medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
"Ms Brenda M. Cook" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> I've always been curious about the term "protomartyr."
>>What exactly is a protomartyr?
>The first (known) martyr. The prototype of martyrdom.
O.E.D. :
protomartyr prouto,ma.rt<e>r. Forms: 5 prothomartir, -er, 5-6 prothomartyr, 6-
protomartyr. [Late ME; prothomartir, a. OFr. prothomartir (1326 in Godef.),
mod.Fr. protomartyr, or a. med.L. protomartyr (in Beda), a. eccl. Gr.
prwtomartur: see proto- and martyr sb. ] The first martyr; the earliest of any
series of martyrs (for Christianity, or for any cause); spec. applied to St.
Stephen, the first Christian martyr.
1433 Lydg. St. Edmund iii. 43 The prothomartir seyn Steuene with his stonys.
1433 Lydg. St. Edmund 58 Seynt Albon Prothomartyr off this regioun.
A. 1555 Ridley in Coverdale Lett. Martyrs (1564) 73 Agayne I blesse God in our
deare brother and of thys tyme protomartyr Rogers, that he was also..a
prebendarye preacher of London.
1594 Carew Huarte's Exam. Wits (1616) 187 That [declaration] which S. Stephen
the Prothomartyr made in his discourse to the Iewes.
C. 1661 Mrq. Argyle's Last Will in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) II. 508 Archibald,
Marquis of Argyle, the Devil's viceroy in the Highlands, and the most sacred
covenant's protomartyr in the Low.
A. 1749 Boyse Triumphs Nat. Poems (1810) 537/1 With Hampden firm assertor of
her laws, And protomartyr in the glorious cause.
1877 Shields Final Philos. 205 As early as the twelfth century Arnold of
Brescia,..proto-martyr of civil liberty, had perished.
"proto-martyr of civil liberty" ??
cc
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