacted; — requiring that he should surrender his conscience to the holy catholic church, and bless all whom she blessed, and curse all whom she cursed; and this they did in the most stern and threatening manner. He replied, "It has been said, by the mouth of the Holy One, Bless and. curse not.'** They still pressed him to yield his opinions, but he said, "I can give up nothing, nor can I believe any thing but as it is written in the holy scriptures; for in these is contained all doctrines necessary to salvation.^^ — ^»*But," said they, ''is every thing then, worthless, that has been ordained lay the councils and the fathers?" He answered, "The councils may have enacted laws good for themselves, but we are not bound to follow them," Afler urging him, day after day, to no purpose, they finally asked in despair, "Are you then still of the same sentiment?" "Of the same sentiment," said he; "I still believe and hold whatever is written in the 'holy scriptures, and neither more nor less." "Will every one, then, who reads the gospel, be saved?" "By no means; —but as it is written, 'he that hath my commands and keepcth them, he it is that loveth me.' " "It is the duty of every person to possess thegospei, and read it?" "Yes, it is the duty of every one. *For,' Paul, >i:e should say any thing to him more or less. In this state he remaiaed for some days. The patriarch then sent to him to inquire after his faith, especially respecting his trust in the images of the church, declaring to him that without fuiih in these, he could not lie saaJ. He replied, "Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary at Diman, a about an hour's the latter place, ways under the prayers, he lay r, thinking him as a precaution, wake, and think him so valuable lowing the length 1 about an hour's with all diligence, t of his ignorance ill the day broke, jd the distance of iple of men in the his escape by the lied out, "Who are d." They at once , but without any »nt treatment, hov;- iner reached it, than mocking him, and o your name?" He Uth, and therefore I n to your faith, and ind the fathers, you md go to perdition." f the Lord shall be indignity andsuffer- lis precious blood for V and do, and I am ' When he had said la madman, and were ded, to make heretics cried out, "Why arc lodo>me? lama you that you should -ho made heaven, and They then renewed , his prison room, and reregivftii that no oi.e this state he remaiaed U to inquire after hj^ Ugcs of the church, \e Sould not l.e savcJ. reward in a voluntary BOOK OF MARTYKS. 435 humility and worshipping of angels." They brought him proofs from the councils, that images were used by the fathers, and ought to be set up and worshipped in the churches, in honour of the saints, and to obtain their intercession. Ho answered, "I will also bring you proof from the councils, that the worship of images, and all use of them in the churches, was forbidden and reprobated by the fathers." Here they contradicted him. "Be it as it may," said he, "it is im- possible for me to follow the opinions of any man or set of men, and leave the word of God behind me. This words tells me, that 'foras- much as we are the offspring of God, wc ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art or man^s device.'" The messengers then quit him, and made their report to the patriarch, who left him in his prison for a considerable time, in the most abject and suffering state. In process of time, certain individuals, possessed of a little human- ity, became interested in his situation, sympathized in his sufferings, interceded for him, and procured liberty to open the prison door, so that any one who chose could go in and see him without restraint. Again he began to meditate an attempt to escape, and on a certain evening, set off from the convent. But, as before, his ignorance of the proper path to escape in, prevented the accomplishment of his purpose. He soon saw the lighted torches streaming off in every direction in search of him, and to avoid his pursuers, turned aside a short distance, and climbed into a tree. From this situation he did not dare to come down till the night was fairly gone, when he shifled the position of his clothes, turning his cloak inside out, using his turban for a girdle and his girdle for a turban, dnd took his way. He had, however, not proceeded far, when one of the patriarch's men discov- ered him, and called out, "Asaad is it you?" He answered, "it is I." The man immediately caught him, like a greedy wolf, bound him, beat him, and drove him before him, as a slave, or a brute, to Cannobeen. On their way they were met by many others who had been sent off in quest of him, who all united with the captor in his brutal treatment. On his arrival, the patriarch gave immediate orders for his punishment, and they fell upon him with reproaches, caning him and smiting him with their hands; and so it was, that as often as they struck him on one cheek, he turned to them the other also. "This," said he, "is a joyful day to me. My blessed Lord and Master has said, 'Biess them that curse you, and if they strike you on the right cheek turn to them the lefl also.' This I have been enabled to do, and I am ready to suffer even more than this for him, who was beaten, and spit upon, and led as a sheep to the slaughter, on our account." When they heard this, they fell to beating him anew saying, "Have we need of your preaching, thou deceiver? Of what avail are such pretensions in one who is in the broad way to perdition?" He replied, "he that be- lieveth that Jesus Christ is the Sju of God, hath eternal life." "Ah," said they, "this is what blinds you. Your salvation is hy faith alone in Christ; thus you cast contempt on his mother, and his s.-iints; you { » .HI .ii' f.V ^ H, :<;•('»;'■ i^ ,. It 't'^ 3^^. I Jvri ♦ * "jW. "T 'if J * *:> f^ii *,; ,,f 436 ROOK OP MARTYRS. deny the presence of his holy body on earth ;" — and they threw him on the ground, overwhelmed witli the muitilude of their blows. For three successive days, he was subjected to the bastinado, by order of the patriarch, w^ho, atler that, summoned him to his prosencu, and de- manded of him his failh. "1 am a Christian, a follower of Jcsns of Nazareth." Those present exhorted him to acknowledwer of Jesus of wled<2;e the inter- p in this hour of vho shed his blood intercession, and ie said, "We are from him who is ssed mouth, 'Come nd I will give you led to pray or seek Those who sym- s that the canons of lat the images were inswered, "Profess- d changed the glory ike unto corruptible despair and disgust, most settled state of it in chains, and the food to be given him ned till he was much on him and take off prison. Some were iibarred the door, took ut, and sat down with Lhe patriarch to give ledium of his idleness, onversation with him. rent two men, in the light, but were turned Lttempt to escape. As viiTorous search was iiiversalcrv now was, ient by the protestants iatelyhis holiness, the 'forming him of Asaads Is of the Kesroan,and , might still be found was made, Asaad was joldiers, was bound, and patriarch. , Lt into a dark, filthy' room, and bastinadoed, every day, for eight days, sometimes fainting under the operation, until he was near death. He was then left in his misery, his bed a thin flag mat, his covering his common clothes. The door of his prison was filled up with stone and mortar, and his food was six thin cakes of bread a day, and a scanty cup of water. In this loathsome dungeon, from which there was no access but a small loop hole, through which they passed his food, he lay for several days; and he would lift up his voice, and cry, "Love ye the Lord Jesus Christ according as he hath loved us, and given himself to die for us. Think of me, O ye that pass by, have pity upon me, and deliver me from these safTerings." Now when his groans and cries were thus heard, a certain priest, who had been a former friend of Asaad, was touched with compassion. His former friendship revived, his bowels yearned over his suflering brothc a' 3 besought every or" "'^o could speak with the patri- arch, it II would intercede an oadeavour to soften his feelings towards his prisoner. By dint of perseverance, the priest at length succeeded, and obtained permission to open the prison door of his friend and take off his irons. The first request he made of the priest on his entering, was, that he would give him a little food, for he was famishing with hunger. The priest immediately brought him a little bread and cooked victuals, which he ate, and said, "The name of the Lord be blessed." Those present began to exhort him to turn to the mother of God, if, peradventure, she would have mercy upon him, and bring him back to the way of salvation. He answered, "If she has the power of inter- cession, let her intercede for us with her beloved Son." The priest was very assiduous in supplying him with every thing necessary for his comfort; in particular he obtained the return of his clothes, of which he had been partly stripped; for the snow was upon the ground, and the cold filled him with pains. Now when the others saw the care and attention of the priest, they said, "You have become a convert to his heretical opinions." But he replied, "God has s;iid, 'Blessed are the merciful;'" and continued firm in his purpose. His nssidtiity was such, that whenever he left the con- vent for any time, he would give money to the cook to prevail on him to supply Asaad with proper food, and to attend upon him in whatever he might need. The enemies of the priest accused him to the patriarch, but they could not succeed in their object, for the priest is of blameless morals, and has a good name among all. The priest now passed much of his time in company with Asaad; and conversed with him freely. On a certain occasion they began ^o con- verse on the subject of the cross, the priest saying it ought to be wor- shipped. Asaad replied, "For what reason? and where is the use of it?" The priest said, "In memory of the Saviour." Asaad. — "Why do you kiss the cress, and who has commanded it?" Pries'. — "We kiss it in honour of him who hung upon it." Asaad. — "But why then do you not paint the ass also, and pay it all obeisance, and all 35* \ ■•"If ii.is M- k ''ffi 438 BOOK OF NARTYB9. m honours, for our Saviour, when he rode upon the ass, was in all hon- our, and ail paid him obeisance; but when he was on the cross, he was in sorrow and disgrace." The priest reproved hiia gently for returning such an answer, and when he saw that the priest was dis- pleased, he said, "On account of your love to me, and the favour you have done me, I wish to prove to you this point, that uU religious rev- erence and worship and service to any but God, is vain ; for it is said, ni political motives, and would not, perhaps, essentially affect us. "For several weeks nothing took place to alarm us, and we went on with our school. Mr. J. preached every Sabbath, all the materials for building a brick house were procured, and the masons had made considerable progress in raising the building. «0n the 23d of May, 1824, just as we had concluded worship at the Doctor^s house, the other side of the river, a messenger came to inform us that Rang(X)n was taken by the English. The intelligence produced a shock, in which was a mixture of &ar and joy. Mr. Gou- ger, a young merchant residing at >.va, was then with us, and had much more reason to fear than the rest of us. We aP, however, im- mediately returned to our house, and began to consider what was to be done. Mr. G. went to prince Thar-yar-wa-dee, the king's most influential brother, who informed him he need not give himself any uneasiness, as he had mentioned the subject to his majesty, who had replied, that *the few foreigners residing at Ava, had nothing to do with the war, and should not be molested.' "The government were now all in motion. An army of ten or twelve thousand men, under the command of the Kyee-woon-gyee, were sent off in three or four days, and were to be joined by the Sakyer-woon-gyee, who had previously been appointed Viceroy of Rangoon, and who was on his way thither, when the news of its at- tack reached him. No doubt was entertained of the defeat of the English; the only fear of the king was, that the foreigners hearing of the advance of the Burmese troops, would be so alarmed, as to flee on board their ships and depart, before there would be time to secure them as slaves. < Bring for me,' said a wild young buck of the palace, 'sixkala pyoo, (white strangers,) to row my boat;' and *to me,' said the lady of a Woon-gyee, 'send four white strangers to manage the aflairs of my house, as I understand they are trusty servants.' The war boats, in high glee, passed our house, the soldiers singing and dancing, and exhibiting gestures of the most joyous kind. Poor fel w 'i •.:' .^■•* "" r>1 r 1 . 1 , . > k vlr '■■',' > ■ ■■ «,v 442 BOOK OP MARTYHf. lows! said we, you will pruhably never danco again. And it so pro ved, fur few if any ever suw aguin their native home. "As soon as the army were despatched, the government began to inquire the cause of the arrival of the strangers at llangooii. Thoiti must be spies in the country, suggested some, who have invited them over. And who so likely to bo spies, as the Englishmen rusidlng at Ava? A report was in circulation, that Captain Laird, lately nrrivcd had brought Bengal papers which contained the intention of the Kuv- lish to take Rangoon, and it was kept a secret from his majesty. An inquiry was instituted. The three Englishmen, Gouger, Laird, and Rogers, were called and examined. It was found tl.3y had seen tin, pa|)er8, and were put in conAnement though not in prison. We now began to tremble for ourselves, and were in daily expectation of some dreadful event. "At length Mr. Judson and Dr. Price were summoned to a court of examination, where strict inquiry was made relative to all they knew. The great point seemed to be whether they had been in the habit of making communications to foreigners, of the state of the coun- try, &c. They answered, they had always written to their friends in America, but had no correspondence with English officers, or the Bengal government. AAer their examination, they wore not put in confinement as the Englishmen had been, but were allowed to return to their houses. In examining the accounts of Mr. G. it was found that Mr. J. and Dr. Price had taken money of him to a considerable amount. Ignorant, as were the Burmese, of our mode of receiving money, by orders on Bengal, this circumstance, to their suspicious minds, was a suflicient evidence, tliat the missionaries were in the pay of the English, and very probably spies. It was thus represented to the king, who, in an angry tone, ordered the immediate arrest of the *two teachers.' * ■ BOOK or MARTYBB. 443 And it BO pro nment began to Langoon. Fhore jve invited ihcm imen rcBiding at rd, lately nrnved, ntion of the ling. his ninjesty. An juger, Laird, ami ll.sy had seen tlu; prison. We now (pectation of some lioned to a court of lative to all they jy had beea in the e state of the coiin- n to their friends in ish officers, or the ley were not put in •e allowed to return At. G. it was found im to a considerable mode of receiving , to their suspicious ries were in the pay thus represented to lediate arrest of the g for dinner, in rush- Burmans, accompa- new to be an exccu- eacherf was the first are called by the used when about to seized Mr. Jn^son, cord, the instrument id 1,)1 will give you also is a foreigner. would let me remain ,2 beyond description. msans at work on the rhe little Burmanchil- lee servants stood in er— and the haidene^ jords, bound Mr. Jud- der In vain 1 begged and entreated the spotted face to tako tiic silver, and loosen the ropes, but he spurned mv uflfers, and immcdiutely departed. I gave the mo- ney, however, to Moung lag to follow after, to make some further at- tempt to mitigate the torture of Mr. Judsoii; but instead of succeediiigi wheu a few rods from the house, the unfeeling wretches again threw their prisoner on the ground, and drew the cords still tighter, so as al- most to prevent respiration. «Thu officer and his gang proceeded on to the court house, where the Governor of the city and officers were collected, one of whom read the order of the king, to commit Mr. Judson to the death prison, into which he was soon hurled, the door closed— and Moung Ing saw DO more. What a night was now before me! I retired into my room, and endeavoured to obtain consolation from committing my case to God, and imploring fortitude and strength to suffi^r whatever awaited me. B it ihd consolation of retirement was not long allowed me, for the magistrate of the place had come into the verandah, and continu- ally called me to cume out, and submit to his examination. But pre- viously to going out, I destroyed all my letters, journals, and writings of every kind, lest they should disclose the fact that w 1 444 BOOK OF HARTTBS. -■' i? I i' '' my anguish now was, that I was a prisoner myself, and could make no cfTurts for the release of the Missionaries. I begged and entreated the magistrate to allow me to go to some member of government to state my case; but he said he did notdai\^ to consent, for fear I s^hould make my escape. I next wrote a note to one of the king^s sisters, with whom I had been intimate, requesting her to use her influence for the release of the teachers. The note was returned with this mes- sage — She *did not understand it,* — which was a polite refusal to in- terfere ; though I aflerwards ascertained, that she had an anxious desire to assist us, but dared not on account of the queen. The day drag- ged heavily away, and another dreadful night was before me. I en- deavoured to sofien the feelings of the guard by giving them tea and segars for the night; so that they allowed me to remain inside of my room, without threatening as they did the night before. But the idea of your brother being stretched on the bare floor in irons and confine ment, haunted my mind like a spectre, and prevented my obtaining any quiet sleep, though nature was almost exhausted. **On the third day, I sent a message to the governor of the city, who has the entire direction of prison afl^iirs, to allow me to visit hinr. with a present. This had the desired effect; and he immediately sent or- ders to the guards, to permit my going into town. The governor re- ceived me pleasantly, and asked me what I wanted. I stated to him the situation of the foreigners, and particula\ly that of the teachers, who were Americans, and had nothing to do with the war. He told me it was not in his power to release them from prison or irons, but that he could make their situation more comtbitable; there was his head officer, with whom I must consult, relative to the means. The oflicer, who proved to be one of the city writers, and whoise counte- nance at the first glance presented the most perfect assemblage of all the evil passions attached to human, nature, took me :\side, and endea- voured to convince me, that myself, as well as the prisoners, was en- tirely at his disposal — that our future comfort must depend on my lib- erality in regard to presents — and that these must be nwde in a private way and unknown to any officer in the government! What must] do, said I, to obtain a mitigation of the present sufTerings of t*hc two teachers? *Pay to me,' said he, 'two hundred tickals, (aboii* a hun- dred dollars,) two pieces of fine cloth, and two pieces of hjindker- chiefs.' 1 had taken money with me in the inorniiif;, our house being two miles from the prison — I could not easily return. This 1 offered to the writer, and begged he would not insist on the other articles, as they were not in my possession. He hesitated for some. time, but fearing to lose the sight of so much money, he concluded to take it, promising to reliev j the teachers fionj their most painful situation. "I then procured an order from the governor, for my admittance into prison; but the sensations, produced by meeting your brother in that ic.etchcd, horrid situation, and the aflecting scene which ensued, I will not attempt to describe. Mr. Judson crawled to the door of the prison — for I was never allowed to enter — ^gave me some directions BOOK OF 1IU.BTTBS. 445 , and could make red and entreated of government to :, for fear I Fhould the king's sisters, use her influence ned with this mes- olite refusal toin- i an anxious desire n. The day drag- I before me. I en- iving them tea and emain inside of my jfore. But the idea n irons and confine rented my obtaining nor of the city, who me to visit him with immediately sent or- 1. The governor re- ited. 1 stated to him that of the teachers, ith the war. He told a prison or irons, but liable; there was his » to the means. The ri.and whoise counte- feet assemblage of all I me ^side, and endea- the prisoners, was en- list depend on my lib- it be nwde in a private iment^. What must I sufferiaois of fhc two . tickals, Vftbou* n hun- vo pieces of hnndker- .rnuuNGur house being Iretoni. This 1 offered ,n the other articles, as ■d for some time, but he concluded to take ,ost painful situation, lor, f )r my admittance leeting your brother m njT scene which ensued, awled to the door of the ,ve me some direction i«lative to his release; but before we could make any arrangement, I was ordered to depart, by those iron hearted jailers, who could not endure to see us enjoy the poor consolation of meeting in that misera- ble place. In vain 1 pleaded the order of the governor for my admit- tance; they again, harshly repeated, ' 446 BOOK OF UARTinUI. steady friend, attended by forty or fifty followers, came to take pes. session of all we had. 1 treated them civilly, gave them chairs to sit on, tea and sweetmeats for their refreshment; and justice obliges me to say, that they conducted the business of confiscation with more re> gard to my feelings than I should have thought it possible fur Bu^ inese officers to exhibit. The three officers, with one of the royal ■ecretaries, alone entered the house; their attendants were ordered to remain outside. They saw I was deeply affected, and apologized for what they were about to do, by saying, that it was painful for them to take possession of property not their own, but they were compelled thus to do by order of the king. 'Where is your silver, gold, and jewels?^ said the royal treasurer. 'I have no gold or jewels; but here is the key of a trunk which contains the silver—- do with it as you please.' The trunk was produced, and the silver weighed. 'This money,' said I, *was collected in America, by the disciples of Christ, and sent here for the purpose of building a kyoung, (the name of a priest's dwelling^ and for our support while teaching the religion of Christ. Is it suitable that you should take it?' (The Burmans are averse to taking what is offered in a religious point of view, which was the cause of n^y making the inquiry.) *We will state this cir- cumstance tu the king,' said one of them, 'and perhaps he will restore H. But this is all the silver you haver I could not tell a falsehood: 'The house is in your possession,' I replied, 'search for yourselves.' *Have you not deposited silver with some person of your acquaint* ance?' 'My acquaintances are all in prison, with whom ^uld I de- posit silver?' They next ordered my trunk and drawers to be exam- ined. The secretary only was allowed to accompany me in this •earch. Every thing nice or curious, which met his view, was presented to the officers, for their decision, whether it should be taken or retain- ed. I begged they would not take our wearing apparel, as it would be disgraceful to take clothes partly worn, into the possession of his majesty, and to us they were of unspeakable value. They assented, and took a list only, and did the same with the books, medicines, &c. My little work table and rocking chair, presents from my beloved brother, I rescued from their grasp, partly by artifice, and partly through their ignorance. They left also many articles, which were of iiiestimable value, during our long imprisonment. "As soon as they had finished their search and departed, I has- tened to the queen's brother, to hear what had been the fate of my petition; when, alas! all my hopes were dashed, by his wife's coolly saying, *I stated your case to the queen; but her majesty replied,— *The teachers will not die: let them remain as they are."* My expec- tations had been so much excited, that this sentence was like a thun- derbolt lo my feelings. For th<°i truth at one glance assured me, that ff the queen refused assistance!, who would dare to intercede for met With a heavy heart 1 departed, and on my way home, attempted to enter the prison gate, to communicate the sad tidings to your bruther but was harshly refused admittance; and for the tea days following If ' ime to take pos- hem chairs to sit ustice obliges me Ion with more re- possible for Bur- one of the royal its were ordered j, and apologized LS painful for them ;y were compelled • silver, gold, and T jewels; but here do with it as you r weighed. 'This disciples of Christ, ig, (the name of a ling the religion of (The Barmans are int of view, which will state this cir- haps he will restore lot tell a falsehood: rch for yourselves.' I of your acquaint- 1 whom should I de- drawers to be exam- ompany me in this I view, was presented be taken or retain- apparel, as it would he possession of his ue. They assented, ooks, medicines, &c. ts from my beloved artifice, and partly tides, which were of and departed, I has- been the fate of my , by his wife's coolly ler majesty replied,- heyare: Myexpec- ence was like a thun- ^nce assured me, that to intercede for me? y home, attempted to idings to your brother le ten days following y BOOK OF MARTYRS. 447 notwithstanding my daily eflforts, I was not allowed to enter. We at- tempted to communicate by writing, and afler being successful for a few days, it was discovered ; the poor fellow who carried the commu- nications was beaten and put in the stocks; and the circumstance cost me about tea dollars, besides two or three days of agony, for fear of the consequences. «The officers who had taken possession of our property, presented it to his majesty, saying, 'Judson is a true teacher; we fouud nothing in his house, but what belongs to priests. In addition to this money, there are an immense number of books, medicines, trunks of wearing apparel, 6lc. of which we have only taken a list. Shall we take them^ or let them remain?' *Let them remain,' said the king, *and put this property by itself, for it shall be restored to him again, if he is found innocent.^ This was an allusion to the idea oi his being a spy- ' stance that wouki have a tendency to interest him in our behalf. With fear and trembling I approached him, while surrounded by a crowd of flatterers; and one of his secretaries took the petition, and read it aloud. After hearing it, he spake to me in an obliging manner — asked several questions relative to the teachers — said he would think of the subject — and bade me come again. I ran to the prison to communicate the favourable reception to Mr. Judson; and we both had sanguine hopes that his release was at hand. But the governor of the city expressed his amazement at my temerity, and said he doubted not it would be the means (if destroying all the 30* if m Via '■il' .1 '% y i : •J k ' a Mm mi , i J:, J" ■ "li ■i^ 450 BOOK OF MARTTBS. prisoners. In a day or two, however, I went again, and took a present of considerable value. Bandoola was not at home ; but his lady, af- ter ordering the present to be taken into another room, modestly in- formed me that she was ordered by her husband to make the following communication — that he was now very busily employed in making preparations for Rangoon; but that when he had re-taken that place and expelled the English, he would return and release all the pri- soners. "Thus again were all our hopes dashed; and we felt that we could do nothing more, but sit down and submit to our lot. From this time we gave up all idea of being released from prison, till the termination of the war; but I was still obliged to visit constantly some of the members of government, with little presents, particularly the gover* nor of the city, for the purpose of making the situation of the pri- soners tolerable. I generally spent the greater part of every other day at the governor's house, giving him all the information relative to American maimers, customs, government, &.c. He used to be so much gratified with my communications, as to feel greatly disap- pointed, if any occurrence prevented my spending the usual hours at his house. "Some months afler your brother^s imprisonment, I was permitted to make a little bamboo room in the prison enclosures, where he could be much by himself, and wliere I was sometimes allowed to spend two or three hours. It so happened that the two months he occupied this place, was the coldest part of the year, when he woula have suffered much in the open shed he had previously occupied Afler the birth of your little niece, I was unable to visit the prison vid the governor as before, and found 1 had lost considerable influ- ',nce, previously gained; for he was not so forward to hear my peti- tions when any difficulty occurred, as he formerly had been. When Maria was nearly two months old, her father one morning sent me word that he and all the white prisoners were put into the inner prison, in 6ve pairs of fetters each, that his little room had been torn down, and his mat, pillow, &.c. been taken by the jailers. This was to me a dreadful shock, as 1 thought at once it was only a prelude to greater evils. "I should have mentioned before this, the defeat of Bandoola, his escape to Danooboo, the complete destruction of his army and loss of ammunition, and the consternation this intelligence produced at court. The English army had lefl Rangoon, and were advancing towards Prome, when these severe measures were taken with the pri* ■oners. "I went immediately to the governor's house. He was not at h(Hne, but had ordered his wife to tell me, when I came, not to ask to Lave the additional fetters taken off, or the prisoners released, for it could not be done. I went to the prison gate, but was forbid to enter. All was as still as death — not a white face to be seen, or a vestige of Mr. J.'s little room remaining. I was determined to see the governor, ,nd took a present but his lady, af- lom, modestly in- rake the following jloyed in making B-taken that place lease all the ph- felt that we could From this time till the termination antly some of the icularly the gover- ituation of the pri- jart of every other nformation relative He used to be so feel greatly disap- ' the usual hours at )nt, I was permitted aclosures, where he )metimes allowed to the two months he year, when he woulo previously occupied B to visit the prison }t considerable influ- irard to hear my peti- ly had been. When ,ne morning sent me into the inner prison, had been torn down, era. This was to me jr a prelude to greater feat of Bandoola, his his army and loss of ligence produced at and were advancing re taken with the pri- lae He was not at I 'came, not to ask to soners released, for M ut was forbid to enter. le seen, or a vestige ot .d to see the governor, BOOK OF MARTTHS. 451 ^ know the cause of this additional oppression; and for this purpose returned to town the same evening, at an hour 1 knew he would be at borne. He was in his audience room, and, as 1 entered, looked up without speaking, but exhibited a mixture of shame and aflfected an- Eir in his countenance. I began by saying — Your Lordship has therto treated us with the kindness of a father. Our obligations to you are very great. We have looked to you for protection from op- pression and cruelty. You have in many instances ^..itigated the suf- ferings of those unfortunate, though innocent beings, committed to your charge. You have promised me particularly, that you would stand by me to the last, and though you should receive an order from the king, you would not put Mr. J. to death. What crime has he com- mitted to deserve such additional punishment? The old man's hard heart was melted, for he wept like a child. 'I pity you, Tsa-yar-ga- dau, (a name by which he always called me) I knew you would mdce me feel; I therefore forbade your application. But you must believe me when I say, I do not wish to increase the sufferings of the prison- ers. When I am ordered to execute them, the least that I can do is, to put them out of sight. I will now tell you (continued he) what I have never told you before, that three times I have received intima- tions from the queen's brother, to assassinate all the white prisoners privately; but I would not do it. And I now repeat it, though I exe- cute all the others, I will never execute your husband. But I cannot release him from his present confinement, and you must not ask it.' I had never seen him manifest so much feeling, or so resolute in denying me a favour, which circumstance was an additional reason for tliinking dreadful scenes were before us. <*The situation of the prisoners was now distressing beyond descrip- tion. It was at the commencement of the hot season. There were above a hundred prisoners shut up in one room, without a breath of air excepting from the cracks in the boards. I sometimes obtained permis- sion to go to the door for five minutes, when my heart sickened at the wretchedness exhibited. The white prisoners, from incessant perspi- ration and loss of appetite, looked more like the dead than the living. I made daily applications to the governor, offering him money, which he refused; but all that I gained, was permission for the foreigners to eat their food outside, and this continued but a short time. <'It was at '.his period that the death of Bandoola was announced in the palace. The king heard it with silent amazement, and the queen, in eastern style, smote upon her breast, and cried, amal ama! (alas, alas.) Who could be found to fill his place? who would venture since the invincible Bandoola had been cut off? Such were the ex- clamations constantly heard in the streets of Ava. The common people wore speaking low of a rebellion, in casj more troops should be levied. For as yet the common people had borne the wei<;;ht of the war; not a tickal had been taken from the royal treasury. At length the Pakan Wuon, who a few moi^^hs before hud been so far disgraced by the king as to be thrown into prison and irons, now oflered himself ■ id i ! nm '■'i: ■-.K 1 '^1^' |i^^p JT ^^lr 1 ,^^ '■'f', ■A! ' 452 BOOK OF MARTYBS. to head a new army that should be raised on a diflfercnt plan froiQ those which had been hithei-to raised; and assured the king in the most confident manner, that he would conquer the Eaglish, and restore those places that had been taken, in a very short time. He proposed that every soldier should receive a hundred tickals in advance, and he would obtain security for each man, as the money was to pass thruugh his hands. It was afterwards found that he had taken, for his own use, ten tickals from every hundred. He was a man of enterprise and talents, though a violent enemy to all foreigners. His offers were accepted by the king and government, and all power immediately committed to him. One of the first exercises of his power was, to arrest Lansago and the Portuguese priest, who had hitherto remaiiied unmolested, and cast them into prison, and to subject the native Por- tuguese and Bengalees to the most menial occu|)ations. The whole town was in alarm, lest they should feel the effects of his power; and it was owing to the malignant representations of this man, that the white prisoners suffered such a change in their circumstances, as I shall soon relate. ^< After continuing in the inner prison for more than a month, your brother was taken with a fever. I felt assured he would not live long, unless removed from that noisome place. To effect this, and in order to be near the prison, 1 removed from our house and put up a small bamboo room in the governor's enclosure, which was nearly opposite the prison gate. Here I incessantly begged the governor to give me an order to take Mr. J. out of the large prison, and place him in a more comfortable situation ; and the old man, being worn out with mv entreaties, at length gave me the order in an official form; and also gave orders to the head jailer, to allow me to go in and out, all times of the day, to administer medicines, &«. I now felt happy indeed, and had Mr. J. instantly removed into a little bamboo hovel, so low, that neither of us could stand uprighi>— but a palace in comparison with the place he had lefl. Removal of the prisoners to Oung-pen-la — Mrs. Judson follows thm, "Notwithstanding the order the governor had given for my admit- tance into prison, it was with the greatest difliculty that I could per- suade the under jailer to open the gate. I used to carry Mr. J's. ibod myself, for the sake of getting in, and would then remain an hour or two, unless driven out. We had been in this comfortable situation but two or three days, when one morning, having carried in Mr, Judson's breakfast, which, in consequence of fever, he was unable to take, I remained longer than usual, when the governor in great haste sent for me. I promised him to return as soon as I had ascer- tainevl the governor's will, he being much alarmed at this unusial message. 1 was very agreeably disappointed, when the governor in- formed, that he only wished to consult me about his watch, and seem- ed unusually pleasant and conversable. I found afterwards, that liis ^v* iffercnt plan from e king in the most glish, and restore me. He proposed n advance, and he ms to pass through aken, for his own in of enterprise and His oflfers were power immediately his power was, to id hitherto remaiaed ject the native Por- ations. The whole 8 of his power; and f this man, that the circumstances, asl than a month, your J would not live long, feet this, and in order 36 and pvit up a small was nearly opposite governor to give roe 1, and place him in a ling worn out with my official form; and also in and out, all times >w felt happy indeed, bamboo hovel, so low, palace in comparison . JudsonfoUows ihm, d given for my admit- icuUy that I could per- 1 to carry Mr. J's. food hen remain an hour or a comfortable situation having carried in Mr. ever, he was unable to the governor in great as soon as I had ascer- armed at this unusjal when the govcrnona- ,ut his watch, and seem- 1 uad afterwards, that his BOOK OF MARTTRS. 453 only object was, to detain me until the dreadful scene, about to take place in the prison, was over. For when I left him to go to my room, one of the servants came running, and with a ghastly countenance in- formed me, that all the white prisoners were carried away. I would not believe the report, but instantly went back to the governor, who said he had just heard of it, but did not wish to tell me. I luistily ran into the street, hoping to get a glimpse of them before they were out of sight, but in this was disappointed. I ran first into one street, then another, inquiring of all I met, but none would answer me. At length an old woman told me the white prisoners had gone towards the little river; for they were to be carried to Amarapora. I then ran to the banks of the little river, about half a mile, but saw them not, and concluded the old woman had deceived me. Some of the friends of the foreigners went to the (.lace of execution, but found them not. I then i^urned to the governor to try to discover the cause of their removal, and the prabability of their future fate. The old man as- sured me that he woti ignorant of the intention of government to re- move the foreigners till that morning. That since I went out, he had learned that the prisoners were to be sent to Amarapora; but for what purpose, he knew not. 'I will send off a man immediately,* said he, jection outside of the prison sat the foreigners, chained together two and two, almost dead with suffering and fatigue. The first word of your brother were, *Why have you come? I hoped you would not follow, for you cannot live here.^ It was now dark. I had no refresh- ment for the suffering prisoners, or for myself, as I had expected to procure all that was necessary at the market of Amarapora, and 1 had no shelter for the night. I asked one of the jailers if I might put up a little bamboo house near the prisoners; he said no, it was not cus- tomary. I then begged he would procure me a shelter for the night, when on the morrow I could find some place to live in. He took me to his house, in which there were only two small roomsr— one in which he and his family lived — the other, which was then half full of grain, he offered to me; and in that little filthy place, I spent the next six months of wretchedness. I procured some half boiled water, instead of my tea, and, worne out with fatigue, laid myself down on a mat spread over the paddy, and endeavoured to obtain a littl<* refreshment from sleep. The next morning your brother gave me the following account of the brutal treatment he had received on boing taken out of prison. "As soon as I had gone out at the call of the governor, one of the jailers rushed into Mr. J.'s little room — roughly seized him by the ant of Mr. Gouger, iguers were led out, I, thut the prisoners rapora, aiul were to iw tar distant. My that o»ir friend was e of him. The next ^rith roy little Maria, bby llaaseltine, (two li, who was the only listance, 1 set off tor we obtained a cover- till within two miles cart; but the violent made me almost dis- I my arriving at the sent on two hours be- lode four miles further II the way from Ava. er waiting an hour iu (f for that never to be ide from the governor But what a scene of ?he prison was an old ^as entirely destroyed jilding, trying to make I under a little low pro- chained togetherlwo ue. The first word of hoped you would not lark. I had no refresh- ', as I had expected to of Amarapora, and 1 le jailers if i might put jaid no, it was not cus- a shelter for the night, to live in. He took me [ll rooms:— one in which then half full of grain, ce, I spent the next six if boiled water, instead myself down on a mat Itain a littl** refreshment gave me the following on boing taken out o( I the governor, one of the Ighly seized him by •^'fi BOOK OF MARTYBS. 455 trm— pulled him out — stripped him of all his clothes, exceptmg shirt and pantaloons — took his shoes, hat, and all his bedding — tore ofi* hii chains — tied a rope round his waist, and dragged him to the court house, where the other prisoners had previously been taken. They were then tied two and two, and delivered into the hands of the Lamine Woon, who went on before them on horseback, while his slaves drove the prisoners, one of the slaves holding the rope which connected two of them together. It was in May, one of the hottest months in the year, and eleven o^clock in the day, so that the sun was intolerable indeed. They had proceeded only half a mile, when your brother^s feet became blistered, and so great was his agony, even at this early period, that as they were crossing the little river, he longed to throw himself into the water to be free from misery. But the sin attached to such an act alone prevented. They had then eight miles to walk. The sand and gravel were like burning coals to the feet of the prisoners, which )on became perfectly destitute of skin; and in this wretched state they were goaded on by their un- feeling drivers. Mr. J.^s debilitated state, in consequence of fever, and having taken no food that morning, re>idered him less capable of bearing such hardships than the other prisoners. When about half way on their journey, as they stopped for water, your brother begged the Lamine Woon to allow him to ride his horse a mile or two, as he could proceed no farther in that dreadful state. But a scornful, ma- lignant look, was all the reply that was made. He then requested captain Laird, who was tied with him, and who was a strong, healthy man, to allow him to take hold of his shoulder, as he was fast sinking. This the kind-hearted man granted for a mile or two, but then found the additional burden insupportable. Just at that period, Mr. Gouger^s Bengalee servant came up to them, and seeing the distresses of your brother, took off his head dress, which was made of cloth, tore it in two, gave half to his master, and half to Mr. Judson, which he in- stantly wrapt round his wounded feet, as they wete not allowed to rest even for a moment. The servant then offered his shoulder to Mr. J. and was almost carried by him the remainder of the way. Had it not been for the support and assistance of this man, your brother thinks he should have shared the fate of the poor Greek, who was one of their number, and when taken out of prison that morning was in perfect health. But he was a corputent man, and the sun affected him so much that he fell down on the way. His inhuman drivers beat id dragged him until they ^themselves were wearied, when they procured a cart, in whicfai< he was carried the remaining two miles. But the poor creatijiiiiejltp'ired in an hour or two af)er their arrival at [the court housd; ^he Lamine Woon seeing the distressing state of the prisoners, and that one of their number was dead, concluded they should go no farther that night, otherwise they would have been driven on until they reached Oung-pen-la the same day. An old shed was appointed fur their abode during the night, but without even a mat or jpillow, or any thing to cover them. The curiosity of the Lamine I 'A . H ■¥\ • "Hi ^ • 'ill m r. i A ■ k ■ *: i '■ 'if %' 456 BOOK or marttri. Woon^a wife, induced her to make a visit to the priioneni, w1)ok wretchedness considerably excited her composition, and she ordered Bome fruit, sugar, and tamarinds, ^or f ; >ir refreshment; and the next morning rice was prepared for thenv 'ud as poor as it was, it was re< freshing to the prisoners, who had t. •:. nnnost destitute of fuod the day before. Carts were also provided for their conveyance, as none of them were able to M'alk. All this time the foreigners were entirely ig. uorant of what was to become of them; and when thoy arrived at Oung-pen-la, and saw the dilapidated state of the prison, they inimedi* ately, all as one, concluded that they wore there to be burnt, agreeably to the report which had previously been in circulation at Ava. They all endeavoured to prepare themselves for the awful scone antic iputed; and it was not until they saw preparations making for repairing thepri- •on, that they had the least doubt that a cruel lingering death awaited them. My arrival was in an hour or two afler this. "The next morning I arose and endeavoured to find something like food. But there was no market, and nothing to be procured. One of Dr. Price^s friends, however, brought some cold rice and vegetable curry, from Amarapora, which, together with a cup of tea from Mr, Lansago, answered for the breakfast of the prisoners; and fur dinner, we made a curry of dried salt fish, which a servant of Mr. Gouger had brought. • All the money I could command in the world, I had brought with me, secreted about my person; so you may judge what our prospects were, in case the war should continue long. But our heavenly Father was better to us than our fears; for notwithstanding the constant extortions of the jailers, during the whole six monthg we were at Oung-pen-la, and the frequent straits to which we were brought, we never really suffered for the want of money, though fre- quently for want of provisions, which were not procurable. Here at this place my personal bodily sufferings commenced. While your brother was confined in the city prison, I had been allowed to remaio in our house, in which I had many conveniences lefl, and my health continued good beyond all expectations. But now I had not a single article of convenience — not even a chair or seat of any kind, except- ing a bamboo floor. The very morning after my arrival, Mary Has- •eltine was taken with the small pox, the natural way. She, though very young, was the only assistant I had in taking care of little Maris. But she now required all the time I could spare from Mr. Judsoo, whose fever still continued in prison, and whose feet were so dread- fully q^angled, that for several days he was unable to move. I knew not what to do, for I could procure no assistance from the neighbour- hood, or medicine for the sufferers, but was all day long going back- wards and forwards from the house to the prison, with little Maria in my arms. Sometimes I was greatly relieved by leaving her, for an hour, when asleep, by the side of her father, while I returned to the house to look after Mary, whose fever ran so high as to produce deli- rium. She was so completely covered with the small pox, that there was no distinction in the pustules. As she was in the same iittlt '■'■* M iP BOOK or MARTYKS. 457 lie prisonem, wboie »n, nnd she ordered iment; and the next as it wa8, it was re- iestitute of food the nveyance,a8noneof ners were entirely ig- rhen thoy arrived at prison, they inimedi. be burnt, agreeably to onatAva. They all ful scene anticipated; g for repairing the pri. Jgering death awaited this. to find something like to be procured. One 5old rice and vegetable a cup of tea from Mr. Boners; and for dinner, servant of Mr. Gouger ind in the world, I had > you may judge what jontinue long. But our trs; for notwithstanding r the whole six months aits to which we were t of money, though fre- ot procurable. Here at ■Twnenced. While your been allowed to remain ices left, and my health ^ now 1 had not a single jat of any kind, except- . my arrival, Mary Has- turalway. She, though Lin« care of little Mann, [spjre from Mr. Judson. lose feet were so dread- Lableto move. I knew knee from the neighbour- [U day long going back- Un, with little Maria IB ' by leaving her, or an while I returned to tte Ihigh as to produce dell- heUllpox,thattJ ' was in the same \m room with myself, I know Maria would take it; I therefore inocula< ted her from another child, before Mury^s had an-ivcd at such a state as to 1)0 infectious. At the same time, 1 iuocutatod Aliby, and the jailer^s children, who all had it so lightly as hardly to interrupt their play. But the inoculation in the arm of my poor little Muria did not take — she caught it of Mary, and hud it the natural way. She was then only three months and a half old, and hud [mm u nust healthy child; but it was above three months before she porlbctly recovered irom the effects of this dreadful disorder. "You will recollect I never had the small pox, but was vaccinated previously to leaving America. In consequence of being for so long a time constantly exposed, I hud nearly a hundred pustules formed, though no previous symptoms of tevcr, &go so far for wood dinner ready at the d fov his wages, and or to perform any act g of the faithful con- rust has been well re- ferer at this time, my t, and neither a nurse ^e By making pre- udson to come out of d the village, to beg a young children. Her was impossible to sip- / alflictious of Job had the various tiials and Is. Bit to be CO ifiiied ■re so dear to me, when J and had it not lean „ convicti:)n that every nd mercv, I must have imes our jailers seomed days together allowed , to me an unspeakable Iron-hearted iu their de- Landinalfluentcircum. I oppressions, to which lnceinOung-pen-la,are ia.nen-1a, that we heard Lquenc. c f which our Ids ascertai.x-d, that the la, for the express \>i^' r BOOK OF MASTVRS. 459 pose of sacrificing them ; and that he himself intended witnessing the horrid scene. VVe had frequently heard of his intended arrival at Oung-pen-la; but we had no idea of his diabolical purposes. He had raised an army of fifty thousand men, (a tenth part of whose ad- vanced pay was found in his house,) and expected to march against the English army in a short time, when he was susj)ected of high trua' son, and instantly executed without the least examination. Perhaps no death in Ava ever produced such universal rejoicings, as that of the Pakan VVoon. We never, to this day, hear his name mentioned, but with an epithet of reproach or hatred. Another brother of the king was appointed to the command of the army now in readiness, but with no very sanguine expectations of success. Some weeks after the departure of these troops, two of the Woongyees were sent down for the purpose of negotiating. Bat not being successful, the queen's brother, the acting king of the country, was prevailed on to go. Clreat expectations were raised in consequence; but his cowardice induced him to encamp his detachment of the army at a great distance from the £n«^lish, and even at a distance from the main body of the Burmese army, whose head-quarters were then at Maloun. Thus he eftected nothing, though reports were continually reaching up^ that peace was nearly concluded. "The time at length arrived for our release from that detested place, the Oung-pen-la prison. A messenger from our friend, the governor of the north gate of the palace, who was formerly Koung- tone, Myoo-tsa, informed us that an order had been given, the evening before, in the palace, for Mr. Judson's release. On the same evening an official order arrived; and with a joyful heart 1 set about preparing for our departure early the following morning. But an unexpected obstacle occurred, which made us iear that / should still be retained as a prisoner. The avaricious jailers, unwilling to lose their prey, nsisted, that as my name was not included in the order, I should not go. In vain I urged that I was not sent there as a prisoner, and that they had no authority over me — they still determined 1 should not go, and forbade the villagers from letting me a cart. Mr. Judson was then taken out of prison, and brought to the jailer's house, where, by promises and threatenings, he finally gained their consent, on condi- tion that we would leave thpi remaining part of our provisions we had recently received from Ava. It was noon before we were allow- ed to depart. When we reached Amarapora, Mr. Judson was obliged to follow the guidance of the jailer, who conducted him to the gov- ernor of the city. Having made all necessary inquiries, the governor appointed another guard, which conveyed Mr. Judson to the court- house in Ava, to which place he arrived some time in the night. I took my own course, procured a boat, and reached our house before dark. "My first object the next morning, was to go in search of youi brother, and I had the mortification to meet him again iti prison, though not the death prison. I went immediately to my old friend, 4'.r., . ; i !j Is .*•»! '■'*ft4.V) Ji, w m; ^ ;];p ••**.•«.,*,„ ,„,^ ■■'■ '<'' ■ ^f^"|r' 460 BOOK OF MABTYR8. the governor of the city, who now was raised to the rank of a Wooii- gyee. He i.fornieJ me that Mr. Juclsou was to be sent to the Bur- mese camp, tu act as translator and interpreter; and that he wiis put in coiitiaeineat t'jr a short time only, till his aifaiis were settled. Early the following nurniiig 1 went to this oliicer agaiii, whu told me that Mr. Judsou had that moment received twenty tickuls from governmjnt, with orders to go immediately on board a boat for Maloun and that he liad given him permission to stop a few moments at the house, it being on his way. I iiastened back to the house, where Mr. Judsjn sooii arrived; but was allowed to remain only a short time while I could prepare food and clothing for fjture use. He was crowded into a little boat, where he had not room suiHcietit to jjc down, and where his exposure to the cold damp nights threw hinj iato a violent fever, which had nearly ended all his suflerings. He arrived at Maloun on the third day, where, ill as he was, he was oi.liged tu enter immediately on the work of translating. He remaiiied at Ma- loun six weeks, suffering as much as he had at any time in prison, excepting he was not in irons, nor exposed to the insults of those cruel jailers. For the firat fortnight after his departure, my anxiety was less than it had been at any time previous, si;;ce the commencement of our difficulties. I knew the Burmese oiiicers at the camp would feel the value of Mr. Judson's services too much to allow their using any mea- sures threatening his life. I thought his situation, also, would be much more comfortable than it really was — hence my anxiety was less. But my health, which had never been restored, since that violent attack at Oung-pen-la, now daily declined, till I was seized with the spotted fever, with all its attendant horrors. I knew the nature of the fever from its commencement; and from the shattered state of my constitution, together with the want of medical attendants, 1 conclu- ded it must be fatal. The day I was taken, a Burmese nurse came and offered her services for Maria. This circumstance filled me with gratitude and confidence in God; for tiiough i had so long and 80 constantly made efforts to obtain a person of this description, i had | never been able; when at the very time I most needed one, and with- out any exertion, a voluntary ofif:'r was made. My fever laged vio- lently and without any intermission. I began to think of settling my worldly affairs, and of committing my dear little Maria to the care of a Portuguese woman, when I lost my reason, and was insen- sible to all around me. At this dreadful period, Dr. Price was re- leased from prison; and hearing of my illness, obtained permission to come and see me. He has since told me that my situation wai the most distressing he had ever witnessed, and that he did not then think 1 should survive many hours. My hair was shaved, my head and feet covered with blisters, and Dr. Price ordered the Bengalee servant who took care of me, to endeavour to persuade me to take a little nourishment, which I had obstinately refused for several days, One of the first things I recollect was, seeing this faithful servant BOOK OF HARTTRS. 46J e rank of a Woo.> seat to the Bur- nd that he was put raiis were settled. er again, \v\\> Hi twenty tickuls from d a boat lor Miiloun, lew moments ai the ic house, where Mr. 11 only a short time, f-iture'usc. He was •ooni sulVicient to lie tiiohts threw him iiito ifljriugs. He arrived IS, he was oiiligedto He remained at Ma- tt anv time in prison, J iiwults of those cruel • anxiety was less than commencement of our c camp would feel the w their using any mea- uation, also, would he •hence my anxiety was nored, since that violeal I was seized with the knew the nature of the shattered state of my •al attendants, I couclu- a Burmese nurse came .circumstance filled me Lough I had so long an \f this description, 1 had ,t needed one, and wiih- My fever laged vio- tan to think of settluig fdear Uttle Maria to the ' reason, and was insenr briod, Dr. Price waste- [ess, obtained permission " that my situation >ja. and thai he did not to ,r was shaved, my hea 1 ordered the Bongf« fo persuade me to tak« 'refused for several days. C this faithful servant I standing by me, trying to induce me to take a little wine and water. I was in fact so far gone, that the Burmese neighbours who had come in to see me expire, said, 'She is dead; and if the king of angels should come in, he could not recover her.' "The fever, I afterwards understood, had run seventeen days when the blisters were applied. 1 now began to recover slowly ; but it was more than a month after this before I had strength to stand. While in this weak, debilitated state, the servant who had followed your brother to the Burmese camp, came in, and informed me that his mas- ter had arrived, and was conducted to the court-house in town. I sent off a Burman to watch the movements of government, and to ascer- tain, if possible, in what way Mr. Judson was to be disposed of. He soon returned with the sad intelligence, that ho saw Mr. Judson go out of the palace yard, accompanied by two or three Burmans, who conducted him to one of the prisons ; and that it was reported in town, that he was to be sent back to the Oung-pen-la prison. I was too weak to bear ill tidings of any kind; but a shock so dreadful as this, almost annihilated me. For some time, I could hardly breathe; but at last gained sufficient composure to dispatch Moung Ing to our friend, the governor of the north gate, and begged him to make one more effort for the release of Mr. Judson, and prevent his being sent back to the country prison, where 1 knew he must suffer much, as I could not follow. Moung Ing then went in search of Mr. Judson; and it was nearly dark when he found him in the interior of an ob- scure prison. I had sent food early in the afternoon, but being ui>- able to find him, the bearer had returned with it, which added anoth- er pang to my distresses, as I feared he was already sent to Oung- pen-la. "If I ever felt the value and efficacy of prayer, I did at this time. I could not rise from my couch; I could make no efforts to secure my husband; I could only plead with that great and powerful Being who has said, "Call upon me in the day of trouble, and / tcill hear, and thou shalt glorify me ;" and who mouo me at this time feel so powerfully this promise, that I became quite <: jmposed, feeling assured that my prayers would be answered. "When Mr. Judson was sent fi-om Maloun to Ava, it was within five minutes' notice, and without his knowledge of the cause. On his way up the river, he accldciicly saw the communication made to government respecting him, which was simply this: *We have no further use fi)r Yoodathan, we therefore return him to the golden city.' On arriving at the court-house, there happened to be no one present who was acquainted with Mr. J. The presiding officer in- quired from what place he had Leen sent to Maloun. He was an- swered from Oung-pen-la. Let him then, said the oflicer, be returned thither — when he was deliverei' to a guard and conducted to the place above-mentioned, there lo rcmai.i until he could be conveyed to Oang-pca-la. Li the mcin tinii tho g.jveraor of tiic north gate presented a petition to the high court of the einpire, offjrcJ himsjlf 37* W'^ ptiim, "fw. H Jh 11% .1 Is. 3 'flif-r.-. ,i } 1 462 BOOK OF MARTTRfl. aa Mr. Judson's security, obtained his release, and took him to his house, where he treated him with every pussiulc kindness, and to which 1 was removed as soun as returning health would allow. "The rapid strides of the English army towards the capital at this time, threw the whole town into the greatest state of alarm, and con- vinced the government that some speedy measures must be taken to save the golden city. They had hitherto rejected all the overtures of Sir Archibald Campbell, imagining, until this late period, that they could in some way or other, drive the English from the country. Mr. Judson and Dr. Price were daily called to the court-house and con- sulted ; in fact, nothing was done without their approbation. Two English officers, also, who had lately been brought to Ava as pris- oners, were continually consulted, and their good offices requested in endeavouring to persuade the British General to make peace on easier terms. It was finally concluded that Mr. Judson and one of the officers above-mentioned, should be sent immediately to the English camp, in order to negotiate. The danger attached to a situation so responsible, under a government so fickle as the Burmese, induced your brother to use every means possible to prevent his being seat Dr. Price was not only willing, but desirous of going; this circum- stance Mr. Judson represented to the members of government, and begged he might not be compelled to go, as Dr. Price could transact the business equally as well as himself. After some hesitation and deliberation. Dr. Price was appointed to accompany Dr. Sandford, one of the English officers, on conditoin that Mr. Judson would stand security for his return; while the other English officer, then in irons, should be security for Dr. Sandford. The king gave them a hundred tickals each, to bear their expenses, (twenty-five of which Dr. Sand- ford generously sent to Mr. Gouger, still a prisoner at Oung-pen-ia,) boats, men, and a Burmese officer, to accompany them, though he ventured no farther than the Burman camp. With the most anxious solicitude the court waited the arrival of the messengers, but did not in the least relax in their exertions to fortify the city. Men and beasts were at work night and day, making new stockades and strengthening old on^ij and whatever buildings were in their way were immediately torn down. Our house, with all that surrotmded it, was levelled to the ground, and our beautiful little compound turn- ed into a road and a place for the erection of cannon. All articles of value were conveyed out of town and safely deposited in some other place. ''At length the boat in which the ambassadors had been sent was seen approaching a day earlier than was expected. As it advanced lowards the city, the banks were lined by thousands, atixiausly inquiring their success. But no answer was given — the govern- ment must first hear the news. The palace gates were crowded, the officers at the Tiowtdau were seated, when Dr. Price made ihp following commutiication: *The general and commissi )ners will make no alteration in their terms, except the hundred lacks (a luck is a L him to his house, lid to which 1 was ihe capital at this »f alarm, and con- must be taken t<> U the overtures of . period, that they the country. Mr. jrt-house and con- approbation. Two rht to Ava as pris- ^fficep requested m lake peace on easier on and one of the itely to the English ed to a situation so e Burmese, iiiduced vent his being seat. going; this circum- of government, and Price could trausacl " some hesitation and mpany Dr. Sandford, h Judsjn would stand 'officer, then in irons, I gave them a hundred e of which Dr. Sand- oner at Oung-peu-la,) ',any them, though he ith the most anxious •ssengers, but did not the city. Men and r new stockades and ] rs were in their way ih all that sun-ounded little Qompound tarn- canPon. All articles Lfely deposited in soUMJ L had been sent was lected. As it advanced thousands, anxiously given— the govern- I gates were crowded, In^Dr. Price made t^^ Umissimers wul m k ted lacks (a lack is a BOOK OF MARTYRS. 408 hundred thousand) of rupees, may be paid at four different times. The first twenty-tive lacks to be paid within twelve dass, or the army will continue their march.' In addition to this, the prisoners were to be given up immediately. The general had commissioned Dr. Price to demand Mr. Judson and myself and little Maria. This was communicated to the king, who replied, 'They are not English, they are my people, and shall not go.' At this time, 1 had no idea that we should ever be released from Ava. The government had learned the value of your brother's services, having employed him the last three months; and we both concluded they would never consent to our de- parture. The foreigners were again called to a consultation, to see what could be done. Dr. Price and Mr. Judson told them plainly that the English would never make peace on any other terms than those offered, and that it was in vain to go down again without the mo- ney. It was then proposed that a third part of the first sum de- manded should be sent down immediately. Mr. Judson objected, and still said it would be useless. Some of the members of govern- ment then intimated that it was probable the teachers were on the side of the English, and did not try to make them take a smaller sum ; and also threatened if they did not make tiie English comply, they and their families should suffer. «In this interval, the fears of the government were considerably al- layed, by the offers of a general, by name Layarthoo-yah, who desired to make one more attempt to conquer the English, and disperse them. He assured the king and government, that he could so fortify the an- cieotcity of Pagan, as to make it impregnable; and that he would there defeat and destroy the English. His offers were heard, he marched to Pagan with a very considerable force, and made strong the fortifications. But the English took the city with perfect ease, and dispersed the Burmese army ; while the general fled to Ava, and had the presumption to appear in the presence of the king, and de- mand new troops. The king being enraged that he had ever listened to him for a moment, in consequence of which the negotiation had been delayed, the English general provoked, and the troops daily ad- vancing, that he ordered the general to be immediately executed! The poor fellow was soon hurled from the palace, and beat all the way to the court-house — when he was stripped of his rich apparel, bound with cords, and made to kneel and bow towards the palace. He was then delivered into the hands of the executioners, who, by their cruel treatment, put an end to his existence, before they reached tb'^ place of execution. "The king caused it to be reported, that this general was executed, in consequence of disobeying his commands, *not to fight the Eng- UsV "Dr. Price was sent off the same night, with pui* oi the prisoners, and with ii:structioiis to persuade the general to take six lacks instead of twenty -five. Ho returned iu two or three days with the appalling inteiligeace, that llie English general was very angry, refused to t»4 y ('■, ' 'b.j \ # k m If I!' 1-: 5^:^ te. •\*' $ ii ■f '■ sm ff. ijr 4' J *' J' ■'■'■■J ■>ii! ''■*-.'®'ilf;* ■ ■■ Wl^i* 1$' 464 BOOK OF MARTYRS. have any communication with him, and was now within a few days' march of the capital. The queen was greatly alarmed, and said tho money should be raised immediately, if the English would only stop their march. The whole palace was in motion, gold and silver vessels were melted up, the king and queen superintended the weighing of a part of it, and were determined, if possible, to save their city. The silver was ready in the boats by the next evening; but they had so lit- tie confidence in ibn English, that after all their alarm, they concluded to send down six lacks only, v/ith the assurance that if the English would stop where they then were, the remainder should be forthconi' ing immediately. "The government now did not even ask Mr. Judson the question whether he would go or not; but some otficers took him by the arm as he was walking in the street, and told him he must go immediately on board the boat, to accompany two Burmese otficers, a Woongypee and Woondouk, who were going down to make peace. Most of the English prisoners were sent at the same time. The general and commissioners would not receive the six lacks, neither would thev stop their march; but promised, if the sum complete reached them before they should arrive at Ava, they would make peace. The gen- eral also commissioned Mr. Judson to collect the remaining foreigners, of whatever country, and ask the question before the Burmese gov- ernment, wiiether they wished to go or stay. Those who expressed a wish to go should be delivered up immediately, or peace would not be made. "Mr. Judson reached Ava at midnight; had all the foreigners called the next morning, and the question asked. Some of the mem- bers of government said to him, *You will not leave us — you shall be- come a great man if you will remain.' He then secured himself from the odium of saying that he wished to leave the service of his majesty by recurring to the order of Sir Archibald, that whoever wished tu leave Ava should be given up, and that I had expressed a wish to go, so that he of course must follow. The remaining part of the twenty- tive lacks was soon collected; the piisoners at Oung-pen-la were ail re- leased, and either sent to their housf^s, or down the river to the English; and in two days f 'om the time of Mr. Judson's return, we took an alfec- tionate leave of the good natured oflicer who had so long ciitertaiiiediis at his houso, and who now accompanied us to the water side, and we th- ii left forever the banks of Ava. It was on a cool, moonlight evening, in the month of March, that with hearts il ; od with gratitude to God, and overflowing with joy at our prospects, we passed down the Irrawaddy, surrounded by six or eight golden boats, and accompanied by all wu had on earth. The thought that we had still to pass the Burman camp, would sometimes occur to damp our joy, for we feared that some obstacle might there arise to retard our progress. Nor were we mistaken in our conjccluros We reached the camp about midni'^ht, where we were detaiiiod t'v hours; the VVooiigyee, and high oliicers, insisting that we should wai; f'Wr "Mi within a few days' larmed, aiifl said tho ish would only slop old and silver vessels id the weighing of a ave their city. The r; but they had so lit- ilarm, they concluded e that if the English r should be forlhcom- r. Judson the question I took him by the arm I must go immediately officers, a Woongypee e peace. Most of the le. The general and ;s, neither would they •omplete reached them rake peace. The gen- ie remaining foreigners, ifore the Burmese gov- Those who expressed a ely, or peace would not had all the foreigners ed. Some of the mem- leave us — you shall be- en secured himself from e service of his majesty that whoever wished tti expressed a wish to go, ining l)art of the twenty- Oung-pen-la were all re- the river to the English; « return, we took an atfec- rad so long entertained us the water side, and we he month of March, that overflowing with joy at dy, surrounded by six ot wo had on earth. Ihe , camp, would sometimes ome obstacle might there ■istakcninourcoDJccUue^ ■re we were detaiiioil iv. isiingthal «jc should wail] 1 BOOK OF MARTYRS. 406 a' tho camp, while Dr. Price, (who did not return to Ava with your brother, but remained at the camp,) should go on with the money, and hist ascertain whether peace would he made. The Bjrmcse goveriunent s.ill enfcrtaiiied the idea, that as soon as the E.iglish had received the money and prisoners, thoy would continue thu'ir march, and yet destroy the capital. We knew not but that some circumstance might occur to break ofl' the negotiations; Mr. Judson, therefore stkren- uously insisted that he would not remain, but go on immediately. The olHcers were finally prevailed on to consent, hoping much from Mr. Jadson's assistance in making peace. «VVe now, for the first time, fur more than a year and a half, felt that we were free, and no longer sul.ject to the oppressive yoke of tlie Burmese. And with what sensations of delight, on the next morning, did I behold the masts of the steam-boat, the sure presage of being within the bounds of civilized life. As soon as our boat reached the shore, brigadier A. and another officer came on board, congratulated us on our arrival, and invited us on board the steam- boat, where I passad the remainder of the day; while your brother went on to meet the general, who, with a detachment of the army, had encamped at Yandaboo, a few miles further down the river. Mr. Jud- son returned in tho evening, with an invitation from Sir Archibald, to come immediately to his quarters, where 1 was the next morning in- troduced, and received with the greatest kindness by the general, who had u tent pitched for us near his own — took us to his ftwn table, and treated us with the kindness of a father, rather than as strangers of another country. "We feel that our obligations to general Campbell can never be can- celled. Our final release from Ava, and our recovering all the prop- erty that had there been taken, was owiiig entirely to his efforts. This sulsequcnt hospitality and kiad attention to the accommodations for our passage to Rangoon, have let\ an indelible impression on our minds, which can never be forgotten. We daily received the congratulation of the British officers, whose conduct towards us formed a striking contrast to that of the B jrmese. I presume to say, that no persons on earth were ever happier than we were, during the fortnight we passed at the English camp. For several days, this single idea wholly occu- pied my mind, that we were out of the power of the Burmese govern- ment, and once more under the protection of the English. Oar feel- ings continually dictated expressions like these: What ahaU we render to tlie Lord for all his benefits towards us. "Ths treaty of peace was soon concluded, signed by both parties, and a termination of hostilities publicly declared. We left Yandaboo, aficr a fortnigh.^s residence, and safely reached the mission house in Rangoon, after an aLsence of two years and three months. "A review of our trip to, and adventures in, Ava, often excites the inquiry, Why were we permitted to go? What good has been ef- fected? Why did 1 not listen to the advice of friends in Bengal, and remain there tili the war was concluded? But all that we can say, f^: '^'■4. f ■-.if ' "s.< * ■' , :.: 5%p« 406 BOOK OF MARTYSB. is, h is not in man that walkcth to direct his steps. So far as my g( ing round to Rangoon, at the time I did, was itistnimeiital iu bringing those heavy atilictiuiis upon us, 1 can only say, that if I ever acted from a sense of duty in my life, it was at that time; for my conscience would not allow me any peace, when I thought of sending for your brother to come to Calcutta, in prospect of the approaching war. Our society at home have lost no property in consequence of our difHcuhics; but two years of precious time have been lost to the mission, unless some future advantage may be gained, in consequence of the severe discipline to which we ourselves have been sulject. We are sometimes induced to think, that the lesson we found so very hard to learn, will have a bene- ficial effect through our lives; and that the mission may, in the end, be advanced rather than retarded. "We should have had no hesitation about remaining in Ava, if no part of the Burmese empire had been ceded to the Britisli. But as it was, we felt it would be an unnecessary exposure, besides the missionar)' field being much more limited, in consequence of intoleration. We now consider our future missionary prospects as bright indeed; and our only anxiety is, to be once more in that situation where our time will be exclusively devoted to the instruc lion of the heathen.^' In a concluding paragraph, dated Amherst, July 27, she adds: *^From the date at the commencement of thic long letter, you see, my dear brother, that my patience has continued for two months. I have frequently been induced to throw it aside altogether, but feeling assured that you and my other friends are expecting something of this kind, I am induced to send it with all its imperfections. This letter, dread- ful as are the scenes herein described, gives you but a faint idea of the awful reality. The anguish, the agony of mind, resulting from a thou- sand little circumstances impossible to delineate on paper, can be known by those only who have been iu similar situations. Pray for us, my dear brother and sister, that these heavy afflictions may not be in vain, but may be blessed to our spiritual good, and the advancement of Christ's church among the heathen." At the close of this long and melancholy narrative, we may appn>- priately introduce the following tribute to the benevolence and talents of Mrs. Judson, written by one of the English prisoners, who were con- fined at Ava with Mr. Judson. It was published in a Calcutta paper, after the conclusion of the war: "Mrs. Judson was the author of those eloquent and forcible appeals to the government, which prepared them by degrees for submission to terms of peace, never expected by any, who knew the hauteur and in< flexible pride of the Burman court. "And while on this subject, the overflowings of grateful feelings, on behalf of myself and fellow-prisoners, compel me to add a tribute of public thanks to that amiable and humane female, who, though living at a distance of two miles from our prison, without any means of conveyance, and very feeb'e in health, forgot her own comfort and infirmity, and almost every day visited us, sought out and adminis* BOOK OF MABTYRS. 407 So far as my gt umeatal in bringing if I ever acted from ly conscience would r for your brother to 'ar. Our society at : difficulties; feat two 1, unless some future 1 severe discipline to sometimes induced to irn, will have a bcne- n may, in the end, be ling in Ava,ifnopart itish. But as it was, jesides the missionary of intoleration. We bright indeed; and our >n where our time will eathen.'"' ily 27, she adds: ong letter, you see, my r two months. 1 have her, but feeling assured Bomething of this kind, s. This letter, dread- 1 but a faint idea of the I, resulting from a thou- on paper, can be known 'ions. Pray for us, my MS may not be in vain, id the advancement ot rrative, we may appro- benevolence and talents risoners, who were con- led in a Calcutta paper. nt and forcible ap purees for submission to [Sw the hauteur and in- icTs of grateful feelings, [pel me to add a tribute le female, who, though Lon, without any means Lot her own comfort and Tought out and aaminis« tered to our wants, and contributed in every way to alleviate our misery. ''While we were \e(i by the government destitute of food, she, with unwearied perseverance, by some means or other, obtained for us a constant supply. "When the tattered state of our clothes evinced the extremity of our distress, she was ever ready to replenish our scanty wardrobe. "When the unfeeling avarice of our keepers confined us inside, or made our feet fast in the slocks, she, like a ministering angel, never ceased her applications to the government, until she was authorized to communicate to us the grateful news of our enlargement, or of a respite from our galling oppressions. "Besides all this, it was unquestionably owing, in a chief degree, to the repeated eloquence, and forcible appeals of Mrs. Judson, that the untutored Burman was finally made willing to secure the welfare and happiness of his country, by a sincere peace.'* CHi^PTER XX. naoitcVTioy of the wbbleyan missionaries vt the west indies. The exertions of Christians to spread the truths of the gospel unong the Africans in the West Indies, have met with much opposi> hon from the white population. Moravian missionaries, at first, sold tlieniselves as slaves, and laboured with the negroes on the plantations for the purpose of preaching the gospel during the intervals of labour The Methodist missionaries have been treated with much indignity, aud have had their lives endangered by the violence of the white mob In 181(}, the white rabble of Barbadoes, collected together, and totally destroyed the Methodist chapel. The destruction of the chapel occu- pied two successive nights, and so listless were the authorities, that no atter^pt was made to prevent it. And when the governor issued a proclamation, offering a reward to any person who should apprehend the h iders in this outrageous proceeding, the mob immediately issued a coi'Qter proclamation, threatening with death any one who should dare to comply with the governor's orders. In August, 1823, an insurrection took place at Demerara, among the ntgroes, vvliich was most unjustly attributed to the efforts of the mis- fliouaries. The principal events in relation to this affair are detailed ui the su! joined account from the Missionary Herald. Various accounts have, from time to time, appeared in the public prints, of the insurrection of the slaves in the colony of Deinerara, and of the condemnation of the Rev. Mr. Smith, a missionary from the London Missionary Society, on an accusation of having been ao- :i ■;t.!i- 'M H. 468 BOOK Ot> MAKTYM. ■I \ > ^ . 'if mi • . ' i T' 4 ,4 f If . «%||lt i IT tti i 'SmWM ^ «'" cojibctcd and transactiuhs, embodied such of have come to as cessary to the plot. We have leading facts, relative to these knowledge. The slaves of many plantations on the eastern coast of Dcmer had formed a cons|>iracy to obtain their freedom. The plot was i closed by a servant to his master on wie 18th of August; not till conspiracy was thoroughly organized, and arrangemeiii? made to cure simultaneous movements; at d only a ftw hours before the ti appointed for action. Infjrmatiun v'.i% immediately communicatee the commander-in-chief, and the most ctHcient measures taken; before a sufficient force could be assembled to resist a large l)odv negroes, who were immediately under arms, the evening, which \ the time for executing the first grand enterprise, had arrived. T was simultaneously to seize upon the whites at the different plar tions, confine them in the stocks, and take possession of their an This was effected on nearly fifty plantations, containin^r, inclusive women and children, 10 or 12,000 negroes. 1'he whites, to the nu ber of about 250, were imprisoned. In some places an ineffectual sistance was made, and several lives lost on both sides. On the morning of the 19th, the governor issued a proclamatii declaring the colony under martial law, and ordered all who m capable of bearing arms, without distinction, to be immediately enn ed. The most vigorous measures were pursued; and in the course a few days, after several skirmishes, in which a considerable nutnl of negroes lost their lives, the insurrection was subdued. j A court martial was then constituted, and many of the negr brought to trial, condemned and executed. Subsequent accounts st that more than 1000 had suffered death, in consequence of the i rection, and that many of their heads had been fLxed up on pel various parts of the country. We might easily be more particular in regard to the circumstan of the insurrection, but our object is chiefly to relate what cuiict the missionary who was accused of having a part in the scheme the other missionaries in the colony. Oil these points we have to gret that the information which has yet been received is very sea and in many respects indefinite. The extract which follows is from the Missionary Chronicle, was published in the name of the Directors of the London Missioi i ociety. The insurrection it should seem, manifested itself first in Mi ca, the district to the east of that in which Mr. Smith resides appearance on the Le Ressouvenir estate, where Mr. Smith res was on Monday, the 18th August, in coiisequence of an order to into custody two slaves belonging to an adjoining plantation, \ the negroes of the Le Ressouvenir, as the prisoners had to pass it, rose to rescue. Mr. Smith was at home. He successfully ilia endeavours, on perceiving the tumult, to rescue the manager the negroes, and continued his exertions to induce them to retui t* BOOK OF MARTYRS. 460 d embodied such of the I, aa have come to our istern coast of Demerara dom. Thu plot, was dis- hof August; not till the irrangemea\3 made to se- tw liours before the time lediately communicated to ient measures taken; but 1 to resist a large body of 3, the evening, which was rprise, had arrived. This tes at the different planfa- . possession of their arms. iS, containin,q, inclusive of , The whiles, to the num- me places an ineffectual re- n both sides. inior issued a proclamation, and ordered all who were an, to be immediately enroll- argued; and in the course ot ,hich a considerable number > was subdued. and many of the negroes Subsequent accounts state in consequence of the ii.sur- ad been fixed upon poles m . retrard to the circumstances ,ettv to relate what concerns La part in the scheme, and "^these points we have tor. leen received is very scanty, L Missionary Chronicle, and prs of the London Missionary .nifested itself first in Mahaj. ihich Mr. Smith resides, iw te where Mr. Smith res'.4es, L'sequenceofanordertotake radioting plantation, w onj he prisoners had to pass ov« I home. He successtully u^« It, to rescue ihe niaiiager f«.m ; to induce them to return to their duty, till he himself was driven with violence, and with a weapon held to his body, from the estate. Mr. Smith was taken into custody on the evening of the 2l8t Ausust, and all his papers seized. He is kept a prisoner in the Colo- ny-house, and has, since the 24th of August, had a guard stationed over him. Mr. Elliot, another missionary, who laboured about 20 miles from Mr. Smith, was also taken into custody, on the ground of disobedience of orders, **which he had not understood to be such,'^ in visiting Mr. Smith ' in his confinement. He was kept about ten days, and then released. No charge was p|[eferred against him. The estates on which he labours had been quiet, and none of the negroes under his instructions were im- plicated in the rebellion. In a letter to the Directors of the London Missionary Society, Mr. Elliot writes thus: Numerous false reports ..ave been sent forth against Mr. Smiti., but assure yourself and a t 'te uirectors, that whatever reports you may hear, the only crime nissionaries have committed is their zeal fur the conversion ot ii.>;roes. They have neither been so veak nor so wicked as < > excite the negroes to rebellion. The mis- sionaries want justice only; they have no favour to ask; they have nothing to fear. The missionaries have not degraded their holy calling, nor dishonoured the society of which they are members, by sowing the seeds of rebellion instead of the Word of Life. The real causes of the rebellion are far, very far from being the instructions given by the missionaries. On the 13th of October, Mr. Smith was brought to trial before a cottrt martial. All the accounts which we have yet seen of the charges brought against him are very obscure and imperfect. The January number of the Missionary Chronicle, from which we have already quoted, says,— The public papers have stated four charges as forming the indictment against him, but of their accuracy the directors are not enabled to Judge. They trust that, under the direction of Divine Providence, he has been able to prove himaelf guiltless of them all. It is not, however, to be concealed, that he will have had much to contend with from the violence of public prejudice in the Colony, and it is to be feared from the false assertions of some of the unhappy negroes, whom the hope of favour towards themselves may have led to bring against him ^Hhings that he knew not.^' Indeed, the direct- ors are informed, upon authority on which they can rely, that some of the condemned negroes, finding the hope of life taken away, had in the most solemn manner declared that they had been induced so to act; and that othurs, on being questioned whether they had not been induced to rebellion by Mr. Smith, had in the strongest terms which their broken language could supply, denied the imputation. It is stated by the writer of one letter, that he has often heard charges cir- culated against tlie missionaries, us if spoken by the negroes at the 38 ,1 w i [i •• • t i % ^; w #* i.:.' '"i^u nil L-, i ^:i^ fWi &,: i: :-^»^^ lb ^, > IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1^12^ 12.5 ■u lU 12.2 ^ 1^ 12.0 „l.l ?V^I PhotogFEtphic ScMices Carporation ^%s ^.^ 23 WIST MAM STRUT WitSTiR,N.Y. MSM (7U)t71-4S03 i""' ■ -.: ,^\ ■ :r ':' ,, ■; ;.■.■,-■ ^ ^ " ' ''^- ■■(A-i?--^ .'■^' ■",.■.-■ V '■ . ■ . ^^ ''■'-:>::i^^ ■ !^ <^ ■■■ ■* " '"' '■*"■■-■■ „ . " ' ► '"».-' .-. '" "■■'■ - ' -..,■"'-■" ' ' 1. 1 I^H ^^H t ^^^j^^i^K ^^l^Oiy^ ^w'M^Mto ^H^B^^I ii>' ^^K' lmwK^^M;.1 ^^H^wjl^p^l ^Hs, SmMm/StM 9HB^^^<'^'] ^K x^^n^K n^^^^^m^^ji ^^R' i^f^^^^^SB^^H B^BII^^%i^vIh9 ^^H* ^^^i '^"^^nw^^^^l H^^HK^^^^^^flS H fM',%^^^n| ^M|^i^m^Rh B- ''^ nil should come un- iesty's colonial pos- t Mr. Smith appear negroes engaged m ider the influence of jr unnecessary to re- e the intelligence had lowing notice of his ,ruary 9th, where he e 26th of November ■ral court martial, on ing heeen transmitted SMITH, missionary; ,een attended regular- J, from personal mqui- fi utmost atteution and •the prison, (Mr. Pad- artment was airy and ery comfort which his aa left a widow to de- ,1 state of our infoma- nd exasperated feeling, he directors of the scK^ie- ,en us reason to look for t Missionary Chronicle, the instruction of any an Missionary Society, iaurrection. BesP^^^^^g the Methodists in the colony we quote the following statement from the Wesleyan Methodist Magazine. We stated in our last number, that Messrs. Mortier and Cheese- Wright, our missionaries in Demerara were safe, and that only two of the members of our society there had bean apprehended on suspicion of being implicated in the late revolt. We have received a second let ter from Mr. Mortier, dated Demerara, September seventeenth, which communicated the gratifying intelligence that these two persons, who were servants of the governor, had been liberated upon full conviction of their entire innocence, and that no one of the members of our large society, of twelve hundred and sixteen, chiefly slaves, had been in the least concerned in the revolt: and that the slaves of another estate, under uie care of Mr. Cheesewright, had not only refused to join the rebels, but had conducted their master to a vessel, by which he reach- ed Geoigetown in safety. Case o/Reo. John Smith. The London Missionary Chronicle for March contains a statement respecting Mr. Smithes case, occupying, with accompanying documents, nearly twelve pages, which confirms the impression that Mr. Smith was innocent. The Directors of the London Missionary Society, af- ter stating some circumstances relative to his trial, says. The Directors having stated these points of serious objection ^and more might easily be found,) to the proceedings on the trial, conclude that the members of the society, and the candid beyond its circle, will approve of their declaring that they retain the conviction formerly ex- pressed, of the moral and legal innocence of their missionary, Smith; that they do not withdraw from him their confidence; and that they are '^not ashamed of his bonds.^* They regard him as an unmerited sufferer, in the diligent and faithful^ and it may be added, useful dis- charge of his duties, as a missionary ; and they earnestly wish the Di- vine forgiveness may be extended to those who may have been instru- mental in causing his sufierings. The Rev. Mr. Austin, a clergyman of the church of England, and Chaplain of the Colony, thus expresses his opinion in a private letter. "I feel no hesitation in declaring, from the intimate knowledge which my most anxious inquiries have obtained, that in the late scourge which the hand of an all-wise Creator has inflicted on this ill-fated country, nothing but those religious impressions which, under Provi- dence, Mr, Smith has been instrumental in fixing — nothing hut thoso principles of the gospel of peace which he has been proclaiming — could have prevented a dreadful eflusion of blood here, and saved the lives of these very persons who are now (I shudder to write it,) seeking his." The following extract of a letter from William Arrindell, Esq. of Demerara, Mr. Smithes counsel, addressed to Mrs. Smith, after the trial, is also inserted. r I ' . ' f' i ., % '.1 i^" ^■^ 1 '•'■ r<.'.' r|MM ^^p^^^ ■ '•''^'M^i ^H^^^^'%^4i^ Hr ;j«s'' ^sreffl ^n^^KHrr.Mijwf ^H Bj* S; 'Wm ^^Pff^m r' ^3£ /i^Jm'Sm ^^KW^tf'SiiK^v ^"iHIFm ■ ^^ ' M^^^ ^^KUfM M' ^R'tHI^^S f3Bft^^«i«^^^ iS m ^'^y^ '^^Snrll^ 'i '^^^ lln^^^l'if 'f-l ^^M iglWl| 1 j|^^y|j ^^^^^M^ V "^ MIHh HJ^aH^^ili ii 472 BOOK OF MARTTB8. *'It is almost presumptuous in me to differ from the sentence of a Court, but, before God, I do believe Mr. Smith to be innocent; nay, I will go further, and defy any minister, of any sect whatever, to have shewn a more fuittiful attention to his sacred duties, than he has been proved, by the evidence on his trial, to have done/' The Directors had resolved to take further measures for obtaining, in England the reversal of his sentence. This subject was brought before the English parliament, and after a f(dl and fair discussion, the mnocence of Mr. Smith was established beyond a question. The following from the Loudon Christian Olscr- ver gives an account of the proceedings in Parliament. A debate of two days' continuance on the case of the missioiiarv Smith has taken place in the House of Commons. A motion was made by Mr. Brougham, to express the serious alarm and deep sorrow with which the house contemplated the violation of law and justice, mani- fested in the unexampled proceedings against Mr. Smith in Demerara and their sense of the necessity of adopting measures to secure a just and humane administration of law in that colony, and to protect the voluntary instruction of the negroes, as well as the negroes themselves, and the rest of his Majesty's subjects from oppression. This mo- tion was supported by Mr. Brougham with a power of argument and eloquence which has seldom been equalled; and he was followed on the same side by Sir James Mackintosh, Dr. Lushington, Mr. J Williams, Mr. Wilberforce, Mr. Denman, and Sir Joseph Yorke, The motion was opposed by Mr. Horton, Mr. Scarlett, Mr. Tiiidal, the Attorney General, and Mr. Cannings on the ground, not of the legality of the proceedings, or of the justice of the sentence, but that the mo. tion went to condenm unheard the governor of Demerara, and the court that tried Mr. Smith. On this ground the previous question was moved and carried by 193 to 146, the largest minority in the present session. The division, under all the circumstances of the case, may be considered as a triumph. Not an individual attempted to defend die proceedings. In short, nothing could have been more decisive of the innocence of Mr. Smith, and the injustice of his condemna- tion. Persecutions of the Wesley an Methodists in St. Domingo. We extract from the publications of the Wesleyan Missionary Socie- ty, the following accoui ' the aggressions committed upon the Pro- testant population of K , , by the Roman Catholics of that Island, during the year 1824. Persecutions at Port au Prince. The following extracts from the journal of Mr. St. Denis, and letters of Mr. Pressoir, members of the Methodist "Society at Port au Prince, we copied from the Wesleyan Magazine. The first extracts are from the journal of Mr. St. Denis. BOOK OF MARTYRS. 473 ; the sentence of a be innocent; nay, I t whatever, to have s, than he has been I ires for obtaining, in irliament, and after nith was established don Christiaji Obscr- lent. te of the missionary A motion was made nd deep sorrow with w and justice, mani- Smith in Demerara, tsures to secure a just ly, and to protect the le negroes themselves, ppression. This mo- awer of argument and and he was followed r. Lushington, Mr. J id Sir Joseph Yorke. arlett, Mr. Tindal, the und, not of the legality ence, but that the mch [)f Demerara, and the the previous question irgest minority in the :umstances of the case, iual attempted to defend ve been more decisive 8tice of his condemna- 8 in St. Domingo. jyan Missionary Socle- »mmitted upon the Pro- lathoUcs of that Island, rinee. Ir. St. Denis, and letters ciety at Port au Prince, e first extracts are from On Sunday, Feb. 2d, our assembly was held at Belair. During the morning service several stones were thrown. Feb. 4. Whilst we were singing, a shower of stones was thrown, but no one received any injury. That evening (Feb. 7th) we had a small assembly of thirty-two persons. A plan had been laid for apprehending us, which was put in execution. We had time to sing a hymn, read a chapter, and a homily; but whilst singing the second hymn, the noise of the soldiers was so great in approaching our house of prayer, that we were obliged to cease singing. Wishing, however, to continue our meeting, an offi- cer of the police said, "In the name of the law, leave off that prayer!" Then we left off. Not finding J. C. Pressoir, they made me his se- cond. We were taken to general Thomas's, who pretended to be ignor- ant of the matter. Colonel Victor pretended to be ignorant also. When we reached the house of the Juge de Paix, we were ordered to halt for a moment. Colonel Victor knocked at his door: the Juge de Paix asked who we were, and was answered, "A band of methodists." The Juge de Paix said, "Ha! ha! take them to the jail!" Col. Victor re- plied, "Yes!" We were led to prison, and each of our names was ta- ken. The sisters were put in the debtor's place, and the men were shut up in close confinement. The next morning, the person who keeps the keys of the prison under the jailer told us, that the Juge de Paix would not allow our door to be opened; but the jailer went and spoke respecting it, and our door was opened about nine o'clock. A moment after, the Juge de Paix came to visit us, and addressing himself to me in anger, I wished to reply : he would not listen to me; but began to blaspheme religion, despising the Lord. He withdrew in anger, w'thout being able to do any thinqj with us. A moment after he left us, we were ta- ken into the debtor's prison, near to the sisters, in a separate chanv- ber. When Mr. Pressoir heard of this event, he visited his brethren at the prison. The following extract is from one of his letters. I would not run into prison of my own accord, but having waited, and finding nothing was said to us, I went to see my brethren and sis- ters. I found there were thirty-two, and St. Denis preparing to write to the president, which he did, and I carried this letter to his excellen- cy, by which we requested him to cause us to be judged, and punish- ed, if we were found guilty by the law. When I arrived under the piazza of the palace, I asked an ofiicer on duty if I could see the president, who answered. Yes. 1 entered the hall, where I found the president seated, and surrounded by a circle, as well of officers as civilians. After saluting them, I presented the letter to the president, who asked me from whence it came. I replied, "From the metho- dists who are in prison." His good humour was immediately changed. "Methodists," said he, "I did not know that." Colonel Victor, who was present, thinking that through fear I would wish to conceal my- self, addressed himself to the president, saying, "President, this is a 38* , -JAW i^ '4: '!>^*%| '^^. ^\M •.jTv m -■■■ 4'-' t r 1- r*- BOOK OF UARTYR8. ir^ f^^ V\ t''.*Lj "t Mt m Jri^#:y i^A 4M) BOOK OP MARTVR8. Such is the external state of the church in German Switzerland. In regard to its spiritual condition, we have little encouraging to pre- sent. The mercenary troops which Switzerland has so long teen accustomed to sell to France, Spain and Italy, have usually brought back corrupt principles and licentious habits; and the young men of patrician families, from whom the rulers are ultimately chosen, have been prepared, by serving as officers to these troops, to exert a bane* All influence upon their country. Those who were destined to the ministry, or to the learned professions, were accustomed to seek an education, if possible, in the German universities, where they would imbibe a taste for any thing but evangelical principles. Rousseau, Voltaire, and Gibbon, during their residence in Switzerland, contri- buted not a little to the increase of infidelity; and the French revolu- lion seemed to sweep away the landmarks of religion and morajitv, and to banish whatever might have remained, of the character of Switzerland, from the portions to which its emissaries had immediate access. It will not be supposed that the church escaped untainted, amidst all these causes of corruption. The feeling which we found exten- sively prevalent, that it was indecorous to inquire into the opinions of the clergy and the doctrines actually maintained in the church, and which presented a serious obstacle to investigation on this sub- ject, sufficiently indicates, that there is something which will not bear a comparison with the public standard. But more unequivocal evidence of the change of opinion is found in the fact, that candidates for the ministry are now only required to avow their belief in the new testament, and these regulations ere avowedly adopted, in order not to exclude those who are called "liberaP^ or "rational in their opin- ions. We trust indeed, that there are many thousands in Switzerland, who have not bowed the knee to Baal, in any form. We believe especially, that in the cantons of Basle, Zurich, Appenzell, and Schaffhausen, as well as Geneva and Vaud, there are many faithful ministers of the gospel. We know that in the midst of decayed churches, there are little bands, who, without separating themselves, or exciting public attention, have adopted the principles and the devo- tional habits of the United Brethren, or Moravians. The mission- ary seminary at Basle is a radiating point, from which divine truth is going forth to the ends of the earth; and there is a cluster of chris- tian institutions around it, which are a monument of love and zeal. Light is springing up in various directions in the midst of darkness, I and these first gleamings of the dawn are a sure and delightful presage, that the Sun of righteousness is about to arise upon Switzerland, witli j healing in its beams. For several years past,' two or three of the clergy of the lished church in the city of Berne, have preached the doctrines of I the gospel, as exhibited in the standards of the church, with siifrj plicity and faithfulness. Much interest was thus excited in a i rman Switzerland. Micouraging to pre- has 80 long teen ive usually brought [ the young mon of nately chosen, have jns, to exert a bane- ^ere destined to the ustomed to seek an ,, where they would •inciples. Rousseau, Switzerland, contri- [id the French revolu- 'elision and morality, of the character of Isaries had immediate aped untainted, amidst ,hich we found extea- Quire into the opuuona intained in the church, .estigation ?l^^Xt nething which will not But more unequivocal the fact, that candidates ; their belief in the new is adopted, in order not Prational" in their op lusands in Switzerland, form We believe Izurich, Appenzell, Jj; [there are many faithfj^ I the midst of decajei »t separating themse ves, prhic'tnet..- telemi^^tV?-^":' ;"^and delightful P;««g, L upon Switzerland, ^111' 1 r ihf clerjiy of ^^®. f p^^ach^dihe doctr^csj '^of the church, with 5 ,asthus excited m a s«P nOOK or MARTYRS. 4S1 number of persons, several of whom were among the class of pa- tricians, and the result might be termed a little revival. Public at* (ention was called to it, by the change of conduct in those who weit} its subjects. Their consciences would no longer allow them to r)ar- take in those violations of the Sabbath, and those questionable amuse- ments which were customary in the world around (hem; and they felt the need of assembling themselves for social devotion and chris- tian intercourse, during the week. Those who felt reproved by such conduct, spared neither censure nor ridicule. The names of **priestf^ ^hnethodisty^^ ^mummer ^ etc., were unsparingly applied to them; and in one instance, the windows of a person who was otnoxious on this account, were broken. It is but justice to the government ^^ state, that immediate and vigorous measures were taken to repress all vio- lence; and no one was suflfered to interrupt them, so long as they contiiiued in connexion with the established church. Much hostility was indeed expressed against these private assemblies; but so much patrician influence was exerted in their favour, that the government did not venture to execute the threats, sometimes thrown out, of pro- hibiting them. Pietism continued to increase, from the increased action produced by these social meetings; and the flame was undoubt- edly nourished by the conversation and correspondence of pious British travellers, whose influence may now be traced in every part of the continent, from Calais to Naples, and exhibits one of these re- noarkable traits in the divine government, by which the seed of the word is scattered over the world, often by the consent of those who wish to destroy it. The wealth of the English gives them access every where. Even the court of Rome, rather than lose this source of revenue, allows heresy to rear its standard of rebellion on the banks of the Tiber; and the efforts of such as are piously disposed to spread light around them, are winked at, to avoid offending or alarm- ing the national spirit, even of those who are devoted to the pleasures, of the world. During the year 1828, a snnall number of the persons who were thus awdcened, felt it their duty to separate themselves entirely from the established church. Their consciences were wounded by the prostitution of the ordinance of the supper, in admitting all who chose to come; since many of the openly vicious, and a multitudtt who had no apparent interest in religion, belonged to the number. They urged the necessity of discipline from Matt. xvi. and xviii., 1 Cor. v., etc., and maintained that that could not be deemed a church of Christ, which tolerated vice in its very bosom. They felt them- selves bound by the precept, 2 Thess. iii. 6, 14, 15, and 2 John 10, 11, to witlidraw from a church in which the gospel was not generally preached; and which cherished in its bosom, so many who crucified I Christ afresh, and whom they considered themselves as recognizing as brethren, by partaking of the same bread and the same cup. This [measure was promoted by a person who had been banished from the aton de Yaud; and who was received at Berne, under a pledge to 39 w.: ■th: H i'l^ 462 BOOK OF >L\RTYRS. the police, that he would not speak of separation. The violation of this pledge led to his expulsion, which was the iirat act of the govern- ment on this subject. This excited no serious opposition, since those who agreed with him in sentiment, did not approve of his violation of truth. It did not however prevent the continuance of the assemblies of separatist's, and their distinct avowal of their sentiments; and they obtained from a member of the government belonging to the established church, the use of a room in his own house, on condi- tion that nothing should be said there in direct promotion of sepa* ratism. This decided course of conduct, notwithstanding many hints and threats, placed the government in an embarrassing situation. Eight years before, the canton of Vaud had treated a similar sect (of which mdeed, some of these very individuals had been members) with great severity ; but with so little effect, that their number had been constant- ly increasing, and their spirit had been diffused through a large num* bier of the established churches; to the great annoyance of those who did not love the gospel. Thus warned of the danger of violent mea- sures, and yet anxious to find reasons for expelling the leaders of the obnoxious party, they directed the superintendent of the police to keep them and their assemblies under constant and rigid inspection; and all who were concerned with them, were watched with the same view At the same time, one of the evangelical clei^men was sent for, and warned to alter his mode of preaching; and although he did notap* prove or preach separalion, he was accused of contributing to the ex> eitement of feeling, which gave rise to it, by his mode of exhibiting the doctrines of the bible. We need scarcely add, that the warning was without effect on this faithful minister of Christ. In the year 1813, a few pious individuals began to meet in private, for the purpose of seeking and cherishing that holy truth which was banished from the public assemblies. These persons were directed by some students of theology, among whom was M. Empaytaz. The venerable com|*any of pastors soon heard of these unauthorized pro oeedings, and l««t no time in evincing their disapprobation respecting them. M. Empaytaz, was especially marked out as the object of theit displeasure; and they refused to ordain him, unless he would avoid ev- ery religious assembly which had not their sanction. He chose rather to incur their anathema than to wound his conscience, and departed from the city. But the light had broke forth, and it was not easy again to extin guish it. The honourable company seem to have been extremely trou- bled as to the course to be pursued. To sit still, however, was to yield to the rising spirit of reformation, and they determined to bestir them* •elves. Accordingly, afler due deliberation, they issued certain regu* lations, bearing date May 3, 1S17, which they hoped would be receiv' ed as articles. These articles however, did not produce the anticipated effect. The doctrine of the divinity of Christ, and others equally offensive to BOOK OF MARTYRS. 483 The violation of ict of the govcrn- (sition, since those of his violation of ; of the assemblies r sentiments; and ,t belonging to the n house, on condi- proraoUon of sepa* ng many hints and ig situation. Eight milar sect (of which nembers) with great sr had been constant- ■hrough a large num- oyance of those who mger of violent mea- in*' the leaders of the of the police to keep rid inspection; and ail 'with the same view men was sent for, and though he did notap. contributing to the ex- mode of exhibiting the that the warning was aan to meet in private, ''holy truth which was persons were directed isM.Empaytaz. Ihe these unauthorized pro. sapprobation respecting )ut as the object of theu dess he would avoid ev- iction. He chose rathei onscience, and departed not easy again to extin "ve been extremely tm^ U, however, was to yield tmined to bestir ther. •hey issued certain regu- yhlped would be receiv. e the anticipated effect! Jherl equally offensive 1.1 Unitarians, continued to be preached. In 1818, M. Malan, a pious or thodox divine, was deprived of his place of regent of the college; and another, M. Mejanei, was ordered to quit Geneva. For some time, however, the individuals who retained their alle- giance to the Helvetic Confession, and remained at Geneva, still held their meetings, with little other provocation than that of a few hard names, sach as "enthusiasts," "Nazarenes," "advocates for exploded doctrines," &.C., which the Unitarians, in the exuberance of their wit, and the overliowing of their liberality, had the gratification to bespatter them. These attacks produced very little impression upon the persons assailed. The arguments next adopted, were cal- culated to supply the defect. About the beginning of July, 1818, the place of meeting being changed, when the persons assembled, they found a large mob prepared to insult (hem. These enlightened and worthy abettors of the reformed church of Geneva, and citizens of that free republic, assembled at the house of meeting, and vocife- rated amidst other expressions of hostility — we transcribe the words with shame and horror, — A bos Jesus Christ! A bus les Moraves! A mortj a la lanieme, &.c. and pursued the obnoxious ministers as they came out, with similar cries. Neither did they stop here : their valour and zeal, as is the case with all mobs, became more impetuous as tliey were not resisted. "Our silence," says one who was present, «in the midst of these insults, did not satisfy them: we had to suffer menaces, maledictions; stoning through the streets, and the violation of our houses." Had not the police exerted themselves to suppress these disorders, the consequences would probably have been still more fearful. Persecution in the Pays de Vattd. In the month of December, 1623, a letter was addressed by three young mefi, ministers oi' that canton, and sul seqently signed by a few others, to the council of state, intimating a determination to with- draw from the established church, and requesting permission to con- stitute places of worship independent of it. The cause assigned was, that the Helvetic Confession had been virtually sn*. ^itiliie, bath by pas- tors and people; and that the discipline of the church was annihilated. Their plan was to preach according to that Confession, and to restore the discipline. The petition to the council of state is dated Dec. 24, 1823. The official answer bears date Jan. 15, 1824; and has all the formalities with which th^ spirit of intolerance and persecution generally invests itself, and is signed, Le Landamman en Charge, F. Clavel, Le Chand- elier, Bjisot. In this instrument, the ministers and their friends are called "Momiers;" and it is summarily decreed, that those who sep- arate themselves from the natior^al church shall not be tolerated; that the justices of the peace, &.c. are specially charged instantly to dissolve their meetings, and to report their proceedings lo the council of state; and every pcson who attends these prohiLited assemblies, ' .■' tl ■''i '*'^. ' V ^^.\". • ■ a' ' , -..iv ml 484 BOOK OF MARTYRS. and who has disobeyed the orders to leave them, and rendered it ne cessary to employ force, shall be imprisoned three days, besides the possible infliction of other pains and penalties; and that all persons whose measures shall have tended to gain proselytes, shall be tined 600 livrcs, or imprisoned two years; the same punishment to be awarded to him who furnishes a place of meeting, or who has called or directed a prohibited assembly, or who has taliOn any part what- ever in quality of a chief or director. The above decree was ac- companied by a circular, dated Jan. 16, 1824, emanating from the same high quarter, addressed to the justices of the pr ace, municipalities, &c. and conceived in the same spirit with its rtspectable associate. This iniquitous and anti-christian enactment has been carried into effect in several instances. M. Charles Rochat, minister of the gos- pel, of the Canton de Vaud, of a respectable family, and whose brother is cue of the national clergy, of the Canton, is the first on whom the severity of the law has fallen. Five persons were found seated round a table in his own house, with the bible open before them : the wife of M. Rochat, a common friend, with two of his sisters, and a young person, a stranger. This was the whole crime. M. Rochat was found guilty of reading in his own house, before his wife and four friends, a chapter of the New Testament! For this he was at first condemned tc three yearns banishment, which, however, the tribunal of appeal re- duced to one year. Next, M. Olivier was banished for two years, by the sentence of the same law. Like judgments have been pronounced against M. M. Chavannes, Juvet, and Fivas, of whom, the two former, were previously confined ten weeks in prison. Two females also were banished by the judgment de premiere in- stant, of the tribunal of Orbe and Yverden, on the charge of similar meetings being held at their houses; one of whom, however, has been since acquitted at Lausanne, as it was proved that she lived with her mother, and consequently that it was at her house, and not at hers, that some friends, afler dinner, read the bible together. But it is not merely in the Canton de Vaud that these enormous in* stances of injustice have occurred: at Neufchatel, an act of arbitrary power has just been committed, almost incredible from its severity. An old law, long obsolete, has been discovered, which, it seems, was passed two or three hundred years back. An agriculturer has been made the first victim of its revived powers. He received into his house M. Juvet, one of the cx)ndemned ministers of the Canton de Vaud, and allowed him to administer (he sacrament. For this crime he was thrown into prison for three months, and was then brought up in chains, and with a rope drawn tight round his neck, to receive sen* tence. Ten years banishment was the punishment pronounced; and that if he shall attempt to return before the expiration of this term, he is to be marked with a hot iron for the first offence, and for the second to be hanged. No passport was given him, so that he was left to be I BOOK OF MARTTBS. 485 ind rendered it ne I days, besides the d that all persons ^tes, shall be fined punishment to be or who has called ;eii any part what- ive decree was ac- smanating from the [ dce, municipalitiea, spectable associate, as been carried into minister of the gcs- y,and whose brother le first on whom the ■e found seated round re them: the wife of sisters, and a young M. Rochat was found fe and four friends, a s at first condemned tc ribunal of appeal re- by the sentence of the St M. M. Chavannes, ire previously confined gment de premiere in- the charge of similar am, however, has been that she lived with her se, and not at hers, that it. hat these enormous In- tel, an act of arbitrary lible from its seventy. 1, which, it seems, was aariculturer has been He received into his Iters of the Canton de ment. For this crime Id was then brought up iisneck,toreceiN;e8en. hment pronounced; and tiralionof thisterm,he fence, and for the second ,0 that he was left to be hunted about from place to place, like the most degraded criminal. This worthy man, whose name was Maguin, has a wife and three children, for whom he has now no means of procuring a si:pport. [Wilsoii's '! -, 2d ed. page 325.] These ar cities were practised by those who claim to be the only enlightened and liberal characters of our day — by Unitarians and So- ciniaiis — by men too, whose complaints respecting Ligotry and intol- erance, have been the burden of many a long article, expressly design- ed to represent orthodoxy as peculiarly relentless and cruel. A large number of Swiss pastors have been driven into banish- ment, by the inquisitorial proceedings of those who style themselves the liberal party in Switzerland. Many of the exiles are now resi- ding in different parts of France, mostly near the frentiere V tfieir own country— others have found a home in different parts of Switzer- land. One of them is now in that place where the wicked cease from troubling — and another seems rapidly advancing to it. M. Juvet, who signed, with two other ministers, the letter to the "Council of State,^* having been banished from his own canton, sought an asylum in another canton : this was refused. He then retired to Ferney Vol- taire, and pursued his labors. He was at that time weak from a pul- monary consumption; but he ventured on an excursion to I/Islo of Mantrichen, to visit those who were disposed to hear the word of God. "He was insulted, attacked and pursued by the pcipulace, from town to town; and at Le Isle, where he arrived quite exhausted, and in profuse perspiration, he was thrown into a cold dungeon, with only a chair and some chopped straw, on which to pass the night. His friends were not permitted to give him either food, fire, or clothing; and in this state he was detained fifteen hours.^^ For two months he was confined in the prison of Yverden, under circumstances of severe illness and medical attendance was denied him. After leaving the prison, he was presently arrested and expelled the commune. Under such accumulated sufierings, nature at length gave way : he slept in the Lord; and among his last prayers were petitions for his persecutors, whether the magistrates or the mob. Recent information from Geneva, and the other cantons of Switzer- land, inform us that the spirit of persecution is still exhibited by the lib- eral party in that country. Those who adhere to the Helvetic Confes- sion, and preach conformably to the doctrines of the creed of the es- tablished church, are called ''^Momiers,^* "enthusiasts," and other terms equally unkind and unchristian. The liberaly or infidel party, do not confine themselves simply to reproaches. They disturb the places of public worship — they stone the people as they return fi-om their devotions — they arraign them before civil tribunals for preaching Christ and him crucified — ihey impose fines upon them, sul ject them to imprisonment, banishment, and even death itself. All this is done too, iiithe 19th century, and by thos3 who claim to be the only enlight- ened and liberal party on the contiaent. 31;* I s ■■I 111 466 BOOK OF liARTTBI. CHAPTER XXII. 'IJl 1'^i If m SKETCHES OF THE UVES OF SOME OF THE MOST EBOMENT REF0HMEB8. It will not be inappropriate to devote a few pages of this work to a brief detail of the lives of some of those men who first stepped forward, regardless of the bigoted power which opposed all reformation, to stem the tide of papul corruption, and to seal the pure doctrines of the gospel with their blood. Among these, Great Britain has the honor of taking the likdy and first maintaining that freedom in religious controversy which astonished Europe, and demonstrated that political and religious liberty are equally the growth of that favored island. Among the ear- liest of these eminent persons was John Wickliffe. This celebrated reformer, denominated the Morning Star of the Reformation, was born about the year 1324, in the reign of Edward II. Of his extraction we have no certain account. His parents de- signing him for the church, sent him to Qusen's College, Oxford, about that period founded by Robert Eaglesfield, confessor to queen Philippi. But not meeting with the advantages for study in that newly established house which he expected, he removed to Merton College, which was then esteemed one of the most learned societies in Europe. The first thing which drew him into public notice, was his defence of the University against the begging friars, who about this time, from their settlement in Oxford in 1230, had been troublesome neighbours to the University. Feuds were continually fomented; the friars ap- pealing to the pope, the scholars to the civil power; and sometimes one party, and sometimes the other, prevailed. The friars became very fond of a notion that Christ was a common beggar; that his disciples were beggars also; and that begging was of gospel institution. This doctrine they urged from the pulpit and wherever they had ac- cess. Wickliffe had long held these religious friars in contempt for the laziness of their lives, and had now a fair opportunity of exposing them. He published a treatise against able beggary, in which he lashed the friars, and proved that they were not only a reproach to religion, but also to human society. The University began to consider him one of her first champions, and he was soon promoted to the mas- tership of Baliol College. About this time, archhishop Islip founded Canterbury Hall, in Ox- ford, where he established a warden and eleven scholars. To tliis wardenship Wickliffe was elected by the archbishop, but upon his de- mise, he was displaced by his successor, Stephen Langham, Lisliop of BOOK OF UARTTItS. 487 NENT REF0BMER8. 3 of this work to a jt stepped forward, jformation, to stem trines of the gospel ihe honor of taking liffious controversy uScal and religious d. Among tlie ear- loming Star of the he reign of bdward nt. His parents de- ,n»8 College, Oxford, a, confessor to queen es for study in that 5 removed to Merlon most learned societies ce, was his defence of about this time, from ■oublesome neighbours mented; the friars ap- er* and sometimes one le 'friars became very rar- that his disciples of 'gospel institution. rherever they had ac- Irs in contempt for the .portunity of expMing I beggary, in which he not only a reproach to Brsity began to consider L promoted to the mas- anterbury Hall, in Ox- ten scholars. To «h« Lhop, but upon his d^. tcnLangham,Ushopot Ely. As there was a degree of flagrant injustice in the afliiir, Wick- liffe appealed to the pope, who suLsequeiitty gave it agaiasi him from the following cause: Edward the Third, then ki ig of Eagland, hud withdrawn the tribute, which from the time of king Juhu hai' been paid to the pope. The pope menaced; Ed »i'ard culled a parliament. The parliament resolved that king John had done an illegal thing, and given up the rights of the nation, and advised the king not to submit, what- ever consequences might follow. The clergy now began to write in favour of the pope, and a learn- ed monk published a spirited and plausible treatise, which had many advocates. Wickliife, irritated at seeing so bad a cause so well defend- ed, opposed the monk, and did it in so mast>^ . ly a way, that he was considered no longer as unanswerable. His suit at Rome was immedi- ately determined against him; and nobody doubled f>ut his opposition to the pope, at so critical a period, was thp true cause of his being nonsuited at Rome. Wickliffe was afterward elected to the chair of the divinity profes- sor: and now fully convinced of the errors of the Romish church, and the \iluness of its monastic agents, he determined to expose them. In public lectures he lashed their vices and opposed their follies. He un- folded a variety of abuses covered by the darkness of superstition. At lirst he began to loosen the prejudices of the vulgar, and proceeded hy slow advances: with the metaphysical disquisitions of the age, he mingled opinions in divinity apparently novel. The usurpations of the court of Rome was a favourite topic. On these he expatiated with all the keenness of argument, joined to logical reasoning. This soon procured him the clamour of the clericR- himself in his bed, ana >t die, but live to declare M)st important work, the , this work appeared,he fessilyofit. The zeal irnUot^d its sale, a^^ liured transcripts otparj ■ LoUardy increased, a^ b to fasten about the nee [of scripture as were fouuij ilffrventured a step fur- Ptiation. Thissirange opinion was invented by Paschade Radl;ert, and asserted with amazing boldness. Wicklifle, in his lecture befure the university of Oxford, 1381, attacked this doctrine, and published a treatise on the sulject. Dr. Barton, at this lime vice-chancellor of Oxford, calling together the heads of the university, condemned Wickliffe's doctrines as heretical, and threatened their author with excommunication. Wickliffe could now derive no support from the duke of Lancaster, and being cited to appear before his former adversary, William Courtcaey, now made archbishop of Canterbury, he sheltered himsalf under the plea, that, as a member of the university, he was exempt from episcopal jurisdic- tion. This plea was admitted, as the university were determined to support their member. The court met at the appointed time, determined, at least to sit in judgment upon his opinions, and some they condemned as erroneous, others as hei'etical. The publication on this subject was immediately answered by Wickliffe, who had become a subject of the archbishop^s determined malice. The king, solicited by the archbishop, granted a license to imprison the teacher of heresy, but the commons made the king revoke this act as illegal. The primate, however, obtained let- ters from the king, directing the head of the university of Oxford to search for all heresies and the books published by Wickliffe; in con- sequence of which order, the university became a scene of tumult. Wickliffe is supposed to have retired from the storm, into an obscure part of the kingdom. The seeds, however, were scattered, and Wick- liffe's opinions were so prevalent, that it was said, if you met two persons upon the road, you might be sure that one was a Lollard. At tliis period, the disputes between the two popes continued. Urban published a bull, in which ho earnestly called upon all who had any regard for religion, to exer( tl^iemselves in its cause; and to take up arms against Clement and his adherents in defence of the holy A war, in which the name of religion was so vilely prostituted, roused Wickliffe's inclination, even in his declining years. He took up his pen once more, and wrote against it with the greatest acrimony. He expostulated with the pope in a very free manner, and asks him boldly, "How he durst make the token of Christ on the cross (which is the token of peace, mercy and charity) a banner to lead us to slay christian men, ibr the love of two false priests, and to oppress Chris- tendom worse than Christ and his apostles were oppressed by the Jews? When, said he, will the proud priest of Rome grant indulgences to mankind to live in peace and charity, as he now does to iight and slay one another?" This severe piece drew upon him the resentment of Urban; and was likely to have involved him in greater troubles than he had be- fore experienced, but providentially he was delivered out of their 1 hands. He was struck with the palsy, and though he lived some time, ! yet in such a way, that his enemies considered him as a person below i their resentment. To the last he attended divine worship, and re- ■1 *l iV-l!' rm I 11 1 i:^!' 'ii.- li^M\ .*■ if If ■ 400 BOOK OF MASTTSS. 'm &t. ceived the fatal -troke of hia disorder iii hia church at Lutterworth, in the year 1384. ^ Martin Luther. This illustrious German divine and reformer of the church, waa the son of John Luther and Margaret Lindeman, and bom at Isleben a town of Saxony, in the county of Mansfield, November 10, 1483, His father^s extraction and condition were originally but mean, and his occupation thaf of a miner: it is probable, however, thnt by his application and industry he improved the fortunes of his family, as he afterward became a magistrate of rank and dignity. Luther was early initiated into letters, and at the age of thirteen was sent to school at Madgeburg, and thence to Eysunach, in Thuringin, where he remained four years, producing the early indications of his future eminence. In 1501 he was sent to the university of Erfurt, where he went through the usual courses of logic and philosophy. When twenty he took a master^s degree, and then lectured on Aristotle^s physics ethics, and other parts of philosophy. Afterward, at the instigation of his parents, he turned himself to the civil law, with a view of ad* rancing himself to the bar, but was diverted from this pursuit by the following accident. Walking out into the fields one day, he was struck by lightning so as ta fall to the ground, while a companion was killed by his side; and this affected him so sensibly, that, without communicating his purpose to any of his friends, he withdrew him. self from the world, and retired into the order of the hermits of Sl Augustine. Here he employed himself in reading St. Augustine and tlie school- men; but, in turning over the leaves of the library, he accidentally found a copy of the Latin Bible, which he had never seen before, This raised his curiosity to a high degree : he read it over very gree- dily, and was amazed to find what a small portion of the scriptures was rehearsed to the people. He made his profession in the monas- tery of Erfurt, after he had been a novice one year; and betook priest^s orders, and celebrated his first mass in 1507. The year after, he was removed from the convent of Erfurt to the univerdity of VVjt- temberg; for this university being just founded, nothing was thought more likely to bring it into immediate repute and credit, than the au- thority and presence of a man so celebrated, for his great parts and learning, as Luther. In 1512, seven convents of his order having a quarrel with their vicar-general, Luther was chosen to go to liome to maintain their cause. At Rome he saw the pope and the court, and had an opportunity of observing also the manners of the clergy, whose hasty, superficial, and impious way of celebrating mass, he has severely noted. As soon as he had adjusted the dispute which was the busiiiess of his journey, he returned to Wittemberg, and was cre- ated doctor of divinity, at the expense of Frederic, elector of Sax- BOOK OP MARTYBS. 491 ti at Lutterworth, b of the church, wai and bom at Isleben, Novemlier 10, 1483. nally but mean, and however, that by his J of his family, as he iignity. Luther was thirteen was sent to , in Thuringia, where dications of his future Irfurt, where he went ophy. When twenty, on Aristotle's physics, vard, at the instigation iw, with a view of ad- from this pursuit by the .Ids one day, he was nd, while a companion sensibly, that, without ends, he withdrew hinv sr of the hermits of St. ugustine and the school- library, he accideatally had never seen before. read it over very gree- portion of the scriptures profession in the monas- one year; and he took ™ 1507. The year after, [to the university of VVrt- led, nothing was thought k and credit, than the au. [for his great parts and 'Ints of his order having ras chosen to go to Kome r the pope and the court, ,e manners of the clergy, • celebrating mas3, he has .d the dispute which was Wittemberg, and was or. Frederic, elector of bax- « ny; who had often herrd him preach, was perfectly acquainted with ]a merit, and reverenced him highly. lie continued in the universi- ty of Wittembeig, where, as professor of divinity, he employed him* self in the business of his calling. Here then he began in the most earnest manner to read lectures upon the sacred books: he explained the epistle to the Romans, and the Psalms, which he cleared up and illustrated in a manner so entirely new, and so different from what bad been pursued by former conunentators, that "there seemed, after a long and dark night, a new day to arise, in the judgment of all pi- ous and prudent men.'* The better to qualify himself for the task he had undertaken, he applied himself attentively to the Greek and He- brew languages; and in this manner was he employed, when the Jeneral iiululgences were published in 1517. Leo X. who succeeded ulius il. in March, 1513, formed a design of building the magnificent church of St. Peter's at Rome, which was, indeed, l^gun by Julius, but still required very large sums to be finished. Leo, therefore, 1517| published general indulgences throughout all Europe, in favour of (hose who contribute any sum to the building of St. Peter's; and ap- pointed persons in different countries to preach up these indulgences, and to receive money for them. 1 hese strange proceedings gave vast offence at Wittemberg, and particularly inflamed the pious zeal of Luther; who, being naturally warm and active, and in the present case unable to contain himself, was determined to declarge against them at all adventures. Upon the eve of All-saints, therefore, in 1517, he publicly fixed up, at the church next to the castle of that town, a thesis upon indulgences; in the beginning of which, he chal- lenged any one to oppose it either by writing or disputation. Luther's propositions about indulgences, were no sooner published, than Tetzel, the Domijpican friar, and commissioner for selling them, maintained and published at Francfort, a thesis, containing a set of propositions directly contrary to them. He did more; he stirred up the clergy of his order against Luther; anathematized him from the pulpit, i)S a most damnable heretic; and burnt his thesis publicly at Fran:fort, Tetzel's thesis was also burnt, in return, by the Lutherans at Wit- temburg; but Luther himself disowned having had any hand in that procedure. In 1518, Luther, though dissuaded from it by his f^-iends, yet, to show obedience to authority, went to the monastery of St. Au- gustine, at Heidelberg, while the chapter was held; and here main- tained, April 26, a dispute concerning "justification by faith;" which Bucer, who was present at, took down in writing, and afterward com- municated to Beatus Rhenanus, not without the highest commenda- tions. In the meantime, the zeal of his adversaries grew every day more and more active against him; and he was at longth accused to Leo X. as a heretic. As soon as he returned therefore from Heidel- berg, he wrote a letter to that pope, in the most submissive terms; and sent him, at the same time, an explication of his propositions about indulgences. This letter is dated on Triiiity-Sunday, 15j«3, and was accompanied with a protestation, wherein he declared, that "he did .ft'' 'la I. f. ! t ^k I i vlt' I III- I'*'' '■' » R i*'i?., '' 41)2 BOOK OF MARTYK8. not pretend to advance or defend any thing contrary to the holy scrip. tures, ur to the doctrine of the fathers, received and observed by the church of R(»me, or to the canons and decretals of the popes: ncverthe* less, he thought he had the liberty either to approve or disapprove the opinions of iSt. Thonnas, Bonaventure, and other school-men and canoo- iats, which are not grounded upon any text.^* The emperor Maximilian was equally solicitous with the pope about putting a stop to the propagation of Luther^s opinions in Saxony^ troublesome both to the church and empire. Maximilian, therefore, applied to Leu, in a letter dated August 5, 1518, and begged him to forbid, by his authority, these useless, rash, and dangerous disputes- tSBuring him also, that he would strictly execute in the empire what- ever his holiness should enjoin. In the meantime Luther, as soon as he understood what was transacting about him at Rome, used all im- aginable means to prevent his being carried thither, and tv obtain a hearing of his cause in Germany. The elector was also against Lu- therms going to Rome, and desired of cardinal Cajetan, that he might be heard before him, as the pope^s legate in Germany. Upon these addresses, the pope consented that the cause should be tried before car- dinal Cujetan, to whom ho had given power to decide it. Luther, there fore, set off immediately for Augsburg, and carried with him letters from the elector. He arrived here in October, 1518, and, upon an as- surance of his safety, was admitted into the cardinai^s presence. But Luther was soon convinced that he had more to fear from the cardinaPs power, than from disputations of any kind ; and, therefore, apprehen- sive of being seized, if he did not submit, withdrew from Augsburg up- on the 20th. But, before his departure, he published a formal appeal to the pope, and finding himself protected by the electw, continued to teach the same doctrines at Wittemberg, and sent a challenge to all the inquisitors to come and dispute with him. As to Luther, Miltitius, the pope^s chamberlain, had orders to require the elector to oblige him to retract, or to deny him his pro- tection: but things were not now to be carried with so high a hand, Luther^s credit being too firmly established. Besides, the emperoi Maximilian happened to die upon the 12th of this month, whose death greatly altered the face of affairs, and made the elector more able to determine Luther^s fate. Miltitius thought it best, therefore, to try what could be done by fair and gentle means, and to that end came to some conference with Luther. During all these treaties, the doctrine of Luther spread, and prevailed greatly; and he himself received great encouragement at home and abroad. The Bohemi- ans about this time sent him a book of the celebrated John Huss, who had fallen a martyr in the work of reformation ; and also letters, in which they exhorted him to constancy and perseverance, owning, that the divinity which he taught was the pure, sound, and orthodox divinity. Many great and learned men had joined themselves to him. In 1519, he had a famous dispute at Leipsic with John Eccius. But this dispute ended at length like all others, the parties not the affSw;;.!!'! m BOOK OF MARTYIU. 403 I to the holy scrip- d observed by the le popes: neverthe- e or disapprove the kool-men andcanon- with the pope about •pinions in Saxony ^ iximilian, therefore, and begged him to dangerous disputes; in the empire what- B Luther, as soon as tRome, used all im- ther, and to obtain a was also against Lu- ajetan, that he might ermany. Upon these lid be tried before car- cideit. Luther, there irried with him letters 1518, and, upon an us- rdinaPs presence. But fear from the cardinal's fid, therefore, apprehen- rew from Augsburg up- ulished a formal ai. he elector, continued to ut a challenge to all the berlain, had orders to >r to deny him his pro- }d with so high a hand, Besides, the emperor of this month, whose , made the elector more loucht it best, therefore, means, and to that end tie all these treaties, the reatly; and he himself abrc«d. TheBohemi- lebrated John Huss, who U; and also letters, m i perseverance, owning, lure, sound, and orthodox loined themselves to hira. with John Eccius. M le parties not the nearer in opinion, but more at enmity with each other^s persons. About the end of this year, Luther published a book, in which he contended for the communion being celebrated in both kinds; which was condemned by the Lishop of Misnia, January 24, 1520. While Luther was labouring to excuse himself to the new emperor and the bishops of Germany, Eccius had gone to Rome, to solicit his condem- oation; which, it may easily be conceived, was now become notdifli- cult to be attained. Indeed the continual importunities of Luther^i adversaries with Leo, caused him at length to publish a formal con- demnation of him; and he did so accordingly, in a bull, dated June 15, 1520; this was carried into Germany, and published there by Eccius, who had solicited it at Rome; and who, together with Jerom Alexander, a person eminent fur his learning and eloquence, was intrusted by the pope with the execution of it. In the meantime, Charles V. of Spain, afler he had set things to rights in the Low Countries, went into Germany, and was crowned emperor, October the 21st, at Ai.\-la-Chapclle. The diet of Worms was held in the beginning of 1521; which ended at length in this single and peremp* lory declaration of Luther, that ^'unless he was convinced by texts of scripture or evident reason (for he did not think himself obliged to submit to the pope or his councils,) he neither could nor would re- tract any thing, because it was not lawful for him to act against his coDscience.^^ Before the diet of Worms was dissolved, Charles V. caused an edict to be drawn up, which was dated the 8th of May, and decreed that Martin Luther be, agreeably to the sentence of the pope, henceforward looked upon as a member separated from the church, a schismatic, and an obstinate and notorious heretic. While the bull of Leo X. executed by Charles V. was thundering throughout the empire, Luther was safely shut up in the castle of Wittemberg; but weary at length of his retirement, he appeared publickly again at Wit- temberg, March 6, 1522, after he had been absent about ten months. Luther now made open war with the pope and bishops; and, that he mi|;ht make the people despise their authority as much as possible, he wrote one book against the pope^s bull, and another against the order falsely called "the order of bishops.^^ He published also, a translation of the "New Testament* in the German tongue, which was afterward corrected by himself and Melancthon. Affairs were now in great confusion in Germany ; and they were not less so in Italy ; for a quar- rel arose between the pope and the emperor, during which Rome was twice taken, and the pope imprisoned. While the princes were thus employed in quarrelling with each other, Luther persisted in carry- ing on the work of the reformation, as well by opposing the papists, as by combating the Anabaptists and other fanatical sects; which, having taken the advantage of his contest with the church of Rome, had sprung up and established themselves in several places. In 1527, Luther was suddenly seized with a coagulation oi the blood about the heart, which had like to have put an end to his life. The troubles of Germany being not likely to have any end, the em 40 •i ■•■■I ; 'i ' :fi m 'i :M I mm I ■,,■.' 'iii'f A: ii iA'-'['-- 1. ^i V'^ A fijii;*: m 1^ m 494 BOOK or martyrs peror was forced to call a diet at Spires, in 1520, to require the a»> sistance of the princes of the empire against the Turks. Fourteen cities, viz. Stratsburg, Nurcmlerg, Ulm, Constance) Retlingen, Wind- sheim, Memmingen, Linduw, Keinpten) Hailbron, Isny, Weissemburg, Nortlingen, B. Cial, joined against the decree of the diet protestation, which was put intj writing, and published the 19th of April, 1520. This wa<« the famous protestation, which gave the name of rrotestanti to the returmers in Germany. Afier this, the protestant princes laboured to make a firm leamie and enjoined the elector of Saxony and his allies to approve of what the diet had done ; but the deputies drew up an appeal, and the pro- testants aAcrwards presented an apology for their ''Confession^* — tliat famous confession which was drawn up by the temperate Melancthon, as also the apology. These were signed by a variety of princes, and Luther had now nothing else to do, but to sit down and contem* plate the mighty work he had finished : for that a single monk should be able to give the church of Rome so rude a shock, that there need- ed but such another entirely to overthrow it, may be well esteemed a mighty work. In 1533, Luther wrote a consolatory epistle to the citizens of Og- chatz, who had sufiercd some hardships for adhering to the Augsburg confession of faith : and in 1534, the Bible translated by him into German was first printed, as the old privilege, dated at fiibliopolis, under the elector^s own hand, shows; and it was published in the year after. He also published this year a book "against masses and the consecration of priests.*' In February, 1537, an assembly was held at Smalkald about matters of religion, to which Luther and Me- lancthon wer« called. At this meeting Luther was seized with k grievous an illness, that there was no hope of his recovery. As he was carried along he made his will, in which he bequeathed his detes- tation of popery to his friends and brethren. In this manner was he employed till his death, which happened in 1546. That year, ac- companied by Melancthon, he paid a visit to his own country, which he had not seen for many years, and returned again in safety. But ■oon afler, he was called thither again by the earls of Mansfelt, to compose some differences which had arisen about their boundaries, where he was received by 100 horsemen, or more, and conducted io a very honourable manner; but was at the same time so very ill, that it was feared he would die. He said, that these fits of sickness often came upon him, when he had any great business to undertake: of this, however, he did not recover, but died February 18, in his 63d year. A little before he expired, he admonished those that wen about him to pray to God for the propagation of the gospel ; "because," ■aid he, "the council of Trent, which had sat once or twice, and the pope, will devise strange things against it.*' Soon after, his body «u put into a leaden coffin, and carried with funeral pomp to the church at Iselbein, when Dr. Jonas preached a sermon upon the occasion. The earls of Mansfelt desired that his bodv should be interred in their I to require ihe at* * Turks. Fourteen e, RetUngen,Wind. Un> , WeiBsemburg. he diet protestation, 9thof April, 1529. name of Protestants , make a firm league it to approve of what appeal, and the pro- ,r«*Confe88ion'»— ll»t smperateMelancthon, a variety of princes, fit down and contera- a single monk should ihock, that there need- »ay be well esteemed a 9 to the citizens of Ofr hering to the Augsburg translated by him into ic, dated at Bibliopolw, It was published in the [>k "against masses and 537, an assembly was ► which Luther and Me. [ther was seized wuhjc )f his recovery. As he he bequeathed his detes. In this manner was he 1546. That year, ac- his own country, which ,d again in safety. Bui helarlsof MansfeU,to about their boundaries, more, and conducted m ,me time so very ill, Aa hese fits of sickness often Lness to undertake: 0^ February 18, in »U9«3^ Wished those that were ,of the gospel; «becau«^^ at once or twice, and the ^*^nafler,hisbodyj« leral pomp to the church !Ln upon the occa8j2 ,hould be interred m their I BOOK or MARTYSS. 405 territories; but the elector of Saxony insisted upon his being brought back to Wittoinberg, which was accurdingly dutie; and there he was buried with the ^i%uL^t poni)) that pcrliups ever liuppened to any private man. Princes, carln, uublcs, and atudeuts without number, attended the procession of tins extraordinary icfurnier; and MelanC' then made his funeral oration. We will close lliin account of the great founder of the reformation, by subjoining a few op. iixis, which liiive been passed iipun him, by both papists and protestauts. '* Luther," says Father Sitnon, *licitous to heap up riches. / I ,*«" *«, :; if ::'^ ■;■ i 600 BOOK OF MARTYRS. V • I i' i'J That a man who had acquired so great a reputation and such an authority, should yet have had but a salary of 100 crowns, and refuse to accept mure; and after living 55 years with the utmost frugality should leave but 300 cruwns to his heirs, including the value of his lii)ra- ry, which sold very dear, is something so heroical, that one must hav« lost all feeling not to admire. When Calvin took his leave of Stras- bourg, to return to Geneva, they wanted to continue to him the privi- leges of a freeman of their town, and the revenues of a prebend, which had been assigned to him; the former he accepted, but absolutely re- fused the other. He carried one of the brothers with him to Geneva, but he never took any pains to get him preferred to an honourable post, as any other possessed of his credit would have done. He took care indeed of the honour of his brothcr^s family, by getting him freed from an adultress, and obtaining leave for him to marry again; but even his enemies relate that he made him learn the trade of a bookbinder, which he followed all his life afler. Calvin as a friend of civU liberty. The Rev. Dr. Wisner, in his late discourse at Plymouth, on the an- niversary of the landing of the pilgrims, makes the following asser- tion : — "Much as the name of Calvin has been scoffed at and loaded with reproach by many sons of freedom, there is not an historical pro- position more susceptible of complete demonstration than this, that no man has lived to whom the world is under greater obligations for the freedom it now etyoys, than John Calvin.''^ In a note appended to the sermon, Dr. Wisner gives the following testimonies, from history, of the truth of this proposition — testimonies which deserve the more attention, as they come from Calvin's opposers. We copy the note from the Bos- ton Recorder. "it may not be unacceptable to the reader, to add a few particulars m confirmation of the statement in reference to the influence of Calvin in forming the opinions and character of the Puritans, and thus contri- buting to the discovery and establishment of the principles of religious and civil liberty. "The peculiarities of the religious doctrines of the Puritans had an important influence in producing in them determined and persevering resistance to arbitrary power, and a successful viiidication of their reli- gious and political rights. The fact is sufliciently illustrated in the quotation in the sermon from the Edinburg Review. It is admitted by Hume, and by all, whatever their religious opinions, who have thorough- ly investigated the springs of action in those discoverers, and founders of religious and civil freedom. But the doctrinal views of the Puritans wej-e derived from Calvin. "Their disapprobation of the rites and ceremonies enjoined by the English government was a prominent means of leading them to the dis- covery, aad stimulating to the successful vindication of the princi- ples of religious and civil liberty. And that dinapproLation may be Ltion and such an ;rowns, and refuse utmost frugality. } value of his lii)ra- hat one must hav« his leave of Straa- e to him the privi- )f a prebend, which , but absolutely re- ith him to Geneva, an honourable post, one. He took care Lting him freed from again; but even his a bookbinder, which Plymouth, on the an- the following asser- scoffed at and loaded not an historical pro- ion than this, that no ,er obligations for the a note appended to the 5S, from history, of the •ve the more attention, the note from the Bos- add a few particulars the influence of Calvin ritans, and thus coiitri- principlea of religious of the Puritans had an mined and persevering indication of their reli- sutly illustrated in the iew. It is admitted by 3ns, who have thorough- overers, and founders ot views of the Puritans Tionies enjoined by the leading them to the dis- idication of the pnnci- diaapproLation may be BOOK OP MARTVKS. 501 directly traced to the influence of Calvin. With him many of the leading Puritan divines studied theology, and were taught the impor- tance of laying aside the whole mass of popish additions to the sim- plicity of apostolic woiship. When the dilficulties arose among the exiles at Frankfort, in Mary's reign, about the use of King Edward's Liturgy, they asked advice of Calvin, "who having perused the Eng- lish Liturgy, took notice, *that there were many tolerable weaknesses in it, which, because at flrst they^ could not be .amended, were to be suffered; but that it behooved the learned, grave, and godly ministers of Christ to enterprise farther, and to set up something more filed from rust, and purer.' *If religion,' says he *had flourished till this day in England, many of these things would have been corrected. But since the reformation is overthrown and a church is to be set up in another place where you are at liberty to establish what order is most for edification, I cannot tell what they mean, who are so fond of the leavings of popish dregs.' " When the conformist party had triumph- ed at Frankfort, they "wrote to Mr. Calvin to countenance their pro- ceedings; which that great divine could not do; but after a modest ex- cuse for intermeddling in their aflairs, told them, that, ^in his opinion, they were too much addicted to the English ceremonies; nor could he see to what purpose it was to burden tho church with such hurtful and offensive things, when there was liberty to have simple and more pure order.'" The puritan part of the exiles retired to Geneva, and there prepared and published a service book, in the dedication of which they say, that "they had set up such an order as, in the judgment of Mr. Calvin and other learned divines, was most agreeable to scripture, and the best reformed churches. And when, subsequently, the impor- tant step was taken, by several puritans in and about London, of break- ing off* from the established churches and setting up a separate congre- gation, they adopted for use, (as they say in their 'agreement' thus to separate) a book and order of preaching, administration of sacraments and discipline, that the great Mr. Calvin had approved of, and which was free from the superstitions of the English service." — Neal i. 152, 153, 154, 155, 252. Biit most important of all, in its influence on religious and civil liberty, was the attachment of the puritans to a popular church gov- ernment. And of the origin of this system, we have the following account from *the judicious Hooker,' prefixed to his famous work on Ecclesiastical Polity, written expressly against it. "A founder it had, whom, for mine own part, 1 think incomparably the wisest man that ever the French (protestant) church, did enjoy, since the hour it en- joyed him. His bringing up was in the civil law. Divine knowledge he gathered, not by hearing or reading, 83 much as by teaching others. For thousands were debtors to him, as touching knowledge in that kind, yet he to none, but only to God, the author of that most blessed fountain the Bvwk of Life, and of the admirable dexterity of wit, together with the helps of other learning, which were his guides. Two things of principal moment there are, which have deservedly '?■ 1 ,■• i % Mtfil ; ^m *i'i;M !■; ,i -^^'^^■■ 3MU 602 BOOK OF MARTYRS. procured him honour throughout the world; the one, his exceeding pains in composing the institutions of the christian religion ; the other, his no less industrious travels fur the exposition of huly scripture, ac- cording to the same institutions. In which two things, whosoever they were that uflor him bestowed their labour, he gained the advantage, of prejudice against them if they gainstxyed, and of glory above them if they consented. Of what account the Master of Sentences was in the church of Rome, the same, and more, among the preachers of the reformed churches, Calvin had purchased; so that the perfectest di- vines were judged they who were skilfulest in Calvin^s writings; his books being almost the very canon to judge both doctrine and disci- pline by." "These statements are confirmed by abundant testimony from wri- ters of authority who had no good opinion of Calvin or his priiiciplcs. Says Hume, (History of England, iii. 57,) "These disputes [about ceremonies, &/C.] which had been started during the reign of Edward were carried abroad by the protestants who fled from the persecutions of Mttry; and as the zeal of these men had received an increase from the pious zeal of their enemies, they were generally inclined to carr\ their opposition to the utmost extremity against the practices of tlic church of Rome. Their communication with Calvin, and the other reformers who followed the discipline and worship of Geneva, confirm- ed them in this obstinate reluctance; and though some of the refugees, particularly those who were established at Frankfort, still adhered to king Edward^s Liturgy, the prevailing spirit carried these confessors to seek a still further reformation." "The celebrated Dean Swif\, in a sermon preached on what tories and high churchmen in England, have styled, "the martyrdom of king Charles 1." makes the following statements: — "Upon the cruel persecution raised against the protestants under queen Mary, ainonc great numbers who fled the kingdom to seek for shelter, several went and resided at Geneva, which is a commonwealth, governed without a king, where the religion contrived by Calvin is without the order of bishops. When the protestant faith was restored by queen Elizabeth, those who fled to Geneva returned, among the rest, home to England, and were grown so fond of the goveriiment and religion of the place they had left, that they used all possible endeavours to introduce both into their own country; at the same time continually preaching and railing against ceremouies and distinct habits of the clergy, taxing whatever they disliked as a remnant of popery; and contiaued ex ceedingly troublesome to the church and state, under that great queen, as well as her successor, king James I. These people called themselves puritans, as pretending to a purer faith than those of the established church. And these were the ^:«unders of our dissenters. They did not think it sufficient to leave v\\ ine errors of popery; but threw oflT many laudable and edifying institutions of the primitive church, and at last evca the government of bishops, which, having been ordained by the apoRtlfta themselves, had continued without »ne, his exceeding :t;ligion ; the other holy scripture, ac- r shelter, several went Ith, governed without a is without the order of red by queen Elizabeth, rest,' home to England, nd religion of the place ivours to introduce both litinually preaching and is of the clergy, taxing .ry and continued ex iate, under that great I These people called . faith than those of ihc Inders of our dissenters, ne errors of popery; but tutions of the pnm.Uve ^ bishops, which, having had continued without BOOK OF MARTYRS. 503 interruption, in all christian churches, for above fifleen hundred years. And all this they did, not because those things were evil, but because they were kept by the papists. From hence they proceeded, by degrees, to quarrel with the kingly government, because, as ] nave already said, the city of Geneva, to which their fathers had flown for refuge, was a commonwealth, or government of the people.*' Having thus stated the foundation and principles of puritanism, the Dean proceeds with an account of its growth till the breaking out of the civil war, and concludes the narrative as follows: "That odious parliament had early turned the bishops out of the Hoube of Lords; In a few years afler they murdered their king; then immediately abolished the whole House of Lords; and so, at last obtained their wishes of having a government of the people, and a new religion, both after the manner of Geneva, without a king, a bishop, or a noble- man; and this they blasphemously called, *The kingdom of Christ and His Saints.*** «In the same way, Dryden traced the origin of republicanism in England, as appears from his political poem called the Hind and the Panther; in which he characterizes the Romish church under the name of the Hind, the English church under that of the Panther, and the Presbyterian under that of the Wolf. In the following extract, the 'kennel* means the city of Geneva; the Spuddle* its lake, and the 'wall* its rampart. <*The last of all the litter scap*d by chance, And from Geneva first invested France. Some authors thus his pedigree will trace; But others write him of an upstart race. Because of Wicklifre*s brood no mark he brings, But his innate antipathy to kings. # * « « « What though your native kennel still be small, Bounded betwixt a puddle and a wallt Yet your victorious colixiies are sent, Where the north ocean girds the continent. Quickeu*d with fire below, your monster's breed. In fenny Holland, and in fruitful Tweed; And like the first, the last effects to be Drawn to the dregs of a democracy. « « « « « But as the poisons of the deadliest kind Are to their own unhappy coasts confined; So Preshyt*ry and pestilential zeal, Can onlyjlourish in a Commona^'eal." '-I't ;'Hii » i iiS'ii'i'* ' !j' m. ■I:'".! 604 BOOK OF MAHTYM. «. »* 411.* IT''' I. fi] ^ ^ ' The Life of the Rev. John Fox. John Fox, was born at Boston, in Lincolnshire, in 1517, where his parents are stated to have lived in respectable circumstances. He was deprived of his father at an early age; and notwithstanding his mother soon married again, he still remained under the parental roof. From an early display of talents and inclination to learning, his friends were induced to send him to Oxford, in order to cultivate and bring them to maturity. During his residence at this place, he was distin- guished for the excellence and acuteness of his intellect, which was improved by the emulation of his fellow-collegians, united to an inde- fatigable zeal and industry on his part. These qualities soon gained him the admiration of all ; and as a reward for his exertions and amia- ble conduct, he was chosen fellow of Magdalen college; which was accounted a great honour in the university, and seldom bestowed un- less in cases of great distinction. It appears that the first display of his genius was in poetry; and that he composed some Latin come- dies, which are still extant. But, he soon directed his thoughts to a more serious subject, the study of the sacred scriptures : to divinitv, indeed, he applied himself with more fervency than circumspection, and discovered his partiality to the reformation, which had then com- menced, before he was known to its supporters, or to those who pro- tected them; a circumstance which proved to him the source of his first troubles. He is said to have oflen affirmed, that the first matter which occa- sioned his search into the popish doctrine, was, that he saw divers tfiings, Hiost repugnant in their nature to one another, forced upon men at the same time; upon this foundation his resolution and intended obedience to that church were somewhat shaken, and by degrees a dislike to the rest took place. His first care was to look into both the ancient and modern history of the church; to ascertain its beginning and progress; to consider the causes c^ all those controversies which in the meantime had sprung up, and diligently to weigh their efiects, solidity, infirmi- ties, 6lc. Before he had attained his thirtieth year, he had studied the Greek and Latin fathers, and other learned authors, the transactions of the councils, and decrees of the consistories, and had acquired a very competent skill in the Hebrew language. In these occupations, he frequently spent a considerable part, or even the whole of the night, and in onler to unbend his mind after such incessant study, he would resort to a grove near the college, a place much frequented by the students in the evening, on account of its sequestered gloominess. In these mond to undertake the tuition of the children of the eurl of Surry who, together with his father, the duka of Norfolk, was imprisoned in the Tower, by the jealousy and ingratitude of the king. Tlie children thus confided to his care were, Thomas, who succeeded to the dukedom; Henry, afterwards earl of Northampton; and Jane, who became countess to Westmoreland. In the performance uf his duties, be fully satisfied the expectations of the dutchess, their aunt. These halcyon days continued during the latter part of the reign of Henry VIH. and the five years of the reign of Edward VI. till Alary came to the crown, who, soon afler her accession, gave all power into the hands of the papists. At this time Mr. Fox, who was still under the protection of his noble pupil, the duke, began to excite the envy and hatred of many, particu- larly Dr. Gardiner, then bishop of Winchester, who in the sequel be- came his most violent enemy. Mr. Fox, aware of this, and seeing the dreadful persecutions then commencing, began to think of quitting the kingdom. As soon as the duke knew his intention, he endeavoured to persuade him to re- main; and his arguments were so powerful, and given with so much sincerity, that he gave up the thought of abandoning his asylum for tlie present. At that time the bishop of Winchester was very intimate with the duke (by the patrona^ of whose family he had risen to the dignity he then enjoyqd,) and frequently waited on him to present his service; when he several times requested that he might see his old tutor. At first the duke denied his request, a one time alleging his absence, at another, indisposition. At length it ha|)penpd that Mr. Fox, not knowing the bishop was in the huuse, entered the room where the duke and he were in discourse; unci saoi>ig the bishop, withdrew. Gar- diner asked who that was; the duke answered, "his physician, who was somewhat uncourtly, as being new come from the university." **I like his countenance and aspect very well,^^ replied the bishop, <*and when occasion off^irs, I will S3nd for him." The duke unde^ stood that speech as the mes8e!)gor of some approaching danger; and now himself thought it high time for Mr. Fox to quit the city, and even the country. He accurdiugly caused every thing necessary for his flight to be provided in silence, by sending one of his servants to Ipswich to hire a bark, and prepare all the requisites for his depar- ture. He also fixed oa the house of one of his servants, who was a farmer, where he might lodge till the wind became favourable; and every thing being in readiness, Mr. Fox took leave of his noble patron. and with his wife, wh.) was pregnant at the time, secretly departed for the ship. The vessel was scarcely under sail, when a most violent storm come on, which lasted all day and night, and the next day drove them BOOK OF MARTYRS. ^^ n ; but at the end utchess of Rich- he earl of Surry; (, was imprisoned f the king. The who succeeded to iinpton; and Jane, le performance of the dutchess, their )art of the reign of ward VI. till Mary gave all power into rotection of his noble jd of many, parlicu- ho in the sequel be- ill persecutions then igdom. As soon as ► persuade him to re- i uiven with so much niing his asylum for iry intimate with the id risen to the dignity to present his service; see his old tutor. At lef^ing his absence, at j "that Mr. Fox, not B room where the duke hop, withdrew. Gar- I, "his physician, who from the university. " leplied the bishop, m.'' The duke under- proaching danger; and X to quit the city, and ,ry thing necessary for one of his servants to -jquisites for his depar- lia servants, who was a )ecame favourable; and ave of his noble patron, ne, secretly departed lor fi a most violent storm he next day drove them I line >[i of back to the port from which they hud dcparte''( U'* hiinsoir, and to the church of God at large, as it eventually made his book niuro intrinsicaliy valuable, by inducing him to weigh, with the most scrupulous attention, the certainly of the fuels which he record- ed, and the validity of the authorities from which he drew his informa- tion. But wlulu he was thus indefatigably employed in promoting the cause of truth, he did not neglect the other duties of his station; he was charitublc, huniunc, and attentive to the wants, both spiritual and temporal, uf his neighbours. With the view of being mure extensively useful, although he had no desire to cultivate the acq*iaintancoof the rich and grout on his own account, ho did not decline the friendship of those in a higher rank who profl'ered ii, and never failed to employ his influence with them in behalf of the poor and needy. In consoquence of his well known probity and charity, he was irequently presented with sums of money by persons possessed of wealth, which he accppi. ed and distributed among thuse who were distressed. He would also occasionally attend the table of his friends, not so much for the sake of pluas.ire, as from civility, and to convince them that his absence was not occasioned by a fear of being exposed to the temptations of the appetite. In short, his character as a man and as a christian, was without reproach. Of the esteem in which he was held, the names of the following respectable friends and noble patrons, will afford ample proof. It has been already mentioned that the attachment of the duke of Norfolk was so great to his tutor, that he granted him a pension for life; he also enjoyed the patronage of the earls of Bedford and Warwick, and the intimate friendship of Sir Francis Walsingham, (secretary of state,) Sir Thomas, and Mr. Michael Hennage, of whom he was fre- quently heard to ol.serve, that Sir Thomas had every requisite fur a complete courtier, but that Mr. Michael possessed all the merits of his brother, besides his own, still untainted by the court. lie was on very intimate and affectionate terms with Sir Drue Drury, Sir Francis Drake, Dr. Grindal, archbishop of Canterbery, Dr. Elmar, bishop of London, Dr. Pilkington, bishop of Durham, and Dr. Nowell, dean of St. Paulas. Others of his most intimate acquaintances and friends were. Doctors Umphrey, Whitaker, and Fulk, Mr. John Crowly, and Mr. Baldwin Col) .as. Among the eminent citizens, we find he was much venerated by Sir Thomas Gresham, Sir Thomas Roe, Alderman Bacchus, Mr. Smith, Mr. Dale, Mr. Sherrington, &c, &c. &c. At length, having long served both the church and the world by his ministry, by his pen, and by the unsullied lustre of a benevolent, useful, and holy life, he meekly resigned his soul to Christ, on the 18th of April, i5S7, being then in the seventieth year of his age. He was interred in the chancel of St Giles\ Cripplegate; of which parish he had been, in the beginning of Elizabeth^s reign, for somQ time vicar. BOOK OP MARTVRS. 000 lually made hit weigh, with ihe hich he record- 'ew his intbrma- promoting the ' his station; he oth spiritual and mure extensively j'laintJincoorthe the friendship of led to employ his In consoquence luently presented which he accppi- . He would also much for the sake that his absence he temptations of 18 a christian, was B of the following nple proof. It has 10 duke of Norfolk ension for life; he and Warwick, and lam, (secretary of whom he was fre- try requisite for a I all the merits of jourt. He was on Drury, Sir Francis r. Elmar, bishop of If. Nowell, dean of iitances and friends Mr. John Crowly, It citizens, we find I Sir Thomas Roe, ' Sherrington, &c. irear ui w "^ bplegate; ol feth's reign, The Lord had given him a foresight of his departure; and so fully was ho assured that the time w js just ut hand when his suul hIkhiM quit the body, that (probably to enjoy unmuleHted conitnuniun with (iixl, and to have no worldly interruptions in his last hours) he purposely sent his two sons from home, though he loved them with great tenderness; and, before thuy returned, his spirit, as he had foreseen would be tho case, had Hown to heaven. His death occasioned great lamentations throughout the city, and his funeral was honoured with a groat concourse of people, each of whom appeartvi to bewail the loss ot a father or a brother. In his able martyrology he has elaborately treated of the vices and absurdities of papal hierarchy, of which the following is a brief enu- meration. Error»t Rii^^t Ceremonies, and Superstitious Practices, of the Romish Church. Traditions.] The church of Rome having deprived the laity of the Bible, substitutes in its stead apostolic and ecclesiastical traditions; and obliges her disciples to admit for truth whaiever she teaches them: but what do the holy scriptures say? "Why do ye transgress the command- ment of God by your tradition?" Matt. xv. 3, 9, &,c. They also com- mand us "to call no man master (in spiritual concerns;) to try tho spi- rit, and beware of false teachers." Prayers and Divine Services in Latin.] The Roman Catho- lics will not interpret the scriptures otherwise than according to the sense of holy mother church, and the pretended unanimous consent of the fathers: they assert also, that the scriptures ought not to be read publicly, nor indifferently by all ; and, that the common people may be enslaved by gross ignorance, they perform public worship in an unknown tongue, contrary to the rule laid down by the apostle, "That all things should be done to edification." St. Paul says, "If I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful." Seven Sacraments.] Two only were instituted by Christ, to which the Romish church has added five more, making in all seven, necessary to salvation, namely, the eucharist, baptism, confirmation, penance, extreme unction, orders, and matrimony. To those two which Ch'-lst instituted, she has added a mixture of her own inven- tions; for in the sacrament of baptism, she uses, salt, oil, or spittle; and in the sacrament of the Lord^s supper, the laity have only the bread ad- ministered to them; and even that not afler the manner ordained by Christ, who broke the bread and gave it to his disciples ; instead of which the church of Rome administers to her members not bread, but a wafer, and the priests only drink the wine, though our blessed Lord said, "Drink ye all of this." Matt. xxvi. 27. The Mass.] Roman catholics believe it to be a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice, and therefore call it the sacrament of the altar; whereas, the death of Christ was a full and complete sacrifice^ 41* i Hi iTi; I '1 .. ♦■*| >•: '}. >■:;' <*■' w r "'■ .::A M... ^ m'> Ffl 510 BOOK OP MARTnU. "in which he hath, by one suffering, perfected for ever them that are sanctified. He himself is a priest for e'er; who, beiug raised from the dead, died no more; and who, through the. eternal Spirit, oflered himself without spot to God." Paul's Epist. to ihe Hebrews, ch. ix. 10. It was on account of this gross absurdity, and the irreligious application of iL that our first refuriners suffered, and so many were put to death in the reign of queen Mary. Transubstantiation.] Roman catholics profess, that in the most holy sacrament of the Lord's supper, there is really and substantially the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of Christ- and that the whole substance of the bread is turned into his body and the whole substance of the wine into his blood; which conversion so contradictory to our senses, they call transubstantiation, but at the same time they aflirm, that, under either kind or species, only one whole entire Christ, and the true sacrament, is received. But why are those words, "This is my body," to be taken in a literal sense, any more than those concerning the cup? Our Saviour says, "lam the true vine, I am the door." St. Paul says, "Our Tuthers drank of the rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ;" and writing to the Coruithians, he affirms, that, "he had fed them with milk." Can these passages be taken literally ? Why then must we be forced to in- terpret our Saviour's words in a literal sense, when the apostle has ex- plained the intention of the sacrament to be "to show forth the Lord's death till become!" Purgatory.] This, they say, is a certam place, in which, as in a prison, afler death, those souls, by the prayers of the faithful, are purged, which in this life could not be fully cieansed ; no not by the blood of Christ: and notwithstanding it is asserted in the scriptures, "if we con- fess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John i. 9. This place of purgatory is in the power of the pope, who dispenses the indulgences, and directs the trea- sury of his merits, by which the pains are mitigated, and the deliver- ance hastened. For the tormented sufferers, in this ideal inquisition, his monks and friars say masses, all of whom must be paid for their trouble; because, no penny, no pater-noster; by which bubble the church of Rome amasses great wealth. Idolatry and Creature-worship.] In all the Romish worship the blessed virgin is a principal object of adoration. She is styled the queen of Heaven, lady of the world, the only hope of sinners, queen of angels, patroness of men, advocate for sinners, mother of mercies; under which titles they desire her, by the power of a mother, to com- mand her Son. In some prayers, they invoke God to bring them to heaven by the merits and mediation of the Virgin Mary and all her saints, and that they may enjoy perpetual soundness both of body and rniad by her glorious inteicession. Hence it might be imagined by a papist, that the sacred writings were full of encomiums on this pre- tended mother of God; whereas, on the contrary, we do not find Christ in any part of sc;-'^ture called the Son of Mary, nor that he ever them that are ;ii)g raised from the )int, offered himself I, ch. ix. 10. It was )us application of it, 3 put to death in the ess, that in the most Uy and substantially divinity, of Christ; urned into his body, d; which conversion, mbstantiation, but at 1 or species, only one received. But why ken in a literal sense, • Saviour says, "I am Our ."uthers drank of I Christ;'' and writing 1 hem with milk." Can ust we be forced to inr hen the apostle has ex- show forth the Lord's )lace, in which, as in a the faithful, are purged, no not by the blood of Bscriptures, "if wecon- jj and to cleanse us from e of purgatory is in the ces, and directs the trea- tigated, and the deliver- in this ideal inquisition, 1 must be paid for their • by which bubble the ill the Romish worship, ution. She is styled the f hope of sinners, queen nere, mother of mercies; wer of a mother, to com- le God to bring them to Virgin Mary and all her indness both of body and might be imagined by a • encomiums on this pre- contrary, we do not find on of Mary, nor that he BOOK OF MARTYRS. 511 at any time calls her mother; and when the woman cried, "Blessed is the womb that bore thae, and the |)aps that thou hast sucked." "Yea, (returns our Lord) rather I lessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it." Nor does our Saviour own any relation but that of a disciple; for when his moiher and brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him, Jesus answered, "Who are my mother and brethren?" And looking round upon his disciples, he saith, "Behold my mother and my brethren ; for whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, sister, and mother." Of the same nature are their prayers to other saints and angels, by which they derogate from the honour of our Christ, and transfer his ofHces to others ; though the scriptures expressly assert, there is but one me- diator between God and man. Nor must we omit under this head the idolatry of the mass, in the elevation of the host. Thus is the second commandment infringed, which the Romish church has endeavoured as much as possible to suppress, and in many of their little manuals it is altogether omitted. Papal Sovereignty.] This is politically supported by a pretend ed infallibility ; auricular confession, founded upon the priest's power to forgive sins; indulgences; pretended relics; penance; strings of beads for Ave-Marys and pater nosterp; celibacy; merits and works of supererogations; restrictions; monkish austerities; religious vows and orders; palms; candles; decorated images; holy water; chris tening of bells; hallowed flowers and branches; agnus dei; oblations, consecrations, &.c. &c. Ludicrous Forms and Ceremonies.] At the feast of Christmas, die Roman catholics have exhibited in their churches a cradle, with an image of an infant in it, which is rocked with great seeming devo- tion; and on Grood-Friday they have the figure of our Saviour on the and then they perform the service which they call the Tene- cross, bres; having abundance of lighted candles, all of which they extin- guish one by one, afler which the body is taken down from the cross and put into a sepulchre, and men stand to watch it. Cruel Maxims.] Papists hold that heretics may not be termed children and kindred; that no faith is to be kept with heretics; and that it is lawful to torture or kill them for the good of their souls. CHAPTER XXm. SKETCH OF THS FRENCH REVOLUTION OF 1789, AS CONNECTED WITV THE HISTORY OF FERSEOUTION. The design of those who were the primary agents in originating the caus3s of the French Revolution, was the utter subversion of the christian religion. Voltaire, the leader in this crusade against reli- W: ''j ; 'p i JIM i^ . ■■.^r" ! , J y ^e;,r » 512 BOOK OF MARTYRS. gion, boasted that "with one hand he would pull down, what took twelve Apostles to build up." The motto on the seal of his letters was, "Crush the wretch;" having reference to Jesus Christ, and the system of uligion, which he promulgated. To elTect his olject he wrote and published a great variety of mfidel tracts, containing the most licentious sentiments and the most blasphemous attacks upon the religion of the Bible. Innumerable copies of these tracts were print- ed, and gratuitously circulated in France and other countries. As they were adapted to the capacity of all classes of persons, they were eagerly sought after, and read with avidity. The doctrines in- culcated in them were subversive of every principle of morality and religion. The everlasting distinctions between virtue and vice, were completely broken down. Marriage was ridiculed — obedience to pa- rents treated as the most abject slavery — subordination to civil gov- ernment, the most odious despotism — and the acknowledgement of a God, the height of folly and absurdity. Deeply tinged with such sen- timents, the revolution of 1789, found the popular mind in France prepared for all the atrocities which followed. The public conscience had become so perverted, that scenes of treachery, cruelty and blood were regarded with indifference, and sometimes excited the most un- bounded applause in the spect8.tors. Such a change had been effected in the French character, by the propagation of Infidel and Atheisti- cal opinions, "that from being one of the most light hearted and kind tempered of nations," says Scott, "the French seemed upon the revo- lution to have been animated, not merely with the courage, but with the rabid fury of wild beasts." When the Bastile was stormed "Fou- Ion and Berthier, two individuals whom they considered as enemies of the people, were put to death, with circumstances of cruelty and in- sult fitting only at the death stake of an Indian encampment ; and in imitation of literal cannibals, there were men, or rather monsters, found, not only to tear asunder, the limbs of their victims, but to eat their hearts, and drink their blood." Croly, in his new interpretation of Ihe Apocalypse, holds the fol- lowing language. The primary cause of the French revolution was the exile of Pro- testantism. Its decency of manners had largely restrained the licentious tenden- cies of the higher orders ; its learning had compelled the Romish £c- cles::istics to similar labours ; and while Christianity could appeal to such a church in France, the progress of the infidel writers was check- ed by the living evidence of the purity, peacefulness and wisdom of the Gospel. It is not even without sanction of scripture and history to conceive that, the presence of such a body of the servants of God was a divine protection to their country. But the fall of the church was followed by the most palpable, im- mediate, and ominous change. The great names of the Romish priest- hood, (he vigorous literature of Bossnett, *hc maj'^stic oratory of Mas- down, what took aeal of his letters us Christ, and the jtfect his oV ject he ;ts, containing the IS attacks upon the 3 tracts were print- tier countries. As js of persons, they The doctrines in- iple of moraUty and irtue and vice, were d — obedience to pa- ination to civil gov- ;knowledgementofa Linged with such sen- ular mind in France ['he public conscience ry, cr\ielty and blood excited the most un- inge had been eflfected [• Infidel and Atheisti- light hearted and kind aeemed upon the revo- the courage, but with e was stormed "Fou- nsidered as enemies of ices of cruelty and in- a encampment; and in n or rather monsters, leir victims, but to eai )ca! lypse, holds the fol- n was the exile of Pro- ed the licentious tenden- mpellcd the Romish Ec- istiunity could appeal to ■ifidel writers was check- pefulness and wisdom ol of scripture and history of the servants of Ood ,Y the most palpable, im- Jies of the Romish priesl. maj-^stic oratory of Mas- BOOK OF ItlARTVRS. 513 sillon, tho pathetic and classic elegance of Fenelon, the mildest of all enthiisias.s; a race of tnen who towered above the genius of their country and of their religion; passed away without a successor. In the beginning of the 18ih century, the most profligate man in France was an ecclesiasUc, the Cardinal Dubois, prime minister to the most profligate prince in Earope, the Regent Orleans. The country was convulsed wiih bitter personal disputes between Jesuit and Jansenist, fighting even to mutual persecution upon points either beyond or bo neath the human intellect. A third party stood by, unseen, occasion ally stim.ilating each, but equally despising both, a potential fiend, (ineering at the blind zealotry and miserable rage that were doing its unsuspected will. Rome, that boasts of her freedom from schism, should blot the 18th century from her page. The French mind, s ibtlc, satirical, and delighting to turn even matters uf seriousn^^ss into ridicule, was immeasurably captivated by the true burlesque of those disputes, the childish virulence, the extrav- agar.t pretensions, and the siill more extravagant impostures falrica- ted in support of the rival pre-eminence in absurdity ; the visions of half-mad nuns and friars; the Convulsionaries; the miracles at the tomb of the Abbe Paris, trespasses on the common sense of man, scarcely conceivable by us if they had not been renewed under our eyes by popery. All France was in a burst of laughter. In the midst of this tempest of scorn an extraordinary man arose, to guide and deepen it into public ruin, Voltaire; a personal profli- gate; possessing a vast variety of that superficial knowledge which gives importance to folly; frantic for popularity, which he solicited at all hazards; and sufficiently opulent to relieve him from the neces« sity of any labours but those of national imdoing. Holding but an inferior and struggling rank in all the manlier provinces of the mind, in science, poetry, and philosophy ; he was the prince of scorncrs. The splenetic pleasantry which stimulates the wearied tastes of high life; the grossness which half concealed captivates the loose, without offence to their feeble decorutn ; and the easy brilliancy which throws what colours it will on the darker features of its purpose ; made Vol- taire, the very genius of France. But under this smooth and spark- ling surface, reflecting like ice all the lights flung upon it, there was a dark fathomless depth of malignity. He hated government; he ha- ted morals; he hated man; he hated religion. He sometimes bursts out into exclamations of rnge and insane f iry against all that we hon- our as l)est and holiest, that sound less the voice of human lips than the echoes of the final place of agony and despair. A tribe worthy of his succession, showy, ambitious, and malignant, followed; each with some vivid literary contribution, some powerful and popular work, a new despotic of combustion in that mighty mine on which ^tood in thin and fatal security the throne of France. Rous- sea I, the most impassioned of all romancers, the great corrupter of . the female mind. Buflf.jn, a lot\y and splendid speculator, who daz- zled the whole multitude of the minor philosophers, and fixed the creed f''^' ■ liui w: ® m P '^,hl. K h> ill V 1^ ^F^i'Mi ';^!i?-'^^* 514 BOOK OF MABTTRS. of Materialism. Montesquieu, eminent for knowledge and sagacity* in his "Spirit of Laws" striking all the establishments of his country into contempt; and in his "Persian Letters," levelling the same blow at her morals. D^Alembert, the first mathematician of his day, an eloquent writer, the declared pupil of Voltaire, and, by his secretary. ship of the French academy, furnished with all the facilities for pro. pagating his master^s opinions. And Diderot, the projector and chief conductor of the Encyclopedia, a work justly exciting the admiration of £urope, by the novelty and magnificence of its (tcsign, and by the comprehensive and solid extent of its knowledge; but in its principles utterly evil, a condensation of all the treasons of the school of anar- chy, the lex scripta of the Revolution. All those men were open infidels; and their attacks on religion such as they saw it before them, roused the Gallican church. But the warfare was totally unequal. The priesthood came armed with the antiquated and unwieldly weapons of old controversy, forgotten traditions and exhausted legends. They could have conquered them only by the bible; they fought them only with the breviary. The histories of the saints, and the wonders of images Wv;re but fresh food for the most overwhelming scorn. The bible itself, which popery has always laboured to close, was brought into the contest, and used resistlessly against the priesthood. They were contemptuously asked, in what part of the sacred volume had they found the worship of the Virgin, of the Saints, or of the Host? where was the privilege that conferred Saintship at the hands of the pope? where was the prohibi- tion of the general use of scripture by every man who had a soul to be saved? where was the revelation of that purgatory, from which a monk and a mass could extract a sinner? where was the command to imprison, torture, and slay men for their difference of opmion with an Italian priest and the college of cardinals? To those formidable questions the clerics answered by fragments from the fathers, angry harangues, and more legends of more miracles. They tried to en- list the nobles and the court in a crusade. But the nobles were al- ready among the most zealous, though secret, converts to the Encyclo- pedia; and the gentle spirit of the monarch was not to be urged into a civil war. The threat of force only inflamed contempt into ven- geance. The populace of Paris, like all mobs, licentious, restless, and fickle; but beyond all, taking an interest in public matters, had not been neglected by the deep designers who saw in the quarrel of the pen the growing quarrel of the sword. The Fronde was not yet out of their minds; the barrier days of Paris; the municipal council which in 1648, had levied war against the government ; the mob-ar- my which had fought, and terrified that government into forgiveness; were the strong memorials on which the anarchists of 1793 founded their seduction. The perpetual ridicule of the national belief was kept alive among them. The populace of the provinces, whose reli- gion was in their rosary, were prepared for rebellion by similar means; and the terrible and fated visitation of France began. ■ledge and sagacity; lents of his country 'Hint* the same blow ician of his day, an nd, by his secretary. the facilities for pro- \e projector and chief citin" the admiration ii8 iVssign, and by the 5; but in its principles of the school of anar- ir attacks on religion, iallican church. But hood came armed with controversy, forgotten i have conquered them th the breviary. The sea wore but fresh food Ae itself, which popery 10 the contest, and used e contemptuously asked, found the worship of the B was the privilege that 1 where was the prohibi- ' man who had a soul to nurgotorv, from which a lere was the command to erenceofopmionwithiiii ^-:^' ■":' 416 BOOK OF MARTYBS. ' #' MM'''' i • (tftj. tude than the words of eloquence, or the arguments of wisdom. The people listened as to their Cicero, when he twanged out his apostrophes of Pautre Peuple, Peuple verteueux! and hastened to execute what- ever came recommended by such honied phrases, though devised by the worst of men for the worst and most inhuman of purposes. Vanity was Robespierre^s ruling passion, and though his countenance was the image of his mind, he was vain even of his personal appearance and never adopted the external habits of a sans culotte. Amongst his fellow jacobins he was distinguished by the nicety with which his hair was arranged and powdered; and the neatness of his dress was care- fully attended to, so as to counterbalance, if possible, the vulgarity of his person. His apartments, though small, were elegant, and vanity had filled them with representations of the occupant. Robespierre's picture at length hung in one place, his miniature in another, his bust occupied a niche, and on the table were disposed a few medallions ex- hibiting his head in profile. The vanity which all this indicated wag of the coldest and most selfish character, being such as considers neglect as insult, and receives homage merely as a tribute; so that, while praise is received without gratitude, it is withheld at the risk of mortal hate. Self-love of this dangerous character is closely allied with envy, and Robespierre was one of the most envious and vindictive men that ever lived. He never was known to pardon any opposition, affront, or even rivalry; and to be marked in his tablets on such an account was a sure, though perhaps not an immediate sentence of death. Dnnton was a hero, compared with this cold, calculatirg, creeping miscreant; fur his Eassions, though exaggerated, had at least some touch of humanity, and is brutal ferocity was supported by brutal courage. Robespierre was a coward, who signed death-warrants with a hand that shook, though his heart was relentless. He possessed no passions on which to charge his crimes; they were perpetrated in cold blood, and upon ma- ture deliberation. Marat, the third of this infernal triumvirate, had attracted the at- tention of the lower orders, by the violence of his sentiments in the journal which he conducted from the commencement of the revolu- tion, upon such principles that it took the lead in forwarding its suc- cessive changes. His political exhortations began and ended like the howl of a blood-hound for murder; or, if a wolf could have written a journal the gaunt and famished wretch could not have ravined more eagerly for slaughter. It was blood which was Marat's constant de- mand, not in drops from the breast of an individual, not in puny streams from the slaughter of families, but blood in the profusion of an ocean. His u^ual calculation of the heads which he demanded amounted to two hundred and sixty thousand ; and though he some- times raised it as high as three hundred thousand, it never fell beneath the smaller number. It may be hoped, and for the honour of humuu nature, we are inclined to believe, there was a touch of insanity in this unnatural strain of ferocity; and the wild and squalid features of the wretch appear to have intimated a degree of alienation of mind. ROOK OF MARTYRS. 517 g of wisdom. The 1 out hia aposirophes ted to execute what- hough devised by ihe urposes. )u»h his countenance personal appearance, ulotte. Amongst his / with which his hair f his dress was care- ible, the vulgarity of e elegant, and vanity ipant. Robespierre's •e in another, his bust J a few medallions ex- i all this indicated was ich as considers neglect e; BO that, while praise he risk of mortal hate. allied with envy, and indictive men that ever losition, affront, or even an account was a sure, death. Dnnton was a spina miscreant; for his (touch of humanity, and rage. Robespierre was h a hand that shook, I no passions on which to old blood, and upon ma- e, had attracted the at- of his sentiments in the lencement of the revolu- ad in forwarding its sue- jegan and ended like the rolf could have written a d not have ravined more was Marat's constant de- individual, not in punv blood in the profusion of ■ads which ho demanded nd; and though he some- sand, it never fell beneath for the honour of human a touch of insanity in this nd squalid features ol the of alienation of mind. Marat was, like Robespierre, a coward. Repeatedly denounced in the Assembly, he skulked instead of defending himself, and lay concealed in sjme obscure garret or cellar, among his cut-throats, until a storm appeared, when, like a bird of ill omen, his death-screech was again heand. Such was the strange and fatal triumvirate, in which the same degree of cannibal cruelty existed under different aspects. Danton murdered to glut his rage; Robespierre to avenge his injured vanity, or to remove a rival whom he envied ! Marat, from the same instinctive love of blood, which induces a wolf to continue his ravage of the flocks long after his hunger is appeased. These monsters ruled France for a time with the most despotic sway. The must sanguinary laws were enacted — and the most vigilant xyth teni of police maintained. Spies and informers were employed — and every murmur, and every expression unfavourable to the ruling powers was followed with the sentence of death and its immediate ex- ecution. "Men," says Scott, "read Livy for the sake of discovering wha» degree of private crime might be committed under the mask of public virtue. The deed of the younger Brutus, served any man as an apology to betray to ruin and to death, a friend or a patron, whose patriotism might not be of the pitch which suited the time. Under the example of the elder Brutus, the nearest ties of blood were re- peatedly made to give way before the ferocity of party zeal — a zeal too often assumed for the most infamous and selfish purposes. As some fanatics of yore studied the old testament for the purpose of finding examples of bad actions to vindicate those which themselves were tempted to commit, so the republicans of France, we mean the desperate and outrageous bigots of the revolution, read history to justify, by classical instances, their public and private crimes. In- formers, those scourges of a state, were encouraged to a degree scarce known in ancient Rome in the time of the emperors, though Tacitus has hurled his thunders against them, as the poison and pest of his time. The duty of lodging such informations was unblushingly urged as indispensable. The safety of the republic being the su- preme charge of every citizen, he was on no account to hesitate in denouncing^ as it was termed, any one whomsoever, or howsoever con- nected with him, — the friend of his counsels, or the wife of his bosom, .—providing he had reason to suspect the devoted individual of the crime of inctmsm, — a crime the more mysteriously dreadful, as no one knew exactly its nature." In this place we shall give an account of some of the scenes to which France was subject during this awful period. In order to ren- der the triumph complete, the leaders of the Jacobins determined upon a general massacre of all the friends of the unfortunate Louis and the constitution in the kingdom. For this purpose, suspected persons of all ranks were collected in the prisons and jails, and on the 2d of Sep- tember, 1792, the work of death commenced. 42 W^ ^j': ;,v II ^i:^::'. '^•'?^ mi m-. m ^^f. Jk. "''' .' 518 BOOK OF MAKTVRS. Massacre of Prisoners. The niimber of individuals accumulated in the various prisons of Paris, had increased by the arrests and domiciliary visits sulsequent to the 10th of August, to about eight thousand persons. It wus the olject of this infernal scheme to destroy the greater part of these un< der one general system of murder, nut to be executed by the sudden and furious impulse of an armed multitude, but with a certain degree of cold blood and deliberate investigation. A force of armed ban* ditti, Marsellois partly, and partly chosen ruffians of the Fauxbourgs proceeded to the several prisons, into which they either forced their passage, or were admitted by the jailers, most of whom had been apprised of what was to take place, though some even of these steel< ed officials exerted themselves to save those under their charge. A revolutionary tribunal was formed from among the armed ruffians themselves, who examined the registers of the prison, and summoned the captives individually to undergo the form of a trial. If the judges, as was almost always the case, declared for death, their doom, to prevent the eflorts of men in despair, was expressed in the words, "Give the prisoner freedom." The victim was then thrust out into the street, or yard ; he was despatched by men and women, who, with sleeves tucked up, arms dyed elbow-deep in blood, hands holding axes, pikes, and sabres, were executioners of the sentence; and, by the manner in which they did their office on the living, and mangled the bodies of the dead, showed that they occupied the post as much from pleasure as from love of hire. They often exchanged places; the judges going out to take the executioners' duty, the executioners, with reeking hands, sitting as judges in their turn. Mallard, a ruf- fian alleged to have distinguished himself at the siege of the Bastiie, but better known by his exploits on the march to Versailles, presided during these brief and sanguinary investigations. His companions on the bench were persons of the same stamp. Yet there were oc- casions when they showed some transient gleams of humanity, and it is not unimportant to remark, that boldness had more influence on them than any appeal to mercy or compassion. An avowed royalist was occasionally dismissed uninjured, while the constitutionalists were sure to be massacred. Another trait of a singular nature is, that two of the ruffians who were appointed to guard one of these intended vic- tims home in safety, as if they were acquitted, insisted on seeing hi;* meeting with his family, seemed to share in the transports of the mo- ment, and on taking leave, shook the hand of their late prisoner, while their own were clotted with the gore of his friends, and had been just raised to shed his own. Few, indeed, and brief, were these symptoms of relenting. In general, the doom of the prisoner was death, and that doom was instantly accomplished. In the meanwhile, the captives were penned up in their dungeons like cattle in a shambles, and in many i!ista:ices might, from win- dows which looked outwards, mark the fute of their comrades, bear BOOK OF MARTYRS. >10 I various prisons of ry visits sulisequent )er8oii8. It was the Ler part of these un« cuted by the sudden ath a certain degree force of armed ban- of the Fauxbourga, sy either forced their of whom had been B even of these steel- ,der their charge. A the armed ruffians rison, and summoned of a trial. If the for death, their doom, xpressed in the words, 9 then thrust out into tnd women, who, with Ki, hands holding axes, icntence; and, by the iving, and mangled the he post as much from lexchanged places; the uty, the executioners. turn. Mailard, a ruf- e siege of the Bastile, to Versailles, presided ons. His companions ip. Yet there were oc- ms of humanity, and it iad more influence on An avowed royalist , constitutionalists were lular nature is, that two (e of these intended vie- , insisted on seeing hi? ,e transports of the mo- heir late prisoner, while lends, and had been just if, were these symptoms iner was death, and that led up in their dungeons lavices might, from wm- lof their comrades, bear their cries, and behold their struggles, und lenrn from the horfSle Bcene, how they might Lest meet their own approaching fate. '1 nuy observed, according to St. Meard, who, in his \vell-na"ned Agony of Thirty- Six Hours, has given the account of this feaifal scene, that those who intercepted the Hows of the executioners, by hol.iing up their hands, suffered protracted torment, while thase who oftbred no ghow of struggle were iP" easily despatched; and they encouraged each other to SiiLmitii/ i:ioir tate, in the manner least likely to pro- long their suffbrings. Many ladies, especiai.y 'h »e belonging to the court, were thus murdered. The Piincess 'lo Lamlalle, whose only crime seems to have been her friendship for Mane Aniomelte, was literally hewn to pieces, and her head, and that of others, paraded on pikes through the metropolis. It was carried to the temjdo on thai accursei weapon, the features yet beautiful in death, anJ the long fair curls of the hair floating around the spear. The m irderers insisted that tlic King and Queen should be compelled to come to the winilow to view this dread- ful trophy. The municipal officers who were upon duty over the royal prisoners, had difficulty, not merely in saving them from this horrible inhumanity, but also in preventing their prison from being forced. Three-coloured ribbons were extended across the street, and this frail barrier was found sithcient to intimate that the Temj)lo was under the safeguard of the nation. We do njt read that the effi- ciency of the three-colourod ribbons was tried for the protection of any of the other prisoners. No doubt the executioners had their in- structions where and when they should be respected. The clergy, who had declined the constitutional oath from pious scruples, were, during the massacre, the peculiar oljccts of insult and cruelty, and their conduct was such as corresponded with their reli- gious anJ conscientious professions. They were seen confessing themselves to each other, or receiving the conlossions of their lay com- panions in misfortune, and encouraging them to undergo the evil hour, with as much calmness as if they had not been to sharu ils bitterness. As proiestants, we cannot abstractedly approve of the doctrines which re:ider the established clergj of one country dependant upon the sovereign pontiff, the prince of an alien state. Bit these priests did not make the laws for which they sufFored; they only obeyed them; and as men and christians we must regard them as martyrs, who pre- ferred death to what they considered as apostacy. In the brief intervals of this dreadful butchery, which lasted four days, the judges and executioners ate, drank, and slc;>t: and awoke from slumber, or arose from their meal, wiih fresh appetite for murder. There were places arranged for the male, and for the female mur- derers, for the work had been incomplete without the intervention of the latter. Prisun after prison was invested, entered, and under the same form of proceeding made the scene of the s:iiue inhuman butchery. The Jacobins had reckoned on making the massacre universal over France. But the example was not generally f )llowed. B-f- ftl '. If-. I 520 BOOK or BIARTTRi. m:£ „ If -ARM -fV;? ' ■• r>' i( , < lit? • k«# ?I1 ^ * -* , !?f It required, as in the case of St. Bartholomew, the only nrassacro which can be compared to this in atrocity, the cxcitaiiun ol'u la,.,Q capital, in a violent crisis, to render s.ich horrors possible. The comnunity of Paris were not in fault for this. They did all they could to extend the sphere of murder. Their warrant hroiiglit from Orleans near sixty persons, including th- Duke do Cusso-Brjssac De Lcsart the late minister, and other ru}ulists of distinctior., ^vho were to have been tried before the high court of that deimrtinont. A band of assassins met them, by appointment of the commmitv at Versailles, who, uniting with their escort, murdered almost the whole of the unhappy men. From the 2d to the Gth of September, these infernal crimes pro. ceedod uninterrupted, protracted by the actors for the sake of the daily pay of a louis to each, openly distributed amongst them, by order of the Commune. It was either from a desire to continue as long as possible a labour so well lequiieu, or because these \mmi had acquired an insatiable lust of m irder, that, when the juils were emptied of state criminals, the a&sassins attacked the Bicctre, a prison where ordinary delinquents were confined. These unhappy wretches offered a degree of resistance which cost the assailants moi dear than any they had experienced from their proper victims. They were obliged to fire on them with cannon, and many hundreds of tlie mis- erable creatures were in this way exterminated, by wretches wurse than themselves. No exact account was ever made of the number of persons mur- dered during this dreadful period; but not above two or three hun- dred of th^^i prisoners arrested for state offences were known to escape, or be discharged, and the most moderate computation raises the num- ber of those who fell to two or three thousand, though some carry it to twice the extent. Truchod announced to the liOgislative Assem- bly, that four thousand had perished. Some exertion was made to ■ave the lives of those imprisoned for debt, whoso numbers, with those of common felons, may make up the balance betwixt the niro- ber slain and eight thousand who were prisoners when the massacre began. The bodies were interred in heaps, in immense trenches, pre- pared beforehand by order of the community of Paris; but their bnes have since been transferred to the subterranean catacombs, whicli form the general charnel-house of the city. In those melancholy re- gions, while other relics of mortality lie exposed all around, the re- mains of those who perished in the massacres of September, are alone secluded from the eye. The vault in which they repose is closed with a screen of freestone, as if relating to crimes unfit to be thought of even in the proper abode of death ; and which France would willingly hide in oblivion. After this dreadful massacre, the Jacobins eagerly demanded the life of Louis XVI. He was accordingly tried by the convention ai condemned to be beheaded. BOOK OF MARTYRS. 521 I the only ntmssacre excitation ol" a large ( possible. ■ this. They did all eir warrant brought like ilo Co33o-Biissac, s of (listiuctior., who t of that tlejiartmcnl. of the comminity, at ered almost the whoiti e infernal crimes pro- ■s for the sake of the ;ed amongst thorn, by desire to continue as r because these beings it, when the jails were ,ed the Bicctre, a prison 'hese unhappy wretches 3 assailants moi dear ,er victims. They were iny hundreds of the mis- ited, by wretches worse number of persons mur- V)ove two or three hiin- js were known to escape, ipntation raises the num- nd, though some carry il ► the liOgislative Assent- me exertion was made to )t wlioso nnmlers, with fiance betwixt the nnm- [oners v/hen the massacre [in immense trenches, pre- / of Paris; but their Iwnes anean catacombs, which In those melancholy re- xposed all around, the re. ■s of September, are alone they repose is closed with ,.es unfit to be thought of [ch France would willingly Lins eagerly demanded the tied by the convention and Death of Louis XVI. and other Members of the Royal Family. On the 21st of January, 1793, Luuis XVI. was puhlicly belieuded in the midst of liis own metropolis, in the Place Louis Quinzey erected to the memory of his grandfather. It is possible, I'or the critical eye of the historian, to discover much weakness in the conduct of this unhappy monarch; for he had neither the determination to fight for his rights, nor the power of submitting with apparent indifierence to circumstances, where resistance inferred danger, lie submitted, indeed, but with so bad a grace, that he only made himself suspected of cowardice, with- out getting credit for voluntary concession. But yet his behaviour on many trying occasions cfioctually vindicate him from the charge of timidity, and showed that the unwillingness to shed blood, by which he was peculiarly distinguished, arose from benevolence, not from pu- sillanimity. Upon the scafibld, he behaved with the firmness which became a noble spirit, and the patience beseeming one who was reconciled to heaven. As one of the few marks of sympathy with which his suffer- ings were sofiened, the attendance of a confessor, who had not taken the constitutional oath, was permitted to the dethroned monarch. He who undertook the honourable but dangerous office, was a gentleman of gifted family of Edgeworth of Edgeworthstown; and the devoted zeal with which ho rendered the last duties to Louis, had like in the issue to have proved fatal to himself. As the instrument of death descended, the confessor pronounced the impressive words, — "Son of Saint Louis, ascend to heaven I" There was a last will of Louis Louis XVL circulated upon good author- ity, bearing this remarkable passage : — ^"I recommend to my son, should you have the misfortune to become king, to recollect that his whole facul- ties are due to the service of the public; that he ought to consult the happiness of his people, by governing according to the laws, forgetting all injuries ad misfortunes, and in particular those which I may have sustained. But while I exhort him to govern under the author- ity of the laws, I cannot but add, that this will be only in his power, in so far as he shall be endowed with authority to cause right to be re- spected, and wrong punished; and that without such authority, his situ- ation in the government must be more hurtful than advantageous to the state." Not to mingle the fate of the illustrious victim of the royal family with the general tale of the sufferers under the reign of terror, we must here mention the deaths of the rest of that illustrious house, which closed for a time a monarchy, that existing through three dynasties, had given sixty -six kings to France. It was not to be supposed, that the queen was to be long permitted to lurvive her husband. She had l)een even more than he the oLject of re- volutionary detestation; nay, many were disposed to throw on Marie Antoinette, almjst exclusively, the blame of those measures which (hcv considered as uounter-revolutijuary. 42* 'Vi^ 'M$- .f .A. M-: M ' ■■■' \' ■»',' 523 ROOK or siartyrs The terms of her accnsntion wore loo bnsely depraved to be oven ninted at here. She scorned to reply to it, butuppeuled to all who had been mothers, a^ruinst tli" very posaihility of the horrors wiiirh Hero stated against her. 'J'li wir'ow cf u king, the sister of an cmperur, was condemned todeatii, hugged in an open tnmhril to the place of ex- ecution, and beheaded on the llith October, 171)3. She sullered death iti her 3i)th year. The princess Elizabeth, sister of Louis, of whom it might be said, in the words of lord Clarendon, that she resembled a chupel in a king^s palace, into which nothing but piety and morality enter, while all around is filled with sin, idleness, and folly, did not, by the must harmless demeanour and inoffensive character, escape the miseraldo fate in which tin Jacobins had determined to involve the whole fumi. ly of Louis XVI. Part of the accusation redounded to tlio honour of her character. She was accused of having admitted to the apart- ments of the Tuilleries some of the national guards, of the scctiou of Filles de Saint Thomas, am! causing the wounds to be looked to, which they had received in a skirmish with the Marsellois, immedi- ately before the 10th of August. The princess admitted her having (lone so, and it was exactly in consistence with her whole conduct. Another charge stated the ridiculous accusation, that she >ud distri- buted bullets chewed by herself and her attendants, to render them more fatal, to the defenders of the castle of the Tuilleries; a ridicu- lous fable, of which there was no proof whatever. She was beheaded in May, 1794, and met her death as became the manner in which her life had been spent. We are weary of recounting these atrocities, as others must be of reading them. Yet it is not useless that men should see how far human nature can be carried, in contradiction to every feeling the most sacred, to every pleading, whether of justice or of humanity. The Dauphin we have already described as a promising child of seven years old, an age at which no ofTence could have been given, and from which no dan- ger could have been apprehended. Nevertheless, it was resolved to destroy the innocent child, and by means to which ordinary murders seem deeds of mercy. The unhappy boy was put in charge of the most hard-hearted vil- lain whom the community of Paris, well acquainted where siich agents were to be found, were able to select from their band of Jaco- bins. This wretch, a shoemaker called Simon, asked his employers, "what was to be done with the young wolf-whelp; Was he to he sjain ?"— "No."— "Poisoned ?"— "No."— "Starved to death ?"— "No." "What then?" — ^"He was to be got rid of." Accordingly, by a continu- ance of the most severe treatment — by beating, cold, vigils, fasts, and ill usage of every kind, so frail a blossom was soon blighted. He died on the 8th June, 17U5. Atler ttiis last horrible crime, there was a relaxation in favour of the daughter, and now the sole child of this unhappy house. The princess royal, whose qualities havo hjnourod even her birth and blood, expc- »raved to be even lied to all who had ,rror3 which w«re er of on emperor, to tho pluce of ex- ShosulVercd dealh 1 it might he said, ,lcd a chapel in a orality enter, while id not, hy the most scape the miseraltle olve tho whole fumi- (led to tlio honour of initted to the apart- mrd8, of the scctiou (unds to be looked to, , Mareellois, immedi- , admitted her having 1 her whole condv\ct. 1, that she !>ad distri- idants, to render them 5 Tuilleries; a ridicu- r. She was beheaded ) manner in which her as others must be of mid see how far human 'eelingthe most sacred, canity. The Dauphin of seven years old, an and from which no dan- ess, it was resolved to vhich ordinary murders e most hard-hearted vil- cquainted where such "rom their band of Jaco- n, asked his employers, •-whelp; Was he to be .;edtodeathr-"No." ccordingly,byacontinu. r, cold, vigils, fasts, and soon blighted. Hedied Blaxation in favour of the ,py house. The princess er birth and blood, expe- nOOK OP MAItTVRH. 523 g' ricnccd from this period a nutigiited captivity Finally, on tiio lOtb December, 171);'), this hist reinainin;^ roiic of the fatnily of Louis, waa permitted to leave her prison and hur country, in exchange for La Fayette and others, whom, on that coudition, Austria delivered from captivity. She became aflorwurds the wife of her cousin, the duko d'Angouleme, eldest son of the reigning monarch of France, and ob- tained, by the manner in which she conducted herself at Bourdeaiu in 1815, the highest praise for gallantry and spirit. Dreadful scenes in La Vendee. In La Vendee, one of the departments of France, an insurrection broke out against the Jacobinical government, in 1793. Upwards of two hundred battles and skirmishes were fought in this devoted country. The revolutionary fever was in its access; the shedding of blood seemed to have become positive pleasure to tho perpetrators of slaughter, and was varied by each invention which cruelty could invent to give it new zest. The habitations of the Ven- deans were destroyed, their families sjI joctedto violation and massa- cre, their cattle houghed and slaughtered, and their crops burnt and wasted. One republican column assumed and merited the name of the Infernal, by the horrid atrocities which they committed. At Pilau, they roasted tho women and children in a heated oven. Many simi- lar horrors could he added, did not the heart and hand recoil from the task. Without quoting any more special instances of horror, we use the words of a republican eye witness, to express the general specta- cle presented by the theatre of public conflict. "I did not see a single male being at the towns of St. Hcrmand, Chantonnay, or Herbiers. A few women alone had escaped the sword. Country-seats, cottages, habitations of whichever kind, were burnt. The herds and flocks v/ere wandering in terror around their usual places of shelter, now smoking in ruins. 1 was surprised by night, but the wavering and dismal Llazc of conflagration aflforded light over the country. To the bleating of the terriried flocks, and bellowing of the terrified cattle, was joined the deep hoarse notes of carrion crows, and the yells of wild animals coming from the recesses of the woods to prey upon the carcasses of the slain. At length a distant colume of fire, widening and increasing as I approached, served me as a beacon. It was the town of Mortagne in flames. When I arrived there, no living creatures were to be seen, save a few wretched women who were striving to save some remnants of their property from the general conflagration. — Les Memoires d'^un Ancien Administrateur des Armees Repuhlicaines. Scenes at Marseilles and Lyons. Marseilles, Toulon, and Lyons, h id declared themselves against the Jacobin supremacy. Rich from commerce and their maratime situ- iiM' »'i| *^ BOOK OF MARTYBS. ation, and, in the case of Lyons, from their command of internal nav- igation, the wealthy merchants and manufacturers of thosu ciiies tore- saw the total insecurity of property, and in consequence of their own ruin, in the system of arbitrary spoliation and murder upon which the government of the Jacolins was founded. But property, for which they were solicitous, though, if its natural force is used in time, the most powerful barrier to withstand revolution, becomes, after a certain period of delay, its helpless victim. If the rich are in due sea- son liberal of their means, they have the power of enlisting in their cause, and as adherents, those among the lower orders, who, if they see their superiors dejected and despairing, will be tempted to consid- er tliem as ol jects of plunder. But this must be done early, ur those who might be made the most active defenders of property, will join with such as are prepared to make a prey of it. Marseilles showed at once her good will and her impotency of means. The utmost exertions of that wealthy city, whose revolution- ary band had contributed so much to the downfall of the monarchy in the attack on the Tuilleries, were able to equip only a small and doubtful army of about 3000 men, who were despatched to the relief of Lyons. This inconsiderable army threw themselves into Avignon, and were defeated with the utmost ease, by the republican general Cartaux, despicable as a military officer, and whose forces would not have stood a single engaillement of Vendean sharp-shooters. Mar- seilles received the victors, and bowed her head to the subsequent horrors which it pleased Cartaux, with two formidable Jacobins, fiar- ras and Ferron, to inflict on that flourishing city. The place under- ivent the usual terrors of Jacobin purifaction, and was for a time af- fectedly called "nameless commune." Lyons made a more honourable stand. That noble city had been subjected for some time to the domination of Chalier, one of the most ferocious, and at the same time one of the most extravagantly absurd, of the Jacobins. He was at the head of a formidable club, which was worthy of being affiliated with the mother society, and ambitious of treading in its footsteps ; and he was supported by a garrison of two revolutionary regiments, besides a numerous artillery, and a large ad- dition of volunteers, amounting in all to about ten thousand men, form- ing what was called a revolutionary army. This Chalier, was an a- postate priest, an atheist, and a thorough-paced pupil in the school of terror. He had been prccureur of the community, and had imposed on the wealthy citizens a tax, which was raised from six to thirty mil- lions of livres. Bat blood as well as gold was his object. The mas- 8acrf> of a few priests and aristocrats confined in the fortress of Pierre- Scixe, was a pitiful sacritice; and Chaiier, ambitious of deeds more decisive, caused a general arrest of an hundred principal citizens, whom he destined as a hecatomb more worthy of the demon whom he served. This sacrifice was prevented by the courage of t!«a Lyonnois; a courage which, if assumed by the Parisians, migh^ liave prevented BOOK OF MASTTBS. 525 most of the horrors which disgraced the revolution. The meditated slaughter was already announced by Chalier to the Jacobin chib. "Three hundred heads,^' he said, "are marked for slaughter. Let us lose no time iii seizing the members of the departmental office-bearers, the presidents and secretaries of the sections, all the local authorities who obstruct our revolutionary measures. Let us make one fagot of the whole, and deliver them at once to the guillotine.^' Biit ere he could execute his threat, terrour was awakened into the courage of despair. The citizens rose in arms and besieged the Ho* tel de Ville, in which Chalier, with his revolutionary troops, made a desperate, and for some time a successful, yet ultimately a vain de- fence. But the Lyonnois unhappily knew not how to avail them- selves of their triumph. They were not sufficiently aware of the nature of the vengeance which they had provoked, or of the neces- sity of supporting the bold step which they had taken, by measures which precluded a compromise. Their resistance to the violence and atrocity of the Jacobins had no political character, any more than that offered by the traveller against robbers who threaten him with plunder and murder. They were not sufficiently aware, that, having done so much, they must necessarily do more. They ought, by declaring them- selves royalists, to have endeavoured to prevail on the troops of Savoy, if not on the Swiss, (who had embraced a species of neutrality, which, after the 10th of August, was dishonourable to their ancient reputa- tion,) to send in all haste, soldiery to the assistance of a city which had no fortifications or regular troops to defend it; but which possessed, nevertheless, treasures to pay their auxiliaries, and strong hands and able officers to avail themselves of the localities of their situation, which, when well defended, are sometimes as formidable as the regular protection erected by scientific engineers. The people of Lyons vainly endeavoured to establish a revolution- ary character for themselves upon the system of Gironde; two of whose proscribed deputies tried to draw them over to their unpopular and hopeless cause : and they inconsistently sought protection by affecting a republican zeal, even while resisting the decrees, and defeating the troops of the Jacobins. There were undoubtedly many >f royalist prin- ciples among the insurgents, and some of their leaders were decidedly such; but these were not numerous or influential enough to establish the true principle of open resistance, and the ultimate chance of rescue, by a bold proclamation of the king's interest. They still appealed to the convention as their legitimate sovereign, in whose eyes they endeavour- ed to vindicate themselves, and at the same time tried to secure the in- terest of two Jacobin deputies, who had countenanced every violation attempted by Chalier, that they might prevail upon them to represent their conduct favourably. Of course '.hey had enough of promises to this effect, while Messrs. Guathier and Nijche, the deputies in question, remained in their power; promises, doubtless the more readi'y given, that the Lyonnois, though desirous to conciliate the favour of the con vention, did not hesitate in proceeding to the punishment of the Jacobio ii Ml m 111' ■I illt ,'.■,*» M J 526 nOOK OF SLIRTYRS. S'P^.v • fi,l, '.Ml!:*' '^1 Chalier. Ha was condemned and executed, along with one of his prin- cipal associates, termed Reaixl. To defend these vigourous proceedings, the unhappy insurgents placed themselves under the interim government of a council, who, still desir- ous toteniporize and maintaia the revolutionary character, termed them- selves "the popular and republican commission of public safety of the department of the Rhine and Loire;" a title which, while it excited no popular enthusiasm, and attracted no foreign aid, no ways suf}thed, but rather exasperated, the resentment of the convention, now under the absolute domination of the Jacobins, by whom every thing short of complete fraternization was accounted presumptuous defiance. 'J'hose who were not with them, it was their policy to hold as their most decid- ed enemies. The Lyonnois had indeed letters of encouragement, and promised con- currence, from several departments; but no effectual support was ever directed to their city, excepting the petty reinforcement from Marseilles, which we have seen was intercepted and dispersed with little trouble by the Jacobin general, Cartaux. Lyons had expected to become the patroness and focus of an Anti- Jacobin league, formed by the great commercial towns, against Paris and the predominant part of the convention. She found herself iso- lated and unsupported, and lefl to oppose her own proper forces and means of defence, to an army of sixty thousand men, and to the nu- merous Jacobins contained within her own walls. About the end of July, after a lapse of an interval of two months, a regular blockade was formed around the city, and in the first week of August, hcstili- ties took place. The besieging army was directed in its military character by general Kellerman, who, with other distinguished sol- diers, had now began to hold an eminent rank in the republican ar- mies. But for the purpose of executing the vengeance for which they thirsted, the Jacobins relied chiefly oa the exertions of the depu- ties they had sent along with the commander, and especially of the ••epreseatative, Dalnjis Crance, a man whose sole merit appears to have been his frantic Jacobinism. General Percy, formerly an ofli- cer in the royal service, undertook the almost h')peless task of defence, and by forming redoubts oa the must commanding situations around the town, commenced a resistance against the immensely superior force of the besiegers, which was honourable if it could have been useful. The Lyo.inuis, at the same time, still endeavoured to make fair weather with the besieging army, by representing themselves as firm republicans. They celebrated as a public festival the anniver- sary of the 10th of August, while Dul)ois Crance, to show the credit he gave them for their republinan zeal, fixed the same day for com- mencing his fire on the place, a.'id caused the first gun to be discharged by his own co;icabiiie, a female born in Lyons. Bjmts and r?d-hot bul- lets were next resorted to, against the second city of the French em pire; while the Lcsie^^ed s:islained the attack with a constancy, and on many jiarts repelled it with a courage highly honourable to their character. BOOK OF MARTYB8. 527 I one of bis prin- nsurgenta placed who, still dcsir- !ier, termed ihem- blic safety of the 1, while It excited no ways soothed, mtion, now under ery thing sliort of (defiance. Those IS their most decid- t, and promised con- a'l suppoit was ever ent from Marseilles, id with little trouble id focus of an Anti- towns, against Pans rie found herself wo vn proper forces and men, and to the nu. About the end ol b a regular blockade ek of August, h'^stili- ected in its military lier distinguished sol- ^ in the republican ai^ vengeance for which .vertioi>s of the depu- and especially ot the sole merit appears to .rev, formerly an ofii- jpeless task of defence, 'ling situations around ,e immensely superior if It could have been 11 endeavoured to make eseuting themselves as c festival the anniver- Mice, to show the credit Ithe same day for com- '•St gun to be discharged Bltsandr^d-hotbul- leity of the French em '^ith a constancy, and on .urabletotheir character. But their fate was determined. The deputies announced to tlie convention their purpose of pouring their instruments of havoc on every quarter of the town at once, and when it was on fire in several places, to attempt a general storm. "The city," they said, "must surrender, or there shall not remain one stone upon another, and this we hope to accomplish in spite of the suggestions of false compas- sion. Do not then be surprised when you hear that Lyons exists nc longer." The fury of the attack threatened to make good these promises. The sufferings of the citizens became intolerable. Several quai^ ters of the city were on fire at the same time, inmiense magazines were burnt to the ground, and a loss incurred, during two night^i bombardment, which was calculated at two hundred millions of livres A black flag was hoisted by the besieged on the Great Hospital, as a sign that the fire of the assailants should not be directed on that asy- lum of hopeless misery. The signal seemed only to draw the repub- lican bombs to the spot where they could create the most frightful dis* tresses, and outrage in the highest degree the feelings of humanity. The devastations of famine were soon added to tliose of slaughter; and aflcr two months of such horrors had been sustained, it became obvious that farther resistance was impossible. The parylitic Couthon, with Cullot D^Herbois, and other deputies, were sent to Lyons by the committee of public safety, to execute p^ the vengeance which the Jacobins demandeid; while Dubois Crance E was recalled, for having put, it was thought, less energy to his pro- ceedings than the prosecution of the siege required. GoUot DUier- bois had a personal motive of a singular nature for delighting in the task intrusted to him and his colleagues. In his capacity of a play- actor, he had been hissed from the stage at Lyons, and the door to revenge was now open. The instructions of this comn'ittee enjoined them to take the most satisfactory revenge for the death of Chalier, and the insurrection of Lyons, not merely on the citizens, but on the town itself. The pjrincipal streets and buildings were to be levelled with the ground, and a monument erected where they stood, was to record the cause : — ^^Lyons rebelled against the RepubHo— Lyons is no more?'^ Such fragments of the town as might be permitted to re- main, were to bear the name of Ville AfTranchie. It will scarce be believed that a doom like that which might have passed the lips of some eastern despot^ in all the frantic madness of arbitrary power and utter ignorance, could have been seriously pronounced, and as seriously enforced, in one of the most civilized nations in Europe; and that in the present enlightened age, men who pretended to wisdom and philosophy, should have considered the labours of the architect as a proper subject of punishment. So it was, however; and to give the demolition more eflect, the impotent Couthon was carried from house to house, devoting each to ruin, by striking the door witii a silver hammer, and pronouncing these words — "House of a rebels I condemn thee in the name of the law." Workmen followed ia '-.-■■ ^M W\ $.^^i n i.y bVS BOOK OF MABTYRS. dm m ' I m'^U i i^M iiy si^^^^p 1 i^ii great lA 'ftitudes, who executed the sentence by pulhng the house down to the foundations. This wanton demolition continued for six months, and is said to tiave been curried on at an expense equal to that which the superb iniiiiary hospiral, the Hotel des Invalides, cost its founder, Louis XIV. But republican vengeance did not waste it- self exclusively upon senseless lime and stone— it sought out sentient victims. The deserved death of Chaiier had been atoned by an apotheosis executed after Lyons had surrendered ; but Collot D^Herbois declared that every drop of that patriotic blood fell as if scalding his own heart and that the murder demanded atonement. All ordinary process, and every usual mode of execution, was thought too tardy to aveuge the death of a Jacobin proconsul. The judges of the revolutionary commission were worn out with fatigue — the arm of the executions was weary — the very steel of the guillotine was blunted. Collol D^Herbois devised a more summary mode of slaughter. A numboi of from two to three hundred victims at once were dragged front prison to the place de Baotteaux, one of the latest squares in Lyons, and there subjected to a fire of grupe-shot. Etiicacious as this mode of execution may seem, it was neither speedy nor merciful. The Bufierers fell to the ground like singed flies, mutilated but not slain and imploring their executioners to despatch them speedily. This was done with sabres and bayonets, and with such haste and zeal, that some of the jailers and assistants were slain along with those whom they had assisted in dragging to death; and the mistake was not dis- cerned, until, upon counting the dead bodies, the military murderers found them to amount to more than the destined tale. The bodies of the dead were thrown into the Rhone, to carry news of the republican vengeance, as Collot D^Herbois expressed himself, to Toulon, then also in a state of revolt. But the sullen stream rejected the office imposed on it, and headed back the dead in heaps upon the banks; and the committee of Representatives was compelled at length to allow the relics of their cruelty to be interred, to prevent the risk of conta* gioD. The Installation of the Goddess of Reason, At length the zeal of the infuriated Atheists in France hurried them to the perpetration of one of the most ridiculous, and at the same tim; impious transactions which ever disgraced the annals of any nation. It was no less than a formal renunciation of the existence of a Su- oreme Being, and the installation of the Goddess of Reason, in 171)3. "There is," says Scott, "a fanaticism of atheism, as well as of su- perstitious belief; and a philosopher can harbour and express as much malice against those who persevere in believing what he is pleased to denounce as unworthy of credence, as an ignorant and bigoted priest can bear against a man who cannot yield faith to dogmata I which he thinks insufficiently proved. Accordingly, the throne being pulling the house continued for six expense equal to Jes Invalides, cost . did not waste it- aought out sentient d by an apotheosis D'Herbois declared Iding his own heart, fdinary process, and tardy to ave\.ge the f the revolutionary m of the executionet vas blunted. Collet laughter. A numbei . were dragged from rest squares in Lyons, Ificacious as this mode V nor merciful. The Wed but not slain, them speedily. Thia mch haste and zeal, that along with those whom tie mistake wasnotdis- the military murderere 3d tale. The bodies oi r news of the republican »imself, to Toulon, then ream rejected the oftice aps upon the banks; and iled at length to allow .reventtberiakofconta. 8 of Reason. ts in France hurried them lou8,andatthe8amete the annals of any nat.^ of the existence of aj^^ ddcss of Reason, xM .theism, as well a (^ sj rbour ai'.d express as much S- >vhat he is ptoed an r-norant and b.gote ,rvfeld faith to dogmata iordingly, the throne be..^ BOOK OF MARTYRS. 580 totally annihilated, it appeared to the philosophers of the school of Hebert,(who was author of the most gross iiud beastly periodical pa- per of the time, called the Pere du Chene) that iu totally destroying 8uch vestiges of religion and public worship as were still retained by the people of France, there was room fjr a splendid triumph of liberal opinions. It was not enough, they said, for a regenerate nation to have dethroned earthly kings, unless she stretched out the arm of defiance towards those powers which superstition had represented as reigning over boundless space. An unhappy man, named Gobet, constitutional bishop of Paris, was brought forward to play the principal part in the most impudent and scandalous farce ever acted in the face of a national representation. It is said that the leaders of the scene had some ditticulty in indu- cing the bishop to comply with the task assigned him, which, afler all, he executed, not without present tears and subsequent remorse. But he did play the part prescribed. He was brought forward in full pro- cession, to declare to the convention, that the religion which he had taught so many years, was, in every respect, a piece of priestcraft, which had no foundation either in history or sacred truth. He disown- ed, in solemn and explicit terms, the existence of the Deity to whose worship he had been consecrated, and devoted himself in future to the homage of liberty, equality, virtue, and morality. He then laid on the table his episcopal decorations, and received a fraternal embrace from the president of the convention. Several apostate priests followed the example of this prelate. The gold and silver plate of the churches was seized upon and des- ecrated, processions entered the convention, travestied in priestly gar> meats, and singing the most profane hymns; while many of the chali- ces and sacred vessels were appiied by Chaumette and Hebert to the celebration of their own impious orgies. The world for the first time, beard an assembly of men, born and educated in civilization, and as- suming the right to govern one of the finest of the European nations, uplift their united voice to deny the most solemn truth which man^s soul receives, and renounce unanimously the belief and worship of a Deitv. For a short time the same mad profanity continued to be act- ed upon. One of the ceremonies of this insane time stands unrivalled for ab- surdity, cumbined with impiety. The doors of the convention were thrown open to a band of musicians; preceded by whom, the members of the municipal body entered in solemn procession, singing a hymn in praise of liberty^ and escorting, as the object of their future worship, a veiled female, whom they termed the Goddess of Reason. Being brought within the bar, she was unveiled with great form, and placed on the right hand of the president; when she was generally recognized as a dancing-girl of the opera, with whose charms most of the perscms present were acquainted from her appearance on the stage, while the experience of individuals was fai*ther extended. To this person, as the 43 Ui ( \ 1*1 i r,t **;_i- i 'bil mJ ^^>4lL ■■'=i WM^- m fU'i M m H 530 BOOR OF MARTTRf. fittest representative of that reason whom they worshipped, the national convention of France rendci-ed pubhc homage. This impious and ridiculous mummery had a certain fi^shion; and the installation of the Goddess of reason Mas renewed and imitated throughout the nation, in such places where the inhabitants desired to show themselves equal to all the heights of the revolution. The church- es were, in most districts of France, closed against priests and worship pers — the bells were broken and cast into cannon — the whole ccclesi astical establishment destroyed — and the republican inscription ovei (he cemeteries, declaring death to be perpetual sleep, announced to those who lived under that dominion, that they were to hope no redress even in the next world. Intimately connected with these laws affecting religion, was that which reduced the union of marriage, the most sacred engagement which human beings can form, and the permanence of which leads most strongly to the consolidation of suciety, to the stateof a mere civil contract of a transitory character, which any two pei'sons might ent^affe in, and cast loose at pleasure, when their taste was changed, or their appetite gratified. If fiends had set themselves to work, to discover a mode of most efiectually destroying whatever is venerable, graceful, or permanent in domestic life, and of obtaining at the same time an assu* ranee that the mischief which it was their object to create should be perpetuated from one generation to another, they could not have inven* led a more efiectual plan than the degradation of marriage into a state of mere occasional co-habitation, or licensed concubinage. Sophie Ar- uoult, an actress famous for the witty things she said, described the re> publican marriage as the sacrament of adultery. FaU of Danion, Rohevpkrre, Marat and other Jacobins. These monsters fell victims by the same means they had used for die destruction of others. Marat was poinarded in 1793, by Charlotte Curday, a young female, who had cherished in a feeling between tuna ey and heroism, the ambition of ridding the world of a tyrant. Dantoo was guillotined in 1794. Robespierre followed soon afler. His fall is thus described by Scott in his life of Napoleon. At length his fate urged him on to the encounter. Robespierre de* scended to the convention, where he had of late but rarely appeared, like the far nobler dictator of Rome; and in his case also, a band of senators was ready to poinard the tyrant on the spot, had they not been afraid of the popularity he was supposed to enjoy, and which they feared might render them instant victims to the revenge of the Jacobins. The speech which Robespierre addressed to the conven- tion was as menacing as the first distant rustle of the hurricane, and dark and lurid as the eclipse which announces its approach. Anx- ib'js murmurs had been heard among the populace who filled the tri- bunes, or crowded the entrances of the hall of the convention, indi- cating that a second 31st of May (being the day on which the Jaco- BOOK OF MARTTHS. 531 lipped, the national bins proscribed the Girondists) was about to witness a similar opera- tion. The first theme of the gloomy oraior was the display of his own vir- tues and his services as a patriot, distinguishing as enemies to their country all whose opinions were contrary to his own. He then review- ed successively the various departments of the government, and loaded them in turn with censure and contempt. He declaimed against the supineness of the committees of public safety and public security, as if the guillotine had never been in exercise; and he accused the commit- tee of finance of having counter-revolutionized the revenues of tlie re- public. He enlarged with no less bitterness on withdrawing the ar- tillery-men (always violent Jacobins) iVom Paris, and on the mode of management adopted in the conquered countries of Belgium. It seem- ed as if he wished to collect within the saipe lists all the functionaries of the state, and '*> the same breath to utter defiance to them all. The V .1 '^ry motion was ma* L ^rint the discourse; but then the storm ui' op^. aon broke forth, aiiv. many speakers vociferously demanded, that before so far adopting the grave inculpations which it contained, the discourse should be referred to the two committees. Robespierre, in his turn, exclaimed, that this was suljectiiig his speech to the partial criticism and revision of the very parties whom he had accused. Exculpations and defences were heard on all sides against the charges which had been thus sweepingly brought forward ; and there were many deputies who complained in no obscure terms of individual tyranny, and of a conspiracy on foot to outlaw and murder such part of the convention as might be disposed to offer resistance. Robes- pierre was but feebly supported, save by Saint Just, Couthon, and by his own brother. After a stormy debate, in which the convention were alternately swayed by their fear and their hatred of Robespierre, the discourse was finally referred to the committees, instead of being print- ed; and the haughty and sullen dictator saw in the open slight, thus put on his measures and opinions, the sure mark of his approaching fall. He carried his complaints to the Jacobin Club, to repose, as he ex- pressed it, his patriotic sorrows in their virtuous bosoms, where alone he hoped to find succour and sympathy. To this partial audience he renewed, in a tone of yet greater audacity, the complaints with which he had loaded every branch of the government, and the representative body itself. He reminded those around him of various heroic eras, when their presence and their pikes had decided the votes of the trem- bling deputies. He reminded them of their pristine actions of revolu- tionary vigour — asked them if they had forgot the road to the conven- tion, and concluded by pathetically assuring them, that if they forsook him, "he stood resigned to his fate; and they should behold with /hat courage he would drink the fa'al hemlock." The artist David, caught him by the hand as he closed, exclaiming, in rapture at his elocution, ^^I will drink it with thee." The distinguished painter has been reproached, as having, on the subsequent day, declined the pledge which he seemed so eagerly to em- «1 ■i; *) *: i m Ifl m •> 'i ' w' n 532 BOOK OF MARTTBS. brace. But there were many of his original opinion, at (he time ho expressed it so boldly ; and had Roljespiorre possessed either militarv talents, or &ven decided courage, there was nothing to have prevented him from placing himself that very night at the head of a desperate in> 9urroctiun of the Jacobins and their followers. Puyan, the successor of Hubert, actually proposed that the Jacobins should instantly march against the two connnittees, which liv)bespierro charged with being the focus of the anti-revolutionary machinations surprise their hundKil of guards, and stitle the evil with which the state was menaced, even in the very cradle. This plan was deemed too hazardous to bo adopted, although it was one of those sudden and mas- ter strokes of policy which Mucliiavel would havo recommeitded. The fire of the Jacobins spent itself in tumult, and threatening, and in expelling from the bosom of their society Collot d^Ierbois, Tallien, and about thirty other deputies of the mountain party, whom they considered as specially leagued to elfect the downfall of Robespieri-e, and whom they drove from their society with execration and even blows. Collot d^flerbois, thus outraged, went straight from the meeting of the Jacobins to the place where the committee of public safety was still sitting, in consultation on the report which they had to make to the convention the next day upon the sfieech of Robespierre. Saint Just, one of their number, though warmly attached to the dictator, had been intrusted by the committee with the delicate task of drawing up that report. It was a step towards reconciliation ; but the entrance of Col- lot d^Herbois, frantic with the insults he had received, broke otT all hope of accommodation betwixt the friends of Danton and those of Robespierre. D^Herbois exhausted himself in threats against Saint Just, Couthon, and their master, Robespierre, and they parted on terms of mortal and avowed enmity. Every exertion now was used by the associated conspirators against the power of Robespierre, to collect and combine against him the whole forces of the convention, to alarm the deputies of the plain with fears for themselves, and to awaken the rage of the mountaineers, against whose throat the dictator now waved the sword, which their short sighted policy had placed in his hands. Lists of proscribed deputies were handed around, said to have been co- pied fram the tablets of the dictator: genuine or false, they obtained universal credit and currency ; and these whose names stood on the fa* tal scrolls, engaged themselves for protection in the league against their enemy. The opinion that his fall could not be delayed now be- came general. This sentiment was so commonly entertained in Paris on the 9th Thermidor, or 27th July, (hat a herd of about eighty victims, who wore in the act of being dragged to the guillotine, were nearly saved by means of it. The people, in a generous burst of compassion, began to gather in crowds, and interrupted the melancholy procession, as if the power which presided over these hideous exhibitions had already been deprived of energy. B it the hour was not come. The vile Hen- riot, commandant of the national guards, came up with fresh forces, i m. BOOK OF MARTnU. 533 and on the day destined to he the last of his own life, proved the mcunii of carrying to execution this crowd of unhappy and doubtless innocent, persons. On this eventful day, Robespierre arrived in tlio convention, and bo- held the mountain in close array and completely manned, while, as in the case of Catiline, the bench on which he himself was accustomed to sit, seemed purposely deserted. Saint Just, Couthon, Le Bus (his brother-in-lttw,) and the younger Robespierre, were the only deputies of name who stood prepared to support him. But c 'a ho make an cflt^ctual struggle, he might depend upon the aid of the servile Barrere, a surt of Belial in the convention, the meanest, yet not the least able, amongst those fallen spirits, who, with great adroitness and ingenuity, as well as wit and eloquence, caught opportunities as they arose, and was eminently dexterous in being always strong upon the strongest, and safe upon the safest side. There was a tolerably numerous party ready, in times so dangerous, to attach themselves to Barrere, as a lea- der who professed to guide them to safety if not to honour; and it was the existence of this vacillating and uncertain body, whose ultimate mo- tions could never be calculated upon, which rendered it impossible to presage with assunthce the event of any debate in the convention dur- ing this dangerous period. Saint Just arose, in the name of the committee of public safety, to make, after his own manner, not theirs, a report on the discourse of Robespierre on the previous evening. He had begun a harangue in the tone of his patron, declaring that, were the tribune which he occupied the Tarpeian rock itself, he would not the less, placed as he stood there, discharge the duties of a patriot. "I am aboui," he said, "to lift the veil." — ^'♦l tear it asunder," said Tallien, interrupting him. "The pubi lie interest is sacrificed by individuals, who come hither exclusively in their own name, and conduct themselves as superior to the whole convention." He forced Saint Just from the tribune, and a violent debate ensued. Billaud Varennes called the attention of the assembly to the sitting of the Jacobin club on the preceding evening. He declared the milita- ry force of Paris was placed under the command of Henriot, a trailor and a parricide, who was ready to march the soldiers- whom he con>- manded, against the convention. He denounced Robespierre himself as a second Catiline, artful as well as ambitious, whose system it had been to nurse jealousies and inflame dissentions in the convention, so as to disunite parties, and even individuals from each other, attack them in detail, and thus destroy those antagonists separately, upon whose combined and united strength he dared not have looked. The convention echoed with applause every violent expression of the orator, und when Robespierre sprung to the tribune, his voice was drowned by a general shout of "down with the tyrant'." Tallien moved the denunciation of Robespierre, with the arrest of Henriot, his staff-officers, rind of others connected vvifh the meditated violence on the convention. He had undertaken to lead the attack upon the tyrant* 43* ill I' 1 I t 1 I > iffl 534 BOOK or MABTYBS. B Si S0^ k he said, and to puignard him in the convention itself, if the members did not show courage enough to enforce the law against him. With these words ho brandished an unsheathed poignard, as if about to make his purpose good. Robespierre still struggled hard to obtain au* dience, but the tribune was adjudged to Barrerc; and the part taken against the fallen dictator by that versatilo and self-interested states- man, was the most absolute sign that his overthrow was irrecoverable, Torrents of invective were now uttered from every quarter of the hall, against him whose single word was wont to hush it into silence. This scene was dreadful; yet not without its use to those who may be disposed to look at it as an extraordinary crisis, in which human pas- sions were brought so singularly into collision. While the vaults of the hall echoed with exclamations from those who had hitherto been the accomplices, the flatterers, the followers, at least the timid and overawed assentators to the dethroned demagogue — ^he himself, breath- less, foaming, exhausted, like the hunter of classical antiquity when on the point of being overpowered and torn to pieces by his own hounds, tried in vain to raise those screech-owl notes, by which the convention had formerly been terrified and put to silence. He appealed for a hear- ing from the president of the assembly, to the various parties of which it was composed. Rejected by the mountaineers, his former asso- ciates, who now headed the clamour against him, he applied to the Girondists, few and feeble as they were, and to the more numerous but equally helpless deputies of the plain, with whom they sheltered. The former shodc him from them with disgust, the last with horror. It was in vain he reminded individuals that he had spared their lives, while at his mercy. This might have been applied to every member in the house; to every man in France; for who was it during two years that had lived on other terms than under Robespierre^s permission? and deeply must he internally have regretted the clemency, as he might term it, which had lefl so many with ungashed throats to bay at him. But his agitated and repeated appeals were repulsed by some with in- dignation, by others with sullen, or embarrassed and timid silence. A British historian must say, that even Robespierre ought to have been heard in his defence; and that such calmness would have done honour to the convention, and dignified their final sentence of condenv nation. As it was, they no doubt treated the guilty individual accord- ing to his deserts: but they fell short of that regularity and manly staidness of conduct which was due to themselves and to the law, and which would have given to the punishment of the demagogue the effect and weight of a solemn and deliberate sentence, in place of its seeming the result of the hsaUy and precipitate seizure of a temporary advantage. Haste was, however, necessary, and must have appeared more so at such a crisis, than perhaps it really was. Much must be pardoned to the terrors of the moment, the horrid character of the culprit, and the necessity of hurrying to a decisive conclusion. We have been t( that his last audible words, contending against the exclamations of | hundreds, and the bell which the president was riiiging incessantly, jlf, if the membere igainst him. With iril, 09 '^ ^^^^ ^0 d hard to obtain au- and the part taken jelf-interested states- V was irrecoverable, very quarter of the hush it into silence. lae to those who may in which human pas- While the vaults of ^ho had hitherto been t least the timid and e .»ie himself, breath- cal antiquity when on es by his own hounds, r which the convention le appealed for a hear- arious parties of which leers, his former asso- him, he applied to the the more numerous but m they sheltered. The le last with horror. It had spared their lives, pplied to every member was it during two years obespierre's permission^ le clemency, as he might 5d throats to bay at him. .pulsed by some with in- id and timid silence. i,bespierre ought to have Imness would have done inal sentence of condenv guilty individual accord- at regularity and manly ^Wes and to the law, am^ ,f the demagogue the ettect ce, in place of its seeming of a temporary advanlage. have appeared more so a yiuch must be pardoned ^ cter of the culprit, and h sion. We have been toU ainst the exclamaums cj was riaging incessantl), BOOK OF MAXTYRS. 535 and uttered in the highest tones which despair could give to a voice naturally shrill and discordant, dwelt long un the memory, and haunt- ed the dreams of many who heard him: — "President of assassins," he screamed, "for the last time I demand privilege of speech?" After this exertion, his breath became short and faint; and while he still ut- tered broken murmurs and hoarse ejaculations, the members of the mountain called out, that the blood of Dantoii choked his voice. The tumult was closed by a decree of arrest against Robespierre, his brother, Couthon, and Saint Just; Le Bus was included on his own motion, and indeed could scarce have escaped the fate of his brother-in- law, though his conduct then, and subsequently, showed more energy than that of the others. Couthon iiugging in his bosom the spaniel upon which he was wont to exhaust the overflowing of his nfiected sen- sibility, appealed to his decrepitude, and asked whether, maimed of proportion and activity as he was, he could be suspected of nourishing plans of violence or ambition. "Wretch," said Legendre, " thou hast the strength of Hercules for the perpetration of crime." Dumas, pre- sident of the revolutionary tribunal, wilh Henriot, commandant of the national guards, and other satellites of Robespierre, were included in the doom of arrest. The convention had declared their sitting permanent, and had takeu all precautions for appealing for protection to the large mass of citi- zens, who, wearied out by the reign of terror, were desirous to close it at all hazards. They quickly had deputations from several of th^ neighbouring sections, declaring thei** adherence to the national repre- sentatives, in whose defence they were arming, and (many undoubtedly prepared beforehand) were marching in all haste to the protection of the convention. But they heard also the less pleasing tidings, that Henriot, having effected the dispersion of those citizens who had ob- structed, as elsewhere mentioned, the execution of the eighty condemn- ed persons, and consummated that final act of murder, was approach- ing the Tuilleries, where they had held their sitting, with a numerous staff, and such of the Jacobinical forces as could hastily be collected. Happily for the convention, this commandant of the national guards, on whose presence of mind and courage the fate of France perhaps for the moment depended, was as stupid and cowardly as he was brutally ferocious. He suffered himself without resistance, to be arrested by a few gens d'armes, the immediate guards of the convention, headed by two of its members, who behaved in the emergency with equal pru- dence and spirit. But fortune, or the demon whom he had served, afforded Robespierre another chance for safety, perhaps even for empire; for moments whicJ. a man of self-pusscssion might have employed for escape, one of des- perate courage might have used for victory, which, considering the di- vided and extremely unsettled state of the capital, was likely to be gained by the boldest competitor. * ' ^' The arrested deputies had been carried from one prison to another all the jailers refusing to receive under their official charge Robes * I f i I 4 m ' ^: -Sft, 680 BOOK OP MARTYBB. pierre, and thone who had aided him in supplyinff their dhrk habita* tions with such a tide of iiiccessive inhabitants. At length the prison* era were secured in the office of thu cununittee of public safety. But by this time all was in alarm amongst the commune of Paris, where Flouriot the mayor, and Payan the successor of Hebert, convoked the civic body, despatched municipal officers to raise the city and the Fauxbourgs in their name, and caused the tocsin to be rung. Payan speedily assembled a force sufficient to liberate Henriot, Robespierre, and the other arrested deputies, and to carry them to the Hotel de Ville, where about two thousand men were congregated, consisting chiefly of artillerymen, and of insurgents from the suburb of Saint Antoine, who already expressed their resolution of marching against the convention. But the selfish and cowardly character of Robes- pierre was unfit for such a crisis. He appeared altogether confounded and overwhelmed with what had passed and was passing around him* and not one of all the victims of the reign of terror felt its disabling in- fluence 80 completely as he, the despot who had so long directed its sway. He had not, even though the means must have been in his power, the presence of mind to disperse money in considerable sums, which of itself would not have failed to insure the support of the revo> lutionary rabble. Meantime the convention continued to maintain the bold and com- manding front which they had so suddenly and critically •assumed. Upon learning the escape of the arrested deputies, and hearing of the insurrection at the Hotel de Ville, they instantly passed a decree out- lawing Robespierre and his associates, inflicting a similar doom upon the mayor of Paris, the procureur, and other members of the commune, and charging twelve of their members, the boldest that could be se- lected, to proceed with the armed force to the execution of the sentence. The drums of the national guards now beat to arms in all the sections under authority of the convention, while the tocsin continued to sum- mon assistance with its iron voice to Robespierre and the civic magis- trates. Every thing appeared to threaten a violent catastrophe, until it was seen clearly that the public voice, and especially amongst the national guards, was declaring itself generally against the terrorists. The Hotel de Ville was surrounded by about fifteen hundred men, and cannon turned upon the doors. The force of the assailants was weakest in point of number, but their leaden were men of spirit, and night concealed their inferiority of force. The deputies commissioned for the purpose read the decree of the assembly to those whom they found assembled in front of the city hall, and they shrunk from the attempt of defending it, some joining the as- sailants, others laying down their arms and dispersing. Meantime the deserted group of terrorists within conducted themselves like scorpions, which, whea surrounded by a circle of fire, are said to turn their stings on each other, and on themselves. Mutual and ferocious upbraiding took place amoDg thesa misjrabl» men. "Wretch, were these the means you promised to furiiish?" said Payan to Henriot, whom he fbund BOOK OF KABTTSt. 687 intoxicated and incapable of resolution or exertion ; and seizing on him ai he spoke, lie precipitated the revolutionary ffeneral from a window. Henriot survived the fall only to drag himselfinto a drain, in which he was afterwards discovered and brought out to execution. The younger Rol)espierre threw himself from the window, but had not the good fortune to perieh on the spot. It seemed as if oven the melancholy fate of suicide, the last refuge of guilt and despair, was denied to mon who had so long refused every species of mercy to their fellow-creaturea. 'j Le Bas alone hud calmness enough to despatch himself with a pistol shot. Saint Just, after imploring his comrades to kill him, attempted his own life with an irresolute hand, and failed. Ck)uthon lay beneath the table brandishing a knife, with which he repeatedly wounded his bosom, without daring to add force enough to reach his heart. Their chief, Robespierre, in an unsuccessful attempt to shoot himself, had only inflicted a horrible fracture on his under-jaw. In this situation they were found like wolves in their lair, foul with blood, mutilated, despairing, and yet not able to die. Robespierre lay OD a taMe in an anti-room, his head si.^ported by a deai box, and his hideous countenance half hidden by a bloody and dirty cloth bound round the shattered chin. The captives were carried in triumph ^o the cc".vention. who, -.vith- out admitting them to the bar, ordered them, as outlaws, fc - instant ex- ecution. As the fatal cars passed to the guillotine, X^ n^ who filled them, but especiallv Robespierre, were overwhelmed with execrations from the friends and relatives of victims whom h > i\id sent on the ;:;me melancholy road. The nature of his previous ^oukid, from which the cloth had never been removed till the executioner tore it ofi", added to the torture of the sufferer. The shattered jaw dropped, and the wretch yelled aloud to the horror of the spectators. A masque taken from that dreadful head was long exhibited in different nations of Europe, and appalled the spectator by its ugliness, and she mixture of fiendish expression with that of bodily agony. Thus fell Maximilian Robespierre, after having been the first person in the French republic for nearly two years, during which time he gov- erned it upon the principles of Nero or Caligula. His elevation to the situation which he held, involved more contradictions than perhaps at- tach to any similar event in history A low-bom and low-minded ty- rant was permitted to rule with the r n.i of the most frightful despotism a people, whose anxiety for liberty had shortly before rendered them unable to endure the rule of a humane and lawful sovereign. A das- tardly coward arose to the conunand of one of the bravest nations in (he world; and it was under ihe auspices of a man who dared scarce fire a pistol, that the greatest generals in France began their careers of conquest. He had neither eloquence nor imagination; but substitu- ted in their stead a miserable, affected, bombastic style, which, until other circumstances gave him consequence, drew on him general ridi* cule. Yet against so poor an orator, all the eloqnpncn of the philosoph- ical Girondists, all the terrible powers of his associate Danton, employ- I I ^#^ # 588 BOOK OF MABTYBS. ■• ^V" i, rf 'f 1' i. «■• ed in a popular assembly, could not enable them to make an effectuai resistance. It may seem trifling to mention, that in a nation where a good deal of prepossession is excited by amiablb manners and beauty of external appearance, the person who ascended to the highest power was not only ill-lof>king, but singularly mean in person, awkward and constrained in his address, ignorant how to set about pleasing even when he most desired to give pleasure, and as tiresome nearly as he was odious and heartless. To compensate all these deficiencies, Robespierre had but an insa* tiable ambition, founded on a vanity which made him think himself capable of filling the highest situation; and therefore gave him daring, when to dare is frequently to achieve. He mixed a false and over- strained, but rather fluent species of bombastic composition, with the grossest flattery to the lowest classes of the people; in consideration of which, they could not but receive as genuine the praises which he al- ways bestowed on himself. His prudent resolution to be satisfied with possessing the essence of power, without seeming to desire its rank and trappings, formed another art of cajoling the multitude. His watchful envy, )iis long-protracted but sure revenge, his crafV, which to vulgar minds supplies the place of wisdom, were his only means of competing with his distinguished antagonists. And it seems to have been a meri- ted punishment of the extravagances and abuses of the French revolu- tion, that it engaged the country in a state of anarchy which permitted a wretch such as we have described, to be for a long period master of her destiny. Blood was his element, like that of the other terrorists, and he never fastened with so much pleasure on a new victim, as when he was at the same time an ancient associate. In an epitaph, of which the following couplet may serve as a translation, his life was represen- ted as incompatible with the existence of the human race: — **Her8 lies Robespierre — let no tear be shed : Reader, if he had lived, thou hadst been dead." The fall of Robespierre ended the "Reign of Terror.'*'' Most of the leaders who had acted a conspicuous part in these horrid scenes, met a doom similar to that of their leaders. It is impossible to convey to the reader any adequate conception of the atrocities committed in France during this gloomy period, in the name of liberty. Men, women, and children were involved in the massacres which took place at the insti- gation of the Jacubin chiefs. Hundreds of both sexes were thrown into the Loire, and this was called republican marriage and republican bap- tism. And it should never be furgutten, that it was not till France as a nation, had denied the existence of a Deity, and the validity of his in- stitutions, that she was visited by such terrible calamities. Let it be "burnt in on the memory" of every generation, that such is the legiti- mate tendency of iiifiJel opinions. They first destroy tha conscience- blunt the moral sense — harden the heart, and wither up all the social and kindly aflections, and then their votaries are ripe for any deed of wickedness within the possibility of accomplishment b} human agency * BOOK OF MARTTBS. 539 ) make an effectual n a nation where a manners and beauty the highest power rson, awkward and ibout pleasing even esome nearly as he rre had but an insa- e him think himself L>re gave him daring, xedafalse and over- composition, with the e* ill consideration of p'raises which he al- on to be satisfied with r to desire its rank and ititude. His watchful craft, which to vulgar ly means of competing IS to have been a men- softheFrenchrevolu- larchy which permitted 1 long period master of of the other terrorists, ^ a new victim, as when In an epitaph, of which n, his life was represen- umaa race: — } «hed: een d«ad.** f Terror.'''' Most of the lese horrid scenes, met a possible to convey to the lies committed in France erty. Men, women, and h took place at the insti- h sexes were thrown into riaae and republican bap- it was not till Frunce as and the validity of his in- ble calamities. Let ^^ on, that such is the legiU- tdestroy the conscience- wither up all the «ocj B are ripe for any deed of shraentbj human agency Says an eloquent writer — "When the Sabbath was abolished in France, the Mighty God whose being they had denied, and whose wor- ship they abolished, stood aloof and gave them up, — and a scene of pro- scription, and assassination, and desolation ensued, unparalleled in the annals of the civilized world. In the city of Paris, there were ia 1803, eight hundred and seven suicides and murders. Among the criminals executed, there were seven fathers who had poisoned their children, ten husbands who had murdered their wives, six wives who had poisoned their husbands, and fitleen children who had destroyed their parents.^' It may be profitable here to record this end of several other Jacobin leaders who had been conspicuous during these scenes of atrocity and bloodshed. Public opinion demanded that some of the most obnoxious members should be condemned. After hesitating for some time, at length the convention, pressed by shame on the one side and fear oa the other, saw the necessity of some active measure, and appointed a commission to consider and report upon the conduct of the four most obnoxious Jacobin chiefs, CoUot d'Herbois, Billaud Varennes, Vadier, and Barrere. The report was of course unfavourable; yet upon the case being considered, the convention were satisfied to condemn thera to transportation to Cayenne. Some resistance was offered to this sentence, so mild in proportion to what those who underwent it had been in the habit of inflicting; but it was borne down, and the sentence was carried into execution. CoUot d^Herbois, the demolisher and de- populator of Lyons, is said to have died in the common hospital, in consequence of drinking off at once a whole bottle of ardent spirits. Billaud Varennes spent his time in teaching the innocent pariots of Guiana the frightful jargon of the revolutionary committee; and finally perished in misery. These men both belon«^ to that class of atheists, who, looking up towards heaven, loudly and literally defied the Deity to mako his exis- tence known by launching his thunderbolts. Miracles are not wrought on the challenge of a blasphemer more than on the demand of a sosptic; but both these unhappy men had probably before their death reason to confess, that in abandoning th*' wicked to their own free will, a greater penalty results even in this life, than if Providence had been pleased to inflict the immediate doom which they had impiously defied. Encouraged by the success of this decisive measure, the government proceeded against some of the terrorists whOm they had hitherto spared, but whose fate was now determined, in order to strike dismay into their party. Six Jacobins, accounted among the most ferocious of the class, were arrested and delivered up to be tried by a military commission. They wire all deputies of the mountain gang. Certain of their doom, they adopted a desperate resolution. Among the whole party, they possessed but one knife, but they resolved it should serve them all for the purpose of suicide. The instant their sentence was pro- nounced, one stabbed himself with this weapon; another snatched the knife from his companion'*8 dying hand, plunged it in his own bo> it ^ \ s .:iiA;, 540 BOOK OF MAnTYKB. Bom, and handed it to the third, who imitated the dreadful example. Such was the consternation of the attendants, that no one arrested the fatal progress of the weapon — all fell either dead or desperately woun- ded — the last were despatched by the guillotine. Afler this decisive victory, and last dreadful catastrophe, Jacobinism, considered as a pure and unmixed party, can scarce be said to have again raised its head in France, although its leaven has gone to qualify and characterize, in some degree, more than one of the different partie; which have succeeded them. As a political sect, the Jacobins can br compared to none that ever existed, for none but themselves ever though of an organized, regular, and continued system of murdering and piun dering the rich, that they might debauch the poor by the distribution of their spoils. They bear, however, some resemblance to the frantic followers of John of Leyden and Knipperdoling, who occupied Mun- ster in the seventeenth century, and committed, in the name of religion, the same frantic horrors which the French Jacobins did in that of free* dom. In both cases, the courses adopted by these parties were most foreign to, and inconsistent with, the alleged motives of their conduct. The Anabaptists practised every species of vice and cruelty, by the dictates, they said, of inspiration — ^the Jacobins imprisoned three hun- dred thousand of their countrymen in the name of liberty, and put to death more than half the number, wadat the sanction of fraternity. UM I- ,*;VV .-^ ; i U ' .'" 1 .1,1 .;,i4 ,ij!'.;i. ,.>v(-', ; ■-[■ ti/ ■^4ii^:^'-sM a «:• ;.%^ is % % m'li '»**»;■.? 3^5. 'v .■^' ■K m. ■^' U« : .■»- ■*^-M- 1- ■^H, n ,»-v. :triV*vv" THE END. • * fci' •ir- »*: -i^ -ii fii 'Cii /r :bJ:^.'1i - -ir:: ■iJa -m .-^ 5 a-< Ireadful example. lo one arrested the [desperately woud- rophe, Jacobinism, be said to have |ha8 gone to qualify he different partie; le Jacobins can br iselves ever though urdering and plun the distribution of lance to the frantic ho occupied Mun- he name of religion, s did in that of free- e parties were most ires of their conduct. and cruelty, by the nprisoned three hun- )f liberty, and put to tion of fraternity. .»*. * Uff* f an ■le. ..■•i..' *p :'h »:• * t^. •n: ^ t ♦r fi i'Jt ■-5;*^ y^^'^ m ;* '■M ■■^?ix;- M •Mi-: '■.*'■ ,»*'•, *i* w C f ■_^;'*^^ j'l *^, 5 ./ "^;; ) .I'i.^ 1^ ■»» « A ■* i- ■»..-, S'l