THE DUTCH MARTYROLOGY.
Wall, in his History of Infant Baptism, frequently mentions a book called The Dutch Martyrology as quoted by Danvers. He appears never to have seen it, and if I mistake not (although I cannot just now find the passage) he somewhere throws out a hint that no such book ever existed. Archdeacon Cotton, in his valuable edition of Wall's book, says (vol. ii. p. 131. note m.):
"Danvers cites this work as 'The Dutch Martyrology called The bloody Theatre; a most elaborate and worthy collection: written in Dutch, by M. J. Van Braght.' I have never seen it."
A very fine copy of this curious and very important work is in the Fagel collection in the library of Trinity College, Dublin. It is on large paper, with the exception of some few leaves in different parts of the volume, which have been mounted to match the rest. It is full of beautiful engravings by Jan Luyken, representing the sufferings of the martyrs; some of them, indeed all, possessing very great artistic merit. The first in the volume, a crucifixion, representing Our Lord in the very act of being nailed to the cross, is a most striking picture: and I may also mention another, at p. 385., representing a party in a boat reading the Bible, having put out to sea to escape observation.
The book is a large folio in 2 vols.: the first consisting of 450, the second of 840 pages; and contains a most important collection of original documents, which are indispensable to the history of the Reformation, and many of them are intimately connected with the English Reformation. The history of the martyrs begins with Our Saviour's crucifixion (for He is represented as the first Anabaptist martyr!), and ends with the year 1660. The Dublin copy is the second edition, and its full title is as follows:—
"Het Bloedig Tooneel, of Martelaers Spiegel der Doops-gesinde of Weerloose Christenen, die om't getuygenis van JESUS naren Selighmaker, geleden hebben, ende gedood zijn, van CHRISTI tijd af tot desen tijd toe. Versamelt uyt verscheyde geloofweerdige Chronijken, Memorien, en Getuygenissen. Door T. J. V. Braght [or, as he is called on the engraved title-page, Tileman Van Braght]. Den Tweeden Druk, Bysonder vermeerdert met veele Autentijke Stucken, en over de hondert curieuse Konstplaten. Amsterdam. 1685."
Since writing the above, I see that the Bodleian Library has a copy; procured, however, it is right (for Dr. Cotton's sake) to say, since the publication of his edition of Wall's History of Infant Baptism.
J. H. T.
Trin. Coll., Dub.