Deep Dive into Foxe's Book of Martyrs by John Foxe - An Account of the Persecutions in Venice

Before 1542, Venice served as a refuge for Protestants because it was free from inquisitors. During this period, a great number of Protestants fixed their residence there, and their doctrines and conduct led to many converts.However, this changed in 1542 when the pope, informed of the great increase of Protestantism in Venice, sent inquisitors to the state. Their purpose was to inquire into the matter and apprehend "obnoxious persons". This marked the beginning of a severe persecution.Protestants faced different fates depending on their situation. Those who were sentenced by the inquisitors in Venice were often executed by a specific drowning method at sea, noted as being "first invented upon this occasion". This involved fastening a great stone to the prisoner's body with an iron chain, laying them face up on a plank between two boats, rowing out to sea, and then separating the boats to sink the prisoner by the weight of the stone. Individuals like Anthony Ricetti, Francis Sega, and Francis Spinola were executed this way.A different fate awaited those who denied the jurisdiction of the inquisitors at Venice. They were sent to Rome, where they were deliberately committed to damp prisons and never called to a hearing. As a result, their flesh mortified, and they died miserably in jail.Prominent individuals like Anthony Ricetti and Francis Spinola exemplified steadfast faith. Ricetti refused his son's plea and the lords' offer to recant, stating he valued his soul above all else. Spinola, a learned gentleman, defended his treatise on the Lord's Supper as being based on Scripture and criticized the "superstitions and idolatries" of the Roman Catholic Church. Both faced their executions cheerfully or with serenity, prioritizing eternal salvation over worldly life. Francis Sega, falsely reported to have recanted, also remained steadfast and was executed.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianPatreon: patreon.com/edi_reformed