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 />
<strong>The</strong> marquis <strong>of</strong> Pianessa, that he might have the better opportunity <strong>of</strong> deluding and<br />
surprising the Protestants <strong>of</strong> Roras, sent them word in answer, 'That he was perfectly satisfied<br />
with their behavior, for they had done right, and even rendered a service to their country, as<br />
the men who had attempted to pass the defile were not his troops, or sent by him, but a band<br />
<strong>of</strong> desperate robbers, who had, for some time, infested those parts, and been a terror to the<br />
neighboring country.' To give a greater colour to his treachery, he then published an<br />
ambiguous proclamation seemingly favourable to the inhabitants.<br />
Yet, the very day after this plausible proclamation, and specious conduct, the marquis<br />
sent five hundred men to possess themselves <strong>of</strong> Roras, while the people as he thought, were<br />
lulled into perfect security by his specious behavior.<br />
Captain Gianavel, however, was not to be deceived so easily: he, therefore, laid an<br />
ambuscade for this body <strong>of</strong> troops, as he had for the former, and compelled them to retire<br />
with very considerable loss.<br />
Though foiled in these two attempts, the marquis <strong>of</strong> Pianessa determined on a third,<br />
which should be still more formidable; but first he imprudently published another<br />
proclamation, disowning any knowledge <strong>of</strong> the second attempt.<br />
Soon after, seven hundred chosen men were sent upon the expedition, who, in spite <strong>of</strong><br />
the fire from the Protestants, forced the defile, entered Roras, and began to murder every<br />
person they met with, without distinction <strong>of</strong> age or sex. <strong>The</strong> Protestant captain Gianavel, at<br />
the head <strong>of</strong> a small body, though he had lost the defile, determined to dispute their passage<br />
through a fortified pass that led to the richest and best part <strong>of</strong> the town. Here he was<br />
successful, by keeping up a continual fire, and by means <strong>of</strong> his men being all complete<br />
marksmen. <strong>The</strong> Roman Catholic commander was greatly staggered at this opposition, as he<br />
imagined that he had surmounted all difficulties. He, however, did his endeavors to force the<br />
pass, but being able to bring up only twelve men in front at a time, and the Protestants being<br />
secured by a breastwork, he found he should be baffled by the handful <strong>of</strong> men who opposed<br />
him.<br />
Enraged at the loss <strong>of</strong> so many <strong>of</strong> his troops, and fearful <strong>of</strong> disgrace if he persisted in<br />
attempting what appeared so impracticable, he thought it the wisest thing to retreat.<br />
Unwilling, however, to withdraw his men by the defile at which he had entered, on account<br />
<strong>of</strong> the difficulty and danger <strong>of</strong> the enterprise, he determined to retreat towards Vilario, by<br />
another pass called Piampra, which though hard <strong>of</strong> access, was easy <strong>of</strong> descent. But in this<br />
he met with disappointment, for Captain Gianavel having posted his little band here, greatly<br />
annoyed the troops as they passed, and even pursued their rear until they entered the open<br />
country.<br />
<strong>The</strong> marquis <strong>of</strong> Pianessa, finding that all his attempts were frustrated, and that every<br />
artifice he used was only an alarm signal to the inhabitants <strong>of</strong> Roras, determined to act<br />
openly, and therefore proclaimed that ample rewards should be given to any one who would<br />
bear arms against the obstinate heretics <strong>of</strong> Roras, as he called them; and that any <strong>of</strong>ficer who<br />
would exterminate them should be rewarded in a princely manner.<br />
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