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
Several men, women, and children secreted themselves in a large cave,
where they continued for some weeks in safety. It was the custom for two
of the 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 after, a troop of Roman catholics appeared before
it. The papists that assembled upon this occasion were neighbours and
intimate acquaintances of the protestants 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 bigotry, told them they could not show any mercy
to heretics, and, therefore, bade them prepare to die. Hearing this, and
knowing the fatal obstinacy of the Roman catholics, the protestants all
fell prostrate, lifted 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 waited their fate, which was soon
decided, for the papists fell upon them with unremitting fury, and
having cut them to pieces, left the mangled bodies and limbs in the
cave.
Giovanni Salvagiot, 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 officers, he
delivered them up to the soldiery, who cut off the woman'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 Periero,
with an intent to renounce his religion and embrace popery. This design
he communicated to some priests, who highly commended it, and a day was
fixed upon for his public recantation. In the mean time, Anthony grew
fully sensible of his perfidy, and his conscience 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 him 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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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