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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 />

the most gross and ridiculous falsities, for they were neither born with black throats, teeth in<br />

their mouths, nor hair on their bodies, but were as fine children as could be seen. And to<br />

convince your highness <strong>of</strong> what we have said, (continued one <strong>of</strong> the gentlemen) we have<br />

brought twelve <strong>of</strong> the principal male inhabitants, who are come to ask pardon in the name <strong>of</strong><br />

the rest, for having taken up arms without your leave, though even in their own defence, and<br />

to preserve their lives from their merciless enemies. And we have likewise brought several<br />

women, with children <strong>of</strong> various ages, that your highness may have an opportunity <strong>of</strong><br />

personally examining them as much as you please."<br />

<strong>The</strong> duke, after accepting the apology <strong>of</strong> the twelve delegates, conversing with the<br />

women, and examining the children, graciously dismissed them. He then commanded the<br />

priests, who had attempted to mislead him, immediately to leave the court; and gave strict<br />

orders, that the persecution should cease throughout his dominions.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Waldenses had enjoyed peace many years, when Philip, the seventh duke <strong>of</strong> Savoy,<br />

died, and his successor happened to be a very bigoted papist. About the same time, some <strong>of</strong><br />

the principal Waldenses proposed that their clergy should preach in public, that every one<br />

might know the purity <strong>of</strong> their doctrines: for hitherto they had preached only in private, and<br />

to such congregations as they well knew to consist <strong>of</strong> none but persons <strong>of</strong> the reformed<br />

religion.<br />

On hearing these proceedings, the new duke was greatly exasperated, and sent a<br />

considerable body <strong>of</strong> troops into the valleys, swearing that if the people would not change<br />

their religion, he would have them flayed alive. <strong>The</strong> commander <strong>of</strong> the troops soon found<br />

the impracticability <strong>of</strong> conquering them with the number <strong>of</strong> men he had with him, he,<br />

therefore, sent word to the duke that the idea <strong>of</strong> subjugating the Waldenses, with so small a<br />

force, was ridiculous; that those people were better acquainted with the country than any that<br />

were with him; that they had secured all the passes, were well armed, and resolutely<br />

determined to defend themselves; and, with respect to flaying them alive, he said, that every<br />

skin belonging to those people would cost him the lives <strong>of</strong> a dozen <strong>of</strong> his subjects.<br />

Terrified at this information, the duke withdrew the troops, determining to act not by<br />

force, but by stratagem. He therefore ordered rewards for the taking <strong>of</strong> any <strong>of</strong> the Waldenses,<br />

who might be found straying from their places <strong>of</strong> security; and these, when taken, were either<br />

flayed alive, or burnt.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Waldenses had hitherto only had the New Testament and a few books <strong>of</strong> the Old, in<br />

the Waldensian tongue; but they determined now to have the sacred writings complete in<br />

their own language. <strong>The</strong>y, therefore, employed a Swiss printer to furnish them with a<br />

complete edition <strong>of</strong> the Old and New Testaments in the Waldensian tongue, which he did<br />

for the consideration <strong>of</strong> fifteen hundred crowns <strong>of</strong> gold, paid him by those pious people.<br />

Pope Paul the third, a bigoted papist, ascending the pontifical chair, immediately<br />

solicited the parliament <strong>of</strong> Turin to persecute the Waldenses, as the most pernicious <strong>of</strong> all<br />

heretics.<br />

<strong>The</strong> parliament readily agreed, when several were suddenly apprehended and burnt by<br />

88

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