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A50520
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St. Cecily, or, The converted twins a Christian tragedy / written by E.M.
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Medbourne, M. (Matthew), d. 1679.
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1666
(1666)
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Wing M1583B
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39,112
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71
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St. CECILY OR The Converted Twins A Christian Tragedy Written by E. M. Never before Published Licensed June 11. 1666. LONDON Printed by J. Streater M.DC.LXVI To Her Sacred MAJESTY THE QUEEN-Consort MADAME THere is so great a distance between the Meanness of a Comedian and the Majesty of a Crown'd Head that the presumption of this Address may occasion some to charge me with an Oblivion of the former and want of reverence to the Sacrednesse of the latter 'T is true at the first blush it might appear so but I have this self-encouragement that my applications are made to a Greatnesse surrounded with Goodnesse to an equal transcendency of Power and Piety and These regard not so much the Merit as the Humility of the Supplyant But MADAME when I finde represented in this small Piece the Triumphs of Divine Love over all the most alluring Concerns of Sublunary Happinesse When I reflect on a tender Virginity defying all the charming enjoyments of this World nay what 's most harsh to the delicacy of that fair sex Torture When I see enflam'd Youth by an Heroick contempt spurning the greatest Pleasures to court the Cross of Christ When I observe the sudden yet efficacious Operations of that Winde which bloweth where it listeth converting a Saul into a Paul a Persecutor into a Sufferer And lastly when I consider how the want of an humble Perseverance like an unexpected Wrack within the Port made way to the Apostasie of one ready to lay hold on the Crown of Martyrdom When these Reflexions fill my thoughts how should I conceive any Patronage too great for so great Examples These MADAME were the Inducements prevail'd with me to offer them to that of your Sacred Majesty For where should Innocency Vertue Piety and all the other amazing heights of Christian life expect to be more kindly entertain'd than where they are in the highest degree practis'd Whilest then they are admitted into so Royall a Presence if I can but press in as the meanest Attendant after so Noble a Train it will be only with this hope that Your Majesty may though at a great distance shed some providential Graces upon MADAME Your Majesties most dutifull and most Obedient Servant M. MEDBVRNE THE ARGUMENT CECILIE Daughter of Marcus and Flavia was a young Virgin beautiful well descended and though she had secretly vow'd Virginity yet out of compliance with the disposal of her parents married to a Nobleman of Rome named Valerian then a Worshipper of Idols but afterward by her perswaded to embrace the Christian ' Faith That done they both joyn their endeavours for the Conversion of Tiburtius Younger Brother to Valerian and his Corrival and these also prov'd effectual The two Brothers having declar'd themselves Christians were by the Praetor Almachius condemn'd to die which Sentence being first executed on Tiburtius occasion'd his precedence in the Martyrology before his Elder Brother Valerian Maximus the Principal Officer appointed to see this Execution rendring Almachius an account of it averrs that he had seen their souls convey'd to heaven by two bright Angels which acknowledgement inducing divers present to profess Christianity Maximus is beaten to death with Staves having Plummets of Lead fasten'd to the ends of them Cecilie the Worker of all these Enchauntments as they thought is for these Crimes especially her debauching the Two Brothers from the service of the gods condemn'd to the flames and to that end dispos'd into a dry Bath surrounded with fire but that not approaching her body in the space of a Day and Night order was given for her beheading In that Execution after she had receiv'd three blows which seem'd to have sever'd her head from her body she liv'd three dayes during which she gain'd her Parents and made this her last request that the House wherein she had liv'd might be converted into a Church which it was and afterward consecrated by Bishop URBAN If any be desirous of a more particular Information concerning the persons before mentioned as also of the strange and remarkable accident which happen'd between Saphricius and Nicephorus they may consult the Writers of Ecclesiastical History who have given an account of them But those being not so obvious they may shorten their satisfaction by looking into the Collection of Saints Lives set out by some late Authors of the Roman Church wherein they shall find those of Tiburtius Valerian Maximus c. on the 14th day of April and that of St. Cecilie on the 22th of November in the year of our Lord CCXXV. in the Persecution under the Emperour Alexander Severus To his ingenious and learned Friends the Author and Publisher of this Christian Tragedy IT is the custome of this brainsick Age To boast with boldness and fanatick Rage An imitation of that Doctrine pure For which the Primitive Christians did endure Afflictions Torments nay the losse of life Each vying in a holy Zeal and Strife t'outgo the other but if once it come To feel the Persecutions that in Rome First Catechumens suffred straight they cry Quis requisivit such Hyperbole Of Faith as should produce in any one Such Works of Supererogation Alas Weak Fondlings it is not enough To cloak Religion with new-fangled stuffe And then cry out Antiquity You must Believe and honour the Old Martyrs dust Reason and True Religion best agree As Discords make compleatest Harmony Happy the strain of your ingenious Pen That doth refresh the memory agen Of Pious Martyrs and Thy labour too For publishing the same deserves its due Which shall be this still to preserve your Name To equal date with St. Cecilia's Fame Who living did in Vertue so excel That even her Death became a Miracle And if hereafter you no more shall do To second this yet we will boast that you Have so to life the Martyrs drawn herein As would invite a Heathen to begin To live and do and then like them to die Inroll'd i th' Records of Eternity Cease then vain World to rail against a Play Since this shews pure Religion If you say Therefore it is Prophane change but the Name Call it a Sermon and it is the same With Use and Doctrine too and since you make Religion so much Droll ne're shame to take From hence a Pattern better than have none By Acting seem to have Religion T. M. Med. Tem. Soc. WEre I the Author had an Angel's Pen I think I scarce should ever write agen Unlesse the Criticks will contract and swear They 'l out of pity pardon me this Year And give me leave freely to vend a Book I hazarded to print which seem'd forsook Because the Author had no Name that might Conjure and charm the Reader at first sight As 't is with Stationers so with the Theatre too The Author must be famous else ' two'nt do But stay what need I fear the Criticks spite While they are ignorant who it is do's write They neither know whom to condemn nor praise But if they did his