Meaning: The quote you provided is a powerful and haunting commentary on the methods employed by the Inquisition, a powerful institution of the Catholic Church in the medieval and early modern periods. John Foxe, the author of the quote, was an English historian and martyrologist who is best known for his work "Actes and Monuments," commonly referred to as "Foxe's Book of Martyrs." This work documented the persecution and suffering of Protestants under the Roman Catholic Church, particularly during the reign of Queen Mary I of England.

The Inquisition was a series of institutions within the Catholic Church whose purpose was to combat heresy. It was established in the 12th century and continued to operate in various forms until the 19th century. The methods employed by the Inquisition were notorious for their cruelty and lack of due process, and the quote you provided sheds light on some of the injustices inherent in its procedures.

The mention of a prisoner being "never allowed to see the face of his accuser, or of the witnesses against him" highlights the lack of transparency and fairness in the Inquisition's trials. The accused were often kept in the dark about the identities of those who accused them or provided evidence against them, depriving them of the opportunity to confront their accusers or mount a defense based on specific details or testimonies.

The quote also speaks to the use of coercion and torture to extract confessions from the accused. The phrase "every method is taken by threats and tortures, to oblige him to accuse himself" underscores the brutal tactics employed by inquisitors to elicit the desired outcome, regardless of the truth. This emphasis on self-incrimination reflects a system that prioritized the enforcement of orthodoxy over the protection of individual rights and dignity.

The Inquisition's reliance on forced confessions and the use of torture as a means of extracting information have been widely condemned by historians and scholars. These practices not only violated fundamental principles of justice and human rights but also led to the suffering and deaths of countless individuals who were caught up in the machinery of the Inquisition.

John Foxe's commentary on the Inquisition serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers of unchecked power and the importance of upholding the principles of fairness, due process, and the presumption of innocence. His work, "Foxe's Book of Martyrs," played a significant role in shaping public perceptions of the Inquisition and the broader struggle for religious freedom and tolerance.

In conclusion, the quote you provided captures the essence of the Inquisition's unjust and oppressive methods, shedding light on the profound injustices perpetrated in the name of religious orthodoxy. It serves as a powerful indictment of the Inquisition's disregard for the rights and well-being of those accused of heresy, and stands as a testament to the enduring significance of John Foxe's work in exposing and condemning such abuses.