Foxe - The Book of Martyrs
The mystery of history is not completely dark, since it is a veil which only partially conceals the creative activity and spiritual forces and the operation of spiritual laws. It is commonplace to say that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church yet what we are asserting is simply that individual acts of spiritual decision bear social fruit …For the great cultural changes and historic revolutions that decide the fate of nations or the character of an age is the cumulative result of a number of spiritual decisions … the faith and insight, or the refusal and blindness, of individuals. No one can put his finger on the ultimate spiritual act that tilts the balance, and makes the external order of society assume a new form… Persecution, powerless to destroy or even to shake this new community, made it only the more sensible of its own strength, and pressed it into a more compact body.
The mystery of history is not completely dark, since it is a veil which only partially conceals the creative activity and spiritual forces and the operation of spiritual laws. It is commonplace to say that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church yet what we are asserting is simply that individual acts of spiritual decision bear social fruit …For the great cultural changes and historic revolutions that decide the fate of nations or the character of an age is the cumulative result of a number of spiritual decisions … the faith and insight, or the refusal and blindness, of individuals. No one can put his finger on the ultimate spiritual act that tilts the balance, and makes the external order of society assume a new form… Persecution, powerless to destroy or even to shake this new community, made it only the more sensible of its own strength, and pressed it into a more compact body.
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<strong>Foxe</strong>’s <strong>Book</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Martyrs</strong><br />
Anthony Guigo, a Protestant, <strong>of</strong> a wavering disposition, went to Periero, with an intent<br />
to renounce his religion and embrace popery. This design he communicated to some priests,<br />
who highly commended it, and a day was fixed upon for his public recantation. In the<br />
meantime, Anthony grew fully sensible <strong>of</strong> his perfidy, and his conscience tormented him so<br />
much night and day that he determined not to recant, but to make his escape. This he effected,<br />
but being soon missed and pursued, he was taken. <strong>The</strong> troops on the way did all they could<br />
to bring him back to his design <strong>of</strong> recantation; but finding their endeavors ineffectual, they<br />
beat him violently on the road. When coming near a precipice, he took an opportunity <strong>of</strong><br />
leaping down it and was dashed to pieces.<br />
A Protestant gentleman, <strong>of</strong> considerable fortune, at Bobbio, being nightly provoked by<br />
the insolence <strong>of</strong> a priest, retorted with great severity; and among other things, said, that the<br />
pope was Antichrist, Mass idolatry, purgatory a farce, and absolution a cheat. To be<br />
revenged, the priest hired five desperate ruffians, who, the same evening, broke into the<br />
gentleman's house, and seized upon him in a violent manner. <strong>The</strong> gentleman was terribly<br />
frightened, fell on his knees, and implored mercy; but the desperate ruffians despatched him<br />
without the least hesitation.<br />
A Narrative <strong>of</strong> the Piedmontese War<br />
<strong>The</strong> massacres and murders already mentioned to have been committed in the valleys <strong>of</strong><br />
Piedmont, nearly depopulated most <strong>of</strong> the towns and villages. One place only had not been<br />
assaulted, and that was owing to the difficulty <strong>of</strong> approaching it; this was the little<br />
commonalty <strong>of</strong> Roras, which was situated upon a rock.<br />
As the work <strong>of</strong> blood grew slack in other places, the earl <strong>of</strong> Christople, one <strong>of</strong> the duke<br />
<strong>of</strong> Savoy's <strong>of</strong>ficers, determined, if possible, to make himself master <strong>of</strong> it; and, with that view,<br />
detached three hundred men to surprise it secretly.<br />
<strong>The</strong> inhabitants <strong>of</strong> Roras, however, had intelligence <strong>of</strong> the approach <strong>of</strong> these troops,<br />
when captain Joshua Gianavel, a brave Protestant <strong>of</strong>ficer, put himself at the head <strong>of</strong> a small<br />
body <strong>of</strong> the citizens, and waited in ambush to attack the enemy in a small defile.<br />
When the troops appeared, and had entered the defile, which was the only place by which<br />
the town could be approached, the Protestants kept up a smart and well-directed fire against<br />
them, and still kept themselves concealed behind bushes from the sight <strong>of</strong> the enemy. A great<br />
number <strong>of</strong> the soldiers were killed, and the remainder receiving a continued fire, and not<br />
seeing any to whom they might return it, thought proper to retreat.<br />
<strong>The</strong> members <strong>of</strong> this little community then sent a memorial to the marquis <strong>of</strong> Pianessa,<br />
one <strong>of</strong> the duke's general <strong>of</strong>ficers, setting forth, 'That they were sorry, upon any occasion, to<br />
be under the necessity <strong>of</strong> taking up arms; but that the secret approach <strong>of</strong> a body <strong>of</strong> troops,<br />
without any reason assigned, or any previous notice sent <strong>of</strong> the purpose <strong>of</strong> their coming, had<br />
greatly alarmed them; that as it was their custom never to suffer any <strong>of</strong> the military to enter<br />
their little community, they had repelled force by force, and should do so again; but in all<br />
other respects, they pr<strong>of</strong>essed themselves dutiful, obedient, and loyal subjects to their<br />
sovereign, the duke <strong>of</strong> Savoy.'<br />
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