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_.