Fox's Book of Martyrs: Or A History of the Lives, Sufferings, and Triumphant; Deaths of the Primitive Protestant MartyrsFoxe, John
HistoryHistory
Fox's Book of Martyrs: Or A History of the Lives, Sufferings, and Triumphant; Deaths of the Primitive Protestant Martyrs
Foxe, John
Church history; Martyrs; Persecution
Two days after he had received the above information, the governor, an
inquisitor, and a canonical priest, accompanied by two Jesuits, 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, &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 exercised towards the
Spaniards in 1588, when their armada was shipwrecked on the Scotch
coast, and thousands of the Spaniards found relief, who must otherwise
have miserably perished.
The governor admitted the truth of what Mr. Lithgow said, but replied
with a haughty air, that the king, who then only ruled Scotland, was
actuated more by fear than love, and therefore did not deserve any
thanks. One of the Jesuits said, there was no faith to be kept with
heretics. The inquisitor then rising, addressed himself to Mr Lithgow in
the following words: "You have been taken up as a spy, accused of
treachery, and tortured, as we acknowledge, innocently: (which appears
by the account lately received from Madrid of the intentions of the
English) yet it was the divine power that brought those judgments upon
you, for presumptuously treating the blessed miracle of Loretto with
ridicule, and expressing yourself in your writings irreverently of his
holiness, the great agent and Christ's vicar upon earth; therefore you
are justly fallen into our hands by their special appointment: thy
books and papers are miraculously translated by the assistance of
Providence influencing thy own countrymen."
This trumpery being ended, they gave the prisoner eight days to consider
and resolve whether he would become a convert to their religion; during
which time the inquisitor told him he, with other religious 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."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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