Foxe - The Book of Martyrs

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
doctrines! I maintain no doctrines of my own; what I preach are the doctrines of Christ, and
for those I will forfeit my blood, and even think myself happy to suffer for the sake of my
Redeemer." Every method was taken to make him recant for his faith, and embrace the errors
of the Church of Rome; but when persuasions and menaces were found ineffectual, he was
sentenced to death, and hanged in the market place.
Galeacius, a Protestant gentleman, who resided near the castle of St. Angelo, was
apprehended on account of his faith. Great endeavors being used by his friends he recanted,
and subscribed to several of the superstitious doctrines propogated by the Church of Rome.
Becoming, however, sensible of his error, he publicly renounced his recantation. Being
apprehended for this, he was condemned to be burnt, and agreeable to the order was chained
to a stake, where he was left several hours before the fire was put to the fagots, in order that
his wife, relations, and friends, who surrounded him, might induce him to give up his opinions.
Galeacius, however, retained his constancy of mind, and entreated the executioner to put fire
to the wood that was to burn him. This at length he did, and Galeacius was soon consumed in
the flames, which burnt with amazing rapidity and deprived him of sensation in a few minutes.
Soon after this gentleman's death, a great number of Protestants were put to death in
various parts of Italy, on account of their faith, giving a sure proof of their sincerity in their
martyrdoms.
An Account of the Persecutions of Calabria
In the fourteenth century, many of the Waldenses of Pragela and Dauphiny, emigrated
to Calabria, and settling some waste lands, by the permission of the nobles of that country,
they soon, by the most industrious cultivation, made several wild and barren spots appear
with all the beauties of verdure and fertility.
The Calabrian lords were highly pleased with their new subjects and tenants, as they
were honest, quiet, and industrious; but the priests of the country exhibited several negative
complaints against them; for not being able to accuse them of anythying bad which they did
do, they founded accusations on what they did not do, and charged them, With not being
Roman Catholics. With not making any of their boys priests. With not making any of their
girls nuns. With not going to Mass. With not giving wax tapers to their priests as offerings.
With not going on pilgrimages. With not bowing to images.
The Calabrian lords, however, quieted the priests, by telling them that these people were
extremely harmless; that they gave no offence to the Roman Catholics, and cheerfully paid
the tithes to the priests, whose revenues were considerably increased by their coming into
the country, and who, of consequence, ought to be the last persons to complain of them.
Things went on tolerably well after this for a few years, during which the Waldenses
formed themselves into two corporate towns, annexing several villages to the jurisdiction of
them. At length they sent to Geneva for two clergymen; one to preach in each town, as they
determined to make a public profession of their faith. Intelligence of this affair being carried
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