God deuysed ordayned for the best vnto the elect Christians The fourth Like as the mystical body of Christ is the congregation of al the Electiso Antichrist mistically is the church of the wicked of al the reprobates The fift The conclusions of Swinderby be agreable to the fayth in euery part ¶ This letter was thus subscribed By the spirite of God sometime visityng you ☞ Besides this epistle aboue prefixed there is also fouÌ„d annexed with the same a deuise of an other certayne letter couÌ„terfeited vnder the name of Lucifer prince of darknes writing to the Pope and al popishe Prelates persecuting the true and right Church with all might and mayne to maintayn their pride and domination in this earth vnder a coulourable pretence visor of the catholique church succession Apostolical Which letter although it seemeth in some authors to be ascribed to Dekam aboue mentioned yet because I find it in the same Register of the church of Herford coÌ„teyned inserted amoÌ„g yâ— tractations of Walter Brute and deuised as yâ— Register said by that Lollards I thought no meeter place then here to annexe the same the tenour wherof thus proceedeth in words as follow ¶ The deuise or counterfayt of a certayne letter fayned vnder the name of Lucifer Prince of darknesse wryting to the persecuting prelates of the popish clergy I Lucifer prince of darknes and profound heauinesse Emperour of the high mysteries of the Kyng of Acharont Captaine of the dungeon Erebus kyng of hell and comptroller of the infernall fire To all our children of pryde and companions of our kyngdome and especially to our Prynces of the Church of this latter age and tyme of which our aduersary Iesus Christ accordyng to the Prophet saieth I hate the church or congregation of the wicked send greeting wish prosperitie to all that obey our commaundementes as also to those that be obedient to the lawes of Sathan already enacted that are diligent obseruers of our behestes and the precepts of our decree Know ye that in times past certaine vicars or vicegerents of Christ following hys steppes in miracles and vertues liuing and continuyng in a beggerly lyfe conuerted in a maner the whole world from the yoke of our tiranny vnto their doctrine maner of lyfe To the great derision and contempte of our prison house and kyngdome and also to the no little preiudice and hurt of our iurisdiction and authorytie nor fearing to hurt our fortified power ond to offend the maiestie of our estate For then receiued we no tribute of the world neyther dyd the myserable sort of common people rushe at the gates of our deepe dungeon as they were wont to do with continuall pealyng and rappyng but then the easie pleasant broad way which leadeth to death lay still without great noyce of traÌ„pelyng trauaylers neyther yet was trode with the feete of myserable men And when all our courtes were without sutets Hell then began to houle And thus continuyng in great heauines anguish was robbed and spoyled Which thing considered the impacient rage of our stomacke coulde no longer suffer neyther the ougle retchelous neglygence of our great Captayne generall could any longer indure it But we seeking remedy for the time that should come after haue prouyded vs of a verye trimme shift For in stead of these Apostles and other their adherentes whyche draw by the same lyne of theirs as wel in maners as doctrine are odious enemis vnto vs We haue caused you to be their successors put you in their place which be Prelates of the church in these latter times by our great might and subtletie as Chryst hath sayd of you they haue raigned but not by me Once we promised vnto him al the kingdom of the world if he would fal down and worships vs but he would not saying my kingdome is not of this would and went his way when the multitude would haue made him a temporall kinge But to you truely which are fallen from the state of grace and that serue vs in the earth is that my promise fulfilled and all terrene thyngs be our meanes which we haue bestowed vpon you are vnder gouernment For he hath said of vs as ye know The prince of the world coÌ„meth c. and hath made vs to raigne ouer al children of vnbeliefe Therfore our aduersaryes before recited dyd pacientlye submit themselues vnto the Princes of the worlde and did teache that men shoulde do so saying Be ye subiect to euery creature for Gods cause whether it be to the Kyng as moste chiefest And agayne Obey ye them that are made rulers ouer you c. For so their maister commauÌ„ded them saying The kinges of the heathen haue dominion ouer them c. But I think it long til we haue powred our poyson vpoÌ„ the earth and therefore fill your selues full And now bee yee not onely vnlyke those fathers but also contrary vnto them in your lyfe and conditions and extoll your selues aboue all other men Neyther do ye geue to God that which belongeth to him nor yet to Caesar that which is his But exercise you the power of both the swordes according to our decrees makinge your selues doers in worldlye matters fighting in our quarell intangled with secular labours and busines And clyme ye by litle little from the myserable state of pouerty vnto the highest seates of all honours the most princely places of dignitie by your deuised practices false and deceitfull wyles and subtlety that is by hypocrisy flattery lying periurie treasons deceits simonye and other greater wickednes then which our infernal furies may deuise For after that ye haue by vs bene aduaunced thither where ye would be yet that doth not suffice you but as gready staruelings more huÌ„gry then ye were before ye suppresse the poore scratch and rack together all that comes to hand peruerting and turninge euerie thing topsie toruey so swollen that redy ye are to burst for pride liuing like Lechers in all corporal delicatenes and by fraude dyrecting all your doinges You challenge to your selues names of honour in the earth callyng your selues Lordes holye yea and most holy persons Thus eyther by violence ye rauen or els by ambition subtilly ye pilfer away and wrongfully wraft and by false title possesse those goodes whych for the sustentation of the poore members of Christ whom froÌ„ our first fall we haue hated were bestowed and geuen consuming them as ye your selues lyst therewith ye cherish and maintaine an innumerable sort of whoores strumpets and bawdes with whom ye ride pompously like mightie Prynces farre otherwise goinge then those poore beggerly priestes of the primatiue Church For I would ye shoulde buylde your selues ryche and gorgeous palacies yee fare lyke Prynces eating and drinking the most daintiest meates and pleasauntest wiâ—es that may be gotten ye hoord and heepe together an infynite deale of treasure not like to him
countrey to inhabite in the Citie This Fabian as is sayd thinking nothyng lesse then of any such matter sodenly cōmeth a Doue fleing from aboue and sitteth vpon his head Whereupon all the Congregation beyng moued wyth one minde and one uoyce dyd chose hym for their Bishop In the which function he remayned the space of xiij yeares as Eusebius writeth Damasus Marianus and Sabellicus say xiiij Yeares vnto the tyme of Decius Who whether for that Philippus had committed to him his treasures or whether for the hatred he bare to Philippus in the beginning of his raigne caused him to be put to death Sendyng out moreouer his Proclamation into al quarters that al which professed the name of Christ should be slayne To this Fabian be ascribed certaine ordinaunces as of consecrating new oyle once euery yeare and burnyng the olde of accusations against Byshops of appealing to the sea Apostolicke of not marying within the fift degree of communicating thrise a yeare of offering euery Sonday with such other things moe in his iij. Epistles decretall the which Epistles as by diuers other euidences may be supposed to be vntruely named vpon hym gyuing no signification of any matter agreing to that tyme so do I finde the most part of the iij. Epistle worde for word standing in the Epistle of Sixtus the 3. which folowed almost 200. yeares after him beside the vnseemely doctrine also in the ende of the sayd Epistles contayned where he contrary to the tenour of the Gospell applyeth remission of sinnes onely due to the bloud of Christ vnto the offerings of bread and wyne by men and women euery Sonday in the Church To this Fabianus wrote Origine De orthodoxia suae fidei that is of the rightnes of his fayth Whereby is to be vnderstode that he continued to the tyme of Decius some say also to the tyme of Gallus Of this Origene partly mention is touched before declaring how bolde and feruente he was in the dayes of Seuerus in assisting comforting exhorting and killing the Martyrs that were imprisoned suffered for the name of Christ with such daunger of his owne life that had not bene the singular protectiō of God he had bene stoned to death many tymes of the Heathen multitude Such great concourse of men and women was daily to his house to be catechised instructed in the christian fayth by him that souldiours were hyred of purpose to defend the place where he taught them Agayn such search sometymes was set for him that vnneth any shiftyng of place or countrey could couer him In those laborious trauailes and affayres of the Church in teaching writing confuting exhorting and expounding he continued about the space of 52. yeares vnto the tyme of Decius and Gallus Diuers and great persecutions he sustayned but specially vnder Decius as testifieth Eusebius in his sixt booke declaring that for the doctrine of Christ he sustained bands and torments in his body rackings with barres of iron dungeons besides terrible threates of death and burning All this he suffred in the persecution of Decius as Eusebius recordeth of him and maketh no relatiō of any further matter But Suidas and Nicephorus following the same sayth further concerning him that the sayd Origene after diuers and sundry other torments which he manfully and constantly suffred for Christ at length was brought to an altar where a foule filthy Ethiope was appointed to be and there this option or choyse was offred vnto him whether he would sacrifice to the idole or to haue his body polluted with that foule and ouglie Ethiope Then Origene sayth he who with a Philosophicall mynd euer kept his chastitie vndefiled much abhorring y◠filthy villany to be done to his body condescended to their request Wherupon the iudge puttyng incense in his hand caused him to set it to the fire vpō the altar For the which impietie he afterward was excommunicated of the Church Epiphanius writeth that he beyng vrged to sacrifice to Idols and takyng the boughes in his hand wherwith the Heathen were woont to honour their Gods called vpon the Christians to cary them in the honour of Christ. The which fact the church of Alexandria misliking remooued him from their communion Wherupon Origene driuen away with shame and sorow out of Alexandria went into Iewry where beyng in Hierusalem among the congregation and there requested of the Priestes and Ministers he being also a Priest to make some exhortation in the church refused a great while so to do At length by importunate petition being cōstrained therunto rose vp and turning the booke as though he would haue expounded some place of the Scripture only read the verse of the 49. Psalme but God sayd to the sinner why doest thou preach my iustifications why doest thou take my testament in thy mouth c. Which verie beyng read he shut the booke and sate downe weepyng and wayling the whole congregation also weeping lamentyng with him Suid. Niceph. More what became of Origene it is not found in history but onely that Suidas addeth he dyed and was buried at Tyrus Eusebius affirmeth that he departed vnder the Emperour Gallus about the yeare of our Lord 255. and the 70. yeare of his age in great miserie as appeareth and pouertie In this Origene diuers blemishes of doctrine be noted wherupon Hierome some tymes doth inueigh against him Albeit in some places agayne he doth extoll and commend him for his excellent learning as in his Apologie agaynst Ruff. and in his Epistle to Pammachus and Ocean where he prayseth Origene although not for the perfection of his faith and doctrine nor for an apostle yet for an excellent interpreter for his wit and for a Philosopher And yet in his Prologue vpō the Homelies of Origene vpon Ezechiel he calleth him an other maister of the churches after the Apostles And in an other Preface vpon his questions vpon Genesis he wisheth to himself the knowledge of the scriptures which Origene had also with the enuy of his name Athanasius moreouer calleth him singular and laborious and vseth also his testimonies against the Arrians Socrates Lib. 6. cap. 13. After Origene the congrue order of history requireth next to speak of Heraclas his Usher a man singularly commēded for his knowledge not only in Philosophy but also in all such faculties as for a christiā diuine doth appertain This great towardnes of wit and learning when Origene perceiued in him he appointed him aboue all other to bee his Usher or vnderteacher to helpe in his schoole or Uniuersitie of Alexandria in the raigne of Antoninus Caracalla sonne of Seuerus And after in the x. yeare of Alexander Origene departing vnto Cesarea he succeeded in his roome to gouerne the schoole in Alexandria Further also in the time of Gordianus after the decease of Demetrius bishop of Alexandria this Heraclas succeeded to be Bishop of the said Citie Eusebius Lib. 6. cap. 29.
Wherunto by the cōtentes of this scedule it is not fully answered and therfore you must answere therunto more plainely expresse declare your fayth opinions as touching those poynts in the same bill That is to say whither you hold beleue and affirme that in the sacrament of the aultar after the cōsecration rightly done there remayneth materiall bread or not Item whether you hold beleue and affirme that it is necessary in the sacrament of penaunce for a man to cōfesse his sinnes vnto a priest appoynted by the church The which articles in this maner deliuered vnto him amongst many other thinges he answered plainly that he would make no other declaration or answere therunto thē was conteyned in the sayd Scedule Wherupon we fauoring the sayd sir Iohn with benigne gentle meanes we spake vnto him in this manner Sir Iohn take heed for if you do not playnly answere to these things which are obiected agaynst you within a lawful time now graūted you by the Iudges we may declare you to be an hereticke but the said sir Iohn perseuered as before and would make no other answere Consequently notwithstanding we together with our sayd felow brethren and others of our counsell took aduise and by their counsell declared vnto the said sir Iohn Oldcastle that the sayd holy Church of Rome in this matter following the saying of blessed S. Augustine Ierome Ambrose and other holy men hath determined the which determinations euery catholicke ought to obserue Wherupon the said sir Iohn answered that he would beleue and obserue whatsoeuer the holy Church determined and whatsoeuer god would he should obserue and beleue But that he would in no case affirme that our Lord the Pope the cardinals Archbishops and Bishops or other prelates of the church haue any power to determine any such matters Wherunto we yet fauoring him vnderhope of better aduisement promised the sayd sir Iohn that we would geue him in writing certaine determinatiōs vpon the matter aforesaid Wherunto he should more plainly answere writtē in latin and for his better vnderstanding translated into English wherupon we commaunded and hartily desired him that agaynst monday next folowing he should geue a playne full answere the which determinations we caused to be trāslated the same day to be deliuered vnto him the sonday next folowing The tenor of which determinations here folow in this maner The fayth and determination of that holy Churche vpon the holy Sacrament of the aultar is this That after the consecration done in the masse by that priest that material bread shall be chaunged into the materiall bodye of Christ the materiall wine into the materiall bloud of Christ. Therfore after the consecratiō there remayneth no more any substāce of bread and wine which was there before What doe you answere to this article Also the holy church hath determined that euery christian dwelling vpon earth ought to confesse his sinnes vnto a priest ordeined by the Church if he may come vnto hym How thinke you by this article Christ ordeined S. Peter his Vicare in earth whose seat is in the Church of Rome geuing and graunting the same authority whiche he gaue vnto Peter also to his successours which are now called Hopes of Rome in whose power it is to ordeine and institute prelates in particulare churches As Archbishops bishops curates and other ecclesiastical orders vnto whom the Christian people ought obedience according to the traditiō of the church of Rome This is the determination of the holy church What thinke you by this article Besides this the holy Church hath determined that it is necessary for euery christian to go on pilgrimage to holy places there specially to worship the holy reliques of the Apostles Martirs confessors all sayntes whosoeuer the church of Rome hath allowed What thinke you of this article Upon which monday being the 25. day of the sayd moneth of September before vs and our felow brethrē aforesayd hauing also takē vnto vs our reuerēd brother Benedict by the grace of God Bishop of Bangor by our cōmaundement our counsellers and ministers Master Henry ware officiall of our court of Cant. Philip Morgan D. of both lawes Dowell Kissin Doctor of the decretals Iohn Kempe and William Carlton Doctors of law Ioh Witnā Thomas Palmer Rob. Wombewell Iohn Withe and Robert Chamberlayne Richard Dotington Thomas Walden professors of diuinity Also Iames Cole I. Steuens our notaries appointed on this behalf They all and euery one being sworne vpon that holy gospell of god laying their handes vpon the booke that they shoulde geue theyr faythfull counsell in and vpō the maner aforesayde and in euery such cause and to the whole world By and by appered sir Robert Morley Knight Lieuetenant of the Tower of London and brought with him the foresayde Syr I Oldcastle setting him before vs. Unto whom we gentlye and familiarly rehearsed the actes of the day before passed And as before we tolde him that he both is and was excōmunicate requiring and intreating him that he would desire and receiue in due forme the absolution of the Church Unto whom the said Syr Iohn then and there plainly answered that in this behalfe he would require no absolutiō at our handes but onely of God Then afterward by gentle and soft meanes we desires and required him to make playne answere vnto the articles which were laid against him And first of al as touching the Sacrament of the aultar To the which article besides other thinges he answered and sayd thus That as Christ being here in earth had in him both Godhead manhoode Notwithstanding the Godhead was couered and inuisible vnder the humanity the which was manifest and visible in him so likewise in the sacrament of the aultar there is the very body and very bread bread which we do see the body of Christ hidden vnder the same which we do not see And playnly denyed that the fayth as touching the said Sacrament determined by the Romish church and holy doctors and sent vnto him by vs in the sayd Schedule to be the determination of the holy Church But if it be the determination of the Church he sayd that it was done contrary vnto the scriptures after the church was endowed and that poyson was poured into the Churche and not afore Also as touching the Sacrament of penance and confession he playnly sayd and affirmed thē and there that if any man were in any greuous sinne out of the which he knew not how to rise it were expedient and good for him to go vnto some holy and discreet priest to take counsell of him But that he shoulde confesse his sinne to any proper Priest or to any other although he might haue the vse of him it is not necessary to saluation for so much as by only contrition such sinne can be wiped a way the sinner himselfe purged As concerning the worshipping of
Austen calling him a most blessed Pope 11. By the whiche place of Ierome it is manifest that the first article of those doctors is false Forasmuch as by these wordes appeareth that other besides the bishop of Rome and his Cardinals are called blessed Popes holding the fayth and seat of Peter and are successours of the Apostles as was Austen and other holy byshops moe 12. Wherof it followeth moreouer that the church of Rome is not that place where the Lord did appoint the principall sea of his whole Church For Christ which was the head priest of all did first sit in Ierusalem and Peter did sit first in Antioch and afterward in Rome Also other popes dyd sit some in Bonony some at Perusium some at Auinion 13. Item the foresayde Prelates are falsifiers of the holy Scriptures and Canons therfore are worthy to be punished Which affirme and say that we must obey the pope in all thinges For why it is knowne that many Popes haue erred and one Pope was also a woman To whome not onely it was not lawful to geue obedieÌ„ce but also vnlawfull to communicate with them As all Rubrices and infinite Canons do declare 14. Item their 6.7.8.9.10.11 Articles doe stand and are grounded vpon vntrue and false persuasions And therfore are to be reiected and detested like the other before Seyng they doe induce not to peace and veritye but to dissention and falsity 15. It is manifest also to the laitye that this dissention among the clergy riseth for no other cause but onely for the preaching of the Gospell which reprehendeth such Simoniacks and such hereticks in the church of God as namely haunt the court of Rome spreading out theyr braunches abroad into all the world Who deserue to be remoued extirpate not onely of the clergy gospellers but also of the secular power And so these three vices to witte Simonye Luxurity Auarice which is Idoll worship be the causes of all this dissention amonge the Clergye in the kingdome of Boheme and not the other which they falsely ascribe to the Gospellers of Prage These three vices beyng remoued peace and vnity woulde soone be reformed in the Clergy 16. Moreouer their last article is to much grosse and not onely is without all law but also wtout all coulour of law whereas they fondly and childishly doe argue thus that the processes made agaynst M. Iohn Hus ought to be obeyed because forsooth the common sort of the Clergye of Prage hath receiued them By the same reason they may argue also that we must obey the deuil for our first pareÌ„ts Adam and Eue obeyed him Also our fore auncetours before vs were Paganes wherfore we must obey them and also the Paganes 17. But let this friuolous opinioÌ„ go this is certain truth that the said processes made against maister Iohn Hus by law are none Forsomuch as they were obteyned drawne wrought and executed contrary to the commission of the Pope against the determinatioÌ„ of the holy mother church as appeareth Cap. Sacro de Sententia excom and a thousand other lawes besides 18. Finally whosoeuer wittingly obstinately do defend and execute the sayd processes made or consenteth vnto theÌ„ are all to be counted as blasphemers excommunicate and heretickes as hath bene afore written and exhibited to yâ— Lord generall bishop Olomucense And more shal be declared and proued if audience may be geuen openly before all the Doctors Ex Aenea Sylui. Chocleo ¶ Vnto these obiections of I. Hus his part the Catholique Doctors agayn did answer in a long tedious proces The scope wherof principally tended to defend the principallity of the Pope to mayntayne his obedience aboue all other potentates in the world affirming coÌ„teÌ„ding that although Christ is the head alone of the whole multitude of them that are sleeping in Purgatory and whiche are labouring in the Church militant and which are resting in heauen yet this letteth not but the Pope is heade of the church here militant that is of all the faithfull which here in this world liue vnder his office Like as Christ is kyng of all kings and yet Charles may be the king of Fraunce So say they Christ may be the vniuersall head and yet the Pope may be head vnder him of the whole Churche And thus concluded they that the pope is the head and that the Colledge of Cardinals is the body of the Romish church which church of Rome is placed in the ecclesiasticall office here ouer the earth to know and define vpoÌ„ euery ecclesiasticall and catholicke matter to correct errors and to purge them and to haue care vpon all such vniuersall matters cure vpon all vniuersall churches and vpon the vniuersal flocke of faythfull christians Forasmuch as in the regimeÌ„t of the church through the vniuersal world there must nedes remayne in such office alwayes some suche manifest true successors of Peter prince of the Apostles of the colledge of the other Apostles of Christ neither can there be found or geuen vpon earth any other successors but only the Pope which is the head and the colledge of Cardinals which is the body of the foresayd church of Rome And although the whole vniuersall multitude of the faythfull do make the body of Christ yet the same body of Christ is not placed here in office to exercise such authority vpon earth Because that vniuersal multitude was neuer yet nor euer can be coÌ„gregate together And therfore necessary it is that some such true and manifest successors iudges be appoynted to whom recourse must be had in all such catholick and ecclesiastical matters determinable For like as in earthly regiments euery case of discord is brought before his iudge hath his place assigned where to be decided So like reason would requyre that in principall matters and controuersies of fayth some such presidents places be limited for the purpose to haue such doubtes resolued And this being graunted then the doctors proceed here must needes coÌ„clude say they that there cannot be geuen in all the world any other place but onely the church of Rome the head wherof is the Pope the body is the colledge of Cardinals For like as Christ departing out of this world in his corporal preseÌ„ce leâ—t his body here with vs vnder the SacrameÌ„t in another forme whereby he remayneth with vs according to his promise Mat. vlt. vnto the consummation of the worlde Euen so while Christ walked here on earth in his bodily preseÌ„ce he was Pope himselfe chiefe bishop so head of the church here militant in earth corporally coÌ„ioyned with the same as the head is to his body But after that he departed out of yâ— world because his body which is the church militant vp on the earth should not be headlesse therfore he left Peter his successors to his church for an head in his place vnto the consummation of the world
they fulfilled that Scripture which is spoken of in Esay Let vs take away the iust man because he is not profitable for vs Wherfore let them eat the fruits of their workes Therfore they went vp to throwe doune the iust man and said among themselues let vs stone this iust man Iames they toke him to smite him with stones for he was not yet dead wheÌ„ he was cast doune but he turning fell doune vpon his knees saying O Lord God Father I beseech thee to forgeue them for they know not what they do But wheÌ„ they had smitten him with stones one of the priests of the children of Rechas the sonne of Charobim spake to them the testimonie which is in Ieremie the Prophet leaue off what do ye The iust man praieth for you And one of those which were present tooke a Fullers instrument wherwith they did vse to beat and purge cloth and smote the iust man on his head and so he finished his Martyrdome and they buried him in the same place his piller abideth yet by the temple He was a true testimonie to the Iewes and the Gentiles And shortly after Vespasianus the Emperour destroying the land of Iewrie brought them into captiuitie These thinges being thus written at large of Egesippus do well agree to those which Clement did write of him This Iames was so notable a man that for his iustice he was had in honour of all men in so much that the wise men of the Iewes shortly after his Martyrdome did impute the cause of the besieging of Ierusalem and other calamities which happened vnto theÌ„ to no other cause but vnto the violence and iniurie done to this man Also Iosephus hath not left this out of his historie where he speaketh of him after this maner These things so chanced vnto the Iewes for a vengeance because of that iust man Iames which was the brother of Iesu whoÌ„ they called Christ for the Iewes killed him although he was a righteous man The same Iosephus declareth his death in the same booke and chapter saying Caesar hearing of the death of Festus sent Albinus the Lieuetenant into Iewrie but Ananus the yonger being bishop and of the sect of the Saduces trusting that he had obtained a conuenient tyme seing that Festus was dead and Albinus entred on his iourney he called a Councell and calling many vnto him among whom was Iames by name the brother of Iesu which is called Christ he stoned them accusing them as breakers of the law Whereby it appeareth that many other besides Iames also the same tyme were Martyred and put to death amoÌ„g the Iewes for the faith of Christ. A description of the X. first persecutions in the Primitiue Church THese thinges being thus declared for the Martyrdome of the Apostles and the persecutioÌ„ of the Iewes Now let vs by the grace of Christ our Lord comprehend with like breuitie the persecutions raised by the Romaines against the Christians in the Primitiue age of the Church during the space of 300. yeares till the comming of godly Constantine which persecutions are reckoned of Eusebius and by the most part of writers to the number of x. most speciall Wherin meruailous it is to see and read the numbers incredible of Christian innocents that were slaine and tormented some one way some an other As Rabanus saith saith truly Alij ferro perempti Alij flammis exusti Alij flagris verberati Alij vectibus perforati Alij cruciati patibulo Alij demersi pelagi periculo Alij viui decoriati Alij vinculis mancipati Alij linguis priuati Alij lapidibus obruti Alij frigore afflicti Alij fame cruciati Alij truncatis manibus aliÃsue caesis membris spectaculum contumeliae nudi propter nomen Domini portantes c. That is Some slaine with sword Some burnt with fire Some with whips scourged Some stabbed in with forkes of iron Some fastned to the crosse or gibbet Some drowned in the sea Some their skinnes pluckt of Some their tongues cut off Some stoned to death Some killed with cold Some starued with hunger Some their hands cut off or otherwise dismembred haue bene so left naked to the open shame of the world c. Whereof Augustine also in his booke De Ciuit. 22. cap. 6. thus saith Ligabantur includebantur caedebantur torquebantur vrebantur laniabantur trucidabantur multiplicabantur non pugnantes pro salute sed salutem contemnentes pro seruatore Whose kindes of punishments although they were diuers yet the maner of constancie in all these Martyrs was one And yet notwithstaÌ„ding the sharpenes of these so many and sundry tormeÌ„ts and like cruelnes of the tormentors yet such was the nuÌ„ber of these constant Saintes that suffered or rather such was the power of the Lord in his Saints that as Hierome in his Epistle to Chromatius and Heliodorus saith Nullus esset dies qui non vltra quinque millium numerum Martyrum reperiri posset ascriptus excepto die Kalendarum Ianuarij That is There is no day in the whole yeare vnto which the nuÌ„ber of fine thousand Martyrs cannot be ascribed except onely the first day of Ianuary * The first Persecution THe first of these x. persecutions was stirred vp by Nero Domitius the vj. Emperour before mentioned about the yeare of our Lord 67. The tyrannous rage of which Emperour was so fierce against the Christians as Eusebius recordeth Vsque adeò vt videres repletas humanis corporibus ciuitates iacentes mortuos simul cum paruulis senes foemi narúmque absque vlla sexus reuerentia nudata in publico reiectáque starent cadauera That is In so much that a man might then see cities lye full of mens bodies the old there lying together with the yong and the dead bodies of women cast out naked without all reuerence of that sexe in the opeÌ„ streets c. Likewise Orosius writing of the said Nero saith that he was the first which in Rome did raise vp persecution against the Christians and not onely in Rome but also through all the prouinces therof thinking to abolish and to destroy the whole name of Christians in all places c. Whereunto accordeth moreouer the testimonie of Hierome vpon Daniel saying thà t many there were of the Christians in those dayes which seyng the filthy abominations and intollerable crueltie of Nero thought that he should be Antichrist c. In this persecution among many other Saintes the blessed Apostle Peter was condemned to death and crucified as some doe write at Rome albeit othersome and not without cause doe doubt thereof concerning whose lyfe and hystory because it is sufficiently described in the text of the Gospell and in the Actes of S. Luke chap. 4.5 12. I neede not heere to make any great repetytion therof As touching the cause and maner of hys death diuers ther be which make relation as Hierome Egesippus Eusebius
was how and when it should appeare they aunswered that his kingdome was no worldly nor terren thing but an heauenly and Aungelicall kingdome that it should appeare in the consummation end of the world what tyme he comming in glory should iudge the quicke and the dead and render to euery one according to his deseruinges Domitian the Emperour hearing this as the saying is did not condemne them but despising them as vile persons let them go also staid the persecution then mooued against the Christians They being thus discharged and dismissed afterward had the gouernmeÌ„t of Churches beyng taken for Martyrs and as of the Lords stock and so consumed in good peace till the tyme of Traianus Haec Egesip Euseb Lib. 3. cap. 20. By this story here recited may appeare what were the causes why the Emperours of the Romaine Monarchie did so persecute the Christians which causes were chiefly these feare and hatred 1. feare for that the Emperors and Senate of blinde ignoraunce not knowing the maner of Christes kingdome feared and misdoubted least the same would subuert their Emperie Like as the Pope thinkeeh now that this Gospel wil ouerthrow his kingdom of maiestie And therfore sought they all means possible how by death and all kindes of torments vtterly to extinguish the name and memorie of the christians And therupon semeth to spring the old law of the Romaine Senate Non debere dimitti Christianos qui semel ad tribunal venissent nisi propositum mutent i. That the Christians should not bee let goe which were once brought to the iudgement seate except they chaunged their purpose c. Euseb. Lib. 5. cap. 21.2 Hatred partly for that this world of his owne naturall condition hath euer hated and maliced the people of god from the first beginning of the world Partly agayne for that the Christians beyng of a contrary nature and Religion seruing only the true liuing God despised their false gods spake against their idolatrous worshippings and many tymes stopped the power of Sathan working in their Idoles And therfore Sathan the Prince of this world stirred vp the Romaine Princes blynd Idolaters to beare the more hatred and spite against them Upon these causes and such like rose vp these malicious slaunders false surmises infamous lies slanderous accusations of the Heathen idolaters against the Christian seruaunts of God which incited the Princes of this world the more to persecute them for what crimes so euer malice could inuent or rash suspicion could minister that was imputed to the Christians as that they were a people incestuous that in the night in their concourses puttyng out their candles they ranne together in all filthy maner that they killed their owne children that they vsed to eate mans flesh that they were seditious and rebellious that they would not sweare by the fortune prosperitie of Caesar that they would not adore the Image of Caesar in the market place that they were pernitious to the Emperie of Rome Briefly whatsoeuer mishappened to the Citie or Prouinces of Rome either famine pestilence earthquake warres wonders vnseasonablenes of weather or what other euils soeuer hapned it was imputed to the Christians as Iustinus recordeth Ouer and beside al these a great occasion that stirred vp the Emperours against the Christians came by one Publius Tarquinius the chiefe Prelate of the idolatrous sacrifices and Mamertinus the chiefe gouernour of the Citie in the tyme of Traianus who partly with money partly with sinister and pestilent counsaâ—â—e partly with infamous accusations as witnesseth Nauclerus incensed the mynde of the Emperour so muche against Gods people Also among these other causes abouesaid crept in some piece of couetousnes withal as in all other things it doth in that the wicked promooters and accusers for sucre sake to haue the possessions of the christians were the more redy to accuse them to haue the spoyle of their goods Thus hast thou Christian reader first the causes declared of these persecutions 2. The cruell law of their condemnation 3. Now heare more what was the forme of inquisition which was as is witnessed in the second Apologie of Iustinus to this effect that they should sweare to declare the truth whether they were in very deed Christians or not and if they confessed then by the law the sentence of death proceeded Iust. Apol. 2. Neither yet were these tyrants and organes of SathaÌ„ thus contented with death onely to bereaue the life from the bodye The kindes of death were diuers and no lesse horrible then diuers Whatsoeuer the cruelnesse of mans inuention could deuise for the punishment of mans body was practised against the Christians as partly I haue mentioned before and more appeareth by the Epistle sent from the brethren of France hereafter following Craftie traynes outcries of enemies imprisonments stripes and scourgings drawings tearings stonings plates of iron layd to them burning hote deep dungeons racks strangling in prisons the teeth of wild beasts gridirons gibbets and gallowes tossing vpon the hornes of Buls Moreouer wheÌ„ they were thus killed their bodies laid in heaps and dogs there left to keep them that no man might come to bury them neither would any prayer obtayne them to be interred and buried Ex Epistola fratrum Viennensium ac Lugdunensium c. And yet notwithstanding for all these continual persecutions and horrible punishments the church of the christians daily increased deepely rooted in the doctrine of the Apostles and of men Apostolicall and watered plenteously with the bloud of Saintes as saith Nicephorus Tib. 3. Whereof let vs heare the worthy testimony of Iustinus Martyr in his Dialogue with Tripheus And that none saith he can terrifie or remoue vs which beleue in Iesus by this it daily appeareth for when we are slaine crucified cast to wild beastes into the fire or geuen to other torments yet we goe not from our confession but contrary the more crueltie and slaughter is wrought against vs the mo they be that come to pietie and faith by the name of Iesus no otherwise then if a man cut the vine tree the better the branches grow For the vine tree planted by God and Christ our Sauiour is his people Haec Iust. ¶ To comprehend the names and number of all the Martyrs that suffered in all these ten persecutions which are innumerable as it is vnpossible so it is hard in such varietie and diuersitie of matter to keepe such a perfect order and course of yeares and times that either some be not left out or that euery one bee reduced into his right place especially seeing the Authors themselues whome in this present worke we follow doe diuersly disagree both in the tymes in the names and also in the kynd of Martyrdome of them that suffered As for example where the common reading and opinion of the Church and the Epistles Decretall doe take Anacletus to succeed after
multitude for the causes aboue specified did not cease to disquiete and afflict the quiet people of God impuâ—ing and ascribing to the Christians whatsoeuer misfortune happened contrary to their desires Moreouer inuentyng agaynst them all false crimes and contumelies wherein to accuse them By reason whereof diuers there were in sundry places much molested and some put to death albeit as it is to be supposed not by the consent of the Emperour who of nature was so mylde and gentle that either he raysed vp no persecution agaynst the Christians or els he soone stayed the same beyng mooued As well may appeare by his letter sent doune to the countreys of Asia the tenor whereof here insueth The Epistle of Antoninus Pius to the Common of Asia EMperour and Caesar Aurelius Antoninus Augustus Armenicus Pontifex Maximus Tribune eleuen tymes Consull thrise vnto the commons of Asia greeting I am very certayne that the Gods haue a care of this that they which be such shall be knowen and not lye hid For they doe punish them that will not worship them more then you which so vexe and trouble them confirming thereby the opinion which they haue conceaued and doe conceaue of you that is to bee wicked men For this is their ioy and desire that when they are accused rather they couet to dye for their God then to lyue Whereby they are Victorers and doe ouercome you geuing rather their lyues then to bee obedient to you in doyng that which you require of them And here it shall not be inconuenient to aduertise you of the Earthquakes which haue and doe happen among vs that when at the sight of them you tremble and are afraide then conferre your case with them For they vpon a sure confidence of their God are bolde and fearelesse much more then you who in all the tyme of this your ignoraunce both doe worship other Gods and neglect the Religion of immortalitie and such Christians as worship him them you doe driue out and persecute them vnto death Of these and such like matters many Presidents of our Prouinces did write to our father of famous memorie heretofore To whome he directed his aunswere agayne willing them in no case to molest the Christians except they were found in some trespasse preiudiciall against the Empire of Rome And to me also many there be which write signifiyng their mind in like maner To whome I haue aunswered againe to the same effect and maner as my father did Wherefore if any hereafter shall offer any vexatioÌ„ or trouble to such hauing no other cause but onely for that they are such let him that is appeached be released and discharged free yea although he be founde to bee such that is a Christian and let the accuser sustaine the punishment c. This godly Edict of the Emperour was proclaymed at Ephesus in the publique asseÌ„bly of all Asia wherof Melito also Byshop of Sardis who florished in the same tyme maketh mention in his Apologie written in defence of our doctrine to M. Antoninus Verus as hereafter Christ willing shall appeare By this meanes then the tempest of persecution in those daies began to be appeased through the mercifull prouidence of God which woulde not haue hys Church vtterly to be ouerthrowne though hardly yet to growe * The fourth Persecution AFter the decease of the foresayd quiet and milde Prince Aurelius Antonius Pius who among all other Emperours of that tyme made the most quiet end followed his sonne M. Antoninus Verus with Lucius his brother about the yeare of our Lord .162 a man of nature more sterne and seuere And although in study of Philosophy in ciuile gouernement no lesse commendable yet to ward the Christians sharpe and fierce by whome was moued the fourth persecution after Nero. In whose tyme a great number of them which truely professed Christ suffered most cruel tormentes and punishments both in Asia and in Fraunce In the number of whome was Policarpus the worthy Bishop of Smyrna Who in the great rage of this persecution in Asia among many other most constant Saintes was also Martyred Of whose end and Martyrdome I thought it here not vnexpedient to coÌ„mit to history so much as Eusebius declareth to be taken out of a certaine letter or Epistle written by them of hys owne Churche to the brethren of Pontus the tenor of which Epistle here followeth The congregation which is at Smyrna to the congregation which is at Philomilium and to all the congregations throughout Pontus mercy to you peace and the loue of God our father and of our Lord Iesu Christ be multiplied Amen We haue written vnto you brethren of those men which haue suffred Martyrdome and of blessed Polycarpus which hath ended and appeased this persecutioÌ„ as it were by the shedding of his own bloud And in the same epistle before they enter into farther matter of Polycarpus they discourse of other Martyrs describing what patience they abode and shewed in suffring their torments which was so great and admirable saith the Epistle that the lookers on were amased seeing and beholding how they were so scourged and whipped that the inward vaynes arteries appeared yea euen so much that the very intrailes of their bodies their bowels and members were seen after that were set vpon sharp shels taken out of the sea edged and sharpe and certaine nailes and thornes for the Martyrs to go vpon which were sharpned and pointed called Obelisci Thus suffred they all kind of punishment and torment that might be deuised and lastly were throwne vnto the wild beasts to be deuoured But especially in the foresayd Epistle mention is made of one Germanicus how he most woorthily perseuered and ouercame by the grace of God that feare of death which is ingraffed in the common nature of all men whose notable patience sufferaunce was so notable that the whole multitude wondring at this beloued Martyr of God for this his so bold constancie and also for the singular strength and vertue proceeding of the whole multitude of the Christians began sodenly to cry with a loud voyce saying destroy the wicked men let Polycarpus be sought for And whilest a great vprore and tumult began thus to be raised vpon those cries A certaine Phrigian named Quintus lately come out of Phrigia who seyng and abhorring the wilde beasts and the fierce rage of them of an ouer light mynd betrayed his own safetie For so the same letter of him doth report that he not reuerently but more malipertly then requisite was together with others rushed into the iudgement place and so being takeÌ„ was made a manifest example to all the beholders that no man ought rashly and vnreuerently with such boldnesse to thrust in himself to entermeddle in matters wherwith he hath not to do But now we will surcease to speake more of them and returne to Polycarpus of whome the foresayd letter consequently declareth
houre shal be within a litle while after put out extinguished but thou knowest not the fire of the iudgement that is to come and of euerlasting punishment which is reserued for the wicked vngodly But why make you all these delayes giue me what death soeuer ye lift These many other such like thinges being by him spoken he was so replenished with ioy and boldnes and his countenaunce appeared so full of grace fauour that not onely he was not troubled with those things which yâ— Proconsul spake vnto him but contrarily the Proconsul himselfe began to be amased and sent for the crier which in the middle of the stage was commaunded to cry 3. times Policarpus hath confessed himself to be a Christian which wordes of the cryer were no sooner spoken but that all the whole multitude both of the Gentiles and Iewes inhabiting at Smyrna with a vehement rage and loude voice cried This is that Doctour or teacher of Asia the father of the Christianes and the destroyer of our gods which hath instructed a great nuÌ„ber that our Gods are not to be worshipped after this they crid vnto Philip the gouernour of Asia and required him that he would let loose the Lion to Policarpus To whom he made aunswere that he might not so doe because he had already his praye Then they cried againe altogither with one voice that he woulde burne Policarpus a liue For it was requisite that that vision which he saw as concerning his pillow or bolster should be fulfilled which when he had seene burnt as he was in his prayer he turned himselfe vnto the faithful sort which were with him saying by the way of prophecie it will so come that I shall be burned a liue And the Proconsul had no sooner spoken but it was out of hande performed For why the multitude by and by brought out of their shops workehouses and baynes woode and other dry matter for that purpose and especially the Iewes were most seruiceable for that matter after their woÌ„ted maner And thus the pile being layd and that now hee had put of his garments vndone his girdel and was about to pul of his shooes which he had not done before for that all the faithfull sort amongst themselues striued as it were who should first touch his body at their farewell bicause for the good conuersation of his life yea from his yonger age he was had in great estimation of al men Therfore straightway those instruments which are requisite to such a bonfire were brought vnto him when the would haue nayled him to the stake with yron hoopes he said let me alone as I am for he that hath giuen me strength to suffer and abide the fire shal also giue power that without this your prouision of nayles I shall abide stirre not in the middest of this fire or pyle of woode Which thing when they heard they did not nayle him but bounde him Therefore when his handes were bounde behinde him euen as the chiefest Ramme taken out of the flocke he was sacrificed as an acceptable burnt offring to God saying O father of thy wel beloued and blessed sonne Iesus Christ by whom we haue attained the knowledge of thee the God of aungels and powers and of euery creature and of al iust men which liue before thee I giue thee thankes that thou hast vouchsafed to grauÌ„t me this day that I may haue my part amongest the number of the Martyrs in the cup of Christ vnto the resurrection of eternall life both of body soule through the operation of the holy spirit among whome I shal be this day receaued into thy sight for an acceptable sacrifice as thou hast prepared and reueled the same before this time so thou hast accomplished the same Which canst not lye O thou most true God Wherefore Im lyke case for all things prayse thee blesse thee and glorifie thee by our euerlasting Bishop Iesus Christ to whom be glory euermore Amen And assoone as he had ended this word Amen and finished his prayer the tormentors began to kindle the fire as the flame flashed out vehemently we to whom it was giue to discerne the same saw a marueilous matter which were also to this purpose preserued that we might shewe the same to other For the fier being made like to arâ—â—fe or vaute of a house and after the maner of a shipmans â—â—yle filled with wind compassed about the body of the Martir as with a certaine wall and he in the middle of the same not as flesh that burned but as gold and siluer wheâ— it is tried in the fier And surely we smelt a sauour so swete as if Myrre or some other precious balme had giuen a sent At the last when those wicked persons sawe the hys body could not be consumed by fire they commaunded one of the tormentors to come vnto him thrust him through with his sworde Which being done so great a quantitie of bloude ran out of his body that the fire was quenched therewith the whole multitude marueyled that there was so much diuersitie betwene the infidels and the elect of whom this Policarpus was one being a Disciple of the Apostles and a propheticall instructour of our times and Bishop of the Catholique Church of Smyrna for what worde soeuer he spake both it was and shal be accomplished But the subtil and enuious aduersary when he saw the worthines of his martirdome that his conuersation euen from his youÌ„ger yeares could not be reproued and that he was adourned with the crowne of martirdome and had now obtained that incomparable benefite gaue in charge that we should not take deuide his body For feare least the remnaunts of the dead corps should be taken away so worshipped of the people Whervpon diuers whispered Niceta the father of Herode and his brother Dalces in the eare to admonish the Proconsul that in no case he should deliuer his body least saith he they leaue Christ begin to worship him And this spake they because the Iewes had gyuen them secret warning prouoked them thervnto who also watched vs that we shoulde not take him out of the fire not being ignoraunt how that we ment at no time to forsake Christ which gaue his life for the saluation of the whole world as many I meane as are elected to saluatioÌ„ by him neither yet that we could worship any other For why him we worship as the sonne of God but the Martirs do we loue as disciples of the Lord that worthely for their aboundaunt loue towardes their king and maister of whom we also desire and wish to be companions to be made his disciples WheÌ„ therfore the Centurion saw perceaued the labour of the Iewes the corps being layd abroad they burnt the same as was their maner to doe Thus good Policarpus with xij other that came from
that whosoeuer killeth you shall thinke that he doth God great good seruice TheÌ„ suffered the Martirs of God such bitter persecution as is passing to be tolde Sathan still shooting at this marke to make them to vtter some blasphemy by all meanes possible Marueilous therefore was the rage both of the people Prince specially against one Sanctus which was Deacon of the congregation of Uienna and agaynst Maturus being but a litle before baptised but yet a worthy souldiour of Christ and also against Attalus being borne in Pergama which was the foundation and pyller of that congregation and also against Blandina by whome Christ sheweth that those things which the world esteemed vyle and abiect to be glorious in Gods sight for the very loue which in hart and deede they beare vnto him not in outward face onely For when all we were afrayd specially her mistres in flesh who also was her selfe one of the nuÌ„ber of the foresayd martirs least happely for the weakenes of body she woulde not stande strongly to her confession the foresaid Blandina was so replenished with strength boldnes that they which had the tormenting of her by course from morning to night for very werines gaue ouer fell downe were themselues ouercome confessing that they could do no more against her marueiled that yet she liued hauing her body so torne and rent And testified that any one of those torments alone without any moe had ben inough to haue plucke the life from her body But that blessed woman fighting this worthy battell became stroÌ„ger stronger as often as she spake these words I am a Christian neither haue we committed any euill it was to her a marueilous comfort and bolding to abide the torments Sanctus also another of the Martyrs who in the middest of his tormentes induring more paines then the nature of a man might away with also at what time the wicked supposed to haue heard him vtter some blasphemous words for the greatnes intollerablenes of his torments paines that he was in abode notwithstanding in such constancy of mind that neither he told them his name nor what countryman he was nor in what Citie brought vp neither whether he was a free man or a seruaunt but vnto euery question that was asked him he aunswered in the Latine toung I am a Christian and this was al that he confessed both of his name citie kinred and all other thinges in the place of execution neither yet could the Gentils get any more of him whereupon both the Gouernour tormentours were the more vehemently bent against him And when they had nothing to vexe him with all they clapped plates of Brasse red hote to the most tenderest parts of his body wherewith his body indede being schorched yet he neuer shronke for the matter but was bold and constant in his confession being strengthened and moystened with the fountaine of liuely water flowing out of Christs side Truely his body was a sufficient witnes what torments he suffered for it was all drawne together and most pitifully wounded and scoarched so that it had therwith lost the proper shape of a man in whose suffering Christ obtained inspeakeable glory for that he ouercame his aduersaâ—y and to the instruction of other declared that nothing els is terrible or ought to be feared where the loue of God is nor nothing greeuous wherein the glory of Christ is manifested And when those wicked men began after a certayne time againe to torment the Martyr hoped well to bring it to passe that either they should ouercome him in causing him to recant by reiâ—erating his torments now wheÌ„ his body was so sore swollen that he might not suffer a man to touch him with his hande or els that if hee died vnder their handes yet that thereby they should strike such feare into the harts of the rest to cause them to deny Christ. But they were not only disappointed here in but also contrary to the expectation of men his bodye was in the latter punishment torments soupled restored and toke the fyrst shape and vse of the members of the same so that the same his second torment was by the grace of Christ in steede of punishment a safe medecine Also Sathan now thinking to haue setteled himselfe in the hart of one Byblides being one of them which had denied Christ and thinking to haue caused her beyng a weake and feable woman in faith to haue damned her soule in blaspheming the name of God brought her to the place of execution inforcing to wrest some wicked thing out of the mouth of the Christians But she in midle of her torments returning to her selfe and waked as it were out of her dead slepe by that temporall paine called to her remembraunce the paynes of hell fire and against all mens expectations reuiled the tormentors saying How should we Christians eate young infants as ye reported of vs for whom it is not lawfull to eate the bloud of any beast Upon that so soone as she had confessed her selfe to bee a Christian she was Martyred with the rest Thus when Christ had ended those tyrannicall torments by the patience sufferaunce of our Saintes the diuell yet inuented other engynes and instruments For when the Christians were cast into prison they were shut vp in darke and ougly dongeons and were drawne by the feete in a racke or ingine made for that purpose euen vnto the fift hole And many other such punishmentes suffered they which the furious ministers stirred vp with deuilish furye are wont to put men vnto so that very manye of them were strangled killed in the prisons whom the Lorde in thys maner would haue to enioy euerlasting life set forth his glory And surely these good men were so pittifully tormented that and if they had had all the helpe medicines in the world it was thought impossible for them to lyue to be restored And thus they remaining in prison destitute of al humaine helpe were so strengthened of the Lord and both in body and minde confirmed that they comforted stirred vp the myndes of the rest the yonger sorâ—e of them whiche were latter apprehended put in prison whose bodies had not yet felt the lash of yâ— whip were not able to indure the sharpness of their imprisonment but died of the same The blessed Photinus who was a Deacon to the bishop of Lyons about 90. yeares old and a very feeble or weake man could scarsely draw breath for the imbecilitie of his body yet was he of a liuely courage spirit For the great desire he had of martyrdome when he was brought vnto the iudgement seate although his bodye was feeble and weake both because of his old age and also through sicknes yet was his soule or life preserued to this purpose that by the same Christ might triumph be glorified He being
not the death of a sinner but is mercifull to the penitent came of their own accorde to the iudgement seate againe that they might bee examined of the Iudge And for that the Emperour had written backe againe to him that all the confessors should be punished and the other let go and that the Sessions or Sises were now begun which for the multitude that had repayre thether out of euery quarter was marueilous great he caused all the holy martirs to be brought thether that the multitude might beholde them once againe examined them and as many of them as he thought had the Romane fredome he beheaded the residue he gaue to the beastes to be deuoured And truely Christ was much glorified by those which a little before had denied him which againe contrary to the expectation of the Infidels confessed him euen to the death For they were examined a part froÌ„ the rest because of their deliuery which being found Confessours were ioined to the company of the martirs had with them their part But there were then abroade which had no saith at all neither yet so much as the feeling of the wedding garment nor any cogitation at all of the feare of God but blasphemed his waies by the lewd conuersatioÌ„ of their life euen such as were the children of damnation Al the residue ioined theÌ„selues to the congregation which wheÌ„ they were examined one Alexander a phrigian borne and a Phisition which had dwelt long in Fraunce and knowen almost of euery man for the loue he had to God boldnes of speaking neither was he voide of the Apostolicall loue this Alexander standing somewhat neare to the barre by signes and beckes perswaded such as were examined to confesse Christ so that by his countenaunce somtime reioising and some other while sorrowing he was descryed of the standers by The people not taking in good part to see those which now recanted by and by againe to sticke to their first confession they cried out against Alexander as one that was the cause of all this matter And when he was inforced by the Iudge and coÌ„maunded what Religion he was of he aunswered I am a Christian. He had no sooner spoken the worde but he was iudged to the beastes of them to be deuoured The next day following Attalus of whome I made mention a litle before and Alexander were brought foorth together for the gouernour graunting Attalus vnto the people was baited againe of the beasts When these men were brought to the scaffold and had taken a tast of all the instruments that there were prepared for their execution and had suffered the greatest agonie they could put theÌ„ to were also at the length slaine Of whome Alexander neuer gaue so much as a sigh nor held his peace but froÌ„ the bottome of his hart praised and praied to the Lorde But Attalus when he was set in the yron chaire and began to frye and the frying sauour of his burning body began to smell he spake to the multitude in the Romane language Behold sayth hee this is to eate mans flesh which you doe for we neither eate men nor yet coÌ„mit any other wickednes And being demaunded what was the name of their God our God saith he hath no such name as men haue Then said they now let vs see whether your God can helpe you and take you out of our handes or not After this being the last day of the spectacle Blandine againe one PoÌ„ticus a child of xv yeare old was brought forth and this was euery day to the intent they seing the punishment of their fellowes might be compelled thereby to sweare by their Idoles But because they constantly abode in their purpose defied their idols the whole multitude was in a rage with them neither sparing the age of the child nor fauoring the sexe of the woman but put them to all the punishment and paine they could deuise often times inforced them to sweare yet were not able to coÌ„pel them therevnto For Ponticus so being animated of his sister as the Heathâ—ikes standing by did see after he had suffered all torments and paynes gaue vp the ghost This blessed Blandina therefore being the last that suffered after she had like a worthy mother giuen exhortations vnto her children and had sent them before as conquerours to their heauenly kâ—ng and had called to her remembrance al their batels conflicts so much reioiced of her childrens death so hastened her owne as though she had bene bidden to a bridall not in case to be throwne to the wilde beastes After this her pittifull whipping her deliuery to the beasts her tormentes vpon the gridiron at the length she was put in a net and throwne to the wild Bull and when she had bene sufficiently gored wounded with the hornes of the same beast felt nothing of all that chaunced to her for the great hope and consolation she had in Christ heauenâ—y thinges was thus slaine insomuch that the verye Heathen men themselues confessed that there was neuer woman put to death of them that suffered so much as this woman did Neither yet was their furious crueltie thus asswaged against the Christians For the cruel barbarous people like wilde beastes when they be moued knew not when the time was to make an ende but inuented new sundry torments euery day against our bodies Neyther yet did it content theÌ„ when they had put the Christians to death for that they wanted the sense of men for which cause both the magistrate people were vexed at the very harts that the scripture might be fulfilled which saith he that is wicked let him be wicked stil and he that is iust let him be more iust For those which in their prisons they strangled they threw after to the dogs setting keepers both day and night to watch them that they shoulde not be buryed and bringing forth the remnaunt of their bones bodies some halfe burnt some left of the wilde beasts some al â—o be mangled also bringing forth heads of other which were cut of and like maner committed by them to the charge of the keepers to see them remaine vnburied The Gentiles grinded gnashed at the Christians with their teeth seeking which way they might amplifie their punishment some other flouted and mocked them extolling their idoles attributing vnto them the cause of thys crueltie and vengeaunce shewed to vs. Such which were of the meeker sort and seemed to be moued with some pyty did hit vs in the teeth saying where is your God that you so much boast of what helpeth this your religion for which you giue your liues These were the sundrye passions and affects of the Gentiles but the Christians in the meane while were in great heauines that they might not burye the bodies and reliques of the holy Martirs Neither could the dark night serue them to that purpose nor any
In the which functioÌ„ he ministred the terme of xvj yeares Eusebius Lib. 6. cap. 35. Of this Heraclas writeth also Origene himselfe that he although beyng Priest yet ceased not to read ouer and peruse the bookes of the Gentils to the intent he might the better out of their owne bookes confute their errour c. After Heraclas succeeded Dionysius Alexandrinus in the bishoprike of Alexandria like as he succeded him in the schole before Which Dionysius also writeth of the same Heraclas vnto Philemon a Priest of Rome thus saying Hunc ego canonem typum a beato Heracla Papa nostro accepi c. that is This Canon and type I receaued of blessed Heraclas our Pope c. This Heraclas was no Martyr which dyed 3. yeares before Decius about the yeare of our Lord 250. After whom succeeded next in the same seat of Alexandria Dionysius Alexandrinus who also suffered much vnder the tiranny of Decius as hereafter shal be shewed Christ willing when we come to the tyme of Valerian Nicephorus in his fift booke and other which write of this persecutioÌ„ vnder Decius declare the horriblenes therof to be so great and so innumerable Martyrs to suffer in the same that he sayth it is as easie to number the sandes of the sea as to recite the perticular names of them whoÌ„ this persecution did deuour In the which persecutioÌ„ the chiefest doers and tormenters vnder the Emperour appeare in the history of Vincentius to be these Optimus the vnder Consull Secundianus Verianus and Marcellianus c. Although therfore it be hard here to inferre all and singular persons in order that dyed in this persecution yet such as remayne most notable in stories I will briefly touche by the grace of him for whose cause they suffred In the former tractation of the fift persecution mentioÌ„ was made before of Alexander bishop of Hierusalem and of his troubles suffred vnder Seuerus and how afterward by the miracle of God he was appointed bishop of Hierusalem where he continued a very aged man aboue the terme of 40 yeares gouernour of that Church til the tune of the first yeare of Decius At what tyme he being brought from Hierusalem to Cesarea into the iudgement place after a constant and euident confession of his fayth made before the Iudge was committed vnto prison and there finished his lyre as testifieth Dionysius Alexandrinus in the sixâ— booke of Eusebius After whome succeeded in that seate Mezabanes the xxxvj Bishop of that Citie after Iames the Apostle Mention was made also before of Asclepiades Bishop of Antioch who succeeded after Serapion and in the persecution of Seuerus did likewise perseuer a constant confessor and as Vincentius testifieth in his xj booke suffered Martyrdome at last vnder this Decius But this computation of Vincentius can in no wise agree with the truth of tyme for as much as by probable writers as Zonaras Nicephorus and other the sayd Asclepiades after Serapion entred the bishops seate of Antioch an 214. and sate vij yeares before the tyme of Gordianus After whom succeeded Philetus an 221. gouerning the function xij yeares And after him Zebinus followed an 232. and so after him Babylas which Babylas if he dyed in this persecution of Decius then could not Asclepiades also suffer in the same tyme who dyed so long before him as is declared Of this Babylas bishop of Antioche Eusebus and Zonaras record that vnder Decius he dyed in prison as did Alexander bishop of Hierusalem aboue rehearsed We read in a certaine treatise of Chrysostome intituled Contra Gentiles a notable and a long history of one Babylas a martyr who about these times was put to death for resistyng a certaine Emperour not suffring him to enter into the temple of the Christians after a cruell murder coÌ„mitted the story of which murder is this There was a certaine Emperour who vpon conclusioÌ„ of peace made with a certain nation had receiued for hostage or suretie of peace the sonne of the king beyng of yong and tender age with conditions vpon the same that neither he should be molested of them nor that they should euer be vexed of him Upon this the kings sonne was deliuered not without great care and feare of the father vnto the Emperour whom the cruell Emperor contrary to promise caused in short tyme without all iust cause to be slayne This fact so horrible beyng committed the tyrant with all hast would enter into the temple of the christians Where Babylas beyng bishop or minister withstoode him that he should not into the place approch The Emperour therewith not a litle incensed in great rage commaunded him forthwith to be laid in prison with as many irons as he could beare from theÌ„ce shortly after to be brought forth to death and execution Babylas going constantly and boldly to his Martyrdome desired after his death to be buried with his irons and bands so he was The story proceedeth moreouer and saith that in continuaunce of tyme in the raigne of Constantinus Gallus then made the ouersear of the East partes caused his body to be translated into the suburbes of Antioch called Daphnes where was a temple of Apollo famous with diuelish Oracles answers geuen by that Idole or by the deuill rather in that place In the which temple after the bringing of the body of Babylas the idole ceased to geue any more Oracles saying that for the body of Babylas he could geue no moe answers but complaining that that place was woont to bee consecrated vnto him but now it was full of dead mens bodies And thus the Oracles there ceased for that tyme till the comming of Iulianus who inquiring out the cause why the Oracles ceased caused the bones of the holy Martyr to be remooued agayne from thence by the christians whom he then called Galileans They commyng in a great multitude both men maydens and children to the tombe of Babylas transported his bones according to the commaundement of the emperour singing by the way as they went the verse of the Psalme in wordes as followeth Confounded be all that worship Images and all that glory in Idoles c. which comming to the Emperours â—ares set him in great rage against the Christians stirring vp persecution against them Albeit Zonaras declareth the cause something otherwise saying that so soone as the body of him and other Martyrs were remooued away incontineÌ„t the temple of the Idole with the Image in the night was consumed with fire For the which cause sayth Zonaras Iulian stirred vp with anger persecuted the Christians as shall be shewed Christ willyng in his order and place hereafter And thus much of Babylas which whether it was the same Babylas Bishop then of Antioche or an other of the same name it appeareth not by Chrysostome which neither maketh mention of the Emperours name nor of the place where this Babylas was bishop Agayne the stopping out of the
after they suffred tormēts yet after reuolted But other being as strong as blessed valiant pillers of the Lord fortified with constancie agreing to their fayth were made faithfull Martyrs of the kingdome of God Of whom the first was Iulianus a man diseased with the gout and not able to go being caried of two men of whō the one quickly denied the other Cronion surnamed Eunus with the foresayd Iulianus the old man confessing the Lord with a perfect fayth were layd vpon Camels and there scourged at length cast into the fire with great constancie were so consumed As these aforesaid were going to their Martyrdome there was a certaine souldiour who in their defence tooke part agaynst them that rayled vpon them For the which cause the people crying out agaynst hym he also was apprehended and beyng constant in his professiō was forthwith beheaded Likewise one Macar a man borne in Lybia beyng admonished and exhorted of the Iudge to deny his fayth and not agreyng to his persuasions was burned alyue After these suffred Epimachus and one Alexander who beyng long deteined in prison and in bandes after innumerable paynes torments with razers scourges were also cast into the burning fire with foure other women with them which all there ended their Martyrdome Also Ammonarion an holy virgine whō the cruel iudge had long and bitterly tormented for that she promising the Iudge before that for no punishment she would yelde to his request and constantly performyng the same suffred likewise Martyrdome with two other women of whom there was an aged Matrone named Mercuria the other was called Dionysia beyng a mother of many fayre childrē whom yet notwithstanding she loued not aboue the Lord. These after they could nothe ouercome by no tormēts of the cruell iudge but he rather ashamed and confounded to be ouercome of sely women at length they beyng past feeling of all torments were slayne with the sword first Ammonarion like a valiant Captaine suffryng before them Heron Ater and Isidorus Egyptians and with them Dioscorus also a child of xv yeres were crowned with the same crowne of Martyrdom And first the iudge began with the child thinking him more easie to be wonne with wordes to entise him then with torments to constrain him but he persisted immouable geuing neither place to persuasions nor punishments The rest after he had greuously tormēted being constant in their profession he committed to the fire At Dioscorus the iudge greatly meruailing for his wise answers graue constancie dismissed him sparing as he said his age to a longer respite which Dioscorus is yet also with vs at this present wayting for a longer triall Nemesion beyng also an Egyptian first was accused for a companion of thieues but beyng purged thereof before the Centurion was then accused of Christianitie and for that cause being in bands was brought to the President who most vnrighteously tormenting and scourging hym double to al other thieues and felons at length among the thieues burned him to death making him a blessed martir There were standing before the tribunall seate certaine of the warriors or knights whose names were Ammon Zenon Ptolomeus Ingenuus and with them a certayne aged man called Theophilus who standing by at what tyme a certaine christian man was before the iudge examined and there seyng him for feare redy to incline and fall away did burst almost for sorow within themselues making signes to him with their hands and all iestures of their body to be constant This beyng noted of all the standers by they were redy to lay hold vpon them but they preuenting the matter preased vp of their owne accord before to the bench of the iudge professing themselues to be Christians In so much that both the President with the benchers were all astonied the christians which were iudged more emboldned to suffer and the Iudges therby terrified This done they departed away from the place glad and reioycing for the testimony that they had geuen of their fayth Many other besides were in other cities and tounes rent and torne asunder by the Heathen among whom one I wil speake off for cause worthy of memory Ischirion one that was in seruice with a certaine noble man was commaunded of his maister to make sacrifice who for not obeying was therefore rebuked After persisting in the same was greuously threatned with sharp and manacing wordes At last his maister when he coulde not preuaile against him taking a stake or pike in his handes ran him through into the body and slue him What should I speake of the multitude of them which wandering in desertes and mountaines were consumed with hunger thirst cold sicknes thieues or wilde beasts of whose blessed victorie they which be aliue are yet witnesses In the number of whom one I will speake off among diuers other named Cheremon Bishop of the Citie called Nilus an aged man he with his wife flying to the mountain of Arabia neuer returned again nor euer could be seene after And though they were sought for diligently by their brethren yet neither they nor their bodies were found Many other there were which flying to these moūtains of Arabia were taken of the barbarous Arabians of whom some with much mony could scarse be ransomed some were neuer heard off yet to this present day Thus much out of the Epistle of Dionysius alledged in Euseb. Lib. 6 cap. 41 42. c. Moreouer the foresaid Dionysius in an other place writyng to Germanus of his owne daungers and of other sustained in this persecution before this persecution of Decius thus inferreth as followeth I sayth he behold before the sight of God I lye not and he knoweth I lie not how that I hauing no regard of myne owne life and notwithout the motion of God did flye and auoyde the daunger of this persecution Yea and also before that this persecution of Decius did rage against vs Sabinus the same houre sent a Farmer to seeke me at what tyme I remaining at home waited iij. dayes for his comming But he searching narowly for me by all wayes fields flouds corners where he thought I might best haue hid my self or to haue passed by was stroken with such a blindnesse that he could not find myne house thinking with himself nothing lesse then that I would abide at home in such so dangerous persecution Thus these iij. days beyng past vpon the fourth day the Lord God so willing and commanding me to flie and also maruelously opening to me the way I with my children and many other brethren went out together And this not to come of my selfe but to be the worke of Gods prouidence the sequel of those things declared wherein afterward I was not vnprofitable peraduenture to some c. Againe in another place shortly after the foresayd Dionysius proceedyng in the narration of himselfe thus inferreth Then I comming to Hierusalem with them which were with me was
face of the harlot as she was kissing him and so got he the victorie by the constant grace of the Lord assisting him An other like example of singular chastitie is written of the virgin Theodora and an other souldiour by Ambrose Lib. 2. De virginibus At Antioche this Theodora refusing to do sacrifice to the Idols was condemned by the Iudge to the stewes which notwtstanding by the singular prouidence of god was wel deliuered For as there was a great company of wanton yong men ready at the doore to prease into the house where she was one of the brethren named Didimus as Ado sayth mooued with fayth and motioÌ„ of God putting on a souldioures habite made himselfe one of the first that came in who rounding her in the eare tolde her the cause and purpose of his commyng beyng a christiaÌ„ as she was his counsaile was that she should put on that souldiors habite and so slip away And he puttyng on her garmentes would there remaine to abide their force And so did whereby the virgine escaped vnknowen Didimus left vnto the rage and wondring of the people beyng a man in stead of a woman was presented vnto the President vnto whom without delay he vttered all the whole matter as it was done professing him so as he was to be a christiaÌ„ and therupon was condemned to suffer Theodora vnderstanding thereof and thinking to excuse him by accusing her selfe offred her selfe as the partie guiltie vnto the Iudge clayming and requiring the condemnation to light vpon her the other as innocent to be discharged But the cruell Iudge crueller then Dionysius which spared Damon Pithias neither considering the vertue of the persons nor the innoncency of the cause vniustly and inhumanely proceded in execution against theÌ„ both who first hauing their heads cut off after were cast in the fire Ambros. Ado. Although what tyme or in what persecution these did suffer in the authors of this narration it doth not appeare Agathon a man of armes in the Citie of Alexandria for rebuking certaine lewd persons scornefully deridyng the dead bodies of the Christians was cried out off and rayled on of the people Afterward accused to the iudge was condemned to loose his head Erfordiensis The sayd Erfordiensis also maketh mention of Paulus and Andraeas whome the Proconsul of Troada gaue to the people beyng scourged and after drawne out of the Citie they were troden to death with the feete of the people Hen. de Erford Among other that suffered vnder this wicked Decius Bergomensis also maketh mention of one Iustinus a Priest of Rome and of an other Nicostratus a Deacon To these Vincentius also addeth Portius a Priest of Rome whom he reporteth to be the conuerter of Phillip the Emperor afore mentioned Of Abdon and Sennas we read also in the foresayd Bergomensis and Vincentius two noble men who because they had buried the christians whom Decius had brought from Babylon to Corduba and there put them to death were therfore accused to Decius brought to Rome where they beyng commaunded to sacrifice to dead Idols would not obey and for the same were geuen to the wilde beastes to be deuoured but when the wild beastes more gentle then the men would not touch them they were at length with the sword beheaded Bergom Vincent Lib. 11. cap. 4 Albeit to me it seemeth not vnpossible nor vnlike this Abdon and Sennas to be the same whome in other storyes we finde and before haue mentioned to be Ammon and Zenon One Secundianus was accused to Valerian a Captayne of Decius to be a Christian which professioÌ„ when he stoutly did maynetayne was commaunded to prison By the way as the souldiours were leading him to the gaile Verianus and Marcellianus seing the matter cried to the souldiours asking them whether they drew the innocent At the which worde when they also confessed them selues to be Christians they were likewise apprehended and brought to a Citie named Centumcellas â— where being willed to sacrifice they did spit vpon the Idols and so after sentence and iudgement geuen first they were beaten with wasters or trunshons after that were hanged and tormented vpoÌ„ the gibbet hauing fire set to their sides Vincentius addeth moreouer that the tormentors some of them falleÌ„ sodainly dead other some being taken with wicked spirites the Martyrs with sword at length were beheaded Vinc. Lib. 11 cap. 31. To prosecute in length of history the liues and sufferings of all them which in this terrible persecution were Martyred it were to long almost infinite briefly therefore to rehearse the names of such as we finde alledged out of a certaine briefe treatise of Bede intituled De temporibus cited by Henricus De Erford it shal be at this time sufficient Under Decius suffered Hyppolitus and Concordia Hiereneus and Abnudus Victoria a virgine being noble personages of Antioche Bellias Byshoppe of the Citie of Apollonia Leacus Tyrsus and Gallinetus Nazanzo Tryphon in the Citie of Egypt called â—anais Phileas Bishop Philocomus with many other in Perside Philcronius byshop of Babylon Thesiphon Byshop of Pamphilia Nestor Byshop in Corduba Parmenius Priest with diuers moe In the Prouince called Colonia Circensis Marianus and Iacobus In Africa Nemesianus Felix Rogatianus priest â—elicissimus At Rome Iouinus Basileus also Ruffinâ— and Secunda Uirgines Tertullianus Valerianus Nemesius Sempronianus and Olympius In Spayne Teragone at Verona Zeno Byshop At Caesarea Marinus and Archemius In the towne of Miliane Priuatus Byshop Theodorus surnamed Gregorius Byshop of Pontus Haec Beda Vincentius in his xj booke maketh also mention citing Ex Hugone of certaine children suffering Martyrdome vnder the same persecution in a Citie of Tuscia called Aretium whose names I finde not except they be â—â—rgentius Laurentius mentioned in Equilinus Lib. 5. cap. 80. Nowe that I haue recorded of them sufficiently which vnder this tempest of Decius constantly gaue their liues to Martyrdome for the testimonie of Christ it remaineth that a fewe wordes also be spoken of such that for feare or frailtie in this persecution did shrinke backe slide from the truth of their confession In the number of whome first commeth in the remembraÌ„ce of Serapion an aged olde man Of whom writeth Dionysius Alexandrinus vnto Fabius declaring that this Serapion was an olde man which liued amongest them a sincere and vpright life of long time but at length fell This Serapion oft and many times desired to be receaued againe but no man listened to him for hee had sacrificed before After this not long after he fell into sickenesse where he remained three dayes dombe and benummed of all his seÌ„ses The fourth day following beginning a litle to recouer he called to him his sisters sonne saide how long how loÌ„g my sonne do ye hold me here Make hast I pray you that I were absolued Call hether some of the ministers to me and so saying no more
publike Churches Neither doe I see howe the Heathen in those daies would haue suffered these ornaments to be vnconsumed which would not suffer the Bishops themselues to liue amongst them Notwithstanding Isidorus and Polydorus iudge the contrary Betweene this Stephen and Cyprian Byshop of Carthage was a great contention about rebaptising of heretickes whereof more hereafter Christ willing shall be saide Besides these Byshops aboue specified diuers other there were also sent into banishmēt vnder the forenamed Emperours Gallus Volusianus as appeareth by Dionysius writing to Hermammon on this wise that Gallus not seeyng the euill of Decius nor foreseeing the occasion of his seductiō and ruine stumbled himselfe also at the same stone lying open before his eyes For at the first beginning when his Empire went prosperously foreward and all thinges went luckely with him afterward he draue out holy men which praied for his peace and safegarde and so with them reiected also the praiers which they made for him c. Eusebius Lib. 7. cap. 1. Otherwise of any bloudshed or any Martirs that in the time of this Emperour were put to death we doe not read After the raigne of which Emperour Gallus and of his sonne Volusianus being expired who reigned but ij yeares Emelianus which slewe them both by ciuill sedition succeeded in their place who reigned but three monethes was also slayne Next to whom Valerianus his sonne Gallienus were aduaunced to the Empire About the chaunging of these Emperours the persecution which first began at Decius afterwarde slacked in the time of Gallus was now extinguished for a time partly for the great plague raigning in all places partly by the change of the Emperors although it was not very long For Valerianus in the first entraunce of the Empire for the space of iij. or foure yeres was right courteous and gentle to the people of God well accepted to the Senate Neither was there any of all the Emperors before him no not of the which openly professed Christ that shewed himselfe so louing and familiar toward the Christians as he did in so much that as Dionysius writing to Herman doth testifie all hys whole courte was replenished with holy Saintes seruantes of Christ and godly persons so that his house might seeme to be made a Church of God But by the malice of Sathan through wicked counsell these quiet dayes endured not very long For in processe of tyme this Valerianus beyng charmed or incensed by a certayne Egiptian a chiefe ruler of the Heathen Synagoge of the Egiptians a mayster of the Charmers or inchaunters who in deede was troubled for that he could not do his Magicall feates for the Christians was so farre infatuated and bewitched that through the detestable prouocations of that deuilishe Egyptian he was wholly turned vnto abhominable Idols and to execrable impietie in sacrificing young infāts and quartering bodies and deuiding the entrals of childrē new borne and so proceeding in his fury moued the eight persecution agaynst the Christians whom the wicked Egyptian coulde not abide as being the hinderers and destroyars of hys Magicall enchauntinges about the yeare of our Lord. 259. The eight Persecution IN the which persecution the chiefe administers and executours were Emilianus President of Egipt Paternus and Galerius Maximus Proconsuls in Aphrica Bergomensis also maketh mention of Paternus Uicegerent of Rome and of Perennius Vincentius speaketh also of Nicerius and Claudius Presidentes c. What was the chiefe originall cause of this persecution partly is signified before where mention was made of the wicked Egiptian But as this was the outward and politicall cause so S Cyprian sheweth other causes more speciall and Ecclesiasticall in his iiii booke Epist. 4. whose wordes be these but we sayth he must vnderstand and confesse that thys turbulent oppression calamitie which hath wasted for the most part all our whole company and doth dayly consume riseth chiefly of our owne wickednes sinnes while we walke not in the way of the Lord nor obserue his preceptes left vnto vs for our institution The Lord obserued the will of his father in all poynts but we obserue not the will of the Lord hauing all our minde and study set vpon lucre possessions geuen to pryde full of emulation and dissention voyde of simplicitie and faythfull dealing renouncing thys world in word onely but nothing in deede euery man pleasing himselfe and displeasing all other And therefore are we thus scourged and worthely For what stripes and scourges doe wee not deserue when the confessors themselues such as haue byd the tryall of their confession and such as ought to be an example to the rest of well doyng doe keepe no discipline And therfore because some such there be proudly puft vp with this swelling and vnmannerly bragging of their confession these tormentes come such as doe not easely send vs to the crowne except by the mercy of God some being takē away by quicknes of death do preuēt the tediousnes of punishimēt These things do we suffer for our sinnes and desertes as by the Lordes censure we haue bene forewarned saying If they shall forsake my lawe and will not walke in my iudgementes If they shall prophane my institutions and will not obserue my preceptes I will visite their iniquities with the rod and their transgressions with scourges These rods and scourges sayth he we feele which neyther please God in our good deedes nor repent in our euill deedes Wherefore the sayd Cyprian adding this exhortation withall exhorted them to pray and intreate from the bottome of their hart and whole minde the mercy of God which promiseth saying but yet my mercy I will not scatter from them c. Let vs aske and wee shall obtayne and though sayth Cyprian it be with tariance yet for so much as we haue greeuously offended let vs continue knocking for to him that knocketh it shal be opened if our prayers sighinges and weepinges knocke still at the dore with continuance and if our prayers be ioyned together with brotherly agreement c. Moreouer what vices were then principally raygning among the Christians hee further specifieth in the sayd Epistle which chiefly were deuision and dissention among the brethren For when it was spoken to them in a vision by these wordes Petite impetrabitis that is Pray and ye shall obtayne afterward it was required of the congregation there present to direct their prayers for certayne persons assigned to them by name but they could not agree and cōdescend altogether of the names and persons of them which they should pray for but were dissonant in their consent and petition whiche thing sayth Cyprian did greatly displease hym that spake vnto them Pray and ye shal obtayne for that there was no vniforme equalitie of voyce and hart nor one simple and ioynt concorde among the brethren whereof it is written the Psalme 67. God which maketh to dwell in
not regarding your priuate businesses nor esteeming that which shoulde haue bene for the speciall commoditie thereof when it perceaued that cursed vanitie to begin againe to creepe and as a fire negligently quenched when the dead brandes thereof began to kindle and make a great flame by and by without delay ye hauing recourse vnto our pietie as vnto the Metropolitan of all diuine worship and Religion craued remedie and helpe which wholesome minde for your pieties sake it is most manifest that the gods haue indued you with Therefore hee euen that most mightie Iupiter I say which preserueth your most famous Citie to that intent he might deliuer and make free your countrey Gods your wiues and children your housholde Gods and houses from all detestable corruption hath inspired you with this wholesome and willing minde shewing declaring howe worthy notable and healthfull a thing it is to worship to sacrifice to the immortall Gods For who is so void of reason vnderstanding that knoweth not that this thing happeneth vnto vs by the carefull studie of the goodnes of our gods that the grounde denieth not to geue her timely increase nor maketh frustrate the husband mans hope nor that wicked warre dare shew her face vpon the earth nor that the corruption of the aire is nowe cause of pestilence neither that the sea swelleth with immoderate windes neither that sodaine stormes are cause of hurtfull tempestes To conclude that the ground which is as the nurce and mother of all things is not swallowed vp of her deepe chappes and gapings by terrible earthquake neither that the hils made leuell with the earth are not with gaping cliftes deuoured all which euils and greater then these before this time to haue happened euery mā knoweth And all these mischiefes came vpō vs for the pernitious errours sake of the extreeme follie of those wicked men the Christanis when filthinesse it selfe as I may call it so occupied their mindes and ouerranne the worlde Let them beholde the fieldes nowe all about full of corne and ouerflowen as it were with eares of corne Let them vewe the pleasant medowes clothed with flowers and moistned with showers from heauen and also the pleasant and temperate weather Therefore let all men reioyce that by your pietie sacrifices worshipping the maiestie of the most stearne God of battell Mars is appeased that therfore we enioy pleasant firme peace And how many so euer haue left that blind errour and straying of the Christians vnfainedly and be of a better minde let them specially reioyce as men deliuered out of a sodaine great tempest and from a greeuous disease and haue afterward obtained a delectable and pleasant life For doubtlesse if they had remained in that execrable vanitie farre of had they bene chased from your Citie suburbs of the same according to your desire that your Citie by that meanes according to your commēdable diligence clensed from all impuritie and impietie may offer sacrifices according to the meaning of the same with due reuerence of the immortall Gods And that you may perceiue in how good part your supplication yea vnasked and desired we are most willing and ready to further your honest endeuours and graunt vnto you for your deuotion whatsoeuer you aske of our magnificence And that thys thing may be accomplished forthwith aske and haue And thys thing with all speede indeuour you to obtaine which shall bee a perpetuall testimony of pietie exhibited of your Citie to the immortall Gods and shal be a president to your children and posteritie and withall you shall obtaine of vs for this your willing desire of reformation condygne and worthy rewardes Eusebius Lib 9. cap. 7. Thus came it to passe that at the length persecutiō was as great as euer it was and the magistrates of euery prouince were very disdainefull against the Christians which cōdemned some to death and some to exile Among whom they condemned three christians at Emisa in Phenicia with whom Siluanus the bishop a very old man being 40. yeres in the ecclesiasticall function was condemned to death At Nicomedia Lucianus the elder of Antioche brought thether after he had exhibited to the emperour his Apologie concerning the doctrin of the Christians was cast in pryson and after put to death In Amasea a City of Capadocia Bringes the lieftenaunt of Maximinus had at that time the executing of that persecution At Alexandria Petrus a most worthy byshop was beheaded with whome manye other Egiptian byshops also died Euseb. Lib. 9. cap. 7. Nicepho Lib. 7. cap. 44. Quirinus the Byshop Scescanius hauing a hanmyll tyed about hys necke was throwne headlong from the bridge into the flood and there a long while fleeted aboue the water and when hee opened his mouth to speake to the lookers on that they shoulde not be dismaied with that his punishmēt was with much a do drowned Chron. Euseb. At Rome dyed Marcellus the bishop as sayeth Platina also Timotheus the elder with many other bishops Priests were martyred To cōclud many in sundry places euery where were martyred whose name the booke intituled Fasciculus temporum declareth as Victorianus Symphorianus Castorius with his wife Castulus Cesarius Mennas Nobilis Dorotheus Gorgonius Petrus and other innumerable martirs Erasmus Bonifacius Iuliana Cosmas Damianus Basilinus with seuen others Dorothea Theophilus Theodosia Vitalis Agricola Acha Philemon Hireneus Ianuarius Festus Desiderius Gregorius Spoletanus Agapes Chionia Hirenea Theodora and 270. other Martyrs Florianus Primus and Felicianus Vitus and Modestus Crescentia Albinus Rogatianus Donatianus Pancratius Catharina Margareta Lucia the virgin and Antheus the king with many thousād martirs mo Simplicius Faustinus Beatrix Panthaleon Georgius Iustus Leocandia Anthonia and other mo to an infinite number suffered martirdome in this persecution whose names God hath written in the booke of life Also Felix Victor with his parents Lucia the widow Gemenianus with 79 others Sabinus Anastasia Chrisogonus Felix and Audactus Adrianus Nathalia Eugenia Agnes also when she was but 13. yeare old was martyred Euseb. in his 8. booke and 15. chap. rehearseth these kinds of torments and punishmēts that is to say Fire wilde beastes the sword crucifyinges the bottome of the sea the cutting and burning of mēbers the thrusting out of eyes dismembring of the whole body hūger imprisonment whatsoeuer other cruelty the Magistrates coulde deuise All which notwithstanding the godly ones rather then that they woulde doe sacrifice as they were bid māfully endured Neither were the womē any thing at al behind thē For they beyng intised to the filthy vse of their bodies rather suffered banishmēt or willingly killed themselues Neither yet could the Christians liue safely in the wildernes but were fetched euē frō thēce to death and tormentes in so much that this was a more greeuous persecution vnder Maximianus the tyraunt then was the former cruell persecution vnder Maximianus the Prince Euseb. Lib. 9.
cap. 6. 10. And forasmuch as yee haue hearde the cruell Edict of Maximinus proclaymed against the Christians grauen in brasse which he thought perpetually should endure to the abolishing of Christ his Religion Now marke againe the great handy worke of God which immediatly fel vpon the same checking the proud presumption of the tyrant prouing al to be false and contrary that in the brasen Proclamation was contained For where the foresaide Edict boasted so much of the prosperitie and plentie of all things in the time of this persecution of the Christians sodenly befell such vnseasonable drought with famine and pestileÌ„ce among the people besides also the warres with the Armenians that all was founde vntrue that hee had bragged so much of before By reason of which famine and pestilence the people were greatly consumed in so much that one measure of wheat was sold for two thousand and fiue hundred peeces of money of Athens coyne by reason whereof innumerable died in the Cities but many more in the countrey and villages so that most part of the husbaÌ„d men and countreymen died vp with the famine and pestilence Diuers there were which bringing out their best treasure were glad to geue it for any kinde of sustenaÌ„ce were it neuer so litle Other selling away their possessions fel by reason thereof to extreme pouertie and beggary Certaine eating grasse and feeding on other vnholsome herbes were faine to relieue them selues with such foode as did hurt and poyson their dodies Also a number of women in the Cities being brought to extreeme miserie and penurie were constrained to depart the Citie and fal to begging through the couÌ„trey Some other were weake and faint as Images without breath wandring vp and downe not able to stand for feblenesse fel downe in the middle of the streetes and holding vp their handes most pitifull cried for some scrappes or fragments of bread to be geuen them being at the last gaspe ready to geue vp the Ghost and not able to vtter any other words yet cried out that they were huÌ„gry Of the richer sort diuers there were who being weary with the number of beggers and askers after they had bestowed largely vpon them became hard harted fearing least they should fall into the same miserie themselues as they which begged By reason wherof the market place streetes lanes and alleis lay full of dead naked bodies being cast out and vnburied to the pitifull grieuous beholding of them that saw them Wherefore many were eaten of dogges for which cause they that liued fell to the killing of dogges least they running mad shoulde fall vpon them and kill them In like maner the pestilence scattering through all houses and ages of men did no lesse consume them especially those which through pleÌ„ty of vitail escaped famine Wherfore the rich Princes Presidentes and other innumerable of the Magistrates being the more apt to receiue the infection by reason of their pleÌ„ty were quickly dispatched and turned vp their heeles Thus the miserable multitude being consumed with famine and with pestilence all places was full of mourning neither was there any thing else seene but wailing and weeping in euery corner So that death what for famine and pestilence in short time brake vp and consumed whole housholdes two or three dead bodies being borne out together from one house to one funerall These were the rewards of the vaine bragges of Maximinus and his Edicts which he did publish in all townes and Cities against vs wheÌ„ it was euident to al men how diligent and charitable the Christians were to them all in this their miserable extremitie For they onely in all this time of distresse shewing compassion vpoÌ„ them trauelled euery day some in curing the sicke some in burying the dead which otherwise of their owne sort were forsaken Other some of the Christians calling and gathering the multitude together which were in ieopardie of famine distributed bread to them whereby they ministred occasion to all men to glorifie the God of the Christians and to confesse them to be the true worshippers of God as appeard by their workes By the meanes and reason hereof the great God and defender of the Christians who before had shewed his anger and indignation against al men for their wrongfull afflicting of vs opened againe vnto vs the comfortable light of his prouidence so that by meanes thereof peace fell vnto vs as light to them that sit in darknesse to the great admiration of all men which easely perceiue God himselfe to be a perpetuall director of our doings who many times chasteneth his people with calamities for a time to exercise them but after sufficient correction againe sheweth himselfe mercifull and fauourable to them which with trust call vpon him By the narration of these things heeretofore premised taken out of the storie of Eusebius like as it is manifest to see so is it wonderfull to marke and note how those counsailes and rages of the Gentiles atchieued against Christ and his Christians when they seemed most â—ure against them were most against them selues And whereby they thought most to confouÌ„d the Church Religion of Christ the same turned most to their owne confusion and to the profite and praise of the Christians God of his marueilous wisedome so ordering disposing the end of things For where the brasen Edict of the Emperour promised temperate weather God sent drought where it promised plentie God immediatly sent vpon them famine and penurie where it promised health God stroke them euen vpon the same with grieuous pestilence and with other moe calamities in such sort that the most reliefe they had was chiefly by the Christians to the great praise both of them and to the honour of our God Thus most plainely and euidently was then verified the true promise of Christ to his Church affirming and assuring vs that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against his Church builded vpoÌ„ his faith as sufficiently may appeare by these x. persecutioÌ„s aboue specified and described Wherein as no man can deny but that Sathan his malignaunt world haue assayed the vttermost of their power and might to ouerthrow the Church of Iesus so must all men needes graunt that read these stories that when Sathan and the gates of hell haue done their worst yet haue they not preuailed against this mount of Sion nor euer shall For els what was here to be thought where so many Emperours and tyraunts together Dioclesian Maximinian Galerius Maximinus Seuerus Maxentius Licinius with their Captaines and officers were let loose like so many Lyons vpon a scattered and vnarmed flocke of sheepe intending nothing els but the vtter subuersion of all Christianitie and especially also when lawes were set vp in brasse against the Christians as a thing perpetually to stand what was here to be looked for but a finall desolation of the name and Religion of Christians But what
griefes waxe great what gronest thou now Sayd some of them againe In schoole aduised well art thou Whom there thou puâ—st to payne 35 Behold we pay and now make good as many thousande stripes As when with weeping eyes we stoode In daunger of thy gripes 36 Art thou now angry at thy bande that alwayes cried writâ— write And neuer wouldst that our right hand Should rest in quiet plyte 37 We had forgot our playing times Thou churle deniedst vs of We now but pricke and point our lines And thus they grinne and scof 38 Correct good sir your viewed verse If ought amisse there be Now vse thy power and then rehearse that haue not marked thee 39 Christ pittying this groaning man With tormments torne and tyred Commaundes his hart to breake euen then And life that was then hyered 40 He yeeldes againe to him that gaue And thus he makes exchaunge Immortall for mortall to haue That in such payne did â—aunge 41 This is saith he that this plesure Thou so beholdst Oh gâ—â—t Of Cassianus Martir pure Doth preach I doe protest 42 If thou Prudence haue ought in store In pietie to deale In hope of iust reward therefore Now shew thy louing zeale 43 I could not but consent I weepe Hys tombe I doe embrace Home I returne and after sleepe This pittifull preface 44 I write as a memoriall For euer to endure Of Cassianus scolemaster All others to allure 45 To constancy vnder the crosse Of their profession Accompting gaine what euer losse For Christ they take vpon No lesse admirable then wonderfull was the constancy also of woemen and maidens who in the same persecution gaue their bodyes to the tormentes their liues for the testimony of Christ with no lesse boldnes of spirite theÌ„ did the men themselues aboue specified to whome howe much more inferiour they were in bodely streÌ„gth so much more worthy of prayse they be for their constant standing Of whom some examples here we minde Christ willing to inferre such as in our stories and Chronicles seem most notable first beginning with Eulalia whose story we haue taken out of the foresayd Prudentius as followeth In the West part of Spaine called Portingall is a City great and popâ—lous named Emerita wherein dwelt and was brought vp a virgine borne of noble parentage whose name was Eulalia which Emerita although for the apte situation therof was both rich famous yet more adourned and famous was the renowne therof by the martyrdome bloud and sepulture of this blessed virgine Eulalia Twelue yeares of age was shee and not much aboue when she refused great and honourable offers in mariage as one not skilfull nor yet delighting in courtly daliaunce neyther yet taking pleasure in purple and gorgeous apparell or els in precious balmes or costly ornamentes and iuels But forsaking and despising all these and such lyke pompeous allurements then shewed she her self most busie in preparing her iourney to her hoped inheritance and heauenly patronage Which Eulalia as she was modest and descrete in behauiour sage and sober in conditions so was she also witty and sharp in aunswering her enemies But when the 〈◊〉 rage of persecution inforced her to ioyne her self amongest Gods Children in the houshold of faith and when the Christians were commaunded to offer incense and sacrifice to deuils or dead Gods Then began the blessed spirite of Eulalia to kindle and being of a proâ—tipt ready wit thought forthwith as a couragious captayne to geue a charge vpon this so great and disordered a battayle and so she silly woeman pouring out the bowels of her innocent hart before God more prouoketh therby the â—orce and rage of her enemies agaynst her But the godly care of her parentes fearing least the willing minde of the Damsel so ready to dye for Christes cause might make her gilty of her owne death hid her and kept her close at their house in the countrey being a great way out of the Citty She yet misliking that quiet life as also detesting to make such delay softly stealeth out of the doores no man knowing therof in the night and in great hast leauing the common waye openeth the hedge gappes and with werye feete god knoweth passed through the thorny bryery places accompanied yet with spirituall garde although darke dreadfull was the silent night yet had shee with her the Lord guider of light And as the children of Israel comming out of Egipt had by the mightye power of God a cloudy piller for their guide in the day a flame of fire in the night so had this godly virgine traueling in this darke night when she fleing forsaking the place where al filthy idolatry abounded hastened her heauenly iourney was not oppressed with the dreadfull darknes of the night But yet she before the day appeared in this her speedy iourney with her selfe considered mused on a thousand matters more In the morning betime with a bould courage she goeth vnto the tribunall or iudgement seat in the midst of them all with a loud voice crying out sayde I praye you what a shame is it for you thus rashely and without aduisement to destroy and kill mens soules and to throwe their bodies aliue against the rocks and cause them to deny the omnipotent god Would you know O you vnfortunate who I am behold I am one of the Christians an enimie to your deuilish sacrifices I spurne your idols vnder my feete I confesse God omnipotent with my hart and mouth Isis Apollo and Uenus what are they Maximinus himselfe what is he The one a thing of naught for that they be the workes of mens hands the other but a cast away bicause he worshippeth the same worke Therfore friuolous are they both and both not worthy to be set by Maximinus is a Lorde of substaunce and yet he himselfe falleth downe before a stone and voweth the honor of hys dignitie vnto those that are much inferior to his vassals Why then doth he oppresse so tirannically more worthye stomacks and courages then himselfe He must neds be a good guid and an vpright iudge which fedeth vpon innocent bloud and breathing in the bodies of godly men doth rent and teare their bowels and that more is hath his delight in destroying and subuerting the faith Go to therfore thou hangman burne cut and mangle thou these earthly meÌ„bers It is an easie matter to breake a britle substance but the inward mind shalt not thou hurt for any thing thou canst do The pretor theÌ„ or iudge wyth these words of hers set in a great rage saith hangmaÌ„ take her and pull her out by the heare of her head torment her to the vttermost Let her feele the power of our countrey gods and let her know what the Imperiall gouernement of a Prince is But yet O thou sturdy girle faine woulde I haue thee if it were possible before thou dye to
wrath of her bloudy enemy wringing his handes crieth out saying I am vndone O that the executioner draw out thy sword and doe thyne office that the Emperour hath appoynted thee And when Agnes saw a sturdy and cruell fellow to behold stand behinde her or approaching neere vnto her with a naked sword in his hand I am now gladder sayth she reioyce that such a one as thou being a stout fierce strong and sturdy souldiour art come then one more feable weake faynt should come or els any other yong man sweetly enbalmed and wearing gaye apparell that might destroy me with funerall shame This euen this is he I now cōfesse that I do loue I wil make hast to meet him and will no longer protract my longing desire I wil willingly receaue into my papes the length of hys sword and into my brest will draw the force therof euē vnto the hilts That thus I being maryed vnto Christ my spouse may surmount and escape all the darckenes of this world that reacheth euen vnto the skyes O eternal gouernour vouchsafe to opē the gates of heauen once shut vp agaynst al the inhabitantes of the earth and receaue oh Christ my soule that seeketh thee Thus speaking and kneeling vpon her knees she prayeth vnto Christ aboue in heauen that her necke might be the redyer for the sword now hāging ouer the same The executioner then with his bloudy hand finished her hope at one stroke cutteth off her head by such short swift death doth he preuente her of the payne therof I haue oftentimes before complayned that the stories of Sayntes haue bene poudered and sawsed with diuers vntrue additions and fabulous inuentiōs of men who either of a superstitious deuotion or of a subtill practise haue so mingle mangled their stories and liues that almost nothing remayneth in them simple and vncorrupt as in the vsuall Portues wont to be read for dayly seruice is manifest and euident to be seene wherein few Legendes there be able to abide the touch of history if they were truely tried This I write vpon the occasiō specially of good Katherine whome now I haue in hand In whom although I nothing doubt but in her life was great holines in her knowledge excellency in her death constancy yet that all thinges be true that be storyed of her neyther dare I affirme neyther am I bound so to thinke So many strange fictions of her be fained diuersly of diuers writers wherof some seeme incredible some also impudent As where Petrus de Natalibus writing of her conuersion declareth how that Katherine sleeping before a certaine picture or table of the Crucifixe Christ with his mother Mary appeared vnto her And when Mary had offered her to Christ to be his wife he first refused her for her blackenes The next tyme she beyng baptised Mary appearing againe offered her to mary with Christ who then being liked was espoused to hym and maryed hauing a golden ring the same tyme put on her finger in her sleep c. Bergomensis writeth thus that because she in the sight of the people openly resisted the Emperour Maxentius to hys face and rebuked hym for hys crueltie therfore she was commaunded and committed vpon the same to prison which seemeth hetherto not much to digresse from trueth It followeth moreouer that the same night an angell came to her comforting and exhorting her to be strong and constant vnto the Martyrdome for that she was a mayd accepted in the sight of God and that the Lord would be with her for whose honor she did fight and that he would geue her a mouth and wisedome which her enemies should not withstand with many other thinges mo which I here omit As this also I omit concerning the 50. Philosophers whom she in disputation conuicted and conuerted vnto our religion and dyed martyrs for the same Item of the conuerting of Porphyrius kinsmā to Maxentius and Faustina the Emperours wife At length saith the story after she proued the racke and the foure sharpe cutting wheeles hauing at last her head cut off with the sword so she finished her martyrdome about the yeare of our Lord as Antoninus affirmeth 310 Symeon Metaphrastes writing of her discourseth the same more at large to whome they may resort which couet more therein to be satisfied Among the workes of Basill a certayne Oration is extant concerning Iulitta the martyr who came to her martyrdome as he witnesseth by this occasion A certayne auaricious and greedy person of great authoritie and as it may appeare the Emperour his deputy or other like officer who abused the decrees and lawes of the Emperour agaynst the Christians to hys own lucre and gayne violently tooke from this Iulitta all her goodes landes cattell and seruaunts contrary to all equity and right She made her pittifull cōplaint to the Iudges a day was appointed when the cause should be heard The spoyled woman and the spoiling extorcioner stode forth together the woman lamentably declareth her case the man frowningly beholdeth her face When she had proued that of good right the goods were her owne that wrongfully he had dealed with her the wicked bloudthirsty wretch preferring vile worldly substaunce before the precious substaunce of a Christen body affirmed her action to be of no force for that she was as an outlaw in not seruing the Emperors Gods since her christian faith hath bene first abiured His allegation was allowed as good and reasonable Whereupon incense fire were prepared for her to worship the Gods which vnles she would do neither the Emperors protectiō nor lawes nor iudgment nor life should she enioy in that cōmon weale When this handmaid of the Lorde heard these wordes she saide farwell life welcome death farwell ryches welcome pouerty All that I haue if it were a thousand times more would I rather loose then to speake one wicked blasphemous word against God my creator I yeeld thee thanks most harty O my God for this gift of grace that I can contemne despise this frayle and transitory world esteming Christian profession aboue all treasures Hence forth whē any question was demaunded her aunswere was I am the seruaunt of Iesus Christ. Her kindred acquaintaunce flocking to her aduertised her to chaunge her minde But that vehemently she refused with detestation of their Idolatry Forthwith the Iudge with the sharpe sworde of sentēce not only cutteth of al her goodes possessions but iudgeth her also to the fire most cruellye The ioyfull Martyr imbraceth the sentence as a thing most sweete and delectable She addresseth her selfe to the flames in countenaunce iesture and wordes declaring the ioy of her hart coupled with singular constancy To the women beholding her sententiouslye shee spake Sticke not O sisters to labour and trauell after true piety and godlines Cease to accuse the fragilitie of feminine nature What are
by the sworde both in Citie and in Towne some beyng sought for some offeryng themselues willyngly least they shoulde seeme by their sylence to deny Christ. Thus al the Christians that could be founde without pitie were slaine and diuers also of the kinges owne court and housholde Amonge whome was also Azades an Eunuche and whome the Kyng did entirely loue and fauour Which Asades after that the King vnderstoode to be put to death beyng greatly mooued with the sorrow thereof commaunded after that no Christians to bee slayne but them onely which were the Doctours and teachers of Chrystian Religion In the same tyme it happened that the Queene fell into a certaine disease vpon the occasion whereof the cruell Iewes with the wicked Magicians falsely and malicyously accused Trabula the sister of Symeon the Martyr a godly Uirgine with an other sister also of hers that they had wrought pryuie charmes to hurt the Queene for the reuenging of the death of Symeon This accusation beyng receaued and beleeued innocent Trabula with the other were condemned and with a sawe cut in sunder by the middle Whose quarters were then hanged vpon stakes the Queene goyng betweene them thinking thereby to be deliuered of her sickenes This Trabula was a mayde of a ryght comelye beauty and verye amiable to whome one of the Magicians cast great loue much desiring and labouryng by gyftes and rewardes sent into the pryson to wynne her to hys pleasure promising that if she woulde applye to hys request shee shoulde bee deliuered and set at lybertye But she vtterly refusing to consente vnto hym or rather rebukyng him for his incontinent attempt dyd chuse rather to dye then to betray eyther the Religion of her minde or the virginitie of her body Zozom Now forsomuch as the king had cōmaunded that no Christians should be put to death but onely such as were the teachers and leaders of the flocke the Magicians and Archmagitians left no diligence vntried to set forward the matter Whereby great affliction and persecutions was among the Byshops and teachers of the Church which in all places went to slaunghter especially in the country of Diabenor for that part of Persia aboue al other was most Christian. Where Acepsimas the Byshop with a great number of his flocke and clergy were apprehended and taken vpon the apprehension of whō the Magicians to satisfie the kings commaundement dismissed al the rest onely depriuing them of their liuing and goods Onely Acepsimas the bishop they retayned with whom one Iacobus a Minister or priest of his church was also ioined not of any compulsion but onely as himselfe so desired and obtained of those Magicians that he might folow him be coupled in the same bonds to serue the aged byshop and to relieue so much as he might his calamities and heale his woundes For he had bene sore scourged before of the Magians after they had apprehended him and brought him to worshippe the sunne which thing because he would not do they cast him into prison againe where this Iacobus was waiting vpō him At the same time likewise Athalis a Priest or Minister also Azadanes and Abdiesus Deacons were imprysoned and miserably scourged for the testimony of the Lorde Iesus After this the Archimagus espying his time complaineth to the king of them hauing authoritie and commission giuen him vnles they would worship the sunne to punish them as he pleased This commaundement receyued of the king the master Magus doth declare to thē in prison But they aunswered againe plainely that they would neuer be either betraiers of Christ or worshippers of the sunne wherupon without mercy they were put to bitter torments Where Acepsimas strongly persisting in the confession of christ endureth to death The other being no lesse rent wounded with scourges yet cōtinued meruailously aliue And because they woulde in no case turne from their constant sentence were turned againe into prison Of whome Athalas in the time of his whipping was so drawne rackt with pulling that both his armes being loosed out of the ioynts hanged downe from his body which he so caried about without vse of any hande to feede himselfe but as he was fed of other Miserable and almost innumerable were the slaughters vnder the raigne of this Sapores of Byshops Ministers Deacons religious men holy virgins and other ecclesiasticall persons such as did then cleaue to the doctrine of Christ and suffered for the same The names of the bishops besides the other multitude taken in that persecution is recited in Sozom. lib. 2. and in Niceph. lib. 8 cap. 37. in this order following Barbasymes Paulus Gaddiabes Sabinus Mareas Mocius Iohannes Hormisdas Papas Iacobus Romas Maares Agas Bochres Abdas Abiesus Ioannes Abramius Agdelas Sabores Isaac Dausas Bicor also with Maureanda his fellow bishop and the rest of his Churches vnder hym to the number of 250. persons which were the same time apprehended of the Persians c. Briefly to cōprehend the whole multitude of them that suffered in that persecution the maner of their apprehension the cruelnes of their tormēts how and where they suffered in what places it is not possible for any history to discharg Neither are the Persians them selues as Zozomenus recordeth able to recyte them In summe the multitude and number of thē whom they are able to recite by name commeth to the summe of xvj thousand men and women The rumor and noyse of this so miserable affliction of the Christians in the kingdome of Persia comming to the eares of Constantinus the Emperour put him in great heauines studing and reuoluing with himselfe howe to helpe the matter which in deede was very hard for him to do It so befell the same time that certaine Embassadours were then at Rome from Sapores king of Persia to whom Constantinus did easely graunt and consent satisfying all their requestes and demaundes thinking thereby to obtaine the more friendship at the kings handes that at hys request he would be good to the Christians to whome he writeth his Epistle in their behalfe and sendeth the same by his messengers beginning thus Diuinam fidem seruans veritatis lucem sortior Veritatis luce ductus diuinam fidem cognosco Per ea igitur quibus illa res agēdas confirmat sanctissimam religionem cognitam redd◠hunc m◠cultum doctorem cognitionis sancti dei habere confiteor c. Eusebius de vita Constantinus lib. 4. The contentes whereof briefly do tende to this effect Declaring vnto him how he should stand much beholden to him if at his request he would shew some quiet and rest to the Christians In whose religion there was nothing which he could iustly blame For so much as in their sacrifices they vse to kil nothing nor to shed no bloud but only to offer vp vnbloudy sacrifices to make their praiers vnto God who delighteth not in bloud shedding but onely in the soule that loueth
so returned they frustrate of their intent The purpose of the Soldan was if he might haue gotten Damiata to send the French king hyer vp in the East countries to Calipha the chiefe Pope of Damascus to encrease the tytles of Mahomet and to be a spectacle or gasing stocke to all those quarters of the worlde The maner of which Calipha was neuer left to any Christen prisoner come out whosoeuer came once in his handes But for somuch as the Soldan missed hys purpose he thought by aduise of counsell to vse the kinges lyfe for hys owne aduauntage in recouering the city of Damiata as in the end it came to passe For although the king at the first was greatly vnwilling and had rather die then surrender Damiata againe to the Saracens yet the conclusion so fel out that the king was put to hys raunsome and the Citty of Damiata was also resigned which citty being twise won and twise lost by the Christians the Soldan or Saladine afterward caused vtterly to be rased downe to the ground The raunsome of the king vppon condition that the Soldan should see himselfe conducted to Achon which I take to be Cesaria came to 60000. markes The number of Frenchmen and others which miscaryed in that warre by water and by land came to 80000 persons tHaec Mat. Parisi fol. 237.238 And thus haue ye the briefe narration of this lamentable peregrination of Lewes the French kyng In whiche when the French men beyng once or twise well offered by the Soldan to haue all the kingdome of Ierusalem and much more in free possession they not contented with that which was reasonable and sufficient for greedines to haue all lost all hauing at length no more then ther naked bodies could couer lying dead vpoÌ„ the ground al through the originall cause of the Pope and Ddo hys Legate By whole sinister meanes and pestilent pride not only the liues of so many Christians were then lost but also to the sayd Pope is to be imputed all the losse of other citties Christian regions bordering in the same quarters for aâ—muche as by the occasion hereof the hartes of the Saracens on yâ— one side were so encouraged the courage of the christias on the other side so much discomfited that in short space after both the dominion of Antioch and of Achon with all other possessions belonging to the Christians were lost to the great diminishing of Christes Church During the tyme of this good king lying at Achonâ—or Celaria almighty God sent such discorde betwene that Soldan of Halapia and the SoldaÌ„ of Babilon for letting the king so escape that the sayd Soldan or Salidin of Babilon to winne the king vnto hys syde entred league with him whome both hys brethren and all his nobles almost at home had forsaken and remitted hys raunsome and also restored vnto hym such prisoners as were in the sayde battayle fouÌ„d to be aliue Thus the Lord worketh where man commonly forsaketh Math Paris fol. 261. An other cause moreouer why the ruine of this French army may worthely be impured to the Pope is this for that wheÌ„ Lewes the French king perceauing what a necessary frend and helper Fredericke the Emperour might be to hym in these his affayres agaynst the Saracens and therfore was an earnest suter for him to the Pope to haue hym released yet neyther he nor the king of Englande by any meanes could obtayne it And although the Emperor himselfe offred to pope Innocent with all humble submission to make satisfaction in the Councell of Lyons promising also to expugne all the dominions of the Saracens and neuer to returne into Europe agayn and there to recouer whatsoeuer the Christians had lost so that the pope would onely grauÌ„t his sonne Henry to be Emperoure after him yet the proud pope woulde not be mollified but would needes proceede agaynst hym with both swordes that is first with the spirituall sword to accurse hym and then with the temporall sword to depose him froÌ„ his Emperial throne Through the occasion wherof not onely the French kinges power went to wracke but also such a fire of mischiefe was kindled agaynst all Christendome as yet to this day cannot be quenched For after this ouerthrowe of the French king and his army the Christians of Antioch and of other Christen regions theraboutes being vtterly discouraged gaue ouer there holdes and Citties Whereby the Saracens and after them the Turkes got such an hand ouer ChristeÌ„dome as to this day we al haue great cause to rue and lament Besides this where diuers Christians were crossed to go ouer and helpe the Frenche king the pope for mony dispensed with them to tary still at home But as I sayd the greatest cause was that the Emperour whiche coulde haue done most was deposed by the Popes tyranny whereby all those Churches in Asia were left desolate As touching the whiche Emperour Fredericke because we haue diuers and sundry tymes made meÌ„tion of him before and for that his story is straunge hys actes wonderous and his conflictes tragicall whiche he sustayned agaynst iiii or v. Popes one after an other I thought not out of story in a whole narration to set forth the same for the reader to consider what is to be iudged of this Cathedrall Sea of Rome which had wrought such abhominable mischiefe in the world as in the sequele of the story following faythfully translated out of Latiue into English is to be seene The whole tragicall history of Fredericke 2. Emperor translated out of the Latine booke of Nich. Cisnerus FRedericke the second came out of the auncient house of the Beblines or Gibillines which Gibillines came of the most famous stocke of the Frenche king and Emperours He had Fredericke Barbarossa to hys Graundfather whose sonne Henricus the 6. was Emperoure after hym who of ConstaÌ„tia the daughter or as some write the neece of Roger the first king of Sicile begate this Fredericke the second This Constantia was 50. yeares of age before she was conceaued with him whom the Emperour Henry 6. to auoyde all doubt and surmise that of her conception childing might be thought and to the peril of the Empeir ensue caused hys regall tent to be pitched abroade in place where euery man might resort And when the tyme of his Queenes trauaile approched Constantia in presence of diuers Ladyes and Matrons and other Gentle women of the Empire a great number was brought a bed and deliuered of this Fredericke the vii day before the Calendes of January in the yeare of Christes incarnation 1193. who by inheritaunce was king of Naples Apuha Calabria and Sicilia Henricus his father shortly after he was borne obtayned of the princes electors that by their oth to hun geuen they would chuse his sonne Fredericke for their Emperor after his discease and so did and immediately called hym Cesar being yet but in his cradle This Henry when he
the light of perfection It was not said vnto them All people that shal take the sword shal perish with the sworde What if Iohn the Baptist disallowed corporal fightings and corporall warfare at such time as the souldiours asked him saying And what shall we do Who sayth to them See that you strike no man neither picke ye quarels against any and be yee contented with your wages Thys saying of Iohn alloweth not corporal warfare amongest Christians For Iohn was of the Priests of the olde Testament and vnder the law neyther to hym it appertayneth to follow the lawe but to warne the people to the perfect obseruation of the lawe For he being like wyse demaunded of the publicanes what they should doe sayde vnto them Doe no other thyng then is appoynted vnto you But Christ the author of the newe Testament and of greater perfection then waâ— the perfection of the old law which gaue newe things as it plainly appeareth by the Gospel So that Christians ought to receiue information of Christ not of Iohn For of Iohn also doth Christ speak Uerely I say vnto you there hath not risen amongest the children of women a greater then Iohn Baptist but hee that is lesse in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he In which saying Christ sheweth that those that be least in the kingdome of heauen in the tyme of grace are placed in greater perfection theÌ„ was Iohn which was one of them that were the elders he liued also in that time of the law in greater perfection And wheÌ„ as certain of Iohns disciples sayd vnto him maister he that was beyoÌ„d Iordan to whoÌ„ thou gauest witnesse beholde hee baptiseth and all people come vnto him Iohn answered and sayde A man cannot take any thing vppon him vnlesse it shall bee geuen him from aboue You your selues doe beare me recorde that I sayde I am not Christ but that I was sent before hym He that hath the bride is the bridegrome as for the bridegromes frende who standeth and heareth him reioyceth wyth greate ioy to heare the voyce of the bridegrome Thys therefore my ioy is fulfilled he must increase and I must bee diminished Hee that commeth from an hie is aboue all Hee that is of the earthe is earthy and speaketh of the earthe Hee that commeth from heauen is aboue all folkes that which hee hath seene and heard the same doth he witnesse and yet his witnessing doth no body receiue But he that receiueth his witnessing hath put to his Seale that God is true For he whome God hath sent speaketh the wordes of God By whych things it plainely appeareth that credence is to be geuen neither to Iohn nor yet to angell if he teach any thing that is not agreeable to Christes doctrine For Christ is aboue the Aungels because that God infinitely passeth them in wisdome Nowe if Moses the seruaunt of God a minister of the old testament was so much to be beleued that nothing could be added nor yet any thing diminished from the commandements that were geuen by hym for so Moses had sayd the thyng that I commaund thee that do thou onely to the Lorde neither adde thou any thing nor diminish How much more ought we not to adde nor to take away from the commandements geuen by God himselfe and also the sonne of God In the primitiue Churche because the Christians had seruent loue and charity they obserued these precepts as they were geueÌ„ but their feruent charitie afterward waxing luke warme they inuented gloses by drawing the commaundementes of God backe to their own deedes which they purposed to iustifie and mayntayn that is to say warres against the infidels But that they by warres should be conuerted to the fayth is a fact faithlesse inough because that by violence or vnwillingly no body can beleue in Christ nor be made a christian neither did he come to destroy them by battaile that beleued not in him for he said to his disciples you knowe not what spirite you are of The sonne of man came not to destroy mens liues but to saue them Then to graunt pardons and forgeuenes of sinnes to those that kill the infidels is to much an infidels fact seducing many people For what greater seducing can there be then to promise to a man forgeuenes of sinnes and afterwarde the ioye of heauen for setting himselfe against Christes commaundementes in the killing of the Infidels that would not be conuerted to the fayth where as Christ doth say not euery one that sayth to me Lord Lord shal enter into the gidgdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen this person shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Now the will of the father is that we should beleue in his onely sonne Iesus Christ and that we would obey him by obseruing of those thinges which he himselfe hath commaunded Wherefore Christes preceptes of pacience must be fulfilled Warres fightinges and contentions must be left because they are contrary to charitie But peraduenture some man wil thus reason against Christ The saintes by whome God hath wrought myracles do allow warres as well against the faithfull people as also against the infidels And the holy kings were warriours for whose sakes also miracles haue bene shewed as well in theyr death as also in their life yea in the very time wherin they were a warfare Wherfore it semeth that their factes were good and lawfull For otherwise God would not haue done miracles for them To â—â—is agayne I say that we for no miracles must do contrary to the doctrine of Christ. For in it can there be no errour but in myracles there oftentimes chaunceth error as it is plaine as well by the old as by the new testament God forbid then that a Christian should for deceiuable miracles depart from the infallible doctrine of Christ. In Exodus the 7. chapter it is manifest howe that the wicked wise men of the Egiptians through the inchauntments of Egipt and certayne secret workinges threw theyr wands vpon the earth which were turned into Dragons eueÌ„ as Aaron before time in the prefeÌ„ce of Pharao threw his wand vpon the earth which by the power of God was turned into a serpent In the third of the kinges the 22. chap. Micheas did see the Lord sitting vpon his throne and all the hoste of heauen standing about him on the right hand and on the left And the Lord sayd who shall deceaue Achab the king of Israel that he may go vp and be slayn in Ramoth Gilaad And one sayd this way and an other otherwise now there went forth a spirit and stood before the Lord said I will deceiue him To whoÌ„ the Lord spake by what meanes And he sayd I will go forth and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophetes And the Lord sayd thou shall deceiue him and preuaile go thy wayes forth and do euen so Thus also is it
grace to perform his purpose the same vow or othe is vnreasonable and vndiscreet neither can any Prelate compell him to keep the same except he will do contrary vnto Gods ordinaunce But he ought to commit him vnto the gouernance of the holy ghost of his owne conscience for so much as euery man which will not fulfill his vow or othe can not do it for that cause 6. Whosoeuer taketh vpon him the office of priesthood although he haue not the charge of soules cōmitted vnto him according to the custome of the Churche Not onely they may but ought to preach the Gospel frely vnto the people otherwise he is a thief excommunicated of God and of the holy Church 7. That Innocentius the third Pope and 600. bishops and a thousand other Prelates with all the rest of the clergy which together with the same Pope agreed and determined that in the sacrament of the aultar after the couersion of the bread and wine into the body bloud of Christ that the acesdentes of the sayd bread and wine do remayne there without any proper subiect of the same the whiche also ordeyned that all Christians ought to confesse theyr sinnes once a yeare vnto a proper priest to receiue the reuerent Sacrament at Easter made certaine other lawes at the same time All they sayth he in so doing were fooles and Blockeheades Heretickes Blasphemers and Seducers of Christian people Wherfore we ought not to beleue their determinations or of their successours neither ought we to obey theyr lawes or ordinances except they be plainly grounded vpon the holy Scripture or vpon some reasō which can not be impugned ¶ Other Articles drawne out of Purueyes bookes more at large by Ry. Lauingham AS touching the Sacramēt of thanks geuing he sayth That that chap. of repentance and remission Omnis vtriusque sexus wherin it is ordeined that euery faithfull mā ought once euery yeare at the least that is to say at Easter to receiue the Sacrament of Eucharist is a beastly thing hereticall and blasphemous Item that Innocenius the 3. Pope was the head of Antichrist who after the letting loose of Sathan inuented a new article of our sayth and a certayn fayned verity touching the Sacrament of the aultar That is to say that the Sacramēt of the aultar is an accidēt without a substance or els an heape of accidences without a substaunce But Christ and his Apostles doe teach manifestly that the Sacrament of the aultar is bread and the body of Christ together after the maner that he spake And in that he calleth it bread he woulde haue the people to vnderstande as they ought with reason that it is very and substaunciall bread and no false nor sayned bread And although Innocētius that Antichrist doth allege that in the councell at Lions where this matter was decided were 600. Bishops with him and 1000. Prelates which were in one opiniō of this determination Al those notwithstanding he talleth fooles according to that saying of Eccl. Of footes there are an infinite number And so in like maner he calleth them false Christes false prophets of whom Christ speaketh the 24. of Mathew Many false Christes and false Prophets shall arise and deceiue many And therfore euery Christian man ought to beleue firmly that the sacrament of the aultar is very bread in deed and no false nor sayned bread And although it be very bread in deed yet notwithstāding it is the very body of Christ in the sort he spake and called it his body and so it is very bread and the very body of Christ. And as Christ concerning hys humanity was both visible and passible and by his Diuinity was inuisible and unpassible So likewise this sacrament in that it is very bread may be sene with the corporal eie and may also abide corruption But although a man may see that Sacrament yet notwithstanding cannot the body of Christ in that Sacrament be seene with the corporall eye although it be the body of Christ in that maner he spake it For that notwithstanding the body of Christ is now incorruptible in heauē So the Sacrament of the cup is very wine the very bloud of Christ according as hys maner of speaking was Also Innocentius 3 with a great multitude of his secular Clerkes made a certayne new determination that the Sacrament of the aultar is an accidence without a substance whereas neither Iesus Christ nor any of his Apostles taught this sayth but openly and manifestly to the contrary neither yet the holy Doctours for the space of a thousand yeares more taught this faith openly Therefore when Antichrist or any of his shauelinges doth aske of thee that art a simple Christian whether that this Sacrament be the very body of Christ or not affirme thou it manifestly so to be And if he aske of thee whether it be materiall bread or what other bread els say thou that it is such bread as Christ vnderstood and ment by his proper word and such bread as the holy ghost ment in S. Paule when he called that to be very breade whiche he brake and wade thou no further herin If he aske thee how this bread is the body of Christ Say thou as Christ vnderstoode the same to be his body which is both omnipotent and true in whom is no vntrueth Say thou also as the holy Doctors do say that the terrestriall matter or substaunce may be conuerted into Christ as the Pagan or infidell may bee Baptised and herby spiritually to be conuerted and to be a member of Christ and so after a certayne maner to become Christ and yet the same man to remayne still in his proper nature For so doth S. Augustine graunt that a sinner forsaking his sinne and being made one spirite with God by fayth grace and charity may be cōuerted into God and to be after a maner God as both Dauid and S. Iohn do testifye and yet to be the same person in substaunce and nature and in soule and vertue to be altered chaūged But yet men of more knowledge and reasō may more plainely conuince the falsity of Antichrist both in this matter and in others by the gift of the holy Ghost working in thē Notwithstanding if those that be simple men will hūbly holde and keepe the manifest and apparaunt wordes of the holy scripture the playn sense and meaning of the holy ghost and proceed no farther but humbly to commit that vnto the spirite of God which passeth theyr vnderstanding Then may they safely offer themselues to death as true Martyrs of Iesus Christ. As touching the Sacrament of penaunce That chapter Omnis vtriusque sexus by which a certayne newe founde auricular confession was ordeined is full of hipocrisye heresy couetousnes pride blasphemy he sayth and reproueth the same chapter verbatim and that by the sentences of the same proces Also that the
thou sayest so thou geuest offence Luke 11. The 16. Article is that they in many places lende money or goodes to haue treasure or vsurie and they haue in cities and townes yearely paiments and perpetual reuenues as great Princes and Lordes Wherein they doe against the Gospel which sayth do not ye possesse gold nor siluer And wheras they lend for gaine and vsury againste that speaketh the Lord Deu. 24. Lend not to vsury to thy brother c. Ye honest discrete and well beloued Lords all the foresaide Articles we wil prooue against the Pope and all his priests with many testimonies of the holy Scripture which for breuities sake we haue not here mētioned But note ye chiefly these 4. Articles for which wee striue and desire to defend them to the death The first Article is that all publicke and customably mortall sinnes ought to be forbidden and prohibited to all Priests and lay men according to the commaundement of the holy Scripture The seconde Article is that richesse ought to be taken from the Pope and all hys Priestes from the hyghest to the lowest and they ought to bee made poore as the Disciples of our Lord Iesus Christ were who had nothyng of their own neither possessiōs in this world neither worldly power The third Article is that the word of God ought to be free for euery mā appointed and ordained therto to preach and read in al places whether they shal come without resistance of any man or without any inhibitiō of either spirituall or earthly power openly or manifestly The fourth article is that the body of our Lord Iesus Christ ought to be deliuered to euery christian as our lord hath ordained it and as the holy Euangelists haue wrytten We haue also vnderstood that there shal be a Councell in Basile Wherfore let no mā be exalted but let them diligētly kepe their wiues their daughters and their virgins from Byshops Priests and Monkes And do not thinke that there is made any holy assembly of Bishops and Priests for the common commodity and profit of Christendom but onely to thys end that they may hide their secret vices and heresies with the cloke of hypocrisye and let and hinder the righteousnesse of God which is muche contrary to them and for this cause consider ye diligently that they will not make an holy assembly but the congregation of Sathan And take ye heede that it be not done as some did at Constance who tooke money of Bishops and Prelates suffered them to sleepe with their wiues Ye welbeloued and honest Lordes if ye finde any thing in these aforesaide Articles or wordes wrytten somewhat sharply we did it not to offend or contemne you but to the ende that ye shoulde diligently consider and deuise howe Christendome is so ill kept and led by the Priests of this present age Our Lorde Iesu Christ keepe you both in body and soule Amen In the yeare of our Lord. 1430. Preropus Smahors Conradus Samssmolich Capitaines of Bohemia Nowe to prosecute the warres of the Bohemians againe after Zisca was dead wherof we did intreat before there was great feare sorrow and lamentation in the army the soldiers accusing fortune which gaue ouer such an inuincible captaine to be ouercome with death Immediatly there was a diuision in the host the one parte chusing Procopius Magnus to be their captaine the other parte saying that there was none could be found worthy to succede Zisca whereuppon they chusing out certaine to serue the warres named themselues Orphanes Thus the Thaborites being deuided into two armies the one part retained their olde and accustomed name and the other by meanes of the death of their captayne named themselues Orphanes And all be it that oftentimes there was dissension betwene them yet when soeuer any forein power came towards them they ioyned their powers together in one campe and defended themselues They seldome went vnto any fensed townes except it were to buy necessaries but liued with their wiues and childrē in theyr campe tents They had amongst them many cartes the which they vsed as a Bulwarke For when so euer they went vnto battell they made two wings of them whyche closed in the footemen The winges of the horse men were on the out side and when as they sawe their time for to ioyne battell the wagon men which led the wings going forth vnto the Emperors standerd and compassing in such part of their enemies as they woulde did close themselues in together whereby the ennemies being inclosed so that they could not be rescued they were partly by the footemē partly by the men that were in the carres with their dartes slaine The horsemen fought without the fortification and if it happened that they were oppressed or put to flight by and by the carres opening themselues receiued them as it were into a fensed Citie and by this meanes they got many victories for so much as their enemies were ignorant of their pollicies These 2. armies went foorth the one into Slesia and the other into Morauia and returned againe wyth great pray before their enemies knewe of their comming After this they besieged the towne of Swetley in Austrich where as the Thaborites and the Orphanes two nightes continually assaulted the walles wythout ceasing but Albert Duke of Austrich comming with his hoste to aide the Citizens they fought by the space almost of foure houres the valiauntest warriers being slaine on both partes At the length the battaile was broken of and the Thaborits lost their carres and Albert was put out of his camp tents Within a while after Procopius Magnus came agayne and inclosed the citie of Rhetium in Austria with a notable siege They of Prage were in his army and Boslaus Cygneus of whome we spake before was slaine there with a dart the city of Rhetium was taken by force sacked and burnt The Burgraue of Malderburge Lord of the towne was also taken and caried vnto Prage where also hee dyed in prison These thinges thus done the Emperour sent for the nobles of Boheme which went vnto him vnto a town of Hungary called Posonium in the borders of Austria vpō the bāks of the riuer of Danubius but they wold not enter into the towne but remained wtout the towne in their tents whether as the Emperoure going out vnto them communing muche with them as touching his right title and the recouering of his fathers kingdome promising if there were any cause which did alienate the Bohemians minds from him that he would take away al the occasion therof They made answer that he had made warre vpon them without cause and that he had suffred their countrey men cōtrary to his promise to be burnt at Constance not being heard and the kingdom to be contumeliously interdited and the Nobles of Boheme to be condemned by the church of Rome as heretickes and that he should thincke the force
Windeham Tho Plowman Iohn Fellis Tho. Loue of Rokeland Rich Knobbing of Beckles Rich. Grace of Beckles Iohn Eldon of Beckles William Hardy Wil. Bate Iohn Weston Katherine Hobs. Iohn Daw. Rob. Grigs of Martham Wil. Calis Priest Tho. Pert. Priest Katherine Dauy. Iacob Bodhome Margaret his wife Iohn Manning of Marton Iohn Culling of Beemster Rich Fletcher of Beckles and Matild his wife Iohn Eldon of Beckles Rob. Canel Priest Nich. Drey Wil. Hardy of Mundham Iohn Poleyne These forenamed persons and souldiors of Christ being much beatē with the cares and troubles of those dayes although they were constrayned to relent and abiure that is to protest otherwise with their tonges then theyr harts did thinke partly through correction and partly through infirmity being as yet but new trayned Souldiours in Gods field yet for theyr good will they bare vnto the trueth although with theyr tongues they durst not expresse it we haue thought good that theyr names should not be suppressed as well for other sondry causes as especially for this either to stop the mouthes of malignant aduersaryes or to aunswere to theyr ignorance Who folowing rather blinde affection thē the true knowledge of times and antiquities for lacke of knowledge blame that they know not accusing the true doctrine of the worde of God for newelty and carping the teachers therof for new broched brethrē Who if they did as well foresee times passed as they be vnwilling to follow times now present they should vnderstand as well by these storyes as other before how this doctrine of the grace of God lacking no antiquity hath from time to time continually sought to burst out and in some places hath preuayled although in most places through tyrāny and the malice of men Christes procedinges haue bene suppressed and kept vnder from rising so muche as mans power and strength ioyned with craft and subtlery coulde labor to keepe downe the same as here by these good men of Northfolke and Southfolke may well appeare For if the knowledge and the good towardnesse of those good mē had had the like liberty of time with the helpe of like authority as we haue nowe and had not ben restrayned thorough the iniquity of time and tyranny of Prelates it had well appeared how olde this doctrine woulde haue bene which now they contemne and reiect for the newnes therof neither needed Boner to haue asked of Tho. Hawkes and such other where their Church was for xl yeares ago in as much as for xl yeares ago and more within the coūtry of Norfolke and Suffolke was then soūd such plenty of the same professiō like doctrine which we now professe And thus much for the nūber of the names of thesepersōs Now touching theyr Articles whiche they did mayneteine and defend first this is to be considered as I finde it in the registers such society and agrement of doctrine to be amongst them that almost in theyr assertions and articles there was no difference The doctrine of the one was the doctrine of all the other what theyr articles were partly it is shewed in the lease before and partly here followeth to be declared more at large Although it is to be thought concerning these Articles that many of them either were falsly obiected agaynst thē or not truely reported of the notaryes according as the cōmon maner is of these aduersaryes where the matter is good there to make heresy and of a litle occasion to styre vp great matter of slaunder as they did before by the articles of Iohn Wickliffe and Iohn Hus and others mo So in like maner it semeth they did in the Articles of these mē either mistaking that which they said or misunderstanding that which they ment especially in these two articles concerning baptisme and paying of tithes For where as they speaking agaynst the ceremonicall and superfluous traditions then vsed in baptisme as salt oile spittle taper light crisomes exorcising of the water with such other accoūted them as no materiall thing in the holy institution of Baptisme the notaryes slaunderously deprauing this theyr assertion to make it more odious to the eares of the people so gaue out the article as though they should holde that the sacrament of Baptisme vsed in the church by water is but a light matter and of small effect Agayne in speaking agaynst the Christening the midwiues vse in priuate houses agaynst the opinion of suche as thinke suche children to be damned which depart before they come to theyr Baptisme they are falsely reported as though they shoulde say that Christen people be sustiently baptised in the bloud of Christ and nedeth no water and that infants be sufficiently baptised if their parents be baptised before them Whiche thing is so contrary to the manifest worde that it is not to bee thoughte anye to bee so ignoraunt of the gospell that euer would or did affirme the same Moreouer they thought or sayd peraduenture that in certayne cases tithes might be witholden from wicked priestes sometime and be conferred to better vses to the be hoofe of the poore Therfore they are falsly slaundered as saying and affirming that no tithes were to be geuē to the ministers and curates of the churches And likewise for matrimony wherin they are reported to hold and affirme as though it consisted onely in the mutuall consent betwixt the man woman neding no other solemnizing in the publicke church and all because as it is like they denyed it to be a Sacramēt Other articles were obiected agaynst them as these which hereafter folow That auricular confessiō is not to be made vnto a priest but vnto God onely because no priest hath any power to absolue a sinner from his sinne Item that no Priest hath power to make the body of Christ in the sacrament of the aultar but that after the sacramentall words there remayneth pure materiall breade as before Item that euery true christian man is a priest to God Item that no man is bound vnder paine of damnatiō vnto Lent or any other dayes prohibited by the Church of Rome Item that the Pope is Antichrist and his Prelats the Disciples of Antichrist and the Pope hath no power to binde and loose vpon earth Item that it is lawfull for euery Christian to doe any bodely worke sinne onely except vpon holy dayes Item that it is lawfull for priestes to haue wiues Item that the excommunications and ecclesiastical cēsures geuen out by the Prelates are not to be regarded Item it is not lawfull to sweare in priuate cases Item that men ought not to go on pilgrimage Item that there is no honor to be geuē to the Images of the crucifixe of our Lady or any other saynt Item that the holy water halowed in the church by the priest is not holyer or of more vertue then other running or well water because the Lord blessed all waters in theyr first creation Item that the death of Thomas Becket was
the Turke and to deliuer the other parties of Christendome from the feare of the Turke an 1542. Whiche Ioachimus at his first setting foorth appeared so couragious and valiaunt as though he would haue conquered the whole world but this great heate was so slaked in short time by the Turke that before any great ieoperdy was offered vnto him he was glad to to be discharged of the viage and with shame enough returned home againe And would God he had left behynde him in the field no more but his owne shame For the enemies hauing intelligēce before of his cowardly departure thinking to worke some poynt of maistry or victory before his goyng did set vpon the right wing of his army which chiefly consisted of Dutchmen of low Germany out of the which they tooke awaye with them aboue 500. strong and valiaunt souldiours not killing them but carying them away aliue For whome it had bene muche better to haue stand to their weapon and to haue dyed manfully vppon the turkes then by yealding themselues to be disgarnished of weapon and armoure and so to be lefte to the cursed curtesie of the foule Turkes To whome what curtesie was sheweed by the sequele did appeare For after the Turkes had led them out of Hungary into their own dominiō after a most horrible beastly sort they disfigured mangled them so sent them abroad through all Grecia to be witnessrs of the Turkes victory Their kind of punishment was thus First they had their right arme thrust through with an iron red hot whereby they should be vnable and vnmeet to all labour warefare Secondly theyr heades were shauen to the very sculles after the maner of our Friers monks when they are newly shauen Thirdly they had all their priuy members cut of frō their bodies to the intent to make thē vnfruitful for propagation which wound was so grieuous vnto them that the greatest part of them died therupon the few that recouered the torment therof led a life more bitter more miserable then death it selfe And this kinde of cruelty was executed in order vpō them all In much like sort did cruell Pharao exercise hys tyranny agaynst the people of God in Egipt who to destroy the generation of them caused all the male children to be drowned in the riuer Whereby it is the more to be hoped that seing the tiranny of this turkish Pharao is come to such an extremetie the mercifull goodnesse of God will the more shortly send some Moses or other vnto vs for our speedy deliueraunce This was by the cruell Turkes done an 1542. witnessed by Ioannes Ramus which not onely writeth the story but by the testimony also of hys owne eyes recordeth the same to be true beholding with his eies one of the same number in the city of Uienna who hauing wife and children in Bruxelles eyther for shame or sorrow had no minde to returne home to his own house Ex Ioan Ramo But to returne agayne to the city of Buda from whēre we haue digressed here is not to be pretermitted what falshood and what cruelty the turkes vsed toward the Christians there after theyr victory For after that Solyman the Turke vpon the yelding and submission of the men of Buda had geuen to them his promise of safety and life within short time the sayd turke picking a quarrell with them for selling Oxen vnto the Christians and for barganing with them slue all the Magistrates of the sayde Citty of Buda like as in all other Citties where so euer the Christians yelded vnto him he neuer or very rarely kept his promise with them neyther did euer any christians speed better with the turke then they which most constantly did resist him And as hys promise with the Magistrates of Buda was false and wretched so hys cruelty with the souldiors therof was more much notorious abhominable For in the expugnation of Buda among that rest whiche were slayne ij cohortes or bands of Christian souldiors came alyue to his hands To whom when he seemed at the first to graūt pardon of life he commaunded to put on their armour agayn and to dispose themselues in order and battayle array after the warlike maner of the christians whiche when they had accomplished readily according to his commaundement he riding about the ranckes of them had dilligently vewed and be holden them a certain space at length he commaunded thē to put of their armour againe which done certaine of the tallest and strongest of them he pyked out the residue he commanded by his souldiors comming behinde them with swordes to be cut in peeces and slayne Of the other whome he had elected and chosen some he set for markes and buttes to be shot at some he appointed to his two sonnes for them to slash with their swordes try theyr strength which of them could geue the deper woūd and as they termed it the fayrer blowe whereby moste bloud might follow out of their Christian bodies Ex Mart. Stella De successibus Turcarum After the winning of Buda the Turke purposing not so to cease before he had subdued and brought vnder his obedience all Hungary proceeding further with his armye first brought vnder a strong hold of christians named Pestum or Pesta where a great number of Christian souldiours partly were slayne partly were ledde awaye to more cruell affliction Then he came to an other Castle called Walpo situate in the confines of Bosna Croatia and Hungary Whiche forte or castle he besieged three mōthes while no rescue nor ayd was sent vnto them neyther from Ferdinandus king of Hungary nor from any other christian Prince or Princes Whereupon at length the forte was geuen vp to the Turke but more through the false treachery or cowardly hart of the souldiours then of the Captaine Wherein is to be noted an example not vnworthy of memory For when the cowardly souldiours eyther for feare or flattery wold needs surrender themselues the peece vnto the Turke contrarye to the minde of the Captaine whiche in no case would agree to theyr yelding they thinking to find fauour with the turke apprehended theyr captaine and gaue him to Solyman But see howe the iustice of God sometymes by the hands of the enemy disposeth the end of things to the rewarding of vertue punishing of vice For where they thought to saue themselues by the daunger of the faithfull Captain the euent turned cleane contrary so that the Turk was to the captayne bountifull and very liberalll and the souldiours notwithstanding that they had all yelded thēselues yet were all put to death and commaunded pitiously to be slayne Ex Ioan. Martino Stella De Turcarum in Hungaria successibus c. There is in Hungary an other towne bearing the name of fiue Churches called Quiquecclesiensis partly spoyled before as is aboue mentioned pag. 751. but nowe thorough the losse of Walpo by the
that they did not yeld themselues in time Thus the turke whether they yelded to hym or not neuer spared the people and flocke of Christ. As the false cruell Turk was thus raging in Hungary and intended further to rage without all mercy and pitie of the Christians and easely might then haue preuayled and gone whether he would for that Charles the Emperour and Franciscus the french king were the same tyme in warre and hostilitie and also other Christen Princes as Henry Duke of Brunswike against Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxonie also Princes and rulers were contending among themselues beholde the gracious prouidence of our Lord and God toward vs who seeing the misery hauing pittie of hys poore Christians sodeinely as with a snafle reined this raging beast and brought him out of Europe into his owne country againe by occasion of the Persians who were then in great preparation of war agaynst the turkes had inuaded hys dominion By reason wherof the turkes was kept there occupyed fighting with the Persians a long continuance Whiche warres at length being atchiued and finished wherein the sayd Turke lost great victoryes with slaughter of many thousandes of his Turkes he was not onely prouoked by the instigation of certaine euil disposed Hungarians but also occasioned by the discord of Christian Princes to returne agayn into Europe in hope to subdue all the partes thereof vnto his dominion Whereunto when he had leuyed an armye incredible of such a multitude of turks as the like hath not lightly bene heard of see agayne the mercifull prouidence protection of our God toward his people And as the Turke was thus intending to set forward with this innumerable multitude against the Christians the hand of the Lorde sent such a pestilence through all the turkes army and dominions reaching from Bithynia and from Thracia to Macedonia and also to Hungary that all the turkes possessions almost seemed nothing els but as a heape of dead corses whereby his viage for that time was stopped and he almost compelled to seeke a new army Beside this plague of the Turkes aforesayde whiche was worse to them then any warre other lets also and domesticall calamities through Gods prouidence happened vnto Solymannus the great rouer and robber of the world which stayd him at home from vexing the christians especially touching hys eldest sonne Mustapha This Mustapha being hated and partly feared of Rustanus the chiefe counsailour about the Turke and of Rosa the turkes concubine after his wife was diuers times complayned of to his father accused at length so brought into suspicion and displeasure of the turke by them aforesayd that in conclusion hys father caused him to be sent for to hys pauilion where 6. Turkes with visours were appoynted to put hym to death Who comming vppon hym put after theyr manner a small corde or bowstring full of knottes about hys necke so throwing him downe vpon the ground not suffering hym to speake one word to hys father with the switch therof throtcled strangled him to death his father standing in a secret corner by and beholding the same Whiche facte being perpetrate afterward when the Turke would haue geuen to an other sonne of hys and of Rosa called Bianger the treasures horse armour ornamentes and the prouince of Mustapha his brother Bianger crying out for sorow of his brothers death phy of thee sayth he to hys father thou impious and wretched dog traytour murderer I cannot cal thee father take the treasures the horse and armour of Mustapha to thy selfe and wyth that taking out hys dagger thrust it through hys own body And thus was Solyman murderer parricide of hys owne sonnes which was in the yeare of our Lord. 1552. Wherein notwithstanding is to be noted the singular prouidence and loue of the Lord toward his afflicted christians For this Mustapha as he was couragious greatly expert and exercised in all practise of warre so had he a cruell hart maliciously set to shed the bloud of christians Wherfore great cause haue we to congratulate to geue thanks to god for the happy taking away of this Mustapha And no lesse hope also and good comfort we may conceaue of our louing Lord hereby ministred vnto vs to thinke y◠our mercifull God after these sore afflictions of his Christians vnder these 12. Turks afore recited now after this Solyman intendeth some gratious good worke to Christendom to reduce release vs out of this so long miserable turkish captiuitie as may be hoped now by takyng away these yong impes of this impious generation before they should come to worke theyr conceaued malice against vs the Lord therefore be glorified and praysed Amen Moreouer as I was in writing hereof oportunely came to my handes a certayne writing out of Germanye certifyeng vs of suche newes victory of late atchieued against the turke as may not a little increase our hope and comfort vs touching the decay and ruine of the Turks power tyranny against vs. Which newes are these that after y◠turkish tyrant had besieged with an army of 30000. men the famous strong town and castle of Iula in Hungary lyeng 40. dutch myles beyond the riuer Danubius which cittye had by the space of 6. weekes susteined many grieuous assaultes God through hys great mercy goodnes so comforted the sayd towne of Iula and the poore Christians therein at theyr earnest prayers that the Turke with all hys hoste was driuen backe by the handes of the generall called Karetshim Laslaw and his valiaunt company who not onely defended the said town but also constrayned the Turks to retyre to the great shame and confusion with a great slaughter of the turkish rable For the whiche the euerlasting God be praysed for euer The maner of the ouerthrow was this As the foresaid generall did see his aduauntage with Captayne George and other horsemen of the Sclesians and Hungarians they set on the rereward of the Turkes and killed about 8000. of thē and tooke also some of their artillery and followed them so fast y◠the Turkes were constrayned to flye into a marishe ground and to breake the wheeles of the rest of theyr artillary to saue themselues and therwith they got a very rich booty rescuing besides and taking from the Turks a great number of christian prisoners Like thankes also are to be geuen to God for the prosperous successe geuen to Magotschie the valiaunt Captaine of Erla who making toward the Turkes and recountring with the Tartarians slue of them about 8. hundreth Not long after this it happened through the like prouidence of our God a turkish Captayne called Begen accompanyed with a thousand freshe horsemen came newly out of Turky to go toward the citty named Quinque Ecclesiae or Finffenkyrchen with whome the Erle of Serin by the way did encounter and in the right setting vpon hym killed the captayne and tooke
not as one pronouncing agaynst the City of Rome what wil happen but as one fearing what may fall Which if it come to passe as I pray God it do not then shall the Pope well vnderstand whether hys wrong vnderstanding of the Scriptures his false flattering glosers vpon the same haue brought hym Wherefore my counsayle is to the Pope all hys Popish mayntayners and vpholders to humble themselues to agree with theyr brethren by tyme letting all contention fall lest that while the Byshop of Rome shal striue to be the highest of all other Byshops it so fall out shortly that the byshop of Rome shal be found the lowest of all other Byshops or peraduenture no byshop at all Wherevpon also an other cause may be added taken out of Hieronunns Sauonarola who prophecieth that one shall come ouer the Alpes lyke vnto Cyrus destroy Italy Wherof see more pag. 737. Thys Solimanus if he be yet aliue hath now reigned 46. yeares who began the same yeare in the which the Emperour Charles the v was crowned which was an 1520. and so hath continued by Gods permission for a scourge to the Christians vnto this yere now present 1566. This Solyman by one of hys Concubines had hys eldest sonne called Mustapha By an other Concubine called Rosa he had foure sonnes Mahumete Baiazates Zelymus and Gianger Of the whiche sonnes Mustapha and Gianger were slayn as ye heard before by the meanes of their own father And thus much concerning the wretched tyranny of the Turkes out of the authors here vnder written The Authors of the Turkes storyes Laonicus Chalcondila Nicolaus Eboicus Episo Saguntinus Ioan. Ramus Andraeas a Lacuna Wolfgangus Drechslerus Ioan. Crispus Ioan Faber Ludouicus Viues Bernardus de Breydenbach Mityleneus Archiepise Sabellicus Isiodorus Rutherus Marinus Barlerus Henrious Penia de bello Rhodio Melchior Soiterus Paulus Iouius Ioan Martinus Stella Gaspar Peucerus c. Nicolaus a Moffen Burgundus Sebast Munsterus Baptista Egnatius Barthol Peregrinus ¶ A Notice touching the miserable persecution slaughter and captiuity of the Christians vnder the Turkes HEtherto thou hast heard Christian Reader the lamētable persecutions of these latter dayes wrought by the Turkes agaynst the people and seruauntes of Christ. In the reading wherof such as sitte quietly at home be farre frō ieopardy may see what misery there is abroad y◠knowledge and reading wherof shall not be vnprofitable for all christians earnestly to wey consider for that many there be which falsely deceauing themselues imagin that Christianity is a quiet and restrull state of life full of pleasure solace in this present worlde when in deede it is nothing lesse testified by the mouth of our Sauiour himselfe who rightly defining his kingdome teacheth vs that his kingdome is not of this world premonishing vs also before that in this worlde we must looke for affliction but in hym wee shall haue peace Examples hereof in all partes of thys hystory through all ages are plenteous and euidēt to be sene whether we turne our eyes to the first x. persecutiōs in the primitiue Church during the first 3. hundreth yeares after Christ or whether we consider the latter 3. hūdreth yeares in this last age of the Churche wherein the poore flocke of Christ hath bene so afflicted oppressed deuoured the it is hard to say whether haue bene more cruell agaynst the Christians the infidel Emperors of Rome in the primitiue age of the Church or els those barbarous Turkes in these our latter times of the Church now present Thus from time to time the Churche of Christ almost hath had litle or no rest in this earth what for the Heathen Emperours on the one side what for the proude Pope on the other side and on the third side what for the barbarous Turke for these are and haue bene from the beginning the three principall capital enemies of the Church of Christ signified in the Apocalips by the beast the false Lamb and the false Prophet from whom wēt out three foule spirites like frogges to gather together all the kinges of the earth to the battell of the day of the Lord God almighty Apocal. 16. The cruelty and malice of these 3. enemyes agaynst Christes people hath bene such that to iudge which of thē did most exceede in cruelty of persecution it is hard to say but y◠it may be thought that the bloudy beastly tyrannye of the Turkes especially aboue the rest incomparably surmounteth all the afflictions and cruell slaughters that euer were seene in any age or read of in any story In so much y◠there is neither history so perfect nor writer so diligēt who writing of the miserable tyranny of the Turkes is able to expresse or comprehend the horrible examples of theyr vnspeakable cruelty and slaughter exercised by these 12. Turkish tyrants vpon poore Christē mens bodies within the compasse of these latter 3. hūdreth yeares wherof although no sufficient relation can be made nor nūber expressed yet to geue to the Reader some generall gesse or view thereof let vs first perpend and consider what dominions Empyres how many countries kingdomes prouinces cities townes strong holdes and fortes these Turkes haue surprised and wonne from the Christians In all which victories being so many this is secondly to be noted that there is almost no place which the turkes euer came to and subdued where they did not either slay all the inhabitants therof or led away the most part therof into such captiuity and slauery that they continued not long after aliue or els so liued that death almost had bene to them more tollerable Like as in the time of the first persecutions of the Romayne Emperors the saying was that no man could step with his foote in all Rome but should tread vpon a Martyr so here may be sayd that almost there is not a towne city or village in all Asia Grecia also in a great part of Europa and Aphrica whose streetes haue not flowed with bloud of the Christians whom the cruell turks haue murthered Of whom are to be sene in histories heapes of souldiours slaine of mē womē cut in pieces of childrē sticked vpō poles stakes whō these detestable turks most spitefull y◠in the sight of theyr parentes vse to gore to death some they drag at theyr horse tailes famish to death some they teare in pieces tying theyr armes and legges to foure horses other some they make marks to shoot at vpō some they trye theyr swords how deep they can cut and slash as ye before haue read pag. 777 The aged feeble they tread vnder theyr horses womē with child they spare not but ripp theyr bodyes and cast the infants into the fire or otherwise destroy them Whether the Christians yeld to them or yeld not all is a matter As in theyr promises there is no truth so in theyr victoryes there is no sense of
Knightes of the order dâ—pilued for not doyng sacrifice Euseb. Lib. 10. Cap. 8. A straight charge agaynst the relieuing of the imprisoned Christians Euseb. Lib. 1. de vita ConstaÌ„tini Secret persecution for feare of Constantinus Zozomenus Lib. 1. Cap. 2. Euseb. lib. 10. Cap. 8. The violent wronges of Licinius Euseb. lib. 1. de vita Const. The Christians flee into the wildernes Hote persecution renued Theodorus An other Theodorus Byshop of Tyrus A man of Perga Nicholaus Byshop of Mirorus Gregorius Byshop of Armenia Paulus Byshop of Neocaesaria with 40. other martyrs XL good men and their wiues martyrs Amones with xl wiues of xl men martyrs The wicked purpose of Licinius had he not bene preuented by God and slayne by Constantinus Licinius ouercome in battaile by Constantinus The end and death of the tyrauntes whiche were the authors of this x. persecution A briefe story of the most notable Martirs that suffered in this x. persecution Albanus Martyr Fruite of hospitalitie to be noted Albanus first conuerted and by what occasion Albanus offereth himselfe to death for an other The words of the Iudge to Albane The conâ—â—cy and zeale of Albane The confession of Albane The suffering and martyrdome of Alban Superfluous miracles in this story written by Bede omitted The legend of S Alban disproued S. Alban the first martyr in this realme of England The stories of the Saintes corrupted with lyes Amphibalus Martyr Flores Historiarum The martyrdome of Amphibalus Aaron Iulius Martyrs Persecution in thys realme of Britaine The lamentable story of Romanus Martyr The exhortation of Romanus to the christians The Christian boldnes of Romanus The noble patience of Romanus in his suffering The preaching of Romanus to the Captaine Antiquitie alleadged of the pagans The confession of a childe against Idolatry A childe martyred for the testimonye of Christ. An example of vertuous education A godly mother of a godly childe The cruell wordes of the tyrant The Christian childe beheaded for confessing of Christ. Nature ouercome of religion The fire quenched with rayne that shoulde burne Romanus Romanus speaketh after hys tongue was pluckt out Romanus after long tormentes strangled in prison Prudent in hymnis de coroâ—iâ— Martyrum The story of Gordius a Centurian Martyr Gordius of hys accord vttereth hymselfe to be a Christian. Gordius brought to examinatâ—â—â— The confesion of Gordius The bolde constancy couragious sprite of Gordius Gordius attempted with fayre promises and good giftes Gordius condemned to be brent The aunswere of Gordius to his freÌ„ds A subtile kynde of disswaders None ought to deny Christ with hys mouth and confesse hym with hys hart The Martyrdome of Gordius Ex Basili in Ser. in Gordium militem Caesariensem Menas Martyr Ex Symeon Metaphr tom 9. The confession of Menas The words of Menas in hys tormentes All the world is not to be weyed with one soule saued The prayer of Menas at his death Menas martyred Symeon Metaphr tom 5. The story of â—0 martirs Tormentes brought out to terrifie the Christians The couragious boldnes and Christian confession of these 40. martyrs Martyrdome and death for Christ preferred before lyfe and riches of this world The Martirs in a cold ponde all a winters night The Martyrs taken out of the pond were cast into the fire A good mother caring more for the soule then for the body of her sonne Ex Basil. in Serm. de 40. Martiribus Another story of 40. Martyred in a colde ponde at Sebastia Cyrus Ioannes Athanisia with her three daughters Theoctiste Theodota Eudoxia Martyrs The louing 〈◊〉 of one Christian toward an other Cyrus to doe others good lost hys life The story of Sebastian Martyr A worthy example of a captayne to be followed Marcus Marcellinus Nicostratus with Zoe hys wife Tranquillinus with Martia hys wife Traglinus Claudius Castor Tiburtius Castellus Martyrs Barlaam What desire the Heathen had by some meanes to allure the Christians to offer sacrifice Agricola with hys seruaunt Vitalis martyrs Ex Ambro. in Serm aa Virgines Vitalis first martyred Agricola desirous of martyrdome Agricola dyed martyr vpon the Crosse. The cruell martyrdome of Vincentius Ex August in Sermon The tormentes exercised vpon Vincentius The comfort of the Lord vppon hys Sainctes Philoromus Martyr Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 9. The confession and Martyrdome of Philoromus Procopius Martyr The tormentes and constancie of Procopius to death Nicephor lib. 7. cap. 15. Gregorius Martyr The sundry tormentes of Georgius Sergius Bacchius PanthaleoÌ„ Theodorus Faustus GereoÌ„ with 318. fellowes Hermogenes Menas a man of Athens Eugraphus Samonas Gurias Abibus Hieron with hys fellowes Iudes Dom. Eualasius Maximinus Thiesus Lucius Callinicus Apollonius Philemon Asilas Leonides Arrianus the President Cyprianus Byshop of Antioche Iustina Glicerius Felix Priest Fortunatus and Achilleus Deacons Carpophorus Abundus hys Deacon Claudius Syrinus Antonius Cucusatus Felix Byshop Adauctus and Ianuarius Fortunatus Septimus Martyrs The LameÌ„table story of Cassianus Martyr Ex Aurel. Prudentius lib. peristephanon Cassianus Martyr Eulalia Martyr Ex Arel Prudentio lib. peristephanoâ— The chaste and continent behauiour of Eulalia Eulalia geueth the onset denying to sacrifice to deuils Eulalia kept secret by her parentes Eulalia disproueth the Heathen Iudge The godly confession of Eulalia Eulalia allured with fayre perswasions Eulalia singeth anâ— prayseth God in he tormente Eulalia put in the fire The end and martyrdome of Eulalia Ex Prudeâ—â— Agnes martyr Straunge and vnnecessary myracles omiâ—ted Ex pruden lib. de Câ—ronis Agnes constant in the confession of her fayth Agnes threatned to the brothel house Agnes bolde vpon the helpe of Christ. The incontinent eyes of a young man beholding Agnes strunken out The young man restored agayne to his health by the prayer of Agnes Agnes desirous of martirdoÌ„e The prayer of Agnes Agnes beheaded The history of Katherine martir All thinges be not true and probable that be written of Sainctes liues Petrus de Natalibus lib. 10. Katherine resisteth the Emperour openly to hys face Katherine committed to prison and comforted by an Aungell The tormentes and end of Katherine The history of Iulitta Martyr Ex Basil. in Serm. Iulitta violenâ—â—ly spoyled of her goodes Iulitta once abiured Iulitta standeth to the coÌ„fession of her fayth A Christian voyce of a true martyr The answere of Iulitta Iulitta condemned to the fire The words and exhortations of Iulitta to woemen about her Barbara Fausta Euclatius Maximinus Iuliana Anysia Iustina Tecla Martirs Caius Marcellinus Marcellus Eusebius Miltiades Byshops of Rome and martyrs Marcellinus denyeth and repenteth Ex Lib Concilior Platina Euseb. in Chro. Authors dissent Ex Sabel Enead 7. Lib. 8. Sabel ibid. A place of Platina confuted The order and proceeding described in iudgement agaynst the Bishop of Rome An obiection of the Papistes answered vnto The Byshop of Rome cyted vp and appeareth before the councell The Byshop of Rome condemned by the Councell The decretall Epistles and constitutions of these Byshops of Rome examined The chief scope of