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 />
This engaged Captain Mario, a bigoted Roman Catholic, and a desperate ruffian, to<br />
undertake the enterprise. He, therefore, obtained leave to raise a regiment in the following<br />
six towns: Lucerne, Borges, Famolas, Bobbio, Begnal, and Cavos.<br />
Having completed his regiment, which consisted <strong>of</strong> one thousand men, he laid his plan<br />
not to go by the defiles or the passes, but to attempt gaining the summit <strong>of</strong> a rock, whence<br />
he imagined he could pour his troops into the town without much difficulty or opposition.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Protestants suffered the Roman Catholic troops to gain almost the summit <strong>of</strong> the<br />
rock, without giving them any opposition, or ever appearing in their sight: but when they<br />
had almost reached the top they made a most furious attack upon them; one party keeping<br />
up a well-directed and constant fire, and another party rolling down huge stones.<br />
This stopped the career <strong>of</strong> the papist troops: many were killed by the musketry, and more<br />
by the stones, which beat them down the precipices. Several fell sacrifices to their hurry, for<br />
by attempting a precipitate retreat they fell down, and were dashed to pieces; and Captain<br />
Mario himself narrowly escaped with his life, for he fell from a craggy place into a river<br />
which washed the foot <strong>of</strong> the rock. He was taken up senseless, but afterwards recovered,<br />
though he was ill <strong>of</strong> the bruises for a long time; and, at length he fell into a decline at Lucerne,<br />
where he died.<br />
Another body <strong>of</strong> troops was ordered from the camp at Vilario, to make an attempt upon<br />
Roras; but these were likewise defeated, by means <strong>of</strong> the Protestants' ambush fighting, and<br />
compelled to retreat again to the camp at Vilario.<br />
After each <strong>of</strong> these signal victories, Captain Gianavel made a suitable discourse to his<br />
men, causing them to kneel down, and return thanks to the Almighty for his providential<br />
protection; and usually concluded with the Eleventh Psalm, where the subject is placing<br />
confidence in God.<br />
<strong>The</strong> marquis <strong>of</strong> Pianessa was greatly enraged at being so much baffled by the few<br />
inhabitants <strong>of</strong> Roras: he, therefore, determined to attempt their expulsion in such a manner<br />
as could hardly fail <strong>of</strong> success.<br />
With this view he ordered all the Roman Catholic militia <strong>of</strong> Piedmont to be raised and<br />
disciplined. When these orders were completed, he joined to the militia eight thousand<br />
regular troops, and dividing the whole into three distinct bodies, he designed that three<br />
formidable attacks should be made at the same time, unless the people <strong>of</strong> Roras, to whom he<br />
sent an account <strong>of</strong> his great preparations, would comply with the following conditions:<br />
(1). To ask pardon for taking up arms.<br />
(2). To pay the expenses <strong>of</strong> all the expeditions sent against them.<br />
(3). To acknowledge the infallibility <strong>of</strong> the pope.<br />
(4). To go to Mass.<br />
(5). To pray to the saints.<br />
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