High-Priest worshipeth for in my sleep I saw him in such an habit when I was in Macedonia consulting with my self how I might conquer Asia and he bad me to make no delay assuring me that he would both guide me and my Army and would deliver the Empire of the Persians into my hands Then gave he the High-Priest his hand and went with him to the City and comming to the Temple he offered sacrifice according to the direction of the High-Priest then did Jaddus shew him Daniels Prophecy wherein his victories over the Persians and his Monarchy were foretold which much rejoyced Alexander then did he command the Jews to ask some favours at his hands the High-Priest requested onely that they might live after the Ordinances of their forefathers and that every seventh year they might be exempted from taxes and tributes which he fully granted they besought him likewise that the Jews which were in Media and Babilon might be permitted to live after their own Laws which he willingly promised and so departed this was about the year of the world 3632. and before Christs nativity 332. After the death of Alexander his Kingdom was divided amongst his Captains amongst whom Ptolemy the son of Lagus held Egypt who falling out with Antigonus that held Asia minor there grew great wars between them wherein Ptolemy won from him all Syria and going to Jerusalem on a Sabbath day under pretence to offer sacrifice the Jews suspecting nothing he surprised the City carrying away many of the Jews into captivity into Egypt but after his death his son Ptolemy Philadelphus at his owne cost redeemed an hundred and twenty thousand of them paying twelve Crowns apeece for each of them and sent them back into their owne countrey He sent also by them fifty talents of gold for the temple and obtained of Eleazer the High Priest the Law of the Jews and 72 Interpreters out of every Tribe some who translated it into Greek in 72 daies and having finished their work Ptolemy returned them with great rewards for themselves and with many rich presents to Eleazer Antiochus and Ptolemy being at war each against other the Jews suffered much by them Mach. 1. Collected out of Josephus CHAP. III. The persecution of the Church of God under Antiochus Epiphanes before the nativity of Christ about 168 years AFterwards the Jews being divided amongst themselves one part of them went to Antiochus telling him that their purpose was to forsake the Religion and Ordinances of their forefathers and to follow that of the Kings and to live after the manner of the Greeks entreating him to license them to live in Jerusalem which Antiochus assenting to they went to Jerusalem where they behaved themselves very wickedly but finding opposition from the other party of the Jews they sent for Antiochus who led his army against Jerusalem and encamped before it and by his faction within had the gates opened and the City betraied to him about the year of the world 3796. and before the nativity of Christ 168. Being entred Jerusalem he slew many of the faithfull Jews and having taken great spoils he returned back to Antioch Two years after he came to Jerusalem again and having seen what quantity of gold was in the Temple and what a huge number of Presents and precious Ornaments were in the same he was so overcome with covetousness that he violated all conventions and conditions formerly made equally raging against his own and the adverse party sparing neither friend nor foe then he spoiled the Temple and carried away the Vessels dedicated unto God the golden Table the golden Candlestick the Censers c. leaving nothing behind him of any value yea he inhibited the godly Jews from offering their usual and dailie sacrifices to God and having spoiled the whole City he slew many of the Inhabitants and carried the rest away into Captivity with their Wives and Children to the number of ten thousand He also burned the fairest buildings of the City and brake down the wals and raised a Fortress in the lower City and having inclosed it with high wals he planted a Garison of Macedonians therein with whom remained the scum of the Apostate Jews He also caused an Altar to be erected in the Temple on which he commanded swine to be offered in Sacrifice contrary to the Law He constrained the Jews to forsake God and adore those Idols which himself vvorshiped he forbad them to circumcise their Children and appointed Over-seers to constrain them to fulfill his Commandments so that many for fear of punishment conformed themselves to his will But such as were of upright hearts and valiant minds little respected his menaces whereupon they were beaten and exposed to cruel punishment many days together in the midst of which they yielded up the ghost for after they were whipt and maimed in their bodies they were tortured and crucified the women vvere strangled and the circumcised children vvere hung up about the necks of their parents and vvhere any books of the sacred Scriptures vvere found they defaced and burnt them and such with vvhom they vvere found vvere put to most cruel deaths At this time there dvvelt at Modin a Village of Jury one vvhose name was Matthias a Priest of the rank of Joarib that had five sons John called Gaddis Simon called Matthes Judas called Maccabeus Eleazer called Aaron and Jonathan called Apphas This Matthias often complained to his sons of the miserable state of their Countrey of the sacking of their City the profanation of the Temple and the miseries of the people telling them that it was better for them to die for the Law then to live in Ignominy When therefore the Kings Commisaries came unto Modin and commanded the people to sacrifice according to the Kings Edict they first applied themselves to Matthias as to the most Honourable person amongst them requiring him first to offer sacrifice that others might follow his example promising that the King vvould much honour him for it Matthias ansvvered that he vvould by no means commit that Idolatry assuring them that though all other Nations either for love or fear should obey the Edicts of Antiochus yet that he nor his children could be induced to forsake the Religion of their fathers As soon as he had thus spoken a certain Jew stepped forth to offer sacrifice according to the command of the King wherewith Matthias inflamed with zeal was so displeased that he and his sons fell upon him and with their swords hewed him to pieces he also slew Apelles the Kings Captain and some other souldiers who would have withstood him Then he overthrew the Altar and with a loud voice he said If any one be affected to the Laws of their fathers and to the service of God let him follow me and so he retired into the deserts with his sons the like did the rest with their wives and children hiding themselves in caves and
and then marching to Malla a City of the enemies he surprised it slew all the men therein and burnt it with fire after which he destroyed Chaspomo Bosor and divers other places Shortly after Timothy leavied another great Army hired many of the Syrians and drew forth all his allies to his assistance with these he marched to Jordan exhorting them valiantly to oppose the Jews and to hinder their passage over the river telling them that if the Jews gat over they were sure to be put to the worst Judas hearing hereof marched hastily against his enemies and having passed the river he presently set upon them killing some and grievously affrighting the rest who casting away their arms immediately fled some of them to save themselves fled into a Temple called Carnain but Judas having taken the City and Temple slew them and burnt the same Then did he lead away with him all the Jews that lived in Galaad together with their wives children and substance and brought them into Judaea When he drew near to the town of Ephron they had baricadoed up his way that he could not pass then did he send Ambassadors to them to desire them to open his passage which when they refused he besieged the City took it by assault burned it down and slew all the men that were therein After having passed over Jordan they came into Judaea with great joy and gladnesse praising God and offering sacrifices of thanksgiving to him for the safe return of his Army for that in all those battels and encounters he had not lost one Jew But whilest Judas and Simon were gone upon these expeditions the two Captains which he had left to command the Garisons of Judaea being desirous to obtain the reputation of valiant men tooke their forces and went towards Jamnia against whom Gorgias Governor of that place issued out and slew two thousand of them the rest fled to Judaea Afterwards Judas and his brethren warred against the Idumaeans took divers of their Cities and with a great booty returned home with great joy Antiochus in the meane time being in Persia heard of a wealthy City called Elymais in which was a rich Temple of Diana c. thither he went and besieged it but the inhabitants sallied out and with great losse drave him from thence whereupon he returned to Babylon there also news was brought unto him of the overthrow of his Captains in Judaea and that the Jews were grown strong which together with his former defeat so wrought upon him that he fell sick and finding no hope of recovery he called his most familiar friends to him and told them that his sicknesse was violent and desperate and that he was plagued with this grevous affliction for that he had tormented the people of the Jews destroyed their Temple committed horrible sacriledge and contemned the reverence of God but now he vowed that if it would please the Lord to restore him he would become a Jew and do many great things for the people of God as also that he would goe through all the known world to declare the power of God Notwithstanding which the Lord knowing his hypocrisie continued to plague him after a terrible manner he had a remedilesse pain in his bowels and intollerable torments in all his inward parts His body bred abundance of worms which continually crawled out of the same yea he so rotted above ground that by reason of the intollerable stink no man could endure to come near him neither could he himselfe indure the same and thus this vile person who had formerly in a proud and insolent manner protested that he would make Jerusalem a common burying place and the streets thereof to run with the bloud of Gods people by Gods just judgement ended his life in extream misery but before his death he called Philip one of his chief Captains and made him governour of his kingdom requiring him to be very carefull of his son Antiochus Then was Antiochus proclaimed King and sirnamed Eupator About which time the Garisons and Apostates that were in the Fortress at Jerusalem did much mischief to the Jews for setting unawares upon those that came to the Temple to worship and to offer their sacrifices they slew them Hereupon Judas resolved to cut off these Garisons and to that end he assembled all the people and besieged them and having made certain Engins and raised divers Rams he earnestly prosecuted the siege but divers of those Apostates escaping by night went to Antiochus desiring him not to suffer them to perish who for his fathers sake had forsaken their Religion c. Then did Antiochus send for his Captains commanding them to raise a mighty Army which accordingly they did gathering together a hundred thousand footmen and twenty thousand horsemen and thirty two Elephants with these Forces he departed out of Antioch and made Lysias Generall of his Army Then did he besiege Bethsura a strong City but the inhabitants valiantly resisted him and sallying out burned his Engines which he had prepared for battery The King continuing the siege for a longe time Judas hearing of it raised his siege from before the Castle of Jerusalem and marched towards Antiochus his Army and when he came neer to the enemies Camp he lodged his Army in certain streights called Beth-zacharia The King hearing thereof raised his siege from Bethsura and marched to wards the streight where Judas with his Army was The King first caused his Elephants to march thorow the streight about each Elephant were a thousand Footmen and a hundred Horsemen for his guard each Elephant carried a Tower on his back furnished with Archers the rest of his Forces he caused to march two waies by the mountaines commanding them with huge shouts and cries to assail their enemies and to uncover their golden and brazen bucklers that the reflection thereof might dazle the eies of the Jews yet was not Judas at all amated but entertained the Army with a noble courage slaying about six hnundred of the forlorn hope But Eleazer Judas brother seeing a huge Elephant armed with royall trappings supposing that the King was upon him he ran against him with a noble courage and having slain divers that were about the Elephant he thrust his sword into the belly of the beast so that the Elephant falling upon him slew him with his weight Judas seeing the great strength of his enemies retired back to Jerusalem and Antiochus sent back part of his Army against Bethsura and with the rest he marched on towards Jerusalem The Bethsurites despairing of relief and their provisions failing them surrendred their City having the Kings oath that no out-rage should be offered to them yet he thrust them out of the City and placed a Garison in it He spent also along time in besieging the Temple at Jerusalem they within defending it gallantly for against every Engine that the King erected they set up
condemned and saith he We glory on the behalf of our sufferings that they had such a dedicator as he but this great Persecution like a blast did spread the Religion that it blew and having continued four years from the first rising is expired in two most shining blazes viz. in the Martyrdom of the two great Apostles Peter and Paul Peter was crucified with his head down-wards which manner of death himself made choice of and whilst he thus hung upon the Cross he saw his wife going to her Martyrdom whereupon he much rejoyced and calling her by her name he bad her remember the Lord Jesus Christ. At the same time also Paul before Nero made a confession of his faith and of the Doctrine which he taught whereupon he was condemned to be beheaded and the Emperor sent two of his Esquires Ferega and Parthemius to bring him word of his death they coming to Paul heard him instruct the people and thereupon desired him to pray for them that they might believe who told them that shortly after they should believe and be baptized then the souldiers led him out of the City to the place of execution where he prayed and then gave his neck to the sword and so was beheaded This was done in the fourteenth which was the last year of Nero. Collected out of the life of Nero Caesar Eusebius and the Book of Martyrs CHAP. VIII The second Primitive Persecution which began Anno 96. AFter the death of Nero there succeeded first Vespasian and then his son Titus in the Empire under both whom the Church had rest but Titus associating to himself his brother Flavius Domitian in the Government of the Empire This wicked Monster first slew his brother and then raised the second persecution against the Church of Christ. His pride was so great that he commanded himself to be worshiped as God and that Imaâ—es of gold and silver should be set up for his honour in the Capitoll His cruelty was unmeasurable The chiefest Nobles of the Roman Senators either upon envy or for their goods he caused to be put to death Having also heard some rumors of Christs Kingdom he was afraid as Herod had been before him and thereupon commanded all of the linage of David to be sought out and slain At last two poor Christians that came of Judas the brother of Christ according to the flesh were brought before Domitian and accused to be of the Tribe of Juda and of the line of David Then did the Emperour demand of them what stock of money and possessions they had To whom they answered that they two had not above thirty nine Acres of land out of which they payed Tribute and relieved themselves by their labour and industry withal shewing him their hard and brawny hands by reason of their labour Then did he ask them of Christ and of his Kingdom to whom they answered that Christs Kingdom was not of this world but spiritual and celestial and that he would come at the last day to judge the quick and the dead Hereupon he despised them as simple and contemptible persons and so dismissed them He punished an infinite company of Christians that were famous in the Church with exile and loss of their substance Under this persecution it was that St. John the beloved Disciple was first put into a vessel of boiling oyl and coming safe without hurt out of the same he was then banished into the Isle of Patmos Anno 97. where he continued till after the death of Domitian but was released under Pertinax At which time he returned to Ephesus where he lived till he was a hundred and twenty years old During his abode there he was requested to repaire to some place not farre off to order their Ecclesiasticall affairs and being in a certain City he beheld in the Congregation a young man mighty of body of a beautifull countenance and fervent minde whereupon calling the chief Bishop unto him he said I commend this man unto thee with great diligence in the witness here of Christ and of the Church The Bishop having received this charge and promised his faithfull diligence therein John spake the like words to him the second time also after which he returned unto Ephesus The Bishop having received this young man thus committed to his charge brought him home kept nourished instructed and Baptized him and the young man so profited under him that at last he was made the Pastor of a Congregation But having by this means more liberty then before some of his old companions began to resort unto him who first drew him forth to sumptuous and riotous banquets then inticed him to go abroad with them in the nights to rob and steal and to much other wickedness And he being of a good wit and stout courage ran like an unbridled horse to all manner of disorders and outrage And associating to himself many loose and dissolute companions he became their Head and Captain in committing all kindes of murther and felonies Not long after upon some urgent occasions St John was again sent for into those parts where having decided those controversies and dispatched those businesses for which he came meeting with the afore-mentioned Bishop he required of him the pledge which before Christ and the Congregation he had committed to his custody The Bishop herewith amazed supposing that he meant it of some money committed to him which yet he had not received not daring to contradict the Apostle he thereupon stood mute Then John perceiving that he was not understood said The young man and the soul of our brother committed to your custody I do require Whereupon the Bishop with many tears said He is dead To whom John replyed How and by what death The Bishop answered He is dead to God for he is become a wicked and vicious man and a thief and now he doth frequent these mountains with a company of thieves and villains like himself c. The Apostle rending his garments with a great lamentation said I left a good keeper of my brothers soul get me an horse and guide presently which being done he went strait to the mountains and was no sooner come thither but he was taken by the thieves that watched for their prey to whom he said I came hither for this cause Lead me to your Captain and so being brought before him the Captain all armed looked fiercely upon him and soon coming to the knowledge of him he was striken with such shame and confusion that he began to flie but the old man followed him as fast as he could crying My son why dost thou flie from thy father an armed man from one naked a young man from an old man Have pity upon me my son and feare not there is yet hope of salvation I will answer for thee to Christ I will die for thee if need be as Christ died for us I will give my life for thee Believe me Christ hath
escaped with life and being afterwards asked by his friends how he could endure such extream torments he said that at first he felt some pain but afterwards there stood by him a young man who as he was sweating with the pain wiped away his sweat and oft-times so refreshed him with cold water wherewith he was so delighted that when he was let down from the Engine it grieved him more then before Artemius also a Captain of the Egyptian souldiers was beheaded for his Religion though other causes were pretended Two Christian brethren were dragged through the streets and murthered by the Idolatrous people of Gaza But the cruelty of the wicked Arethusians exceeded against the Christian Ministers and Virgins whom they set forth naked before the multitude to be scorned by them Then did they cover them with hogs-meat and ripping up their bellies put barly into them and so caused their bowels and flesh to be devoured by their hungry swine Their cruelty most raged against Marcus Arethusius the Christian Bishop of that City who formerly by the command of Constantine had pulled down their Idol-Temple and set up a Church for the Christians in the room thereof The Arethusians knowing how Julian hated him accused him as a Traitor and enemy to the Emperour Whereupon at first he prepared himself to fly but when he perceived that some of his friends were apprehended in his stead he returned and of his own accord offered himself to those that thirsted for his blood Whom when they had gotten neither pitying his old age nor reverencing his holy and blameless Conversation they stript him naked and pitifully beat him then they cast him into a foul filthy sink then they caused Boies to thrust him in with sharp sticks to augment his pain Lastly They put him into a basket anointed him with hony and broth and so hung him abroad in the heat of the sun to be meat for wasps and flies to feed upon and this they did to enforce him either to build up their Idol-Temple again or to give them money to pay for the doing of it but he stoutly refusing both they profered to forgive one half if he would pay the other which he still refusing and contemning all their torments they at last demanded of him but a small sum of money but he answered It is as great wickedness to confer one half-penny in case of impiety as if a man should give the whole Whereupon despairing to prevail they left him and went their ways Also Cyrillus a Deacon in Hieropolis who in Constantines time had broken in pieces the Images of the Gentiles they took him ript up his belly drew the liver out of his body which with barbarous inhumanity they chawed with their teeth But the Lord suffered not this brutishness to go unpunished for their teeth shortly after fell out of their jaw-bones and their tongues rotted in their mouths and they fell stark blind Julian when he came to Constantinople offered sacrifice in the Cathedral Church to the Goddess Fortune about which time Maris Bishop of Chalcedon in Bythinia being blind caused himself to be led to the Emperour whom he rebuked sharply calling him an impious person an Apostate and an Atheist he on the contrary called the Bishop Blind fool saying further Thy God of Galilee will not restore thee thy sight again Maris replied I thank God which made me blind lest that ever I should set mine eies upon so ungracious a face as thine is In the Market-places of the Cities Julian set up his own Image amongst the Images of the heathen gods to the end that whosoever should do civil reverence to his Image might also seem to worship the gods of the Gentiles and that they who would not bow to the Idols might seem to refuse due reverence to the Emperour When he distributed gold to his Captains and souldiers he erected an Altar near to his Throne with coals burning upon it and incense on a Table by none might receive the gold before he had cast incense on the coals upon the Altar by which subtilty he circumvented many who discerned not his purpose to intangle them with the rites of Idolatrous services All about Antioch he dedicated all the fountains to the goddesses of the Gentiles and caused all the Victuals that were sold in the Market to be sprinkled with heathenish holy water yet did the Christians without scruple drink of the water and eat of the meat according to that rule Whatsoever is sold in the shambles that eat and ask no question for conscience sake c. Juventius and Maxentius two brave Captains used much boldness and liberty in reproving him for his heathenish superstition which so enraged him that he caused them to be put to death In Caesarea the Inhabitants being most Christians had formerly overthrown the Temples of Jupiter and Apollo and now in Julians time they overthrew the Temple of Fortune which so enraged him that he disfranchised them exacted of them three hundred pounds weight of gold and compelled their Clergy to serve in War-fare threatning further to put to death all the Inhabitants thereof at his return but it pleased God that his own death prevented it About this time Julian going to enquire of the Oracle of Apollo at Delphos there came down fire from heaven and destroyed the Temple and beat the Image of Apollo in pieces like to the smallest powder or dust When he came to Antioch there was a noble woman called Publia who had the Education and government of divers young virgins these she caused as Julian passed by her house to sing with a loud voice The Idols of the heathen are silver and gold the works of mens hands c. This so angred the Emperour that he sent them a command to sing no more as he went that way but Publia was so far from fearing him that the next time he came she made them sing the same verse and to add to it Let God arise and his enemies shall be scattered c. This so incensed Julian that he sent for her to him scoffed at her and caused her to be clapt on the cheeks in a disgracefull manner but she looked upon it as a great honour thus to suffer reproach for Christs sake and coming home she caused her maids still to sing Psalms of the Emperours fury and madness Afterwards the Emperour intending to war against the Persians set a great fine upon every ones head that would not sacrifice to the Idols whereby he much enriched himself by the spoil of the Christians Then were false Accusations forged against Athanasius so that he was forced to flie yet he thus comforted himself and friends Nubecula est cito pertransibit This persecution is but a little cloud and will soon pass away In his flight he took a ship upon the river Nilus to fly to Thebais but Julian
nihilo tamen meliorem se Christianis praebens Christi nomen prae se ferens Christum mentiebatur Miletius Bishop of Antioch he banished to Armenia Eusebius Bishop of Samosata to Thrace Pelagius Bishop of Laodicea to Arabia He was exceedingly filled with wrath against the Bishops assembled in the Counsel of Lampsacum because they adhered to the Nicene faith In Constantinople he banished all the Orthodox In Edissa he commanded them all to be slain as they were assembled together in the Church The Lieutenant that had received this charge from him being more mercifull then his Master gave private notice to the Christians that they should not assemble at that time but they neither regarding his advice nor fearing his threats flocked to the Church in great companies and whilst the Lieutenant with many armed souldiers hasted thitherward to fulfill the Emperors command a woman leading a child in her hand all in haste brake the ranks and thrust into the armed troops the Lieutenant being moved therewith called the woman before him saying Thou fond and unfortunate woman whither runnest thou so rashly Thither said she whither others hasten Hast thou not heard said he that the Lieutenant will slay as many as he finds there I heard it said she and therefore I make the more haste to the place But whether said he leadest thou this child That he also said she may be accounted in the number of Martyrs Hereupon the Lieutenant returned back to the Emperor and told him that all the Christians from the highest to the lowest prepared themselves to die in the defence of their faith and withal he shewed him what a rash thing it was to murder so great a multitude c. and so with his reasons perswaded the Emperour that he appeased his wrath and prevented the mischief at that time In Constantinople the Arrians favoured by the Emperor crowed insolently over the Christians they scourged reviled imprisoned amerced and laid upon them all the intollerable burthens they could devise Hereupon eighty godly Ministers in the name of all the rest addressed themselves to the Emperour complaning of the out-rages that were done to them craving some relief But this cruel Tyrant commanded Modestus the General of his Army to embark them all in a ship as if he would have sent them into banishment but secretly he gave direction to the Marriners to set the ship on fire and to retire themselves into a boat and so these holy Martyrs glorified the Name of Christ by patient suffering of a double death burning and drowning In all the Eastern parts he tormented many with sundry sorts of grievous torments put many to death drowned many in the sea and in rivers About this time he consulted with Necromancers to know who should succeed him in the Empire The devil answered ambiguously that his name should begin with Th. Whereupon he put to death as many as were called Theodorus Theodotus Theadosius or Theodulus Athanasius being dead at Alexandria there succeeded him a godly and holy man named Peter but the Emperour presently sent souldiers which clapt him in prison and the rest of the Ministers were banished some to one place some to another After this he sent forth an Edict for the persecuting of all the Orthodox in Egypt Whereupon many were stript of their raiment scourged fettered in prisons crushed in pieces with stones beheaded driven into deserts where they wandred in sheeps-skins and goats-skins destitute of aid and succour Many hid themselves in mountains in dens caves and hollow rocks Terentins and Trajan two worthy Captains used some liberty in admonishing the Emperour to abstain from persecuting of the innocent but the Lord was minded to destroy him and therefore he could receive no wholesome admonition For many of the Goths whom he entertained as souldiers to assist him against his enemies turned against himself so that he fled and was overtaken in a village which the Goths set on fire whereby he died miserably leaving none to succeed him and his name a curse and execration to all ages Collected out of Magd. Hist. Socrates and Theod. The Persecution by the Donatists ABout the year of our Lord 410. there sprang up in Africk the Donatists and Circumcellions who first made a great Schism in the Church and afterwards raised up a great persecution against the Orthodox concerning which St Austine complains in sundry places And in his 50. Epistle to Earl Boniface he thus writes of it In hoc labore multi Catholici maxime Episcopi Clerici horrenda dura perpessi sunt quae commemorare longum eâ—t c. In this disturbance the Orthodox especially the Bishops and Ministers suffered hard and horrible things the particulars whereof are long to recite for some of them had their eies put out Some Bishops had their hands and tongues cut off and some were slain out-right To speak nothing of the cruel slaughter of others that were sound and sincere of the plundering of their houses of the out-ragious burning not only of their private habitations but of their Churches also yea so vile and violent were they that they sticked not to burn the sacred Scriptures Optatus in his second book tells us that when Julian the Apostate came to the Empire the Donatists preferred a petition to him wherein they desired leave to return to their places in Africk from whence formerly they had been banished Julian knowing what furious and turbulent spirits they were of and how prejudicial their Return would be to the Catholick Church easily assented to their petition and so they returned full fraught with malice and revenge and presently imployed all their abilities partly by subtilty to seduce the common people partly by violence to oppress the Orthodox Bishops and Ministers of whom some they thrust out of their Churches others they slew Some of their chief Bishops taking armed souldiers with them went to the Castle of Lemella where finding the Church shut against them they commanded their attendance to get upon it to uncover the roof and so having broken into it they set upon some Deacons whom they found there wounded some and slew two of them outright In all places where they came they profaned all holy things The Sacramentall bread they threw to their dogs but behold the just judgement of God against these profane schismaticks those very dogs shortly after running mad fell upon their own Masters and tore them in pieces Virgins they defloured and wives they defiled So usual a thing it is for those which adulterate the holy truths of God to be given over to corporal uncleanness These furious persons dispersed themselves all over Africk and would not suffer the Orthodox to preach the truth against their Errors By their violent assaults thieveries rapines burnings and murthers they destroyed many and afrighted all c. CHAP. XX. The Persecution of the Church in Africk by
that nothing should be done either against law or equity till he had further knowledge of the cause In the mean time the Brethren being much encouraged by letters from Luther Bucer and Capito went on constantly and through Gods mercy a great nummber was added to the Church till that fatal year 1547. At which time Charles the fifth putting in execution the decrees of the Counsell of Trent raised warres against the Protestant Princes in Germany At which time his brother Ferdinand sollicited the Bohemians for aid but they refused it in regard of their ancient league with the house of Saxony But the German Protestants being overcome in warre Ferdinand entred Bohemia with an Army seizeth on Prague imprisoneth the principall Nobles Barons and Citizens some he scourged some he beheaded and upon others he laid grievous Fines and of others he sequestred all their Estates Also he disarmed the City of Prague took away their privileges banishing some whilst others went into voluntary exile Then did the Devil raise up some to lay all the blame upon the Brethren to which malicious suggestions the King giving heed first by open Proclamation commanded all their Churches to be shut up and then he took away their Peers and banished them all out of his Realms When this Thunderbolt came abroad the brethren agreed amongst themselves that they would be more faithfull to God and their consciences then they had been and so by common consent dividing themselves into three companies they went into Poland and all of them had experience of an admirable divine protection in their journey escaping some that might and would have robbed them but that they were restrained by God as also in most places where they came they found Christian commiseration and liberality of men towards them and courteous entertainment in Poland though most of them were Papists Yet not long after the Bishop of that part where they were got a Mandate from the King to drive them away Then were they forced to goe into the farthest parts of Prusia whereby D. Albert Brandenburg they had a place of habitation alloted to them and one Paul Speratus a Protestant Bishop having conferred with them about their faith was very courteous and charitable to them The next Edict that Ferdinand set forth against the brethren was for the apprehending of all their Ministers whereupon some of them retired into Moravia others that they might be near their flocks hid themselves in private places in the night-time they visited the faithfull which continued for some years but at last three of them fell into their enemies hands yet one of them through the admirable providence of God escaped out of a deep dungeon in the Castle of Prague and fled to his brethren in Borussia and he sometimes passing through Polonia and preaching the Gospel through Gods mercy many of the Nobility and others were converted by his Ministry so that in a few years he erected twenty Churches in Poland The enemies having imprisoned John Augusta they much rejoyced at it because he was a chief Minister amongst the Brethren and as Luther in Germany against the Pope so he both by his Ministry and writings had mightily confuted the Calixtines and thereupon they laid to his charge his refusall to raise Forces for the assistance of Ferdinand and intentions of bringing in John Frederick Elector of Saxony to be King in Bohemia and for the discovery of this pretended conspiracy he was cruelly racked three times but when they could draw nothing from him they yet kept him in prison seventeen years Anno 1549. Ferdinand published another decree for the extirpating both of the brethren and Lutherans and the Ministers that had received Ordination in Germany or that were married were banished out of the Kingdom to the number of about two hundred Also the Baron of Schanow a man of much experience and learning being apprehended under the pretence of some conspiracy against Ferdinand was imprisoned examined and then laid on the rack he with an heroical indignation cut out his tongue and cast it away and being asked why he did it he wrote on the wall I did it because I would not by any tortures be brought to say any thing falsly against my selfe or others He also in a writing taxed the Tyrannical proceedings against himselfe and other innocents citing the King and his Counsellors to appear and answer it before the Tribunall of God and so shortly after died About that time Ferdinand brought Jesuites into Prague and built a stately College for them who sought by all means to overthrow the Church of Christ and added fuell to the fire of persecution After the death of Ferdinand Maximilian succeeded Anno 1562. who being of a peaceable disposition could by no means be induced that any should suffer for their faith After him Rodulphus succeeded Anno 1676. who treading in his Father steps the Church of Christ enjoyed peace under him yea pure religion so flourished through the whole Kingdom that there was scarce one amongst an hundred that did not professe the Reformed Religion But alas with liberty of Religion by little and little men began to be licentious in their lives and carnal security so encreased that some began to presage that an horrible tempest should again overwhelm them After the death of Rodulphus succeeded Mathias who comming into Bohemia Anno 1617. he called an Assembly of the States but it being harvest time few appeared To them that did appear Mathias complained that since he had no issue he would adopt Ferdinand for his son commendeth his vertues and desires that he may be crowned The Orders assembled affirmed that a matter of that consequence could not be done in the absence of the united Provinces Caesar urged that what Bohemia should do would be confirmed by all the rest that he grew faint and it could not be deferred till another time In brief the Oorders protested that the Term of Receiving him King was new that he ought first to be chosen and then received and some perceiving that there was no place for a free voice departed others partly allured by promises and partly deterred by threats staid and were present at the Cronation of Ferdinand after which he presently went into Moravia Silesia and Lusatia requesting to be received for their King The Persecution of the Church in Bohemia which began Anno Christi 1617. FErdinand the second Emperour of Germany being thus obtruded upon the Bohemians for their King contrary to the ancient constitutions and customes of the Kingdom and not lawfully elected thereunto as he ought to have been retired presently into Germany And thereupon the enemies of the truth began to crow and openly to threaten the Protestants and it appeared sufficiently that Ferdinand sware to the Orders with his mouth but in his heart to the Pope and presently after his
of the Kings house into Egypt And again under Asa by Baasha King of Israel 1 King 15.16 and by Zerah the Ethiopian who came against Judah with an Army of a thousand thousand men and three hundred chariots 2 Chron. 14.9 Yea so malicious and subtile is Satan that he sometimes stirs up one Saint to persecute another as he stirred up good King Asa to persecute the Prophet of the Lord who dealt plainly and faithfully with him by casting him into prison 2 Chron. 16.10 Michaiah also was persecuted and imprisoned by Ahab 2 Chron. 18.25 26. Under Jehosaphat the Church of God was persecuted by the Moabites Ammonites and Edomites whom God destroyed by setting of them one against another 2 Chron. 20.23 Elijah was persecuted by Ahab and Jesabel 1 King 18.10 and 19.2 The Prophets of the Lord were slain by Jesabel 1 King 18.13 Elisha was hated and persecuted by Jehoram 2 King 6.31 in the reign of this Jehoram the Philistines and Arabians mightily oppressed Judah 2 Chro. 21.16 17. Then Athaliah by murthering the Kings seed usurpeth the Kingdom and tyrannizeth five years 2 Chro. 22.10 Joash in his reign slayeth Zechariah for reproving him 2 Chron. 24.21 The Church was oppressed at the same time by the Syrians ver 23. and afterwards also in the reign of Ahaz 2 Chron. 28.5 and about the same time the King of Israel slew of Judah a hundred and twenty thousand and carried away captive two hundred thousand men women and children Judah was also oppressed by the Edomites ver 17. and by the Philistines ver 18. and by the King of Assyria ver 20. and chap. 32.1 Manasses persecuted the Prophet Isaiah for reproving him and caused him to be sawn a sunder with a wooden saw Josephus Afterwards Pharaoh Necho tyrannized over Judah 2 Chron. 36.3 and after him Nebuchadâ—ezzar v 6 c. and so the sins of Judah being come to the full the good figgs were carried away captive to Babylon and the land afterwards was wholly laid waste and destroyed which being foretold by the Prophet Jeremiah the wicked Jews first persecuted him with the tongue Jer. 18.18 then was he smitten and put into the stocks Jer. 20.2 then was he indanger of death by the Preists and false Prophets Jer. 26.8 then was he imprisoned by Zedekiah Jer. 32.2 3. then he is beaten and again put into prison Jer. 37.15 and after that cast into a dungeon where he stuck in the mire Jer. 38 6. then by the wicked Captains he was carried into Egypt Jer. 43.6 7. What grievous afflictions the Church and people of God endured about this time see it set forth to the life in the book of the Lamentations In the time of the Captivity the three Children were persecuted by Nebuchadnezzar and thrown into the fiery fornace for refusing to worship his golden Image Dan. 3.23 Daniel was persecuted by Darius his Courtiers and cast into the Lions den Dan. 6.16 Mordecai was hated and persecuted by Haman and a Decree procured for the murthering of all the people of God in one day Esth. 3.13 After the return of the Jews from captivity the people of the Land laboured to weaken the hands of the men of Judah and troubled them in the building of the Temple and hired Counsellors against them to accuse them to Cyrus and Ahasuerus they wrote also against them to Artaxerxes that they were a rebellious people and that if they should be suffered to build Jerusalem they would neither pay toll tribute nor custom to the King Ezra 4.4 c. and having by this malicious suggestion gotten authority they came upon the poor people of God and enforced them to give over thâ—ir worke Yea and afterwards when by the command of the Lord the Jews had again set upon the building Tatnai and Shether-Bosnai came up to discourage and discharge them from it and when this prevailed not they wrote against them to King Darius Again when Nehemiah came to Jerusalem and began to build the wall of the City how were they scorned and jeered by Sanballat Tobiah and Geshem And when the work prospered in their hands and jeers would not prevaile to stop it they then conspired to fight against Jerusalem and so to hinder it but neither that prevailing by reason of the prudent carriage of Nehemiah they then sought to entrap him and by destroying him to hinder the work Nehe. 6.2 Then they accused the people of God of treason and rebellion ver 6 c. Then they hired a false Prophet to terrefie Nehemiah ver 10 12. Then they corrupted and held intelligence with some of the Nobles of Judah to betray him notwithstanding all which designes God preserveth Nehemiah and the building of Jerusalem is finished And thus farre the sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament have given us a certain Register of the Persecutions Martyrdomes and sufferings of the Church and children of God for the space of about three thousand five hundred years from the creation of the world to the Restauration of the Jewish Polity under Nehemiah CHAP. II. The Persecution of the Church from Nehemiah to Antiochus his time AFter the death of Eliashib the High-Priest Judas his sonne succeeded and after him John his sonne which John had a brother called Jesus who was much favoured by Bagoses Generall of Artaxerxes who promised him the Priesthood which made him take occasion to quarrel with his brother John who thereby was so much provoked against him that he slew him in the Temple Bagoses being informed hereof came with his Army to Jerusalem and kept the Jews in bondage seven years making them tributaries so that before they could offer their daily sacrifice they were compelled to pay for every Lamb fifty Drachmes After the death of John Jaddus his sonne succeeded in the priesthood in whose time Alexander the Great passed over the Hellespont and having overcome the Lieutenant of Darius he conquered many countries in Asia minor intending suddenly to come upon Jerusalem Jaddus being informed of his intention was sore afraid he therefore offered sacrifice and commanded the people to make their prayers unto God for direction and protection in this common danger and when he heard that Alexander approached he caused the Priests and people to put on white garments and himself attired in his Priestly robes went before them when Alexander espied them he himself marched before the rest of his company and coming to the High-Priest he fell down on his face before him then did all the Jews circle him in round about and with one voice saluted him Alexanders chief Commanders were wonderfully astonished at this deportment of the King and thought he was out of his wits and Parmenio stepping to him asked him what he meant thus to adore the High-Priest of the Jews when as all other men adored him Alexander answered I doe not adore him but that God whom the
sent me He hearing these things first as in a maze stood still lost his courage cast down his weapons then trembled and vvept bitterly and coming to the old man he embraced him with many tears only his right hand he kept hid and covered Then the Apostle after he had promised and assured him that he should obtain pardon of our Saviour falling upon his knees he prayed for him kissing his murthering right hand vvhich for shame he durst not shevv before and then brought him back to the Congregation where he fasted and prayed continually for him comforted and confirmed him with many Scripture-promises and left him not till he had restored him to his former Office and made him a great example of Gods Mercy to repentant sinners In this Persecution Simeon Bishop of Jerusalem after many torments was crucified to death and an innumerable company of Martyrs suffered for the like testimony of the Lord Jesus amongst whom vvas Flavia the daughter of Flavius Clemens a Roman Senator and Consul vvho amongst many others vvas banished into the Isle of Pontia This Lavv also vvas made by the Roman Senate Non debere demitti Christianos qui semel ad tribunal venissent nisi propositum mutent that Christians should not be let go that vvere once brought before the Tribunal seat except they renounced their Religion Yea that vvhich stirred up the Emperor more to persecute the Christians vvere those abominable lies and malicious slanders raised against them by the Heathen Idolaters as that they were a people that lived in incest that in their nightly meetings putting out the Candles they ran together in all filthy manner that they killed their ovvn Children and used to eat mans flesh that they vvere seditious and rebellious and refused to svvear by the fortune of Caesar and vvould not adore his Image in the Market place and in brief that they were pernicious to the Roman Empire yea whensoever any thing happened amiss to the City of Rome or to her Provinces either by famine pestilence Earth-quakes Wars unseasonable Weather c. it vvas presently imputed to the Christians Besides also there vvere a number of vvicked Promoters and Accusers that for lucre's sake to have the possessions of the Christians accused and persecuted them to the death Also vvhen the Christians vvere brought before the Magistrates they gave them an Oath requiring them to declare the truth vvhether they vvere Christians or no and if they confessed then by the Lavv sentence of death vvas passed against them Yet vvere not these Tyrants content by death to destroy their bodies but the kinds of death vvere divers and horrible vvhatsoever the cruelty of mans vvitty and vvicked invention could devise for the punishment of mans body vvas practised against the poor Saints of God Imprisonments Stripes Scourgings Rackings Tearings Stoning plates of iron burning hot laid to the tenderest parts of their bodies deep Dungeons strangling in Prisons the teeth of wild Beasts Gridirons Gibbits and Gallows Tossings upon the Horns of Bulls c. And when they were thus killed their bodies were laid on heaps and dogs left to keep them that none might come to bury them neither could any prayer or entreaty obtain leave that they might be interred Notwithstanding all which horrible punishments the Church of Christ daily increased being deeply rooted in the Doctrine of the Apostles and Apostolical men and watered plenteously with the blood of the Saints Also in this persecution Protasius and Gervasius were martyred at Millaine Timothy was stoned to death at Ephesus by the Worshippers of Diana Dionysius Areopagita was slain with the sword at Paris c. CHAP. IX The third Primitive Persecution which began Anno Christi 108. DOmitian being slain by some of his own servants Nerva succeeded him who was a good and mercifull man stayed the persecution against the Christians called them home from banishment so that the Church enjoyed peace in his time but he reigning only thirteen moneths Trajan a Spaniard succeeded him who in the tenth year of his reign raised the third persecution against the Church which was far more cruel then either of the former inasmuch as Plinius Secundus an heathen Philosopher seeing the lamentabte slaughter of the Christians moved with pity he wrote to Trajan concerning the same that whereas there were many thousands of them daily put to death there were none of them which did any thing contrary to the Roman Laws worthy of persecution saving that they used to gather together in the morning before day and sing Hymns to a certain God that they vvorshipped called Christ in other things they were godly and honest and for proof hereof saith he I caused two Maidens to be laid on the rack and with torments to be examined about the same but finding nothing in them but only lewd and immoderate superstition I resolved to surcease further enquiry till I received further instructions from you about this matter c. Trajan having read this Epistle returned answer that it was his mind that the Christians should not be sought after but if they were brought and convicted that then they should suffer execution whereof Tertullian speaking saith O confused sentence He would not have them sought for as men innocent and yet would have them punished as men guilty Now though upon this act the rage of the persecution was somewhat abated yet many evil disposed men and cruel Officers there were vvhich ceased not to afflict the Christians in divers Provinces especially if any commotion was raised in any of them then presently were the Christians blamed for it Trajan sent a command to Jerusalem that whosoever could be found out of the stock of David should be enquired for and put to death hereupon some Sectaries of the Jewish nation accused Simeon the son of Cleophas to come of Davids line and that he was a Christian of which Accusers it happened that some of them were taken to be of the stock of David and so most righteously were executed themselves who sought the destruction of others In this Persecution suffered Phocas Bishop of Pontus whom Trajan because he would not sacrifice to Neptune caused to be cast into a hot lime-kilne and afterwards to be put into a scalding bath where he ended his life in the cause of Christ As also Sulpitius Servilianus and Nereus and Achilleus suffered Martyrdom in Rome Sagaris in Asia Then also Ignatius Bishop of Antioch was apprehended and sent to Rome where he was devoured of wild beasts and besides these many thousand others After the death of Trajan succeeded Hadrian who continued this third persecution against the Chrstians at which time Alexander Bishop of Rome with his two Deacons as also Hermes and Quirinus with their families suffered Martyrdom Also about this time Zenon a noble man of Rome with above ten thousand more were slain for Christs sake Also
weak and feeble woman in the faith to damn her soul by blaspheming God brought her to the place of Execution but she in the midst of her torments returning to her self and by those pains remembring the torments of hell said to her tormentors How should we Christians eat our own Children as you report of us when we eat not the blood of any beast and so confessing her self to be a Christian she was martyred with the rest Yet here did not the rage of the enemies cease for when the Christians were cast into prison they were shut up in dark and ugly dungeons and drawn by the feet in a rack even unto the fifth hole some of them were strangled and killed in the prisons others remaining in prison destitute of all humane help were so strengthned by the Lord both in body and mind that they were a great comfort to the rest The younger sort whose bodies had not yet felt the lash of the whip were not able to endure the sharpness of their imprisonment but died under the same Photinus Deacon to the Bishop of Lyons about eighty nine years old weak and feeble by reason of age and sickness yet of a lively spirit and courage by reason of the great desire which he had of martyrdom being brought to the Judgement seat and being there demanded of the chief Ruler What was the Christian-mans God he answered If thou beest worthy to know thou shalt know the Ruler being enraged herewith caused him to be extreamly beaten also such as stood next him did him all the despight they could beating and kicking him without any regard to his reverend gray hairs others that were further off threw at him vvhatsoever came next hand and thus whilst he vvas gasping after life they threw him into prison where after tvvo days he died They also vvhich in the first pesecution had denied Christ vvere apprehended cast into prison and made partakers of the others afflictions yea they had twice so much punishment as the other had and whereas they which had been constant were refreshed with the joy of Martyrdom with the hope of Gods Promises and with the love of Christ and his holy Spirit the other Apostates being full of guilt went out to death with dejected and ill-favoured countenances and were filled with shame so that the very Gentiles reviled them as degenerous persons and worthy to suffer as evil-doers whereas in the mean time they which had remained constant went to their Martyrdom with cheerfull countenances adorned with glory and grace yea their very bonds wherewith they were tyed set them out as brides when they are decked in gorgious aray and withal they had such a redolent smell as if they had been anointed with some sweet balm by which sights the rest were confirmed and being apprehended confessed Christ without any staggering The Martyrdom of the Saints was of divers kinds as the offering to God a Garland decked with sundry kinds of colours and flowers Maturus Attalus and Blandina were again brought forth to the publick Scaffold where Maturus and Sanctus suffered again all manner of torments as if they had suffered nothing before They were scourged torn of wild beasts set in red hot iron chairs in which their bodies were dried as on a grid-iron and their tormentors raged more and more against them labouring to overcome the patience of the Saints yet could they get nothing out of Sanctus's mouth but that he was a Christian These holy men having been thus made a spectacle all the day to the people were at last slain Then Blandina being fastened to a stake was cast to the wild beasts but they as being more mercifull then men would not come near her then they cast her again into prison where she though a weak woman yet armed with invincible courage by Christ mightily encouraged her brethren Then was Attalus brought forth with this inscription This is Attalus the Christian against whom the people were much enraged but the Governour understanding that he was a Roman remanded him to prison till â—he understood the Emperors pleasure Many that had before denied Christ through Gods Grace recovered themselves again and tasted the sweetness of him that desired not the death of a sinner c. and of their own accord came to the Judgement seat to be examined then did the Judge when a great concourse of people was met together sâ—nd for all the Christian prisoners and as many as were Free-men of Rome he beheaded the Residue he gave to be devoured of wild beasts amongst whom also they which had before denied Christ joyfully suffered Martyrdom Whilst the Christians were examining at the Bar one Alexander a Physitian by signs and becks perswaded those which were examined boldly to confess Christ which the people taking notice of accused him to the Judge who asking him what Religion he was of he answered I am a Christian whereupon he was immediatly adjudged to be devoured of the beasts The next day was Attalus and this Alexander brought forth to the Scaâ—fold where they had all manner of torments inflicted upon them and having endured the greatest agony that possibly they could be put to they were at the last slain Alexander never so much as sighed but prayed to and praised God all the while he was tormented Attalus when he was set in the iron chair and the frying savour of his burning body began to smell said to the people Behold this which you do is to eat mans flesh for we neither eat men nor commit any other wickedness And being demanded what was the name of their God he said Our God hath no such name as men have then said they Let us see whether your God can help you and take you out of our hands Then was Blandina again brought forth and with her one Ponticus a youth of fifteen years old who defying their Idols and constantly cleaving to Christ were put to all the torments their enraged enemies could devise the youth having suffered all kinds of torments at last gave up the ghost Blandina was first pitifully whipped then thrown to the wild beasts then tormented upon the grid-iron then put into a net and thrown to the wild Bull and when she was tossed gored and wounded with his horns she was at last slain but was so filled with ravishing joyes of the H. Ghost that she felt no pain during all her torments Such as were strangled in prisons were afterwards thrown to dogs and had keepers both day and night set to watch them lest their bones and members should be buried In the mean time the Gentiles extolled their Idols mocking and flouting the Christians saying Where is your God that you so much boast of and what helpeth this your religion for which you give your lives The bodies of the Martyrs were thus made a gazing-stock for six days in the open streets and then were burned and their Ashes
Conversion to the true faith and so with admirable patience she suffered Martyrdom Shortly after Basilides being required to give an oath in the behalf of his fellow-souldiers he denied the same plainly affirming that he vvas a Christian and therefore he could not swear by the Idols c. They vvhich heard him thought that he jested at first but when he had constantly affirmed it they had him before the Judge vvho committed him to vvard the Christians vvondring at it vvent to him and enquiring the cause of his Conversion he told them that Potamiena had prayed for him and so he savv a Crovvn put upon his head adding that it should not be long before he received it and accordingly the next day he was beheaded As many suffered death in this persecution so others there were who through Gods providence suffered great torments and yet escaped vvith life of whom there vvas one Alexander vvho for his constant confession and torments suffered vvas afterwards made Bishop of Jerusalem Also Narcissus against vvhom three vvicked persons conspired to accuse him binding their accusations vvith oaths and curses one vvishing to be destroyed vvith fire if it vvere not true another to be consumed vvith a grievous disease the other to lose both his eyes Narcissus being unable to vvith-stand so vvicked an accusation retired himself into a desert In the mean time Gods vengeance follovved these perjured Wretches for the first by a small spark of fire vvas himself vvith all his family and goods burned the second vvas taken vvith a grievous sickness vvhich tormented him from the top to the toe whereof he died the third being vvarned by these Judgements confessed his fault but by reason of his abundant sorrovv and vveeping he lost both his eyes Narcissus being hereby cleared from their false accusation returned home and vvas received into his Congregation again Also one Andoclus vvas sent by Polycarp into France vvho because he spread there the Doctrine of Christ vvas apprehended by the command of Severus and first beaten vvith staves and bats and aftervvards beheaded Asclepiades also aftervvards Bishop of Antioch suffered much in this Persecution Then did Irenaeus and many others vvith him suffer Martyrdom and shortly after Tertullian also Perpetua and Felicitas tvvo godly vvomen vvith Revocatus their brother and Satyrus vvere throvvn to the vvild beasts and devoured by them Saturninus vvas beheaded Secundulus cast into prison where he died all these suffered Martyrdom at Carthage Also Zepherinus and after him Urbanus both Bishops of Rome vvere martyred in this Persecution This Urbanus by preaching and holiness of life converted many heathens unto Christ amongst vvhom vvere Tiburtius and Valerianus tvvo noble men of Rome vvho both suffered Martyrdom Also Cecilia a Virgin vvho vvas espoused to Valerian vvas apprehended carried to the Idols to offer sacrifice vvhich she refusing to do should have been carried to the Judge to receive the sentence of condemnation but the Serjeants and Officers beholding her excellent beauty and prudent behaviour began vvith many persvvasions to solicit her to favour her self c. but she so replied vvith wisedom and godly exhortations that by the grace of Almighty God their hearts began to relent and at length to yield to that Religion which before they persecuted which she perceiving desired leave to go home and sending for Urbanus the Bishop to her house he so grounded and established them in the faith of Christ that about four hundred persons believed and were baptized amongst whom was Gordianus a noble man Afterwards this blessed Martyr was brought before the Judge by whom she was condemned then she was enclosed in an hot bath for twenty four hours yet remaining alive she was there beheaded At Preneste in Italy was one Agapetus of fifteen years old apprehended and because he refused to sacrifice to Idols he was first scourged with whips then hanged up by the feet and had scalding water poured on him then he was cast to the wild beasts but because they would not hurt him he was lastly beheaded Antiochus that executed these torments on him suddenly fell down from his judicial seat crying out that all his bowels burned within him and so he died miserably Calepodius a Minister of Christ in Rome was first dragged thorow the streets and after cast into Tyber Pamachius a Senator of Rome with his wife and Children and other men and women to the number of forty two vvere all beheaded in one day together with another noble man all whose heads vvere hung up over the gates of the City to deter others from the profession of Christianity Also Martina a Christian Virgin having suffered many other bitter torments vvas at last slain vvith the sword CHAP. XII The sixth Primitive Persecution which began Anno Christi 237. THe Emperor Maximinus raised the sixth persecution against the Christians especially against the Teachers and Leaders of the Church thinking that if these Captains were removed out of the way he should the easilier prevail against the rest In the time of this Persecution Origen vvrote his book De Martyrio vvhich being lost the names of most that suffered Martyrdom in those times are buried in oblivion yet were they very many Amongst whom Urbanus Bishop of Rome and Philippus one of his Ministers were banished into Sardinia where they both died About this time one Natalius that had formerly suffered great persecution for the cause of Christ was seduced by Asclepiodotus and Theodorus two Sectaries to be the Bishop of their Sect promising to pay him a hundred and fifty crowns of silver every moneth and so he joined himself to them but the Lord in mercy not intending to lose him that had suffered so much for his sake admonished him by a vision to adjoin himself to the true Church again which the good man for the present blinded with lucre and honour did not regard as he ought to have done The night after he was scourged by Angels whereupon in the morning purting on Sack-cloth with much weeping and lamentation he went to the Christian Congregation praying them for the tender mercies of Christ that he might be received into their Communion again which request was accordingly granted unto him Hippolitus was drawn thorow the fields with wild horses till he died Many others were martyred and buried by sixty in a pit CHAP. XIII The seventh Primitive Persecution which began Anno Christi 250. DEcius the Emperor raised this seventh terrible persecution against the Christians which was first occasioned by reason of the treasures of the Emperor which were committed to Fabian the Bishop of Rome who thereupon by the command of Decius was put to death and moreover his Proclamations were sent into all quarters that all which professed the name of Christ should be slain In the time of this Persecution Origen suffered many and great torments for
the cause of Christ by Rackings Dungeons c. Nicephorus who writeth of this persecution under Decius declareth the horribleness of it to be so great and that so many Martyrs suffered That saith he it is as easie to number the sands of the sea as to set down the names of all those whom this persecution did devour Alexander Bishop of Jerusalem who was very aged having governed the Church forty years was from thence carried to Caesarea where after a bold and constant confession of his faith made before the Judge he was cast into prison and there died Babilas Bishop of Antioch also died in prison and forty Virgins were martyred there about that time And one Peter in the Country of Phrygia being apprehended by the Proconsul suffered most bitter torments for the name of Christ the like did divers others in Troada From Babylon divers Christians were led away by Decius into Spain and there exceuted the like sufferings had many in Caesarea Dionysius Alexandrinus writing of the Martyrs that suffered in Alexandria saith thus This Persecution began about a year before the Emperors Proclamation came forth by reason of a wicked South-sayer who coming to the City stirred up the multitude of heathens against the Christians perswading them to uphold their Idolatrous services wherewith the people being inflamed obtained full power to prosecute their wicked purposes conceiving all Religion to consist in the destruction of the Christians And first of all they fell upon a Minister called Metra whom they would have enforced to blaspheme Christ which when he refused they laid upon him with staves and clubs and with sharp Reeds they pricked his face and eyes and then bringing him to the Suburbs they stoned him to death Then they took an holy woman called Quinta and bringing her to the Idol-Temple would compell her to worship there which she constantly refusing they bound her feet and drew her thorow all the streets upon the hard-stones whipt her with Whips dashed her against Mil-stones and lastly stoned her to death Then the enraged multitude breaking into the Christians houses plundred them of all they had the rest of the lumber they carried into the market-place and burned it The Saints in the mean time taking patiently and joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing that they had a more enduring substance in heaven Then they took an ancient Virgin called Apollinia whom they brought forth and dashing all the teeth out of her head they made a great fire threatning to cast her into it unless she would blaspheme and deny Christ whereupon she after a little pause leaped into the fire and so was burned Then they took Serapion out of his house whom they assailed with all kind of torments broke almost all the joynts of his body and lastly throwing him down from an high loft killed him The poor Christians could no where shelter themselves nor rest day nor night the multitude crying out that unless they would blaspheme Christ they should all be burned But through Gods Mercy the miserable wretches at last fell out amongst themselves turning their cruelty formerly exercised against the Christians upon their own heads whereby the Church had a little breathing time Shortly after came forth the cruel Edict of the Emperor which so terrified the Christians that some especially the rich partly through fear and partly by the perswasion of their Neighbours came to those impure and idolatrous sacrifices Others came boldly to the Altars declaring publickly that they were not of that Religion Of the rest some ran away others were taken enduring bands and torments constantly Others again after long imprisonment and sundry torments renounced their faith whilst others more strong in the faith valiantly endured Martyrdom Amongst whom was Julianus a man diseased with the gout and not able to go and Cronion who were laid upon Camels and there scourged and at last thrown into the fire where with much constancy they were consumed As Julianus went to Martyrdom a certain souldier took his part against those which railed upon him Whereupon the people crying out against him he was apprehended and being constant in his profession was presently beheaded Also Macar a Christian Lybian was burned alive Epimachus and Alexander having been long imprisoned after innumerable pains and torments with rasors and scourges were vvith four women consumed with fire Ammonarion a Virgin Mercuria an aged Matron and Dionysia a mother of many Children whom yet she loved not above the Lord these vvhen they could not be overcome by any torments inflicted on them by the cruel Judge but rather were unsensible of them all vvere at last slain vvith the svvord Also three Egyptians and a youth of fifteen years old vvere brought before the Judge who first began vvith the Child by fair words seeking to entice him then by torments to constrain him which not prevailing when he had tormented the other also he condemned them all to the fire But the Judge wondring at the wise answers and grave constancy of the child dismissed him Nemesion also an Egyptian vvas first accused to be a companion of thieves but being purged from that he vvas accused of Christianity tormented and scourged extreamly and then amongst other thieves burnt to death A certain Christian being examined before the Judge and through fear being ready to shrink back there were by certain souldiers of the degree of Knights and an aged man named Theophilus who were ready to burst for grief making signs to him by their hands and gestures to be constant vvhich being observed by the By-standers they vvere ready to lay hold of them but they of their own accord pressing up to the Judge professed themselves to be Christians which much imboldened the weak Christian that vvas before the tribunal and terrified the Judge This being done they departed away rejoycing for the testimony that they had given of their faith In other Cities many Christians were torn in pieces by the heathen Ischirion a servant to a noble man vvas commanded by his Master to sacrifice to the Idols vvhich vvhen he refused and vvould by no means be perswaded to his Master took a pike and ran him thorovv Multitudes of Christians vvandring in deserts and mountains vvere devoured by hunger thirst cold sickness thieves and vvild beasts amongst vvhom vvas Cheremon Bishop of the City of Nilus and his vvife vvho flying into the mountains of Arabia vvere never heard of more Dionysius also saith of himself I speak the truth before God and lie not I having no regard of my own life and not without the motion of Gods Spirit did flie and avoid the danger of this persecutian Yea and before that when one was sent from the Governor te seek me I remained three days at home to tarry for him The messenger in the mean time narrowly sought
for me by all ways fields floods and corners where he thought I might hide my self God striking him with such blindness that he could not find my house After these three days the Lord God willing and commanding me to flie and marvellously opening to me the way I with my Children and many other brethren vvent out together and so escaped Also Agatha a godly Virgin of Sicilie suffered divers and bitter torments of imprisonment with beatings famine racking as also rolling naked upon sharp shels and hot coals and having her breasts cut off her body Also forty other Virgins by sundry kinds of torments were put to death about the same time Decius erecting a Temple at Ephesus compelled all in the City to offer Sacrifice to Idols but there were seven Christian souldiers of his own Retinue who refused neither could the Emperor by perswasions or threats induce them to it yet he gave them respite till his return from the Wars in the mean time they hid themselves in a cave in the mountain Celius At the Emperors Return he made great inquisition for them and at last hearing where they were he caused the mouth of the cave so to be closed up that they could not get out and so they were famished there There was also one Nicetas a Christian souldier whom when the Praetor could not by any torments remove from his stedfastness he took another course with him for he brought him into a most fragrant garden flowing with all manner of pleasures and delights where he laid him upon a bed of down softly enwrapped in a net of silk among the Lillies and Roses the delicious murmure of the streams and the sweet whistling of the leaves moved with a gentle wind and so departed presently in comes a beautifull strumpet and useth all the abominable tricks of her impure Art and whorish villanies to draw him to commit wickedness with her whereupon the young man fearing that he should now be conquered by folly who was Conqueror over fury bites off a piece of his tongue with his own teeth and spits it into the face of the whore and so prevented the hurt of sin by the smart of his wound At Antioch Theodora a godly Virgin refusing to sacrifice to the Idols was condemned by the Judge to the Stews which sentence being executed there were many wanton young men ready at the door to press into the house where she was but one of the brethren called Didymus putting on a souldiers habit would have the first admittance and coming in he perswaded her to change garments with him and so she in the souldiers habit escaped away and Didymus was left to the rage and wondring of the people when he was found a man hereupon he was presented to the President to whom he presently confessed the whole matter professing himself to be a Christian and so was condemned which Theodora hearing of thinking to excuse him she came and presented her self to the Judge as the guilty party desiring that she might be condemned and the other excused but the cruell Judge neither considering the vertue of the persons nor the innocency of the cause most inhumanely condemned them both first to be beheaded and then burnt which was accordingly executed Agathon a man at arms in Alexandria rebuking some lewd persons who scornfully used the dead bodies of the Christians was accused to the Judge and lost his head In Troada two Christians being delivered by the Proconsul to the people were first scourged then drawn out of the City and there troden to death Two Ministers with a Deacon were martyred in Rome and two noble men were brought and accused to Decius for burying the dead bodies of the Christians and being by him commanded to sacrifice to the Idols and they refusing he caused them to be cast to the wild beasts but when they would not touch them they were beheaded with the sword Also Secundianus was accused to be a Christian which he affirming was commanded to prison by the way two Christians cryed to the souldiers asking them whether they carried the innocent man whereupon being apprehended and examined they confessed themselves to be Christians and were condemned first they were beaten with cudgels then hung up and tormented with the gibbet having fire set to their sides lastly were beheaded But some of their tormentors were taken with evil spirits others of them fell down suddenly and died But the number of Martyrs of all ranks that suffered in this persecution was so great that it is impossible to set them down all Bishops Ministers Deacons c. young old men women c. Yet amongst this great number some there were that fell away as Serapion an old man that for a long time had lived a sincere and godly life who afterwards repenting of his Apostacy desired to be re-admitted into the Church but that was not granted Shortly after he fell sick and in it having remained dumb and bereaved of his senses for twenty four hours the day after he began a little to recover and calling his Nephew to him he said How long how long do you detain me here make haste that I may be absolved Call me hither some of the Ministers c. and so being absolved he presently after died In Troada Nicomachus being grievously tormented cryed out I am no Christian and so being let down from the Engine he had no sooner sacrificed to the Idols but being possessed by the devil he was thrown on the ground where he bit off his own tongue and immediately after died Many others which shewed the like cowardise were taken and tormented with wicked spirits One was struck dumb A maid taken with a wicked spirit tore out her own tongue and died with grievous torments in her belly and inward parts But though some did thus fall away yet others there were whom neither fear nor pain could remove from their stedfastness but they continued glorious Martyrs to the end Cyprian relates a story of one of his fellow-Ministers who in the midst of his torments began to faint being greatly afraid of death and desired to be released at which time there appeared to him a young man of admirable beauty and so bright that mans mortal eye could scarce endure to behold him who angerly said to him Pati timetis exire non vultis quid faciam vobis To suffer you dare not to go out you will not what would you have me do unto you In this Persecution there sprung up the Novatian Schism which made a great disturbance in the Church This Novatus being a Minister under Cyprian in Carthage by stirring up discord and factions bred much trouble to the Church seeking to withdraw certain of the brethren from the Bishop And afterwards Novatus going to Rome set up himself as a Bishop against Cornelius the then Bishop of Rome And to further his design he by
subtilty allured to him three or four holy men that had been Confessors Then he entised three weak Bishops that lived in Italy to come to Rome and there perswaded them by imposing hands upon him to make him Bishop for which fact two of them afterwards were suspended and the third upon his repentance vvas re-admitted Novatus being thus made a Bishop grew proud and sought by all means to with-draw the people from Cornelius to himself yea he made many of them to swear that they would not leave him to go to Cornelius But the holy Confessors before mentioned vvhen they perceived the crafty subtilty of Novatus left him and much grieving for their sin were reconciled to Cornelius again Novatus held this opinion that they which once renounced the faith and for fear of torments had offered incense to the Idols although they repented yet could never be re-admitted into the Church of Christ again To suppress this error there was a Synod called at Rome of sixty Bishops Anno 255. who condemned it Cyprian also relates of Aurelius a godly and valiant young man who for his constancy in the cause of Christ suffered great and many torments and afterwards was banished And of Mappalicus who the day before he suffered in the midst of his torments told the Proconsul Videbis cras agonem to morrow you shall see the running for a Wager and accordingly the next day being brought forth to his Martyrdom he with no less constancy then patience endured faithfull unto the death But Decius the Author of this persecution escaped not the revenging hand of God for warring against the Goths and being overcome by them lest he should fall into their hands he leaped vvith his horse into a whirlpit where he was drowned and his body was never found after Yea God avenged the blood of his Saints upon the whole Roman Empire by sending a general plague of pestilence upon it which continued ten years together and Dionysius saith that in Alexandria vvhere he vvas Bishop there vvas scarce any house clear and though some Christians died in this plague yet it fell most heavy upon the Gentiles The Christians also in this plague shewed much brotherly love each to other by visiting comforting and relieving one another Whereas the Idolaters being stricken with extream fear of the plague none considered his Neighbour but every man shifted for himself and of those that were infected some they cast out of doors half dead to be devoured of dogs and wild beasts some they let die in their houses without all succour others they suffered to lie unburied and durst not come near them notwithstanding vvhich the pestilence followed them whithersoever they vvent and miserably consumed them so that the most part of the Inhabitants were consumed by it in every Country especially in those Provinces where had been the greatest persecutions raised against the Christians After the death of Decius there succeeded Gallus and Volusianus in the Empire Anno Christi 255. who continued this persecution against the Christians which fell most heavy upon the Pastors and Ministers of the Congregations for about this time Cyprian and many other Ministers were banished others were put into the mettal Mines to whom Cyprian wrote an Epistle consolatory wherein he writes thus Wounds and scars are an Ornament to a Christians brest such as bring not shame but honoureth them before the Lord and though in the Mynes there be no beds for their bodies to rest on yet they have rest in Christ and though their weary bones lie on the cold ground yet it 's no pain to lie with Christ. Their feet are fettered with chains but he is bound of man whom the Lord Christ doth loose he lies tied in the stocks whose feet thereby are made swifter to run to heaven neither can any man tie a Christian so fast but he runs so much the faster for his garland of life They have no garments to save them from cold but he that puts on Christ is sufficiently clothed Doth bread fail to their hungry bodies Man lives not by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God Your deformity shall be turned to honour your mourning to joy your pain to pleasure and felicity infinite And if this grieve you that you cannot serve God in your places as formerly yet your daily sacrifice ceaseth not which is a contrite and humble heart and though your travel be great yet shall your reward be greater for God beholding them which confess his name approveth their willing minds in their strivings helpeth them in their victory crowneth them rewarding that in us which he hath performed and crowning that which he hath in us perfected Again he tells them that they are now in a joyfull journey hasting apace to the mansions of the Martyrs there to enjoy after darkness durable light and comfort above all their sufferings c. About the same time also Lucius Bishop of Rome was banished After the death of Gallus and Volusianus there succeeded Valerianus who ceased the persecution and carried himself exceeding friendly to the Christians so that his whole Court was replenished with holy Saints and servants of Christ whereby his house seemed a Church of God But the Devil envying the peace of the Church by the means of an Egyptian Enchanter who was hindred from doing his feats by the presence of the Christians stirred up the Emperor against them who grew to such impiety himself that he sacrificed young infants to his Idols quartered their bodies divided the Entrails of young Children new born c. as hereafter follows CHAP. XIV The eighth Primitive Persecution which began An. Christi 259. VAlerianus being seduced by the Egyptian Inchanter as is before related stirred up the eighth persecution against the Church of Christ concerning which Cyprian writeth thus We must confess that this great calamity which hath wasted for the most part all our Churches and still dayly consumes us ariseth chiefly from our own wickedness while we walk not in the way of the Lord nor observe his precepts as we ought whilst we are full of lucre pride emulation dissention void of simplicity and faithfull dealing renouncing the world in word but not in deed every man pleasing himself and displeasing others and therefore we are thus worthily scourged For what stripes do we not deserve when the Confessors themselves do keep no Discipline c. Concluding Non venissent fratribus haec mala si in unum fraternitas fuisset animata These evils had not happened to the brethren if they had joyned together in brotherly unanimity A little before this persecution began God by a vision revealed it to Cyprian saying to him Be quiet and of good comfort for peace will come albeit a little stay there is for a while for that some remain yet to be proved and tried c. The crimes and accusations that were laid
to go into a lime-kiln whereupon by mutual consent they all chose the lime-kiln in which with the smoak of the lime they were smothered In another part of Africk three godly Virgins had first vinegar and gall given them to drink then were they scourged then tormented upon the gibbet and rubbed with lime then were they scorched upon the fiery grid-iron then cast to the wild beasts which would not touch them therefore lastly they were beheaded In Italy a godly man was first tormented with the rack then cast to the wild beasts which not hurting him he was burned in the fire Fructuosus a Bishop in Spain with his two Deacons having witnessed a good confession were all of them burned in the fire But this cruel Emperor Valerian who thus persecuted the Saints of God shortly after felt the revenging hand of God for in an expedition that he made against the Persians he was taken prisoner by Sapores the King who made a foot-stool of him every time that he gat upon his horse and at last by the command of the King he was flaied alive powdered with salt and so ended his wretched life Also Claudius a President and Minister of his persecutions was possessed by the Devil and biting off his tongue in small pieces he ended his wretched life Also there were great terrible Earth-quakes and many commotions and Rebellions in sundry parts of the Empire insomuch as Galienus the son of Valerian and his fellow Emperor began to relent towards the Christians and set forth some Edicts in their favour notwithstanding which some there were that suffered in sundry places amongst whom was one Marinus a noble man and valiant Captain in Caesarea who stood for an honourable office which of right fell to him but his Competitor to prevent him accused him to the Judge to be a Christian. Hereupon the Judge examined him of his faith and finding that indeed he was a Christian he gave him three hours to advise and deliberate with himself then the Bishop of the place finding that he stood doubtfull in himself what to do took him by the hand and led him into the Church and laid before him a sword and a New Testament bidding him take his free choice which of them he would have Marinus immediately ran to the New Testament and chose that and so being animated by the Bishop he presented himself boldly before the Judge by whose sentence he was beheaded About the same time there was in Caesarea Asyrius a noble Senator of Rome and a Christian and whereas the Gentiles in that place used to offer sacrifice by a fountain side which sacrifice by the working of the Devil used suddenly to vanish out of their sight to the great admiration of the deluded multitude Asyrius pitying their miserable ignorance came amongst them and lifting up his eyes to heaven prayed to God in the name of Christ that the people might no longer be thus seduced by the Devil whereupon the sacrifice was seen to swin upon the fountain and ever after that false miracle ceased After the death of Galienus there succeeded Claudius a quiet Emperor and after him Quintilianus his brother both which reigning nineteen years the Church enjoyed peace in their time Here place the third Figure CHAP. XV. The ninth Primitive Persecution which began An. Christi 278. AFter the death of Quintillian succeeded Aurelian in the Empire who was by nature severe and rigorous and a strict punisher of dissolute manners so that it grew into a Proverb That he was a good Physitian saving that he gave too bitter Medicines In the beginning of his reign he was a moderate and discreet Prince and no great disturber of the Christians whom he neither molested in their Religion nor in their Councels But afterwards through sinister suggestions of those which were about him his nature being before inclinable to severity he was altered to plain Tyranny which he first shewed in the death of his own sisters son and afterwards he raised the ninth persecution against the Church of Christ but when he was about to sign a Proclamation or Edict for that persecution it pleased God that a thunderbolt fell so near him that all men thought he had been slain and the Emperor was so terrified thereby that he gave over his Tyrannical purpose so that he rather intended then moved persecution Having reigned about six years he was slain After whose death divers other Emperors succeeded in whose time the Church had peace for about the space of forty four years During which time it did mightily increase and flourish Yea the more the Christians had suffered the more they were honoured Insomuch as some of the Emperors did singularly favour them preferred and made them Governors of Provinces Dorotheus with his Wife Children and whole family were accepted and highly advanced in the Emperors Court Yea Gorgonius and divers others for their Doctrine and Learning were with their Princes in great estimation The Bishops were also in great favour with the Rulers and Presidents where they lived so that innumerable multitudes and Congregations assembled together in every City and there were great concourses of such as daily flocked to the publick places of prayer But through this great prosperity the Christians by reason of the corruption of their natures and the temptations of Satan began to degenerate and to grow idle and delicate striving and contending amongst themselves upon every occasion with railing words bespattering one another in a despitefull manner Bishops against Bishops and people against people moving hatred and sedition each against other Besides cursed hypocrisie and dissimulation increased more and more by reason whereof Gods Judgements brake forth against them which began first to fall upon those Christians which were souldiers but that touched the other very little neither did they seek to appease Gods wrath nor to call for Mercy but thinking that they should escape well enough they heaped iniquities daily more and more one upon another The Pastors being inflamed with mutual contention each against other Then did the Lord raise up adversaries against his people that rased their Churches to the ground burnt the sacred Scriptures in the open Market places made the Pastors of the Church to hide themselves and some with great shame were taken Prisoners and were mocked of their enemies and put to open reproach CHAP. XVI The tenth Primitive Persecution which began Anno Christi 308. DIoclesian and Maximian having many wars associated to themselves two Caesars Galerius who was sent into the East against the Persians and Constantius who was sent into Britain where he married Helena the daughter of King Coel a Maiden excelling in beauty and no less famous for her Studies and Learning by whom he had Constantine the Great These two Emperors having obtained many victories were so puffed up with pride that they ordained a solemn Triumph at Rome After
to the sword hereupon they strove who should submit their necks to the stroke Mauritius encouraged them greatly hereunto and being called before the Emperour he said Wee O Emperour your souldiers and yet the servants of God owe thee service of war but to him innocency of thee we receive wages but of him life therefore we cannot obey thee to deny God our Lord and yours also will ye nil ye We are ready to obey you if you enforce us not to disobey him Otherwise we will rather obey him then you We offer here our hands against any other enemies but to defile our hands with the bloud of innocents we may not These hands of ours have â—kil to fight against wicked enemies but not to murther godly friends c. We have engaged our faith to God we cannot be true to you if we break covenant with him c. We see our brethren and fellows in arms cruelly put to the sword which we rejoyce in that they have been counted worthy to suffer for Christs sake c. Behold here we cast down our weapons and had rather to be killed then to kill and to die guiltlesse then to live guilty We are ready to suffer what more you shall appoint yea bâ—th fire sword or any other torments We confesse our selves to be Christians wee cannot persecute Christians nor sacrifice to your devillish Idols The Emperour being highly incensed with this answer commanded the second time the tenth man to be slain which being accomplished when the Christian souldiers would not yet condescend to his minde he set upon them with his whole host both of foot and horse charging them to kill them all the Christians made no resistance but throwing down their arms offered their naked necks to the persecutors and so were all slain At that time one Victor an old souldier that for his age was dismissed coming to the Army as they were banquetting and making merry with the spoils of the Martyrs was bidden to sit down with them but he asked them what was the cause of there mirth and understanding the trutâ— he detested them and refused to eat with them and being thereupon demanded whether he were a Christian he answered that he was and ever would be Then they rushed upon him and made him partaker of the lik Martyrdom and honour When Dioclesian and Maximian notwithstanding all the slaughter which they made saw the number of Christians rather increased then diminished so that they were out of all hope of utter rooting them out and having now even their fill of blood they ceased at last of their own accord from putting any more Christians to death Yet of a great multitude they thrust out their right eies and maimed their right legs at the ham with a searing iron condemning them to the Metal-mynes not so much for their labour as desirous to afflict them thereby and so having raigned together about one and twenty years Dioclesian divested himself of the imperial Dignity and lived a private life and the like did Maximian also resigning the Empire to Galerius Maximinus and Constantius Maximinus was of a cruel Nature a great Enchanter vicious in his life and a great enemy to the Christians and therefore continued the Persecution of them yet at length was revoked from his cruelty by the just Judgement of God upon him For he was suddenly taken with an horrible and filthy disease which first began outwardly in his flesh and then proceeded more inwardly his privy members putrified with a botchy corrupt boil and a fistula consuming and eating up his Entrails whence swarmed forth an innumerable company of lice with such a pestiferous stink that no man could abide him he being also very gross his fat putrified and stank intollerably and because his Physitians could not abide the stink he commanded them to be slain others of them because they could not cure his incurable disease he put them to cruel deaths At last being told that his disease came from God he began to bethink himself of all the cruelty which he had shewed to the Saints confessed his offences to God and gave command that the Persecution against the Christians should cease requiring his Officers likewise to re-edifie their Temples and requesting them to pray to their God for him This Edict much comforted and refreshed the Christians who thereupon gathered together in every City called their Synods and Councels yea the Infidels themselves extolled and magnified the true God of the Christians But this Tyrant Maximinus scarce suffered this peace to continue six moneths together but again he forbad the Christians to meet and privately stirred up the Athenians to petition him that none of them might be suffered to live in their City Also a Conjurer in Athens made an Image of Jupiter which uttered these words Jupiter commandeth the Christians to be banished out of this City and Suburbs because they are enemies to him Also certain harlots were suborned to say that they formerly were Christians and privy to the wicked and lascivious acts which they exercised amongst themselves upon Sabbath daies c. And thereupon the Emperor commanded that they should put them to death by all means possible Then did the Persecution grow as great as ever it was and the Governors of every Province fell upon the Christians banishing some and putting others to death Silvanus Bishop of Emissa a very old man and three others with him were condemned to death So was Lucianus an Elder at Antioch At Alexandria Peter the Bishop was beheaded Quirinus Bishop of Scescanus had an hand-mill tied about his neck and was thrown head-long into a river where yet he floted a great while exhorting the lookers on not to be dismaid with his punishment and so with much ado was at last drowned At Rome many Bishops Ministers and Elders were put to death In sundry other places very many others suffered martyrdom with fire wild beasts drowning in the sea c. Some were crucified some were slain with the sword some endured the cutting and burning of their members some had their eyes thrust out some were starved in prisons and whatsoever other cruelty the Magistrates could devise All which the people of God endured rather then they would offer sacrifice to the Idols The like miseries did the women also endure for being inticed to the filthy use of their bodies some rather chose banishment and others to prevent it killed themselves Neither could Christians live safely in the wilderness but even from thence they were drawn to torments and death And whereas the Tyrant in his Edict had boasted of the plenty and prosperity of all things in the time of his persecuting of the Saints God to confute him presently sent great drought famine and pestilence besides the wars with the Armenians by which calamities the people were miserably wasted corn was sold at an unreasonable rate so that exceeding great multitudes died of hunger
in the Cities but far more in the villages most part of the husband-men dying of famine and the pestilence Divers brought out their best treasure and gave it for any kind of sustenance though never so little Others having sold their possessions for food fell into extream misery Some did eat grass others fed upon unwholsom herbs whereby they hurt and poisoned their bodies Many women were driven to leave the Cities and beg up and down through the countrey some through faintness fell down in the streets and holding up their hands cryed miserably for some scraps or fragments of bread being ready to give up the Ghost and being able to say no more they cryed Hungry hungry Some of the richer sort being tired with serving such multitudes of beggers began to grow hard-hearted fearing lest themselves should fall into the like misery By reason whereof the Market-places streets and lanes lay full of dead corpses and naked bodies were cast out unburied many of which were devoured by dogs whereupon they which lived fell to killing of the dogs lest running mad they should fall upon them and kill them The pestilence also scattering through all houses killed very many especially those of the richer sort which escaped the famine whereby innumerable Magistrates Princes and Presidents were quickly dispatched so that all places were filled with mourning and nothing was seen or heard but weeping and wailing every where Death so reigned in every family that two or three dead bodies were carried out of one house together But notwithstanding that these miscreants had been so cruel to them yet the Christians were very diligent and charitable to them in all their extremities travelling every day some in curing the sick some in burying of their dead others called the multitude together which were ready to famish and distributed bread unto them whereby they occasioned them to glorifie the God of the Christians and conâ—essed them to be the true worshippers of God as appeared by their works and hereby the Lord wrought wonderfully for the peace of his Church for after he had corrected them he again shewed thâ—m mercy Constantine succeeding his father overcame Maxentius the Tyrant in Rome and he together with Licinius set forth Edicts in favour of the Christians See Constantines life in my second part of lives Yet Maximinus continued his persecution in the East whereupon Constantine and Licinius wrote to him to favour the Christians and he finding that he was too weak to encounter with them sent forth his Edicts to stop the persecution yet afterwards he picked new quarrels with them and began to persecute them again whereupon Licinius went against him and overthrew him in a battell Then did Maximinus kill many of his enchanters and conjurers that had encouraged him and promised him victory Shortly after the Lord striking him with a grievous disease he glorified the God of the Christians and made a Law for the safety and preservation of them yet not long after by the vehemency of his disease he ended his life Licinius that for a long time had pretended to the Christian religion and lived in great familiarity with Constantine who had given him his sister Constantia to be his wife began afterwards to discover his hypocrisie and the wickednesse of his nature secretly conspiring the death of Constantine but the Lord discovering and preventing his conspiracies he then fell out with him and manifested his hatred of the Christian religion being puffed up with the victory that he had got against Maximinus He quarrelled with the Christians because as he said they praied not for him but for Constantine and thereupon he first banished them all from his Court then he deprived all the Knights of their honourable order except they would sacrifice to devils then he commanded that the Bishops should have no meetings to consult about their Ecclesiastical affairs nor that any Christians should come to the Churches or hold any assemblies then that men and women should not meet together to pray that women should not hear the Bishops but chuse out women to instruct them then that none should help or succour those that were in prison nor should bestow any alms upon them though they should die for hunger and that they which shewed any compassion to those which were condemned to death should suffer the like punishment themselves then he persecuted the Bishops and slew those which were the most eminent of them the flattering officers also which were about him thinking to please him thereby slew many Bishops without any cause yea many of their bodies they cut into gobbets and threw them in to the sea to feed fishes Some were banished others had their goods confiscated many noblemen and gentlemen were privily made away and Licinius gave their unmarried daughters to wicked varlets to be defloured himself also violated many women both wives and maidens This cruelty made many godly persons voluntarily to forsake their houses and to live in woods mountains and desarts He caused Theodorus to be hanged upon a crosse to have nails thrust into his arm-pits and afterwards to be beheaded Divers other Bishops had their hands cut off with a fearing iron In Sebastia fourty Christian souldiers in the vehement cold winter were cast into an Horse-pond where they ended their lives the wives of these fourty men were carried to Heraclea where together with a Deacon of that place after they had suffered innumerable torments they were slain with the sword Constantine being informed of all this wickednesse raised an Army went against him overcame him twice and at last caused him to be put to death as you may see in Constantines life in my second part whereby the Church obtained a generall peace Yet in this tenth Persecution many other eminent Christians suffered Martryrdom besides those before-named Galerius in his time invaded Antioch intending to force all Christians to renounce Christ at what time they were assembled together whereupon one Romanus ran to them declaring that the wolves were at hand which would devour them yet he exhorted them not to fear by reason of the perill and through Gods grace the Christians were greatly encouraged by him so that old men and matrons fathers mothers young men and maidens were all of one minde being willing to shed their bloud in defence of their profession A band of armed men were sent against them which were not able to wrest the staff of faith out of their hands hereupon they sent word to their Captain that they could not inforce the Christians to deny their faith by reason of Romanus who did so mightily encourage them then did the Captain command that he should be brought before him which was done accordingly What saith the Captain art thou the author of this sedition art thou the cause that so many lose there lives By the Gods I swear thou shalt answer for them all and shalt suffer those torments that thou encouragest
them to undergo Romanus answered Thy sentence O Emperour I willingly embrace I refuse not to be sacrificed for my brethren and that by as cruel torments as thou canst invent c. The Captain being much enraged with this his stout Answer commanded him to be trussed up and his bowels drawn out whereupon the Executioners said Not so Sir this man is of noble parentage and therefore he may not be put to so ignoble a death Scourge him then quoth the Captain with whips with knobs of lead at the ends but Romanus sang Psalms all the time of his whipping requiring them not to favour him for nobilities sake Not the bloud of progenitors saith he but the Christian profession makes me noble then did he earnestly inveigh against the Captain and derided their Idoll gods c. but this further enraged the Tyrant so that he commanded his sides to be lanced with knives till the bones were laid open yet still did the holy Martyr preach the living God and the Lord Jesus Christ to him then did the Tyrant command them to strike out his teeth that his speech might be hindered also his face was buffeted his eye-lids torn with their nails his cheeks gashed with knives the skin of his beard pulled off by litle and little c. yet the meek Martyr said I thank thee O Captain that thou hast opened to me so many mouths as wounds whereby I may preach my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ look how many wounds I have so many mouths I have lauding and praising God The Captain astonished at his constancy bad them give over tormenting him yet he threatned to burn him reviled him and blasphemed God saying thy crucified Christ is but a yesterdaies God the gods of the Gentiles are of greatest antiquity But Romanus taking occasion from hence declared to him the eternity of Christ c. withall saying Give me a child of seven years old and thou shalt hear what he will say hereupon a pretty boy was called out of the multitude to whom Romanus said Tell me my pretty babe whether thou think it reason that we worship Christ and in Christ one Father or else that we worship infinite gods the child answered that certainly what we affirm to be God must needs be one which with one is one and the same and inasmuch as this one is Christ of necessity Christ must be the true God for that there be many gods we children cannot beleeve The Captain amazed at this said thou young villain and traitor where and of whom learnedst thou this lesson of my mother said he with whose milk I sucked in this lesson that I must believe in Christ The mother was called and she gladly appeared the Tyrant commanded the child to be horsed up and scourged the standers by beholding this mercilesse act could not refrain from tears the joyfull and glad mother alone stood by with dry cheeks yea she rebuked her sweet babe for desiring a cup of cold water charging him to thirst after the cup that the babes of Bethlem once drunk of She willed him to remember little Isaac who willingly proferred his neck to the â—int of his fathers sword c. Then did the cruell tormentor pull off the skin hair and all from the crown of the childes head the mother crying Suffer my child anon thou shalt passe to him that will adorn thy head with a crown of eternall glory thus the mother councelleth and encourageth the childe is encouraged and receiveth the stripes with a smiling countenance The Captain seeing the childe invincible and himself vanquished commands him to be cast into the stinking prison whilest the torments of Romanus were renewed and encreased Then was Romanus brought forth again to receive new stripes upon his old sores the flesh being torn and the bare bones appearing yet the cruell Tyrant raging like a mad man quarelling with the tormentors for dealing so mildely with him commanding them to cut prick and pounce him and then he passed sentence upon him together with the childe to be burned to death to whom Romanus said I appeal from this unjust sentence of thine to the righteous throne of Christ that upright Judge not because I fear thy cruell torments and mercilesse handling but that thy Judgements may be known to be cruell and bloudy When they came to the place of execution the tormentors required the childe of his mother for she had carried it in her arms from the prison She kissing it delivered it to them and as the executioner was striking off his head she said farewell my sweet childe All laud and praise with heart and voice O Lord we yeeld to thee To whome the death of all thy Saints We know most dear to be The childes head being cut off the mother wrapt it in her garment laid it to her brest and so departed Then was Romanus cast into a mighty fire which being quenched with a great storm the Tyrant commanded his tongue to be cut out and afterwards caused him to be strangled in the prison Gordius a Centurion in Caesarea in the heat of this persecution left his charge living a solitary life in a wilderness for a long time at last when a solemn feast was celebrated to Mars in that city and multitudes of people were assembled in the Theatre to see the games he came and gat up into a conspicuous place and with a loud voice said Behold I am found of those which sought me not c. the multitude hereupon looked about to see who it was that spake this and Gordius being known he was immediatly brought before the Sheriff and being asked who and what he was and why he came thither he told him the whole truth professing that he believed in Christ valued not their threatnings and chose this as a fit time to manifest his profession in then did the Sheriff call for scourges gibbets and all manner of torments to whom Gordius answered that it would be a losse and damage to him if he did not suffer divers torments and punishments for Christ and his cause the Sheriff more incensed hereby commanded all those torments to be inflicted on him with which Gordius could not be overcome but sang The Lord is my helper I will not fear what man can do unto me and I will fear no evill because thou Lord art with me c. then did he blame the tormentors for favouring him provoking them to do their uttermost then the Sheriff not prevaling that way sought by flattery to seduce him promising him preferment riches treasures honour c. if he would deny Christ but Gordius derided his foolish madness saying that he looked for greater preferment in heaven then he could give him here upon earth then was he condemned and had out of the city to be burnt Multitudes followed him and some Kissing him with tears entreated him to pity himself to whom he answered Weep
and so kneeling down and praying unto Christ the executioner with his bloudy hand finished her hope Basil in one of his Orations relates a story of one Jullitta from whom one of the Emperours officers tooke all her goods lands and servants contrary to all equity whereupon she complained to the Judges and a day of hearing was appointed where the spoiled woman lamentably declared her cause But the wicked villain that had robbed her said that her Action was of no force for she was an outlaw for not observing the Emperours gods and that she was a Christian His allegation was allowed incense was prepared for her to offer to the gods which if she refused she should neither have protection nor benefit of the Emperours Laws nor continue her life She hearing this in the mighty strength of God said Farewell riches welcome pouerty farewell life welcome death All that I have were it a thousand times more would I lose rather then speak one wicked word against God my Creator I yield thee most hearty thanks O my God for this gift of grace that I can contemn and despise this frail and transitory world esteeming the profession of Christ above all treasures And thenceforth when any question was proposed to her her answer was I am the servant of Jesus Christ. Her kindred and friends earnestly sollicited her to change her minde but she constantly refused with detestation of their Idolatry Then did the cruel Judge condemn her to be burnt which sentence she embraced joyfully as a thing most sweet and delectable and so she addressed her self to the flames in countenance gesture and words declaring the joy of her heart coupled with singular constancy and so embracing the fire she sweetly slept in the Lotd Barbara a noble woman in Thuscia after miserable imprisonment sharp cords and burning flames put to her sides was as last beheaded together with many others Here place the fourth Figure CHAP. XVII The Persecution of the Christians in Persia under Sapores about the same time THE Idolatrous Magicians in Persia taking counsell together against the Christians accused them to Sapores for keeping correspondence with and favoring the Roman Emperour which was Constantine the Great The King being much moved herewith took occasion to oppress them with taxes and tributes to their utter undoing and killed there Ministers with the sword Then he called before him Simeon their Bishop who remaining constant and valiant he commanded him to be led forth to torment yet did he neither shrink for fear nor make any humble suit for pardon which the King being offended at required him either to worship him after the countrey manner or else he would destroy him and all other Christians in his land But Simeon neither allured with promises nor terrified with threatnings could be induced to the Idolatrous worship for which cause he was sent away to prison and as he was going there was sitting at the Court-gate an Eunuch an old Tutor of the Kings named Usthazares once a Christian but now fallen from his profession who seeing Simeon led by rose up and did him reverence Simeon on the contrary rebuked him crying out against him for revolting from his profession Whereupon the Eunuch burst forth into tears layd aside his costly apparell and put on black mourning weeds and sitting at the Court-gate weeping he said to himself Wo is me with what face hereafter shall I look upon God seeing Simeon disdaineth with one gentle word to salute me This being carried to the Kings ears he was exceeding angry and sending for him he first with gentle words and large promises spake him fair and asked him why he mourned Whether there was any thing in his house that was denied him c. Whereunto Usthazares answered that there was nothing in that earthly house that was detained from him Yea said he O King would God any other grief or calamity in the world had happened to me rather then this for which I justly sorrow For this is my grief that I am alive this day who should have died long since and that I see this sun which dissemblingly to pleasure you I have seemed to worship for which I have deserved a double death First for dissembling with you secondly for that thereby I have denied Christ withall vowing that he would never hereafter forsake the Creator to worship the creature c. Sapores was much astonished hereat and doubted whether to use him gently or with rigour but at last in his mood he commanded him to be beheaded But as he was going to execution he requested an Eunuch that attended on the King to desire him for all the old and faithfull service that he had done to his father and him that he would cause it to be proclaimed openly at his death that he was beheaded not for any treachery against the King or Realm but for that he was a Christian and would not deny his God this the King yielded to and so it was performed and this he desired because by his former Apostacy he dad discouraged many Christians and therefore he sought by his profession and example to encourage them to the like sufferings Simeon in prison hearing of his death much rejoyced and praised God for it and the very next day he with above an hundred more Christians were beheaded likewise There was present at their Martyrdom one Pusices an officer to the King who beholding an aged Minister to tremble when he saw the others beheaded before him said unto him O father shut thine eys for a little moment and be strong and shortly thou shallt see God in glory Hereupon Pusices was apprehended and carried before the King in whose presence he made a bold confession of his faith for which cause they made a hole in his neck and pulled out his tongue backward and so he was put to death together with one of his daughters that was a virgin The year after when the Christians were met together to celebrate the memoriall of Christs passion Sapores sent forth a cruel Edict that all they should be put to death that professed the Name of Christ and this he did at the instigation of the wiâ—ked Magicians whereupon an innumerable company of Christians both in Cities and Towns were slain by the sword some being sought for others offering themselves willingly least they should seem to deny Christ In this Persecution many of the Kings own Court and houshold-servants suffered Martyrdom amongst whom was Azades an Eunuch whom the King entirely loved insomuch as hearing that he was slain he was so offended and grieved that he commanded that thenceforth no more Christians should be slain but only the Doctors and Teachers of the Church About this time the Queen fell very sick upon which occasion the wicked Jews and Magicians accused two of Simeons sisters which were godly virgins that by charms and
the Arrian Vandals which began Anno Christi 427. THE cruel Vandals passing out of Spain into Africk under Genserick their Captain finding the Province peaceable and quiet set upon the flourishingest part of the land wasting and destroying all before them with fire and sword not sparing so much as the shrubs and bushes which bare fruit lest they should minister relief to those poor Christians which hid themselves in dens in mountains and steep cliffs But especially they raged against the Churches and Temples of the Saints burning all them to the ground and where they found any of them shut they brake them open with their Maces The Bishops and Ministers they destroyed especially with many kinds of torments seeking by tortures to force them to deliver up whatsoever gold and silver they had of their own or belonging to the Church and where they gat any they still tormented them afresh to inforce them to confess more The mouths of some they wrested open with iron thrusting into them stinking mire and dirt Some they tormented by wresting their fore-heads and legs with bow-strings till they crackt again Into the mouths of others they poured sea-water vinegar with the dregâ— of oyl and grease and neither weakness of sex nor respect of nobility nor reverence of their Ministry mitigated their cruel minds yea their fury most abounded where there appeared any dignity or worthiness Many of the Ministers and Nobles they loaded with mighty burthens as if they had been Camels or Horses and made them carry them after them and if they went slowly they hasted them with iron pricks and goads so that some of them under their burthens gave up the ghost Reverend gray hairs found no priviledge of Mercy guiltless Infants felt their barbarous rage whom they dashed against the ground violently pulling little ones from their mothers breasts to brain them of others by wide stretching of their tender legs they tore them in pieces from the fundament the stately buildings they burnt down and levelled with the earth The chief Churches in Carthage they imployed to their own heretical worship Where any strong Castles were held against them they brought multitudes of Christians slew them and left their bodies lying about the Castles that by the stench thereof they might force them to surrender Who can express the number of Ministers that were by them tortured Pampinian the Bishop of Mansuetus was tortured with burning plates of iron all over his body The Bishop of Urice was burnt to death Then did they also besiege the City of Hippo where St. Augustine was who before that time had compiled two hundred thirty two Books Epistles innumerable besides his Expositions on the Psalms and Gospels and his Homilies to the people See more of this in my first part of lives in the life of St. Austine When they had taken the Regal City of Carthage they enslaved the Citizens and Senators publishing a decree that they should presently bring forth whatsoever gold silver precious stones or rich apparel they possessed and thereby dispoiled them of all in one day Then did they take the Bishop and all the Ministers of that City and thrust them naked into weather broken-ships and so banished them whom yet the Lord of his great Mercy directed and brought in safety to the City of Naples The Senators and Nobles they first banished from the City and then drave them beyond-sea The dead bodies of the Christians they would not suffer to be buried but in the night and without any solemnity The Bishops and Ministers through all the Province being dispoiled of all their substance and turned out of their Churches assembled together and presented a petition to Genserick that they might at least in private be suffered to instruct their people to whom he proudly answered I have decreed that none of your profession shall remain in the countrey how then dare you prefer such a request and withal he would at that instant have drowned them all in the sea but that the importunity of some about him stopt him There was also a noble Earl called Sebastian a man of great wisdom and courage whom Genserick much feared and therefore sought occasion to put him to death which that he might the better effect he moved him to be re-baptized by one of his Priests and to turn Arrian the Earl therefore requested him to call for a fine manchet which being done he said This loaf that it might be fine and white hath been boulted from the bran moistened with liquor and baked but if you now cause it to be broken in pieces steeped in water kneaded and baked again if it come out better I will do as you would have me Genserick understanding his meaning could not tell what to answer for the present yet afterwards he caused him to be put to death If any Minister in his Sermon occasionally did but mention Pharaoh Nebuchadrezzer Herod c presently it was laid to his charge that he meant it by the King and thereupon he was banished Yet notwithstanding all this cruelty the people of God stood fast in their holy profession and rather increased then otherwise Afterwards at the request of Valentinian the Emperour Genserick suffered the Orthodox in Carthage to choose them a Bishop which they did and not long after Genserick with his Vandals took the famous City of Rome carrying away with him not only all the treasure that of a long time had been stored up there but many of the people also who when they were brought into Africk were shared between the Vandals and the Moors so that husbands were separated from their wives parents from their children which this godly Bishop hearing of he caused all the gold and silver vessels belonging to the Church to be sold for their Redemption that so married persons and parents and children might enjoy the comfort of their relations Then also did he provide food and lodging for them and night and day went amongst them himself to see how they did to minister to their wants and comfort them But this procured him such hatred amongst the Arrians that they sought to slay him but the Lord about this time took him to himself whereby he escaped their malice One of the Gensericks Colonels having some Christian slaves and a beautifull and a godly Virgin amongst them he took occasion to vex them with fetters and torments thereby to force them to re-baptization which they constantly refusing he caused them to be stripped and beaten with ragged cudgels till their flesh was torn in pieces c. At last they were banished to Capsur an heathen Kingdom of the Moors where it pleased God so to bless their labours that many of them were converted and sending for an Orthodox Minister were baptized This coming to Gensericks ears he commanded these servants of God to be drawn at a Chariots tail thorow thickets
of thorns till they were torn in pieces and these newly converted Moors he caused their naked bodies to be haled backwards and forwards thorow bushes and brambles and others of them to be tied to wild beasts and so to be rent in sunder the poor Christians saying thus each to other O brother pray for me God hath fulfilled our desire O this is the way to the kingdom of heaven Genserick further raging against the Orthodox sent one Proculus into the Zeugian Province to dispoil all the Churches of their Ornaments and the Ministers of their books that thereby they might be disabled to holy services which command was executed with all rigour and whereas the Bishop of Habensa refused to deliver them up he was expelled the City and all men at great penalty were forbidden to harbour him so that being above eighty years old he lay naked for a long time under the open skie About Easter when the Christians were met together in a Church to celebrate the remembrance of Christs Resurrection the Arrians with a great power of armed men set upon this innocent company who with their naked swords slew many The Minister that was preaching they shot through the throat with an arrow and such of them as escaped death were by the command of the King executed by sundry kinds of torments In other places when the Christians were administring the Sacrament the Hereticks rushed in amongst them taking the bread and wine and trampling them under their profane feet Then did Genserick command that none but Arrians should bear any office either about himself or his children And a Bishop called Armogastes they took and first nipped his fore-head and legs with bow-strings then did they hang him up by one foot with his head downward yet did he seem to all men as if he slept in a feather-bed which so enraged Theoderick the Kings son that he commanded him to be beheaded but some about him disswaded him from it because said they he will be accounted a Martyr Then was he banished to dig in Mynes yet afterwards he was sent for again and made a Cow-heard near to Carthage that he might be a continual object of scorn There was also one Saturus a noble man eminent for holiness whom the Tyrant much laboured to draw to the Arrian profession but he refusing the King told him that if he presently consented not he should forfeit his house and goods that his Children and slaves should be sould and his wife should be given to the Camel-driver Yet no menaces could shake his faith His wife hearing of her doom went to her husband as he was praying with her garments rent her hair disheveled her Children at her heels and a sucking infant in her hands whom she cast at her husbands feet and took him about the knees saying Have compassion O my sweetest of me thy poor wife and of these thy Children look upon them let them not be made slaves let not me be yoaked to a base Marriage c. that which thou art required to do thou dost it not willingly but by constraint and therefore it will not be laid to thy charge He gave her an answer in the words of Job Thou speakest like a foolish woman thou actest the devils part if thou lovest thy husband thou wouldst never seek to draw him to sin which will procure the second death I am resolved therefore as my Lord commands me to forsake wife children lands house c. that I may be his Disciple and accordingly he was dispoiled of all and turned out a begging yet all were forbidden to harbour him Genserick having reigned thirty seven years and three moneths died Genserick being dead his son Hunrick succeeded him who at first was more moderate to the Christians insomuch as they began to hold their meetings as before time The Manichaean Hereticks he sought out and though most of them were of his own Religion yet he burnt some and banished others At the request of the Emperour Zeno and Placidia his wife he suffered the Church of Carthage to chuse their own Bishop having been destitute of one for twenty four years Then they chose Eugenius an humble holy and charitable man whose fame increasing the Arrian Bishops much envied him and put into the Kings head to forbid him to preach and not to suffer any to enter into the Church that were attired after the manner of the Vandals To which command Eugenius thus answered The house of God is free for all those which enter no man may drive forth The King being incensed with this answer placed tortures at the Church door who when they espied any man or woman in a Vandals habit about to go into the Church clapping flesh-hooks on their heads and twisting them in their hair with a strong twitch they pulled off hair scalp and all whereby some lost their eies and some their lives The women besides these torments they carried thorow the streets to be made a publick laughing-stock yet could they not force them to altar their Religion Then did Hunrick ordain that none of his Countries which dissented from his Religion should receive their ordinary pensions and salaries Then did he send many of them who had been delicately brought up to Utica in the parching heat of the sun to dig the land for corn yet they went cheerfully and comforted themselves in the Lord. Then did he command that no man should be a Knight or bear any publick office except he turned Arrian whereupon very many with invincible courage forsook their honours and offices rather then their faith Many Virgins he caused to be proved by the Midwives in a most shamefull manner hanging them up from the ground with mighty weights at their feet and putting to their sides breasts back and bellies red hot plates of iron to compell them to confess that their Bishops and Ministers lay with them that so he might from thence have an occasion to persecute them Many of these died under the pain and others remained lame and crooked all their lives after yet would they not confess any such thing Then did he banish into the wilderness of Bishops Ministers Deacons and other Members of Christ four thousand nine hundred seventy six some of them being lame with the gout others blind with age Amongst whom also was Foelix Bishop of Abiris possessed with a dead palsie and therefore unable either to go or ride which the cruel King being informed of and requested that he might be suffered to stay he answered if he be not able to ride let wild bulls be coupled to drag him to the place appointed So that they were fain to carry him on a Mules back across as if he had been a sack Then were all these holy Confessors brought to the City of Sicca where the Moors were to receive them and transport them thence to
and Tailleret The lesser part went towards Villars the people seeing their enemies approaching called upon God with fervent prayer then set upon their enemies slew some hurt others and the rest fled The other company going towards Tailleret they of that place were but few in number yet making their prayers to God and commending their cause to him they set valiantly upon their enemies during which bickering they of Villars encouraged by their late success came to help their friends and set so lustily upon their enemies that they put them to flight but in the pursuit of them they fell into an ambush and were environed by their enemies yet through Gods mercy they all escaped without the losse of one man on the enemies side there were so many slain that they were laid together by whole Cart-loads Another party of the enemies going to spoil a rich mans house some of his neighbours not being above seventy set upon them put them to flight took away their Drum and recovered their booty from them Then did the Lord of Trinity send to them telling them how much the Duke and his Dutchesse favoured them and promised himselfe to mediate for them that they might live in peace But whilest by these pretences he sought to make them secure he sent part of his Army to get the hill of Tailleret and another part had already gotten the way that led to the meddow of Tour whereby the Angrognians might have been easily enclosed but they perceiving it immediatly sent some to encounter with their enemies who gat the victory pursued them to their camp and slew very many of them without the losse of one man The Lord of Trinity cunningly excused this attempt and sent to them to draw up a supplication to the Duke which was accordingly done wherein they promised to render all honour and reverence unto God according to his Word and all due obedience to the Duk c. But in the mean time Trinity grievously vexed them of Tailleret upon pretence that they had not presented themselves to treat of this agreement taking their arms from them and causing them to ask pardon on their knees But presently after news was brought them that the enemies had gotten to the top of the mountaine and had taken all the passages whereat they were sore amazed and ran with all speed to defend their wives and children some they saved but the most of their goods were already in the enemies hands who at this time did them much mischiefe Yet after this the Lord of Trinity sent word again to them that were fled that if they would return he would receive them to mercy The poor people most of them trusting to his promise returned but the next morning the enemies came to apprehend them and their Ministers besetting the place on every side Then they that were swift of foot escaped all the rest were taken yet God miraculously delivered them for an old man that could not run so fast as the other was espied by a souldier who ran with a naked sword to have slain him the old man seeing the iminent danger caught him by the legs overthrew him and drew him by the heels down the hill the souldier cryed Help help this villain will kill me hereupon his fellows ran to his rescue but in the mean time the old man escaped and the rest seeing what the old man had done though they had lost their weapons yet took heart of grass and with stones and slings drave away their enemies and thereby they all escaped The next day the souldiers went again to Tailleret robbing spoiling and carrying away all that they could find but most of the people were retired towards Villars Then did the souldiers range all about and took divers prisoners whom they used cruelly and one souldier bit off one of their ears saying I will carry the flesh of this wicked Heretick with me into my Country They found also two women the mother and the daughter in a cave whom they wounded to death and in another cave an old man of an hundred years old with his grand-daughter of eighteen years old that fed him the man they slew the maid they would have ravished who flying from them tumbled down the mountains and died About the same time there was one John Martin that made his boasts every where that if he could meet with the Minister of Angrogne he would slit his nose but shortly after a wolf met him and setting upon him bit off his nose whereupon he ran mad and died miserably A certain souldier promised the Lord of Trinity to bring to him the Minister of Tailleret and accordingly never ceased till he found him but as he was pursuing of him some out of the mountains rescued the Minister and slew the souldier with stones These souldiers were so extream abusive to women that many Papists that lived by sent their daughters into the mountains to the Waldenses to preserve their chastity Then did the Lord of Trinity promise that if they would pay him eight thousand Crowns he would with-draw his Army and be gone They being desirous of Peace sold their Cattel to raise the money but when he had received it he continued his Army there still Then did the Lord of Trinity require them to send away their Ministers till the matter were determined before the Duke or else by his Army he would force them to it whereupon by mutual consent they agreed that the Ministers should with-draw for the present till the Army was retired which was not done without great sighs and lamentations and tears At that time there fell an extraordinary snow so that the people with great difficulty were fain to make way for their Ministers to pass But the Army hearing that the Ministers were gathered together they sent out a company of harquebushers to apprehend them who came but one hour too late to have taken them Then did they search every cave house and chest to seek them whereby they robbed the poor people of all their best things Then did they beset the Ministers house of Angrogne to whom the Lord of Trinity had promised safety but it pleased God that he escaped the souldiers pursued him into the mountains but could not overtake him whereupon they plundred his house burnt his books and writings and so returned The next morning command was given to the Rulers of Angrogne within twenty four hours to deliver up their Minister or else Angrogne should be put to fire and sword They answered that they knew not where he was for the souldiers had driven him over the mountains Then did the souldiers burn houses break the mils spoil the people and do all the mischief they could and so departed The Lord of Trinity left Garisons in the Fortresses and caused the poor Waldenses to maintain them who not content with their wages pillaged and robbed all about them and
the space of two or three moneths he caused fifty of them saith Mathew Paris either to be burnt or burned alive Anno Christi 1239. the King of France having garisoned divers Castles within the country of Albingenses who greatly oppressed them they betook themselves to Armes besieging those Garisons whereupon they sent to the King of France craving that present aid might be sent to them Then did the King of France send the Lord Iohn of Bellemont with a great Army to aid them who comming into that Country besieged the strong Castle of Mont-reall and at last took it together with divers others belonging to the Albingenses whereby the were suppressed for that â—ime But the year after the Earl of Tholouse took Armes againe and assaulted the Earl of Provence who presently sent to the French King for aid and the French that were about Avignion hasted to the reliefe of the Earl of Provence which the Earl of Tholouse hearing of he lay in Ambush in their way and suddenly setting upon them slew many and dispersed the rest and the war so prospered in his hand that in a short space he recovered to his former dominion above 20. Castles from the French and Earl of Provence and sharply punished his Rebels About the same time the Citizens of Millan being provoked thereunto by the Pope and Emperor burnt many of the Albingenses who were their fellow-Citizens Anno Christi 1241. The Earl of Tholouse continuing his warrs against the Earl of Provence almost beat him out of his country so that the Earl of Provence was feigne to send to the Kings of England and France who had married his second daughters to mediate for him and they writing to the Earl of Tholouse obtained peace for their Father in law Anno Christi 1242. the Bishops of Narbonne and Albium and the Seneschall of Carcasson apprehended two hundred of the Albingenses in a certaine Castle of Tholouse who had Bernard Martine of Cathavell and Raimund Agulbuerus for their Pastors and Ministers All these upon examination adhering constantly to the true faith without wavering were cruelly burnt in the flames Vignier Hist. Eccles. And the year following there were 224. more of them burnt likewise Shortly after it pleased God that great contentions arose between the Pope and Emperor whereby the Gospellers enjoyed some breathing time from their former miseries yet Anno Christi 1262. Pope Vrban hearing that through that peace their Doctrine was spread exceedingly he made a Decree in this tenour Albeit we be bound by our office alwaies to endeavour the rooting out the deadly poison of Hereticall pravity from all parts in the Christian world yet now in a speciall manner this duty is incumbent upon us when we perceive this plague to be growne up in our neighborhood through the iniquity of the times to the detriment of the Catho-Faith That therefore the office of the Inquisition may be the more effectually executed against the Hereticks in the province of Lombardy and parts adjacent we enjoyne you upon remission of your sins that you doe your uttermost endeavours for the extirpation of it and that you see that all Papall and Imperiall Lawes be executed against them and for my owne part I will implore the aid of Christian Kings and Princes that Heaven and Earth may be moved against them Anno Christi 1270 Petrus Cadarita and Gulielmus Calonicus were sent as Inquisitors from the Pope into the Kingdom of Arragon severely to punish those that had imbraced the Faith of the Albingenses and amongst others they condemned Arnaldus Castlebonius the viscount and his daughter Ermesenda Countess of Foix They also decreed their memory to be detestable commanding their bones to be digged out of their graves and to be burned They also called Roger the nephew of Ermesenda into judgement for the same crime Anno Christi 1281. There was a great persecution raised against the Gospellers in the Country of Albi by one William de gurdon Captain and president of Carcasson under Phillip the French King who by a proclamation commanded all the Albingenses to be extirpated and searched out of their dens and lurking holes and all such as favoured them to be utterly rooted out as also that the innumerable company of their children which would not be reduced to the Catholike faith and unity of the Church of Rome should not be admitted unto the City of Realmont or the territory thereof nor to the place of any honour or office That such likewise as favoured or concealed any of them should be banished forever from the City of Realmont and their goods wholly confiscated and their children be excluded from all honours and dignities Yet notwithstanding the severity of this Edict God hid and preserved many of them even in Realmont it selfe as Diamonds in dunghils though many of them fled into Arragon and Sicily where they might enjoy more freedom of Conscience Anno Christi 1285. Gareldus and Segarellus of Parma and Dulcinus of Noudria preached and spread the Doctrine of the Albingenses in Parma and in many cities of Lumbardy whereupon Pope Honorius by a publick Edict condemned their Doctrine and commanded them to be rooted out Bzorius Anno Christi 1300. Pope Boniface commanded Guido the Inquisitor to dig up the bodie of Hermanus one of the Albingenses and to condemne and burn it in Ferrara twenty yeares after his death Anno Christi 1315 The Friers Inquisitors raised a great persecution against the Gospellers in Passaw in Austria and burned many of them who continued very constant in the faith took their death very cherefully Amongst the rest one of them that was burnt at Vienna confessed that their were eighty thousand of them in Bohemia and Austria at that time their cheifest Ministers were Bartholomew Faustus Iames Iustus Bononatus William and Gilbert of whom James was murthered between two walls by the Mercilesse Inquisitors Bononatus was burned alive and William Gilbert and Bartholomew were condemned after their death the house where they used to preach was pulled to the ground and all that adhered to them were Anathematized Anno Christi 1322. Lollard Walterus from whom our English professors were called Lollards was taken at Collen where he had privately preached and through Gods blessings drawne many from ignorance and errors to imbrace the truth persisting constantly in his opinions he was condemned and burned alive Yet notwithstanding all cruelties used against them their enemies could never prevail to a totall extirpation of them but they still lay hid like sparkles under the ashes desiring and longing to see that wich now through Gods grace their posterity do injoy viz. The liberty to call upon God in purity of conscience without being inforced to any superstition and idolatry and so instructing their children in the service of God the Lord was pleased to preserve a Church amongst them in the middest of the Romish corruptions as a Diamond
most of the Ministers were turned out of their places so that they durst not preach nor pray but in private And a certaine Noble man having apprehended six of the Brethren cast them into prison and when they were brought forth to be burnt they went chearfully to the fire and when the chief officer taking affection to one of them offered him his life if he would recant his error profering him withall to give him a years time to consider of it he pawsed a while but by and by answered It is too much by such a delay to lose my Brethrens company and so going along with them they were burned together Shortly after the Chancellor that had procured the passing of the Edict against the Brethren as he returned from the Parliament visiting a certaine Noble man by the way he with great pleasure reported to him what was agreed upon against the brethren The Noble man having a servant by that was much edicted to the discipline of the Brethren asked him how he liked it the servant answered that all were not agreed The Chancellor suspecting some new conspiracy asked him who durst oppose the States of the Kingdom c the servant said In heaven there is one who if he were not present at your counsels you have consulted in vain The Chancellor replied Thou knave thou shalt finde that as well as the rest And rising up in fury immediately a Carbuncle rose upon his foot which turned to a disease called Ignis sacer whereof he died miserably Another of the great sticklers in this businesse returning homewards as he was a lighting out of his Chariot to make water he struck his member on a sharp nail that was in the boot whereby he drew out his entrails with him and not long after he gave up the ghost Also D· Augustine who by slanderous libels had endeavoured to stirre up the King against the Brethren died suddenly as he was at supper Another Noble man of these persecutors as he was hunting his horse threw him and his arrow ran into his thigh and came out at his loins whereby he died a most paineful death Many others of them felt the like judgements of God so that it grew into a proverbe amongst them If you be weary of your life attempt something against the Piccards and you shall not escape a year to an end About this time God stirred up in Germany undaunted Luther the thunderbolt against the Pope which occasioned many of the Calixtines to resolve to embrace the purer Doctrine of the Gospel and to seek for the Ordination of their Ministers from Wittenberg rather then from Rome But amongst these there was one Zahere an Apostate who to ingratiate himselfe with the King and Pope would enforce the Pastors and Citizens of Prague to subscribe to sundry Articles or else they must be proscribed And first of all six Pastors were banished then sixty five of the chiefest Citizens Then to colour greater cruelty a rumour was spread abroad of a conspiracy made by the Brethren against the Calixtines and to extort a confession hereof three Citizens were brought to the rack who rather chose to suffer all torments then falsly to accuse the innocent Yet divers were persecuted Amongst others a Cutler that had found an Orthodox Book about the Sacraments was whipped openly in the market-place and banished Another was branded in the forehead a third was thrust into prison and there murthered Then in the Assembly of Estates it was decreed that the Mandate of the King should be put in execution against the Piccards Whereupon a new persecution was raised against the Brethren their Churches being shut up and their Exercises forbidden Anno 1526. A godly and learned man together with his Hostesse with whom he lodged a widow of sixty years old were both burnt in the fire for Picardism together with the books that were found about them Another godly woman being brought before the Magistrate made a hold profession of her faith and then being required to prepare her garments to be burnt in she answered They are ready leade me away when you please The Crier declaring openly that she had blaâ—phâ—med she with a loud voice denied it saying It is false I am condemned because I deny the Reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament give no credit to these Priests they are dissembling Hypâ—crites Adulterers Sodomites Epicures c. Being commanded to pray to the Crucifix she turned her back to it and lifting up her eyes to heaven she said There is our God thither we must look and so chearfully mounting the pile she was burned Anno Christi 1527. The year after two German tradesmen were caught at Prague accused by the Monks of Lutheranism and condemned to be burnt As they went to execution such gracious words proceeded out of their mouths as drew tears from the spectators eyes When they came to the pile they exceedingly encouraged one another onâ— of them saying Since our Lord Christ hath suffered such grievous things for us let us chearfully suffer for him and rejoyce that we have found so much favour with him that we are counted worthy to die for the Law of God The other said I in the day of my marriage found not so much inward joy as I do now When fire was put to them with a loud voice they said Lord Jesus thou in thy sufferings prayedst for thine enemies therefore we also do the like Forgive the King the men of Prague and the Clergy for they know not what they do and their hands are full of bloud and so they slept in the Lord. But one of their chief persecutors who wished that all the Piccards were hanged beheaded or burnt by his own hands had all these befall himself by Gods just judgement For being much in debt he hanged himself and when his friends had privately buried him the common people hearing of it digged up his carcasse and cast it away which by the Magistrates command was ordered to be burnt but when the woodstack was consumed and the carcasse only scorched his head was stricken off Zahera the Apostate when under colour of an Inquisition against the Piccards he raised up civil commotions was by the King banished where he died miserably The like befell another of those cruel persecutors Anno 1535. Ferdinand the first succeeding in the Kingdom the Popish party cunningly stirred up the Calixtines to persecute the Brethren Whereupon they suffering many grievous things sent a petition together with a confession of their Faith to Ferdinand at Vienna subscribed by twelve Barons and thirty three Knights complaining how unjustly they were accused by their enemies and that the Priests ordinarily cried out that the Piccards might be slain without controul and that a lesse sin was thereby committed than if one killed a dog Ferdinand returned answer that he had not leisure to consider of their Papers yet promised
to make thereof and yet afterwards not paying that neither Then did the Emperour call for the ancient Charters of the Kingdom which he immediately rent and threw into the fire The Ministers being all banished the noble Lord Charles de Zerotine did yet not onely retain his houshold-Chaplaine but he sustained also many others privately in their Caves with bread and water and not fearing man he did not only give liberty to his own subjects but to divers others in neighbouring places to resort to the holy exercises which were performed in his Castle Then did the enemies by a new Edict publish that all such Barons Noblemen and Citizens as kept any Protestant Tutor for their children should presently dismisse him otherwise he should be taken and punished Then by another Edict all the Protestants were cast out of protection of the Laws and were to have no benefit by them The enemies being every day puffed up with their successes and victories made a Decree that all the Protestant Noblemen should presently depart out of the Kingdom and the Emperour published a Proclamation that to prevent all divisions which were dangerous to the Kingdom and Magistrates therefore he was resolved no longer to tollerate any of the inferiour much lesse of the superiour estates of either sex who was infected with hereticall errours And withall he granted to the superiour States the term of six moneths to learn the holy Roman Catholick faith and for that end he appointed Commissioners of Reformation to instruct them requiring them to be obedient to his will and to be diligently instructed by them otherwise they should not be suffered to stay in the Kingdom much less to possesse their goods and therefore he required all those which at the end of that term of six moneths did not turn Catholicks immediately to depart the Kingdom and never to returne again Hereupon they which loved Religion at their hearts did presently separate themselves by banishment Others sollicited Caesar by petitions either to change the decree or to grant them a longer time Others there were that thinking to deceive the Emperour and Pope did buy false testimonies of the Priests that they had been at Confession and communicated in one kind and so made shew of a dissembled Apostacy thereby to avoid banishment Then was the fore-named Act extended unto widows and the Protestants children were commanded to be delivered to the care and instruction of Chatholicks or else to be shut up in Monasteries and this caused extream grief and groanes when Noble-mens sons and daughters even maids that were marriageable were pulled from their parents and friends and thrust into Jesuites Colleges or Monks Cels their Goods being taken also from them and committed to Papists The cunning craftinesse of those seducing Reformers deceived many unwary persons whilest they told them that they might hold their former opinions only for order sake they must acknowledge the Roman Bishop to be the visible head of the Church Hereby the simpler sort thinking that they were not constrained to any other faith but what they had formerly learned thought that they might with a safe conscience promise that outward obedience And if these seducers saw any one of more Nobility then ordinary they presently suggested to them how much it grieved Caesar that those ancient families which had formerly been the ornaments and props of the Kingdom should cast themselves out into banishment through there unadvisedness when they might remaine and flourish under the favour both of God and Caesar and this ruined many of the Protestants Nobility who preferred their earthly before the heavenly country Yet above a hundred Families leaving their inheritances and all their possessions went away Amongst these was the Lord de Zerotine who might have lived in his countrey if he would have deprived himself of the worship of God by the losse of his Minister or if he would have used it covertly yet he rather chose to suffer affliction with the people of God then to continue the enjoyments of his earthly possessions And whereas many of these Protestants were gone into Silesia and Lusatia the Emperour set forth a Proclamation wherein he protested that it was not his intention to remove them out of Bohemia and Moravia and to suffer them in the incorporated Provinces and therefore he commanded them to depart from thence also or else they should be brought to punishment requiring them also to send back their children which they had carried with them upon penalty of losing all the goods which any of them could demand in his countrey Presently after he published another Edict wherein he required all the Protestant wives of the Catholicks either to reform or to go into banishment But when many of the chief Officers of the Kingdom had Protestant wives and they would not indure that they should be thus divorced from them he set forth another Edict whereby they were tolerated till the death of their husbands and then they should be excluded from their inheritances and sent into banishment And required that in the mean time they should absent themselves from all festivall and nuptiall solemnities or else should take the lowest places after the Catholicks And whereas some of the Protestants did privately teturn or stay to make the best of that little that did remain unto them Proclamation was sent out that all such should be apprehended and imprisoned and to warn all such as had harboured any of them upon their allegiance to appear before the chief Officers in the Castle of Prague requiring that if any knew where any of them lay hid they should secretly and suddenly attach them and bring them to prison Then did the Emperour repeal and disannull diverse of the ancient Statutes of the Kingdom that made most for the peoples Liberties as concerning their free Election of a King c. that he might the better every where oppresse them Then in all the free Cities men of base and mean quality were appointed to determine aâ—l businesse and to be the chief Officers and to these were added some of the chief of the souldiery the better to procure subjection These Cities also they impoverished by taxes and contributions which continued divers years and were extorted by the Souldiers power Then Masse-Priests were put into the places of godly Ministers and people were compelled to frequent the Masse Marriages were forbidden except amongst the Catholicks Such as turned Apostates were promoted to all places of Magistracy in the Cities though men of no judgement nor experience Then were these Articles given to the Captains of Distresses 1. That whosoever is not of the Kings Religion all traffick and commerce shall be debarred him 2. Whosoever shall suffer private Preaching Baptism or Matrimony in his house shall pay a great Fine or suffer six moneths imprisonment but if he harbour a Preacher he shall lose goods and Life 3. If
punishment for the truth which I have professed I esteem not of this world nor the treasures of it more than for my necessary uses and the rest to bestow in the propagation and maintenance of the Gospel And I beseech God daily upon my knees for my wife and children that they may all continue in this quarrel even to the death And when he came to his execution he patiently and comfortably slept in the Lord. At the same time there was also brought forth one John Gonsalvo formerly a Priest but by his diligent study of the Scripture it pleased God to reveal his truth to him so that he became a zealous Preacher of it labouring in all his Sermons to beat into mens minds the true way and means of our Justification to consist in Christ alone and in stedfast faith in him for which he was apprehended and cast into prison where he endured all their cruely with a Christian courage At last with two of his Sisters he was condemned His mother and one of his brothers were also imprisoned with him for the truth and executed shortly after When he with his sisters went out at the Castle gate having his tongue at liberty he began to sing the 106. Psalm before all the People who had oft heard him make many godly Sermons He also condemned all hypocrites as the worst sort of People Whereupon they stocked his tongue Upon the stage he never changed countenance nor was at all daunted When they all came to the stake they had their tongues loosed and were commanded to say their Creed which they did chearfully when they came to those words The holy Catholick Church They were commanded to adde Of Rome but that they all refused whereupon their necks were broken in a trice and then 't was noised abroad that they had added those words and died confessing the Church of Rome to be the true Catholick Church There was in Sivil a private Congregation of Gods people most of which the Inquisitors consumed in the fire as they could discover any of them amongst others that were apprehended they took four women famous above the rest for their holy and godly conversation but especially the youngest of them who was not above one and twenty years old who by her diligent and frequent reading of the Scriptures and by conference with godly and learned men had attained to a very great measure of knowledge so that whilst she was in Prison she non-plus'd and put to shame many of those Friars that came to seduce her Another of these women was a grave Matron whose house was a School of vertue and a place where the Saints used to meet serve God day and night but the time being come wherein they were ripe for God they together with other of their neighbours were apprehended and cast into prison where they were kept in dark dungeons and forced to endure all the cruel and extream torments which are before mentioned At last they were condemned and brought forth to the scaffold amongst other Prisoners The young maid especially came with a merry and cheerful countenance as it were triumphing over the Inquisitors and having her tongue at liberty she began to sing Psalms to God whereupon the Inquisitors caused her tongue to be nipped by setting a Barnacle upon it After sentence read they were carried to the place of execution where with much constancy and courage they ended their lives Yet the Inquisitors not satisfied herewith caused the house of the Matron where the Church used to meet to be pulled down and the ground to be laid waste and a pillar to be erected upon it with an inscription shewing the cause There was also apprehended another worthy member of the same Congregation called Ferdinando he was of a fervent spirit and very zealous in doing good A young man but for integrity of life very famous He had spent eight years in educating of youth and had endeavoured to sow the seeds of Piety in the hearts of his Scholars as much as lay in him to do in a time of so great persecution and tyranny being at the last apprehended for a Lutheran he was cast into prison and terribly tormented upon the Jeobit and in the Trough whereby he was so shaken in every joynt that when he was taken down he was not able to move any part of his body yet did those cruel tormentors draw him by the heels into his prison as if he had been a dead dog But notwithstanding all his torments he answered the Inquisitors very stoutly and would not yield to them one jot During his imprisonment God used him as an instrument to recal and confirme a Monk who had been cast into prison for confessing the Gospel openly But by means of the Inquisitors flatteries and fair promises he had somewhat relented Gods Providence so ordering it that Ferdinando was cast into the same prison and finding the Monk wavering he rebuked him sharply and afterwards having drawn him to a sight of and sorrow for his sinne he at last strengthned him in the promises of free grace and mercy Hereupon the Monk desired a day of hearing where before the Inquisitors he solemnly renounced his recantation desiring that his former confession might stand whereupon the sentence of death passed against them both after which the Inquisitors asked Ferdinando whether he would revoke his former heresies to which he answered That he had professed nothing but what was agreeable to the pure and perfect Word of God and ought to be the profession of every Christian man and therefore he would stick to it to the death Then did they clap a Barnacle upon his tongue and so they were burned together There was also one Juliano called The little because he was of a small and weak body who going into Germany was there conversant with divers learned and godly men by which means he attained to the knowledge of the truth and became a zealous Professor of it and earnestly longing after the salvation of his Countreymen he undertook a very dangerous work which was to convey two great dry Fat 's full of Bibles printed in Spanish into his own Countrey In this attempt he had much cause of fear the Inquisitors had so stopped every Port and kept such strict watch to prevent the coming in of all such commodities but through Gods mighty protection he brought his burden safely thither and which was almost miraculous he conveyed them safe into Sivil notwithstanding the busie searchers and catch-poles that watched in every corner These Bibles being dispersed were most joyfully and thankfully received and through Gods blessing wrought wonderfully amongst Gods people to ripen them against the time of harvest But at last the matter broke out by the means of a false brother who going to the Inquisitors played the Judas and betrayed the whole Church to them So that there
were taken at Sivil at one time eight hundred Christians whereof twenty of them were afterwards roasted at one fire Amongst these this Juliano was one of the first that was apprehended and sent to prison where he lay without any company laden with irons above three years yet was his constancy so great and wonderful that the tormentors themselves were sooner wearied in inflicting than he in suffering torments and notwithstanding his weak and wearyish body yet he remained undaunted in mind in undergoing all their tyrannies so that he never departed from the rack more dejected than he came to it neither threatnings nor pains nor torments made him shrink or yield one jot to them but when he was drawn back to his prison he would tell his fellows how he had conquered and confounded his enemies saying They depart vanquished they depart vanquished The wolves flie with shame they flie with shame In the day of their triumph when he was brought out to be apparelled with his other fellow Prisoners in all their shameful habits he exhorted them with a cheerful countenance saying My Brethren be of good cheere this is the houre wherein we must be faithful witnesses unto God and his truth before men as becomes the true servants and souldiers of Christ and ere long we shall have him to witnesse with us again and within a few houres we shall triumph with him in heaven for ever But hereupon they presently clap't a Barnacle upon his tongue that he should speak no more and so he was led to his execution but though he could not speak yet by his countenance and gestures he shewed his cheerful and quiet minde Then kneeling down he kissed the step whereon he stood and being tyed to the stake he endeavoured by his looks and gestures to encourage his fellow Martyrs in their sufferings and so they quietly and patiently resigned up their spirits unto God There was also John Leon a Tailor by Trade who out of a blinde devotion to serve God resolved to enter into a Monastery but by Gods Providence it so fell out that he entred into a Cloister at Sivil wherein most of the Monks were well affected to the true Religion amongst whom in two or three years space he was so grounded in the principles of Religion that he resolved to leave that kinde of life which accordingly he did and went into the Countrey yet after a time he had a great mind to conferre with his former Schoolmasters but when he came back to the Cloister he found that they were all fled inâ—o Germany hereupon he resolved to follow them and through many dangers and perils it pleased God at last after a long and tedious journey to bring him safe to Franckfurt where he met with some of his old acquaintance and with them he travelled to Geneva About which time Queen Mary suddenly dying and Queen Elizabeth of blessed Memory succeeding her the English Exiles that lived in those parts were called home whereupon divers Spaniards that sojourned at Geneva thinking England a fitter place for their Congregation resolved to accompany the English men and for this end they dispersed themselves into several companies that they might travel with the more safety The Inquisitors took the departure of these Monks so ill that not sparing any cost they sent their Flies abroad to apprehend them who way-laid them especially at Collen Franckfurt Antwerp and in all the ways that led from Geneva This John Leon had got him a companion with whom he travelled towards England who being discovered at Argentine were dogged into Zealand and as they were ready to take ship they were apprehended John Leon took his arrest very composedly never changing countenance at it They were presently carried back into the Town where they were miserably â—acked to discover their fellows and not long after were shipped for Spain having great irons wrought like a net that covered both head and face within which also was another piece of iron made like a tongue which being thrust into their mouths took away their speech they were also loaden with other engins and fetters of iron wherewith they were bound hand and foot and in these continual pains and torments they lay a shipboard till they came into Spain and then John Leon was sent to Sivil and his companion to Validolid where afterwards in defence of the truth he suffered Martyrdome But John remained long in prison where he tasted of the Inquisitors tyranny suffering both hunger and cold and enduring all their torments one after another and at last was brought out in their solemn shew arrayed after their usual manner It was a sad sight to see such a ghost as he was his hair so grown his body so lean that he had nothing but skin and bones left on him and his pain much encreased by having a Barnacle upon his tongue After sentence of death pronounced upon him they set his tongue at liberty hoping that he would have recanted but he made a stout and godly Confession of his faith and so quietly ended his life in the flames There was also burned at the same time a godly Virgin that had formerly been a Nun but being through Gods grace converted she left her Cloister and joyned her self to the Church of Christ Being apprehended by the Inquisitors she was intreated as others had been before her and at last was brought out to the Scaffold where with a manly courage she put the Inquisitors to a foul foil not only constantly affirming the truth but sharply rebuking those fathers calling them dumb dogs a generation of vipers c. being brought to the stake with a cheerful countenance she underwent the pains of death and so quietly slept in the Lord. There was also one Christopher Losada a Physician a learned man and very well studied in the Scriptures as also of a very holy conversation insomuch as he was chosen Super-intendent of the Church of Christ in Sivil which at this time was very great though dispersed into corners At last he was apprehended by the Inquisitors before whom he made a good Confession of his faith for which he endured haâ—d and sharp imprisonment with most cruel torments and the open infamy of their solemn shew and lastly was adjudged to the fire As he stood at the stake the Barnacle being taken from his tongue he disputed notably with some Monks that came to seduce him and when they spake Latin that the common People might not understand them Losada also began to speak in Latin so copiously and eloquently as was strange to hear that he should have his wits so fresh when he was ready to be burned after which he patiently resigned up his spirit unto God in the fire There was also in Sivil one Arias a man of a sharp wit and well-studied in Divinity but withal of a crafty wit and inconstant nature which vices he yet
the Cathedral which he refused because of a great fit of sicknesse which had made him very weak but he was forced to undertake it though he was so weak a creature that sometimes he was fain to be carried to Church and by reason of his faintnesse was necessitated once or twice in a Sermon to drink a draught of wine to refresh himself About this time there was one Scobario a man famous for life and learning chosen by the Magistrates of the City to the Government of the Colledge of Children who out of his zeal to promote the Gospel converted his Stipend to the erecting of a Divinity-lecture in the Cathedral Church and Constantine having recovered his health was chosen to read it who performed it excellently well beginning with the Proverbs Ecclesiastes and the Canticles which having passed through very learnedly he began upon the book of Job and proceeded to expound more than half of it But some evil spirit envying the Progresse of the Gospel in that City under a pretence of fervent zeal caused him to forsake this course and encombred him so many ways that he was never clear of those troubles to his dying day For not long after he was brought before the Inquisitors and had many things laid to his charge yet by his quick and ready answers he easily avoided them and they could not by any means bring him to make an open Protestation of his faith by which all their hope was to circumvent him and so he might have escaped had not God by a special Providence compelled him as it were briefly and plainly to confesse his faith The occasion was this There was one Isabel Martin apprehended in whose house Constantine had hid some special books for fear of the Inquisitors This womans goods being sequestred her son conveyed divers chests of her best goods away to another place This coming to the Inquisitors ears by means of an unfaithful servant they sent their Officer immediately to demand those Chests The womans sonne supposing that the Officer came for Constantines books said unto him I know what you come for and therefore if you will promise me upon your honest word to depart quietly I will bring you to them the Officer supposing that he meant the Chests promised him so to do Then did he carry him into a secret place and plucking forth a stone or two in the wall shewed him Constantines Jewels of paper indeed but farre more precious than gold or pearle the Officer astonished to finde that which he looked not for told him that he came for no such thing but for certain Chests of his mothers goods which he had purloined from the Sequestrators and that notwithstanding his promise he must carry both him and his books to the Inquisitors Thus came Constantines writings into the Inquisitors hands out of which they quickly found matter enough against him Then did they send for him before them and demanded if he knew his own hand he shifted it off at the first but afterwards perceiving that it was the Will of God that he should bear witnesse to the truth he confessed it to be his own writing protesting openly that all things therein contained were full of truth and sincerity Therefore said he trouble your selves no further in seeking Witnesses against me seeing you have so plain and apert a Confession of my judgment and faith but deal with me as you shall please Then was he cast into prison and kept there two whole years where partly by occasion of his corrupt dyet but chiefly of grief to see such havock made of the poor Church of Christ which himself and his brethren had with so great pains and care planted and watered he began first to be crazy and then not being able to endure the extream heat of the Sunne which made his prison like an hot house he was forced to strip himself to his very shirt wherein he lay day and night by occasion whereof he fell into the bloody flux and within fifteen days died in the stinking prison rendring up his soul to Christ for promoting of whose glory he had oft times manfully adventured it He never indeed felt those cruel torments which the Inquisitors used to inflict upon others but it was not because they regarded such a man of eminency as he was but because they intended to delay his punishment by keeping him long in prison not expecting that he should so suddenly have been taken out of their hands Yet did these Imps of Satan spread abroad a report that before his death upon the Rack he had confessed to them who were his disciples and this they did to make men come in and accuse themselves upon hope to finde the more favour with the Inquisitors They reported also that he opened one of his veins with a broken glasse whereof he died that so he might avoid the shame and punishment of his heresies And against the day of their solemn triumph his corps was taken out of his grave and set in a Pulpit with one hand resting on the Desk and holding up the other just as he used to do when he preached Then they passed sentence upon him and so afterwards caused him to be burned Thus we have seen in some few examples the rage of these bloody Inquisitors against the poor Saints and Servants of Jesus Christ whereof a great number were cruelly murthered in a few years space in that one City of Sivil whereby we may partly guesse how great numbers have suffered in all other places since the light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ brake forth untill this day under their cruel and bloody tyranny Collected out of a book called The Discovery of the Spanish Inquisition c. First written in Latin by Reynold Gonsalvius Montanus and afterwards translated into English The Persecution of Nicholas Burton Englishman by the Inquisitors in Spain Anno 1560. THis Burton was a Citizen of London who being about his merchandise at Cadiz in Spain there came to his lodging one of the Familiars desiring to take lading to London in the ship which Burton had fraited and this he did that he might learn where his goods were Presently after came a Serjeant who apprehended Burâ—ton and carried him away to the Inquisitors who though they could charge him with nothing spoken or written against them since he came to Spain yet they sent him to the filthy common prison where he remained in irons fourteen dayes amongst Thieves In which time he so instructed the poor Prisoners in the Word of God that in short space he had well reclaimed many of those ignorant and superstitious souls which being known to the Inquisitors they presently removed him laden with irons from thence to Sivil and put him into the more cruel prison in the Castle of Triana where the Inquisitors proceeded against him after their accustomed cruel manner by racking c. Neither could he
get leave to write to or speak with any of his Countreymen Afterwards they brought him forth with many other godly persons upon their publick day of triumph in his Sambito painted all over with ugly devils tormenting a soul in flames of fire and with a Barnacle upon his tongue where he received sentence of death and so with the rest was carried to the place of execution to be burnt and he endured the flames with so much patience and cheerfulnesse of countenance that his Popish adversaries said that the Devil had his soul before he came to the fire whereby his sense of feeling was taken away They also sequestred all his goods which could never be recovered out of their hands though great means were used for the same This was in Queen Maries days There was burned with him at the same time another Englishman and not long after two more called John Baker and William Burgate And about the same time William Burges Master of an English ship was burned there also and William Hooker a youth of about sixteen was there stoned to death for the bold profession of his faith Here place the seventh Figure CHAP. XXVIII The Persecution of the Church of Christ in Italy which began Anno Christi 1155. ANno Christi 1155. Adrian the fourth an English man being Pope there was one Arnald of Brixia who coming to Rome preached boldly against the corruptions which were crept into the Church and found great favour amongst the Senators and people insomuch as when the Pope commanded this Arnald to be driven away as an Heretick they resisted his command and defended Arnald till at last the Pope interdicting the whole City at the importunity of the Clergy the Senators and Citizens were forced to send him away and shortly after he was apprehended by the Popes Legat Cardinal of St. Nicholas out of whose hands he was rescued by the Vicounts of Campany with whom he remained and to whom he preached the Gospel of Christ and was had in such esteem that he was accounted a Prophet Shortly after Frederick Barbarossa the Emperour coming unto Italy to be crowned the Pope sent some Cardinals to him requesting that he would deliver Arnald of Brixia into their hands whom the Vicounts of Campania had taken from his Legat at Otriculi whom they held for a Prophet in their Countrey and greatly honoured him The Emperour receiving these commands from the Pope presently sent forth his Apparitors and took one of the Vicounts prisoner wherewith the other were so terrified that they delivered up Arnald to the Cardinals and this the Emperour did to gratifie the Pope that was to set the Imperial Crown upon his head Not long after the Pope being in his Ruff marching with a brave Army into Apulia commanded his Prefect at Rome to do execution upon Arnald who accordingly most cruelly first hanged and then burned him for an Arch-heretick at the appointment of the Pope This Arnald was born in Italy and was trained up under Peter Abailardus in France His heresies were that he preached against the Pride and Covetousnesse of the Clergy and Monks That he inveighed against the corruptions which were crept into the Sacraments c. He first Preached in Brixia and expounded to the people the sacred Scriptures who earnestly embraced his doctrine whereupon the Bishops and Monks of that City complained of him to the Council that was held at Rome by Pope Innocent who to prevent the spreading of his Doctrine injoyned him silence and banished him Italy Then did he go beyond the Alps into a Town of Germany called Turengum where for a time he preached the truth and did much good till he heard of the death of Pope Innocent his old Adversary at which time he returned into Italy and went to Rome where what his successe was we heard before after his body was burnt they gathered up his ashes and threw them into the River Tybur Otho Frising Anno Christi 1546. There was one Encenas or Driander a Spaniard born in Bruges who in his youth was sent by his superstitious Parents to be educated in Rome where in process of time through God mercy he came to the knowledge of the truth and thereupon manifesting his dislikes of the impure doctrine of the Church of Rome he was betrayed by some of his own Countrymen and houshold friends and by them carried before the Cardinals who committed him to strait prison and afterwards being called forth to declare his judgement in matters of Religion he gave a notable testimony to the truth before the Cardinals and the Popes whole retinue whereupon they cried out upon him that he should be burned yet the Cardinals proffered him life if he would wear the Sambito but he constantly refused to wear any other badge save the badge of our Lord Jesus Christ which was to seal his Profession with his blood Hereupon he was condemned to the fire and suffered Martyrdome with great patience and constancy His brother Francis Encenas a very learned and godly man as any was in Spain being in the Emperours Court at Bruxels offered to Charles the fifth the New Testament translated into Spanish for which he was cast into prison 〈…〉 remained in great misery for the space of fifteen months looking for nothing but present death but at last through the marvellous Providence of God at eight a clock at night he found the prison doors standing wide open and a secret motion in his minde to make an escape whereupon going out of prison with a leasurely pace he went without interruption and so from thence went strait into Germany Anno 1550. There was at Ferrara one Faninus who by reading of good books was through Gods grace converted to the knowledge of the truth wherein he found such sweetnesse that by constant reading meditation and prayer he grew so expert in the Scriptures that he was able to instruct others and though he durst not go out of the bounds of his calling to preach openly yet by conference and private exhortations he did good to many This coming to the knowledge of the Popes Clients they apprehended and committed him to prison where by the earnest solicitations of his wife and children and other friends he was so overcome that he renounced the truth and so was dismissed out of prison But it was not long before the Lord met with him so that falling into horrible torture of conscience he was near unto utter despair for his Apostacy and for preferring the love of his kindred and friends before the service of Jesus Christ neither could he possibly by any means be free from these terrours before he had fully resolved to adventure his life more faithfully in the service of the Lord. Wherefore being thus inflamed with an holy zeal he went about all the Countrey doing much good wheresoever he came whereupon he was again apprehended and cast into prison and
after another by the hand and so dispatching them all no otherwise than as a Butcher doth kill his Calves and Sheep This was in Calabâ—ia Anno Christi 1560. Persecution raised by the Pope in Venice THe City of Venice was a long while from the cruel Inquisition whereby the face of a Church was discerned there from the year 1530. to the year 1542. yea and multitudes of good Christians flocked thither from other parts which so provoked the Divel to envy that he stirred up the Pope to send Inquisitors which erected an Inquisition in that City and for divers years the Pope sent them money to distribute amongst their Flies and such persons as would betray the faithful to them By this means many of the worthy servants of Jesus Christ were apprehended imprisoned and after a while sent to Rome to be there butchered Then was a new-found manner of death inflicted upon divers others never till then heard of whereby they were drowned in the bottome of the Sea The manner of it was thus After any of them had received the sentence of death by the Inquisitors an iron chain was fastned about their middle with a very heavy stone tyed thereto then were they laid upon a plank between two boats and so rowed to an appointed place in the Sea where the boats parting asudder the Martyrs presently sunk into the bottome of the Sea and were drowned Yet notwithstanding this cruelty many godly persons ceased not to assemble together in a place appointed for that purpose where they talked and discoursed of heavenly matters for their spiritual edification and made collections for the relief of the poor amongst them And Anno 1566. they called to them a Minister of the Gospel and constituted a Church where they enjoyed all the Ordinances with much comfort but some false brethren creeping in amongst them after a while betrayed them then were many apprehended cast into the Sea and drowned Others were sent to Rome where they were cast into prison till they rotted and dyed there Amongst others that were condemned to be drowned at Venice was one Mr. Anthony Ricetto to whom after his condemnation his sonne a youth about twelve years old came beseeching him with tears to yield that his life might be saved and himself not left fatherlesse To whom he answered A good Christian is bound to forgoe children goods yea and life it self for the maintenance of Gods honour and glory For which cause said he I am now resolved to lay down my life the Lord assisting me The Lords of Venice offered to restore to him his Patrimony which was partly morgaged and partly sold if he would submit to the Church of Rome but he resolutely refused that condition Not long after came a Captain to him and told him of one Francis Sega his prison-fellow that waâ— resolved to recant To whom he answered What tell you me of Sega I am resolved to performe my vows to the Lord my God Then was he carried forth bound to the boats and by the way a Priest presented him with a wooden Crosse exhorting him to recant c. But he on the contrary perswaded him and others to come out of the snares of the Divel and to cleave to Jesus Christ and to live not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit For said he otherwise your unbelief will bring you into the lake of fire that never shall be quenched When he came to the place where he was to suffer the Captain lastned the chain and stone to him whereupon lifting his eyes to heaven he said Father forgive them they know not what they do Lord Jesus into thy hands do I commend my spirit and so in the sea he ended his life A few dayes after one Mr. Francis Spinola was apprehended and committed to prison and when he was brought forth before the Inquisitors they shewed him a Treatise about the Lords Supper demanding whether he was the Author of it which he acknowledged avouching that the doctrine that was contained therein was agreeable to the holy Scriptures Then was he return'd to his prison where the aforementioned Sega was who waiting for his coming as he passed by saluted him by his name after which they conferred together about the doctrine of the Gospel and Sega having heard that Spinola had stood stoutly in the Confession of the truth he was much comforted saying that God had reserved him for such a time as this to make him Partaker of so great consolation Shortly after the Jailor told Sega that he was to die one hour within night at the hearing whereof he entreated Spinola to pray with him and after prayer he said that his soul was heavy unto death Spinola answered Fear not for it will not be long before your soul shall partake of those joyes which shall endure for ever At the appointed time he was fetched out of the dungeon where he took his leave of Spinola and the other Prisoners As he went into the boat a Friar perswaded him to return to the Church of Rome Sega answered that he was already in the way to our Lord Jesus Christ and so passing on he called upon the name of God He seemed to be a little amazed at the fastning of the chaine and stone to his body yet presently recollecting his spirits he took it patiently and so commending his soul into the hands of God he quietly slept in the Lord. Spinola being again called before the Inquisitors he boldly reproved the Popes Legate and the other Judges for that contrary to their consciences they persecuted the truth of God calling them the off-spring of the Pharisees c. The third time that he was called before them they asked him if he would not recant his errours he answered that the doctrine which he maintained was not erroneous but the same truth which Christ and his holy Apostles taught and for which all the Martyrs both in former and later times did willingly lay down their lives and endured the pains of death Yet after all this Spinola by the crafty perswasions of some seeming friends began to strike saile and to faint but through Gods goodnesse he soon recovered again and being called before the Judges he openly confirmed the truth and so had sentence passed upon him that he should be drowned as an Heretick To which he answered I am no Heretick but the servant of Jesus Christ at which words the Popes Legate commanded him silence and told him that he lyed the night after he was conveyed into the sea and there drowned praising and blessing God with invincible constancy Anno 1595. There was at Rome a young Englishman who going into a Church and seeing their grosse idolatry was so inflamed with zeal that he could not endure the sight of those horrible impieties and therefore he went out into the Church porch and as the Procession passed by him he waited till the Bishop came
not altogether alone seeing the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob is with me he is my exceeding great reward and will not fail to reward me so soon as I shall have laid down this earthly tabernacle Pray unto God that he will strengthen me to the end for every hour I expect the dissolution of this house of clay When he was brought forth before the Judges and examined of his faith he answered freely and proved what he said by the holy Scriptures and being asked whether he was resolved to die for the faith which he professed he answered I will not only venture to give my body but my soul also for the confirmation of it and so being condemned he was shortly after burned dying with much comfort The persecution growing hot in Flanders one Giles Annik and John his sonne removed to Emden but by reason of their sudden departure they could not take their wives with them whereupon in the year 1568. they returned back to fetch their wives who were at Renay yet in regard of the danger they durst not go into the town openly but took up their lodging in the evening at an honest mans house called Lewis Meulin Now it so fell out that that very night the enemies had appointed to make a secret search after such as professed the Gospel and so passing by this house and seeing the light of a candle in it expecting their prey they forced open the door and took these two together with their Host prisoners God having appointed them to bear witnesse to his truth After they had been in prison awhile they were all three condemned for Hereticks and presently after Giles the father was burned John the son being fetched to execution when he saw the man that first apprehended him he called him to him saying I forgive thee my death and so he with Lewis Meulin were both beheaded About the same time there was also a godly widow apprehended and cast into prison her crime was for that about two years before she had suffered a Minister to preach in an out-house on the backside of her dwelling She was very charitable in relieving the poor and every way shewed forth the fruits of a true saving faith After seven moneths imprisonment she was condemned to die and a Priest coming to her to hear Confession she spake to him with such a divine grace and with a spirit so replenished with zeal that he went from her with teares trickling down his cheeks saying I came to comfort you but I have more need to be comforted of you when she was carried forth to execution she went with much boldnesse and joy of heart and having her head cut off she sweetly slept in the Lord. There was also one Christopher Gauderin that at first was brought up under the Abbat of Hename but the Abbat dying he betook himself to the weaving of linnen and quickly grew expert in his trade But having been trained up in a bad schoole when the Sabbath came he spent riotously what he had gotten all the week by his labour Now through Gods mercy it so fell out that a godly man working with him would often tell him of the danger of his present condition exhorting him rather to distribute his gettings to the poor assuring him that if he spent his money so wastfully God would call him to an account for it These with the like exhortations so wrought upon him through the grace of God that he began to change his course and in stead of frequenting Taverns he became a diligent hearer of Sermons and gave himself much to reading of the holy Scriptures so that not long after he was called by the Church to the office of a Deacon which he discharged carefully and faithfully Shortly after having occasion to go to a place called Audenard to distribute some almes to the poor there he was apprehended and the Bailiffe that had formerly seene him in the Abbats house asked him how he came to turn Heretick Nay said he I am no Heretick but a right believing Christian and what I learned of him I am now ashamed to remember In prison he had many disputes about his faith which he so maintained and defended by the Word of God that he silenced all his adversaries Some told him that he would cast away himsef in his youth being but thirty years old to whom he answered That mans life consisted but of two dayes viz. The day of his birth and the day of his death and therefore he must needs die once And for my part said he I am now willing by death to passe into eternal life When news was brought him in the evening that he must die the next day he retired himself and poured out his soul in prayer unto God till ten a clock and after his rest the like he did the next morning Having ended his Prayer he put on a clean shirt and washed himself saying to his fellow-prisoners Brethren I am now going to be married I hope ere noon to drink of the wine of the Kingdome of heaven When he came down he found three other prisoners that were to suffer with him These four exhorted and encouraged one another to suffer patiently and constantly Then came a Friar saying that he came to convert them To whom Christopher said Away from us thou seducer of souls for we have nothing to do with thee The Hangman coming to put gagges into their mouths one of them said What shall we not have liberty at this our last hour to praise God with our tongues Christopher answered Let not this discourage us the more wrong our enemies do to us the more assistance we shall finde from God and so ceased not to comfort them till himself was gagged also Their sentence was that they should be hanged for hearing Sermons and so with admirable constancy they yielded up their souls to God One of them being a woman was condemned to be beheaded because she had sung Psalms and exhorted her neighbours out of the Word of God at a womans upsitting Her body was grown very feeble so that she was caused to sit on a stool where she received three blows with a sword overthwart her teeth yet did she constantly sit still till she received the Crown of Martyrdom Anno 1568. About the same time there was in a town a mile distant from Gand a Minister whom it pleased the Lord to illuminate with the saving knowledge of his Gospel whereupon he became a diligent and faithful Preacher of it both in his life and doctrine yea he went from house to house exhorting and comforting every one as he had occasion out of the Word of God and above all labouring with them to beware of the abominable superstitions of the Papacy The Popish Clergy of Gand having intelligence hereof fearing lest by this means their doctrine and authority
to live with him for ever and so they all quietly slept in the Lord. Four others about the same time were condemned and cruelly burnt at Paris for the same cause Anno 1548. There was one Blondel a Merchant of precious stones that frequented many great Fairs in France and was well-known both in Court and Countrey he was a man of singular integrity and a Favourer of Gods Word being at an Inne in Lions he freely reproved the filthy talk and superstitious behaviour which he there heard and saw hereupon the Host complained of him to an officer withal informing him of his rich Coller of Jewels These two suborned one to borrow money of him which because Blondel refused to lend the fellow caused him to be apprehended for heresie thinking thereby to attach his goods but Blondels friends prevented it privily conveying them away Blondel being examined of his faith gave a plain and full Confession of it whereupon he was sent to prison in which he did much good amongst the Prisoners paying the debts of some and so loosing them feeding others cloathing others c. At length through the importunity of his Parents and friends he changed his Confession yet was he sent to the High Court at Paris where being examined again concerning his faith he adhered to his first Confession much bewailing his former fall Then was he condemned to be burnt and great haste was made for his execution left his friends at Court should save his life Anno 1549. One Hubert a young man of nineteen years old was so constant in the faith that neither the perswasions of his Parents nor the threats of his adversaries could remove him from his stedfastnesse for which he was burned at Dyion The same year there was a godly Minister called Florent Venote cast into prison at Paris where he lay above four years in which time there was no kind of torment which he did not endure and overcome amongst others he was put in to so narrow a place that he could neither stand nor lieâ— in which he remained seven weeks whereas there was never any Malefactor that could endure it fifteen dayes but he either grew mad or died At last when a great shew was made at the Kings coming into the City and divers other Martyrs in sundry places of it were put to death Florent also having his tongue cut out was brought forth to see their execution and lastly was himselfe burnt About the same time one Anne Audebert as she was going to Geneva was apprehended and brought to Paris where she was adjudged to be sent to Orleance and burned there when she was had forth to execution a rope being put about her she called it her wedding girdle wherewith she should be married to Christ and being to be burried upon a Saturday she said On a Saturday I was first married and on a Saturday I shall be married again She much rejoyced when she was put into the dung-cart and shewed such patience and constancy in the fire as made all the Spectators to wonder at it Not long after the Coronation of Henry the second King of France at whose coming into the City of Paris divers godly Martyrs were burned there was a poor Tailor that dwelt not farre from the Kings Palace apprehended for working upon an holy day Being by the Officer asked why he wrought upon that day He answered that he was a poor man living only upon his labour and that he knew no day but the Sabbath whereupon he might not work his necessity requiring it Then was he clapt up in prison this being noised in the Court some would needs have the Tailor sent for that the King might have the hearing of him Then was the Tailor brought thither and the King sitting in his chair of State commanded the Bishop of Mascon to question with him The Tailor being nothing amated at the Kings presence after he had done reverence to his Prince gave thanks to God for honouring him so greatly being such a wretch as to bring him where he might bear witnesse to his truth before so great a Prince The Bishop questioned with him about the greatest matters of Religion and he with an undaunted spirit so answered for the sincere truth and with such pregnant proofs of Scripture as was wonderfull and though the Nobles that were present jeered and taunted at him yet could they not dash him out of countenance but that still with much liberty and freedome of speech he defended the truth of Christ neither flattering their persons nor fearing their threats The King seeming to muse much within himself that so mean and simple a person should shew such audacity in such a presence the Bishop and Popish Lords taking notice of cryed out that he was an obstinate and impudent Heretick and therefore remanded him back to prison and within a few dayes after he was condemned to be burnt alive and left the King should be affected with what he heard from the Tailor the Bishops often suggested that the Lutherans were such as carried a vaine smoake in their mouthes which being put to the fire would soon vanish They also would needs have the King present at his execution but it pleased God to give such strength and courage to the Tailor at his execution as much more astonished the King than all his former carriage for having espied the King in the window where he sate he beheld him with so stedfast a countenance that his eyes were never off him yea when the fire was kindled about him he still kept his eyes so fixed upon the King that the King was constrained to leave the window and to withdraw himself and was so wrought upon thereby that he confessed that he thought the shadow of the Tailor followed him whithersoever he went and for many nights after he was so terrified with the apparition thereof that he protested with an oath that he would never see nor hear any more of those Lutherans though afterwards he brake his oath as it follows in the story of Anne Du Bourg About the same time one Claudius a godly man was apprehended as he came from Geneva and burned at Orleance Anno 1551. One Thomas a young man of about eighteen years old coming from Geneva to Paris rebuked one for swearing whereupon he was apprehended for a Lutherane and carried before the high Court by them he was committed to prison and cruelly racked to confesse his companions which he still refused to do whereupon they continued to rack him till one of the bloody Inquisitors turned his back and wept and till the Hangman was a weary then was he carried to be burned and was let down with a pully into the fire and after a while being pulled up again they asked him if he would yet turn To whom he said That he was in his
the Popes Legat came thither and as he came out of the great Church from Masse all the chief Massacrers kneeled down for to have his absolution and when he was told who they were and why they kneeled there he absolved them all by making the signe of the Crosse. A Gentleman of Paris as soone as the Massacre was ended there went to Angiers and coming to the house of a reverend godly and learned Minister called Master John Mason meeting his wife at the door he saluted her asking where her husband was she said that he was walking in his garden directing him the way to him when he came to him he lovingly embraced him and then said Do you know wherefore I am come to you the King hath commanded me presently to kill you and therewithal he presented a Pistol to his breast the Minister replyed that he knew not wherein he had offended the King But seeing said he you will have my life pray you give me leave to pray to God and to begge mercy at his hands which being granted he made a short prayer and then willingly presented his body to the murtherer who pistolled him and so departed Presently after the King sent one Pugilliard who drowned nine or ten more in that place and amongst the rest the wife of this Mr. Mason who shewed an admirable constancy of faith even to her last breath In Roan in a few dayes they murthered above six thousand men besides women upon whom they exercised no lesse cruelty than upon the men their dead bodies they carried out in tumbrels and threw them by heaps into great pits digged for that purpose The news of the Massacre of Paris coming to Tholouse the great gates of the City were presently shut up but it pleased God that that morning most of the Protestants were gone out of the City to hear a Sermon The report of the shutting up of the gates coming to them some thought it not fit to return others would needs go back to take order abour their affairs these were suffered to enter peaceably leaving their swords at the gates the rather to draw in the rest amongst whom were divers Counsellors and great meanes were used to entrap them and indeed some of them were enticed to come back but when they saw they could get in no more the wednesday morning following souldiers were sent to break into all the houses of those of the Religion and to carry them to sundry prisons and the gates were watched that none should escape command also was given that none should conceale any of the Protestants Amongst the prisoners were five or six Counsellors who much comforted and encouraged the rest Then were all the prisoners brought together into one place and letters procured from the King to massacre them all and accordingly some leud persons armed with axes and butchers knives were sent to effect it who calling them out one by one murthered them all not permitting them so much as to speak much lesse to pray The number of the slain was above three hundred who were all stript stark naked and their bodies left to the common view of all for two dayes together then were they thus naked thrown into pits one upon another only the Counsellors were hung up in their long gowns upon an Elme in the Palace-yard all their houses vvere also sacked and plundred At Bourdeaux when the news of the Massacre of Paris came thither the Protestants were taking boats to go into a meadow to hear a Sermon but the Governour sent and stayed them yet under preience of securing them against the multitude then were the gates guarded that none might escape yet it pleased God that the Ministers were conveyed away who aftervvards took ship and came into England There vvas a Jesuite that dayly preached in that City to stir up the Governour and people to massacre the Protestants proposing the example of the Persians to them The Governour could not vvell tell vvhat to do but the Lord of Monpessat assured him that it was the Kings minde that they should all be murthered and that he could not do a more acceptable service to him whereupon he gathering the scum of the Citizens together commanded them to kill all the Protestants without sparing one and to give them an example himself went to the Lord of Obiers house and murthered him in his own Court Then did they murther a Countrey Minister also that was come thither for shelter together with the rest of the Protestants and afterwards pillaged their houses An old man that was a Deacon of the Reformed Church being at this time sick in bed they dragged him forth into the streets asking him whether he would go to Masse to whom he answered I hope I shall not so far forget the eternal salvation of my soul as for fear of death to prolong my life for a few dayes for thereby I should buy a short time of life at too dear a rate whereupon they instantly murthered him It was lamentable to see the poor Protestants wandring up and down not knowing where to hide themselves some were rejected of their own Parents and Kinsfolk who would not open their doors to them others were betrayed by their friends and delivered into the hands of their murtherers yet some were hidden by their very enemies whose hearts abhorred such detestable outrages CHAP. XXXVI The Siege of Sancerre Anno Christi 1573. YEt in the midst of these Massacres and dangers God provided some Pella's places of refuge for his people as Rochel Montalbon Nismes Sancerre Privas c. Anno 1573. Sancerre was besieged by the Lord of Chastre with an Army who planting his Cannons played incessantly upon the Town so that the stones of the wall the pavement in the streets and the shivers of timber flew about continually yet the mighty power and providence of God herein appeared that none within the City were slain but onely one maid that was slain with the breath of a Cannon-bullet yet were the stocks of Musquets sometimes broken in the hands and on the shoulders of the townsmen and themselves not hurt yea some had their coats breeches and hats shot through and their bodies not hurt yea some stones that were beaten off the wall flew violently between a Ministers legs and hurt him not Many were the assaults given to this Town yet still the Assailants were beaten back with great losse The siege continuing long the Townsmen began to be in want so that they were forced to eat their Horses Asses and Mules which food lasted but a moneth then they did eate all the dogs cats rats mice and moles that they could get and those also being spent they lived upon hides of beasts Calves and Sheep-skins then did they eate parchment horse and beasts hoofs hornes Lanthorns halters and furniture for horses girdles oâ— leather herbs and wild-roots
the Laird of Sheld was converted by it and his eyes ran down with such abundance of tears that all men wondred at it Presently news was brought to Wischard that the plague was broke out in Dundee which began within four dayes after he was prohibited preaching there and raged so extreamly that it s almost beyond credit how many died in twenty foure houres space This being related to him notwithstanding the importunity of his friends he would needs go thither saying They are now in trouble and need comfort Perhaps this hand of God will make them now to magnifie and reverence that Word of God which before they lightly esteemed Coming to Dundee the joy of the faithful was exceeding great and without delay he signified that the next day he would preach and because most of the inhabitants were either sick or imployed about the sick he chose the East-gate for the place of his preaching so that the whole were within and the sick without the gate His text was Psal. 107. He sent his Word and healed them c. wherein he comfortably intreated of the profit and comfort of Gods Word the punishment that comes by the contempt of it the readinesse of Gods mercy to such as truly turn to him and the happinesse of those whom God takes from this misery c. By which Sermon he so raised up the hearts of those that heard him that they regarded no death but judged them more happy that should then depart rather than such as should remain behind considering that they knew not whether they should have such a Comforter with them He spared not to visit them that lay in the greatest extremity and to comfort them He provided all things necessary for such as could take food the Town being very bountiful to them through his instigation But whilst he was thus busying himself for the comfort of the afflicted the Devil stirred up the Cardinal who corrupted a desperate Popish Priest called John Weighton to slay him And on a day the Sermon being ended and the people departed suspecting no danger the Priest stood waiting at the bottome of the stairs with a naked dagger in his hand under his gown but Master VVischard being of a sharp piercing eye seeing the Priest as he came down said to him My friend what would you have and withal clapping his hand upon the dagger took it from him The Priest herewith being terrified fell down upon his knees confessed his intention and craved pardon A noise being hereupon raised and it coming to the ears of those which were sick they cryed Deliver the Traytor to us or we will take him by force and so they burst in at the gate but VVischard taking him in his armes said VVhosoever hurts him shall hurt me for he hath done me no mischief but much good by teaching me more heedfulnesse for the time to come and so he appeased them and saved the Priests life When the plague was almost quite ceased he took his leave of them saying that God had almost put an end to the battel and that he was now called to another place for the Gentlemen of the West had written to him to meet them in Edinburgh where he should dispute with the Bishops and should be publickly heard which he willingly assented to but first he went to Montrosse to salute the Church there where he sometimes preached but spent most of his time in private meditation in which he was so earnest that night and day he continued in it during which time the Cardinal again conspired his death causing a letter to be sent to him as if it been from his familiar friend the Laird of Kinnur desiring him with all possible speed to come to him for that he was taken with a sudden sicknesse In the mean time he had provided sixty men armed to lie in wait within a mile and na hall of Montrosse to murther him as he passed by that way The letter coming to his hands by a boy who also brought him an horse to ride on accompanied with some honest men his friends he set forwards but suddenly stopping and musing a space he returned back again which they wondring at asked him the cause to whom he said I will not go I am forbidden of God I am assured there is treason Let some of you go to yonder place and tell me what you finde which they doing found out the treason and hastily returning back they told master Wischard of it whereupon he said I know that I shall end my life by that blood-thirsty mans hands but it will not be on this manner The time approaching wherein he should meet the Gentlemen at Edinburgh he took his leave and departed by the way he lodged with a faithful brother called James Watson of Inner Gowry in the night time he gat up and went into a yard which two men hearing privily followed him There he walked in an Alley for some space breathing forth many sobs and deep grones then he fell upon his knees and his grones increased Then he fell upon his face Those that watched him hearing him weeping and praying in which posture he continued near an hour then getting up he came to his bed again Those which attended him making as though they were ignorant of all came and asked him where he had been but he would not answer them the next day they importuned him again saying Be plain with us for we heard your mourning and saw your gestures then he with a dejected countenance said I had rather you had been in your beds but they still pressing upon him to know something he said I will tell you I am assured that my warfare is near at an end and therefore pray to God with me that now I shrink not when the battel waxeth most hot When they heard this they fell a weeping saying This is small comfort to us Then said he God shall send you comfort after me This Realme shall be illuminated with the light of Christs Gospel as clearly as any Realme since the dayes of the Apostles The house of God shall be built in it yea it shall not lack in despite of all enemies the top-stone Neither will it be long before this be accomplished Many shall not suffer after me till the glory of God shall appear and triumph in despight of Satan But alasse If the people shall afterwards prove unthankful then fearful and terrible shall the plagues be that shall follow Then went he forward on his journey and came to Leith but hearing nothing of those Gentlemen that were to meet him he kept himself private a day or two then did he grow very pensive and being asked the reason of it he said What do I differ from a dead man but that I eat and drink Hitherto God hath used my labours for the instruction of others and to the disclosing of darknesse and now I
peaceably in their houses others travelling upon the high wayes all without any manner of provocation given by them were suddenly destroyed In the Castle of Lisgool were about one hundred and fifty men women and children consumed with fire At the Castle of Moneah were one hundred slain altogether At the Castle of Tullah which was delivered to Mac Guire upon composition and faithful promises of faire quarter as soon as he and his entred the Court they began to strip the people and most cruelly put them to the sword murthering them all without mercy At Lissenskeah they hanged and killed above one hundred of the Scottish Protestants shewing them no more favour than they did to the English Yea the County thereabouts being well planted and peopled was in a most horrible manner quite destroyed In the Counties of Armagh and Tyrone where the Protestants were more numerous their murthers were more multiplied and with greater cruelty if it were possible than in other places Mac Guire coming to the Castle of Lissenskeah desired in a friendly manner to speak with Master Middleton who admitting him in as soon as he was entred he first burned the Records of the County which were kept there then he demanded one thousand pounds which was in his custody of Sir William Balâ—ores which as soon as he had he caused Master Middleton to hear Masse and to swear that he would never alter from it and then immediately caused him his wife and children to be hanged up hanging and murthering above one hundred persons besides in that place At Portendown Bridge there were one thousand men women and children carried in several Companies and all unmercifully drowned in the River the Bridge being broken down in the midst and the people driven and forced on till they tumbled down into the water Yea in that Country there were four thousand persons drowned in several places the barbarous Papists driving on the poore soules when they had miserably stripped them unto the places of their sufferings like swine and if any were slack in their pace they pricked them forward with their swords and pikes yea to terrifie the rest they killed and wounded some and when they were cast into the river if any assayed to swimme to the Shore the Rebels stood and shot at them In one place one hundred and fourty English were taken and driven like cattel for many miles together Other companies they carried out under pretence of safe conduct thereby causing them to march chearfully till they had got them to some place fit for execution and then murthered them there One hundred and fifteen men women and children they sent with Sir Philem Onenles Passe till they had brought them to the bridge of Portendowne and then forced them all into the water and such as by swimming or other means sought to escape they either knocked them on the head and after drwowned them or else shot them to death in the water One Mistris Campbel being forced by them to the River and finding no meanes to escape their furie suddenly clasped one of the chief of them in her armes and so both tumbling into the River they were drowned together At another time one hundred and fourty Protestants being thrown in at the same place as any of them swam to the shore the bloody villaines with the butt-ends of their muskets knockt out their brains At Armagh O Cane gat together all the Protestants thereabouts pretending to conduct them to Coleraine but before they were gone a dayes journey they were all murthered and so were many others though they had protections from Sir Phileme O Neale The aged people in Armagh were carried to Charlemount and there murthered Presently after the Town of Armagh was burnt and five hundred persons of all sorts were there murthered and drowned In Killoman were fourty eight families murthered In one house twenty two Protestants were burned In Kilmore all the inhabitants were stript and massacred being two hundred families Some they set in the stocks till they confessed where their monie was and then massacred them The whole County was a common butchery where many thousands perished in a shor time by sword famine fire water and all other cruel manner of deaths that rage and malice could invent To many these bloody Villains shewed so much favour as to dispatch them presently by no means allowing them so much time as to pray Others they imprisoned in filthy Dungeons full of dirt and mire and there clapping bolts on their legs suffered them to perish at leasure One told John Cowder that they would kill him but first bid him say his prayers and when he kneeled down to pray they presently cut off his head When some others upon their knees begged but leave to pray before they were slain they would bid them bequeath their soules to the Divel others would ask them why do you desire to pray your soules are already with the Divel and so would immediately slaughter them At Casel they put all the Protestants into a loathsome Dungeon where they kept them twelve weekes in great misery Some they barbarously mangled and left them langushing upon the high wayes crying out but for so much mercy as to be dispatched out of their paine some they hanged up twice or thrice Others they buried alive Some when they were half-hanged they cast into pits covering them with a little earth where they sent out most lamentable groanes for a good while after In Queenes County an English man his wife five children and a maid were all hanged together then put into a hole the youngest child being not dead put up the hand and cried Mammie Mammie and yet without mercy they buried it alive Thomas Mason in Laugal was extreamly beaten and wounded yet his wife and some others carried him away whereupon these Villaines cruelly hacked slashed and wounded them and then dragged the said Mason into an hole and there threw stones on him with the weight whereof they kept him under there he lay languishing and groaning till his own wife to put him out of paine stopped his breath with her handkerchief At Clownes seventeen men were buried alive yet so as their pitiful cryes were heard afar off Some were deadly wounded and so hanged upon tenter-hooks Some with ropes about their necks were drawn through the water Some with ropes about their middles were drawn through woods and bogs In Castle Cumber one of these cut-throats took two boyes wounded them and hung them upon a butchers tenters Some were hanged up and taken down several times to make them confess their monie which when they had done they presently murthered them Some were hung up by the armes and then with their swords they made experiment how many blowes an English Protestant would endure ere he died Some had their bellies ript up and so were left with their guts running about their heels An ancient woman coming towards Dublin
in a most cruel manner saying If you come to morrow you shall heare the like Sermon They took the Bible of a Minister called Master Eâ—ward Slack and opening it they laid it in a puddle of water and then stamped upon it saying A plague on it this Bible hath bred all the quarrel and that they hoped within a few weeks all the Bibles in Ireland should be used as that was or worse They did most despitefully upbraid the Profession of the truth to those blessed souls whom neither by threats nor terrours pains nor torments they could draw to forsake their Religion And though some by extreme torments were drawn to professe the change of their Religion yet did they finde no more favour with these hell-hounds who with great scorn used to say That it was fit to send them out of the world whilst they were in a good mood At Claslow a Priest with some others drew about forty or fifty English and Scottish Protestants to be reconciled to the Church of Rome and then he told them that they were in a good faith and for fear they should fall from it and turn Hereticks he with his companions presently cut all their throats John Nicholson and Anne his wife being received into the Protection of one Fitz Patrick he laboured to perswade them to go to Masse and to joyn in the present massacre but they professed that rather than they would forsake their Religion they would die upon the swords point Then he would have had the woman burn her Bible but she told him rather than she would burn her Bible she would die the death whereupon the Sabbath morning after they were both of them cruelly murthered but he that acted the villany was so tormented in conscience and dogged with apparitions of them as he conceived that with inward horror he pined away In the County of Tipperary near the Silver works some of these barbarous Papists met with eleven English men Protestants ten women and some children whom they first stripped off their cloaths and then with stones poleaxes skeins swords c. they most barbarously massacred them all this was done on a Sabbath evening the day having been very fair and clear but just at that time God sent a fearful storme of thunder lightning wind haile and rain so that the murtherers themselves confessed that it was a signe of Gods anger against them for this cruelty yet they persisted in their bloody act hacking hewing flashing and stabbing them so that most of them were cut in pieces then tying wit hs about their necks they threw them into an hole which they made for the purpose yet it pleased God that one Scottish and an English man though they had many grievouous wounds and were left for dead after a while revived and with much difficulty escaped with their lives but as God shewed his great mercy in preserving them so he shewed his just judgment upon Hugh Kennedy the chief of those murtherers who presently fell into a most desperate madnesse and distraction neither resting day nor night till about eight days after he drowned himself In the County of Mayo about sixty Protestants whereof fifteen were Ministers were upon Covenant to be safely conveyed to Galway by one Edmund Burk and his souldiers but by the way this Burk drew his sword teaching thereby the rest of his company to do the like and so they began to massacre these poor Protestants some they shot to death some they stabbed with their skeins some they thrust through with their pikes some they cast into the water and drowned the women they stript stark naked who lying upon their husbands to save them were run through with pikes so that very few of them escaped with life In the town of Sligo fourty Protestants wete stript and locked up in a Cellar and about midnight a Butcher provided for the purpose was sent in amongst them who with his axe knocked them all on the heads In Tirawly thirty or fourty English who had formerly yielded to go to Masse were put to their choyce whether they would die by the sword or be drowned they chose the latter and so being driven to the Sea-side these barbarous villaines with their naked swords forced them into the Sea the mothers with their children in their armes wading to the chin were afterwards overcome by the waves where they all perished But present death was counted too great a favour and therefore of some they twisted wit hs about their foreheads till the blood sprang out at the crown of their heads Others they hanged and let down several times c. The sonne of Master Montgomery a Minister aged about fifteen years met with one of these blood-suckers who formerly had been his schoolmaster who drew his skein at him whereupon the boy said Good Master whip me as much as you will but do not kill me yet this mercilesse Tyger barbarously murthered him without all pitie A Scottish man was first wounded and then buried alive in a ditch In the Towne of Sligo all the Protestants were first stript and robbed of all their estates afterwards they were summoned to go into the Goale and such as refused were carried in and then about midnight they all were stripped stark naked and there most cruelly and barbarously murthered with swords axes skeins c. some of them being women great with child their infants thrust out their armes and legs at their wounds after which execrable murthers they laid the dead naked bodies of the men upon the naked bodies of the women in a most immodest posture where they left them till the next day to be looked upon by the Irish who beheld it with great delight Also Isabel Beard great with childe hearing the lamentable cries of those that were murthered ran forth into the streets where she was barbarously murthered and was found the next day with the childs feet coming out of the wounds in her sides many others were murthered in the houses and streets But by Gods just judgment the river of Sligo which was before very full of fish whereby many were nourished for a long time after it afforded no fish at all A Prior also that had a hand in the murther of Isabel Beard and of casting her into the river presently after fell mad About Dungannon were three hundred and sixteen Protestants in the like barbarous manner murthered About Charlemount above four hunâ—dred about Tyrone two hundred and six One Mac Crew murthered thirty one in one morning Two young Villains murthered one hundred and fourty poor women and children that could make no resistance An Irish woman with her own hands murthered forty five At Portendowne Bridge were drowned above three hundred At Lawgh were drowned above two hundred In another place three hundred were drowned in one day In the parish of Killamen there were murthered one thousand and two hundred Protestants Many young children they cut
the times For when the Church had rest and ease he wrote strange things and cryed out of the abuses in Popery But in times of persecution he usually played the Hypocrite and laboured to draw others to do the same by which means he had a multitude of followers and amongst them the Lord of Valgrane and Maximilian de Saluces who set his name to Baronius to add luster to his writings against the Ministers reproaching them for that they would not give way to any dissimulation in their Disciples whereby they exposed them to great extremities This Lord had some learning and knowledge of the truth but to avoid the bearing of the Cross he thought it convenient to dissemble and condemned those who any way gain said the Papists Yet Monsieur Gelido Minister of Aceil opposed them both very learnedly in several letters that he wrote unto them So did Monsieur Truchi Minister of Dronier together with other Pastors of the Neighbouring places demonstrating both by Scripture Testimonies and by the Example of the Primitive Church that they had done nothing but what they ought to do and what every faithful Christian was bound to and consequently that the opinion of Baronius and his followers was pernicious to the Church in times of persecution The other instruments that Satan made use of to the prejudice of the Church were the Roman Clergy with their passionate Proselites who would faine have done to these godly Christians as their brethren in iniquity had done to their neighbours in the Dukedom of Savoy viz. Banish imprison kill and confiscate the goods of the Protestants But through Gods mercy they were hindred by the Kings Edicts confirming to those his Subjects of Saluces a peaceable habitation without being molested for their Conscience and religion or questioned for any thing they did in their private houses provided they abstained from the publick exercise of it by which means their Ministers had opportunitie of assembling in small Companies baptizing marrying comforting the sick and instructing every one in particular which provoked their adversaries to bend themselves chiefly against the Ministers thinking that if they could find out any meanes to extirpate them they should easily prevaile upon the common people having none to animate and instruct them Accordingly they published an Edict of Octob. 19. 1567. in the name of the Duke of Nevers Governour for the King on this side the mountains injoyning all of the religion there inhabiting or abiding that were not the Kings natural Subjects to depart together with their families within the space of three dayes and never to return thither to inhabit pass or otherwise to abide without a special safe conduct upon pain of life and confiscation of their goods Now the greatest part of the Ministers not being natural subjects to the King by this Edict were to quit the Marquisate oâ— to obtain a safe conduct or lastly to incur the penalty A safe conduct they could not obtain and yet they thought themselves bound in Conscience not to abandon their people wherefore continuing with their Congregations two of them were apprehended and imprisoned viz. Monsieur Francis Truchi and Monsieur Francis Soulf where they were detained four years four moneths and odd dayes the poor people being not able by any means to obtain their deliverance though they continually sollicited de Berague their Governour and others that had undertaken the management of these affairs yet the Lord was so pleased to restrain the power of their Enemies that they could not take away their lives yea by degrees they obtained for them a more spacious and convenient prison than that whereunto they were at first confined To procure their full deliverance the Churches of the Marquisate sent their supplications to the King by the aforesaid Minister Galatâ—e and another who set out July 27. 1571. and went as far as Rochel to implore the intercession of the Queen of Navar as also to intreat the assistance of divers others in several places and the great Patrons of the reformed religion disputed their case before the King and in the end obtained Letters under the Kings own hand for their enlargement Octob. 14. 1571. which was accordingly effected but it was four moneths after before it could be done When Sieur Galatee returned he was overjoyed as well for the prosperous successe of his negotiations as for the great hopes of a profound peace founded upon the smooth promises of his Majâ—sty and upon the alliance which he had made by the marriage of his sister to the King of Navar who professed the reformed religion But this joy lasted but from the moneth of May 1572. to the beginning of Septemb. at which time there arived the lamentable news of the massacre of many noble persons and multitudes of others who were most inhumanely murthered in divers places of France to the great astonishment of all the faithful in those parts About the same time there arived letters from the King to the Governour Birague by which he was required to have an eye that at the arival of the news of what happened at Paris they of the Religion should make no combustion remitting the rest of his pleasure to those instructions which he had sent him by the bearer the contents whereof were that he should put to death all the chief of the Protestants within his jurisdiction whose names he should find in the Roll that should be presented to him Birague having received this command together with the Roll aforementioned was much troubled and immediately called his Council together whom he acquainted with the Kings Orders whereupon some were of opinion that they should be immediately executed But others seeing the King in his late Patents not many moneths before had enlarged the Ministers that were imprisoned and had ordered that those of the reformed Religion should not be any wayes molested for their Conscience sake as also upon consideration that nothing had occurred since that time worthy such a change they therefore thought it sufficient to secure the persons of such as were enrolled and to defer execution for a while and in the mean time to inform the King that they were persons of Honour faithful to his Majesty living peaceably with their neighbours and inoffensive in their lives adding that in case his Majesty was resolved that they should be put to death there was yet time enough to execute his pleasure therein This advice Birague approved of and accordingly apprehended some but others escaped and concealed themselves and in the mean time he dispatched a Messenger to the King to inform him as abovesaid and to know his further pleasure This Messenger met another at Lions where the King had sent to Birague to advertise him that in case his former Order was not already executed he should desist from it and only have a special care that those of the Religion should make no insurrection nor have any publick exercises But they
16. 1642. having made her believe that the Papists were compelled to contribute towards the maintenance of the Protestant Ministers with some other such like fictions upon which they obtained an Order for the Officers called Castellani to give the Missionaries all the Writings they should demand of them by means whereof they usurped power over the said Castellani and so over the poor Protestants compelling the Castellani to make most unjust Ordinances against these poor people As for example when the question is concerning their habitation the Missioners do perswade them that come to witnesse the truth that so to do is to favour the Hereticks whereby they will fall irrevocably under the censure of Excommunication whereas its a meritorious work to witnesse against them by such officious lies as are suggested to them by the Popish Clergy Nay the Judges themselves durst not passe a righteous sentence when it reflected in the least upon the Catholick party And that they may have the opportunity of negotiating with the Protestants they procure of his Highnesse every year the Assignations of Grain and other Impositions that so they of the Reformed Religion being obliged to make their payments to these Publicans they may have the advantage to shew favour and give ample rewards to such as will comply with their superstitious Idolatry and to lay heavy burdens upon the backs of those that are true to their Principles Mention might here be made of their frequent falling into the said Valleys with Troops of Armed men under pretence of quartering them there whereby they have miserably surprized and made a prey of them As likewise the cunning stratagems which they have used in all their Treaties which have been as full of Jesuitical Equivocations as of lines and sentences following therein their old Maxime that Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks To this may be added their diligent search and strict enquiry after all Protestant Books and Writings which they commit to the fire with much devotion lest they should discover their rotten principles and the wickednesse of their actions to the world Another stratagem they have to allure men to revolt wherein are proffers of great rewards made and published in the Princes name as may be seen in the Dukes own letter wherein are these words To encourage the Hereticks to turn Catholicks it is our pleasure and we do hereby expresly command that all such as shall embrace the Holy Romane Faith shall enjoy an exemption from all and every tax for the space of five years commencing from the day of their conversion c. Which term of five years he hath sometimes lengthned out to ten or fifteen years whereas indeed the burden that they took off from these Revolters they laid upon the backs of those that persevered in their Religion the better to break and destroy them But as if all this were too little to compass their ends the Duke erected a Congregation for extirpating the Hereticks who were to judge concerning the rights of the Protestants Their meeting place was in the Arch-bishops house the Bishop himself being President together with the Dukes Confessor and divers others every one of them hired by the Court of Rome to undermine the liberties of the Protestant Churches by robbing them of their Ancient Priviledges under sundry pretences and upon false Informations And the better to disguise their proceedings they usually incense the Duke by grievous accusations and so procure grievous Edicts from him against the poor Protestants These were they who procured from Charles Emanuel Anno Christi 1602. An Edict wherein he enjoyns the Protestants upon pain of death to banish from amongst them all manner of Schools both publick and private as Julian the Apostate had formerly done to extirpate the Christian Religion And by another Edict of Decemb. 18. 1622. he forbade them to receive any strangers amongst them that should be either Ministers or Schoolmasters as also from sending their youth into Forreign Schools suspected of Heresie He also debarred all manner of Protestants from publick Offices either great or small In another Edict all Protestants were commanded either to go to Masse or to depart within two moneths after the publication thereof And by another Edict the same was commanded and but fifteen dayes given them Another order was given out Novemb. 18. 1634. enjoyning the Protestants of Campiglione to leave that place within twenty foure houres and that upon pain of death which was executed without mercy The same was done Anno Christi 1655. by Gastaldo who gave no longer than twenty foure houres to those of the Valleys of Saint Martino and Perosa to depart upon pain of death and to those that lived beyond Pelice but three days Many times when these Missionary Fathers could not possibly perswade his Royal Highnesse to an open Persecution against the generality of the Protestants then they usually tormented them one by one upon sundry false pretences whom they delivered up to the Inquisitors who contrary to all Forms of Justice forthwith condemned them without so much as hearing them or letting them know their accusers Anno Christi 1622. They took one Mr. Sebastian Basan and after the Inquisitors had cruelly tempted and tormented him for the space of fifteen months they burned him alive at Turin Novemb. 23. 1623. where he dyed singing the praises of God in the midst of the flames Anno 1655. These Missionary Fathers stole away very many of the Protestants children in the time of the Massacre whom they would not afterwards restore though his Highness had promised it by his Patent which practice is the most execrable of all the Turkish tyrannies Yet there is this difference that the Turks do so only to their own Subjects whereas the Popes Ministers do it to those over whom they have no right at all Two instances may be given amongst many others of the subtile insinuations of the Jesuites to withdraw men from the truth There were two Ministers the one Mr. Peter Gros the other Mr. Francis Aguit with whom they had thus prevailed But the Lord in mercy shewing them the greatnesse of their sin they made a publick Recantation in a full Congregation August 28. 29. 1655. at Pinache in the Valley of Perouse wherein they testified their extream sorrow for their defection through infirmity from the true Religion during the time of their Imprisonment at Turin together with their abjuration of Popery which they conclude thus Do not think us unworthy your holy communion although we have been an occasion of offence Suffer us to poure into your bosomes a torrent of tears to deplore our condition and to assure you in the anguish of our souls that our grief is greater than we can expresse Help us by your holy prayers to the Lord and publish our repentance in all places where you conceive our sin hath been or shall bee known that so it may be evident to all the world that from
with moderation he had been hardly to have been paralleld The death of so brave a Commander and the wound of Captaine Gianavel in that juncture of time did not a little startle the Protestants But necessity often puts inconsiderable men upon bold enterprizes for these poor men did not despond nor lose their courage but assembling shortly after in a Mountaine of Angrognia they descended into the plaine where twice they were assaulted with violence the last of which was by a dangeros Ambuscado where the enemies were at least six thousand and they not above one hundred But God of his infinite goodnesse so encouraged their hearts and guided their hands that they slew very many of their enemies and amongst them many principal Officers whereas the Reformed party lost onely one Michael Bertino a Serjeant of Angrognia and had but one common souldier wounded The sonne of the said Bertino seeing his father fall dead at his feet was so farre from being discouraged that he immediately stepped into his fathers place with these words Though my father be dead yet be of good courage my fellow souldiers for God is a father to us all Munday following they had a very sharp dispute at La Torre and about Tagliaretto where they killed and wounded a great number of their enemies without the losse of any of their own men Indeed in this time the enemies reaped their Corne in the plaines of Saint Giovanni but they could not carry it away but with the losse of many of their lives About the same time there came to them one Monsieur Andrion a Major of a Regiment of Horse with two other Gentlemen that were strangers who were followed with some Volunteers whose friendly visit of their poor afflicted Brethren and their good advice in such a juncture of time was taken as it deserved very kindly and God made it a singular means to uphold the fainting spirits of some weak Brethren who seeing others come in to the help of the Lord against the Mighty went on with a great deale more chearfulnesse and alacrity and these staid with them till the peace was concluded at Pignerâ—l July the eleventh 1655. Sieur John Leger Pastor of the Church at Saint Giovanni who deserves to be remembred for the great paines and many services performed by him in the behalf of the Churches of the Valleys having notice that the enemies were of opinion that he was come back from his journey with Armes and Money and Ammunition and thereupon presuming that they would suddenly make some notable attempt to prevent what they so much feared he went to Colonel Andrion and pressed him to put his designe in execution The poor people had as yet no standing Army but the Bands of each Commonalty were quartered at a great distance the one from the other and certainly they had been cut off every man of them within a few dayes had not their Centinels been very watchful and above all if Captaine Charforan had not on the one side timely discovered the enemy an the poor people on the other side been exceedingly heartned to the Battel by the great valour and singular conduct of the Sieurs Andrion Michelin and Leger The Enemy was very numerous having been lately reinforced with many Troops They encamped themselves within half a League of the Reformed party and early in the morning they divided themselves into four Brigades three whereof fell upon the Protestants with a marvelous Resolution in three several places at once the fourth stood still ready to succour their friends if there were need The fight continued at least four hours without intermission and was the sharpest that ever was fought in the open field and that which made the enemies more fierce was their hopes to have beaten back the Protestants from their Post called the Castelas which if they could have effected they had been certainly Masters of the Valleys Perosa Saint Martino and Lucerna But the poor people having lifted up their hearts by earnest supplications to the Lord of Hosts as they used to do upon all such occasions Major Andrion and the two other Captaines which he had brought with him gave forth such orders as were necessary encouraging their men exceedingly so that without budging a foot they kept their ground all save a few who were either quite tired or faint for want of food or that wanted powder or flints in their fire-locks But these the Sieurs Mechelin and Leger imployed in rolling down great stones upon their enemies heads as they came to attacque them which proved very successeful doing much execution upon the enemy and causing them to abate much of their fury and whereas in the beginning of the fight they cryed alwayes Advance Advance ye relicts of Jahier the Protestants now began to cry as fast Advance Advance ye relicts of Saint Secondo and withal they ran upon those murtherers as so many Lions and caused them to turn back and flie towards La Torre and Lucerna as fast as they were able leaving behinde them fifty five upon the place and about fourty that were killed in the flight besides many others who were carried either dead or dangerously wounded to Lucerna Themselves confessed that in this encounter they lost at least three hundred men amongst which were many Officers of a Bavarian Regiment When such multitudes of dead wounded and dying men were brought into Lucerna the Syndick who was indeed a Papist but not so superstitious as many others said to some Hitherto the Wolves devoured the Barbets But now the Barbets devour the Wolves which words being reported to Monsieur Marolles the Commander in chief in Lucerna he threatened to imprison him and to give him the Strappado for them which so terrified the poor man that he presently sickened and within a few dayes died Two dayes after this great fight the enemy being much enraged for their great losse spread themselves all over Angrognia and began to set the Corne on fire which being seene by the Company of La Torre who at that time were upon the Mountaine of Tagliaretto they speedily gave notice to those of Saint Giovanni and Angrognia who hasted thither and charged them so fiercely that they forced them to flie and to leave most of their Ammunition behinde them and in the meane time Captaine Belin assaulted the Towne of La Torre killed the Centinel and souldiers upon the works and gave the Towne such an hot Alarum that most of them fled towards the River of Pellice and probably if he had had a few more men with him he had at that time made himself Master of La Torre July the eighteenth the General of the Protestants gave Order to fall upon the Towne of La Torre which accordingly was put in execution Captaine Belin gave the first onset who being followed with many other Officers and Souldiers they quickly made a considerable breach in the Garden-wall next to the Convent which so encouraged the rest that they
this is the most miserable state and condition of our Churches moreover our Countrey-men to the number of five thousand besides youths and children being dispersed in banishment which hath now befallen most of us the second time especially throughout Silesia as also through the Marck Lusatia Hungary c. find no comfort but much misery and are there exposed to the hatred and envy of men We that are Pastors dare not openly minister to our Auditories with the Word and Sacraments but onely in private Meetings or in Woods among Fenny places God onely seeing us who is witnesse of these calamities and our comfort in extremities Indeed being thus destitute of all things we lead a wretched life in banishment being afflicted with hunger and nakednesse and are become next to the most miserable Waldenses the greatest spectacle of calamity to the Christian world for so it hath seemed good to that Soveraign Wisdome that governs all things that we should be inheritors of the Crosse and persecution of those men from whom we have derived the original of our Doctrine and external Succession For truly we are the remaining Progeny even of the Waldenses with whom being raised from the ashes of blessed Huss and with whom combining into the same holy Fellowship of the Faith and afflictions of Christ we have for two whole ages and more been perpetually subject to the like storms of Calamities until at length we fell into this calamity greater than ever was known in the memory of our Fathers and which threatens us with utter destruction unlesse God prevent it The truth is this businesse constrains us to amazement and tears greater than can be exprest in words to set forth our affliction and sorrow If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies we desire that this affliction of Joseph may be recommended especially to all that are of the houshold of Faith Let them not suffer those to perish whom the same Faith and the same Spirit of Christ hath joyned with them in so near a relation we beseech them in the name of Christ that they would rather make haste to relieve those who are ready to perish we being assured that we suffer this persecution upon no other account than for the confession of the Truth from those Enemies who have acted such things as these are against us in times past and are now at length by Gods permission pouring out their fury upon us Signed in the name of the said distressed Churches by their Delegates and now Exiles for the Cause of Christ Adam Samuel Hartman Pastor of the Church of Lesna in Poland and Rector of the famous University there Paul Cyril a late Member of the University of Lesna A BRIEF REPRESENTATION OF THE Protestant Cause in GERMANY In what Case it hath been since the Peace of MUNSTER and how it stood in the year 1657. and how it is now this present year 1659. THe Justice of the late civil warres in Germany which were composed at the Peace concluded in Munster and Osnaburgge in the year 1648. was grounded upon this That the Protestants were necessitated to enter into a League or mutual union together for the maintaining of their rights and priviledges in the Empire against the infections thereof and manifold disturbances of their profession which contrary to former agreements at Imperial Dyets did befal unto them in many places by the Popish and Jesuites practices whereof they could obtain no redresse by any peaceable Treaties Therefore finding that there was a design formed in the Conclave and by the house of Austria to be put in execution tending by little and little to wear out and deprive them of their liberties they formed an union among themselves to stand upon the defence of their rights and to oppose the power of the house of Austria by whose means both in Germany and in Bohemia the Jesuites did drive the design of rooting out Protestants The head of this union who by his place was bound to appear in it was the Elector Palatine but he being a soft man of no experience in war and beset in his Counsels and enterprises with such as did betray him the cause was soon overthrown and by his overthrow the intended persecution against Protestants to root them out what by power and what by policie was openly carried on by the house of Austria which moved the King of Denmark Christian the IV. and after him the King of Sweden to come upon the Stage the Dane was soon overthrown but God gave such successe unto the Swedes to the Landgrave of Hessen their associate and to the French who joyned with them to ballance the power of Austria after the Elector of Saxony had made his peace at Prague with the Emperour and deserted the Protestant interest that from the death of King Gustavus they continued the war with various successes till the year 1648. at which time the Swedish being masters in Bohemia and the Emperour brought so low that he saw little hopes to recover his strength without a Peace he yielded to the conditions which the Protestants and the French stood upon The Swedish stood upon their satisfaction and to keep a foot in the Empire to be able upon all occasions to secure or help the Protestant party And the Protestant Princes they stood upon the setling of all things and of themselves in their former rights and possessions as before the war and chiefly upon this point the reformed party and the Landgrave of Hessen who headed them stood that thence forward the reformed Protestants alias called Calvinists should have equal freedom and liberty of conscience for the exercise of their profession in the Empire with the Papists and Lutherans This condition being obtained and a way determined to give the agrieved parties in point of dammage further satisfaction Armies were dismissed a new convention of States was held at Nurenberg to settle the remaining matters within the Empire which at Munster and Osnabrugge could not well be handled by reason of the Treatie with forreigne States and afterward a Dyet was called at Ratisbon to confirme all what formerly had been treated on and concluded and to put the remainder of grievances in a way to be rectified To which effect at the dissolution or rather adjournment of the Imperial Dyet at Ratisbon a Committee of Deputies from all the States of the Empire of equal number of both parties that is so many of the Protestants as of the Popish partie were named to meet at Franckford and prepare by way of disquiry of rights the matters then remaining undecided that at the next Session of the Dyet there might be a full decision and determination of them but before these Delegates did meet the Elector of Mentz did broach a new quarrel with the Elector Palatine tending to abridge him of much of his right and to make him inconsiderable to the Protestant party but
covered with a cloke of Religion whereby he deceived many About this time there were also in that City two sorts of Preachers and both had a great number of Auditors The one taught School-Divinity and were continually calling upon their hearers to often fastings mortification self-denial frequency of Prayer humility c. But themselves practised nothing lesse than these things and indeed all their Religion consisted in works and bodily exercises as running to Masses hallowed places shrift c. The other sort dealt more sincerely with the holy Scriptures out of which they declared what was true righteousnesse and perfect holinesse by means whereof that City above all others in Spain bore the name for just and true dealing and it pleased God that the brightnesse of this light did discover all the counterfeit holinesse and Pharasaical devotion of the other party The chief Labourers in this harvest were Constantino Aegidius and Varquius all Doctors and sober wise and learned men who by this kind of preaching procured to themselves many enemies but above all others Arias was the most spiteful and malicious yet he carried it so cunningly that he still kept up his reputation with these men but it was not long before he discovered himself and that upon this occasion There was one Ruzius a learned man questioned before the Inquisitors for something that he had delivered in a Sermon about the Controversies in Religion The Inquisitors appointed him a day of hearing and two or three days before Arias met him saluted him courteously and discoursed familiarly with him then did he pump out of him all those Arguments wherewith he intended to defend himself before the Inquisitors When the day came and Ruzius appeared Arias went on that side where his opponents were which much amated Ruzius and in the disputation Arias being prepared did so wittily enervate all his Arguments that Ruzius had nothing to say for himself and so was fain to yield the cause and Arias went away with the honour of the field though he got it by treachery Yet did this Arias being of Saint Isidores Monastery preach so practically that a great light began to dawn in that dark place for the whole scope of his Sermons was to overthrow all their Profession he taught them that singing and saying of their Prayers day and night was no service of God that the holy Scriptures were to be read and studied with diligence whence alone the true service of God could be drawn and which alone teach us the true obedience to his Will to the obtaining whereof we must use Prayer as a means proceeding as well from a sense and feeling of our own infirmities as grounded upon a perfect trust and confidence in God By laying these foundations through Gods blessing he began to make them out of love with their Monkish Superstition and much provoked them to the study of the holy Scriptures Besides also his Sermons he read daily a lecture upon Solomons Proverbs very learnedly and made application thereof with good judgement and discretion also in his private conference he did much good The Lord also so ordered it in his wisdome that he met with Schollers that were very tractable such as were not greatly wedded to their Superstitions And such was the force and might of Gods Election that these few good seeds so fructified that in the end they brought forth a great encrease of godlinesse For divers of the Monks that hereby had their consciences awakened and cleared to see their former hypocrisie and idolatry sought out for further instructions and through Gods mercy they light upon those Preachers which taught the truth with more sincerity of whom they learned the Principles of pure and perfect Religion so that by degrees they left that evil opinion which they had formerly conceived against the Lutherans and were desirous to read their books And God miraculously provided for them that they had all sorts of books brought them that were extant at that time either in Geneva or Germany whereby it came to passe that there were very few in all that cloister but they had some taste of true Religion and Godlinesse so that instead of mumbling their mattens they brought in Divinity-lectures c. Vain fasting was turned into Christian sobriety neither were any taught to be Monkish but to be sincerely and truly religious But considering that when this should be once known they could not live in any safety they resolved amongst themselves to forsake their nest and to flie into Germany where they might enjoy more safety of their lives and freedome of their consciences But how to get thither was all the difficulty If one or two should go first the rest would be exposed to danger if many should go together a thousand to one but they would be taken again being to travel from the furthest part of Spaine into Germany yet upon debate they concluded that they must all either speedily depart or shortly be apprehended by the Inquisitors who now had got some inkling of the matter And God seeing them in this distresse shewed them a means how under an honest pretence a dozen of them might depart together within a month and each betake himself a several way towards Geneva where they appointed by Gods assistance all to meet within a twelve month The rest which were but young novices were left behind who yet not long after were so strengthned by God that they endured the brunt of persecution when it came three of them being burned and divers others diversly punished The aforementioned servants of Jesus Christ forsook that place where they lived in honour ease and plenty and by undertaking for Christs sake a voluntary exile exposed themselves to shame ignominy wants yea and were in continual danger of their lives also And under God Arias was a great means of this who by his ministry had first inlightned them with the knowledge of the truth for which he was often complained of to the Inquisitors and was convented before them where he so cunningly answered the matter that he was still discharged But his last apprehension through the mercy of God brought forth in him the fruits of true repentance for he did so deeply and unfainedly bewail and repent of his former with-holding of the truth in unrighteousnesse that whereas he used to be exceeding fearful of the Rack he being brought to it and upon it with a marvellous constancy withstood the enemies of Gods truth and took up the Inquisitors roundly withal telling them that he was heartily sorry and did most earnestly repent him for that he had wittingly and willingly in their presence impugned the truth against the godly defenders of the same Many other sharp rebukes he gave to the Inquisitors so often as he came to his answer But at last he was brought forth arraied in their accustomed manner upon their day of triumph at which time he also made a notable Profession of his faith