Actes and Monuments

by John Foxe 1517-87

Introduction by Colin Melbourne

© 03-08 Born-Again-Christian.Info

No other book, apart from the Holy Bible, has been so influential in shaping Christian history as Actes and Monuments, otherwise known as Foxe's Book of Martyrs.

The following chapters have been extracted from the 1583 edition, the final one John Foxe compiled personally, and are here presented in modern English. The accompanying illustrations are original woodcut engravings from various early editions.

John Foxe was born in 1517 and raised under the yoke of Roman Catholicism, but the Lord opened John's eyes, when he was in his twenties, to see the Glory of Christ in the Gospel, and Foxe devoted the rest of his life to proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ.

Foxe penned 40 books in English and Latin over 40 years, starting with an account of John Wickliffe (1330-1384), an early English Reformer who exposed false fundamental Catholic beliefs such as, transubstantiation, and Wickliffe insisted on the exclusive authority of the Holy Bible. He enraged Catholics by daring to translate the Bible into English. His followers, known as Lollards, were ruthlessly persecuted and murdered as 'heretics'.

During the five-year reign of Catholic Queen 'Bloody Mary', Foxe was forced to flee to the Continent to avoid her cruel English inquisition of Christians.

In exile, he painstakingly collected detailed reports, and eyewitness accounts of the persecutions, trials and martyrdom of Christians in Catholic England. The Lord mercifully replaced 'Bloody Mary' with Queen Elizabeth the First, whom He used to valiantly stand against popery and Catholic false doctrines.

On his return, Foxe published the first edition of 'Actes and Monuments' in 1563, and it was immensely popular, soon becoming known as 'Foxe's Book of Martyrs'. Foxe was a deeply loved and respected advisor to Queen Elizabeth who ordered a copy of his book to be placed in every cathedral in her realm, and many parish churches followed suit.

The unadorned narrative of the Catholic persecution, together with the graphic illustrations of the public burning alive of Christians as 'heretics' dramatically opened the eyes of ordinary English people to the wickedness of Catholic idolatry, and exposed the anti-Christian spirit of Catholicism.

The price that has been paid by these martyrs to expose the errors of Catholicism and preserve the integrity of Christ's Message needs to be trumpeted to every generation until He returns. That is why it is here for you to read now.

Colin Melbourne

Summary of the message of Foxe's Book of Martyrs
Why They Were Burned at the Stake

Read Foxe's Book of Martyrs

Don't miss our revealing article on later corrupted editions of Foxe's Book of Martyrs.