covered with a cloke of Religion whereby he deceived many About this time there were also in that City two sorts of Preachers and both had a great number of Auditors The one taught School-Divinity and were continually calling upon their hearers to often fastings mortification self-denial frequency of Prayer humility c. But themselves practised nothing lesse than these things and indeed all their Religion consisted in works and bodily exercises as running to Masses hallowed places shrift c. The other sort dealt more sincerely with the holy Scriptures out of which they declared what was true righteousnesse and perfect holinesse by means whereof that City above all others in Spain bore the name for just and true dealing and it pleased God that the brightnesse of this light did discover all the counterfeit holinesse and Pharasaical devotion of the other party The chief Labourers in this harvest were Constantino Aegidius and Varquius all Doctors and sober wise and learned men who by this kind of preaching procured to themselves many enemies but above all others Arias was the most spiteful and malicious yet he carried it so cunningly that he still kept up his reputation with these men but it was not long before he discovered himself and that upon this occasion There was one Ruzius a learned man questioned before the Inquisitors for something that he had delivered in a Sermon about the Controversies in Religion The Inquisitors appointed him a day of hearing and two or three days before Arias met him saluted him courteously and discoursed familiarly with him then did he pump out of him all those Arguments wherewith he intended to defend himself before the Inquisitors When the day came and Ruzius appeared Arias went on that side where his opponents were which much amated Ruzius and in the disputation Arias being prepared did so wittily enervate all his Arguments that Ruzius had nothing to say for himself and so was fain to yield the cause and Arias went away with the honour of the field though he got it by treachery Yet did this Arias being of Saint Isidores Monastery preach so practically that a great light began to dawn in that dark place for the whole scope of his Sermons was to overthrow all their Profession he taught them that singing and saying of their Prayers day and night was no service of God that the holy Scriptures were to be read and studied with diligence whence alone the true service of God could be drawn and which alone teach us the true obedience to his Will to the obtaining whereof we must use Prayer as a means proceeding as well from a sense and feeling of our own infirmities as grounded upon a perfect trust and confidence in God By laying these foundations through Gods blessing he began to make them out of love with their Monkish Superstition and much provoked them to the study of the holy Scriptures Besides also his Sermons he read daily a lecture upon Solomons Proverbs very learnedly and made application thereof with good judgement and discretion also in his private conference he did much good The Lord also so ordered it in his wisdome that he met with Schollers that were very tractable such as were not greatly wedded to their Superstitions And such was the force and might of Gods Election that these few good seeds so fructified that in the end they brought forth a great encrease of godlinesse For divers of the Monks that hereby had their consciences awakened and cleared to see their former hypocrisie and idolatry sought out for further instructions and through Gods mercy they light upon those Preachers which taught the truth with more sincerity of whom they learned the Principles of pure and perfect Religion so that by degrees they left that evil opinion which they had formerly conceived against the Lutherans and were desirous to read their books And God miraculously provided for them that they had all sorts of books brought them that were extant at that time either in Geneva or Germany whereby it came to passe that there were very few in all that cloister but they had some taste of true Religion and Godlinesse so that instead of mumbling their mattens they brought in Divinity-lectures c. Vain fasting was turned into Christian sobriety neither were any taught to be Monkish but to be sincerely and truly religious But considering that when this should be once known they could not live in any safety they resolved amongst themselves to forsake their nest and to flie into Germany where they might enjoy more safety of their lives and freedome of their consciences But how to get thither was all the difficulty If one or two should go first the rest would be exposed to danger if many should go together a thousand to one but they would be taken again being to travel from the furthest part of Spaine into Germany yet upon debate they concluded that they must all either speedily depart or shortly be apprehended by the Inquisitors who now had got some inkling of the matter And God seeing them in this distresse shewed them a means how under an honest pretence a dozen of them might depart together within a month and each betake himself a several way towards Geneva where they appointed by Gods assistance all to meet within a twelve month The rest which were but young novices were left behind who yet not long after were so strengthned by God that they endured the brunt of persecution when it came three of them being burned and divers others diversly punished The aforementioned servants of Jesus Christ forsook that place where they lived in honour ease and plenty and by undertaking for Christs sake a voluntary exile exposed themselves to shame ignominy wants yea and were in continual danger of their lives also And under God Arias was a great means of this who by his ministry had first inlightned them with the knowledge of the truth for which he was often complained of to the Inquisitors and was convented before them where he so cunningly answered the matter that he was still discharged But his last apprehension through the mercy of God brought forth in him the fruits of true repentance for he did so deeply and unfainedly bewail and repent of his former with-holding of the truth in unrighteousnesse that whereas he used to be exceeding fearful of the Rack he being brought to it and upon it with a marvellous constancy withstood the enemies of Gods truth and took up the Inquisitors roundly withal telling them that he was heartily sorry and did most earnestly repent him for that he had wittingly and willingly in their presence impugned the truth against the godly defenders of the same Many other sharp rebukes he gave to the Inquisitors so often as he came to his answer But at last he was brought forth arraied in their accustomed manner upon their day of triumph at which time he also made a notable Profession of his faith
And if they did these things to the green tree what shall be done to the dry And behold the wonderfull wisdom of God herein who by these afflictions separates the sinne that hates from the son that he loves and keeps him by these thorns from breaking over into Satans pleasant pastures that would fat him indeed but to the slaughter In an Appendix to this Book I have added the Lives of sundry of our Modern Divines which I conceive not to be heterogeniall to the rest of the Work for though they were not Martyrs yet may they well be stiled Confessors in regard of the great Persecution and Sufferings which most of them met withall whilest they lived here And if any ask the reason why I have added no more It is because my intelligence comes in so slowely and if such as are able will take the pains to inform me I shall if God spares life adde more to the end of the next impression of my Lives of the Fathers and modern Divines I hope that these my weak and poor endeavours will not prove ungratefull nor be judged unseasonable considering the times wherein we live For if the same sins abound amongst us in these daies which have been the forerunners of persecutions formerly we have cause to fear the worst and to prepare for it Forewarnd forearmed The reading of this History will manifest what wonderfull constancy and patience the Saints have shewed in their greatest sufferings what hath been the power of Almighty God in their support and what miserable ends many of their Persecutors have come to My hearty desire is That by reading of this Book God may have the glory and thy soul the comfort and I shall be well appaied for my pains Who am Thine in the Lord SA CLARKE From my study in Thridneedle-street Octob. 10. 1659. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thomas Dugard A. M. Rector Barfordiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tho. Dugard To the Reverend the Author of the Book CALLED A Generall Martyrologie c. WHat yet more Books what spirit now inspires Your Pen to write of Torments Warres and Fires What Will that Pen that drew to th' Life before Change stile draw Death and speak of Life no more What blustering Boreas rais'd these stormy Windes Which blew down Churches shook the steddiest Mindes Sure Hell 's broke loose and Devils in the flesh Are come out thence to try their wits afresh Who ever heard Troy's story with his ears And could restrain his eies from shedding tears I quake to hear what Saints in former daies Ne're shook to feel so they might win the Baies They conquer'd all Their patient disposition O're came both Pope and Spanish Inquisition They conquer'd Kings and won the Crown at last Prest towards the Prize forgetting what was past The Story 's sad 't is true yet the Authors skill Hath made that pleasant which in 't self is ill Away long-winded Volumes Times disease This Author doth our phansies better please Large Books are endlesse but 't is his design T' enclose great Volumes in his single Line Eli. Awn To the Reverend Mr. Sa. Clarke ON HIS MARTYROLOGIE OH Welcome home Divine Drake welcome home First girdle of the World of Martyrdome Who seeks for more can no new thing descry Y' have left no room for new discovery These Maps and Charts you bring nay every letter Makes you the worlds great Patron it your Debtor To call 't a Map doth but a Part imply 'T is the whole Globe of Martyrologie Each Picture is a Map each Figure breaths A little hist'ry of the Martyrs deaths Pisgah's too farre to see the Holy-Land Stand here on Calvary and view 't at hand Let others brag at large whose fancy 't is To say A SAINT by a Periphrasis Who doth this Book of yours with theirs confer Findes Saint and Martyr in one Character Though some there be that differ from the rest In judgement and account short-writting best Those I am sure will praise you when they eye Your skill in Tachyhagiography Th' are many words make Volumes do but look And you shall see 't is matter makes a Book All Volumes of this Subject here are set As 't were contracted in an Alphabet In characters for brevity 't is good That Vowels be by Cons'nants understood The least is best if no essentiall be Wanting to make 't a perfect Entitie Man 's but the World Epitomiz'd but this Compendium of Saints and Martyrs is It s commendation is it self 't is best Though 't were without this my Probatum est J. C. A Table of the Names of all those Martyrs that are mentioned in this book A ABel Pag. 1 Aber 21 Achaz 22 Achilleus 36 J. Addis 385 Aegidio 257 Agathonica 39 Agapetus 48 Agatha 51 Agathon 52 Agnes 77 Agricol◠75 Aimeri 147 Alcibiades 44 Alexander 36 49 Algerius 270 Aloisius 271 Ammonarion 51 Andas 81 Anthimus 64 Andoclus 47 Andrew 29 G.J. Annick 303 Anthea 36 Apollonia 51 Apollonius 45 Areth 22 Arias 254 Arnald 263 Antemìus 83 Armand 422 Asclepiades 47 Asyrius 59 Athanasia 75 Athanasius 85 Attalus 41 A. Audebert 320 Austin 290 B BAbilas Pag. 49 J. Baker 261 Barbara 78 Barlaam 75 Bartholomew 75 301 Baudison 293 Isa. Beard 390 de Beck 317 Benjamin 81 Bergerius 322 M. Bertino 422 Bertrand 292 D. Berto 361 Betkin 305 Biblides 42 de Bile 193 Blandina 41 Blondel 320 J. de Boisons 268 B. Bor 340 J. de Boscane 301 F. de Bossu 350 Bovellus 271 A. du Bourg 328 F. Bribard 318 P. Bruly 289 S. Brunes 317 W. Burgate 261 W. Burges ib. N. Burton 260 C CAcalla 235 Calepodius 48 Ja. Calvin 338 Campbel 351 A. Canus 316 de Cadurco 316 G. Carpenter 283 Carpus 39 Jo. Castellane 316 Cecilia 47 Cheremon 51 P. Chapot 319 Charlin 135 Chober 195 J. Clarke 315 Claudius 317 321 N. Clivet
the cause of Christ by Rackings Dungeons c. Nicephorus who writeth of this persecution under Decius declareth the horribleness of it to be so great and that so many Martyrs suffered That saith he it is as easie to number the sands of the sea as to set down the names of all those whom this persecution did devour Alexander Bishop of Jerusalem who was very aged having governed the Church forty years was from thence carried to Caesarea where after a bold and constant confession of his faith made before the Judge he was cast into prison and there died Babilas Bishop of Antioch also died in prison and forty Virgins were martyred there about that time And one Peter in the Country of Phrygia being apprehended by the Proconsul suffered most bitter torments for the name of Christ the like did divers others in Troada From Babylon divers Christians were led away by Decius into Spain and there exceuted the like sufferings had many in Caesarea Dionysius Alexandrinus writing of the Martyrs that suffered in Alexandria saith thus This Persecution began about a year before the Emperors Proclamation came forth by reason of a wicked South-sayer who coming to the City stirred up the multitude of heathens against the Christians perswading them to uphold their Idolatrous services wherewith the people being inflamed obtained full power to prosecute their wicked purposes conceiving all Religion to consist in the destruction of the Christians And first of all they fell upon a Minister called Metra whom they would have enforced to blaspheme Christ which when he refused they laid upon him with staves and clubs and with sharp Reeds they pricked his face and eyes and then bringing him to the Suburbs they stoned him to death Then they took an holy woman called Quinta and bringing her to the Idol-Temple would compell her to worship there which she constantly refusing they bound her feet and drew her thorow all the streets upon the hard-stones whipt her with Whips dashed her against Mil-stones and lastly stoned her to death Then the enraged multitude breaking into the Christians houses plundred them of all they had the rest of the lumber they carried into the market-place and burned it The Saints in the mean time taking patiently and joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing that they had a more enduring substance in heaven Then they took an ancient Virgin called Apollinia whom they brought forth and dashing all the teeth out of her head they made a great fire threatning to cast her into it unless she would blaspheme and deny Christ whereupon she after a little pause leaped into the fire and so was burned Then they took Serapion out of his house whom they assailed with all kind of torments broke almost all the joynts of his body and lastly throwing him down from an high loft killed him The poor Christians could no where shelter themselves nor rest day nor night the multitude crying out that unless they would blaspheme Christ they should all be burned But through Gods Mercy the miserable wretches at last fell out amongst themselves turning their cruelty formerly exercised against the Christians upon their own heads whereby the Church had a little breathing time Shortly after came forth the cruel Edict of the Emperor which so terrified the Christians that some especially the rich partly through fear and partly by the perswasion of their Neighbours came to those impure and idolatrous sacrifices Others came boldly to the Altars declaring publickly that they were not of that Religion Of the rest some ran away others were taken enduring bands and torments constantly Others again after long imprisonment and sundry torments renounced their faith whilst others more strong in the faith valiantly endured Martyrdom Amongst whom was Julianus a man diseased with the gout and not able to go and Cronion who were laid upon Camels and there scourged and at last thrown into the fire where with much constancy they were consumed As Julianus went to Martyrdom a certain souldier took his part against those which railed upon him Whereupon the people crying out against him he was apprehended and being constant in his profession was presently beheaded Also Macar a Christian Lybian was burned alive Epimachus and Alexander having been long imprisoned after innumerable pains and torments with rasors and scourges were vvith four women consumed with fire Ammonarion a Virgin Mercuria an aged Matron and Dionysia a mother of many Children whom yet she loved not above the Lord these vvhen they could not be overcome by any torments inflicted on them by the cruel Judge but rather were unsensible of them all vvere at last slain vvith the svvord Also three Egyptians and a youth of fifteen years old vvere brought before the Judge who first began vvith the Child by fair words seeking to entice him then by torments to constrain him which not prevailing when he had tormented the other also he condemned them all to the fire But the Judge wondring at the wise answers and grave constancy of the child dismissed him Nemesion also an Egyptian vvas first accused to be a companion of thieves but being purged from that he vvas accused of Christianity tormented and scourged extreamly and then amongst other thieves burnt to death A certain Christian being examined before the Judge and through fear being ready to shrink back there were by certain souldiers of the degree of Knights and an aged man named Theophilus who were ready to burst for grief making signs to him by their hands and gestures to be constant vvhich being observed by the By-standers they vvere ready to lay hold of them but they of their own accord pressing up to the Judge professed themselves to be Christians which much imboldened the weak Christian that vvas before the tribunal and terrified the Judge This being done they departed away rejoycing for the testimony that they had given of their faith In other Cities many Christians were torn in pieces by the heathen Ischirion a servant to a noble man vvas commanded by his Master to sacrifice to the Idols vvhich vvhen he refused and vvould by no means be perswaded to his Master took a pike and ran him thorovv Multitudes of Christians vvandring in deserts and mountains vvere devoured by hunger thirst cold sickness thieves and vvild beasts amongst vvhom vvas Cheremon Bishop of the City of Nilus and his vvife vvho flying into the mountains of Arabia vvere never heard of more Dionysius also saith of himself I speak the truth before God and lie not I having no regard of my own life and not without the motion of Gods Spirit did flie and avoid the danger of this persecutian Yea and before that when one was sent from the Governor te seek me I remained three days at home to tarry for him The messenger in the mean time narrowly sought
subtilty allured to him three or four holy men that had been Confessors Then he entised three weak Bishops that lived in Italy to come to Rome and there perswaded them by imposing hands upon him to make him Bishop for which fact two of them afterwards were suspended and the third upon his repentance vvas re-admitted Novatus being thus made a Bishop grew proud and sought by all means to with-draw the people from Cornelius to himself yea he made many of them to swear that they would not leave him to go to Cornelius But the holy Confessors before mentioned vvhen they perceived the crafty subtilty of Novatus left him and much grieving for their sin were reconciled to Cornelius again Novatus held this opinion that they which once renounced the faith and for fear of torments had offered incense to the Idols although they repented yet could never be re-admitted into the Church of Christ again To suppress this error there was a Synod called at Rome of sixty Bishops Anno 255. who condemned it Cyprian also relates of Aurelius a godly and valiant young man who for his constancy in the cause of Christ suffered great and many torments and afterwards was banished And of Mappalicus who the day before he suffered in the midst of his torments told the Proconsul Videbis cras agonem to morrow you shall see the running for a Wager and accordingly the next day being brought forth to his Martyrdom he with no less constancy then patience endured faithfull unto the death But Decius the Author of this persecution escaped not the revenging hand of God for warring against the Goths and being overcome by them lest he should fall into their hands he leaped vvith his horse into a whirlpit where he was drowned and his body was never found after Yea God avenged the blood of his Saints upon the whole Roman Empire by sending a general plague of pestilence upon it which continued ten years together and Dionysius saith that in Alexandria vvhere he vvas Bishop there vvas scarce any house clear and though some Christians died in this plague yet it fell most heavy upon the Gentiles The Christians also in this plague shewed much brotherly love each to other by visiting comforting and relieving one another Whereas the Idolaters being stricken with extream fear of the plague none considered his Neighbour but every man shifted for himself and of those that were infected some they cast out of doors half dead to be devoured of dogs and wild beasts some they let die in their houses without all succour others they suffered to lie unburied and durst not come near them notwithstanding vvhich the pestilence followed them whithersoever they vvent and miserably consumed them so that the most part of the Inhabitants were consumed by it in every Country especially in those Provinces where had been the greatest persecutions raised against the Christians After the death of Decius there succeeded Gallus and Volusianus in the Empire Anno Christi 255. who continued this persecution against the Christians which fell most heavy upon the Pastors and Ministers of the Congregations for about this time Cyprian and many other Ministers were banished others were put into the mettal Mines to whom Cyprian wrote an Epistle consolatory wherein he writes thus Wounds and scars are an Ornament to a Christians brest such as bring not shame but honoureth them before the Lord and though in the Mynes there be no beds for their bodies to rest on yet they have rest in Christ and though their weary bones lie on the cold ground yet it 's no pain to lie with Christ. Their feet are fettered with chains but he is bound of man whom the Lord Christ doth loose he lies tied in the stocks whose feet thereby are made swifter to run to heaven neither can any man tie a Christian so fast but he runs so much the faster for his garland of life They have no garments to save them from cold but he that puts on Christ is sufficiently clothed Doth bread fail to their hungry bodies Man lives not by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God Your deformity shall be turned to honour your mourning to joy your pain to pleasure and felicity infinite And if this grieve you that you cannot serve God in your places as formerly yet your daily sacrifice ceaseth not which is a contrite and humble heart and though your travel be great yet shall your reward be greater for God beholding them which confess his name approveth their willing minds in their strivings helpeth them in their victory crowneth them rewarding that in us which he hath performed and crowning that which he hath in us perfected Again he tells them that they are now in a joyfull journey hasting apace to the mansions of the Martyrs there to enjoy after darkness durable light and comfort above all their sufferings c. About the same time also Lucius Bishop of Rome was banished After the death of Gallus and Volusianus there succeeded Valerianus who ceased the persecution and carried himself exceeding friendly to the Christians so that his whole Court was replenished with holy Saints and servants of Christ whereby his house seemed a Church of God But the Devil envying the peace of the Church by the means of an Egyptian Enchanter who was hindred from doing his feats by the presence of the Christians stirred up the Emperor against them who grew to such impiety himself that he sacrificed young infants to his Idols quartered their bodies divided the Entrails of young Children new born c. as hereafter follows CHAP. XIV The eighth Primitive Persecution which began An. Christi 259. VAlerianus being seduced by the Egyptian Inchanter as is before related stirred up the eighth persecution against the Church of Christ concerning which Cyprian writeth thus We must confess that this great calamity which hath wasted for the most part all our Churches and still dayly consumes us ariseth chiefly from our own wickedness while we walk not in the way of the Lord nor observe his precepts as we ought whilst we are full of lucre pride emulation dissention void of simplicity and faithfull dealing renouncing the world in word but not in deed every man pleasing himself and displeasing others and therefore we are thus worthily scourged For what stripes do we not deserve when the Confessors themselves do keep no Discipline c. Concluding Non venissent fratribus haec mala si in unum fraternitas fuisset animata These evils had not happened to the brethren if they had joyned together in brotherly unanimity A little before this persecution began God by a vision revealed it to Cyprian saying to him Be quiet and of good comfort for peace will come albeit a little stay there is for a while for that some remain yet to be proved and tried c. The crimes and accusations that were laid
but he provoking them to make quicker speed they fastened him to the crosse where he finished his Martyrdom Augustine writes of one Vincentius a Spaniard who by Dacianus the President was first laid upon the rack till all the joints of his body crackt then were all his members slasht and indented with deadly wounds then they miserably scratched all his body with iron combs filed very sharp then they laid his body being all out of joint upon an iron grate opened it with iron hooks seared it with fiery plates and then besprinkled it with hot burning salt lastly they drew him and cast him into a vile dungeon the floore whereof was thick-spread with the sharpest shels his feet were fast locked in the stocks and so left him without all wordly comfort but the Lord his God was with him the holy Spirit of God whose office it is to comfort the afflicted filled his heart with joy unspeakable so that he there ended his life with much comfort Also Procopius in Palestine after his conversion brake his Images of gold and silver and distributed them amongst the poor whereupon he had all sorts of torments inflicted on him racking cording tearing of his flesh firing goring stabbing and lastly had his head cut off George a young man of Cappadocia stoutly inveighing against the impious Idolatry of the Emperor was apprehended torn with hooked irons burnt with hot lime stretched out with cords after had his hands and feet cut off and lastly was beheaded Hermogenes the President of Athens being converted by beholding the patience and constancy of two Martyrs in their torments suffered himself for the same faith In Portugall a noble virgin named Eulalia not much above twelve years old had profers of great marriages made unto her but she seeing the fâ—rious rage of this Persecution had a great minde to join her self to the number of the Martyrs for which end she poured out her heart in prayer to God for strength and faith to enable her thereunto But her godly parents fearing that her ready minde to die for Christs cause might make her guilty of her own death they kept her close at their country-house a great way from the City there she lived quietly for a while but at last detesting to make such dealy she stole out of her fathers house in the night and travelled all alone through by-waies with much difficulty and wearinesse towards the City whither she came in the morning and going before the Judge she with a loud voice said I pray you What a shame is it for you thus wickedly to kill mens souls and to breake their bodies in pieces to compell them to deny the omnipotent God Would you know what I am I am a Christian and an enemy to your devilish sacrifices I spurn your Idols under my feet I confesse God omnipotent with my heart and mouth c. Go to therefore thou hangman burne cut and mangle these my earthly members thou maist easily break a brittle substance but thou canst not hurt my inward minde by any thing thou canst doe The Judge enraged herewith said to the hangman Take her and pull her out by the hair of her head to torments let her feel the power of our gods and know what we can do But yet O sturdy girl I would fain have thee before thou diest to revoke thy wickednesse Remember the honourable house of which thou art come and thy friends tears Wilt thou kill thy self in the flower of thy youth so near honourable marriages Doth not the glistering pomp of the bride-bed move thee c. Behold here the engines prepared for thy death either thou shalt be beheaded with the sword or torn with wilde beasts or consumed with fire to ashes c. yet this thou maiest escape if thou wilt What greate matter is it for thee with thy fingers to put a little incense into the censers yet thereby thou shalt be delivered To this Eulalia answered not being in a great passion but spit in the Tyrants face and spurned abroad the heap of incâ—nse Whereupon without further delay the hangmen with both their strengths pulled out her joints scratched her with the talons of wilde beasts to the hard bones she singing and praising God in the mean time saying Behâ—ld O Lord I will not forget thee What a pleasure is it for them O Christ that remember thy triumphant victories to ataine to these high dignities c. Yea when as out of a warm fountain her fair and white skin was discoloured with the purple bloud that flowed from her torn members she wept not but chearfully sang praises unto God then they gored her mangled body with the iron grate terribly harrowed her flesh and burned her brest with flaming torches then setting fire to her long hair which covered her naked body when it came to her face she opened her mouth and sucked in the flame and so peaceably slept in the Lord. Also Agnes a young virgin being accused for a Christian was brought before the Judge who first laboured by flatteries then by threatning her with cruell torments to draw her to the deniall of her faith but she being strengthened by Christ told him that she feared not his torments which she was willing to undergo yea and death it self for Christs sake then said the Judge if it be so easie with thee to undergo torments yet I know that thou prizest thy virginity therefore it is fully determined that except thou sacrificest to the gods thou shalt be put into the common Stews Then did many youths flock together craving that Agnes might be exposed as a prey to there filthy lusts to whom she said Christ is not forgetfull of those that are his neither will he leave me destitute of his help nor suffer my unspotted chastity to be defiled by you c. you shall willingly bathe your swords in my blood but you shall not defile my body with filthy lust for any thing that you can do Then the Judge commanded that she should be â—et naked at the corner of a street whereupon the multitude sorrowed and were ashamed to see so shamelesse a sight turning away their face and so departing but one amongst the rest looking upon her in a shamelesse manner behold a flame of fire like a flash of lightining struck out both his eies and he falling down wallowed in the kennell dirt whereupon Agnes sang praises unto God Then the cruel Tyrant enraged hereby commanded the executioner to draw out his sword and dispatch her She seeing a sturdy souldier coming towards her with a naked sword rejoyced saying This O this is he that I love I will make hast to meet him and no longer protract my longing desires I well willingly receive the length of his sword into my breast O eternall father vouchsafe to open the gates of heaven to my soul that seeketh thee
Kings Court To whom the lad answered You shall not get me from the fellowship of these holy men who bred me up with whom I lived in the fear of God and with whom I desire to die and with whom I trust I shall obtain the glory to come And so being all put into the ship they were burned together After the death of Hunrick Gundabund succeeded in the Kingdom who continuing in the steps of his cruel predecessors afflicted the Christians grievously by sundry kinds of persecution during the space of twelve years at the end whereof he died and Thrasamund succeeded him a man that excelled all his Predecessors in magnanimity and courage His manner was by perswasions flatteries promises and rewards to seek to draw the Christians to his Arrian Heresie but they which would not be prevailed with hereby he no way punished or molested them In his time there were great Wars between the Moors and Vandals the Moors had one Cabaon for their General who commanded all his souldiers to use abstinence in their diet and to abstain from women and from all Injury and wrong-doing The women he enclosed within trenches by themselves commanding that under pain of death no man should have access to them Then did he send forth a certain company of Moors commanding them privately to follow the Camp oâ— the Vandals and that wheresoever the Vandals profaned any Church of the Christians presently after their departure they should follow and purge the same For saith he if the Christians God be a good God then will he assist them that are devoted to him and punish the Blasphemers These men in counterfeit base attire followed the Vandals Camp and whereas the Vandals where ever they came took up the Christians Churches for their Horses and Beasts of burthen carrying themselves very insolently against God and his House beating and abusing the Ministers and Church-Officers making them to attend upon them as their slaves After their departure the Moors on the contrary cleansed the Churches carried out the dung kneeled down to and reverenced the Ministers and distributed money to the poor and thus they did continually Then did Cabaon prepare to give his enemies battel and whereas the Vandals were all Horse-men and very well mounted their Horses were so afrighted at the sight of the Moors Camels that they were presently put into disorder and the Moors with darts and arrows did so pelt them that they put them to flight and slew many of them whereupon Thrasamund shortly after died of grief Then did Ilderick the son of Hunrick succeed in the Kingdom who was equally mild and gentle both to the Vandals and Christians and one that kept very fair correspondence with the Emperour Justinian But Gilimer a cunning and ambitious man deposed him and usurped the Kingdom to himself Whereupon Justinian sent against him that brave and gallant General Billisarius who overcame him in several battels took him prisoner freed the Christians from persecution and subverted the Empire of the Vandals in Africk after they had reigned there for the space of ninety years wherein for the most part they had been cruel persecutors of the true Church of God Salvian who was Bishop of Masilia and lived at the same season complaineth that before these brutish Vandals came into Africk the Church of God there was much degenerated from its ancient purity and the power of Godliness was much decaid insomuch as they which lived exactly according to the Rule of Gods Word were hissed at as they went in the streets as if they had been monsters Whereupon saith he the passage of the Vandals into Africk was not to be imputed to Gods rigour but to the Africans wickedness c. Collected out of a Book written by Victor Bishop of Utica who lived at the same time and was himself a Sufferer under this persecution Here place the fifth Figure THE PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH UNDER THE PAPACY CHAP. XXI The Persecutions of the Waldenses which began Anno Christi 1160. WHen the darkness of Popery had overspread the Christian world so that Kings and Princes imploied their Authority to establish the Romish Idolatry appointing to slaughter such as denied Transubstantiation Adoration of the Host bowing the knees before it c. this occasioned many Christians to detest this superstition as unknown to the Apostles and primitive Church And first of all God raised up Berengarius presently after the year one thousand who boldly and faithfully preached the Truth and against the Romish Errors continuing his Ministry till about the time that William the Conqueror came into England whereupon the Gospellers were called Berengarians till about the year 110. At which time common notice being taken of their separation from the Church of Rome and their disagreeing from so many of their Tenents they were branded with the odious name of Hereticks And twenty years after when they were grown into a very great multitude they had one Peter Bruis for their most famous Preacher who taught long and publickly at Tholouse under the protection and favour of a noble Earl called Hildephonsus whereupon in those parts they were called Petro-Brusians For Peter Bruis Anno Christi 1120. published their Tenents in a book called Anti-Christ wherein he declared both the ground of their Doctrine and the causes of their separation from the Romish Church Twenty years after this they were grown into a mighty multitude about Anno Christi 1140. whereupon the Popes of Rome now began to lay about them for their Extirpation For which end he stirred up his most learned followers to write against them and warned Princes to take heed of them and to banish them out of their Territories Anno Christi 1147. they had Henry of Tholouse for their most eminent Preacher whereupon they began to be called Henericians and because they were well red in the Scriptures especially in the Epistles of St. Paul whom by way of eminency they called the Apostle alleadging Texts out of him nnd would admit of no Testimonies for the proof of Religion but only out of Scripture they were called Apostolicks And shortly after God raised up Peter Valdo a Citizen of Lions in France who shewed himself most couragious in opposing the Popish inventions withal taxing divers other innovations which were crept into the Church of Rome and he was the more eagerly hearkened unto because he was in high esteem for his Learning and Piety and his liberality to the poor for besides the nourishing of their bodies he did also feed their souls by exhorting them to seek Jesus Christ and salvation by him The Arch-Bishop of Lions being informed that Valdo used thus to instruct the people boldly taxing the vice luxury and pride of the Pope and his Clergy forbad him the same upon pain of Excommunication and proceeded against him as an Heretick Valdo replied that he could not be silent in a cause of so great importance
of the faith of the Waldenses Besides the Churches that they had in Valentinois where their faith was propagated from the father to the son their religion spread also beyond the Alps into the valley of Pragela within the jurisdiction of the Arch-Bishop of Turin from whence were peopled the Waldensian Valleys of Piedmont La Perouse S. Martain Angrogne c. This valley of Pargela was one of the safest retiring places that the Waldenses had being environed on all sides with mountains almost inaccessible into the caves whereof they retired themselves in the times of persecution and though they were weakned on all sides environed with enemies and in danger of being apprehended if they looked but forth of their doors yet was there never any wordly respect that had power to alter their holy resolution from the father to the sonne to serve God taking his Word for the rule of their faith his Law for the rule of their obedience yea no sooner were the infants weaned from their mothers breasts but their parents took a singular delight to instruct them in the Christian faith There Pastors also did not only preach to them on the Sabbath daies but went in the week daies to instruct them in the villages and hamlets not sparing themselves for the roughnesse of the rocks the coldnesse of the ayr and the cragginesse of the country where they were fain to climbe up high mountains to visit their flocks There was also holy Discipline exercised amongst them The people praied with fervency at night when they went to their rest and in the morning before the went about their labour They had Schools wherein their children were taught and nurtured Bâ—t whilest they thus busily sought the advancement of Gods glory and their own salvation the devil raised up a persecution against them Anno 1380. by a Monk Inquisitor called Francis Boralli who had a commission to enquire after the Waldenses in Aix Arles Ambrun Viene Geneva Aubone Savoy the Venetian County the Principality of Orenge the City of Avignion c. which commission he received from Pope Clement the seventh This Monk cited to appeare before him at Ambrun all the Inhabitants of Frassiniere Argentire and of the valley Pute upon pain of excommunication but they appeared not whereupon they were condemned of contumacy and excommunicated and for the space of thirteen years as he caught any of them he delivered them up to the secular power to be burnt at Grenoble the number of whom was an hundred and fifty men divers women with many of their sons and daughters besides about eighty persons of Argentire The Inquisitors also adjudged to themselves two parâ—s of all their goods and the third part to the temporal powers they forbad all their bordering neighbours also to assist receive visit or defend them or to converse with them in any sort upon pain of being attainted and punished as favourers of Hereticks c. The Waldenses of the valley of Pragela Anno 1400. were assaulted by their enemies on the side of Susa in Piedmont but most of their assaults proved in vain because these Waldenses retired into the high mountains hiding themselves in the caves and hollow places thereof from whence they much endamaged those that came to assail them Their enemies seing this came upon them in the depth of winter when those poor people never suspected it all the mountains being covered over with snow and thereupon they retired into the highest mountain of all the Alps together with their wives and children the mothers carrying some in their cradles and leading others by the hand yet the enemy followed them till night and slew many before they could recover the mountain and they which were so slain had the better bargain for night coming on these poor people being in the snow without any meanes to make a fire for their infants many of them were benummed and in the morning above eighty of them were frozen to death in their cradles and most of their mothers died also and divrese others were giving up the last gasp The enemies lay all night in these peoples houses which they ransacked and pillaged and so returned to Susa but by the way meeting with a poor Waldensian woman they hanged her upon a tree and so departed The VValdenses of the valley of Frassiniere were greatly persecuted by the Arch-Bishop of Ambrun Anno 1460. who made a Monk called John Vayleti his Commissioner against them which Monk proceeded with such diligence and violence that scarce any person could escape his hands but that he was either apprehended for an Heretick or a favourer of them whereby many Papists suffered amongst the rest which caused them to petition King Lewis the eleventh of France by his authority to stay the course of that persecution and thereupon the King wrote his Letter to the Governour of Dauphine signifying that whereas the Inquisitors had daily sent forth their processe against many poor people in those parts without reasonable cause putting some to the rack and condemning them for matters whereof they were never guilty and which they could not prove by any witnesse and of others they had exacted great sums of money and divers waies had unjustly vexed and molested them he therefore decreed that for the time to come all such processe should be void and of none effect nor any wrong done to them in body goods or good name except there were any that obstinately maintained and affirmed any thing against the holy Catholicke Faith But the Arch-Bishop was so far from ceasing the persecution upon this Edict that he grew more violent by reason of the last clause pretending that he did not any thing contrary to the Kings precept seeing they which were cited appeared not to justifie themselves c. He also suborned many Priests which were his own Officers to depose that all they which had petitioned the King were VValdenses He also hired one John Pelegrin to accuse them for assembling themselves in dark places to commit whoredom c. and then he sent to the Court to justifie himself from the complaint made to the King against him that he had persecuted the Waldenses rather out of covteousness to get their goods then out of zeal to the Catholick Faith but this single witness prevailed but litle seeing there were many other who deposed that they had never seen any such villany amongst the Waldenses nor any the least appearance of the same Yet did not the Archbishop cease to prosecute them to the uttermost of his power so that he caused most of them to flie away only one James Pateneri stood to it averring before the Court that he was unjustly vexed contrary to the Kings Letters demanding a copy of the proceedings that he might right himself by Law â—hereupon the Archbishop left him and fell upon those that wanted the like courage citing the Consuls of Frassiniere
requested the Albingenses to yield to this but the Albingenses answered that they would not forsake their religion for the base price of their frail life that God was able if he pleased to defend them but if he would be glorified by the confession of their faith it should be a great honour to them to die for his sake that they had rather displease the Pope who could but kill their bodies then God who could cast both body and soul into hell c. Then did the Popish party send their Bishop to the Legate beseeching him not to include them in the chastisement of the Albingenses and that the best way to win the others was by gentle means not by rigour the Legate grew into great choler at this swearing that if all the City diâ— not acknowledg their fault they should all taste of one cup without distinction of religion sex or age and accordingly he summoned the City presently to yield to his discretion which they refusing he caused that his Engines should play and that a generall assault should be given It was impossible for them within the City to resist so great violence being assaulted by above an hundred thousand Pilgrims so that the enemies entred and slew a great multitude and set the City on fire and burnt it to ashes When the City was first taken the Priests and Monks came forth of the great Church with Banners and Crosses singing Te Deum laudamus but the Souldiers who were commanded by the Legate to kill all ran upon them made their heads and arms to fly about the streets so that they were all cut in pieces In this City of Beziers they slew sixty thousand persons the Popes Legate saying to the Captains and souldiers Caedite eos omnes novit enim Dominus qui sunt ejus Kill them all Catholicks and Hereticks for the Lord knoweth who are his Then were these Pilgrims presently conducted to Carcasson before the fourty daies of service which they had vowed to the Church of Rome were expired The Earl of Beziers when he saw that he could obtain no favour of the Legate before the City was taken left his charge to the Bishop and went to Carcasson endeavouring to prepare and furnish it for a long siege but the Legates Army followed him presently unto which there came a new supply of crossed souldiers out of sundry Countries so that his Army now consisted of three hundred thousand fighting men Near to the City of Carcasson was a Town of the same name the City was seated on an hill and fenced with a double wall yet the Pilgrims thought to take it at the first sight and therefore ran with great violence upon the first Rampier filling the ditch with fagots but they were beaten back with such courage that the ground was covered with their dead bodies The young Earl of Beziers won much honor in this first encounter encouraging his men and telling them that it was better to die fighting then to fal into the hands of such cruel and merciless enemies c. The Albingenses much encouraged hereby swore to him that they would spend their lives for the preservation of the City The next morning the Legate commanded a general assault to be made upon the Town of Carcasson which was two miles from the City The people valiantly defended themselves but being oppressed with multitudes the souldiers entred the Town putting all to the sword and fire as they had done at Beziers Then came the King of Arragon to the Camp and told the Legate that he understood that his kinsman the Earl of Beziers was in the City and that with his leave he would go to him not doubting but that he should prevail with him to do his duty to the Pope and Church The Legate gave him leave and the King approaching to the Rampier called for the Earl who came to him then said the King that he desired to know of him what moved him to shut up himself in that City against so great an Army of Pilgrims the Earl answered that it was to defend his life goods and Subjects that he knew well that the Pope under the pretence of religion resolved to destroy his Uncle Remund and himselfe that he saw the cruelty which they had used at Beziers even against the Priests themselves adding also what they had done to the Town of Carcasson and that they must look for no mercy from the Legate or his Army and that therefore he rather chose to die defending himself with his subjects then to fall into the hands of so inexorable an enemy as the Legate was that though he had in his City some that were of another religion yet they were such as had wronged none and were come to his succour in his greatest extremity and for their good service he was resolved not to abandon them and that his trust was in God the defender of the oppressed that he would assist them against that world of ill advised men who forsook their own houses to burn sack and ransack and kill in their houses other men without reason judgement or mercy The King returning to the Legate told him that his cozen was much discontented with his former dealings against his Subjects of Beziers Carcasson that he believed seeing they spared not the Romish Priests their war was not for Religion but a kinde of theevery that he would not yield himselfe to the descretion of such mercilesse men c. The Legate after some debate told the King that for his sake he would receive the Earl of Beziers to mercy and that with him twelve more might come out with bag and baggage but for the rest he would have them wholly at his discretion and that they should all come forth stark naked men women maids and children without shirts smocks or other covering and that then they might hope well of his mercy he being the Popes Legate c. The King much distasted this propositions yet reported it to the Earl of Beziers who returned answer that he would not come forth upon such unreasonable and unjust propositions but would defend himself and his Subjects as God should enable him Then did the Legate cause all his Engines to play commanding that they should take the City by storm but he was little pleased when he saw the losse of a great number of his Pilgrims for they in the City threw down stones fire pitch brimstone and boiling water wherewith they so galled the assailants that the earthâ—â—s covered and the ditches filled with their deads bodies which 〈◊〉 a wondrous noysom stink both in the City an Camp This overthrow caused divers of the crossed souldiers having accomplished their fourty daies service and thereby gained Paradise to refuse to conquer more after so faire a purchase and therefore they returned home The Legate being much troubled to see his Army so decreased thought of this Stratagem he sent for
his performances of these things he shall go into the Holy land to fight against the Turke and never return againe into his owne country but by the leave of the Pope or his Legate Remund having read over these Articles shewed them to the King who advised him presently to mount on horseback least seising upon him they might the better become masters of all his estate which accordingly he did The Legate was much troubled that he had thus lost his prey and despairing to do any more by subtilty he resolved to set upon him by force and thereupon he besieged the Castle of Montferrand where Baldwin the brother of the Earl of Tholouse was governour Baldwin at least pretending inability to defend the place yielded it up and abjuring his opinions turned Papist The Earl of Tholouse seeing himselfe thus betrayed by his brother lamented exceedingly but a greater mischiefe soone after befell him For the Legate and Earl Simon wonne from him by their subtilty the King of Arragon his only prop under God and that by this meanes they agreed that the King of Arragons daughter should be married to Earl Simon 's eldest son in consideration whereof the King of Arragon invested Simon in the Earldom of Beziers and now they intend jointly to besieg Tholouse For which end the Bishop of Tholouse was sent to levy souldiers in France and at his returne hasted to Tholouse which Earl Remund hearing of sallyed out of the City with five hundred horse and some foot marching to the bridg which goeth over the river of Garenne not far from Tholouse hoping either to gaine it or to breake it down but being overpowered by multitude he was forced to make a retreat and the enemie pursued him to the very gates of Tholouse But Earl Remund seeing their insolency sallyed out againe with a greater strength and charged them so gallantly that he beat them back to the bridge which being but narrow he slew almost all of them there and took prisoner amongst them Aimery the son of Earl Simon Earl Simon hearing of this loss hasted with all his army to the City and gave a furious assault to it but the ditches were soone filled with the dead bodies of the enemie beaten from their scaling laddars and the Earl himselfe was beaten from his horse In the middest of this assault came the Earl of Campeigne soon enough to be well beaten for his welcome Earl Simon finding such stout resistance from the Citizens caused his Pilgrimes to spoil the Orchards Gardens and Vineyards about the city which being perceived the President of Argeves issued out of the City suddenly and slew a number of the Pilgrims and on another part the Earl of Foix slew as many as he could meet with The Earl of Bar seeing the disorder of the Popish Army cried out a Bar a Bar but the Citizens of Tholouse charged him so bravely that being discomfited he was faigne to fly amongst the rest After this victory Earl Remund returning to Tholouse caused publike and solemne thanks to be returned unto God for the same Earl Simon after this lead his Army into the country of the Earl of Foix who was now sick where he took some townes also the Legat with another part of the army went to Roquemaur and in his way took the Tower of Cassas and caused above an hundred men that were found therein most cruelly to be burned alive and levelled the Tower to the earth Earl Remund being much afflicted for the loss and alienation of his ancient friend the King of Arragon studied how he might regaine him and for that end propounded a match betweene his only son and heire and the King of Arragons daughter which motion the King readily imbraced and so their amity was againe revived Not long after the King of Arragon sent a letter of defiance to Earl Simon who sent the same all over Christendom to stir up Pilgrims to assist him for the destruction of the King who as he said was now become the Captaine of the Albingenses and in the meane time the Popes Legate raising an army in France went speedily into the Earldome of Foix and took some Towns putting all to the sword without distinction of sex or age and taking also St. Anthonies he caused thirty of the principall men to be hanged in cold blood after he had granted them their lives Anno Christi 1213. Peter King of Arragon with a great army of Arragonois and Tholousians besieged Muret a strong Towne scituated upon the river Garronne near unto Tholouse There was in his Army the Earls of Tholouse Comminges and of Foix but the night following the Popish Bishops sent two Friers to him desiring him to take pitty on the Church and not to undertake the defence of the Hereticks but they laboured in vaine for the King would not desert them whereupon they prepared the next day to give him battle and whilest Simon Montfort was encouraging his souldiers the Bishop of Tholouse carryed a crucifix in his hand whereupon the Captains a lighting adored it with and humble kiss Then the Bishop of Comminges getting upon an high place took the crosse in his hand and blessed the Army with it promising forgivenesse of all sins to all that dyed in that quarrell Hereupon Simon divided his army into three Battalia's in the name of the Trinity and so joyning battle they fought very gallantly on both sides till at length the King of Arragon was slaine and so God who doth not alwayes prosper the best cause gave the victory to the Popelings and they were slaine in the fight and pursute about two millions of the Albingenses as their enemies reported The Albingenses attributed this loss to Gods judgement upon the humane confidence of the King who trusted too much in his great numbers and was feasting whilest his enemies were plotting After this victory the Popes agents sent abroad their letters into divers countries for a new supply of Pilgrims utterly to root out the Hereticks With this victory Earl Simon was so puffed up that he summoned the Earls of Tholouse Foix and Comminges and the Prince of Bearn to deliver to him the keyes of those Cities and Castles which they possessed They returned no answer but each of them betooke himself to his own Territories to provide the best they could for their affairs Earl Remund retired to Mâ—ntalbon writing to them at Tholoâ—se that understanding that the Bishop of Arras was coming with a great Army of Pilgrims against them and that he was altogether disabled to defend their City he had advised them therefore that they should make the best terms they could for themselves with Earl Simon yet desired them to reserve their hearts for him till God should give him meanes to free them from those miseries In the interim the Earls of Foix Comminges and the Prince of Bearn did what they could to infest the enemies Armies Upon the former advice the Citizens
called together in a Synod in the mountaines to ordain Ecclesiastical Laws whereby they should be governed they appointed also sundry daies of Fasting and Prayer for themselves and their dispersed friends taking counsell from Gods Word concerning those things which were required to the fuller Reformation both of life and doctrine That which most afflicted them was for want of Pastors not knowing where they should have new ones after those were dead who then lived with them but after debate they resolved that Christ had given this authority to his Church that such as were ordained themselves might ordain others Yet some scruple arose whether such as were but Presbyters might ordaine without a Bishop For which cause they met together and with fasting prayers and teares they sought unto God to reveal his will to them in this difficulty and afterwards making a scrutiny by lot the Lord answered them that it was lawfull for Presbyters to ordain Presbyters which occasioned great joy unto them Then did these Brethren deliberate among themselves whether they should joyn with the Waldenses in Moravia and Austria and so be one people with them and one Church The purity of their Doctrine and Christian Conversation did much please but again it much displeased them that they concealed the truth not openly professing it as they ought but to avoid persecution they frequented the Churches of the Papists and so communicated with Idolaters Therefore they concluded to admonish them of this evil and for this end they sent some able men to them to acquaint them with it The Waldenses answered that to be in unity with them was very gratefull and for the evils objected against them they were not ignorant of them nor would defend them but rather would labour to amend them Concluding that they desired to have a sixt day of meeting with the Brethren in which they would take some further order about this businesse But before the time came the Papists having some intelligence of it raged so violently against the Waldenses that they burnt one of the chiefest of them at Vienna and so persecuted the rest that they were fain to provide for their own safety by flight Anno 1468. There came out a new Decree against these Brethren requiring all the Nobles of Bohemia within their severall jurisdictions to apprehend as many as they could and to proceed against them Many therefore were apprehended and put into prison where they were kept for a long time But thrâ—â—gh the wonderfull working of God the more the enemies laboured to put out this spark the more it brake forth into a great flame for many of their Peers submitted to the Discipline of the Brethren building Churches for them in their Towns and Villages so that Anno 1500. they had in Bohemia and Moravia about two hundred Churches After the death of Pogiebracius Uladislaus a Polonian succeeded in the Kingdom to whom the Brethren wrote an Apology by reason of many foul accusations that were carried to him against them This so exasperated their enemies that they endeavoured by a most impudent invention to stir up the hatred of all men against them The way they used was this They suborned a wicked villain to say that he came from amongst them and that he had been an Elder but had therefore forsaken them because in their meetings they used to blaspheme God the Virgin Mary and the Saints to traduce the Sacraments to mingle themselves incestuously after the manner of the Adamites to commit murther and practise witchcraft c. This man they led through the Townes and Cities as a spectacle they brought him to their Church where he must abjure his errors and beseech the people to pray for him a most miserable sinner and to take heed by his example of the wicked Piccards They also published his confession in writing being confirmed with the seals and subscripâ—ons of some Deans and Priests causing them to be read in the Churches to the people But the devil was befooled herein for the Brethren by publick writings did confute these lies and the villain trembling so often to forswear himself in the sight of the people confessed at last that he was suborned to do what he did and that he knew not any of the Piccards Yet thus far it made for good that some to make experience of so great villanies began privately and disguised to frequent the Assemblies of the Brethren and finding it to be farre other wise then it was reported did associate themselves with them as with true Christians Anno 1488. Mathias King of Hungary banished the Brethren from Moravia which caused some hundreds of them taking a Minister along with them to go into Moldavia Whereupon the Brethren in Bohemia sent one of their Elders to them to exhort them unto patience under this persecution which was for the truth Shortly after the restless enemies of God and his Church raised another persecution against the Brethren in Bohemia for some Bishops consulting together suborned the Queen great with childe so that they conceived that the King would deny her nothing in that state to request of him that he would severely punish the Piccards The King displeased at her request only nodded his head but gave no answer at all Yet the Bishops in his presence began to draw up the Edict The King going into his chamber fell down on his knees and with tears besought God to forgive the guilt of those bloudy counsels and to grant no successe to them and God heard his prayers and shewed some examples of his severe judgements on the Authors of this conspiracy The Queen who proposed to her fancy what gratefull spectacles she should have in seeing the Piccards brought to Prague and there some burnt some beheaded and others drowned in the water presently fell in travell and when she was not able to bring forth the Physitians advised that the childe should be cut out of the mothers womb which was accordingly done whereby the childe lived but the mother died Two years after the Bishops by their importunity prevailed with the King that sharp remedies should be used against those growing evils as they were pleased to call them whereupon an Edict was sent forth that all the Piccards without distinction of sex age or quality should be slain This Mandate was brought to the Assembly of States at Prague by two Bishops but divers of the chiefest Nobles opposed it so that eighteen moneths were spent in debate before any thing was done but at last by the cunning artifice of the Chancellor and his bloudy associates it was confirmed by the greatest part of the Nobility in the presence of the King and a mutuall confederacy was entred into that it should be prosecuted with an armed power but God following some of the chiefe contrivers of it with sundry judgements it almost came to nothing Yet in these troubles
that nothing should be done either against law or equity till he had further knowledge of the cause In the mean time the Brethren being much encouraged by letters from Luther Bucer and Capito went on constantly and through Gods mercy a great nummber was added to the Church till that fatal year 1547. At which time Charles the fifth putting in execution the decrees of the Counsell of Trent raised warres against the Protestant Princes in Germany At which time his brother Ferdinand sollicited the Bohemians for aid but they refused it in regard of their ancient league with the house of Saxony But the German Protestants being overcome in warre Ferdinand entred Bohemia with an Army seizeth on Prague imprisoneth the principall Nobles Barons and Citizens some he scourged some he beheaded and upon others he laid grievous Fines and of others he sequestred all their Estates Also he disarmed the City of Prague took away their privileges banishing some whilst others went into voluntary exile Then did the Devil raise up some to lay all the blame upon the Brethren to which malicious suggestions the King giving heed first by open Proclamation commanded all their Churches to be shut up and then he took away their Peers and banished them all out of his Realms When this Thunderbolt came abroad the brethren agreed amongst themselves that they would be more faithfull to God and their consciences then they had been and so by common consent dividing themselves into three companies they went into Poland and all of them had experience of an admirable divine protection in their journey escaping some that might and would have robbed them but that they were restrained by God as also in most places where they came they found Christian commiseration and liberality of men towards them and courteous entertainment in Poland though most of them were Papists Yet not long after the Bishop of that part where they were got a Mandate from the King to drive them away Then were they forced to goe into the farthest parts of Prusia whereby D. Albert Brandenburg they had a place of habitation alloted to them and one Paul Speratus a Protestant Bishop having conferred with them about their faith was very courteous and charitable to them The next Edict that Ferdinand set forth against the brethren was for the apprehending of all their Ministers whereupon some of them retired into Moravia others that they might be near their flocks hid themselves in private places in the night-time they visited the faithfull which continued for some years but at last three of them fell into their enemies hands yet one of them through the admirable providence of God escaped out of a deep dungeon in the Castle of Prague and fled to his brethren in Borussia and he sometimes passing through Polonia and preaching the Gospel through Gods mercy many of the Nobility and others were converted by his Ministry so that in a few years he erected twenty Churches in Poland The enemies having imprisoned John Augusta they much rejoyced at it because he was a chief Minister amongst the Brethren and as Luther in Germany against the Pope so he both by his Ministry and writings had mightily confuted the Calixtines and thereupon they laid to his charge his refusall to raise Forces for the assistance of Ferdinand and intentions of bringing in John Frederick Elector of Saxony to be King in Bohemia and for the discovery of this pretended conspiracy he was cruelly racked three times but when they could draw nothing from him they yet kept him in prison seventeen years Anno 1549. Ferdinand published another decree for the extirpating both of the brethren and Lutherans and the Ministers that had received Ordination in Germany or that were married were banished out of the Kingdom to the number of about two hundred Also the Baron of Schanow a man of much experience and learning being apprehended under the pretence of some conspiracy against Ferdinand was imprisoned examined and then laid on the rack he with an heroical indignation cut out his tongue and cast it away and being asked why he did it he wrote on the wall I did it because I would not by any tortures be brought to say any thing falsly against my selfe or others He also in a writing taxed the Tyrannical proceedings against himselfe and other innocents citing the King and his Counsellors to appear and answer it before the Tribunall of God and so shortly after died About that time Ferdinand brought Jesuites into Prague and built a stately College for them who sought by all means to overthrow the Church of Christ and added fuell to the fire of persecution After the death of Ferdinand Maximilian succeeded Anno 1562. who being of a peaceable disposition could by no means be induced that any should suffer for their faith After him Rodulphus succeeded Anno 1676. who treading in his Father steps the Church of Christ enjoyed peace under him yea pure religion so flourished through the whole Kingdom that there was scarce one amongst an hundred that did not professe the Reformed Religion But alas with liberty of Religion by little and little men began to be licentious in their lives and carnal security so encreased that some began to presage that an horrible tempest should again overwhelm them After the death of Rodulphus succeeded Mathias who comming into Bohemia Anno 1617. he called an Assembly of the States but it being harvest time few appeared To them that did appear Mathias complained that since he had no issue he would adopt Ferdinand for his son commendeth his vertues and desires that he may be crowned The Orders assembled affirmed that a matter of that consequence could not be done in the absence of the united Provinces Caesar urged that what Bohemia should do would be confirmed by all the rest that he grew faint and it could not be deferred till another time In brief the Oorders protested that the Term of Receiving him King was new that he ought first to be chosen and then received and some perceiving that there was no place for a free voice departed others partly allured by promises and partly deterred by threats staid and were present at the Cronation of Ferdinand after which he presently went into Moravia Silesia and Lusatia requesting to be received for their King The Persecution of the Church in Bohemia which began Anno Christi 1617. FErdinand the second Emperour of Germany being thus obtruded upon the Bohemians for their King contrary to the ancient constitutions and customes of the Kingdom and not lawfully elected thereunto as he ought to have been retired presently into Germany And thereupon the enemies of the truth began to crow and openly to threaten the Protestants and it appeared sufficiently that Ferdinand sware to the Orders with his mouth but in his heart to the Pope and presently after his
famous Assembly I neither ought nor could any longer suffer it neither could I forbear doing what you have seen which thing most noble Prince was not done in contempt of your Presence God is my witness but to seek the salvation of this People The King hearing that he was an Englishman and considering what alteration of Religion King Edward had made presently conceited that he was suborned by some body to do this in scorn to their Religion wherefore he asked him who was the Authour and procurer of this act Gardiner answered that he was not moved thereunto by any man but only by his own conscience For saith he there is no man under heaven for whose sake I would put my self into such manifest danger but that I owed this service first to God and then to your salvation and if I have done any thing which is dispeasing to you you ought to impute it to no man but to your self who so iâ—reverently use the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper to so great Idolatry c. Whilst he thus stoutly spake to the King by reason of the losse of much blood by his wound he was ready to faint Whereupon Chirurgions were sent for to cure him that he might be reserved for further torments Then were all other Englishmen in the City clapped up in prison especially his bed-fellow who was grievously tormented and examined more then all the rest and scarcely delivered after two years imprisonment the rest got off sooner They searched also all his writings and letters to see if they could find out any confederates then they went to him seeking by torments to extort the Author of this fact They also invented a new kind of torment exceeding Phalaris his brazen Bull which was this They made a ball of linnen cloth which with violence they thrust down his throat to the bottom of his stomack and with a string fastned to it they pulled it up again and this they did divers times which caused as bitter pains as the pains of death but when by this means they could get no confession from him they asked him if he did not repent of his wicked fact whereto he answered that he was so far from repenting that if it were to do again he should do it yet was he somewhat sorry that it was done in the Kings presence to his disturbance but they were not to blame him for it but the King was rather to be blamed who having power would not prohibit so great Idolatry When they had used all kinds of torments and that he was so weakned thereby that he was not like to live long they first cut off his right hand then carried him into the market-place where they cut off his other hand also then fastning a rope about his middle with a Pully they hoisted him up an high and making a great fire under him they let him down so that his feet only felt the fire and so often pulling him up and down they burned him by degrees and yet in all these great torments he remained constant and the more terribly that he burnt the more earnestly he prayed When his feet were consumed they asked him whether he yet did not repent him of his deed exhorting him to call upon our Lady and the Saints He answered that what torments soever they used the truth was the same that which he had confessed in his life he would not deny at his death and that when Christ ceased to be our Advocate he would pray to our Lady c. And when they laboured to stop his pâ—aying to and praising of God he with a loud voice reheased the 34. Psalm which being almost ended the rope was burned in sunder so that his body fell down into the fire where he changed his momentany pains for eternal rest But the Lord suffered not this cruelty to go altogether unpunished in this life for a spark of the fire wherewith he was burned was driven by the wind into the Haven where it set on fire one of the Kings great ships and consumed it The new-married Prince also died within half a year and the King himself not long after The Martyrdom of a Christian Jew in Constantinople Anno Christi 1528. THis Jew dwelling ar Constantinople through Gods grace was there converted baptized and became a good Christian which the Turks understanding were vehemently exasperated against him for it fearing lest his conversion should prove very prejudicial to their Mahumetan Religion and therefore they apprehended and cruelly murthered him and for his greater infamy they cast out his dead body into the open streets forbidding all strictly to bury it Thus his dead body lay in the streets nine dayes yet through the power of God it corrupted not at all yea there proceeded from it a certain delectable sent or odour which much astonished the Turks so that at last they took it up and carried it out of the City and buried it CHAP. XXX The Persecution of the Church in Germany which began Anno Christi 1523. THe Gospel being spread abroad in Germany by the means and ministry of Luther and his fellow-labourers the Pope having tried all other means for the suppressing of it and finding them ineffectual he at last provokes the Emperour Charles the fifth by war to destroy the Protestants and for that end gives him two hundred thousand crowns in money for the maintenance of these Wars and ties himself at his own cost to maintain twelve thousand foot and five hundred horse for six moneths yea out of his zeale for the cause he allows the Emperour the one half of the Revenues of the Clergy and gives him leave to sell off Abby-lands to the value of five hundred thousand crowns whereupon great preparation was made for this War both in Germany Spain and Italy the consideration wherereof caused the confederate Protestant Princes to raise a great Army also for their own defence upon which occasion they were proclaimed guilty of high treason by the Emperour The two Armies lay near together and the Protestants offered battel to the Emperour but he refused assuring himself that they could not long continue together The Army of the Protestants was commanded by the Duke of Saxony and the Lantgrave of Hessen who did not concur very well in their counsels besides they wanted both victuals and money so as they were forced to dislodge and retire further off the Emperour following forced the Elector to fight with disadvantage and God who doth not alwaies prosper the better cause gave the victory to the Emperour the Duke of Saxony and the Lantgrave being taken prisoners Anno 1547. Presently after ensued a great persecution in many places authority armed with laws and rigour striving against simple verity It was lamentable to hear how many poor men were troubled both Ministers and Christians some tossed from place to place others exiled out of their own Countryes some driven into
to live with him for ever and so they all quietly slept in the Lord. Four others about the same time were condemned and cruelly burnt at Paris for the same cause Anno 1548. There was one Blondel a Merchant of precious stones that frequented many great Fairs in France and was well-known both in Court and Countrey he was a man of singular integrity and a Favourer of Gods Word being at an Inne in Lions he freely reproved the filthy talk and superstitious behaviour which he there heard and saw hereupon the Host complained of him to an officer withal informing him of his rich Coller of Jewels These two suborned one to borrow money of him which because Blondel refused to lend the fellow caused him to be apprehended for heresie thinking thereby to attach his goods but Blondels friends prevented it privily conveying them away Blondel being examined of his faith gave a plain and full Confession of it whereupon he was sent to prison in which he did much good amongst the Prisoners paying the debts of some and so loosing them feeding others cloathing others c. At length through the importunity of his Parents and friends he changed his Confession yet was he sent to the High Court at Paris where being examined again concerning his faith he adhered to his first Confession much bewailing his former fall Then was he condemned to be burnt and great haste was made for his execution left his friends at Court should save his life Anno 1549. One Hubert a young man of nineteen years old was so constant in the faith that neither the perswasions of his Parents nor the threats of his adversaries could remove him from his stedfastnesse for which he was burned at Dyion The same year there was a godly Minister called Florent Venote cast into prison at Paris where he lay above four years in which time there was no kind of torment which he did not endure and overcome amongst others he was put in to so narrow a place that he could neither stand nor lieâ— in which he remained seven weeks whereas there was never any Malefactor that could endure it fifteen dayes but he either grew mad or died At last when a great shew was made at the Kings coming into the City and divers other Martyrs in sundry places of it were put to death Florent also having his tongue cut out was brought forth to see their execution and lastly was himselfe burnt About the same time one Anne Audebert as she was going to Geneva was apprehended and brought to Paris where she was adjudged to be sent to Orleance and burned there when she was had forth to execution a rope being put about her she called it her wedding girdle wherewith she should be married to Christ and being to be burried upon a Saturday she said On a Saturday I was first married and on a Saturday I shall be married again She much rejoyced when she was put into the dung-cart and shewed such patience and constancy in the fire as made all the Spectators to wonder at it Not long after the Coronation of Henry the second King of France at whose coming into the City of Paris divers godly Martyrs were burned there was a poor Tailor that dwelt not farre from the Kings Palace apprehended for working upon an holy day Being by the Officer asked why he wrought upon that day He answered that he was a poor man living only upon his labour and that he knew no day but the Sabbath whereupon he might not work his necessity requiring it Then was he clapt up in prison this being noised in the Court some would needs have the Tailor sent for that the King might have the hearing of him Then was the Tailor brought thither and the King sitting in his chair of State commanded the Bishop of Mascon to question with him The Tailor being nothing amated at the Kings presence after he had done reverence to his Prince gave thanks to God for honouring him so greatly being such a wretch as to bring him where he might bear witnesse to his truth before so great a Prince The Bishop questioned with him about the greatest matters of Religion and he with an undaunted spirit so answered for the sincere truth and with such pregnant proofs of Scripture as was wonderfull and though the Nobles that were present jeered and taunted at him yet could they not dash him out of countenance but that still with much liberty and freedome of speech he defended the truth of Christ neither flattering their persons nor fearing their threats The King seeming to muse much within himself that so mean and simple a person should shew such audacity in such a presence the Bishop and Popish Lords taking notice of cryed out that he was an obstinate and impudent Heretick and therefore remanded him back to prison and within a few dayes after he was condemned to be burnt alive and left the King should be affected with what he heard from the Tailor the Bishops often suggested that the Lutherans were such as carried a vaine smoake in their mouthes which being put to the fire would soon vanish They also would needs have the King present at his execution but it pleased God to give such strength and courage to the Tailor at his execution as much more astonished the King than all his former carriage for having espied the King in the window where he sate he beheld him with so stedfast a countenance that his eyes were never off him yea when the fire was kindled about him he still kept his eyes so fixed upon the King that the King was constrained to leave the window and to withdraw himself and was so wrought upon thereby that he confessed that he thought the shadow of the Tailor followed him whithersoever he went and for many nights after he was so terrified with the apparition thereof that he protested with an oath that he would never see nor hear any more of those Lutherans though afterwards he brake his oath as it follows in the story of Anne Du Bourg About the same time one Claudius a godly man was apprehended as he came from Geneva and burned at Orleance Anno 1551. One Thomas a young man of about eighteen years old coming from Geneva to Paris rebuked one for swearing whereupon he was apprehended for a Lutherane and carried before the high Court by them he was committed to prison and cruelly racked to confesse his companions which he still refused to do whereupon they continued to rack him till one of the bloody Inquisitors turned his back and wept and till the Hangman was a weary then was he carried to be burned and was let down with a pully into the fire and after a while being pulled up again they asked him if he would yet turn To whom he said That he was in his
lurk as a man ashamed that dare not shew his face hereby they perceived that his desire was to preach whereupon they said to him It 's most comfortable to us to hear â—ou but because we know the danger wherein you stand we dare not desire it But said he if you dare hear let God provide for me as best pleaseth him and so it was concluded that the next day he should preach in Leith his text was of the Parable of the Sower Mat. 13. The Sermon ended the Gentlemen of Louthâ—â—â— who were earnest Professors of Jesus Christ would not suffer him to stay at Leith because the Governour and Cardinal were shortly to come to Edinburgh but took him along with them and so he preached at Brunstone Languedine and Ormstone then was he requested to preach at Eneresk neer Muscelbrugh where he had a great confluence of people and amongst them Sir George Dowglas who after Sermon said publickly I know that the Governour and Cardinal will hear that I have been at this Sermon but let them know that I will avow it and will maintain both the doctrine and the Preacher to the uttermost of my power This much rejoyced those that were present Amongst others that came to hear him preach there were two Gray-friars who standing at the Church door whispered to such as came in which Wischard observing said to the people I pray you make roome for these two men it may be they come to learn and turning to them he said Come neer for I assure you you shall hear the Word of truth which this day shall seale up to you either your salvation or damnation and so he proceeded in his Sermon supposing that they would be quiet but when he perceived that they still continued to disturb all the people that stood near them he said to them the second time with an angry countenance O Ministers of Satan and deceivers of the souls of men will ye neither hear Gods truth your selves nor suffer others to hear it Depart and take this for your portion God shall shortly confound and disclose your hypocrisie within this Kingdom ye shall be abominable to men and your places and habitations shall be desolate This he spake with much vehemency and turning to the people he said These men have provoked the Spirit of God to anger and then he proceeded to the end of his Sermon Afterwards he preached in divers other places the people much flocking after him In all his Sermons foretelling the shortnesse of time that he had to travel and the near approaching of his death Coming to Haddington his auditory began much to decrease the cause as it was conceived was this The Earle Bothwell who had great observance in those parts by the instigation of the Cardinal had inhibited both those of the Town and Countrey from hearing him Presently after as he was going to Church he received a letter from the West-countrey Gentlemen and having read it he called John Knox who had diligently waited upon him since he came into Lothaine to whom he said that he was a weary of the world because he saw that men began to be weary of God for saith he the Gentlemen of the West have sent me word that they cannot keep their meeting at Edinburgh John Knox wondring that he should enter into conference about these things so immediately before his Sermon contrary to â—his custome said to him Sir Sermon-time approaches I will leave you for the present to your meditations Then did Master Wischard walk up 〈◊〉 down about half an hour his sad countenance declaring the grief of his mind at last he went into the Pulpit and his Auditory being very small he began on this manner O Lord how long shall it be that thy holie Word shall be despised and men shall not regard their own salvation I have heard of thee O Haddington that in thee there used to be two or three thousand persons at a vain and wicked play and now to hear the Messenger of the eternal God of all the Parish can scarce be numbred one hundred present Sore and fearful shall be the plagues that shall ensue upon this thy contempt with fire and sword shalt thou be plagued yea thou Haddington in special strangers shall possesse thee and you the present inhabitants shall either in bondage serve your enemies or else you shall be chased from your own habitations and that because ye have not known nor will know the time of your visitation This Prophesie was accomplished not long after when the English took Haddington made it a garrison enforced many of the inhabitants to flie oppressed others and after awhile a great plague breaking forth in the Town whereof multitudes died the English were at last forced to quit it who at their departure burnt and spoiled great part of it leaving it to be possessed by such as could first seize upon it which were the French that came as Auxiliaries to Scotland with a few of the ancient inhabitants so that Haddington to this day never recovered her former beauty nor yet men of such wisdome and ability as did formerly inhabit it That night was Master Wiseheart apprehended in the house of Ormeston by the Earle Bothwel suborned thereunto by the Cardinal The manner was thus After Sermon he took his last farewel of all his friends in Haddington John Knox would faine have gone with him but he said Return to your children and God blesse you One is sufficient for one sacrifice Then went he the Laird of Ormestons with some others that accompanied him After Supper he held a comfortable discourse of Gods love to his children then he appointed the 51. Psalm to be sung and so retired to his chamber Before midnight the house was beset and the Earle Bothwell called for the Laird of the house and told him that it was in vain to resist for the Governour and Cardinal were within a mile with a great power but if he would deliver Master Wischard to him he would promise upon his honour that he should be safe and that the Cardinal should not hurt him Master Wischard said Open the gates the Will of God be done and Bothwell coming in Wischard said to him I praise my God that so honourable a man as you my Lord receive me this night for I am perswaded that for your honours sake you will suffer nothing to be done to me but by order of Law I lesse feare to die openly than secretly to be murthered Then said Bothwel I will not only preserve your body from all violence that shall be intended against you without order of Law but I also promise in the presence of these Gentlemen that neither the Governour nor Cardinal shall have their will of you but I will keep you in mine own house till I either set you free or restore you to the same place where I receive you Then said the Lairds My Lord
of sheding the blood of that notable Instrument of God Master George Wisheart who though he was consumed by the fire before men yet cries it for vengeance upon thee and we from God are sent to revenge it for here before my God I protest that neither the hatred of thy person the love of thy riches nor the feare of any hurt thou couldst have done me moveth me to strike thee but onely because thou hast been and still remainest an obstinate enemie against Jesus Christ and his holy Gospel and so he thrust him through the body who falling down spake never a word but I am a Priest I am a Priest Fie Fie all is gone The death of this Tyrant was grievous to the Queen Mother with whom he had two much familiarity as with many other women as also to the Romanists though the people of God were freed from their fears in a great measure thereby Anno 1550. There was one Adam Wallace a man that had no great learning but was zealous in Godlinesse and of an upright life him the Bishop of Saint Andrews caused to be apprehended and carried to Edenburgh where after a while he was brought to judgement before Duke Hamilton Huntly and divers others The Bishops and their instruments accused him First that he took upon him to preach to which he answered that he never judged himself worthy of so excellent a Vocation and therefore never took on him to preach yet he denyed not that in private places he used to read the Word and out of it to exhort such as were willing to hear him Knave quoth one What have you to do to meddle with the Scriptures I think said he it s every ones duty to labour to know the will of God and to get assurance of his salvation which is to be found in the Old and New Testament What then said another shall we leave to the Church-men to do To whom he answered their work is publickly to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to feed the flock which he hath redeemed with his own blood as all true Pastors are commanded to do c. The Bishops being angry hereat caused his charge further to be read as that he denyed Purgatory praying to Saints and for the dead c. To which he answered that he had oft read over the Bible and yet found no mention of Purgatory nor command to pray to the Saints or for the dead Therefore I believe said he they are but meer inventions of men devised for covetousnesse sake Then did they ask him what he thought of the Masse He answered I say as my Lord Jesus Christ said That which is greatly esteemed before men is abomination before God Then cryed they all out Heresie Heresie and so and so adjudged him to the fire which he patiently underwent the same day upon the Castle-hill Anno 1553. Henry Forrest was accused of Heresie but when they brought him to trial nothing could be proved against him whereupon they sent him to Friar Langius to be confessed The Friar amongst other questions asked him what he thought of Patrick Hamilton who had been formerly burned for Religion He answered that he was a good man and that his Articles were to be maintained This wicked Friar discovered his Confession which was taken as a sufficient proof against the poor man who thereupon was condemned to be burnt As he went to the place of execution he complained of the Friar who had betrayed him saying Let no man trust the false Friars after me They are despisers of God and deceivers of men and so in the flames he resigned up his spirit unto God Anno 1558. Andrew Oliphant accused one Walter Mill formerly a Priest who being at Prayer Oliphant said to him Rise up Sir VValter But when he had ended his prayers he said My name is VValter I have been too long one of the Popes Knights Then said Oliphant Thou keepest my Lords too long here therefore make an end He answered I must obey God rather than men When he was brought forth to judgement they asked him concerning Priests marriage he answered It is Gods Ordinance that they which cannot abstain should marry But you abhor it vowing chastity which you cannot keep but take other mens wives and daughters Then they asked him if there were not seven Sacraments he answered Give me two and take you the rest after other questions they asked him if he would recant He answered I am corn and not chaffe I will not recant the truth Then they commanded him to go to the stake but he said By the law of God I am forbidden to lay hands on my own self therefore do you put me into the fire and you shall see my resolution Having made his Prayer to God he said to the people Although I have been a great sinner yet it is not for that but for Gods truth contained in his VVord of the Old and New Testament that I now suffer and God out of his abundant mercy doth honour me so farre as to make me amongst other of his servants seale his truth with my blood Dear friends as you would escape eternal death be no more seduced with lyes of Archbishop Bishops Abbots Priors c. but only trust in God and so he quietly slept in the Lord and was the last man that died for Religion in Scotland Collected out of the History of the Reformation in Scotland CHAP. XL. The Persecution of the Church in Ireland Anno Christi 1642. THough the barbarous cruelty used by the Irish against the English go usually under the name of Rebellion yet I rather look upon it as and chuse to call it a persecution because their cruelties were exercised upon Protestants only so farre as ever I could hear neither were the English Papists murthered yea they joyned with the Irish in murthering of their brethren Besides the Jesuites Priests and Friars were the chief instigators to these murthers stirring up continually all sorts both of the Gentry and Communalty to shew the utmost of their zeal therein and when their designe was so surely laid that they thought it impossible to be prevented they did in their publick devotions recommend by their Prayers the good successe of a great designe tending much to the advancement of the Catholick cause and that they might stir up the people with the greater animosity and cruelty to put it in execution they everywhere declaimed loudly against the Protestants saying That they were Hereticks not to be suffered any longer to live amongst them that it was no more sin to kill one of them than to kill a dog and that it was a mortal and unpardonable sin to relieve or protect any of them They also with much acrimony represented the severe courses taken by the Parliament of England to suppresse the Romish Religion and utterly to extirpate the Professors of it They told