Tortures and Torments of the Christian Martyrs (page 1/3)

Images and Extracts from Tortures and Torments of the Christian Martyrs From the “De SS. Martyrum Cruciatibus” of the Rev. Father Galliano, translated and adapted by A. R. Allinson, M.A. Oxon., 1903

The book is illustrated with 46 somewhat gruesome plates. The French version is online at the Library of Congress. I have scanned the images at higher resolution, but have not scanned the text.

I note that the text clearly claims in more than one place that the Jews crucified Christ, even though the Gospels are quite clear that it was the Romans and not the Jews. This appears to have been standard Roman Catholick doctrine for many centuries.

The book first appeared in 1591; the copper-plate engravings were engraved by Antonio Tempesta of Firenza (Florence) after the designs of Giovanni de Guerra of Modena, painter to Pope Sixtus V. The book was intended for the “edification of the faithful” and was issued with the approval and authority of the Roman Catholic Church.

The edition of which I have a copy claims to be the first in English, and was produced in 1903. Alfred Richard Allinson appears to have been active as a translator from the 1860s until 1913; subsequent books bearing his name as translator appear to be using older texts. As a result I believe this text to be in the public domain.

I am also working on a transcription of the text of this book; the table of contents only gives Chapter 1 so far.