stone VVas caste into the sea But Angels ayded her to land VVhere shee more woes did taste And as an arrow strake her hart Her soule to heauen paste VVhen Fausta in her faithful mynde Resolued did remaine The Idol priest wild with a saw To cut her corps in twain But when he saw it hurt her not Hee in her faith affied And comfort from the heauens receau'd VVith her when as he dyed â—udelia many did conuert Vnto her lordes belief VVhich in the Persian pagans did Enkindle irefull grief Vnto the Sun shee would not pray Nor yet the fyre adore And had the skin flead from her face And lastly dy'd therefore Sout Iuliâ—na did endure The torments of the euil And did in combat ouercome Th' accursed cruel deuil And after all her conquests gaynd Then gayned shee renowne For by the swoord vnto her due Remaynd a martirs crowne Victoria wel might called bee That woorthy mynded mayd That in her self subdued sin VVith courage vndismayd And gayned virgins vnto Christ And actes of woonder wrought And did by martirdome attain The garland that shee sought Because the Idoles to adore Lucia did refuse Shee threatned was shee should bee thrust Into the comon stewes No no quoth shee the mynd beeing pure The body is vnstaynd Then with the swoord shee martrid was And glorie so shee gaynd To Fortunata for her faith Much euil did betyd VVho fyrie flames fierce beastes clawâ—â— VVas willing to abyde And tortures and lim-streâ—ching â—ack From whence her sauiour pleased To cal her blessed soule to blis VVhere with her woes were eased Febronia with resolued force For chastitie and faith Endur'd with patience to the end The woorst of tyrants wrath The rack the fyre and rods shee felt Teeths losse and either brest And with the swoord all losse of wo And gaine of lasting rest Macra a mayd of heauenly mynde No earthly thinges did moue For prison fyre nor losse of brests Might not her faith remoue All naked o're hot-sheards of pots Her body rolled was VVhyle shee in praying vnto God To paradise did pas Zâ—a a glorious martyrs * Nicostrâ—tus wyf Before the aulter prayd VVhere-vnder blest saint Pâ—â—ters bones The faithful had conuayd And for this fact surprised then VVas hanged on a tree Both by her heâ—â—â— and by her neck And so her crowne had shee Charitina with fyre annoyd And cast into the seas Came foorth and had no hurt at all Nor feeling of vnease Then were her handes and feet cut of But he whome shee did loue Eu'n as shee prayd receau'd her ghoste Into his ioyes aboue Eulalia ardent in her zeal Vnto her louing lord To suffre torments many wayes Most midly did accord And lastly in the burning fyre Lauding his holy name To him her soule shee sacryfys'd And died in the â—lame The lyke in loue the lyke in zeal In some succeeding space A second good Eulaliâ— was A lyke endu'd with grace The rack she felt and sundry grieues The last of lyf the losse VVhen foes of Christe for faith of Christe Did naile her on a crosse VVhyle Emerâ—â—â—iâ—na yet was taught in Christian lore Her foster-sister 〈◊〉 tombe Shee prayd and kneeld before And taken at this martres tombe A martres shee was made And vnto happy heauenâ— ioyes Her ghoste straight was conueyd Chaste Theodora to the stewes To be deflowred led Gat thence in habyt of a youth That stayd there in her sted But for this fact for his faith VVhen hee was led to death Shee came and yeilded vp her self And with him yeilded breath Crispina of renowmed race Did by her vertues mynde More honour in her self atchiue Then came to her by kynde Shee would vnto the Idol Gods No sacrifise affoord But yeided for her Lord and God Her neck vnto the swoord Susanna of a woorthy stock VVas of as woorthy fame As shee that false defamed was And first did beare her name Shee Christe his seruants did relieue And liued in his lore And for the same shee lost her head And gayned heauen therefore Imprisned Leocadia long Did for her faith remayne VVhose faithful mynde remained free In moste afflicting payne Til God at length for her release Her ghoste tooke thence away Her suffrance by a martirs crowne In glory to repay The virgin Bibiana was Establisht in belief VVhich faithlesse foes could not subuert By guerdon nor by grief So long her body lashed was VVith knotted whips with lead That her sweete soule to heauen past And left it lying dead Euphrasia with more maidens chaste In place vnchaste was placed But hee their puritie preseru'd That purely him embraced Then by their death-contryuing-crue Stones to their nectes were bound And so into the water cast The innocentes were drown'd Antonia had her tender limmes Beyond all measure payned And three dayes hanged by one arme Moste constant stil remayned And two yeares hauing prisned bene Receau'd at last her hyre VVhat tyme her soule her body left Consuming in the fyre Lucretia not that Lucres once VVhich did her self destroy Did for true faith and faithful loue Beare wrongful griefes annoy The one in earth her glory left The other in heauen and earth Because more woorthy was the cause VVhy shee endured death VVith tearing hookes and iron combes VVas Tatiana torne Cointha trayld along the streetes Her flesh from bones was worne Paula that gathred martyrs blood Her owne for Christ did shed Crescentia for her faith to Christ VVas thrust in boyling lead Corona torne betwene two trees Her crowne in blis did fynde As did Cirilla when shee left Her bleeding corps behynde Balbina daughter to a saint * S. 〈◊〉 Her fathers steps did trace And Aquilina by her death Did deathlesse lyf embrace Helconis that great grief endur'd Did lastly lose her hâ—d Calliopa her scortched corps Left with tormentors dead Felicula by tortur kild And Paula ston'd to death And with the swoord Constantia Constantlyâ—yeilded breath Regina many paynes endur'd Heau'ns diademe to gayne Mustiola did suffer wo For gayning ioyes againe Irene that good bookes did hyde Her lyf for Christe bestowed Dominica that Idoles brake By death her feruour shewed Dafrosa that to martirdoâ—e Her husband * Fabiâ—â—â— hath ensued And Marciona with whose blood The wyld beastes were imbrued Mannea that with her three sonnes And with her husband dy'd Valeria saint Vitals wyf Gainst death her courage tryd Pelagia in a brazen Ox Red hot aliue was thrust Anthusia throwne into a wel To please the tirants lust Maxima vnto cruel death VVith cudgels beaten was Agathoclia lost her toung Ere shee to blis did pas Blanda with her deer husband dyd VVhose heddes on stakes on hic Through pagan pollicy were set Christians to terrify VVith Leonis and Libia The faithful sisters twaine Eutropia twelue yeares old â—ndur'd Death and moste deadly payne The vertuous virgin Sophia Cornelia loyal euer Albina and Asteria Did vnto death perseuer Prisca and Lâ—ocâ—itia Martha and Antoâ—ina VVith
Leonilla of that lore And setled Secundâ—â—a Sebastiana whome saint Paule Did bring to Christe his loue And Reparata dead whose ghoste Ascended lyke a doue Faire Flora and Maria both And Flaâ—ia Doâ—itilla Good Dula and Demetria Gaudentia and Lucilla VVith Alexandra six besyde For Christe their blood haue spent And Ciriaca and fyâ—e more VVith bodies rac'd and rent VVith other martyresses twelue Theodosia went to heauen Eu'n as at Sâ—â—irna for that cause Dy'd holy virgins seauen Six that were called Candâ—da Gaue beauty to that name More fairer far then â—t self â—ound Doth signify the same Some maried were and some were maydes Their suffrance sundry wayes There cause all one their only king Did all to glorie raise Seauen of the name of Iulia Did one of them ensue VVhereby eight martirs glorious crownes To this one name is due And of the name Iustina fyue As of Pelagia were Of Martiana there were three VVhose count Valerâ—â— beare Of this most glorious troop and ranck Of martrid woomen-kynde I shal not nede to recon morâ— Thoughe many more I fynd For euen as these rehearsed here There crosse with Christ sustayn'd So did the rest and all with Christ Al glory haue obtayn'd In sundry regions of the earth Ful many more besyde For faith for vow for zeal to Christâ— Ful gloriously haue dyde Chaste VVâ—â—nâ—frid did feele of death The bloody stroke and sting As Dympâ—a of her father did A pagan Irish King VVith soule and body vndefyld In endlesse lyf to raigne Good Vrsula and all her troop Endured to be slaine And Câ—rdula that hid her self Her lyf thereby to saue Came foorth and yeilded vnto death Her lyf thereby to haue To bring the number in accompâ— Vnable is my skil Of all such glorious martirs names And their endured il But in the Lambe his booke of lyf No one omitted is Nor no one wo that they sustaynd Vnrecompenst in bliâ— No more then their formenterâ— misse Their iust reward in hel For each inflicted grief and smart VVherewith they them did quel Exyl'd those wretches are from heaueâ— And odious dead in earth Yet in helles horror neuer dy Though euer feeling death Meane whyle the chosen saintes of God In heauen euer liue And euer glorie vnto him In all reioysing giue Al clad in whyte for puritie Each with a golden crowne And bearing palmes of victory As enseignes of renowne No eye hath seene no eare hath heard No hart of man conceaued No sight no sound no thought of ioy As now they haue receaued All griefes are now extinguished All sorrowes haue â—n end No teares can fall from weeping eyes Nor sighes from hart ascend O gâ—orioâ—â— troop whose praise the heau'ns VVith melodie refouâ—◠〈◊〉 Accept that wee as câ—coes here Yeild noise vnto the sound And when for your true followed faith VVee any wo sustaine Our constant suffrance of the same Voutsafe of God obtayne Deo gratiae A RESEMBLANCE OF MARTYRS BEfore the craggy flint Meetes with the hardned steel It seemes not to conteyne The vertue it conteynes But when it doth the stroke Of swift encountring feel Eu'n then the force appeers That hid in it remaines Right so resolued myndes Through wicked fortunes wheel Encountring with misâ—ap And feeling bitter paynes Make fyre of sacred Ioue From ardent zeal proceed VVhich mounting vp to heau'n Doth all the Starres exceed TE DEVM LAVDAMVS OR The song of S. Ambrose S. Augustyne TO thee O God wee praises giue VVee thee our Lord confesse Eternal father all the earth Adores thy woorthynesse The Angels heau'ns heau'nly powers Yeild praises all to thee The Cherubinnes and Scraphinnes Sound out incessantly O holy holy holy Lord. O God of Sabaoth Thy glorious maiesty repleates The earth and heauen both To thee the quyre so glorious Of thy Apostles all To thee the number woorthy-praise Of prophets cry and cal The army of thy martirs bright Thy praises do expresse Thy holy Church through-out the earth Doth thee o Lord confesse Father of endlesse Maiestie Thy only Sonne withal Together with the Holy Ghost Comforter of vs all Thow King of glorie arte O Christe And ere the earth begonne Thow of thy father did'st remaine His euer beeing Sonne Thy willingnesse man to releas Made thee in earth to come And for that cause not to abhor Thy maiden-mothers woombe And when the sting of cruel death By the was vanuisht quyght Thow opned'st then thee realme of blis To each belieuing wight In glorie of the father thow Do'st sit at Gods right hand VVee hold thee for the iudge by whome Our causes must bee skand VVee humbly therefore thee desyre Voutsafe thy seruants ayd Of whome with thy moste pretious blood The ransomes thow ha'st paid O make that wee rewarded bee VVith thy deer saintes in blis Eu'n with thy glory and thy grace VVhich euer during is Thy people and thyne heritage O Lord saue and defend And gouerne them and stil their praise In altitude extend And from offending thee by sin This day do thow vs saue And mercy haue on vs O Lord Lord on vs mercy haue And as our trust in thee hath bene Such let thy mercy bee Confounded let mee not become That hoped haue in thee HOVV GOD IN ALL AGES hath bin serued with Sacrifise Sacrificium sub lege Naturae WHen God created man and rule vnto him gaue Of creatures all on earth and eu'ry earthly thing And knowlege of his God did in his hart engraue Subiection so to know vnto his soueraigne King Then for to know and yeild what homage hee would haue Nature by her instinckt vnto his mynde did bring And Sacrifise it was and well accepted than Thus mannes adoring God with sacrifise began Sacrificium sub lege Moyses VVHen froÌ„ the how 's of thralle through ayd of heau'uly might Gods people were led foorth by Moysis then their guyd For this new freedome found it rested that of right God with augmented thankes must now bee gratifyde And him to honor more in more then wonted plight Old Sacrifise was now with new rytes beautifyde So for more good receau'd more gratitude did rise Which still to God was don in doing sacrifise Sacrificium sub lege Euangelica VVHen Gods dere Sonne from heau'n did vnto earth desced Lost loue of God againe for mannes release to win Himself in sacrifise blood-sacrifise did end When his high prised blood did satisfy for sin But since Gods seruice must on sacrifise depend He chang'd not took away what faith did first begin And did ordaine himself in Sacramental wise To bee to God for man a soueraigne sacrifise SAINT PEETERS COMFORT EV'n there where sin my silly soule defyld Shame bad mee hy and seeke to hyde my face Foule face of myne that that faire face behild And could my so wel knowing it out face And make himself eu'n whome I did deny True witnes vnto my fals periury I scarsly was gon foorth out of the halle VVhen sorrow straight
of beastly mood Found beastes deuoyd of sauagenesse And men more thirsting blood And all the torments that shee had To her not seemed payne But when a swoord transpearst her corps True glory was her gayne The noble Anastatia Poore christians did relieue VVhose heath nish husband her therefore Vnkyndely did agrieue But when the swoord and cruel death Did her from thralle release The heau'ns her freedome did restore VVith endlesse ioy and peace Besydes this Anastatia A martres and a wyf Two virgins of lyke name and faith Lost each lyke wise their lyf The elder that most paynes endur'd Most is her glory spred That losing first paps handes and feet Did lastly lose her head Mylde Dorothey endured much And dy'd by dint of swoord VVhose suffrance did her loue approue To her deere louing Lord. Shee dead to him * Thâ—â—-philâ—â— sweet roses sent That dying did her scorne VVhich moued him her to ensue That els had bene forlorne Erasma in her faiths defence Did wade through many a wo Vntil the hedsman ended all In his death-bringing blow And with this virgin virgins three Did gladly yeild to die So selling lyf at rate of death Vndying lyf to buy Seraphia her setled loue To Christe was so entyre That strokes with cudgels shee sustaind And burning flames of fyre And last of all her lyf and all For his deere loue shee left And gaynd an euer-lyuing lyf In steed of that was reft Sabiâ—a nobly did ensue Seraphia noble dame Yet nobler either in their actes Then only in there name Refusing of vngodly gods The seruice to fulfil Shee rather yeilded to the swoord Then to the pagans wil. As Authia the woes beheld VVhich were by tyrants donne Vnto the constant Bishop * Eleuthâ—rius Her so wel-beloued sonne Shee ioy'd to haue so good a chyld For Christe to suffer smart But when with him shee strangled was Then ioyed moste her hart Affra in turning vnto Christe Turn'd from a lyf impure And for his loue the fyres fierce flame VVas willing to endure And to a stake when shee was ty'd Eu'n as the fyre was made I giue the thankes o God for this This glorious martres said Sincere was Simphorosas faith As did by deedes appeere In gayning vnto her belief Her spouse and children deere And with her husband to accord And sonnes in number seauen To liue in Christe to dy for Christe To loue and liue in heauen Fides and Spes and Charitas Borne of Sâ—pâ—â—â— sage Rype in their faith and fortiâ—â—dâ— Though greene in yeares of age VVere whipped thrust in boyling pitche And hedded afterward VVhose woorth the world of right admyres And heauen doth reward VVhen blest Blandina had the rack And sundry tortures past Vnto a bul wrapt in a net Shee was with fury caste And when of this so feirce a beast No harme shee could receaue Then with the swoord men woors then beastes Did her of lyf bereaue Potamina a noble Dame VVas with her mother †Marcella brent VVhen fearing-threates nor â—uries â—orce Might moue her to relent Shee beeing dead to him * Basilides appâ—â—rd That her did ayd in death VVhereby he turning vnto Christe VVas martred for hâ—s faith Thryce happy was Felicitas Thaâ— happely did see Her sonnes her sayinges to ensue And of her faith to bee And for the same by diuers deathes A deathles lyf renew VVhich by the swoord shee lastly gaynd And so did them 〈◊〉 The mayd Martina beeing led Appollo 〈◊〉 adore The Idol of it self fel downe As shee it came before A Lion vnto her they put Her body they did wound And by the swoord her lyf shee lost And lyf thereby shee found To offer to the Idol Gods Cecilia did refuse And contumelies paynes and death Contented was to chuse And in a skalding caldron cast And thryce strook with the swoord Attayning so vnto the ioyes The heauens do affoord Faire Agatha in beautie rare And welth did both abound But vertue which is more of woorth Might more in her be found Vnhurt on Irons hot shee stood Cut of were both her paps Her lyf shee left and gayned blis So ending al mishaps The loyal Appollonia VVithstood the pagan lawes For which with violence her teeth VVere torne from out her iawes And when for her a burning fyre The helhoundes did prouyde Into the same shee went her self And constantly shee dy'd Russiâ—â— and Secâ—nâ—â— both Sisters and virgins were Both liuing in the loue of God And dying in his feare From sundry sorrowes which they 〈◊〉 The swoord did them release And lyf and ioy foorth with began As wo and death did cease Basilia hauing fixt her loue VVhere loue is best beloued Tooke no regard of carnal loue By fond affection moued To Christe shee vowed chastitie And beeing forc'd to chuse A heathens loue or losse of lyf To liue shee did refuse Eugenia woorthy wel her name Not of Dianaes traine To offer therefore did refuse Vnto her Idol vaine Shee drowned not ty'd to a stone And in the Tiber cast But on a Christmas day to Christ By dint of swoord shee past Concordia with the heauens in peace And with the earth at stryf VVith blowes was beaten vnto death And ended so her lyf Vnited fast in faith and hope And Charities accord Shee died here in perfect pâ—ace And so liues with her lord Pure Margares a prised pearle For Christe himself to buy In tender yeares imbrac'd his loue Aâ—â— for his law did die The diuelish dragon burst in twainâ— That ment her to destroy Her death and sorrowes here but short Brought lyf and lasting ioy Columbae sixteene yeares of age Resolu'd a chaste intent VVhose vow to Christe a loose yongman To violate was sent But him a sauage beare had slaine Had shee not stayd the force A virgin martres so shee dyde And hee obtayn'd remorce Theodosia martirs did salute As at the bar they stood And prayd them pray for her to him For whome they shed there blood For which the ireful iudge ordaynd To teare her brests a way And to rent open both her sydes And cast her in the sea Sweet Catharin belou'd of Christe To Christe was constant seene In leauing for his only loue To bee a crowned Queene Yet crownd shee was with martyrdome VVhen torments from her fled And Angels bore her ghoste to blis VVhen shee had lost her hed The true belieuing Barbara Fals Gods would not adore And lost her fathers woorthlesse loue For Christ his loue and lore Strange torments hee on her impos'd And in straight prison hild And lastly her his only chyld VVith his owne handes he kild Yong Agnes aged thirteen yeares In Christe repos'd her trust Aâ—d not for fauour nor for force VVould yeild to ought vniust No harme shee had when in the fyre Shee throwne was by her foes And with a swoord thrust through her neck VVere ended all her woes Christina faire and noble mayd Did vnto Christe obey For which shee â—y'd vnto a
lyke-wise Should with lyke food lyke faithful soules suffyse Hence is descended that successyue power Of celebrating this soule-feeding feast Aud that remaining reuerence to this howre As elder tymes deuotion hath exprest And hence it comes that to our lasting ioy This heauenly meat our soules on earth enioy And as by kynde loues-grief encreaseth loue So loue that caus'd that God with men did liue Caus'd that for loue hee did great sorrow prooue VVhose sorrow to his loue more force did giue And so lesse wonder his great loue did moue To leaue himself the caution of his loue Thus comes it that the seeming bread wee see Is that same corps our sauiour Christ had heere Yet not in that self manner is it hee But as in couert veil so doth apeere His body true in Sacramental wise Beheld by faith more then by earthly eyes And as hee had his body at his wil VVhen dores and walles gainst it could not resist But did it vse and yet no place did fil And wrought therewith such woonders as him list So stil remaines his wil his woord and might In heau'n and earth in his all power-ful plight His body doth his soule import withall A body by effect of sacred sawes A soule by sequele which is natural Conioynd in one by his efficient cause Touch-stone of fath whereby God would vs teach His heau'nly woorkes exceed our earthly reatch And when our soules presume vnto this feast In cleane atyre they must themselues present Least els they fare as th◠vnwelcome gest That il atyred to the wedding went That so this bread of lyf such vertue giue That eating it with it wee euer liue And that esteeme and condigne reuerence That graue Antiquitie of duty gaue Vnto a thing of so great excellence Let in all ensuyng seasons haue And liue that faith whereof Christ gaue the groūd As long as faith may on the earth bee found A COMPLAINT OF S. MArie Magdalen At her not fynding Christ in his sepulchre A Las my Lord is gon How must I now deplore VVhere may hee bee that is each where And I him see no more Hope led mee here to seeke Recure of my destresse But sorrow here hath sought mee out And found mee comfortlesse Here lyf late seemed dead Head dead I seeme aliue It is my death him thus to misse That may my lyf reuyue Yee windowes on my face That serue mee not to see Serue now of water stild of wo The conducts for to bee In stede him to annoint VVhome here I cannot haue Make that the plenty of my teares May ouerflow his graue Perhaps it may him moue His presence to imparte To see how moistning these dry stones I therewith dry my harte Good Gardner that arte here To kepe this garden place Lo how I water al thy plants VVith raine falne from my face Be grateful for this good And tel mee I thee pray VVhere is hee laid yf so thy self Haste caried him away If it haue troobled thee Here to affoord him roome O let me know but where hee is My harte shal be his toombe And thow thereon maist wryte This epitaph in verse Heer lyf that lately lay for dead Liues and reuyues his hearse OF THE INVENTION OR fynding of the Crosse of Christ IN Britaine soile faire Helena was bred The woorthy Empresse of the world of yore The cause that Yorck Romes glory more did spred Then Rome it self could euer spred before There was shee borne and there shee brought him foorth That brought Roomes diade me to greatest woorth To greatest woorth for that hee it adorned Eu'n with the Crosse in midle top of all Raising to honor that which pagans scorned And honouring therein him self withall VVhose tytle now Great Constantyne became First Romaine Emperor of Christian name Good Siluister that sat in Peeters chaire Succeeding those that all had suffred death Now to saluation did the soule prepare Of Constantyne by teaching him the faith VVhereby himself an endlesse lyf might haue VVhos 's now conuersion many lyues did saue For when his mercy mercy him had gayned And hee in sacred font had bathed bin His soule and bodies weal hee both obtayned In beeing cur'd of leprosy and sin Then that the more hee might Christes glory reare He on his creast his cognisance did weare It was the signe that heau'n to him did shew For patron of the ensigne he should beare VVhen gainst Maxentius hee in armes did go And vnto his encouragement did heare An Angels voice that in the ayre did cry Thow in this signe shalt haue the victory All which did so this noble moother moue To due esteeme of such a sacred signe As this of him that so much merits loue To whome her hearts deere loue shee did resigne That ardent zeale did animate her mynde To seeke where shee his hiddē crosse might fynde Led by desyre that kindled was of loue She tooke her voyage to the holy land Faith was her guyde hope did her wil approue Speed did assist to what shee tooke in hand Desyre and loue and faith and hope speed Did all concur to her deseruing meede And as her feet did trauaile on the ground Her inward mynde did vp to heauen stie VVhere the right holy land was to be found Of him whose presence this did sanctify So what in earth her bodyes trauaile sought In heauen her mynde in more perfection wrought And there high God beholding her intent And knowing wel whereto deuotion tends And that it all vnto himself is ment That vnto ought approching him intends Did eu'n accept her ardent feruour futch As earst her faith that did his vesture tutch And so concurr'd to what shee went about That his hid crosse so hidden might not bee But shee at last it happely found out Though doubtful which the right one was of three Vntil a corps laid on it dyd renyue Shewing withal her faith to bee alyue It was the third day of the month of May. The worlde 's faire may-pole thus was found againe And now rear'd vp that long obscured lay As yf reseru'd for her owne honors gayne whome faith and loue hope zeale did raise To raise therein her glorious fame and praise L'ENVOY SOmtyme the Crosse as sundry recordes tel Deryuing vertue from our Sauiours death Hath had the force the diuel to expel And by the same confirmed Christian faith But now it seemes faith hath sustayned losse Because the diuel hath chaste away the crosse COMPLAINT OF CHVRCH CONTROVERSY THe golden world long since is worne away As now the golden yeare hath taken end The Iron world doth stil remaine and stay And in his rust doth to his ruyne tend And in the shew of vertue and of truthe Seeme-good seeme-gospel turneth all to ruthe At Babel tower where tounges confusion came It stayd the woork that fond aduice begun But fond aduice now seeketh to disframe A tabernacle seated in the Sun And tounges confusion Church-war hath procured