punishment for the truth which I have professed I esteem not of this world nor the treasures of it more than for my necessary uses and the rest to bestow in the propagation and maintenance of the Gospel And I beseech God daily upon my knees for my wife and children that they may all continue in this quarrel even to the death And when he came to his execution he patiently and comfortably slept in the Lord. At the same time there was also brought forth one John Gonsalvo formerly a Priest but by his diligent study of the Scripture it pleased God to reveal his truth to him so that he became a zealous Preacher of it labouring in all his Sermons to beat into mens minds the true way and means of our Justification to consist in Christ alone and in stedfast faith in him for which he was apprehended and cast into prison where he endured all their cruely with a Christian courage At last with two of his Sisters he was condemned His mother and one of his brothers were also imprisoned with him for the truth and executed shortly after When he with his sisters went out at the Castle gate having his tongue at liberty he began to sing the 106. Psalm before all the People who had oft heard him make many godly Sermons He also condemned all hypocrites as the worst sort of People Whereupon they stocked his tongue Upon the stage he never changed countenance nor was at all daunted When they all came to the stake they had their tongues loosed and were commanded to say their Creed which they did chearfully when they came to those words The holy Catholick Church They were commanded to adde Of Rome but that they all refused whereupon their necks were broken in a trice and then 't was noised abroad that they had added those words and died confessing the Church of Rome to be the true Catholick Church There was in Sivil a private Congregation of Gods people most of which the Inquisitors consumed in the fire as they could discover any of them amongst others that were apprehended they took four women famous above the rest for their holy and godly conversation but especially the youngest of them who was not above one and twenty years old who by her diligent and frequent reading of the Scriptures and by conference with godly and learned men had attained to a very great measure of knowledge so that whilst she was in Prison she non-plus'd and put to shame many of those Friars that came to seduce her Another of these women was a grave Matron whose house was a School of vertue and a place where the Saints used to meet serve God day and night but the time being come wherein they were ripe for God they together with other of their neighbours were apprehended and cast into prison where they were kept in dark dungeons and forced to endure all the cruel and extream torments which are before mentioned At last they were condemned and brought forth to the scaffold amongst other Prisoners The young maid especially came with a merry and cheerful countenance as it were triumphing over the Inquisitors and having her tongue at liberty she began to sing Psalms to God whereupon the Inquisitors caused her tongue to be nipped by setting a Barnacle upon it After sentence read they were carried to the place of execution where with much constancy and courage they ended their lives Yet the Inquisitors not satisfied herewith caused the house of the Matron where the Church used to meet to be pulled down and the ground to be laid waste and a pillar to be erected upon it with an inscription shewing the cause There was also apprehended another worthy member of the same Congregation called Ferdinando he was of a fervent spirit and very zealous in doing good A young man but for integrity of life very famous He had spent eight years in educating of youth and had endeavoured to sow the seeds of Piety in the hearts of his Scholars as much as lay in him to do in a time of so great persecution and tyranny being at the last apprehended for a Lutheran he was cast into prison and terribly tormented upon the Jeobit and in the Trough whereby he was so shaken in every joynt that when he was taken down he was not able to move any part of his body yet did those cruel tormentors draw him by the heels into his prison as if he had been a dead dog But notwithstanding all his torments he answered the Inquisitors very stoutly and would not yield to them one jot During his imprisonment God used him as an instrument to recal and confirme a Monk who had been cast into prison for confessing the Gospel openly But by means of the Inquisitors flatteries and fair promises he had somewhat relented Gods Providence so ordering it that Ferdinando was cast into the same prison and finding the Monk wavering he rebuked him sharply and afterwards having drawn him to a sight of and sorrow for his sinne he at last strengthned him in the promises of free grace and mercy Hereupon the Monk desired a day of hearing where before the Inquisitors he solemnly renounced his recantation desiring that his former confession might stand whereupon the sentence of death passed against them both after which the Inquisitors asked Ferdinando whether he would revoke his former heresies to which he answered That he had professed nothing but what was agreeable to the pure and perfect Word of God and ought to be the profession of every Christian man and therefore he would stick to it to the death Then did they clap a Barnacle upon his tongue and so they were burned together There was also one Juliano called The little because he was of a small and weak body who going into Germany was there conversant with divers learned and godly men by which means he attained to the knowledge of the truth and became a zealous Professor of it and earnestly longing after the salvation of his Countreymen he undertook a very dangerous work which was to convey two great dry Fat 's full of Bibles printed in Spanish into his own Countrey In this attempt he had much cause of fear the Inquisitors had so stopped every Port and kept such strict watch to prevent the coming in of all such commodities but through Gods mighty protection he brought his burden safely thither and which was almost miraculous he conveyed them safe into Sivil notwithstanding the busie searchers and catch-poles that watched in every corner These Bibles being dispersed were most joyfully and thankfully received and through Gods blessing wrought wonderfully amongst Gods people to ripen them against the time of harvest But at last the matter broke out by the means of a false brother who going to the Inquisitors played the Judas and betrayed the whole Church to them So that there
dens The Kings Captains having intelligence hereof with the Garison that was in the Citadel at Jerusalem they pursued them into the desert and having overtaken them they first endeavoured by perswasions to draw them to Idolatry but the Jews absolutely refusing to yield to their wicked wils resolved rather to die then to submit to them and to commit such impiety whereupon these bloody persecutors assailed them on the Sabbath day and burned them in their caves who neither resisted their enemies nor closed up the mouths of their Caves supposing it to be a violation of the Sabbath if they should fight or work upon that day some thousands of men women and children were there stifled yet divers escaped who joined themselves with Matthias and chose him for their Captain Then did he inform them that they ought to fight on the Sabbath day if they were assailed by their enemies and prevailed with them not to be guilty of their own death by their neglect to defend themselves and so having assembled a sufficient number he destroyed the Altars and slew those that had forsaken their Religion commanding others to circumcise their Children and driving those from every place whom Antiochus had set to see his Laws executed But when he had thus governed one year he fell sick and perceiving his end to approach he called his sons and exhorted them to follow his steps in maintaining the Law of God and fighting for their Countrey telling them that then they should have God for their Assister who will not forsake those that love and fear him but taking pleasure in their vertues will once more grant them favour to recover their former peace and liberty and saith he God will establish you in the possession of your ancient Laws and though our bodies be mortal and subject unto death yet the memory of our virtuous actions is enfranchised by immortality make therefore no difficulty to hazard your lives in so good a cause But above all things I exhort you unto concord and in whatsoever any one of you shall be found more naturally apt and fitted then another let him prosecute the same without any contradiction from the rest I charge you to obey your brother Simon who is a Politick and valiant man in whatsoever he shall counsel you but make Judas your Captain who is both valiant and strong for he shall revenge the injuries and out-rages which have been done to our Nation and shall put our enemies to flight second him therefore with men of valour and such as fear God and by this means you shall be sure to prevail CHAP. IV. The Life of Judas Maccabeus AFter Matthias his death Judas took upon him the government of the wars and by the help of his brethren and other Jews he drave the enemies out of the countrey purgâ—ng the land of all the uncleaness that had been brought into it But when Apollonius who was Antiochus his Generall in Samaria heard of it he gathered his Army together and invaded Judea against whom Maccabeus went forth and after a terrible battel overthrew him slew Apollonius and many of his souldiers took his Camp and therein a very rich booty and Judas gat Apollonius his sword for his part in the spoil Then Seron Governor of Caelosyria gathered all his forces together and hired many Apostate Jews to joyn with him and so marched against Judas as far as Bethoron Judas also advanced towards him but when he perceived that his souldiers were unwilling to fight by reason of the inequality of their numbers and for that they had eaten no meat but had fasted for a long time he encouraged them saying that the means to obtain the victory consisted not in the greatness of their number but in their devotion towards God whereof they had evident examples in their forefathers who with a small number had often defeated many thousands of their enemies c. Hereby he so prevailed with his souldiers that dreadless of the number of their enemies they all together ran upon Seron and after a cruel fight routed his Army and slew him together with eight hundred of the Syrians The rest escaped by flight Antiochus hearing of these things was highly displeased and therefore he assembled all his forces and hired many mercenaries but having mustered his Army he found that his treasure failed him to pay so great a multitude whereupon he resolved first to go into Persia to gather up his tributes and in the meane time he made Lysias his Vicegerent a man of greate esteem with him and one that governed all the countries from Euphrates to the borders of Egypt with him he also left some Elephants and part of his Army commanding him expresly that when he had conquered Judaea he should make the inhabitants thereof his slaves and sell them to those that would give most for them and that he should destroy Jerusalem and utterly abolish that race Lysias having received this commandment sent Ptolemy Nicanor and Gorgias men of great authority about the King with an Army of forty thousand Foot and seven thousand Horsemen to invade Jury who marching as far as the City Emmaus encamped in the field and increased their Army with many Syrians and Apostate Jews There came also divers Merchants a long with them to buy the prisoners that should be taken bringing gieues along with them to manacle the prisoners withall Judas having viewed the Camp and number of his enemies encouraged his souldiers exhorting them to repose their confidence and hope of victory in God he also appointed a Fâ—st that they might humble themselves and call upon God by supplications and prayers for success in such an extreame danger Then he told them that God would have compassion upon them and give them strength to stand against their enemies and to put them to shame The next day he marshalled his Army by thousands and by hundreds and sent away all that were newly married or that had lately bought pessâ—ssions according to the Law And tâ—en he said unto the rest My countrymen and companions we never yet had any occasion more necessary wherein we ought to express our courages and contemn dangers then at this present for now if you fight valiantly you may recover your liberties which ought the more to be prised because thereby you may win opportunity to serâ—e God and so live an happy life but if ye prove cowards in the fight you shall be branded with perpetuall infamy and hazard the utter extirpation of our Nation Think therefore that if you fight not you must die and on the contrary assure your selves that in fighting for your Religion Laws and Liberty you shall obtain immortall glory be ready therefore that to morrow morning you may bid your enemies battel Immediately news was brought him that Gorgias with five thousand foot and a thousand horsemen was sent forth under the conduct of some fugitives by night to fall
in mount Ararath were ten thousand Christians crucified crowned with thorns and thrust into the side with sharp darts after the example of the Lords passion Eustachius a noble Captain who Trajan had sent out to war against the Barbarians after through Gods Mercy he had valiantly subdued his enemies was returning home with victory Hadrian for joy went to meet him and to bring him home with triumph but by the way he would needs sacrifice to Apollo for the victory obtained willing Eustachius to do the same with him but when by no means he could be perswaded thereto coming to Rome he with his wife and Children suffered Martyrdom by the command of the ingratefull Emperour Also Faustinus and Jobita Citizen of Brixia were martyred with many torments which caused one Calocerius beholding their admirable patience in the midst of their cruel torments to cry out Vere magnus est Deus Christianorum Verily great is the God of the Christians whereupon being apprehended he was made Partaker of their Martyrdom Also Eleutherius Bishop in Apulia was beheaded together with his mother Anthea Also Symphorissa a godly Matron was often cruelly scourged afterwards hanged up by the hairs of her head at last had a huge stone fastened to her and so thrown into the river after which her seven Children in like manner with sundry and divers kinds of torments were all of them martyred by the Tyrant These seven Children of Symphorissa were fastened to seven stakes then racked up with a pully afterwards thrust thorow Crescens in the neck Julianus in the breast Nemesius in the heart Primitivus in the navil Justinus was cut in every joint of his body Statteus run thorow with spears and Eugenius cut asunder from the breast to the lower parts and then all of them were cast into a deep pit Adrian being at Athens sacrificed to the Idols after the manner of the Grecians and gave free leave to whomsoever vvould to persecute the Christians which should refuse it whereupon Quadratus bishop of Athens a man of admirable zeal and famous for learning exhibited to the Emperour a learned and excellent Apology in defence of the Christian Religion The like also did Aristides an excellent Philosopher in Athens There was also one Serenus Granius a man of great nobility who writ pithy and grave Letters to Hadrian shewing that it was neither agreeable to right nor reason that the blood of innocents should be given up to the rage and fury of the people and be condemned for no other fault but for their opinions Hereupon the Emperour became more favourable to them writing also in their behalf to Minutius Fundanus Proconsul of Asia that if they had no other crime objected against them but their Religion they should not be put to death Yet notwithstanding all this the rage of the heathen multitude did not disquiet and persecute the people of God imputing to them whatsoever mischief and judgements befell them yea they invented against them all manner of Contumelies and false crimes to accuse them of whereby many in sundry places vvere molested and put death After Hadrian succeeded Antoninus Pius vvho being informed of the cruel sufferings of the Christians vvrote this Letter to his Commons of Asia forbidding them to persecute the Christians any further which Epistle he thus concludes If any hereafter shall offer any vexation and trouble to Christians having no other cause but because they are such let him that is appeached be released and freely discharged and let his Accuser sustain the punishment c. By this means then the tempest of persecution began in those days to be appeased through the mercifull providence of God who would not have his Church to be utterly overthrown and rooted up thereby The rod of the wicked shall not always rest upon the lot of the righteous Psalm 125.3 Here place the second Figure CHAP. X. The fourth Primitive Persecution which began Anno Christi 162. AFter the death of that quiet and mild Prince Antoninus Pius his son M. Antoninus Verus succeeded in the Empire a stern and severe man by nature who raised the fourth persecution against the Christians wherein a great number of them who truly professed Christ suffered most cruel punishments and torments especially in Asia and France amongst whom was Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna who was burnt at a stake at Smyrna together with twelve others that came from Philadelphia Also Germanicus a young man did most constantly persevere in the Doctrine of Christ whom when the Proconsul of Asia desired to remember his age and to favour himself he would by no flatteries be with-drawn from his stedfastness but remaining constant was thrown to the wild beasts whom he allured and provoked to come upon him and devour him that he might be the more speedily delivered out of this wretched life Also in this persecution suffered Metrodorus a Minister who was consumned by fire and Pionius who after much boldness of speech with his Apologies exhibited and his Sermons made to the people in defence of the Christian faith and after much relieving and comforting such as were in prisons and distress at last was put to cruel torments and then burned in the fire Also at Pargamopolis in Asia suffered Carpus Papilus and Agathonica a woman who after their most constant and worthy confessions were put to death At Rome Felicitas with her seven Children were martyred whereof her eldest son after he vvas whipt and grievously scourged with rods vvas prest to death with leaden weights the two next had their brains beaten out with mawls the fourth was thrown down head-long from an high place and brake his neck the three youngest were beheaded and lastly the mother was slain with the svvord Also Justin Martyr a man that excelled in learning and Philosophy and a great Defender of the Christian Religion who had delivered to the Emperor and Senate an Apology in defence of the Christians suffered Martyrdom in this persecution There was in Egypt a certain woman married to a husband that was given much unto laciviousness whereunto she her self also had been formerly addicted but being instructed in the Christian Religion she became a chast and godly Matron and endeavoured to perswade her husband also thereunto But he continuing in his filthy life she resolved to be divorced from him yet at the request of her friends she forbore to try if by any means he would be reclaimed But he going to Alexandria and living more licenciously then before she sued out a bill of Divorce and so was separated from him then did this malicious wretch accuse her to be a Christian which was no lesse then death whereupon she being in great perill delivered up a supplication to the Emperour craving but so much favour that she might go and set her family in order and then she would be ready to answer to all such crimes as should
in the Cities but far more in the villages most part of the husband-men dying of famine and the pestilence Divers brought out their best treasure and gave it for any kind of sustenance though never so little Others having sold their possessions for food fell into extream misery Some did eat grass others fed upon unwholsom herbs whereby they hurt and poisoned their bodies Many women were driven to leave the Cities and beg up and down through the countrey some through faintness fell down in the streets and holding up their hands cryed miserably for some scraps or fragments of bread being ready to give up the Ghost and being able to say no more they cryed Hungry hungry Some of the richer sort being tired with serving such multitudes of beggers began to grow hard-hearted fearing lest themselves should fall into the like misery By reason whereof the Market-places streets and lanes lay full of dead corpses and naked bodies were cast out unburied many of which were devoured by dogs whereupon they which lived fell to killing of the dogs lest running mad they should fall upon them and kill them The pestilence also scattering through all houses killed very many especially those of the richer sort which escaped the famine whereby innumerable Magistrates Princes and Presidents were quickly dispatched so that all places were filled with mourning and nothing was seen or heard but weeping and wailing every where Death so reigned in every family that two or three dead bodies were carried out of one house together But notwithstanding that these miscreants had been so cruel to them yet the Christians were very diligent and charitable to them in all their extremities travelling every day some in curing the sick some in burying of their dead others called the multitude together which were ready to famish and distributed bread unto them whereby they occasioned them to glorifie the God of the Christians and conâ—essed them to be the true worshippers of God as appeared by their works and hereby the Lord wrought wonderfully for the peace of his Church for after he had corrected them he again shewed thâ—m mercy Constantine succeeding his father overcame Maxentius the Tyrant in Rome and he together with Licinius set forth Edicts in favour of the Christians See Constantines life in my second part of lives Yet Maximinus continued his persecution in the East whereupon Constantine and Licinius wrote to him to favour the Christians and he finding that he was too weak to encounter with them sent forth his Edicts to stop the persecution yet afterwards he picked new quarrels with them and began to persecute them again whereupon Licinius went against him and overthrew him in a battell Then did Maximinus kill many of his enchanters and conjurers that had encouraged him and promised him victory Shortly after the Lord striking him with a grievous disease he glorified the God of the Christians and made a Law for the safety and preservation of them yet not long after by the vehemency of his disease he ended his life Licinius that for a long time had pretended to the Christian religion and lived in great familiarity with Constantine who had given him his sister Constantia to be his wife began afterwards to discover his hypocrisie and the wickednesse of his nature secretly conspiring the death of Constantine but the Lord discovering and preventing his conspiracies he then fell out with him and manifested his hatred of the Christian religion being puffed up with the victory that he had got against Maximinus He quarrelled with the Christians because as he said they praied not for him but for Constantine and thereupon he first banished them all from his Court then he deprived all the Knights of their honourable order except they would sacrifice to devils then he commanded that the Bishops should have no meetings to consult about their Ecclesiastical affairs nor that any Christians should come to the Churches or hold any assemblies then that men and women should not meet together to pray that women should not hear the Bishops but chuse out women to instruct them then that none should help or succour those that were in prison nor should bestow any alms upon them though they should die for hunger and that they which shewed any compassion to those which were condemned to death should suffer the like punishment themselves then he persecuted the Bishops and slew those which were the most eminent of them the flattering officers also which were about him thinking to please him thereby slew many Bishops without any cause yea many of their bodies they cut into gobbets and threw them in to the sea to feed fishes Some were banished others had their goods confiscated many noblemen and gentlemen were privily made away and Licinius gave their unmarried daughters to wicked varlets to be defloured himself also violated many women both wives and maidens This cruelty made many godly persons voluntarily to forsake their houses and to live in woods mountains and desarts He caused Theodorus to be hanged upon a crosse to have nails thrust into his arm-pits and afterwards to be beheaded Divers other Bishops had their hands cut off with a fearing iron In Sebastia fourty Christian souldiers in the vehement cold winter were cast into an Horse-pond where they ended their lives the wives of these fourty men were carried to Heraclea where together with a Deacon of that place after they had suffered innumerable torments they were slain with the sword Constantine being informed of all this wickednesse raised an Army went against him overcame him twice and at last caused him to be put to death as you may see in Constantines life in my second part whereby the Church obtained a generall peace Yet in this tenth Persecution many other eminent Christians suffered Martryrdom besides those before-named Galerius in his time invaded Antioch intending to force all Christians to renounce Christ at what time they were assembled together whereupon one Romanus ran to them declaring that the wolves were at hand which would devour them yet he exhorted them not to fear by reason of the perill and through Gods grace the Christians were greatly encouraged by him so that old men and matrons fathers mothers young men and maidens were all of one minde being willing to shed their bloud in defence of their profession A band of armed men were sent against them which were not able to wrest the staff of faith out of their hands hereupon they sent word to their Captain that they could not inforce the Christians to deny their faith by reason of Romanus who did so mightily encourage them then did the Captain command that he should be brought before him which was done accordingly What saith the Captain art thou the author of this sedition art thou the cause that so many lose there lives By the Gods I swear thou shalt answer for them all and shalt suffer those torments that thou encouragest
execution he said to the people See here how this wicked world rewards the poor servants of Jesus Christ whilst I was a drunkard a player at Cards and Dice living in all dissolutenesse and ungodly behaviour I was never in danger of these bonds yea I was then counted a good fellow and at that time Who but I But no sooner began I through Gods grace to seek after a godly life but presently the world made war upon me and became mine enemy c. yet this discourageth me not for the servant is not better than his Lord seeing they persecuted him no question but they will persecute us At the place of execution one gave him his hand and comforted him then began he to sing the 30. Psalm whereupon a Friar interrupted him saying Oh John turn there is yet time and space the Martyr disregarding his words turned his back upon him and some of the company said to the Friar Turn thou thou hypocrite and so Herwin quietly finished his Psalm many joyning with him in singing of it then said the Friar Be not offended good people to hear this Heretick to sing of God The people answered Hold thy peace thou Balaamite here is no body offended There were present at least four hundred that encouraged the Martyr to continue to the end as he had well begun To whom he answered Brethren I fight under the Standard and in the quarrel of my great Lord and Captain Jesus Christ. Then he prayed and so went into his Cabin made with fagots saying to the people I am now going to be sacrificed Follow you me when God of his goodnesse shall call you to it and so he was first strangled and then burnt to ashes Anno 1561. There was apprehended in Antwerp one John de Boscane who for his constancy in Religion was condemned to death But the Magistrate fearing an uproare if he should put him to death publickly knowing that he was a man free of speech and beloved of the people he resolved for this cause secretly to drown him in the prison and for this end a tub with water was provided and an Executioner sent to drown him but the water was so shallow and the Martyr so tall that he could not possibly be drowned therein whereupon the Executioner gave him many wounds and stabs with a dagger and so this holy Martyr ended his life About the same time another servant of Jesus Christ having made a bold Profession of his faith was in the same City sentenced to death and because they duâ—st not execute him publickly they privately sent and beheaded him in prison his name was John de Buisons The godly in this City of Antwerp being desirous to take all opportunities to meet together in the fear of God on a day when the Popish party was met to behold great triumphs they withdrew themselves out of the City and went into a Wood where their Minister preached the Word of God to them The Drosart of Marksem being advertised hereof took his officers and went thitherward by the way he met with some poor boyes that were cowherds to whom he promised new cloaths if if they would bring him to the place in the Wood where their assembly was which they undertaking he sent some of his officers along with them into the Wood who coming to the place like wolves the sheep of Christ began to flie the Minister seeing their fear admonished them not to stir The Persecutors were not above five or six and the persecuted four or five hundred so that they might easily have resisted them but they would not The officers chiefly aimed to apprehend the Minister and having caught one of the Assembly they thought him to be the man crying one to another Hold the Priest fast striking him with their Pistols and staves and so carried him to the Drosart they caught also two or three more which afterwards made an escape the man only that remained with the Drosart whose name was Bartholomew was often set upon to be turned aside from his holy Profession Why say they cannot such a young man as thou art content thy self with our Religion and glorious Church adorned with gold silver precious stones in which there is such melodious musick both of voices and instruments but thou must needs joyn thy self to that Church that is hated despised and exposed to all manner of contempt Bartholomew overcame all these tentations by the power of the Almighty saying That which is greatly esteemed amongst men is altogether abominable in the sight of God Then was he condemned and beheaded by which death he glorified God Anno 1568. There were apprehended in Antwerp one Scoblant John de Hues and Joris Coomans who being cast into prison were very oyful confessing that nothing befell them but by Gods divine Providence as they acknowledge in a letter which they wrote to the brethren wherein they thus write Seeing it is the will of God that we should suffer for his name and in the quarrel of his Gospel we certifie you dear brethren that we are joyful and however the flesh continually rebels against the spirit counselling ever and anon according to the advice of the old Serpent yet we are well assured that Christ who hath bruised will still bruise the Serpents head and not leave us comfortlesse we are indeed sometimes pricked in the heele yet we are not discouraged but keep our faith close to the promises of God c. Be not therefore dismayed for our bands and imprisonment for it is the good Will of God towards us and therefore we pray that he will give us grace to persevere constantly unto the end Shortly after Scoblant was brought to his trial where he made a good confession of his faith and so was condemned Returning to prison he earnestly requested the Jailor that he would not suffer the Friars to come and trouble him for said he they can do me no good seeing the Lord hath already sealed up the assurance of my salvation in my heart by his holy Spirit I am now going to my Spouse and putting off this earthly mantle to enter into his celestial glory where I shall be freed from all superstitions Would to God that I might be the last that these tyrants should put to death and that their thirst might be so quenched with my blood that the poor Church of Christ might henceforth enjoy rest and quiet When he was to go forth to execution he sung the fourtieth Psalme with his fellow prisoners then said the Lords Prayer and so kissing each other they commended one another unto God with many teares Being tied to the stake he was burned alive calling upon the name of the Lord. John Hues died in prison whereupon Joris wrote thus to his friends Brethren I am now left alone whereas we were three in number John Hues is now dead in the Lord and yet I am
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
blow at them One of the heads being a Ministers a woman struck so hard with her fist that the same night her hand grew black and blew and so rankled that she was lame of it a quarter of a year after Another woman that looked on those heads with much rejoycing presently after fell so distracted that neither night not day she could rest but cryed out continually that she saw those heads before her eyes One English Protestant saying that he would believe the Divel as soon as the Pope they presently hanged him up in an Apple Tree till he dyed A poor Protestant woman with her two children going to Kilkenny upon businesse these bloody miscreants baited them with Dogs stabbed them with skeins and pulled out the guts of one of the children whereby they dyed and not far off they took divers men women and children and hanged them up and one of the women being great with child they ripped up her belly as she hanged so that the child fell out in the cawle alive Some after they were hanged they drew up and down till their bowels were torn out How many thousands of Protestants were thus inhumanely murthered by sundry kinds of deaths in that one Province of Ulster we have heard before What the number of the slain was in the three other Provinces I find not upon Record but certainly it was very great for I finde these passages in a general Remonstrance of the distressed Protestants in the Province of Munster We may say they compare our woe to the saddest Parallel of any story Our Churches are demolished or which is worse profaned by Sacrifices to Idols our habitations are become ruinous heaps No quality age or sex priviledged from Massacres and lingring deaths by being robbed stript naked and so exposed to cold and famine The famished Infants of murdered Parents swarme in our streets and for want of food perish before our faces c. And all this cruelty that is exercised upon us we know not for what cause offence or seeming provocation its inflicted on us sin excepted saving that we were Protestants c. We can make it manifest that the depopulations in this Province of Munster do well near equal those of the whole Kingdome c. And thus in part we have heard of the mercilesse cruelties which the bloody Papists exercised towards the Protestants Let us now consider at least some of Gods judgements upon the Irish whereby he hath not left the innocent blood of his servants to be altogether unrevenged Some particular instances have been mentioned before as also the apparitions at Portendown Bridge which affrighted them from their habitations concerning which it is further testified that by their own confession the blood of those that were knocked on the head and then thrown into the River at that Bridge remained for a long time upon the stones and could not be washed away as also that ofttimes they saw apparitions sometimes of men sometimes of women rising breast-high above the water which did most extreamly screech and cry out for vengeance against the Irish that had murdered them there Catherine Coke testified upon oath that when the Irish had barbarously drowned one hundred and eighty Protestants men women and children at Portendown Bridge about nine days after she saw the apparition of a man bolt upright in the River standing breast-high with his hands lift up to heaven and continued in that posture from December to the end of Lent at which time some of the English Army passing that way saw it also after which it vanished away Elizabeth Price testified upon oath that she and other women whose husbands and children were drowned in that place hearing of these apparitions went thither one Evening at which time they saw one like a Woman rise out of the River breast-high her haire hanging down which with her skin was as white as snow often crying out Revenge Revenge Revenge which so affrighted them that they went their way Divers Protestants were thrown into the river of Belterbert and when any of them offered to swim to the Land they were knocked on the head with Poles after which their bodies were not seen of six weeks but after the end thereof the murtherers coming again that way the bodies came floating up to the very Bridge where they were Sir Con mac Gennis with his company slew Master Turge Minister of the Newry with divers other Protestants after which the said Mac Gennis was so affrighted with the apprehension of the said Master Turge his being continually in his presence that he commanded his souldiers not to slay any more of them but such as should be slain in battel A young woman being stript almost naked there came a Rogue to her bidding her give him her money or he would run her through with his Sword Her answer was You cannot kill me except God give you leave whereupon he ran three times at her naked body with his drawn Sword and yet never pierced her skin whereat he being confounded went his way and left her This was attested by divers women that were present and saw it But besides these forementioned judgements of God which befel them for their inhumane cruelties we may observe how the hand of God hath been out against them ever since and that in a special manner by emasculating and debasing of their spirits whereby it hath come to passe that ordinarily a few English Souldiers have chased multitudes of them and generally in all the battels and fights that have been betwixt them they have always been beaten though the ods was great of their side And as they made themselves formerly drunk with the innocent blood of the unresisting Protestants so now God hath given them their fill of blood in jealousie and fury Many thousands of them have perished by the Sword of War And how heavy hath the hand of God lain further upon them this present year 1650. in that terrible and universal plague that hath been scattered all over the Nation whereby many thousands more of them have perished and God is still fighting against and probably will continue their destruction till they either shall truly be humbled for their horrid sins or be utterly consumed from the face of the earth Amen Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly These particulars were attested upon Oath by sundry persons before Commissioners appointed to take their Examinations Here place the tenth Figure CHAP. XLI A continuation of the History of the Waldenses from the year 1560. ending with the late persecution in the Valleys in PIEMONT ANNO Christi 1561. the Duke of Savoy published an Edict in favour of the Evangelical Churches in the Vallies of Piemont wherein he granted an indemnitie to the people of the Vallies of Angrognia Bobio Villaro Valguicchiardo Rora Tagliaretto and La Rica di Boneti at the end of La Torre Saint Martino Perosa Roccapiatta and Saint Barthelemo from
Conversion to the true faith and so with admirable patience she suffered Martyrdom Shortly after Basilides being required to give an oath in the behalf of his fellow-souldiers he denied the same plainly affirming that he vvas a Christian and therefore he could not swear by the Idols c. They vvhich heard him thought that he jested at first but when he had constantly affirmed it they had him before the Judge vvho committed him to vvard the Christians vvondring at it vvent to him and enquiring the cause of his Conversion he told them that Potamiena had prayed for him and so he savv a Crovvn put upon his head adding that it should not be long before he received it and accordingly the next day he was beheaded As many suffered death in this persecution so others there were who through Gods providence suffered great torments and yet escaped vvith life of whom there vvas one Alexander vvho for his constant confession and torments suffered vvas afterwards made Bishop of Jerusalem Also Narcissus against vvhom three vvicked persons conspired to accuse him binding their accusations vvith oaths and curses one vvishing to be destroyed vvith fire if it vvere not true another to be consumed vvith a grievous disease the other to lose both his eyes Narcissus being unable to vvith-stand so vvicked an accusation retired himself into a desert In the mean time Gods vengeance follovved these perjured Wretches for the first by a small spark of fire vvas himself vvith all his family and goods burned the second vvas taken vvith a grievous sickness vvhich tormented him from the top to the toe whereof he died the third being vvarned by these Judgements confessed his fault but by reason of his abundant sorrovv and vveeping he lost both his eyes Narcissus being hereby cleared from their false accusation returned home and vvas received into his Congregation again Also one Andoclus vvas sent by Polycarp into France vvho because he spread there the Doctrine of Christ vvas apprehended by the command of Severus and first beaten vvith staves and bats and aftervvards beheaded Asclepiades also aftervvards Bishop of Antioch suffered much in this Persecution Then did Irenaeus and many others vvith him suffer Martyrdom and shortly after Tertullian also Perpetua and Felicitas tvvo godly vvomen vvith Revocatus their brother and Satyrus vvere throvvn to the vvild beasts and devoured by them Saturninus vvas beheaded Secundulus cast into prison where he died all these suffered Martyrdom at Carthage Also Zepherinus and after him Urbanus both Bishops of Rome vvere martyred in this Persecution This Urbanus by preaching and holiness of life converted many heathens unto Christ amongst vvhom vvere Tiburtius and Valerianus tvvo noble men of Rome vvho both suffered Martyrdom Also Cecilia a Virgin vvho vvas espoused to Valerian vvas apprehended carried to the Idols to offer sacrifice vvhich she refusing to do should have been carried to the Judge to receive the sentence of condemnation but the Serjeants and Officers beholding her excellent beauty and prudent behaviour began vvith many persvvasions to solicit her to favour her self c. but she so replied vvith wisedom and godly exhortations that by the grace of Almighty God their hearts began to relent and at length to yield to that Religion which before they persecuted which she perceiving desired leave to go home and sending for Urbanus the Bishop to her house he so grounded and established them in the faith of Christ that about four hundred persons believed and were baptized amongst whom was Gordianus a noble man Afterwards this blessed Martyr was brought before the Judge by whom she was condemned then she was enclosed in an hot bath for twenty four hours yet remaining alive she was there beheaded At Preneste in Italy was one Agapetus of fifteen years old apprehended and because he refused to sacrifice to Idols he was first scourged with whips then hanged up by the feet and had scalding water poured on him then he was cast to the wild beasts but because they would not hurt him he was lastly beheaded Antiochus that executed these torments on him suddenly fell down from his judicial seat crying out that all his bowels burned within him and so he died miserably Calepodius a Minister of Christ in Rome was first dragged thorow the streets and after cast into Tyber Pamachius a Senator of Rome with his wife and Children and other men and women to the number of forty two vvere all beheaded in one day together with another noble man all whose heads vvere hung up over the gates of the City to deter others from the profession of Christianity Also Martina a Christian Virgin having suffered many other bitter torments vvas at last slain vvith the sword CHAP. XII The sixth Primitive Persecution which began Anno Christi 237. THe Emperor Maximinus raised the sixth persecution against the Christians especially against the Teachers and Leaders of the Church thinking that if these Captains were removed out of the way he should the easilier prevail against the rest In the time of this Persecution Origen vvrote his book De Martyrio vvhich being lost the names of most that suffered Martyrdom in those times are buried in oblivion yet were they very many Amongst whom Urbanus Bishop of Rome and Philippus one of his Ministers were banished into Sardinia where they both died About this time one Natalius that had formerly suffered great persecution for the cause of Christ was seduced by Asclepiodotus and Theodorus two Sectaries to be the Bishop of their Sect promising to pay him a hundred and fifty crowns of silver every moneth and so he joined himself to them but the Lord in mercy not intending to lose him that had suffered so much for his sake admonished him by a vision to adjoin himself to the true Church again which the good man for the present blinded with lucre and honour did not regard as he ought to have done The night after he was scourged by Angels whereupon in the morning purting on Sack-cloth with much weeping and lamentation he went to the Christian Congregation praying them for the tender mercies of Christ that he might be received into their Communion again which request was accordingly granted unto him Hippolitus was drawn thorow the fields with wild horses till he died Many others were martyred and buried by sixty in a pit CHAP. XIII The seventh Primitive Persecution which began Anno Christi 250. DEcius the Emperor raised this seventh terrible persecution against the Christians which was first occasioned by reason of the treasures of the Emperor which were committed to Fabian the Bishop of Rome who thereupon by the command of Decius was put to death and moreover his Proclamations were sent into all quarters that all which professed the name of Christ should be slain In the time of this Persecution Origen suffered many and great torments for
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