Details of the millions of people who risked persecution for refusing to join the Church of England have been made available online.
Beatings and thrashings were once commonplace for religious rebels and, by the 19th century, tens of thousands of people had been put to death by beheading, hanging or burning.
Archive records showing the full extent of non-conformist courage have been published in digital form to mark the 200th anniversary of the 1813 Doctrine of the Trinity Act, seen as the landmark acceptance of non-conformity.
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“Halt passenger take heed what thou dost see
This tomb doth shew for what some men did die
Here lies interr’d the dust of these who stood
Gainst perjury resisting unto blood
Adhering to the Covenants and Laws
Establishing the same which was the Cause
Then their lives were sacrificed unto the Lust
Or Prelatist’s abjur’d though here their dust
Lies mixt with murders and other crew
Whom justice did justly to death pursue
But as for this in them no cause was found
Worthy of death but only they were found
Constant and steadfast zealous witnessing
For the prerogatives of CHRIST their king
Which truths were feared by famous Guthrie’s head
And all along to Mr Ranwick’s blood
They did endure the wrath of enemies
Reproaches torments deaths and injuries
But yet they’re these who from such troubles came
And now triumph in glory with the LAMB
From May 27th 1661 that the most noble Marquis of Argyle was beheaded, to the 17th of February 1688 that Mr. James Renwick suffered; were one way or other Murdered and Destroyed for the same Cause, about Eighteen thousand; of whom were executed at Edinburgh, about an hundred of Noblemen, Gentlemen, Ministers and others; noble Martyrs for Jesus Christ. The most of them lie here.”
–Greyfriars Martyrs Monument, Edinburgh
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Martyrs'_Monument_tablet.jpg